RKO Hillstreet Theatre

How’s this for a double bill.

“The Tingler” in PERCEPTO and ..
Juke Box Rhythm?

View link

Here is part of an article in the LA Times on 4/29/63:

The largest theater in downtown Los Angeles closed two weeks ago-at least temporarily-with no more fanfare than was accorded its opening 41 years ago. The Hillstreet, at 8th and Hill, opened Monday afternoon March 20, 1922, with a vaudeville program and the film “Why Announce Your Marriage?” with Elaine Hammerstein. The theater closed Sunday evening April 14, 1963 with Vincent Price in “Diary of a Madman”.

Although “shortage of product” was the reason given for the theater’s closing, it is reliably estimated that at each of the last three evening performances the 2,752 seats were occupied by a tiny fraction of its capacity. Metropolitan Theater Corp., which leased the Hillstreet from the Radio-Keith-Orpheum Corp. in 1959, said it hopes to resume regular programming when summer vacation begins for the city’s schoolchildren.

Designed by G. Albert Lansburgh, the most prolific theater architect in western United States, now living in retirement in San Mateo, the Hillstreet has an almost identical “sister” theater, the Golden Gate, in San Francisco. Though somewhat smaller than the San Francisco house, the Hillstreet has the same faintly ecclesiastical Spanish Renaissance styling. The fan-vaulted ceiling in the foyer of the Hillstreet was covered up when the entrances to both theaters were modernized on their 25th anniversaries.

Now I understand why these ads are clearer.

Here is a late 1930s view from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/cm6klq

In November, 1930, this was being advertised under the name of R-K-O Theatre. The circuit was still in infancy and would later drop the hyphens between the letters that stood for Radio, Keith, and Orpheum. At the time of this ad, R-K-O operated only two theatres in Los Angeles, and the Orpheum had been reduced to showing movies only. The vaudeville at the R-K-O Theatre was described as “direct” from the Palace in New York City, but I would guess that there were other engagements along the way: View link

Here is a September 1938 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/6rdkwl

Maybe I should make a graphic novel called The Life & Loves of the Trado Twins….hmmm.

Here’s something from the day before this theater opened:
(March 19, 1922 LA Times)

JUNIOR HOUSE TO OPEN.
Tomorrow afternoon the new Hillstreet Theater of the Junior Orpheum Circuit at Eighth and Hill will open its doors to the public without any formal ceremonies. The new theater is a model of the most advanced ideas in theater construction, and embodies many new features for the comfort and pleasure of the patrons. Continuous vaudeville and exclusive photoplay showings will comprise the entertainment offered, with excellent musical programs rendered by a large orchestra, with Allen Hall directing and Charles Hayes O'Haver presiding at the mammoth three-manual Moller organ. The opening bill gives an excellent idea of the class of the attractions to be offered at the Hillstreet Theater and is sure to appeal to every taste. Gladys Buckridge and Billy Casey, the Ziegfeld stars, with one of the season’s most elaborate productions entitled “Ornamental Song Hits,” hold the headline position. They will be assisted by the clever Trado Twins, dancers, and Jack Thomas at the piano.

{I wish I had a photo of those Trado Twins….}

Yawn!

“Lost Memory,” what is the point to your posting a contradictory date? Are you suggesting that “kenmc” made a mistake in his posting? The date of October, 1929, that you gave for “Oh,Yeah” was only the date that trade journals reviewed the movie. Those same journals give a release of January, 1930, which is consistent with the ad posted by “kenmc.” I suspect that you are again relying on wikipedia for your research.

Here is a January 1930 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/3vyvsb

The Hillstreet was one of two theaters (Pantages being the other) that hosted the World Premiere of the 3-D “It came from Outer Space”

“According to B-movie aficionado Bob Burns: “It Came from Outer Space had a double opening in Hollywood at the Pantages Theatre and the RKO Hillstreet Theatre on May 26, 1953… Celebrities who attended the premiers included Shelly Winters, Mickey Rooney and Edward G. Robinson”

Its such a damn shame that they chose to tear down this theater/office building after a mere 40 years!! Yet, the Warner Bros. Downtown theater/office building at 7th & Hill and the Loew’s State theater/office building at 7th & Broadway are still around after more than 80 years…