Comments from vokoban

Showing 226 - 250 of 859 comments

vokoban
vokoban commented about Regent Theatre on Jan 11, 2008 at 2:09 am

Maybe they are going to knock out the side walls above the lobby/ticket booth area where the projection room and storage area are located. I think the adjoining stores on either side have upstairs. I was up in the projection room area and there’s barely enough room to turn around.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Hippodrome Theater on Jan 2, 2008 at 10:12 pm

I wonder if there’s a way to pry a few of those tiles loose without getting caught…..hmmm.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Hippodrome Theater on Jan 2, 2008 at 9:48 pm

Wow….amazing find. I looked on the satellite map overlay thing and the actual place where the Hippodrome stood is where all of the bulldozers were parked a few weeks ago. The big hole is where the hotel was. Have they started digging a hole where the theater was also?

vokoban
vokoban commented about Linda Lea Theatre on Dec 13, 2007 at 2:48 am

If that’s the case then they should use that terminology in press releases and news stories…..not terms such as ‘remodel’ and ‘restore’. I see no difference here than in the Garrick and the Tower each having their own pages.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Dolby Screening Room Hollywood Vine on Dec 7, 2007 at 2:48 pm

I know there was a big health craze with the Victorians. I’ve seen an old photo of Angel’s Flight where there’s a Vegetarian restaurant on the north side of the tunnel.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Dolby Screening Room Hollywood Vine on Dec 7, 2007 at 4:30 am

Great photos….it almost looks like everything is still there.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Cineograph Theatre on Dec 6, 2007 at 5:59 pm

This must be what Joe was referring to above:
(Sep. 16, 1889)
STREET NUMBERING
New System Required for Public Convenience.
The special committee of the Council on street numbering, consisting of Messrs. Bnsall and Shafer, met at the City Hall yesterday, together with School Superintendent Friesner, to consider the proposed change. The present system is very faulty, and has a tendency to mislead, and it is proposed to substitute what is known as the Philadelphia plan, that is, 100 numbers to the block, commencing with 100 instead of commencing with the unit 1, as at present, and then allowing them to go in a go-as-you-please fashion, according to the whims of individual owners. The adoption of the plan, however, in its entirety, will necessitate a good many more changes than would appear at first glance, and will cause more or less dissatisfaction, unless its disadvantages are made apparent. In brief, the plan proposed by the commitee contemplates an entirely different method for East Los Angeles, where Downey avenue will be adopted as the dividing line. On the west side of the river the dividing streets will be First for north and south, and Main for east and west. Commencing with First street, the streets will be numbered out to the corporate limits on either side. The principal objection to this will be the familiar names of Washington, Pico and other old streets will be changed to numbers, an innovation which the people will probably resent, but it is thought that this can be obviated by leaving these names as they are and skipping a number, but whether this will work in practice will have to be demonstrated. The names of the streets running north and south will not be changed. Superintendent Friesner has taken a great deal of interest in the matter, and thinks that it should be done at once, as it is impossible to tell, half the time, without consulting a map, in what school district children are when they apply for admission to the public schools.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Cineograph Theatre on Dec 6, 2007 at 5:09 pm

I guess Joe Manning went from a ‘strictly family resort’ to a ‘house of ill-fame’ in a few years time:

(May 9, 1895)
Yesterday Constable Harry Johnston secured a warrant for the arrest of Joe Manning on the charge of renting property to persons who use it for immoral purposes. This was about the only development of the day in Johnston’s crusade against the houses of ill-fame.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Cineograph Theatre on Dec 6, 2007 at 4:59 pm

I guess that didn’t last long:

(Dec. 18, 1890)
THE TIVOLI NO MORE.
The Tivoli Theater is no more. The place opened about two months ago under the management of the Perry brothers, who formerly ran the Club Theater, and Joe Manning, as a variety show, and was advertised on the bills as “a popular family resort.” The concern failed to “catch on,” however, and yesterday the furniture company who sold the chairs and tables, removed the property, and the place closed down. Joe Manning, one of the proprietors, claims to have sunk $8000 in the venture during its brief career.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Cineograph Theatre on Dec 6, 2007 at 4:54 pm

Thanks for the good lead Joe and the street numbering information….it clears up some confusion. Here is the article you mentioned. It is just a small ad in the classified section:

(Oct. 18, 1890)
TIVOLI THEATER,
12, 14 and 16 Court Street.
-A STRICTLY FAMILY RESORT.-
OPENING COMPANY:
Willard and Hall, Blanch and Byron, Zeno and Roberts, Hastings and Heywood, Ashby and Morris, Constantine, Newton.
ADMISSION…………..15, 25 and 35 CENTS.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18TH, OPENING NIGHT.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Hippodrome Theater on Dec 5, 2007 at 10:41 pm

Pretty amazing photo Joe. From looking at how closely packed that block was I guess it makes sense that they would have used the same footprint of the previous building. You can see the New Star and many others in that photo. I think its the only picture I’ve seen of the Empire.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Hippodrome Theater on Dec 5, 2007 at 4:43 pm

it’s interesting that on the map showing the Hippodrome, the Empire Theater (on 3rd) now says private garage. That map is from 1923.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Hippodrome Theater on Dec 5, 2007 at 4:39 pm

sorry, i think those are reversed…

vokoban
vokoban commented about Hippodrome Theater on Dec 5, 2007 at 4:38 pm

These are from above but here they are again for easy comparison:

Hippodrome
View link

Panorama Building
View link

vokoban
vokoban commented about Hippodrome Theater on Dec 5, 2007 at 4:31 pm

I wonder if they actually demolished the building. Maybe they left the side walls (like the Linda Lea). The building outline on the Sanborn map from the Panorama period lines up exactly with the Hippodrome. Even the long hall/driveway entrance is the same as well as the front retail buildings.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Glockner's Automatic Theatre on Nov 30, 2007 at 6:21 pm

Here is something from the classifieds:
(April 5, 1902)
FOR SALE-BUY SOMETHING TO MAKE money with, selling out a prices to please anyone, phonographs, kinetoscopes, picture machines, projectoscopes, electric fans, electric motors, reostat, fine oak record cabinet; sheet music 5 cents per copy. TALLY’S, 262 S. Main st.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Linda Lea Theatre on Nov 30, 2007 at 5:07 pm

I agree wholeheartedly.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Teatro Hidalgo on Nov 30, 2007 at 4:05 pm

On the Estella page it lists this theater as another name. It’s a different address so maybe I made a mistake a long time ago when I added it.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Balboa Theatre on Nov 29, 2007 at 9:53 pm

Here is a link to a video news story about the restoration. I don’t know if it is just my computer, but the video is very choppy and the sound is messed up but there are some good shots of the interior.

http://video.nbcsandiego.com/player/?id=189798

vokoban
vokoban commented about Los Angeles Theatre on Nov 29, 2007 at 5:41 pm

I already have my tickets in my sweaty little monkey paws. The only thing that bugs me is that this was originally supposed to be at the Palace. I guess there was a problem so now its at the Los Angeles. I wanted to see if they have done anything to the inside of the Palace since the outside looks fabulous now after a cleaning.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Los Angeles Theatre on Nov 29, 2007 at 5:32 pm

Wow…just testing to see if Ian is ‘bothered’ by this message. I love the photo posted by ken mc from Aug. 19 that shows the north wing of the retail space on the building. Someone over the years either removed or covered all detail so it is basically a box now. You can see how it looked in that photo. I’m glad the south wing has remained untouched.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Teatro Hidalgo on Nov 29, 2007 at 5:09 pm

great article Ken….I wish I would have seen that before the Mainly Main tour I volunteered for at the Conservancy.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Carthay Circle Theatre on Nov 25, 2007 at 7:08 pm

Weil, you wouldn’t possibly have any photos from the time that you worked there, would you?

vokoban
vokoban commented about Regent Theatre on Nov 23, 2007 at 6:04 pm

Tom Gilmore owns the property now and plans to turn it into a live music/theater venue. The seats were removed long ago but the theater isn’t gutted. The floor is still sloped and all of the details are still in the ceiling although they have been painted white. Apparently, the molding and details that have been damaged over the years are being recast to match as close as possible. The amazing thing is that if you get a chance to go upstairs you can see the original nickelodeon style brick arch behind the 40’s exterior remodel.

vokoban
vokoban commented about Linda Lea Theatre on Nov 19, 2007 at 4:03 pm

Thanks okoku…..I put in my two cents worth on that silly site.