UNITED Theater on Broadway
929 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90015
929 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90015
44 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 179 comments
I just came across this on the msnbc website…….
In late January, the Ace Hotel chain announced it would turn the United Artists Building in downtown Los Angeles into a 180-room hotel. A classic example of Spanish Gothic architecture, the building was originally built in 1927 and houses a 1,600-seat theater opened by Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and the other actors who formed United Artists.
Anyone have any additional information?
Great news re the possibility of a ‘revived’ Unitd Artists Theatre! I saw it on a visit with a convention of the Theatre Historial Society a few years ago. The Gothic style foyer was the inspiration for a simlar style for the Regent Theatre Melbourne. (The auditorium of the Regent copied from Loew’s CapitolbTheatre New York.) I haave lived my life in close association with the theatre, firstly in front of house management in the fifties. After its closure in 1970, I was one of a handfull that formed the Save The Reent Theatre Committee and won the fight to prevent its demolition for a 650 feet office & hotel tower. The theatre re-opened in 1996 after being closed for 26 years 1 month and 14 days! Pleae visit my web page www.regenttheatremelbourne.com. It should come up first line, click for the main page ‘The Ghost That Won’t Lie Down’ AND sign my guest book! Email me @ .au or
From L.A. Curbed
“The rumors are true: an Ace Hotel will open in Broadway’s old United Artists Theatre… Multiple sources confirm that the boutique hospitality firm has reached an agreement with Greenfield Partners… the Ace intends to make a fully renovated and reactivated theater the showpiece of its future hotel.”
Hopefully, the new owner is interested in reopening the theatre as an entertainment venue and the alleged hotel concept simply involves the adjoining commercial space.
Dr. Gene Scott’s widow/successor, Melissa Scott, is a bit “controversial” and has been liquidating a number of the ministry’s holdings in a questionable fashion. So, I seriously doubt the building’s historical value was considered in the sale, from her side.
The building has been sold to an investment and development company called Greenfield Partners, which has been involved in a number of hotel projects. There is speculation that the Texaco-United Artists building is destined to become a boutique hotel. I’m not sure what such a conversion would portend for the theater itself, and Greenfield has made no announcements about their intentions.
I understand the theatre has been sold.
One of the “Jesus Saves” signs was removed from the back of the building the other night. No news on where it’s going, or what is going on.
Luis, the UA is not “abandoned.” University Cathedral did a good job of maintaining the theater over the decades (see my videos as proof), and even though they’ve moved out and the building is for sale, they are set on finding buyers who will do right for the theater, not gut it or whatever.
Just conducted my first visit of downtown Los Angeles to tour the famous Historic Theatre District this past Sunday, September 5th. The United Artists Theatre was might first up close stop and it couldn’t have looked more abandoned. Is this theater really renovated? If so, the outer lobby and vestibule needs some serious work. If it is still owned by a church then they are out of business as the gates were shut tight at a time when one would presume that services should be held. Very sad all around. I wil post my other observations on each visited theater site.
Maybe trivial, Ray, but important nonetheless (at least to me, as a member of the LAHTF). Mistakes happen, things are misremembered, bad info is reported. It takes sharp-eyed people to weed out the mistakes and keep everything accurate. Thanks.
I suppose this is trivia, but the L.A. Historic Theatre Foundation should fact-check details more carefully. The UA’s Wurlitzer organ had three manuals, not four. The only four-manual Wurlitzer installed in an L.A.-area theater was at the downtown Paramount.
The UA organ was sold to organist Buddy Cole, who made some additions (nine ranks of pipes from his former studio organ — a Robert-Morton) and installed it in a custom-built recording studio. He made two records for Warner Bros. before his death. After going to a pizza restaurant in Northern California, the organ ended up, much-modified, in a museum in the UK.
LAHTF event has been postponed to new year. Will post new info as it arrives.
Here’s my new Peek at the UA, with all different video and photos from the one posted on July 30th.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iImxi_ZLLWY
Get ready to tour the UA! On December 11th, Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation will be presenting “All About the UA.” Join us at www.lahtf.org or on Facebook for the official announcement with all the details. And I’ll be posting a new video soon!
A photo of the sign from October 2009:
View link
I guess Mary Pickford felt she owned the theatre. It was her second home next to Pickfair.
An article from the L.A. Downtown News about the United Artists Theater:
View link
Featured the UA Theater on my blog today:
Nothing Dies With Blue Skies.com- United Artists Theater
A WS article mentions that 45,000 live in the downtown Los Angeles city center but failed to mention that hundreds of thousands more go there during the day and into the evening hours for a great night out. My wife and I ride the subway (from Hollywood) to get to the vibrant nightlife of the city center and have attended many events there day and night. A renovated United Artists theatre will be a great addition to the city life of Los Angeles’s Broadway that is downtown.
Don, Guess I was confused. Sorry bout that.
Mainly Pickford, Chas. Chaplin didn’t want to be involved in owning theaters…
The religious feel of this theater was by design. It was inspired by the great cathedrals of eurupe. This was chosen by original owners Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, etc. It’s because of this design that Dr. Scott chose the UA for his downtown church.
Proposed future of this theater:
View link
Video and stills from a recent visit now up at YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_zDQhIB96g
I think the auditorium “sidewall marble” must have been put in later. C. Howard Crane’s office had better taste than that.
I’ve always thought that someone decided this gave the auditorium a religious feel, which is fine. That is what the place has been used for.
I do think it definitely looks better without this decoration, however.