Million Dollar Theatre
307 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90013
307 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles,
CA
90013
59 people
favorited this theater
Showing 126 - 150 of 227 comments
Actually, the spelling confusion runs much wider than just this page. (I’d argue it runs throughout the country: I can’t make out any consistent application of the alternative spellings.) Look, for instance, at the ‘coming soon’ announcement on the Million Dollar’s marquee, in hollywood90038’s third picture on Feb 18. I’ve also observed both spellings on the lightpost notes outside the theatre: I think it must be the headline, which just wraps around out of sight in hollywood90038’s fifth link above, that slips into the ‘theater’ spelling.
As memory serves, Grauman specifically called the Million Dollar a ‘theatre’ to bestow a supposed European sophistication upon it…
Most of these free-standing ticket booths look like Zeus’s helmet or something, but the Million Dollar Theater booth looks like Elvis’s haircut.
Here is a photo taken today:
http://tinyurl.com/2znc4o
If you look at the USC photo I posted on 11/11, it says “Edison Building”, as Joe pointed out above.
That magazine is spreading some old misinformation about the Metropolitan Water District and William Mulholland again. The office building attached to the Million Dollar was called the Edison Building. Southern California Edison Company had its offices there. Mulholland was with the L.A. Department of Water and Power, not the MWD. LADWP’s offices were a block up Broadway near 2nd St. The MWD was not even in existence when the Million Dollar was built. MWD was incorporated in 1928 and later took over Edison’s old offices some time after SCE relocated to the new (the 3rd in L.A. of the name) Edison Building at 5th and Grand about 1931.
And to think that somebody got paid to write that article.
Ignore the incorrect caption at the top. I thought this USC archives photo was interesting if you note the “Homer Laughlin building” sign next to the MD. There was also a Homer Laughlin building and theater in Long Beach.
http://tinyurl.com/23bt48
Well, it would make sense – Grauman sold off his interest in his Egyptian and Chinese Theatres in 1929………
Here is a June 1929 ad. Perhaps Lazarus bought the theater from Sid Grauman?
http://tinyurl.com/33ggcn
Here is a May 1919 ad from the LA Times. Director Ince was later shot to death on Charlie Chaplin’s yacht, supposedly by William Hearst:
http://tinyurl.com/ys6ahb
You can infer from the September 8 post by Mr. Alberto, as well as the Myspace presentation, that the MD will be showing Latin films only. That’s fine with me, as long as the theater is up and running. I missed out in 1997, which is the last time they ran first run films at the MD. I won’t miss out this time.
Here is a November 1957 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/2c5t5s
Here is a July 1959 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/26atyy
The final cut of Blade Runner is currently playing at the new Landmark theater in West Los Angeles.
You can find the answer to your question on the crowds at the Ziegfeld, on the Ziegfeld’s page.
How big was the crowd at the Ziegfield for that?
Those who have seen BLADE RUNNER will know that Million Dollar is seen very clearly the film, as is the Bradbury building. I just recently saw the film again on the big screen at the Zeigfeld Theatre in New York City during a limited engagement.
Here are two 1925 ads from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/27oo53
http://tinyurl.com/2g4ugt
Hello, I would like to contact people that performed or attended the MD for a documentary film project. email:
Here is a 1950 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/39ydaa
The Million Dollar will be operating very soon…
We will present award winning film movies, International artists, Latin Music, pop, rock bands our own Million Dollar Ballet and orchestra…We will mantein the high standard of quality some future events includes the Official Latin Venue for the Oscar night* on February 24 2008.
We invite the fans of The Million Dollar to check a preview web page on http://www.myspace.com/elmilliondollar
For TICKETS and season pass email
Regards
Raul Alberto
President
Latin Market
for “El Million Dollar”
I got inside again today!! I had a group of tourists from Ireland and just as I was giving my “the oldest movie palace still standing” spiel, the gates of the theatre opened and we were able to go inside. The lobby is still undergoing renovations – still laying new tile and the ceiling still needs a few touch ups, but the auditorium appears to be finished for the time being. The main floor has new carpet and the lighting is perfect to accentuate the newly painted walls. They’ve also hung red drapes on the side walls of the auditorium to add a new layer to the space without spending a boatload of cash. All traces of that dammed church have been wiped clean of the interior, and the theatre is ready for a new phase in it’s history. I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised with how this renovation job has come off. I know several people were a bit apprehensive with the news that the theatre was going to have major work done, but I feel that the management has a good clear vision, and all is well.
Greg thanks for the update as a good many of us are waiting for this historic theatre to re-open.
Here is a photo, circa 1994:
http://tinyurl.com/2bkn59
I talked my way into the theatre again this week by approaching Robert Voskanian, the theatres manager who was standing beneath the marque. He was very eager to walk me around the theatre auditorium and it looked fantastic – the best I’ve ever seen it. The ceiling still has the same water damage as it’s always had, but that kind of work costs millions to repair. The thing that I was most interested in was the lobby dome. Voskanian said that when they had started the project that one of their plans was to restore the original lobby dome from 1918. He said that they brought in several different specialists to survey the area, but that they all said that it would cost too much to be done at this time. I have a feeling that down the road when the theatre has had the opportunity to generate some income, that the smaller details such as that will be dealth with. I’m just glad to see the theatre alive with activity and the smell of fresh paint rather then of must and dust.
This is the back of the building in July 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/249d82