Comments from vokoban

Interesting about the opening of the Mayan:
(July 31, 1927 LA Times)
NEW THEATER COMPLETED
Mayan of Indian Design, Erected on Hill Street at Cost of $850,000, to Open Soon
The newest Los Angeles theater, the Mayan, erected at a cost of $850,000, is situated on Hill street between Tenth and Eleventh streets, next door to the Belasco, and is the first to follow the earliest-known American mode, the Mayan.
The property, fronting 100 feet on Hill street, with depth of 150 feet, is a Class A reinforced concrete structure, and will be devoted solely to the presentation of musical comedies. The theater will have its premiere August 15, next.
Gerhold O. Davis, who, with Edward Belasco and Fred Butler, is lessee of the new Belasco Theater, has leased the Mayan for twenty years from the owner, N.W. Stowell. The auditorium has a seating capacity of 1500, with 750 chairs on the main floor and 750 in the balcony. Offices are located on the second floor in front.
INDIAN ARCHITECTURE
Into the structure, the architects have incorporated the most modern design and equipment architecturally. The exterior is in ornamental stone designed by a young Mexican artist, Francisco Cornejo, who in his interior design and color, has embodied the findings of his extensive research into earliest known American and Mexican art, with a predominance of blue, brown, red and gold tones. Doorways, proscenium arches and the ceilings are of ornamental stone in Mayan design. The selection of the Mayan motif by Gerhold O. Davis was the result of important archeological discoveries in Central America a year ago.
Entrance to the theater is through a large outer lobby, 18 x 32 feet, into the downstairs foyer. This and the mezzanine foyer, running the full width of the building, are decorated and furnished for the comfort of patrons during intermission, and smoking will be permitted in them as a result of the recent removal by the City Council of the ban on smoking in such places. Retiring rooms open off the mezzanine lounge.
Auditorium illumination is by an indirect system. The large figure of the Mayan sun rays, from whose circumference the entire ceiling is lighted in white and amber tones, is in turn lighted by green and blue lights from a pendant fixture.
FIRST CONNECTING STAGE
Of exceptional interest because it is the first time in America such practice has been followed, is the use of a twelve-foot connecting stage, on each side of the main stage, which is thirty-eight feet deep and has a width of forty-two feet.
Space for fifty musicians is provided in the orchestra pit, which is 10 x 38 feet. From tis two stairways lead below stage, to the musicians' room, which is 35 x 11 feet. An interesting innovation in stage lighting is the use of a balcony fifteen feet above stage level for the switchboard panel.
With the exception of the de luxe star quarters just above the stage level, equipped with a suite of three rooms, and a star room on the stage level, all dressing-rooms open off the green room below, which is 45 x 25 feet. These include two star dressing-rooms, three dressing-rooms accommodating three persons each, five chorus rooms-two accommodating twenty-three each, two accommodating eight and one for six persons. On this level are also the wardrobe room and ventilating system. All downstairs rooms are well ventilated. Shower rooms for the convenience of the players are also in the basement.
Ground was broken for the Mayan Theater last August, and the general contract awarded to the Scofield Engineering Company.

Here is an article about the Mayan switching to movies:
(Aug. 16, 1929 LA Times)
MAYAN CHANGES FROM DRAMA TO TALKING FILMS
The Mayan Theater has gone talkie. Commencing Thursday evening, September 5, the Eleventh and Hill street playhouse, hitherto devoted to spoken plays, will inaugurate a policy of talking pictures to be shown twice daily. The opening attraction will be “Marianne,” a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer screen musical comedy. Gerhold O. Davis, manager of the Mayan, believes that the best entertainment of the future is to be in the form of talking pictures, and he is installing the finest equipment for reproduction, including a new device which he declares to be sensational in its improvement over the present devices. “I am thoroughly convinced that the public has taken the up-to-date talking, singing and dancing picture to its heart and prefers it to all other forms of entertainment,” declared Davis last night. “For that reason I am going to a great expense to equip my theater.” Mr. Davis announces that he will present only the best talkies available. Arrangements are being made for a typical gala premiere.

The same film seems to have been shown with the same stage show which usually lasted a week or two. Who said it mattered if the films were French? I was just describing the fair…not commenting on what qualifies. The Danielle Darrieux movies they showed were from the mid to late 30’s, so its almost like a revival. It’s amazing that she’s still alive and working today!

Apparently, the Belasco went from legit dramatic and musical theater to a program of burlesque with a movie following the performance by the end of 1948. This continued until June of 1950 when the church bought the theater. The numerous movies tend to be French or drug propaganda type films. Here are a few of the titles that screened for that short period: Fric-Frac, Kiss of Fire, Human Beast, Bride’s Delight, Lysistrata, Venus of Paris, Streets of Shadow, She Returned at Dawn, Wild Weed, Girls For Sale…etc….there are more but you can look under the movie listings in the LA Times if you’re interested. I’m not really concerned whether the theater gets listed on here or not. I just wanted to show that they did show movies here, briefly or not.

which theater was a shoe store? i’m curious now….

This is in response to the thoughts above about the church sign and the Belasco….it sounds as though they did show a few movies at one point:

(June 7, 1950)
BELASCO THEATER TO BECOME CHURCH
The Belasco Theater, scene of many a dramatic triumph in the boom days just before talking pictures arrived, was sold yeysterday to be converted into a church. The Immanuel Gospel Temple bought it for $200,000. The church will dedicate it at 11 a.m. Sunday. Down will come the signs of the last motion-picture double bill: “French Nudists” and “Girls for Sale.” These marked the lurid end of a dramatic trail which began in the heyday of the legitimate stage in Los Angeles. The Belasco was built by the Doheny interests at 1050 S Hill St. and opened Nov. 1, 1926, with a glittering premiere of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” (excerpt)

Hi…did you get to see inside? I wonder if they’ve done anything yet in there.

I forgot to say that if you want to access the large detailed views of the images you have to first hit the ‘All Sizes’ button on each map page. It will then give you a choice of many sizes to view the image.

Nice advertisement….I wish they would put up a ‘popular prices’ sign at movie ticket windows today.

Actually, the shot of the theater sign is from Gilmore Stadium which would have been where CBS and the Grove stands now.

Apparently someone listened to this person’s complaint or a deal fell through….
LA Times (July 24, 1977)

PORNO HOUSES MOVE TO SUBURBS
This is a part of a letter to councilman Joel Wachs.
Although I am a resident of Canoga Park, I have many friends in North Hollywood and therefore spend a good deal of my time and leisure there. Certain tragic circumstances have come to my notice in that the old El Portal Theater is being sold and is to be razed shortly and the Guild Theater is to be sold to become a porno house. It would appear that the filth peddlers, being forced out of Hollywood proper, are spreading their disease to the suburbs. Since the only other theater in North Hollywood (the old Lankershim Theater)is also porno, perhaps the City Council should consider making this a “red light district” and bring to the residents the crime, pimping and prostitution that go hand in hand. It seems to me that the theater owners are determined to sell to any get-rich-quick artist who doesn’t give a damn for the residents.

R.A. Simon
Canoga Park

Yves, did the owner show any interest in opening the theater at some point? Did they allow you to take any photos? I’d love to see the inside of the theater.