Velaslavasay Panorama
1122 W. 24th Street,
Los Angeles,
CA
90007
1122 W. 24th Street,
Los Angeles,
CA
90007
2 people
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Nice looking photos.
This building erected in 1921 was probably opened as the Fairyland Theatre, and remained a movie or stage theater under various names for more than two decades before being converted into a union hall. The house was listed as the Fairyland Theatre in the Los Angeles City Directory of 1923. It was listed as the Union Square Theatre in the 1929 directory.
I’ve been unable to discover when it first closed as a movie theater, but in January, 1935, silent movie star Louise Glaum reopened the house as a live theater, the Louise Glaum Little Theatre of Union Square (oddly, the 1936 City Directory still listed the house under the category Motion Picture Theatres, as “Glaum Louise Playhouse.”) But by 1938, the house was listed as a motion picture theater called the Continental. It was still the Continental in the 1939 directory, but was the Union Theatre in the 1942 directory.
The next city directory available online is from 1956, by which time the theater had become the union hall of the tile worker’s local. It remained a building trades union hall at least into the 1980s.
A Fairlyland Theatre was mentioned in an August, 1915, Los Angeles Times item, when its location was given as 24th and Hoover. As this earlier Fairyland Theatre is not listed in the 1915 City Directory (it most likely opened after the directory for that year had been compiled), I don’t know if it was at the same address as the second Fairyland. The earlier Fairyland has a Cinema Treasures page. As it might have been at a different location, that page should probably remain for now. If it is eventually determined that it was in an earlier building on the same lot where the second Fairyland’s building was built in 1921, its existence can be noted in the description on this page, and the other page can be removed.
Ron, the Union neon was restored, so the theater still carries that name. The Velaslavasay Panorama appears on the marquee, as if it was the featured program.
Shouldn’t the name of this theatre be changed here at CinemaTreasures?
Assessor information indicates that the building at 1122 W. 24th St. was erected in 1921.
Professor Russell A. Potter
Arctic Spectacles: The Frozen North in Visual Culture
1818-1875
THE VELASLAVASAY PANORAMA
1122 WEST 24TH STREET
Los Angeles, California 90007
213-746-2166
www.panoramaonview.org
January 4th & January 5th 2008
8:00 PM
Tickets $15
{$10 FOR MEMBERS & STUDENTS}
In conjunction with the imminent publication of his newest book, Arctic Spectacles: The Frozen North in Visual Culture 1818-1875, The Velaslavasay Panorama will host two nights of dramaturgic presentations and historical merriment by renowned arctic authority Professor Russell A. Potter. An exploration into 19th century arctic entertainments and representations in popular culture, this wonderfully detailed and handsomely illustrated new work explores the fascination the Frozen North has consistently held upon the public imagination.
Dr. Russell A. Potter has been fascinated with the Arctic for many years, and has written and lectured extensively on many different aspects of its recorded history. In April of 2004 he traveled to the remote corners of the Canadian Arctic to revisit several of the sites where traces of the ill-fated Franklin expedition of 1845 still remain, for the filming of the NOVA program Arctic Passage: Prisoners of the Ice. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island, and is currently Professor of English and Media Studies at Rhode Island College. For more information on his studies, please visit his website at www.arcticspectacles.info
The Velaslavasay Panorama, having recently opened its panoramic meditation on the arctic, the 360-degree exhibit Effulgence of the North, proves a perfect locale for this conversational convergence of modern and historical perspectives on the arctic. The facts and fictions of the controversial history surrounding these mythical frozen climes will be investigated with wit and the first-hand knowledge of the barren tundra which has been so long the focus of Professor Potter’s study. Join us for these exciting evenings of exploration and adventure, where there will also be provided an array of tasty and appropriate refreshments reminiscent of the time period, including our version of pemmican {a high-energy staple of any intrepid traveler’s diet, composed of dried and pressed meat, fruit, and rendered fat}, and delicious warm libations to ward off the chill of the Arctic night.
A year before the Union was listed as the Continental in the city directory, so that should be an aka.
Here is an ad from the LA Times in September 1939:
http://tinyurl.com/34pob3
I think you can remove the “renovating”. Here are some recent photos:
http://tinyurl.com/2dq5xo
http://tinyurl.com/ys7dz3
http://tinyurl.com/2z7ydt
http://tinyurl.com/2gx37a
This is a nice little theater just south of the notorious Pico-Union area. There is a playhouse across the street, creating a mini-arts neighborhood.
UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE UNION THEATRE
http://www.panoramaonview.org/upcomingevent.html
++++++++ SATURDAY – DECEMBER 3RD ++++++++++++
Automata
at
The Velaslavasay Panorama
presents
MAGICAL PROJECTIONS
curated by Steven Anker
8:00 PM
Saturday, December 3rd 2005
at
The Velaslavasay Panorama
1122 West 24th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90007
Tickets $10/$7 for members and students
For Advance Reservations email:
Magical Projections is a program of ‘trick’ films made at the turn of the last century, when cinema was new and everything about it was magical. Fantastical apparitions, impossible occurrences and startling transformations flitted across the screen in a new slight of hand that no one had ever seen before. Filmmakers will include Georges Meiles, Ferdinand Zecca, Louis Feuuillade, Emil Cohl, Ladislaw Starevitch, Edwin S. Porter, J. Stuart Blackton and D.W. Griffith.
++++++++ SATURDAY – DECEMBER 10TH ++++++++++++
FESTIVITIES TO CELEBRATE THE WINTER SOLSTICE!
– at -
The Velaslavasay Panorama
1122 West 24th Street
Los Angeles, California 90007
(213) 746-2166
S A T U R N A L I A
Saturday, 10th of December
2005
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Bring a $5 offering to afford you a Laurel Crown & a Tasty Chance!
To the common people of Ancient Times, the Winter Solstice meant a happy get-togehter and a Lord of Misrule was appointed for the duration of the days-long ceremony. Forget your grudges and quarrels! Interrupt your back-breaking toils! Postpone your wars and join us!
– MMV-
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
——– PRESS RELEASE! ——–
THE VELASLAVASAY PANORAMA
PRESENTS
NEON MARQUEE
RELIGHTING CEREMONY!!
AT 1122 WEST 24TH STREET
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
90007
OUR NEW HOME!
A SITE ALSO KNOWN AS
THE UNION THEATRE
SUNDAY JULY 10TH, 2005
5:00 â€" 7:00 PM
Hooray-Hurrah! The Velaslavasay Panorama has found a new home for its panoramic exhibitions and gardens. To celebrate this, we are holding a Neon Marquee Relighting Ceremony, for the signage we have recently restored. Ray Neal of Standard Electrical Services provided the beautiful electrical work on the neon façade. Mr. Neal has done much of the façade work on the historic theatres in Los Angeles (such as the Los Angeles Theatre) and beyond. Funding for the neon facade has been provided in part by the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles.
This event will also premiere our new carnivorous plant display, wooden gazebo and dark foliage garden,which was made possible in part by the Cultural Affairs Department of the City of Los Angeles. Nathan Marsak, preservationist extraordinaire of the Los Angeles Conservancy Modern Committee, will give a slide presentation on historic neon in Los Angeles. Mr. Marsak is one of the authors of Los Angeles Neon, a landmark book documenting this singular art form and it’s glorious history.
Our upcoming 360-degrees panoramic exhibition is still in the works and will open to the public in early summer, 2006. In the meantime, the Velaslavasay has a variety of events planned, including a semi bi-monthly handicraft circle known as “KnitOne – PurlOne”, which most recently featured a presentation by Margaret and Christine Wertheim from the Institute for Figuring on crocheting hyperbolic planes. Our summer Automata series of puppet shows and film screenings, produced by the new non-profit Automata will begin on June 30th with a toy theatre performance of Frankenstein: Mortal Toys, at 8pm {tickets $10 /$7 for members and students}, also showing July 1 & 2 at 8pm, with an additional 4pm matinee on Saturday July 2.
Located in the West Adams Historic District, the Velaslavasay Panorama presents an art form which dates back to the early 19th century, a panorama encircles the spectator with a 360° painting of continuous space, most often a landscape. As our upcoming panoramic exhibition and interior theatre restoration is currently in progress, our garden exhibits will be open by appointment only until mid-2006. To arrange for a visitation, please contact us via telephone (213) 746-2166 or through postal or electronic mail.
Update! The Velaslavasay Panorama’s Neon Relighting of the Union Theatre Date has been changed and is now confirmed to be July 10th, a Sunday, at 5:00pm, festivities to last until 7:00. A lecture will be given by Mr. Nathan Marsak, of Los Angeles Neon Fame on the beautiful medium of NEON. Please come, the event is free. This day will also showcase the debut of our outdoor “Carnivorous Gazebo” garden exhibit. The event will be ceremonious, to be sure!
Our first in a series of puppet show/performances by the Los Angeles-basted AUTOMATA group will begin on June 30th.
To be included on our (more reliably postal) mailing list, or for more information contact us at
The Velaslavasay Panorama
http://www.panoramaonview.org/locationhour.html
Does anyone know who ownes or leases the theatre? Thank you in advance.
I was just by this little theater and they said that they would be holding a neon lighting ceremony around 5 p.m. on May 1st. I don’t know how much renovation they had to do on the exterior, but it looks great. Clean, green tile. Nice neon.
The panorama probably won’t open for another year.
The header above needs to be ammended to: Status: Closed/Renovating
Function: Performance/Exhibition space.
I had the pleasure to visit this theatre on Sunday with Ken Roe. Its a beautiful little theatre on an odd little side street.
The theatre does need a lot of work including tearing out the acoustic tiles and ceiling.
There is paintings on the wall, but are probably heavily damaged from the tiles and time.
The projection booth, although musty and low (the ceiling is only about 6'4" tall. Im that all and I hit the ceiling) is relatively clean. The tile union did build a handicap restroom in the back part of what was the auditorium and an office opposite it. They also replaced the original staircase with a makeshift one.
The marquee is gorgeous.
I found a 1934 ad that called this the “Mystic” theatre. Hmm..
They just sent me a recent photograph of the theatre – it looks awesome; there’s going to be a marquee-lighting ceremony sometime soon. Change this to “Open / Renovating / Restoring” – there’ll be a little party at 4 p.m. on January 2 to unveil the new theatre look.
Indeed! It is true! The Velaslavasay PANORAMA {once of Hollywood, CA} will be moving into the old Union Theater. With some generous funding from the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, we have begun work to refurbish the facade of the building and embellish the long-lost neon which traced the UNION lettering and the rest of the marquee. I will excitedly post photos when the Cinema Treasures website will be able to accept more images.
The Union Theatre was built in 1921. We would like to learn as much as possible about the history of the building and will try to research for an early photograph of the theater. It turns out the Union Hall which the former theater was used for was a tile-layers Union. That would explain much of the oddly but well positioned tile on the exterior of the building! We will use about half of the building to create our panoramic exhibit space. This portion of the “theatre” is already missing seats and had been converted into some sort of office space. My guess is that perhaps the Tile Union did this.
Several rows of deco-style seats still exist close to the screen area and it is our hope to eventually restore them to the glory they once enjoyed {the timeline dependent upon funding – we operate as a non-profit organization}. This theatre section will be used for various old-fashioned types of entertainment remincient of the 19th century – puppetry, magic lantern, shadow play, etc… All the sorts of things which cinema pushed to the background. Yet, how ironic, that we shall use an old film house to host these activities! To learn more of The Velaslavasay PANORAMA please visit www.panoramaonview.org Thank You!
I just read in Smithsonian magazine that the Panorama formerly located in Hollywood may relocate to the Union Theatre in Los Angeles. I was wondering if this was that theater
This little theatre dates back to the early 30’s., as of the 2000. It still sits closed on a side street.and was once used as a Union hall in the 80’s.