Majestic Theatre (Los Angeles)
Majestic Theatre, also known as Asher Hamburger’s Majestic Theatre, was a theater located in downtown Los Angeles.
 The building in 1908 | |
 | |
| Address | 845 South Broadway Los Angeles |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°02′35″N 118°15′22″W / 34.04315°N 118.25598°W |
| Type | Live and movie theater |
| Capacity | 1600 |
| Construction | |
| Opened | November 23, 1908 |
| Renovated | 1915 |
| Closed | 1931 or 1933 |
| Demolished | May 1933 |
| Architect | Edelman & Barnett |
History
editMajestic Theatre was designed by Edelman & Barnett and built by Mayberry & Parker for Asher Hamburger in 1908. Oliver Morosco was the lessee. The theater sat 1600 and its interior was decorated by Antoon Molkenboer. Its first showing, on November 23, 1908, was a Shubert production of The Land of Nod starring Knox Wilson.[1][2]
Majestic Theater quickly became the preferred venue for traveling Broadway productions. It was also the venue of choice for Lon Chaney in 1910 and Ramon Navarro worked as an usher here before becoming a film star.[2]
In 1913, on the opening night of the Kolb and Dill show, Lon Chaney's wife Cleva interrupted the performance and attempted suicide onstage. She survived but the scandal did irreparable harm: it ended Cleva's singing career, Lon Chaney was forced out of live theater and into the movies, and the theater itself lost its favor with Broadway.[2] In 1915, the theater was converted to a moviehouse.[1]
In 1926, the theater partnered with Orange Grove Theatre to show vaudeville and burlesque, after which it was subject to numerous police raids for indecency violations. The theater closed in 1931[2] or 1933.[1] It was demolished in 1933.
Design
editThe Majestic Theatre originally featured a 40x80-foot stage with a 36-foot proscenium, and a larger-than-life sixteen figure mural titled Cast of Characters was painted by Molkenboer above the proscenium. Seating was located in one orchestra and two cantilevered horseshoe balcony levels. The basement housed a cafe.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Gabel, William. "Majestic Theatre". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved December 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Early Los Angeles Historical Buildings (1900 - 1925)". Water and Power Associates. p. 4. Retrieved December 11, 2024.