
The facade at the top of the building
The 'Million Dollar Theater' on Broadway in downtown
Los Angeles,
California,
USA, opened in February 1918, is one of the first movie palaces built in the United States. It is the northernmost of the collection of historical movie palaces on Broadway and stands directly across from the landmark
Bradbury Building.
The Million Dollar was the first movie house built by entrepreneur
Sid Grauman, who was later responsible for the
Grauman's Egyptian Theatre and
Grauman's Chinese Theater when the popular entertainment district shifted from downtown Los Angeles to Hollywood in the mid-1920s, a shift Grauman himself was partly responsible for. Sculptor
Joseph Mora did the elaborate and surprising exterior ornament, including bursts of lavish
Churrigueresque decoration, multiple statues, longhorn skulls and other odd features. The auditorium architect was
William L. Woollett, and the designer of the twelve-story tower was Los Angeles architect
Albert C. Martin. The office building long housed the original headquarters of the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
After serving as the home of a Spanish-speaking church for some years, as of 2006 the Million Dollar theater is empty, although the office building was recently renovated and converted to residential space. Currently the theater is undergoing an extensive renovation that will, once complete, be become a venue for plays and other live performances.
The exterior of the theater also appeared prominently in the hallmark science fiction film Blade Runner.
References
1. National Register Information System
External links
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History of the Million Dollar Theater
05:33, 2 September 2007 (UTC) Category:Landmarks in Los Angeles]]