Million Dollar Theater facts for kids
The Spanish Baroque Revival exterior
|
|
| Address | 307 S. Broadway |
|---|---|
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Coordinates | 34°3′2.98″N 118°14′53.29″W / 34.0508278°N 118.2481361°W |
| Public transit | Civic Center/Grand Park station |
| Owner | Langdon Street Capital |
| Type | Movie palace |
| Capacity | 2,041 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1917 |
|
Million Dollar Theatre
|
|
|
U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
|
| Architect | Albert C. Martin Sr. |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial, Spanish Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000687 |
| Added to NRHP | July 20, 1978 |
The Million Dollar Theatre is a very old and famous movie theater in Downtown Los Angeles, California. It opened in 1917 and was one of the very first "movie palaces" in the United States. These were grand, fancy theaters built just for showing movies.
The theater is located on Broadway and is part of a special area called the Broadway Theater and Commercial District. It's also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical building.
Contents
A Look Back: The Million Dollar Theatre's Story
Building a Dream: Sid Grauman's Vision
The Million Dollar Theatre was built by a famous showman named Sid Grauman. It opened in 1918 and was the first really grand movie palace in Los Angeles. Sid Grauman later built other famous theaters, like Grauman's Egyptian Theatre and Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. His work helped shift the center of entertainment from downtown Los Angeles to Hollywood in the 1920s.
The outside of the theater is very special. It has amazing designs inspired by Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. A sculptor named Joseph Mora created the detailed decorations. These include fancy carvings, statues, and even longhorn skulls! The main architect for the 12-story building was Albert C. Martin Sr..
The Golden Age: 1940s to 1960s
In the 1940s, the Million Dollar Theatre hosted many live music acts. Famous artists like the Nat King Cole Trio performed there.
In 1949, a man named Frank Fouce took over the theater. He was known for owning Spanish-language theaters and distributing films. The Million Dollar Theatre then became a very important place for Spanish-language entertainment in the United States. Many legendary artists from Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries performed there. These included Dolores del Río, Cantinflas, María Félix, Agustín Lara, José Alfredo Jiménez, José Feliciano, Juan Gabriel, Vicente Fernández, and Celia Cruz. It was also the first place where Mexican film star Antonio Aguilar performed with his rodeo horses on stage.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Frank Fouce started a company called Spanish International Communications Corp. This company created the first group of Spanish-language TV stations in the U.S. One of these was KMEX Channel 34 in Los Angeles, which later helped start the Univision television network. The Million Dollar Theatre and the Fouce family were true pioneers in the Spanish entertainment world.
Because of his great work, Frank Fouce received El Aguila Azteca, which is Mexico's highest award for civilians. The theater also became the most important place for Spanish-language movies in the U.S. Almost every major Mexican movie had its first showing at the Million Dollar.
The theater was also famous for its amazing mariachi music. Groups like Mariachi Vargas and Mariachi los Camperos often played there.
Later Years and Today
In the 1970s and 1980s, Gonzalo L. Checa helped bring even more people to the Million Dollar Theatre. He understood what the Hispanic community wanted to see. During this time, long lines of people would wrap around the block to get in. Sometimes, the Los Angeles Police Department even had to close Broadway to traffic!
Checa helped introduce many new stars to the U.S. audiences. These included Vicente Fernández, José José, Juan Gabriel, Antonio Aguilar, and the famous masked wrestler Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta ("El Santo").
In 1989, Ira Yellin bought the building. After being used as a church for some years, the theater was empty for a while. In 2008, it reopened to show live Spanish theater again, but it closed in 2012.
In 2017, a company called Langdon Street Capital bought the building. Today, the Million Dollar Theatre sometimes hosts special movie screenings. These events show classic films in the historic setting of the theater, letting people experience its magic once more.
See also
- Broadway (Los Angeles)
- Broadway Theater and Commercial District
- Orpheum Theatre (Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Theatre
- Tower Theatre (Los Angeles)
Images for kids
-
The Spanish Baroque Revival exterior
-
The detailed facade at the top of the building
-
The theater's marquee in 2006
