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The Chinese in Mel Brooks' "Blazing Saddles" (Warner Bros., 1974).

"Vice Squad"

"On the street the real trick is staying alive." Season Hubley is a single mom working as a prostitute who reluctantly becomes a police informant in "Vice Squad" (Avco Embassy, 1982). On the right it's the Vogue Theatre, 6675 Hollywood Blvd. That's Las Palmas Ave. beyond.

The film also features Gary Swanson, Wings Hauser, Pepe Serna, Beverly Todd, Nina Blackwood and Sudana Bobatoon. Gary Sherman directed. The cinematography was by John Alcott. 

A view east across Las Palmas with Musso and Frank at the far right. The Vogue, now used as a church, was a 1935 design by S. Charles Lee.

Looking for action near the Cinema Theatre, 1122 N. Western Ave. It's a bit north of Santa Monica Blvd. The building survives but it's been churched. 

 

 

 

A bit of the Tiffany Theatre is seen in this late night view. It was at 8532 Sunset Blvd., west of La Cienega. It's been demolished. 

 

 

 

Back on Hollywood Blvd. This shot looks across toward the Pussycat Theatre, 6656 Hollywood Blvd., on the south side of the street between Cherokee and Las Palmas. It opened in 1940 as a newsreel house called the News-View. Later it was the New-View and, after its Pussycat era, was a revival house called the Ritz. 

 

 

 

Down the street across from the Fox Theatre, 6523 Hollywood Blvd. This over-exposed view made it into the trailer but not the finished film. At the time of the shoot they were running "The Fan" with Lauren Bacall and James Garner. 

 

A look west toward the Hollywood Pacific, the theatre that debuted in 1928 as the Warner Hollywood. 

 

Closer to Cahuenga for another Hollywood Pacific shot. 

 

A view east from El Centro toward the Pix, 6126 Hollywood Blvd. It opened in 1926 as a legit house called the Music Box and has also been called the Fox, Guild and Henry Fonda. It's now a music venue called the Fonda Theatre. They were running John Carpenter's "Escape From New York," a June 1981 release.

For more information about the theatres that are seen in the film see the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Vogue, Cinema Theatre, Tiffany, New-View/Pussycat, Fox, Warner/Hollywood Pacific and the Music Box/Pix. 

On IMDb: "Vice Squad"   

Thanks to Ray Ottulich for the nudge about the Hollywood Blvd. footage in this film. He included a shot of the Vogue in his post about the film for The World of Noir Facebook group.  Elizabeth Pearce notes that the full film can be seen on a Russian website: https://ok.ru/video/1246674291455

"Aloha, Bobby and Rose"

Footage used for the title sequence of "Aloha, Bobby and Rose" (Columbia Pictures, 1975) includes this view of the Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. On the marquee it's "Don't Look in the Basement" along with "The Last House on the Left." This bill opened November 7, 1973 at the Pantages as well as over 30 other theatres in the area.  

 

The film features Paul Le Mat, Dianne Hull, Tim McIntyre, Leigh French, Noble Willingham, Martine Bartlett and Robert Carradine. Floyd Mutrux directed. The cinematography was by William A. Fraker.  

 

 

We get this shot when they zoom in during the credits. Way down the street it's the vertical for Loew's, 6838 Hollywood Blvd. It's the theatre that opened in 1926 as the El Capitan. Loew's got it in 1967 but at the time this footage was shot it was run by General Cinema Corporation. They never got around to re-doing the vertical although they were calling the theatre the Cinema on Hollywood Blvd. or the Hollywood Cinema. Before and after Loew's and General Cinema had the theatre it was called the Paramount. 

 

 

 

Paul Le Mat owes some guys money from a game of pool that didn't go his way. Hoping to borrow $75, he stops in to see a relative working at a used car lot at Hollywood Blvd. and Gower. The brown building on the left is the east side of the Pix Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd. The Pantages is a bit farther down the street.

 

 

Paul works at a car repair place in the Valley where he fixes the Volkswagon of a girl played by Dianne Hull. Later they go out on a date and take a drive east on Hollywood Blvd. We get this shot as they approach the Egyptian I-II-III, 6712 Hollywood Blvd.  

 

The panel below the marquee is advertising "Hello, Dolly!" It was on the bottom half of a double bill that opened October 31, 1973 at the Egyptian as well as 30 other area theatres. "Cabaret" was on the top of the bill. The initial 40 week 70mm roadshow engagement of "Hello, Dolly!" had been at the Chinese from December 19, 1969 until September 24, 1970.  

 

 

Continuing east we get a quick look down Las Palmas Ave. toward the pizza sign of Micelli's Restaurant and, just beyond, the Las Palmas Theatre.  

 

In the next block we get a murky glimpse of the New-View Theatre at 6656 Hollywood Blvd. It opened in 1940 as a newsreel house called the News-View. Later it was the Pussycat Theatre and then became a revival house called the Ritz.  

Paul and Dianne stop at a convenience store and, not being the sharpest guy, he plays around pretending to hold up the store. It ends badly and they go on the run.  

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Pantages, Loew's/El Capitan, Music Box/Pix, Egyptian, Las Palmas and New View/Pussycat/Ritz for more information about these historic Hollywood show houses.

On IMDb: "Aloha, Bobby and Rose"

"Once in a Lifetime"

For a Universal film we certainly hear lots about Vitaphone in "Once in a Lifetime" (1932). At the beginning we get a couple shots of the Warner Hollywood standing in for the theatre in New York that ran "The Jazz Singer." 

 

 A closer look at the boxoffice. Sorry about the quality here. These shots were taken from a very murky version of the film that's on YouTube. That readerboard below the marquee noted that a Larry Ceballos revue was also on the program. 

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Warner Hollywood. It opened in 1928, got renamed the Hollywood Pacific in 1968 and triplexed in 1978. It's been boarded up since 2012. 

The film is based on the 1930 Broadway hit by Moss Hart and George S. Kauffman that satirized Hollywood in the period during its transition to talkies. Aline MacMahon, Jack Oakie and Russell Hopton are vaudevillians going broke who decide to head west to teach elocution to silent movie stars. Also featured are Sidney Fox, Louise Fazenda, Gregory Ratoff, Zasu Pitts, Gregory Gaye and Onslow Stevens. Russell Mack directed. The cinematography was by George Robinson.   

Ratoff as studio head Herman Gloguaer: "What did they have to go and make pictures talk for? Things were going along fine. You couldn't stop making money - even if you turned out a good picture you made money."

On IMDb: "Once in a Lifetime" 

 

 

 

Jack Oakie, Sidney Fox, Gregory Ratoff, Aline MacMahon and Russell Hopton at the studio. It's a still that appears on IMDb. 

 

 

"It's Colossal!" A lobby card for the film.

"The Idolmaker"

The audience is getting impatient before a rock concert in Taylor Hackford's "The Idolmaker" (United Artists, 1980). 

 

The film is based on the life of producer and rock promoter Bob Marcucci. It features Ray Sharkey, Peter Gallagher, Tovah Feldshuh, Paul Land, Maureen McCormick and Joe Pantoliano. The cinematography was by Adam Holender. David L. Snyder was the art director. Thanks to David for noting that major scenes in the film were shot at the Fox Wilshire in Beverly Hills.

 

A look toward the stage. Peter Gallagher is the attraction but he's a beginning rock and roll star and is nervous about going on. His character's stage name is Caesare.

 

The Fox Wilshire Theatre is standing in for a theatre in the New York area. Peter Snyder notes that it was supposed to be the Brooklyn Paramount. The Fox had closed as a film house in 1978 and at the time of this shoot was in transition. It would get a renovation in 1981 by the Nederlander organization with the auditorium getting a substantially darker look. Head to the Fox Wilshire/Saban Theatre pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site for many views of the theatre, now mostly used as a concert venue.  

 

Back in a dressing room. 

 

 

A balcony shot. 

 

 

Finally getting onstage. 

 

A wider view to the rear of the house. 

 

 

The show begins. 

 

Another shot to house right. This image is one that appears on IMDb.  

 

 

 

The girls are getting excited and rush the stage. The show is stopped. 

 

 

 

Back on stage again. 

 

 

They go on the road, taking the show to Memphis. For the exterior of the Memphis Civic Auditorium they used the Trinity Auditorium, on Grand Ave. between 8th and 9th.  

 

 

A look farther south on the facade reveals some sentiment against musicians coming down from New York. We are shown a newspaper story referring to them as carpetbaggers.  

 

See the page about the Trinity Auditorium on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more information about the building. 

 

 

When we go inside the "Memphis Civic" we're actually back at the Fox Wilshire. There weren't any lobby shots earlier in the film when it was standing in for a New York area theatre.

Ray Sharkey and Tovah Feldshuh in a heated discussion. 

 

 

 

The set for the Memphis show. 

 

 

 

A Fox Wilshire dressing room for the Memphis Civic. 

 

 

 

For the Memphis scenes the Fox Wilshire is lit quite differently. We see only the spectators. No light on the walls and no views of the proscenium this time. 

 

 

Yes, he wins them over and the show is a success. But Peter's character is fed up and decides he needs a new agent.

On IMDb: "The Idolmaker" 

 

Constructing the Memphis Civic set onstage at the Fox Wilshire. Thanks to David L. Snyder, the film's art director, for sharing this photo from his collection. He comments: 

"This is how I was able to double the Fox Theatre location for the Brooklyn Paramount and the Memphis Civic Auditorium. At that time a developer had plans to demolish the theater and replace it with a 'glass box' highrise. The City of BH was all for it and to advance the plan, they demanded we obtain a Building Permit in addition to the Filming Permit. 

 

"Once we had approval the City sent over a building inspector who demanded I make revisions to the set based on the city's Building Code. During this period, preservationists prevailed, and the Fox was landmarked and saved. All the above is my 1980 memory of the events."

 

Cast and crew on the Fox Wilshire stage after shooting the Memphis scene. Thanks to David L. Snyder,  for adding this photo as a comment to a post about the theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres Facebook page.

"The Wonderland Massacre & the Secret History of Hollywood"

The turquoise vertical of the Paradise Theatre is seen on the left in this shot from 1970s footage in Episode 2 of "The Wonderland Massacre & the Secret History of Hollywood" (MGM+, 2024). Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the various theatres and getting the screenshots seen here. The four-part series, based on a podcast by Michael Connelly, features Ian S. Peterson, Trevon Rubbins and Daryl Terry. Alison Ellwood directed. 

 

The theatre was at 9110 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in Westchester, seven blocks south of Manchester. It closed in 1978. The building was gutted and repurposed as office space. See the Paradise Theatre page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more information and photos.  

 

 

 

A fine c.1977 look at the Pussycat Theatre at 6656 Hollywood Blvd., just west of Cherokee. It's across the street from the Vogue.

 A closer look at the boxoffice. 

 

 

Larry Edmunds bookstore was originally adjacent to the theatre.

 

See the page on the Pussycat/Ritz Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more information. It opened as a newsreel house called the News-View in 1940 and was rebranded as the New-View when it went to features.  

 

Looking down from the Hollywood Center Building at Hollywood and Cherokee. David Lean's "A Passage To India" was a December 1984 release. The banner under the marquee was advertising the film's five Golden Globe nominations.

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Vogue Theatre for more information. It's located at 6675 Hollywood Blvd., between Cherokee and Las Palmas. The building was a 1935 design by S. Charles Lee. 

 

 

Connolly in his car headed east toward Highland Ave. The banner up on the Ovation Mall on the left was advertising the December 2023 release "Wonka." On the right the El Capitan marquee's copy was "Thank You Veterans." The pages about the El Capitan on the Los Angeles Theatres site offer a discussion about the history of this 1926 vintage legit house along with hundreds of photos. 

Thanks to Donavan for the screenshots. He adds: "And there's a couple of seconds of THIS memorable footage in the opening title sequence of each episode..."

For those who weren't there, it's Brad Pitt's Karmann Ghia on Hollywood Blvd. just east of McCadden place in July 2018. See the Theatres in Movies post about this part of the shoot shoot for Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." 

See the "Wonderland Murders" page about the podcast on the Michael Connelly website. There's also a page about the MGM series.

On IMDb: "The Wonderland Massacre & the Secret History of Hollywood"    

"The Scarf"

John Ireland is sitting in a bar on Main St. called Level Louie's 54 minutes into "The Scarf" (United Artists, 1951). Mercedes McCambridge plays a waitress who knows him from a past he can't remember and, trying to avoid trouble, tells him to get out. Thanks to Riichkay for sharing seven screenshots from the film in his Noirish Los Angeles post #61897. He calls the film a "psychological thriller with some noirish elements."

Also featured are Tom Kennedy, Lyle Talbot, Emlyn Willlians, Lloyd Gough and James Barton. Ewald André Dupont directed. The cinematography was by Franz Planer. 

As he leaves we see the Gayety Theatre across the street. On the marquee it's Randolph Scott and Don Ameche. Not, of course, in the same film. After John walks out the door the camera swings back to the bar where Mercedes says "Scotch, quick. I just had a nightmare."

 

As Riichkay notes, it was a process shot in the film but "there was a bar/restaurant directly across from the Gayety, as seen in this 1940's photo." This photo that he includes in his post is one from the Nathan Marsak collection.

The theatre was at 523 S. Main St., on the west side of the street just south of 5th. See the page about the Gayety Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It opened as the Novelty in 1905.   

 

Noirish contributor Henry Huntington comments: 

 

"I'm pretty sure that the exterior shot looking north on Main St. from the Gayety Theatre/Harry's Bar location was a B-roll taken in 1946 or the first half of 1947 based on the depiction of two-way traffic on 5th St. and on the LATL streetcars crossing Main St. at that location. IIRC, east-west streets in that part of DTLA were made one-way on or about August 24, 1947. The resulting gridlock caused by the changeover was monumental."

 

The next day we get a nice tour along 1st: 

 

 

 John walking east on 1st. St. Riich notes that the Hill St. tunnel is in the background.

 

 

 Continuing east on the south side of 1st.

A shot at 1st and Spring.

 

 

Looking toward 1st and Main. Riichkay was wondering about the building on the right. Noirish contributor  Henry Huntington commented:

 

"I believe that the building you inquired about was the Hellman Building at 120 N. Main St., not to be confused with the other Hellman Building at 223 W. 2nd St., nor with the H.W. Hellman Building at 356 S. Spring St. and certainly not with the I.W. Hellman Building at 411 S. Main St. Got all that? :-)  Source: L.A. City Directory 1912."

 

The exterior shots end as he enters the Times building at 1st and Spring. City Hall is in the background.  He's going to see a psychiatrist to try to figure out whether or not he committed a murder. Once we go inside it's not the Times building. 

 

 

We get another glimpse of the Gayety Theatre out the bar's windows during the last scene of the movie. John is at the bar with James Barton, the guy who found him wandering in the desert at the beginning of the story. 

A last shot in the bar, with a bit of the Gayety's marquee seen on the left.  

 

Mercedes is over at the piano and takes us out as she sings "Summer Rains." That's King Donovan at the piano.

Thanks to Riichkay for investigating the film. He notes that the full thing is on YouTube.

On IMDb: "The Scarf"