"La Bamba"

When Ritchie Valens (Lou Diamond Phillips) goes to New York to play the Brooklyn Paramount in "La Bamba" (Columbia, 1987), the theatre we see the exterior of is the Wiltern at Wilshire and Western. The footage they used was taken for "American Hot Wax" (Paramount, 1978).

The film, directed by Luis Valdez, also features Eliabeth Peña, Esai Morales, Joe Pantoliano and Rosanna DeSoto. Thanks to Gary Parks for spotting the reused Wiltern footage. The sequence begins an hour and twenty two minutes into the film.

A Wiltern marquee detail. 

Another Wiltern shot in "La Bamba." See the post about "American Hot Wax" here on this site for many more views both from the film as well as photos Matt Spero took when the theatre was dressed up for filming.

Now in "American Hot Wax" we actually go inside the Wiltern for the concert sequences. Not so in "La Bamba." It appears we're at the Wilshire Ebell, a much smaller theatre.

A look offstage left in the Brooklyn Paramount sequence in "La Bamba."

A view toward stage right. Performing as Buddy Holly is Marshall Crenshaw.

Another look across the stage.

A view into the house from above.

A balcony view of the Wilshire Ebell as the Brooklyn Paramount.

 Lou Diamond Phillips onstage as Ritchie Valens in the film's Brooklyn Paramount sequence.

See the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Wiltern Theatre for more on that landmark art deco theatre. And there's also a page on the Wilshire Ebell, a 1,270 seat house that opened in 1927.

On IMDb: "La Bamba"

More information: See the 2021 post on Facebook by Chris Nichols about "La Bamba" locations in L.A. .