"Imitation of Life"

Lana Turner plays aspiring actress Lora Meredith in Douglas Sirk's "Imitation of Life" (Universal-International, 1959). The film, set in the New York area, also stars John Gavin as a long suffering boyfriend, Sandra Dee as Lana's daughter, Juanita Moore as a single black mother who comes to live with them and Susan  Kohner as Juanita's daughter trying to pass for white.

38 minutes into the film we're in a theatre not identified in the film where she's auditioning for a part for stage manager Jack Weston, agent Robert Alda and playwright Dan O'Herlihy. Wendell Benedetti figured out we're at the Music Box, 6126 Hollywood Blvd.

 

IMDb notes that filming for "Imitation" took place between August and October 1958. The film opened in March 1959. The theatre was called the Fox at the time of the shoot  and operated by Fox West Coast. In September 1959 it was taken over by Pacific Theatres and renamed the Pix.

 

 

Another look along the house left wall. Just past the exit door at the top of the aisle there's a drinking fountain with one of the typical Fox West Coast Skouras-style etched aluminum surrounds. 

 

A view off right. That's the exasperated stage manager Jack Weston on the left. The Music Box opened as a legit house in 1926 and has a full stage.

Another look into the house from onstage. Note the surround speakers and Skouras-style ornament added along the side walls.

 

Upstage right with a look down the stairs toward the basement dressing rooms. It's a hurried conversation with Robert Alda as she prepares to leave. But the playwright says "Wait a minute."

 

 

A shot at the Music Box from the balcony. The show's a hit! It's a fine view of the curtain closing. It's unknown if this was the theatre's house curtain or one just brought in for the shoot.

A publicity still from a page of "Imitation of Life" images on the website of Alamy Stock Photos.  Wendell Benedetti found the photo and went on a quest. It was the look of the ornament near those front exit doors and the shape of the doors themselves that allowed him to deduce we were at the Music Box by comparing this with 1926 vintage photos.

See the Music Box page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building along with over a hundred photos. It's now a music venue called the Fonda Theatre.

We get quite a tour of the Earl Carroll Theatre, 6230 Sunset Blvd, near the end of the film. Earl Carroll died in 1948 and the theatre was renamed the Moulin Rouge in 1953.

Thanks to LAHTF member Alenoush for remembering the theatre from the film and to Escott O. Norton who posted these great Earl Carroll screenshots on the LAHTF Facebook page. Escott comments: 

"The Goddess has already lost her original single strip of neon, but there is a new sign on the wall behind her. Based on other photos I think the sign was put in just for the movie... These are the only color images I have seen from this era. The Earl Carroll scene is towards the end of the movie, so you might want to watch from the beginning, it's a pretty emotional ending! Go to 1:36 for the scene."

The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation has been instrumental in working with the theatre's owner, Essex Property Trust, to preserve various historic elements of the building. The organization frequently offers tours of historic theatres. There was one of the Earl Carroll in February 2018. www.lahtf.org | group Facebook page | official Facebook page |

The stairs up into the lobby. Juanita Moore has heard that her daughter is working at the Moulin Rouge in Hollywood so comes west looking for her.

 

 

The lobby, with its new grid ceiling installed during the Moulin Rouge redecoration. Juanita is looking around for her daughter.

 

 

Another lobby view. She wanders down to the front of the stage. 

Down front near the orchestra pit.

 A scene from the show.

Another scene from down near the pit. Juanita is looking for her daughter.

Dancers. Sorry, they're showgirls. That's Susan Kohner who is gliding offstage on the outer revolve.

Offstage right. Revolve controllers in the foreground with the dimmerboard behind.

Another backstage shot. Thanks Alenoush and Escott!

See the pages about the Earl Carroll Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building along with hundreds of photos both recent and vintage.

On IMDb: "Imitation of Life"

For more about the film see a page on the House of Retro  site that has many screenshots, publicity stills and posters.