"Sunset Boulevard"

A bit over four minutes into Billy Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard" (Paramount, 1950) screenwriter William Holden gets his car out of hiding behind Rudy's shoe shine stand. The repo boys have already paid him a visit and are looking for the car. In the distance we see the side of the Warner Hollywood and its two roof towers. The lot is just north of the Hollywood Playhouse, 1735 Vine St. Beyond the corner of Rudy's are two of the Playhouse's dressing room windows. 

 

More of the Hollywood Playhouse is seen as Holden pulls out of the lot. We're looking south toward Hollywood Blvd. The roof sign of the Brown Derby can be seen beyond the intersection. The theatre had opened as a legit venue in 1927 and got renamed the El Capitan in 1942. At the time of the filming it was in use as a TV studio. The building is now a music club called Avalon. 

 

 

A moment later as the camera pans to the left we get a look at the top of the Pantages Theatre's vertical sign on the far left. Holden is headed to the Paramount lot in an attempt to sell a story. Later after a visit to Schwab's Drugstore and a car chase with the repo guys he pulls into the driveway of Gloria Swanson's mansion. Thanks to Chuck Snyder for spotting the Playhouse in the film. He posted a screenshot as a comment on a post about the theatre by Douglas West on the Mid Century Modern Facebook page.  

The film was written by Wilder along with Charles Brackett and D.M. Marshman, Jr. Also starring are Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim, Nancy Olson, Jack Webb and Fred Clark. The cinematography was by John F. Seitz.

See the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Hollywood Playhouse, the Warner Hollywood and the Pantages for the history of these theatres and many, many photos.   

On IMDb: "Sunset Boulevard"