"How To Commit Marriage"

A crowd behind the Ritz Theatre, 5214 Wilshire Blvd., in Norman Panama's film "How To Commit Marriage" (Cinerama Releasing, 1969). In the distance we're looking at the west side of the Four Star Theatre, 5112 Wilshire. 

Bob Hope and Jane Wyman are there to sneak into an event their daughter and son-in-law are attending featuring Professor Irwin Corey, playing an Indian guru called The Baba Ziba. Jackie Gleason, Maureen Arthur, Tina Louise and Tim Matheson are also featured. The cinematography was by Charles Lang. 

 

See the pages for the Ritz Theatre and the Four Star on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about these two Miracle Mile theatres, now both gone. While we see lots of the Ritz auditorium and backstage, we never see the facade or lobby. And this shot is all we get of the Four Star. Evidently the film is trying to pretend we're in Santa Monica. The shot before this one was of a crowd gathering near the Monica Hotel.

 

 

 

The Baba Ziba and his entourage head into the theatre. 

 

A peek inside. Note the beige drapes inside that we later get a better look at. 

 

The Baba Ziba coming in. But the dressing room scenes were shot in a different building. 

 

Jackie Gleason showing the guys to their dressing rooms. It's another shot that doesn't have the look of a 20s movie palace basement. More like a gym somewhere -- check out the light fixtures. 

 

Later we get Bob Hope coming onstage to impersonate Baba Ziba. But he got the wrong guy's clothes -- the real Ziba will catch up with him. 

 

 

One of Ziba's entourage comes onstage with Bob. 

 

 

Stagehands offstage right at the Ritz wondering about this strange show they're working.  

 

 

 Showing Bob where to sit. 

 

 

A look into the house. 

 

Another house left view. We never see anything else in the auditorium.

 

 

Yet another look off right at the rigging. That's Jackie Gleason coming in the stage door. 

 

 

A last look into the auditorium of the Ritz as Bob Hope runs out a side exit. Note the Skouras-style fixtures on the pilasters, the surround speakers, and the beige drapes over the organ grille area.

On IMDb: "How To Commit Marriage"