"Detour"

Ann Savage and Tom Neal head east on Hollywood Blvd. in search of a car dealer in Edgar G. Ulmer's "Detour" (Producers Releasing Corporation, 1945). Thanks to Dave Hunter for spotting the various theatres seen in this sequence. 

In this process shot they're passing the Iris Theatre, 6508 Hollywood Blvd. In the footage they used, dating from 1938, the theatre was running "The Buccaneer" with Fredric March, Franciska Gaal and Akim Tamiroff.  The Iris was renamed the Fox in 1968. Over on the right it's a bit of the marquee of the Colony Theatre, 6523 Hollywood Blvd. That house ended up being called the Holly.  

Tom plays a piano player hitching west to see his girlfriend. Along the way he acquires a car and a new identity. His troubles really start when he offers Ann's character a ride. The film also features Claudia Drake and Edmund MacDonald. Martin Goldsmith and Martin Mooney were the writers. The cinematography was by Benjamin H. Kline.  

See the pages about the Iris / Fox and the Colony / Holly on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more information and many, many photos.

 

Next a bit of the curved marquee of the Warner Hollywood comes into view on the right. It's at 6433 Hollywood Blvd.   

 

A moment later we see the Warner's banner for the April 1938 release "The Adventures of Marco Polo" starring Gary Cooper.

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Warner Hollywood for a history of the theatre, opened in 1928.  

 

They find a used car dealer but decide to not sell the car and head back west. She's got a new plan for him and he's even unhappier. In the background, above the mirror, we get a bit of the vertical of the Pantages Theatre at 6233 Hollywood Blvd. 

See the pages about the Pantages Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres website for a history of this 1930 vintage showplace along with hundreds of photos.

On IMDb: "Detour"