"Kindergarten Cop"

We find L.A. cop Arnold Schwarzenegger in front of the Arcade Theatre, 534 S. Broadway, in "Kindergarten Cop" (Universal, 1990). Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the theatre in the film and locating this image. Stephen Eric Schaefer comments: "Looks like 'The Lost Boys' ('Los muchachos perdidos') is playing, also with cinematography by Michael Chapman."

 

 

 A view of the north storefront as he questions some people on the street. 

 

 

A moment later the shot gives us a look up the theatre's north fire escape. On the left that's a bit of the Cameo Theatre next door.  

 

 

Arnold heading up the fire escape. But when he heads into the door we're not in the Arcade's balcony but we cut to a loft location elsewher where he gets violent with some suspects. In this shot we're looking toward Broadway with the Arcade on the left and the Cameo on the right. 

Soon he gets reassigned to a case about a missing kid and a wanted criminal's ex-wife and we spend the rest of the film in and around Astoria, Oregon. As a cover job for his investigation he becomes, yes, a kindergarten teacher. The film also features Penelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed, Richard Tyson, Linda Hunt and Carroll Baker. Ivan Reitman directed. The cinematography was by Michael Chapman. 

See our pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Arcade Theatre. It opened in 1910 as the Pantages. The Cameo Theatre, just to the north at 528 S. Broadway, also opened in 1910. 

On IMDb: "Kindergarten Cop" 

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"Edge of Doom"

Footage of various downtown L.A. locations appears behind the credits of "Edge of Doom" (RKO, 1950). Behind Samuel Goldwyn's credit we're looking south on Main St. from the middle of the 300 block. That's the Follies on the right. Thanks to Claudia Mullins for spotting the theatre.   

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Follies Theatre, 337 S. Main St. It opened as the Belasco in 1904 and was demolished in 1974.  

Mark Robson directed. The cinematography was by Harry Stradling. Farley Granger plays a troubled young guy who can't understand why his ogre of a boss won't give him a discount on flowers for his mother's funeral. And he gets so pissed off at the local priest that he kills him. Dana Andrews plays another priest who tries to help. Joan Evans is Farley's girlfriend. It's all a religious mess. 

 But, 35 minutes into the film we get the Galaxy Theatre. Farley has killed the priest and he's out on the street.

 

Thanks to Claudia for spotting this shot and the later views of the marquee and boxoffice. It's actually the Mason Theatre, 127 S. Broadway. We're looking north toward 1st St. At the time of this film it was a Spanish-language house. Here the marquee is advertising the RKO title "Our Very Own," another Samuel Goldwyn production. That one, not yet released at the time of the shoot, starred Farley along with Ann Blythe. It was out in July 1950; "Edge of Doom" was released in August. 

 

Farley approaches the theatre and notices a commotion. Somehow he's drawn into the crowd and we get this shot of the boxoffice.  

 

 A look over toward the entrance doors.

 

A shot from out on Broadway. It turns out there had been a robbery. 

 

 

A look at the marquee soffit. The Galaxy's robbery is the subject of discussion later in the film and a hood played by Paul Stewart is brought in for questioning by the police. Later he's fingered for the murder of the priest as well. But Farley is "helped" by another priest played by Dana Andrews and later turns himself in because, as Dana tells us, he was troubled by his "immortal soul."  

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Mason Theatre. It closed in 1955 and was soon demolished. 

On IMDb: "Edge of Doom   The full film is on Internet Archive.  

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"The Clock"

 

The clock Harold Lloyd is hanging onto says 2:42 and that's the time that this clip from "Safety Last!" (Hal Roach Studios, 1923) will be on the screen whenever a venue plays Christian Marclay's "The Clock" (2010). The film is 24 hours long, a delicious montage of film clips exploring time in the movies. 

 

This view north on Broadway includes the Majestic Theatre, 845 S. Broadway, and Tally's Broadway Theatre, 833 S. Broadway. Beyond the theatres is the Hamburger Department Store building, later the May Co. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post about "Safety Last."

 

 

 

The clock in the boxoffice at the Mayan Theatre says 4:33 and that's the time that this "Save the Tiger" clip will be on the screen in "The Clock."

 

LACMA booked the film for a July 22 to August 23 run in 2026, including two 24 hour screenings beginning at 7pm July 25 and also August 22. Otherwise you can only see the sections timed to regular museum hours. They commented: 

"Returning to Los Angeles for the first time since 2015, Christian Marclay’s 'The Clock' is a 24-hour single-channel montage constructed from thousands of moments of cinema and television history depicting the passage of time, excerpted and edited together to create a functioning timepiece synchronized to local time wherever it is shown. The result marks the exact time for the viewer for 24 consecutive hours, weaving together Marclay’s interests in collage and found visual and aural artifacts with his roots in live performance."

The venue at LACMA is on the main floor of the Broad Pavilion and uses twenty sofas for seating. See the LACMA page about the booking. It's free for LACMA members.

See the pages about the Mayan Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. Also see our Theatres in Movies post about "Save the Tiger."

 

There's a page about the film on Wikipedia. The Tate Modern has a page about their 2018 booking of "The Clock" and a trailer on YouTube.  

 

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"Glen or Glenda"

Four minutes into Ed Wood, Jr.'s cross-dressing epic "Glen or Glenda" (Screen Classics, 1953) we get a view of the Palace Theatre as we look north on Broadway from 7th St. Thanks to Sean Alice for spotting the theatre in the film and grabbing the screenshot. We get more of the same footage eighteen minutes in. 

Featured are Bela Lugosi, Ed Wood, Lyle Talbot, Delores Fuller, Timothy Farrell and Conrad Brooks. The cinematography was by William C. Thompson.   

See our pages about the Palace Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. Located at 630 S. Broadway, it opened in 1911 as the Orpheum with a two-a-day vaudeville format.  

On IMDb: "Glen or Glenda" 

The full film is on You Tube in a version from Retro Central as well as one from Screen Prism.   

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"My Best Girl"

We're on Broadway with Mary Pickford on the back of a truck in "My Best Girl" (United Artists, 1927).  She's going north and has pretended to drop her purse in the hope that Buddy Rogers will spot it and come running. He does.

On the right it's the construction fence for the United Artists Theatre, 933 S. Broadway. When it opened  on December 31, 1927 this film was the initial attraction. This Broadway footage begins 13 minutes into the film. Sam Taylor directed. The cinematography was by David Kesson and Charles Rosher.  

 

A shot in the 800 block that, in the film, comes before the previous one. The "Columbia" sign on the right, at 8th and Broadway, is for Columbia Outfitters. The Eastern Columbia Building would rise on that corner in 1930. On the far right it's the Majestic Theatre at 845 S. Broadway. It would be demolished in 1933. 

 

 

Still on the 800 block with the Majestic receding into the distance. On the right, above Mary's head, it's Tally's Broadway at 833 S. Broadway. The awnings on the far right are at the May Co. department store. On the left it's the construction fence at the Platt Music Co. building, just north of the Orpheum. 

 

Up to the 700 block with some of the Loew's State building on the right. Buddy is finally on board. 

 

 

The scene ends with the couple just north of 7th St. Reader, she married him. 

See the pages about the United Artists, the Majestic Theatre, Tally's Broadway, the Orpheum and Loew's State on the Los Angeles Theatres site. 

On IMDb: "My Best Girl"    The full film is on YouTube from Classic Hollywood Movies -- and there's also another post of it from The Cinema Cellar. 

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"Armored Car Robbery"

This shot from footage looking south toward the Los Angeles Theatre, 615 S. Broadway, is one of several downtown views we get behind the credits of "Armored Car Robbery" (RKO, 1950).   

Richard Fleischer directed this tale of a heist gone awry that includes some nice L.A. location work. It features Charles McGraw, Adele Jergens, William Talman, Douglas Fowley and Steve Brodie. The cinematography was by Guy Roe.   

See the pages about the Los Angeles Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. The house opened in 1931 and has been featured in many movies, TV shows and commercials. 

On IMDb: "Armored Car Robbery"  

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"Michael"

A terrific shot from the grid of the Orpheum Theatre in Antoine Fuqua's "Michael" (Lionsgate, 2026), a Michael Jackson biopic. We're off left. Note the dimmerboard in the lower center of the image. The Orpheum is standing in for the Regal Theatre on Chicago's South Side for a scene involving a 1968 talent show. 

 

 The Jacksons in front of the Orpheum's 1926 Frank Adam dimmerboard. The film features Jaafar Jackson, Miles Teller, Coleman Domingo, Nia Long, Kendrick Sampson and Kat Graham. The cinematography was by Dion Beebe.   

 

 The act before the Jacksons go on.

 

The emcee shakes Michael's hand as daddy watches from the wings.  

 

 

Another shot from off left.  

See the pages about the Orpheum Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. This theatre at 842 S. Broadway opened in 1926 with two-a-day vaudeville and later went to films. It's currently a very busy venue for concerts, awards ahows and other special events.   

 

The Pasadena Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St., plays itself for a show set in 1983.  

 

 

Another shot during the show offering a look at the decor on the house right wall  

See the pages about the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on the Los Angeles Theatres site. 

On IMDb: "Michael" 

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"Crime 101"

Near the beginning of "Crime 101" (Amazon MGM, 2026) we're downtown on Broadway with a view of the signage for the Palace Theatre. A couple of couriers are going into a store at 6th and Broadway to pick up some diamonds. There's a look north to the Arcade, Cameo and Roxie Theatres. 

 The couriers get robbed by Chris Hemsworth behind a more upscale jewelry store. Later when the police are out front it's revealed that we're at the Calabasas Commons. There's a view west with the Regency Calabasas Commons in the distance. That theatre closed in December 2025 and has been demolished. 

The film also features Mark Ruffalo, Halle Berry, Barry Keoghan, Monica Barbaro, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Nick Nolte. Bart Layton directed. The cinematography was by Erik Wilson. We get a lot of terrific photography of L.A. area locations including visits to the Grand Central Market. 

See the Los Angeles Theatres pages for information on the Palace, Arcade, Cameo, Roxie and Calabasas Commons theatres. 

 On IMDb: "Crime 101"

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"Candleshoe"

Jodie Foster plays a delinquent Los Angeles kid in Disney's "Candleshoe" (Buena Vista Distribution, 1977). Here in the opening credit sequence she's on the west side of Broadway with her gang and we get a reflection in a store window of the Palace Theatre, 630 S. Broadway.  Two of their features were the 1976 release "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and 1973 film "Chino" with Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland. 

 

 

 

That evening Jodie's with Leo McKern and they're headed north on Main St. with a view of the Banner Theatre, 458 S. Main. He's a con man who is going to take Jodie to England to pose as a long lost daughter who will inherit an estate called Candleshoe. After these opening scenes the rest of the film is set in England. 

 

A moment later the Regent comes into view at 448 S. Main. 

 

Another look at the Regent as they drive by. 

Thanks to Jonathan Raines for noting the appearance of the downtown Los Angeles theatres. Also featured in the film are David Niven, Helen Hayes and Veronica Quilligan. Norman Tokar directed. The cinematography was by Paul Beeson. 

See the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Palace Theatre, the Banner and the Regent Theatre. You'll find lots of photos, a history of each venue, and shots from other films in which that theatre has appeared.  

 On IMDb: "Candleshoe" 

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"Blade"

Wesley Snipes is a vampire hunter in downtown Los Angeles in "Blade" (New Line Cinema, 1998). Yes, that's his weapon of choice. We get this shot of the Tower Theatre, 8th and Broadway, in the opening credits. Wesley's sort of a mutant who can withstand sunlight, a "daywalker." But he's unhappy that he's been infected and does what he can to kill any vampires he encounters. 

 The film also features Kris Kristofferson, N'Bushe Wright, Stephen Dorff, Donal Logue, Udo Kier, Tracy Lords, Arli Jover, Tim Guinee and Sanaa Lathan. Stephen Norrington directed. The cinematography was by Theo van de Sande. 

 

Sunlight hitting Broadway. We're looking north from the Merritt Building at 8th and Broadway. That's the Globe down there at 744 S. Broadway. At the time of the shoot it was retail in the lobby. The nightclub in the auditorium used the alley as the entrance.  

 

Night in the city and the vampires are out. We're looking at the Palace Theatre, 630 S. Broadway. We've flipped this image horizontally. In the film this bit of footage appears backwards. 

 

Wesley is out with N'Bushe Wright, an epidemiologist who has been infected by a vampire bite. That's the Tower Theatre in the background. On the far right a bit of the Hamburger/May Co. building on the southwest corner of 8th and Broadway. 

 

 

Wesley driving south on Broadway with the red neon of the Clifton's vertical behind him.  

 

 

Another look at the Globe Theatre in the 700 block. It's another piece of footage that appears flipped in the film.  

 

 

 

This guy is out for a bite. We're again at 8th and Broadway. There's a sliver of the Tower's marquee on the far left and the dark Rialto Theatre in the center of the image. It's at 812 S. Broadway, now used for retail. 

 

 

A look west across Broadway toward the Olympic Theatre, 313 W. 8th St. On the right it's the Merritt Building, redone for the film to look like a nightclub. 

 

Another view of the Olympic. Thanks to the Worldwide Guide to Film Locations for noting the use of the 8th and Broadway corner in the film. They shared a shot from the scene on the Film Locations - Then and Now Facebook group and noted that Stephen Dorff's vampire club on the corner was called "The Pearl." 

 

 

Wesley and N'Bushe take another walk on 8th St. by the Tower Theatre. On the marquee: "3 For A Buck." 

 

 

A moment later at 8th and Broadway.   

In the daylight once again. We're looking west on 7th with the State Theatre's building across Broadway on the left. Note the Chinatown decor with the pole and phone booth. The film is pretending that we have a big Chinese-style park just out of the frame to the right. Wesley accosts vampire Stephen Dorff there, who had put on sunblock to enable him to try a bit of time in the sunlight.  

 

 

Wesley wants to shoot Stephen but he's holding a child as hostage. The then throws her out of the park, into the street. And gets away. Wesley is distracted and runs to save the kid from an oncoming bus.  

See the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Globe Theatre, the Olympic Theatre, the Palace Theatre, the Rialto Theatre, the State Theatre and the Tower Theatre. You'll find lots of photos, a history of each venue, and shots from other films in which that theatre has appeared. 

On IMDb: "Blade" 

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"Magazine Dreams"

The camera wanders into the Palace Theatre, 630 S. Broadway, in a scene from "Magazine Dreams" (Briarcliff Entertainment, 2025). Elijah Bynum's film about a bodybuilder and his struggles features Jonathan Majors, Harrison Page and Harriet Sansom Harris. The cinematography was by Adam Arkapaw. Thanks to Tommy Bernard for spotting the theatre in the film's trailer. 

 

 

 

 

A look over to the house right side of the lobby.

 

 

 

 

Heading into the empty auditorium. 

 

 

 

On the Palace stage. 

See the pages about the Palace Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It opened in 1911 as the Orpheum.    

On IMDb: "Magazine Dreams"  The trailer is on YouTube. 

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"The Last Days of Frankie the Fly"

Dennis Hopper takes a drive down Broadway in "The Last Days of Frankie the Fly" (Millenium Films, 1996). On the left we get the Cameo and Arcade theatres. See the pages about them on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more information and photos inside and out. On the Cameo marquee: "Happy Holida s."

Dennis is an aspiring screenwriter just trying to survive while working as a low-level errand guy for local thug Michael Madsen. Daryl Hannah is a porno actress and hooker hoping to stay off the drugs and Keifer Sutherland is a harried porno director who likes to play the horses. Peter Markle directed. The cinematography was by Phil Parmet. 

The film uses many great L.A. locations including the Arts District, the L.A. River and Union Station. Thanks to Sean Ault for noting the theatres in the film. The producer was Elie Samaha, currently the lead partner in the group that owns Yamashiro restaurant, the Chinese and Dolby theatres in Hollywood, and the buildings on Hollywood Blvd. that were formerly the Vogue and Fox.

On IMDb: "The Last Days of Frankie the Fly"

"Eye For An Eye"

Getting an ice cream cone on Broadway in John Schlesinger's "Eye For An Eye" (Paramount, 1996). The film stars Sally Field, Kiefer Sutherland, Ed Harris, Olivia Burnette, Joe Mantegna, Beverly D'Angelo and Philip Baker Hall. Sally's character is on a hunt for the man who raped and murdered her daughter. Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the various theatres in the film and getting the screenshots. He comments: 

"Well, not a good movie but this one does look great thanks to cinematographer Amir Mokri. The Kiefer Sutherland character lives downtown so we get plenty of cool footage there."

 

At the end of the ice cream scene the camera pans up a bit and we get this view south as Kiefer gets lost in the crowd. The Roxie is at 518 S. Broadway, the Cameo, with "Happy Holida s" on the marquee, is at 528. Just beyond, unseen in this shot, is the Arcade Theatre at 534 S. Broadway. On the right in the distance it's the Los Angeles Theatre down in the 600 block.

Check out the pages about the Roxie, Cameo, Arcade, and Los Angeles theatres on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more information and photos inside and out.   

 

A fine look over at part of the east side of the 400 block of S. Main. It's the view out the window of Kiefer Sutherland's SRO room. The Regent is at 448, now reborn as a live music venue. Over on the left the Main Theatre, with the "XXX Movie" signage, was at 438, in a storefront of the Canadian Building.   

See the pages about the Main Theatre and the Regent Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the venues. 

 

That neon sign in the previous shot prompted a search to nail down the building it had been taken from. This shot gives us a better look at it and reveals that the Main St. view had been a process shot. The building Kiefer is on in this shot is the former El Dorado Hotel at 416 S. Spring, a block away from the Regent Theatre. Thanks for this, Eric! 

 

 

A 2024 view of the El Dorado from Google Maps. We're looking southeast. The Rosslyn roof sign can be seen in the distance, over at 5th and Main.

On IMDb: "Eye For An Eye"