"Red Nights"

The X Theatre at 5959 Hollywood Blvd. is in the background of this shot from "Red Nights" (Trans World Entertainment, 1988). It's another young-man-goes-to-Hollywood story. He thinks he's going to become an actor but sinks into the violent shadows. Izhak Hanooka directed. The cast includes Christopher Louis Parker, Brian Matthews, Tom Badall and Patty Bauer. The cinematography was by Jacob Eleasari. It was a direct-to-VHS release. 

Thanks to Rio Dylan Hernandez for spotting all the theatre coverage in the film and getting the screenshots. She comments: 

"Sometimes when I can’t sleep I’ll peruse grindhouse exploitation movies on Amazon and came across a doozy last night that is truly an LA treasure trove. It seems like there is a movie theater in every other shot as it’s about an idealistic young dreamer, aspiring actor - broken by DIRTY L.A. - and it truly captures the city as I remember it - especially the Hollywood Blvd. area where most of it was shot. I did the best I could do with the screenshots but this should give you a flavor and really some rare treasures here I think!"

 

 At the Warner/Hollywood Pacific, 6433 Hollywood Blvd. 

 

 

 

The Fox was playing "Robocop," It's at 6508 Hollywood Blvd.  

 

 

The Vogue Theatre, at 6675 Hollywood Blvd., playing "The Lost Boys," a July 1987 release. Michael Coate notes that this engagement was in 70mm.

 

 

The Pussycat, formerly the New-View, was at 6656 Hollywood Blvd., just west of Cherokee.

 

 

Another look at the Pussycat.  

 

 

 

A look at the Egyptian, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., during the run of "Masters of the Universe." 

 

 

The Chinese with Clint Eastwood in "Heartbreak Ridge." Kurt Wahlner notes that the film played the big house for one week from December 5 to 11, 1986. 

 

 

A shot done later, during the run of "The Living Daylights." It played the Chinese from July 31 to August 27, 1987. 

 

 

 

A view of the west side of the Chinese.  

 

 

 

Looking north on Las Palmas toward Hollywood Blvd. That's the Las Palmas Theatre on the right.  

 

 

A chase shot with the cars heading into the alley just north of the Las Palmas.  

 

Looks like the filmmakers actually paid for this location for a "Gala Premier." Or was it a "Premiere"? The Los Feliz, now a triplex, is located at 1822 N. Vermont Ave. 

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the X Theatre, the Warner/Hollywood Pacific, the Fox, the Vogue, the New-View/Pussycat,  Grauman's Chinese, the Las Palmas Theatre and the Los Feliz. 

Thanks Rio!  

On IMDb: "Red Nights"

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"Farewell, My Lovely"

The credit sequence of "Farewell, My Lovely" (Avco Embassy, 1975) features stylized footage of Hollywood landmarks. Here, just before the title appears, we're at the Earl Carroll Theatre, 6230 Sunset Blvd., just east of Vine St. The neon sculpture is of Beryl Wallace, Earl's girlfriend and a star of his shows. Thanks to Wayne King for noting the film's use of this footage. See the pages about the Earl Carroll Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. 

The film is an adaption of Raymond Chandler's 1940 novel.  Moose Malloy, just out of prison, is looking for his former girlfriend Velma Valento, who for several reasons doesn't want to be located. Jack O'Halloran is Moose. Robert Mitchum plays private eye Philip Marlow. Also involved are John Ireland, Charlotte Rampling, Sylvia Miles, Harry Dean Stanton, Anthony Zerbe, Sylvester Stallone and Kate Murtagh. Dick Richards directed. The cinematography was by the king of noir, John A. Alonzo.   

The book had an earlier adaptation as "Murder, My Sweet" (1944) starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, Anne Shirley, Otto Kruger and Mike Mazurki. 

 

On the left it's the vertical of the Iris Theatre, 6523 Hollywood Blvd. It had opened in 1918 and in 1968, after a remodel by National General, emerged as the Fox Theatre. See the page about the Iris/Fox on the Los Angeles Theatres site.  

 

Looking east from Highland with the Hollywood Theatre on the right. Down the street it's the vertical sign for the Egyptian Theatre at 6712 Hollywood Blvd. and, a bit left of center, one of the radio towers atop the Warner Hollywood at 6433 Hollywood Blvd.   

See the pages about the Hollywood Theatre, the Egyptian Theatre and the Warner/Hollywood Pacific on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the buildings along with many photos both recent and vintage. 

 

A view west with Hollywood appearing to be on fire. On the right it's one of the Warner Theatre's roof towers and a look down to the vertical and the marquee. The Iris/Fox is part of all that brightness on the other side of the street.  

 

Just for variety, we then get a c.1940 clip shot on Main St. The cafe on the left at 527 S. Main was in the Green Hotel building, also housing the Star Theatre at 529. In the center it's a pawn shop at 525. The Gayety, at 523, is on the right. See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Gayety Theatre. It opened in 1905 as the Novelty. 

On IMDb: "Farewell, My Lovely"

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"Vice Squad"

"On the street the real trick is staying alive." Season Hubley is a single mom working as a prostitute who reluctantly becomes a police informant in "Vice Squad" (Avco Embassy, 1982). On the right it's the Vogue Theatre, 6675 Hollywood Blvd. That's Las Palmas Ave. beyond.

The film also features Gary Swanson, Wings Hauser, Pepe Serna, Beverly Todd, Nina Blackwood and Sudana Bobatoon. Gary Sherman directed. The cinematography was by John Alcott. 

A view east across Las Palmas with Musso and Frank at the far right. The Vogue, now used as a church, was a 1935 design by S. Charles Lee.

Looking for action near the Cinema Theatre, 1122 N. Western Ave. It's a bit north of Santa Monica Blvd. The building survives but it's been churched. 

 

 

 

A bit of the Tiffany Theatre is seen in this late night view. It was at 8532 Sunset Blvd., west of La Cienega. It's been demolished. 

 

 

 

Back on Hollywood Blvd. This shot looks across toward the Pussycat Theatre, 6656 Hollywood Blvd., on the south side of the street between Cherokee and Las Palmas. It opened in 1940 as a newsreel house called the News-View. Later it was the New-View and, after its Pussycat era, was a revival house called the Ritz. 

 

 

 

Down the street across from the Fox Theatre, 6523 Hollywood Blvd. This over-exposed view made it into the trailer but not the finished film. At the time of the shoot they were running "The Fan" with Lauren Bacall and James Garner. 

 

A look west toward the Hollywood Pacific, the theatre that debuted in 1928 as the Warner Hollywood. 

 

Closer to Cahuenga for another Hollywood Pacific shot. 

 

A view east from El Centro toward the Pix, 6126 Hollywood Blvd. It opened in 1926 as a legit house called the Music Box and has also been called the Fox, Guild and Henry Fonda. It's now a music venue called the Fonda Theatre. They were running John Carpenter's "Escape From New York," a June 1981 release.

For more information about the theatres that are seen in the film see the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Vogue, Cinema Theatre, Tiffany, New-View/Pussycat, Fox, Warner/Hollywood Pacific and the Music Box/Pix. 

On IMDb: "Vice Squad"   

Thanks to Ray Ottulich for the nudge about the Hollywood Blvd. footage in this film. He included a shot of the Vogue in his post about the film for The World of Noir Facebook group.  Elizabeth Pearce notes that the full film can be seen on a Russian website: https://ok.ru/video/1246674291455

"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"

"The Executioner: Part II"

We get this drive-by shot of the Pantages, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., in "The Executioner: Part II" (21st Century Distribution, 1984). James Bryan directed and photographed this hunt for a masked serial killer. Featured are Christopher Mitchum, Aldo Ray, Antoine John Mottet and Renee Harmon.  

 

Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatres in the film and getting the 13 screenshots seen here. 

 

 

 

A great shot of the Hollywood Pacific running "Jaws 3-D." The theatre, at 6433 Hollywood Blvd., opened in 1928 as the Warner Hollywood.   

 

 

 

Across the street in this shot it's the Fox, 6508 Hollywood Blvd. It opened as the Iris in 1918. 

 

 

The entrance to the X Theatre, a twin operation located at 5959 Hollywood Blvd.  

 

 

Looking east from the X. This side of the boxoffice is the entrance to the X1.

 

 

 

We're not in Hollywood anymore. The building we're in isn't recognizable at this point. 

 

With this look across at the side wall of the auditorium it's revealed that we're at the Variety Arts Theatre, 940 S. Figueroa St. It opened in 1924 as The Playhouse, in the building constructed as a new home for the women's group the Friday Morning Club. 

 

A look down at the main floor at the Variety Arts.  

 

 

 

On the main floor with a look back toward the booth. 

 

 

A shot from the stage left dressing rooms. He's not alone onstage. 

 

Looking around.  

 

 

 

A backdrop hung upstage at the Variety Arts. 

 

Turning around as the drop flies out. Thanks, Eric!

See the pages about the Hollywood Pantages, the Warner/Hollywood Pacific, the Fox Hollywood, the X Theatre and the Variety Arts on the Los Angeles Theatres site for historical information about the buildings and many, many photos.

On IMDb: "The Executioner: Part II"

"Trackdown"

Karen Lamm plays a 17 year old who flees her constricting life on a cattle ranch in Montana and comes to the big city in "Trackdown" (United Artists, 1976). Here we're looking west across Cherokee St. with the entrance to the Hollywood Cherokee Building on the left and the Pussycat Theatre in the next block.

 

When Karen's character gets off the bus in Hollywood she is, of course, an easy mark for lowlifes on the street who steal her purse and suitcase, pretend to befriend her, get her on drugs and later sell her to a local pimp. James Mitchum plays the brother who comes looking for her. Cathy Lee Crosby is a social worker who tries to help him find her. Also featured are Anne Archer, Erik Estrada and Ray Sharkey. Richard T. Heffron directed. The cinematography was by Gene Polito. 

See the page on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Pussycat Theatre, 6656 Hollywood Blvd. The marquee we see just had received a makeover. If the shoot had been a couple months earlier it still would have said New-View atop the readerboard.

She's been spotted by this guy. Here we're looking west toward the Holly Theatre, 6523 Hollywood Blvd. See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Holly for information about the theatre's history. It opened in 1931 as the Studio, a conversion by S. Charles Lee from what had been retail space. It's now a restaurant. Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatre in the film and getting the screenshot.

 

 

 

Karen walks by the Fox at 6508 Hollywood Blvd. It opened in 1918 as the Iris and was re-branded as the Fox in 1968. In recent years the space has gone through several names and operators as a nightclub. See the Fox Theatre page on the Los Angeles Theatres site. Thanks to Eric Schaefer for the screenshot.

 

A look at the north side of the street reveals the Hollywood Pacific at 6433 Hollywood Blvd. They were playing Robert Hendrickson's 1973 documentary "Manson" along with "Ripped Off." That program opened September 24, 1975.

 

 

Another shot with the Hollywood Pacific in the background. It opened in 1928 as the Warner. See the pages about the theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Warner Hollywood.  

The brother, played by James Mitchum, comes to town and we get a shot of Broadway. One of the features on the marquee is the July 1975 release "Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold." See the page about the Palace Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site. It opened in 1911 as an Orpheum circuit vaudeville house.

 

Social worker Cathy Lee Crosby is on the right, joining James in the hunt for the missing girl. In the background on the left we get the Vogue Theatre, 6675 Hollywood Blvd. It was a 1935 design by S. Charles Lee. It's been through a number of uses after closing as a film house and is now a church. On the far right the glowing marquee and oval up on the facade is at the Pussycat Theatre. 

 

 

 

A shot on the corner after James arrives. 

 

 

 

The search continues. Here we are at the Le Sex Shoppe at 5507 Hollywood Blvd., on the north side of the street just west of Western Ave. The guy in front has been enlisted by James to help get some information from a guy working at another venue across the street. He's trying to get him to come over. 

 

 

 

A look at the premises across the street. 

 

Another shot as the Le Sex Shoppe guy gets the attention of the barker.  

 

 

 

A wider view reveals that the "Free Adult Movies / Live Semi-Nude Girls" emporium is at 5510 Hollywood Blvd., the west storefront in the Hollywood and Western Building. It's an S. Charles Lee design dating from 1928. Tenants in the four-story deco building have included the Motion Picture Association of America, Central Casting and the Hays Office.

 

The barker comes over and, once around in the parking lot next to Le Sex Shoppe, gets attached to a cable and hoisted to the roof by James. There's a bit more about this Le Sex Shoppe location on our page about Storefront Porno venues.

On IMDb: "Trackdown"   Sean Ault notes that the whole film can be seen on YouTube. 

 

"Trackdown" playing on a four-feature grindhouse bill at the Arcade Theatre on Broadway in 1976. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the shot when it appeared for sale online.