"I Wanna Hold Your Hand"

Six New Jersey teenagers head to the big city in 1964 with hopes of catching a glimpse of the Beatles the weekend of their appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" (Universal, 1978). The film revolves around CBS Studio 50 at 1697 Broadway in New York. Here they're using a backlot version for the exterior. The night of the show when one of the gang climbs a tower atop the theatre trying to disable a microwave antenna we get a nice look at the Eastern Columbia Building.

 

In 1967 CBS renamed their theatre the Ed Sullivan. Originally it was Hammerstein's. Beginning in 1993 it was used by the David Letterman Show and, since 2013, the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The other focus is the Plaza Hotel, where the Beatles were staying. They use a backlot set for the exterior scenes with the Biltmore for many of the lobby scenes. We also do lots of driving around on Main St., 6th and 7th. There's a scene in a barber shop near 6th and Main and we see a bit of the "Santa Fe" vertical sign. 

The film features Nancy Allen, Bobby DiCicco, Marc McClure, Susan Kendall Newman, Wendi Jo Sperber, Theresa Saldana, Eddie Deezen, Christian Juttner and Will Jordan as Ed Sullivan. Robert Zemeckis directed. The cinematography was by Donald M. Morgan.   

 

 

 

Inside the theatre. It's obvious we're not in New York's Studio 50 but certainly difficult at this point to see what theatre was used. 

 

 

 

It's the day before the big show and ushers are gathered on the main floor for a briefing. 

 

 

 

Looking in from the rear of the house. Here it becomes evident that we're at the Hollywood Playhouse, 1735 Vine St. Originally it was a legit house, later a TV studio with its best-known branding as the Hollywood Palace. It's now a music venue called Avalon. 

 

 

 

Will Jordan as Ed Sullivan briefs the guys on the rambunctious behavior they might expect. 

 

Later Theresa Saldana, one of the teenagers who aspires to be a photographer, sneaks in to get some shots. 

 

 

 

On the set the Beatles will use. She's accosted a moment later by a security guard and taken downstage right and shoved out the stage door. But before she leaves, the guard agrees to open the door for her during the show if she'll bring $50. 

 

Shoved out the stage door, Theresa ought to be at street level. Instead we're up on the second level of a fire escape. Look familiar? We're in the exit passage on the south side of the Palace Theatre in Los Angeles, 630 S. Broadway. She's just come out of an exit from the 1st balcony.   

 

 

 

One of the gang rushing to the theatre on the night of the show.  

 

Will Jordan onstage before the show trying to calm the action in the balcony. Note a bit of the Hollywood Playhouse's ceiling. 

 

 

 

Another balcony shot. 

 

 

 

A look at the stage during the show. 

 

See the Los Angeles Theatres pages about the Hollywood Playhouse/Avalon for the history of the theatre and many, many photos.   

 

 

To get to the big city Marc McClure, one of the teenagers without a license, has borrowed a limo from his father's mortuary. The show has begun but Theresa, young aspiring photographer, has come up with $50 and her friend is driving her to the stage door. In this shot we're looking west on 7th St. toward Hill.   

The blank marquee just beyond the intersection is the Warner, at the time of this shoot closed and getting turned into a jewelry mart. See the pages about the Warner Downtown on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building as well as several hundred photos. The theatre, now used for selling jewelry, opened as the Pantages in 1920.  

 

 

 

Pulling into the alley between Broadway and Spring, behind the Palace Theatre. 

 

 

 

Theresa Saldana heading up to the stage door. This passage later makes appearances in many films including the 1993 Bette Midler TV version of "Gypsy," "The Gambler," "Dreamgirls," as the back entrance to Ciro's in "Being the Ricardos" and in "Blonde."   

But she returns to the limo and uses her $50 to bribe a cop who has arrived and asks to see the license of her limo driving friend. The Beatles set is over and they exit and think this is their limo parked at the stage door. Our heroine, sitting in the front seat, turns around and as the limo heads down the alley, gets the shot of the Beatles she came to the city for. 

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

On IMDb: "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" 

"The Falcon's Alibi"

We get a look at the Olympic Theatre, on 8th just west of Broadway, when we go "uptown" in "The Falcon's Alibi" (RKO, 1946). The treat in this film is getting to see Jane Greer do two numbers as a nightclub songstress. But her ending isn't a happy one after she's discovered two-timing her boyfriend Elisha Cook, Jr.

This film, one of sixteen in the Falcon series, stars Tom Conway as an amateur detective trying to solve a society jewelry robbery and multiple murders. Also featured are Paula Corday, Vince Barnett, Emory Parnell, Esther Howard, Jean Brooks and Jason Robards Sr. Ray McCarey directed. The cinematography was by Frank Redman. Thanks to anonymous tipster about the Olympic's appearance in the film. There's a similar shot in the 1945 Columbia film "Boston Blackie's Rendezvous."

 

 

 Another look at the Olympic. This time we're looking west from Hill St.

See the pages about the Olympic Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building along with many photos.   

 

 

In this murky view north on Hill St. it's the Warner Downtown on the left, at the corner of 7th.

See the pages about the Warner Downtown on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building as well as several hundred photos. The theatre, now used for selling jewelry, opened as the Pantages in 1920. 

On IMDb: "The Falcon's Alibi" 

A comment on the site notes that one of the songs in this film advertises the "new picture 'The Bamboo Blonde,'" also from RKO. It featured Jane Greer and Jean Brooks and was released three months after "The Falcon's Alibi."  

A poster for the film appearing on IMDb.

"Cage of Evil"

Ronald Foster and Patricia Blair take a drive east on 7th St. and we see the Warner Downtown at 7th and Hill in a process shot in "Cage of Evil" (United Artists, 1960). 

It's a tale of a detective trying to solve a jewel robbery. He falls for both the thief's girlfriend and the stolen diamonds. The film, directed by Edward L. Cahn, also features Harp McGuire, John Maxwell, Robert Shayne and Helen Kleeb. The cinematography was by Maury Gertsman. 

 

 

A moment later. Thanks to Eitan Alexander for spotting the theatre in the film and getting the screenshots. He comments that in the background film the Warner was running Hitchcock's "I Confess," a February 1953 release starring Montgomery Clift and Anne Baxter.

Eitan notes that the full film can be seen on YouTube and adds: "The Warner scene starts at about 14:30. Can't say that I'd recommend watching the whole thing though." 

 

 

As they cross Broadway we get signage on the left for the jewelry store in the Loew's State building. The Warner's vertical is in the distance and a bit of the vertical on the Bullock's store at 7th and Broadway is on the right. 

See the pages about the Warner Downtown on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building as well as several hundred photos. The theatre, now used for selling jewelry, opened as the Pantages in 1920. 

On IMDb: "Cage of Evil"

A poster for the film that appears on IMDb.

"Tap"

We're supposedly in New York but get a pan down the "Diamonds" vertical sign on the east side of the former Warner Theatre at 7th and Hill in Nick Castle's film "Tap" (TriStar Pictures, 1989).  

 

See the pages about the Warner Downtown on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building as well as several hundred photos. The theatre, now used for selling jewelry, opened as the Pantages in 1920.

 

Gregory Hines, tap dancer and "second-story man," is newly out of prison and trying to figure out a future. Some old associates want him to case a building for a jewelry robbery. Eventually they talk him into doing it.

The film also stars Suzzanne Douglas, Sammy Davis, Jr., Savion Glover, Joe Morton, Dick Anthony Williams, Howard 'Sandman' Sims, Etta James and Terrance E. McNally. The cinematography was by David Gribble.

 

Needing a real job, Gregory auditions for a replacement chorus dancer spot in a Broadway show. His ex-girlfriend, played by Suzzanne Douglas, is assisting with the casting of dancers. When she takes him to check out a performance we get a New York theatre district street shot and then cut to this view backstage at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway. Note the "Installed by Peter Clark..." in the index strip light.

 

Gregory and Suzanne off left with the Orpheum's Frank Adam dimmerboard behind them.  

 

 

 

Checking out a number from the wings.    

 

The auditions the next morning.  

 

The director, played by Terrance E. McNally, sitting in the house. 

 

Gregory trying to impress. He makes the cut.

 

 

Suzanne onstage. We're back for another round of auditions -- for a solo spot. 

 

 

 

Suzanne telling Terrence that her friend is up next. 

 

He gives the pianist revised music to show the director what "real" tap is all about. 

 

It doesn't go well when the director is told that what has been in the show is crap.  

 

 

 

Terrence comes on the stage, tells Gregory to get off. They tussle.

 

 

 

"What are you doing?"

 

Gregory runs off right and out into the alley.

Thanks to Dougles Soesbe, an executive on the film, for noting the shoot at the Orpheum. See the pages about the Orpheum Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of this 1926 vintage vaudeville house. 

We're back at the Warner again. After the dustup at the auditions, Gregory decides to do the jewelry job. "Which window do I crawl in?" He's told it's the one up near the "I."

 

The guys pull into the alley off 7th St. and Gregory goes up a fire escape. 

 

A fine view down the Hill St. vertical. 

 

A shot of the building from across the street. 

 

A double for Hines rappelling down from the roof. 

 

 

Ready to crawl in the window. 

He gets into the safe with the combination furnished by an inside man on the job. Spoiler alert: After putting the jewels in a bag he makes a career decision to be a dancer and not a thief. After descending, his partners ask where the jewels are. "Still up there," he says.  

 

On IMDb: "Tap"

"The Police Connection"

Policeman Vince Edwards pays a visit to the Paris Theatre, 8163 Santa Monica Blvd. in "The Police Connection" (Cinemation Industries, 1973). The film, also known as "The Mad Bomber," was directed by Bert I. Gordon. Chuck Connors plays the bomber, a man trying to get even for his daughter's death. 

The manager's up on the marquee and it's obvious that he's had visits from the police before. But he tells Edwards that at the moment he's running a kiddie show so there's nothing to complain about.

Edwards writes him a citation anyway -- for having a display easel protruding more than three feet onto the sidewalk.

Edwards heads on to more serious matters with Chuck Connors on the loose. On the right that's P.J.'s nightclub.

The Paris opened in 1924 as the Carmel Theatre and was a Fox West Coast operation for decades. It later had a fling as an independent classics venue and had a season of live theatre before it went to porno and was renamed the Paris. See the Los Angeles Theatres page on the Carmel Theatre for more information.

Late in the film, after a series of seemingly random bombings, the police ID Chuck Connors and track him driving around the city in a red van filled with dynamite. Here he's headed east on 7th St. with the Warner Downtown (by this time renamed the Warrens) on the right. 

See the pages about the Warner Downtown on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building as well as several hundred photos. The theatre, now used for selling jewelry, opened as the Pantages in 1920.

On IMDb: "The Police Connection"