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AKA: Orpheum Theater and Office Building, Los Angeles, CA; Orpheum Theatre and Office Building, Los Angeles, CA
Structure Type: built works - performing arts structures - theatres
Designers: Lansburgh, G. Albert, Architect (firm); Gustave Albert Lansburgh (architect)
Dates: constructed 1925-1926
Building History
On 07/04/1920, the Los Angeles Times reported that a 12-story office building with a new Orpheum Theatre would be erected at the intersection of Hill Street and Eighth Street. It was to have 235 feet of street frontage on Hill and 120 on 8th. and its cost was estimated to be $2,500,000. Referred to in 1929 as the "New Orpheum Building." An address of 846 South Broadway was given in the Los Angeles City Directory, 1929, p. 179, for the building.
Building Notes
Orpheum Theater opened 02/15/1926, seating 2,300; one source, (David Naylor, American Picture Palaces The Architecture of Fantasy, [New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1981], p.217), indicated that the Orpheum seated 2,350. Gebhard and Winter, in their Los Angeles An Architectural Architecture Guide, (Salt Lake City: Gibbs-Smith, 1994, p. 236), have a date of 1911; they classified the Orpheum as a "French Second Empire theater." This venue was the last of four theatres in Los Angeles, CA, known as the "Orpheum."
A concert featuring the Orpheum Theatre #4's 70-year-old Wurlitzer organ occurred on 04/25/1998. (See Susan Carpenter, "After 70 years, it's still a blast," Los Angeles Times, 04/08/1998, pp. E1-E2.)
In 2003, the Orpheum Theatre #4 hosted a production of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew," the first live theatrical production held here in many years. Owner Steven Needleman spent $3 million to restore the Orpheum #4 in 2002-2003 to host live productions. (See Lynne Hefley, "A Theatrical Revival," Los Angeles Times, 09/08/2003, p. E6.) The Los Angeles Conservancy held dance benefit in 11/2001 to kickstart fund-raising efforts for the theatre's restoration. (See "Los Angeles Conservancy celebrates reopening of Orpheum," Rafu Shimpo, 11/08/2001, p. 1.) At about the same time, Los Angeles developer Tom Gilmore (born 1953) spent about $2.5 million to renovate the Orpheum Theatre #3 (aka "The Palace") in 2001. (See Kathryn Maese, "Encore for Broadway; yesteryear theaters raise curtain on today's nightlife,"Los Angeles Downtown News, 09/17/2001, p. 8.)
Alteration
Two painted wall panels by Anthony Heinsbergen were added in 1927.
PCAD id: 196
