American Theatre

4727 S. Broadway,
Los Angeles, CA 90037

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Additional Info

Architects: Robert Farquhar Train, Robert Edmund Williams

Firms: Train & Williams

Previous Names: Palace Theatre, New Palace Theatre

Nearby Theaters

The Palace Theatre was opened in 1913. Advertised in the Los Angeles Times on October 22, 1933 as the American Theatre.

Contributed by Ken McIntyre

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on December 1, 2007 at 3:31 pm

It was just advertised as American Theater.

leegard
leegard on February 7, 2008 at 4:03 pm

This was one of my Grandmother’s favorite movie theaters, having grown up within walking distance of 47th and Broadway. She said that it was cheap at a 10-cent admission, but you did have to put up with the silhouettes of rats scampering across the well-polished floor.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on May 9, 2008 at 8:01 pm

The whole block is a strip mall now, built in 1990.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on February 4, 2009 at 7:54 pm

This is from Boxoffice magazine in May 1943:

LOS ANGELES-The Vinnicof Theater circuit has taken over the American Theater, 500-seat South Broadway showcase, from E.A. Thompson and K.C. Manny.

meheuck
meheuck on May 5, 2009 at 1:27 am

In the 1977 sketch comedy film CAN I DO IT…‘TILL I NEED GLASSES, a theatre marquee is advertising the producers’ previous film IF YOU DON’T STOP IT, YOU’LL GO BLIND. The marquee says, “The American Theatre.” The movie was definitely shot in Los Angeles. Could this be the same place? Was this still standing and/or operating in the ‘70’s?

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on August 20, 2009 at 7:55 am

Here is a September 1947 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/nojud6

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 26, 2014 at 6:28 pm

In the 1915 city directory, this house was listed as the Palace Theatre, and in the 1917 directory as the New Palace Theatre. I think it is pretty likely that this theater was the project noted in the November 16, 1912, issue of Southwest Contractor & Manufacturer:

“THEATER AND STORES—Morris Hurwitz, 212 N. Main St., has been awarded the general contract at $10,500 for the erection of a 1~story brick moving picture theater and store building at Forty-seventh St. and Moneta Ave, for John Borelli. The contract does not include decorating, lighting fixtures or gas heaters. Train & Williams, Archts., 226 Exchange Bldg.”
The theater most likely opened in early 1913. The location was Moneta and 47th Place rather than Moneta and 47th Street. The magazine made a careless mistake.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 31, 2014 at 1:19 am

The December 12, 1912, issue of Southwest Contractor & Manufacturer confirms the site of the theater designed by Train & Williams as the northwest corner of 47th Place and Moneta Avenue (South Broadway.)

meheuck
meheuck on July 3, 2019 at 3:43 am

Ten years later, I finally found an answer – No, it was not this American Theatre, it was the former Fox Ritz in Beverly Hills.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 3, 2019 at 2:21 pm

meheuck: Better later than never. The Fox Ritz wasn’t in Beverly Hills, though. It was on Wilshire between La Brea and Sycamore in Los Angeles.

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