optimistic
At times, it's hard to guess which downtown theater palaces hosted premieres of Carole Lombard films such as "To Be Or Not To Be" (above). But since it was a United Artists production, chances are good that it opened in downtown Los Angeles at this theater at 7th & Broadway, shown in 1938:
Note that while the marquee refers to "Loew's State," it then was owned by Fox West Coast Theaters, which bought the theater from Loew's, its original owner, in 1924 -- three years after it opened. United Artists took it over in 1941.
We wrote about the State earlier this year (https://carole-and-co.livejournal.com/884285.html), noting it was the first major downtown venue to run Spanish-language films, then ceased showing movies of any kind in 1997. For the past two decades, it has served as a church for the Hispanic community:
But examine that marquee now:
The congregation moved out at the end of 2017, and there are plans to restore the State into some sort of performing arts venue. And a week from today, you can tour the 97-year-old facility, which in its heyday had an interior looking like this:
The event begins at 10 a.m. April 29 (doors open at 9:45), and you can examine the behind-the-scenes operations from its cinematic glory days. It's sponsored by the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation; tickets are $20 for the general public, $10 for LAHTF members. Buy a ticket or learn more at https://tickets.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?e=203494dca21bc9ae128f1cb2160febe3&t=tix&vqitq=6f2ff639-6bc5-4c20-9764-0a17925cf3ef&vqitp=2739e1d9-9590-46b6-b925-cf92939d1c30&vqitts=1524410616&vqitc=vendini&vqite=itl&vqitrt=Safetynet&vqith=7ef32e00b9a5da3ebdd4d9800ba556f7. Those of you in town that weekend for the annual Turner Classic Movies Film Festival might want to venture downtown to check it out.
