- Orpheum Theatre (Los Angeles, California)
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Orpheum Theatre 
The Orpheum Theatre marqueeAddress 842 S. Broadway City Los Angeles Country USA Architect G. Albert Lansburgh Capacity 2000 Opened February 15, 1926 Rebuilt 1989 Current use concerts, movie premiers, location shoots www.laorpheum.com/ The Orpheum Theatre on Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, California, opened on February 15, 1926, as the fourth and final Los Angeles venue for the Orpheum vaudeville circuit.[1] After a $3 million renovation, started in 1989, it is the most restored of the historical movie palaces in the city.
The Orpheum has a Beaux Arts facade designed by movie theater architect G. Albert Lansburgh and has a Mighty Wurlitzer organ, installed in 1928, that is one of three pipe organs remaining in Southern California venues. [1]
The Orpheum theatres are named for the Greek god Orpheus.
Contents
Venue performers
Wurlitzer theatre organ console
Soon after it was opened, it was a popular venue for burlesque queen Sally Rand, the Marx Brothers, Will Rogers, Judy Garland (singing with her family as Frances "Baby" Gumm) and comedian Jack Benny, as well as jazz greats Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.[2] Vaudeville acts were still playing the Orpheum as late as 1950.[3] In the 1960s the theatre held rock and roll concerts featuring Little Richard, Aretha Franklin and Little Stevie Wonder.
The restored Orpheum Theatre is now a venue for live concerts, movie premieres and location shoots.[4] The love metal band HIM played there for their CD/DVD live album Digital Versatile Doom. The 2010 Streamy Awards were live broadcast from the theatre.
Location shoots
Broadcasts of American Idol and America's Got Talent and filming of The Last Action Hero and Transformers were hosted here. The Orpheum also appeared as the first venue for The Chipmunks' highly anticipated World Tour in the 2007 Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. In the 2007–2008 film In Search of a Midnight Kiss, Wilson (Scoot McNairy) and Vivian (Sara Simmonds) do a quick tour of the Orpheum on their "first date". In the movie Hop, David Hasselhoff hosted a talent show contest there.
The Orpheum Theatre building.See also
- Broadway Theater and Commercial District
- Million Dollar Theater
- Los Angeles Theatre
- Tower Theatre (Los Angeles)
References
- ^ a b Geffner, David (January/February 2008), "Screen Gems", Westways 100 (1): 62–65
- ^ Lawson, Kristan, & Rufus, Anneli. California Babylon. New York: St. Martins Press (2000), p. 125.
- ^ Alleman, Richard. Hollywood: The Movie Lover's Guide. Random House, Inc. (2005), p. 189.
- ^ "Orpheum Theatre History". http://www.laorpheum.com/history.html. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
External links
Coordinates: 34°02′34″N 118°15′19″W / 34.04268°N 118.255341°W
Categories:- Vaudeville
- Movie palaces
- Theatres in Los Angeles, California
- Cinemas and movie theaters in California
- Landmarks in Los Angeles, California
- Vaudeville theaters
- Event venues established in 1926
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