| Million Dollar Theater | |
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| U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
 The exterior is in Spanish Baroque Revival style
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| Location: | 307 S. Broadway Los Angeles, California |
| Coordinates: | 34°3′2.98″N 118°14′53.29″W / 34.0508278°N 118.2481361°W |
| Built/Founded: | 1917 |
| Architect: | A.C. Martin |
| Architectural style(s): | Early Commercial, Mission/Spanish Revival |
| Governing body: | Private |
| Added to NRHP: | July 20, 1978 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 78000687[1] |
The Million Dollar Theater at 307 S. Broadway in downtown Los Angeles is one of the first movie palaces built in the United States. It opened in February 1918. It is the northernmost of the collection of historical movie palaces in the Broadway Theater District and stands directly across from the landmark Bradbury Building.
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History
The Million Dollar was the first movie house built by entrepreneur Sid Grauman. Grauman was later responsible for Grauman's Egyptian Theatre and Grauman's Chinese Theater, both on Hollywood Boulevard, and was partly responsible for the entertainment district shifting from downtown Los Angeles to Hollywood in the mid-1920s. Sculptor Joseph Mora did the elaborate and surprising exterior ornament, including bursts of lavish Churrigueresque decoration, multiple statues, longhorn skulls and other odd features. The auditorium architect was William L. Woollett, and the designer of the twelve-story tower was Los Angeles architect Albert C. Martin, Sr.. The office building long housed the original headquarters of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
1940s
In the 1940s the theater was the second run house of the famous Orpheum circuit. Acts such as the Nat King Cole Trio, and Joe Liggins and The Honey Drippers performed on its stage. In 1949 the Million Dollar was taken over by Frank Fouce, a local Spanish language theater owner and film distributor. The Million Dollar Theater became the mecca of Spanish language, in particular Mexican, entertainment in the United States. Dolores del Rio, María Félix, Agustín Lara, José Alfredo Jiménez, José Feliciano, Juan Gabriel, Vicente Fernández, and Celia Cruz are but a few of the artists that worked for Empresa Fouce (Fouce Enterprise). The well known mariachi Los Comperos were founded to accompany the many Ranchero performers when working the Million Dollar. It was also the first venue where the late Mexican film star Antonio Aguilar worked with his rodeo horses on stage. This is where he conceived the idea for his large arena rodeo productions.
1950s-1960s
In the late 1950s and early 1960s the theater's owner, Frank Fouce, went on to found Spanish International Communications Corp., named after his Spanish International Theater Company (which included the Million Dollar Theater and the Mayan Theater, also located in Downtown Los Angeles). This company comprised the first group of Spanish language and UHF television stations in the United States; KMEX Channel 34 in Los Angeles can trace its roots to the Million Dollar Theater. The Million Dollar Theater and the Fouce Family were pioneers in the then unheard of Spanish entertainment industry.
For their efforts Frank Fouce was awarded La Aguila Azteca (Order of the Aztec Eagle), Mexico's highest civilian award, by President Miguel Alemán Valdés. The theater and Frank Fouce were also honored by the Mexican actors union ANDA for their contributions to the Mexican film, recording, and entertainment industry. In addition to its very successful stage productions, the theater was also the most prominent Spanish language cinema in the United States. Every major Mexican motion picture premiered at the Million Dollar. The most well known of these films were those of the world famous Mario Moreno ("Cantinflas").
1970s-1990s
Gonzalo L. Checa, President of the Spanish division of the Metropolitan Theater Corporation, was responsible for the upsurge of attendance at the Million Dollar Theater in the 1970s due to his great expertise and keen insight of the entertainment needs of the Hispanic community. He was the one who oversaw, contracted and scheduled the fantastic showcase stage shows and the movie premieres of notable Mexican film stars. During this golden heyday the lines of people waiting to attend the Million Dollar would wrap around the block. He is the executive who helped launch the U.S. invasion of such notable stars such as Vicente Fernández, José José, Nelson Ned, Juan Gabriel, Julio Alemán, Antonio Aguilar and his wife Flor Silvestre, as well as countless other greats.
2000s
After serving as the home of a Spanish-speaking church for some years, as of 2006 the Million Dollar theater is empty, although the office building was recently renovated and converted to residential space.
In February 2008, the Million Dollar theater was re-opened, once again showing live Spanish theatre. It continues to draw large crowds with plans to begin screening major motion picture premieres.
The exterior of the theater also appeared prominently in the science fiction film Blade Runner.
See also
- Broadway (Los Angeles)
- Broadway Theater and Commercial District
- Orpheum Theatre (Los Angeles)
- Los Angeles Theatre
- Tower Theatre (Los Angeles)
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2006-03-15. http://www.nr.nps.gov/.
External links
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