This faded sign for the Paramount is still a presence on Broadway. Here it's directing patrons back to the 6th St. address but the Paramount itself is long gone.

Originally there was an additional entrance to the Metropolitan at 551 S. Broadway, through the building above. The Metropolitan was the largest of the Los Angeles movie palaces.

 

More sources for information about the Metropolitan... 

The thumbnail images below are generally those shown by  Google Images, Yahoo! or other data bases for image searches on this theatre.  Click on the image to see how it was found it in context. 

We also give you a link to the site itself (or sometimes a specific article) for your further research. 

All images are subject to copyright.

 

Los Angeles Theaters on Hill Street - The facade of the Metropolitan Theatre in a photo from the Los Angeles - A World Class City website's Los Angeles Movie Palaces page.Los Angeles Movie Palaces

www.geocities.com/los_angeles_coast

A shot of the marquee in 1928 when it was still the Metropolitan.  

See this site for other great pictures on the Movie Palaces page.

full size view

 

Theaters on Hill Street - The facade of Grauman's Metropolitan Theatre in a photo from the Los Angeles - A World Class City website's Los Angeles Movie Palaces page. 

 Another exterior view showing entrances on both 6th and Hill Streets.   

full size image 

 


Downtown Los Angeles Theaters - The auditorium of the Metropolitan Theatre in a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library Collection.LA Public Library Photo Collection

www.lapl.org   Views of the rear of the auditorium in 1923 from the Library collection.

full size view

 

Los Angeles Theatres: The Metropolitan Theatre, later the Paramount, in a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. 

A view of the proscenium.

full size view

 

 

Movie Palaces in Los Angeles - The mezzanine lobby of the Metropolitan Theatre in a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library Collection. 

A view of the mezzanine promenade from the Library's collection.

full size view

 

 

 

 

More interior views from the library collection:  

 Broadway lobby  --used only through the early thirties |   standee area - rear of main floor   |   looking toward the back of the house  -1923  |  painting a mural  |  mural detail  |    diana usherettes  |  chandelier - 1923  |  throne chair  |  remodeled proscenium - 1951  |  proscenium during demolition  |

 

Exterior shots from the Library collection: 

broadway entrance - 1925  |   corner view - 1925  |   Hill St. facade - 1926   |  from across Pershing Square - 1926  |  marquee view - 1938 - as the Paramount |  marquee at night - 1939   |   looking west on 5th street  | concept drawing  -1952  |   end view of the marquee 1950   |   new 50's marquee  |    demolition


 

A rare 1932 view of the Broadway vertical from the Library collection. 

We're looking North on Broadway with the Los Angeles Theatre in the foreground and the Paramount sign down in the next block.  

Also note that you can see a bit of the Palace on the right hand side of the image.    full size view

 

Los Angeles Movie Palaces: The Metropolitan, designed by William Woollett, was one of the grandest theatres in Los Angeles. It had entrances on Hill Street, West 6th Street and Broadway.Ken McIntyre on Cinema Treasures

www.cinematreasures.org   Tireless researcher Ken McIntyre has unearthed some great pictures of the Metropolitan and posted them on Photobucket. 

Here we're looking across the main floor at the side of this quite unique proscenium.   full size view

Also on Ken's pages:    marquee with "grauman's" vertical  |   marquee in the late 20's  |  sign remaining at 6th & Broadway  |   

 

 

For more information on downtown Los Angeles theaters near the Metropolitan see the Theaters West of Broadway page and the Broadway Theaters Los Angeles page.


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