Post #445849 by bigbrotiki on Thu, Apr 9, 2009 12:18 AM

On 2009-02-24 19:44, Tiki Shaker wrote:
I don't have any pictures of my own, and don't want to steel anyone else's, but the Mayan Theatre in downtown LA would be a great example.

Indeed! The Mayan is among my most favorite buildings in Los Angeles. I am glad I got to squeeze two small photos from it into Tiki Modern. If someone would give me a grip truck and a lighting crew, I could spend a whole week shooting the interior of this most amazing "Mayan Revival" Temple, which has remained pretty much unaltered since it was built in 1927.

Below are some photos from different time periods that only cover a small portion of its splendor:

Part of the proscenium:

Stairs on the upper floor:

Stairs detail:

Detail of the auditorium ceiling:

This is the only photo that conveys a sense of the size of the auditorium and its rich decorations
(note the bar stools for scale):

This text describes its history (not really the "Why"):

The Mayan Theatre, at 1040 South Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles, opened for live shows, in particular, musical comedies, on August 15, 1927 with the stage musical "Oh Kay!" starring Elsie Janis. Carved stone serpent heads, seven warrior figures in full head-dress (each representing the god of war, each used to light up after dark!) and celestial symbols and hieroglyphics were designed by artist Francisco Cornejo to ornament the structure designed by architects Morgan, Walls and Clements. That architectural firm also designed the exteriors of both the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood and of the Wiltern Theatre.

Inside, every square inch of the decor is fantastical Mayan Revival, from the floor paving to the furniture and fixtures. The entry lobby is a hall of Inscriptions and is coated with hieroglyphics. The foyer is the Hall of Feathered Serpents, In the auditorium, the huge central, polychromed plaster and metal chandelier is a replica of an Aztec calendar stone. The original painted fire safety curtain depicted Mayan jungles and temples, which completed the decorative scheme of the theatre.

The Mayan Theatre, which opened with 1,491 seats, was at first a legitimate theatre, then it showed second run movies. In the 1940's, the theatre was a burlesque house and it is rumored that in 1948 a young Marilyn Monroe appeared here. By the end of the decade it tried arthouse films. From March 3rd 1950, the Mayan was the crown jewel of Francisco Fouce's chain of Mexican film venues and the first presentation was - 'Direct from Buenos Aires' one of Latin America's biggest stars Libertad Lamarque, 'live on stage and on the screen'. The theatre became an adult porn theatre in the early 1970's (some of the films were shot in the basement of the theatre) and around 1977 it was converted into a triple-screen theatre, still screening adult movies.

The auditorium has now been de-tripled and the current nightclub use, replete with the theatre's original exotic Mayan interior, opened February 1990 and renamed The Mayan.