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Arts & Entertainment

Breathtaking Vintage Photos Of The United Artists Theater Before It Became The Ace Hotel

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One of the most ornate and beautiful structures in downtown is the old United Artists theater. Located on Broadway, the theater was one of the first "movie palaces," which were beautiful and intricately-designed movie theaters that were built from the 1910s to the 1940s. The United Artists theater is one of 12 movie palaces on Broadway.

Originally built in 1927, the theater boasted an exquisite old Spanish style, complete with a theater that looked absolutely stunning. For a year, it was the tallest building in Los Angeles before City Hall was built in 1928.

Now, the building has been transformed into the ultra-stylish Ace Hotel, and it still retains the old charm that made it famous. (We checked out the hotel before it officially opened in January). The theater is now being used for shows other than movies: British rocker Jason Pierce, aka Spiritualized, will be performing a sold-out two night gig in the theater next weekend, and the L.A. Dance Project will have a three-day residency in the theater later this month.

All photos are courtesy of the Los Angeles Public Library's Photo Collection.

Related:
8 Things You Need To Know About The New Ace Downtown L.A.

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