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Photos: Historic United Artists Theatre for Sale, Can it be Saved?
Hillsman Wright calls this one of L.A.'s best kept secrets. He and his L.A. Historic Theatre Foundation recently got a sneak preview of the beautiful United Artists theatre at 9th & Broadway, which is currently for sale along with the 12-story office building in front. Wright believes the theatre can flourish with film and live performance programming, but his organization needs an "angel" to come forward and help with the purchase.
Opened in 1927, the 2,141-seat theatre was brought to Los Angeles by Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Doug Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith. It is one of the 12 theatres that make up the Broadway Theatre District, where the Bringing Back Broadway initiative hopes to revitalize the street.
Beyond the overall sale, Wright also hopes to piece together a smaller mystery within the theatre. "For years, we've been trying to identify all the figures at the bottom of the murals," he said, pointing to the video (below) that features the artworks. "With these photos, we may finally get the answer."
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This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
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Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
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