Million Dollar Theater
historic place
The Million Dollar Theater, a historic place in Los Angeles County, opened on February 1, 1918. It was built by entrepreneur Sid Grauman as his first Los Angeles venue. The theater was one of the earliest and largest movie palaces in the United States. Architect Albert C. Martin Senior designed the twelve-story building's exterior in an opulent Churrigueresque style. William Lee Woollett designed the theater's interior. The Million Dollar Theater premiered "The Silent Man" with William S. Hart, attended by stars like Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. It was the first purpose-built movie palace in Los Angeles. In the 1940s, the theater hosted jazz and big band acts. By 1950, it became a leading venue for Spanish-language films and variety shows, premiering major Mexican motion pictures. The Million Dollar Theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978 and became a City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2019. This site reflects the evolution of entertainment in Los Angeles, from early cinema to a hub for Latinx culture.