Skip to main content

Image / Tower Theatre, Compton, lounge, entry

Have a question about this item?

Item information. View source record on contributor's website.

Title
Tower Theatre, Compton, lounge, entry
Alternative Title
Tower Theatre (Compton, Calif.)
Tower Bowl (San Diego, Calif.)
Contributor
Lee, S. Charles, 1899-1990
Date Created and/or Issued
1935-36
Contributing Institution
UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library
Collection
Lee (S. Charles) Papers
Rights Information
copyrighted
Copyright is owned by the UC Regents.
Description
Designed for a working class community in Los Angeles, the Tower Theater is a modest design which presents a stylish black and white Deco exterior (62701). The night view shows the effective use of neon and spotlighting to illuminate the fluted Moderne tower (62702). The box office is surrounded by circles of light bulbs on the lobby ceiling and a sunburst design on the lobbyýs terrazzo floor (62703). Poster cases are framed by scrolled pediments and simulated columns. The interior uses exaggerated columns, mirrors, white traditional-style furniture, and gilt to suggest a palatial elegance that is distant from the lives of the theatreýs clientele (62704-62705). Hanging lanterns and striped upholstery in the auditorium impart a subdued elegance (62706-62707).
Type
Image
Subject
Lifestyle
Motion picture theaters
Landmarks
Source
S. Charles Lee Papers, 1919-1962

About the collections in Calisphere

Learn more about the collections in Calisphere. View our statement on digital primary resources.

Copyright, permissions, and use

If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.

Share your story

Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.

Explore related content on Calisphere: