Cameo Theatre | |
 The former theater's facade in 2012 | |
  Location of building inLos Angeles County | |
| Location | 528 S. Broadway,Los Angeles, California |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°02′51″N118°15′04″W / 34.0474°N 118.251°W /34.0474; -118.251 |
| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | Alfred Rosenheim |
| Part of | Broadway Theater and Commercial District (ID79000484) |
| LAHCM No. | 524 |
| Significant dates | |
| Designated CP | May 9, 1979[2] |
| Designated LAHCM | March 20, 1991[1] |
TheCameo Theatre is a historic former movie theater onBroadway inLos Angeles, California. Film mogulW. H. Clune opened it in 1910 asClune's Broadway Theatre, one of the first purpose-built movie theaters in the United States. It remained the oldest continually operating movie theater in Los Angeles until its closure in 1991.Alfred Rosenheim designed the building in theNeoclassical style.
Hollywood mogulW. H. Clune opened Clune's Broadway Theatre on October 10, 1910. Opening night rates were advertised at 10 cents for standard seats and 20 cents forloge seats.[3] The theater became one of the first in the United States built specifically to show movies.[4] In 1921, aUS$50,000Wurlitzer organ was installed in the theater.[5]
In 1924, Los Angeles theater proprietor H. L. Gumbinger closed the facility for renovation. The overhaul included the addition of a 16-piece houseorchestra.[6] Gumbinger reopened the building as the Cameo Theatre on August 1, 1924, with a premiere of theUniversal Pictures silent dramaThe Signal Tower attended by its director and co-stars.[7]
Various companies subsequently operated the Cameo throughout its history:Fox West Coast Theatres,Pacific Theatres, andMetropolitan Theatres. The decline of the Cameo mirrored the downturn of theBroadway Theater District in Los Angeles.[4] At 4:00 a.m. on December 2, 1991, the Cameo was permanently closed following its final quadruple-bill run of action films.[8] At the time, it was the oldest operating movie theater in Los Angeles. The building retained most of its original facade and was converted into retail space.[4]