“Frieda Berkoff Gellis loved this theater.” That’s what Petrie Robie said about her mother. We are standing in front of the Coronet Theatre. It stands at 366 North La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles.
The Coronet Theatre has a dynamic history. It has made a significant cultural contribution to Los Angeles. During its peak, it was a legitimate theater. It was also an experimental cinema venue. Kenneth Anger and Man Ray showed their work here. Stars like John Houseman and Charles Laughton graced its stage. Charlton Heston, Buster Keaton, and Ethel Waters also performed here.
Frieda Berkoff Gellis commissioned the Coronet Theatre building. She was a well-known Russian vaudeville dancer. Frieda and her daughter, Petrie Robie, ran the building until 1996. That year, they sold it to Deborah Del Prete and Gigi Pritzker. Hersel Saeidy bought it in 2008.
Mark Flanagan then leased it. He owned Club Largo. Flanagan moved his operation and renamed it Largo at the Coronet. It now operates as a music and comedy club.
The Coronet Theatre Building construction finished in 1947. The first production was Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth. It starred Jane Wyatt and Keenan Wynn. The world premiere of Bertolt Brecht’s Galileo also took place here. Charles Laughton starred in it.
From 1957 to 1961, the Coronet Theatre’s “Little Theatre” hosted Doug Weston’s Troubadour. It became a hub for folk, beatnik readings, and jazz musicians.
The second-floor dance studio saw many famous faces. Mitzi Gaynor and Barry Ashton practiced here. Nancy Sinatra, Betty Grable, and Lucille Ball also used this space. Roland Dupree and David Winters taught dance classes here.
The offices were rented to industry greats. The Theatre Guild and Rodger and Hammerstein had west coast offices here. Audrey P. Franklyn was also a tenant. She was Ella Fitzgerald’s long-term promoter. Kenny Kingston, a psychic to the stars, also had an office here. Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and James Dean were among his clients.
In 1964, Ray Bradbury created a science fiction theater. He leased the Coronet Theatre for his “Space Age Theatre.” Bradbury hired John Whitney and Saul Bass as consultants. They created unusual electronic effects for the theater.
From 2020 to 2021, Conan O’Brien filmed his late-night talk show here. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic. The show transitioned from at-home production.
In 2022, the building was nominated for a historic-cultural monument designation. This recognizes its history and cultural contribution to Los Angeles.
The Coronet Theatre has a unique story. It is a story of theater, cinema, and cultural significance. It continues to be a place for entertainment and creativity. It is a Los Angeles treasure, a place where stars are born.