Turnverein Hall

Opened: 1894 as as Turn Halle, a German social Hall. By World War I it was changed to the less Germanic sounding Turner Hall.

Architect: John Paul Kremple. See "A History of California..." by James Miller Guinn on Google Books for more information on Kremple.

Active Dates: The auditorium in the building by 1906 was known as the New Star Vaudeville Theatre. On April 22, 1906 it reopened as the Hecla Theatre under the management of J.J. Cluxton, who had earlier been with the Unique. The bit in the Herald that day mentioned that the Star had been of "unlamented reputation."

In 1908 it was the Bijou. In the 1908 city directory it's the Theatre Royal and from 1909 was the Regal. In the 1909 directory we get a listing for Bockoven & Dean.

It ceased being a theatrical venue around 1919 and was turned into a men's club (L.A. Men's Club) and gym. It's still listed in the 1918 city directory as the Regal.

Status: Demolished. The building had a fire in 1951 that led to its demise. The site is now part of the Reagan State of California Building and garage.

More Information: Lots of research by Jeff Bridges and others appears on the Cinema Treasures page devoted to the Regal. See the updated 1906 Sanborn insurance map in Jeff Bridges' Flickr album that shows the New Star, Belasco and Hotchkiss/Empress Theatres.

Note that this was the third Turnverein building. The first Turnverein Hall was a wood frame building at 1345 S. Figueroa St.

The second Turnverein building at 229 S. Spring was later known as Lyceum Hall. It was just south of the Los Angeles Theatre (later Lyceum Theatre) at 227.