When Sid Grauman commissioned his Million Dollar Theatre in 1918, he envisioned a spectacular Los Angeles venue that would herald the arrival of the deluxe movie palace era. The project materialized during a period of speculative downtown confidence and the consolidation of the movie business, as Los Angeles ascended to its role as entertainment capital. Albert C. Martin Sr. designed the high-rise component while William Lee Woollett handled the specialized auditorium architecture, creating a hybrid of movie palace and office tower. This collaboration reflected the era's ambitious downtown development and the specialized teamwork required for movie palace architecture.
The building presents one of downtown's most exuberant fantasy facades, with richly encrusted Spanish Churrigueresque ornamentation that transforms the street wall into theatrical spectacle. Sculptor Joseph Mora contributed lavish iconography across the exterior surfaces, creating layers of decorative detail that announce the building's entertainment purpose from blocks away. The original auditorium seated more than 2,300 patrons within an elaborate interior designed specifically for the movie palace experience. The tower component rises above the theater, integrating commercial office space with the entertainment venue in a vertical composition that maximizes the urban site.
