The Pantages Theater opened on 1930, as part of the Pantages Theatre Circuit, which was a vaudeville circuit. But as the Depression ground on, Alexander Pantages hedged his bets by alternating first-run movies with vaudeville acts. This photo is dated at 1930 so this is how the theater looked when it opened. The space on the corner was usually some sort of restaurant. In most of the photos I’ve seen, it was the Vallera Italian Kitchen restaurant but this photo shows that the first one in that location was the Effie Dean Café.

The caption on the bottom reads: Exterior at Hollywood Blvd. at Argyle Ave. Taken in 1930 – theatre is straight movie house now. Also home of the Academy performance anually –