Wendell Benedetti / LAHTF

Inside the just-renovated Belasco Theatre at 1050 S. Hill

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Opened in 1926, the Belasco Theatre was the first of two structures intended to be the core of what oil magnate Edward L. Doheny imagined would be a new theatre district between Downtown and USC. While the Belasco focused on vaudeville, the next-door Mayan Theatre was built to house musical productions.

The Belasco, located at 1050 S. Hill, opened with a run of the play "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," but by the late 1940s "gentlemen" were preferring to see just a little bit more in high-class offerings like "Peek-a-Boo" and "Good Nudes for All."

In June of 1950 the building was bought by the Immanuel Gospel Temple for $200,000 and converted into a church, a use it would maintain into the 1980s.

Today, the Belasco is just reopening as a nightclub and event venue. Those interested in Downtown history will get a chance to learn more about both the history and future of the theatre on Saturday when the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation's "All About" series pays a visit. The event gets underway at 10:30am, and admission is $5 or free for LAHTF members.