Place
Bob Baker Marionette Theater
In continuous operation since 1963, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater is a monument to the art of puppetry.
The Bob Baker Marionette Theater is the longest-running live puppet theatre in the United States, entertaining thousands of children and adults over the years.
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Bob Baker Marionette Theater | Jessica Hodgdon/L.A. Conservancy
Overview
The Bob Baker Marionette Theater was originally built by an unknown architect or builder as a workshop for Academy Award-winning special effects artist M.B. Paul. In 1961, Bob Baker and his partner Alton Wood purchased the property for use as a live puppet theatre and permanent showcase for hand-crafted marionettes. The theatre opened in 1963 and has become a Los Angeles family entertainment institution.
The theatre’s entrance originally featured a decorative awning and circus sculptures. Inside, the theatre contains a red-curtained performance room with clown figurines at each corner of the stage. Theatre seating is arranged in a U-shaped fashion around the stage.
Bob Baker, the founder of the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, was born in Los Angeles in 1924. After graduating from Hollywood High School, he began his extensive career in animation at the George Pal Studio. Following World War II, he served as an animation advisor at many film studios, including The Walt Disney Studios.
The Conservancy’s Historic Theatre Committee successfully nominated the theatre for local landmark designation. In recognition of its association with the pioneering puppeteer and significant role in the development of the art form, the Los Angeles City Council designated the theatre as Historic-Cultural Monument #958 in June 2009.
About This Place
About This Place
The Bob Baker Marionette Theater is the longest-running live puppet theatre in the United States. Its founder, Bob Baker, was a renowned animator and puppeteer whose traveling marionette company delighted thousands of children over the years.
The theatre first opened in 1963 in a former movie scenery shop just outside of Downtown. In addition to staging live performances, Baker operated the Academy of Puppetry and Allied Arts from the building, a program for local high school students. The building is also home to Baker’s collection of more than 4,000 handcrafted marionettes.
Despite several generations as a staple in family entertainment and a popular field trip destination, the theatre struggled financially in recent years due to school budget cuts, changing tastes, and the economic downturn.
In 2008, the Ahmanson Foundation and other private donors helped prevent the Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s closure after the building was listed for sale for $1.5 million. The following year, the Conservancy’s Historic Theatre Committee successfully nominated the theatre for local landmark designation. In recognition of its association with the pioneering puppeteer and significant role in the development of the art form, the Los Angeles City Council designated the theatre as Historic-Cultural Monument #958 in June 2009.
Despite these milestones, ongoing financial challenges forced Baker to put the property back on the market in 2012 with the hope of leasing the theatre space from the new owner. The sale closed in 2013, securing a fixed lease for the marionette company until April 2015.
In October 2014, the developer revealed initial plans to build a housing complex on the site. Baker passed away in November, and his protégés have continued to stage regular performances. The original building is currently vacant and not for sale.
Our Position
The impact of the proposed development on the historic Bob Baker Marionette Theater raises an important point about the preservation of culturally significant landmarks.
Questions have emerged publicly about whether or not the preservation of a building’s physical fabric is justified when its importance is cultural, not architectural. Some have suggested that a more appropriate tribute to the theatre’s legacy may be to incorporate new space for performing arts and an interpretive program into the proposed apartment complex, paving the way for the demolition of the historic theatre.
While architectural icons are vital to our history, they don’t tell the full story.
Modest buildings can also deserve recognition for the important roles they have played in defining our communities and cultural heritage.
The Conservancy does not take lightly any proposal to demolish a designated landmark. In the case of Bob Baker Marionette Theater, as with any designated property, the key is to design a sensitive, appropriately-scaled new development that does not overwhelm or marginalize the historic building.
While interpretation certainly has a role to play in conveying our history, plaques and exhibits simply can’t replace the authenticity of bricks and mortar in telling the story of a place.
