The Comedy Union
The commercial property at 5040 W Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles, designed in the Art Deco style, was built in 1930 by local contractor Christ Thoren. Eldon Snow established his dental practice there between 1930 and 1932 and was soon joined by physician Archie Steele. By 1937, Steele had purchased the building and kept his office there until retiring in 1990. In 1991, the building was converted into a performance venue. It became the Mixed Nuts Comedy theater in 1998. Enss Mitchell opened the Comedy Union in March 2001. The club did not reopen following closure due to COVID-19. The building has been renovated recently and, with the two adjacent properties, is being promoted as an environment/compound “ideal for a variety of creative uses.” The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles successfully campaigned to have it designated as a Los Angeles Historical-Cultural Monument.
Los Angeles, Los Angeles County
Photographers: Al Russell, Andrew Schmidt