Academy Theatre (Academy Cathedral)

Opened November 7, 1939 and designed by theater architect S. Charles Lee, the Academy Theatre is considered the most advanced Streamline Moderne theater in the Los Angeles area. Its 125-foot spire wrapped in a helix of neon was the tallest in the country when built, and the facade is all curves, glass block and stainless steel. The building has been the Academy Cathedral church since the mid-1970s, so it is an exterior-only landmark for most visitors. It is documented by the Library of Congress and best seen lit up at night from Manchester near the Forum.