Hollywood Pacific Theatre

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Coordinates: 34°6′07″N 118°19′50″W / 34.10194°N 118.33056°W / 34.10194; -118.33056
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Hollywood Pacific Theatre
Warner Bros. Theatre,
Warner Hollywood Theatre, Warner Cinerama
The Hollywood Pacific Theatre in 2010
Map
Address6433 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
USA
Capacity1,500
Construction
OpenedApril 26, 1928
Closed1994
Years active1928–1994
ArchitectG. Albert Lansburgh
DesignatedFebruary 9, 1993
Reference no.572

Hollywood Pacific Theatre is a movie theater located at 6433

Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, along the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame
.

History

Beginnings

Originally known as the Warner Bros. Theatre or Warner Hollywood Theatre,

Italianate beaux arts building was designed by architect G. Albert Lansburgh[2][3] with approximately 2,700 seats. It opened on April 26, 1928, showcasing the studio's early Vitaphone talking film Glorious Betsy, starring Conrad Nagel and Dolores Costello.[4]

Warner Bros. owned radio station KFWB positioned its radio transmitter towers on top of the building, which remain to this day. Though covered by "PACIFIC" lettering, the original "WARNERS" lettering can still be seen inside each tower.[4]

Renovation for widescreen

In an era when theaters were forced to compete with television by introducing

This is Cinerama. The new screen was 28 feet by 76 feet with a 146 degree arc,[4] and seating was reduced to approximately 1,500[4] to accommodate the new screen size. This is Cinerama played for 115 weeks, grossing an L.A. record of $3,845,200.[5] It closed 132 weeks after it opened and on November 15, 1955, Cinerama Holiday opened[6] (after two premieres on the 7th and 14th)[7] and played for 81 weeks, grossing $2,212,600.[5] It was followed by the third Cinerama film, Seven Wonders of the World, which played for 67 weeks, grossing $1,659,361.[5]

In 1961, the theater was equipped to run

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) played for 80 weeks,[2] and A Clockwork Orange (1971) also had a long run.[2]

On January 31, 1978, the theater closed and two screens were added at a cost of $1.2 million by converting the balcony section into two 550-seat areas as well as equipping the theater with Dolby Stereo. It re-opened on May 26, 1978 with Thank God It's Friday and the re-issue of American Graffiti.[8][9]

End of use for exhibiting films

The theater finally closed its doors as a full-time cinema on August 15, 1994. This was mostly due to water damage to the basement caused by the construction of the Red Line Hollywood Subway and structural damage caused by the 1994 Northridge earthquake.[10] To date, the balcony sections remain closed off due to structure safety issues. The theater has since been designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument.

Influence on Carol Burnett's star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

In the '50s, a young

Chamber of Commerce offered her a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, they asked her where she wanted it. She replied "Right in front of where the old Warner Brothers Theater was, at Hollywood and Wilcox", which is where it was placed,[11] at 6439 Hollywood Blvd.[12]

Digital Cinema Lab

From 2001 to 2006, it was used by Entertainment Technology Center at USC for experiments in digital projection and dubbed the ETC Digital Cinema Lab in Hollywood, administered by Eduardo Kéith. A new flat screen was installed along with a new JBL sound system. Screenings for Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers members included I, Robot, Collateral, and Crash.

  • Hollywood Pacific Theatre, 2008
    Hollywood Pacific Theatre, 2008
  • Ornate ceiling and lighting fixture at entrance
    Ornate ceiling and lighting fixture at entrance
  • This image, taken in 2014, shows the Hollywood Pacific Theatre building in state of abandonment.
    This image, taken in 2014, shows the Hollywood Pacific Theatre building in state of abandonment.

Current use

The theater was occupied by Ecclesia Hollywood Church until July 2013.

References

  1. ^ It was sometimes called The Warner Hollywood Theatre to avoid confusion with another Warner Theatre in Los Angeles, known as "Warner Downtown Theatre" Archived July 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine at 401 W. 7th St.
  2. ^
    ISBN 1-59223-104-7
    .
  3. Wiltern Theatre
    .
  4. ^ a b c d e "Warner Bros. Theater Hollywood". LosAngelesGooglePages.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
  5. ^
    Archive.org
    .
  6. Archive.org
    .
  7. ^ Cinerama Holiday at the American Film Institute Catalog
  8. ^ "Hollywood Pacific Theatre". CinemaTreasures.org. Retrieved October 4, 2009.
  9. ^ "Remodel Old Warner Into Triplex Site". Variety. May 31, 1978. p. 22.
  10. ^ "Warner Pacific Theatre | Los Angeles Conservancy". www.laconservancy.org. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  11. ISBN 0-394-55254-7
    .
  12. ^ "Hollywood Walk of Fame – Locations". Retrieved October 4, 2009.

External links

34°6′07″N 118°19′50″W / 34.10194°N 118.33056°W / 34.10194; -118.33056

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