Hollywood Pantages Theatre

Last updated
Hollywood Pantages Theatre
The Pantages
Pantages Theater, Hollywood, LA, CA, jjron 21.03.2012.jpg
The theater in 2012
U.S. - Los Angeles Metropolitan Area location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Hollywood Pantages Theatre
Location within the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Former namesRKO Pantages Theatre
Location6233 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, California
90028
Coordinates 34°06′07″N118°19′34″W / 34.102°N 118.326°W / 34.102; -118.326
Public transit LAMetroLogo.svg LACMTA Circle B Line.svg   Hollywood/Vine
Operator Nederlander Organization
TypeIndoor theatre
Seating typeReserved
Capacity 2,691 [1]
Construction
Broke ground1929
OpenedJune 4, 1930
Renovated2000
Website
hollywoodpantages.com
DesignatedJuly 5, 1978 [2]
Reference no.193
Architect B. Marcus Priteca
Architectural style Art Deco
DesignatedApril 4, 1985 [3]
Part of Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment National Historic District
Reference no.85000704

The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, formerly known as RKO Pantages Theatre, also known as The Pantages, is a live theater and former movie theater located at 6233 Hollywood Boulevard, near Hollywood and Vine, in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca, the theater was the last built by the vaudeville impresario Alexander Pantages and also the last movie palace built in Hollywood. [1] [4]

Contents

History

The Pantages Theatre, the last theater built in the Pantages Theater Circuit and also the last movie palace built in Hollywood, was built by Alexander Pantages in 1929 and opened on June 4, 1930. The theater was designed to seat 3,212, but it opened with extra legroom and wider seats, reducing seating capacity to 2,812. [4]

The 26th Academy Awards (1954) 26th Annual Academy Awards at RKO Pantages Theater in Los Angeles, 1954 cropped.jpg
The 26th Academy Awards (1954)

The Pantages opened with MGM's The Floradora Girl starring Marion Davies on screen and Franchon & Marco's The Rose Garden Idea on the stage. [4] However, while the theater originally programmed first-run movies and vaudeville acts, it was forced to economize due to effects of the Great Depression. Therefore, starting in 1932, the theater operated primarily as a movie theater, though live entertainment was presented occasionally. [5]

Alexander sold the Pantages to Fox West Coast Theaters in 1932, and in 1949, Howard Hughes acquired the theater for his RKO Theatre Circuit; he also moved his personal offices to the building's second floor. From 1949 to 1959, the theater hosted the Academy Awards, in 1965 it was purchased by Pacific Theatres, and it continued to be a major venue for roadshow movies into the 1970s, [1] [4] [5] with notable screenings during this time period including the west coast premieres of Spartacus and Cleopatra , which ran for 61 and 72 weeks, respectively. [6] In 1974, the Emmy Awards were held at The Pantages. [7]

The Pantages closed as a movie theater in January 1977, and re-opened the following month with Bubbling Brown Sugar , followed by Beatlemania , Man of La Mancha , La Cage Aux Folles , Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney in Sugar Babies and Yul Brynner in King and I . Stage productions have been its regular fare ever since. [4] [6] [8]

In 1978, the Pantages Theatre was designated a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, [2] and in 1984, the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with Pantages Theater listed as a contributing property in the district. [3]

In March 1999, the theater hosted the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards. [9]

The interior of the theater Pantages HDR.jpg
The interior of the theater

In 2000, the theater underwent a $10-million [5] [8] restoration and upgrade, for which it received a Conservancy Preservation Award in 2001. [1] [4] In December 2007, plans were revealed to complete the building's original design, which consisted of two stories dedicated to theater and ten additional floors of office space, but it was never realized. [10]

Now operated by a subsidiary of the Nederlander Organization, the Pantages is one of Los Angeles's highest-grossing venues for live stage and Broadway-style productions. [4] The five highest-grossing weeks in LA theater history were all at this theater, [5] [11] and the theater has presented large-scale Broadway musicals such as Wicked , Hamilton , The Book of Mormon , and more. [1] Disney's The Lion King played at the theater for 27 months straight, from October 2000 to January 2003. [9]

The theater still hosts the occasional film, including the world premiere of Star Wars: Rogue One in 2016. [9] The theater has also hosted music concerts. Alice Cooper played Pantages in 1990 [12] and 2016. [13] In 1997, both Prince and Shakira performed at The Pantages, [14] [15] the latter being her first show in the United States. In 2006, Mexican pop-group RBD recorded their CD/DVD Live in Hollywood at The Pantages. [16] Other musicians who have performed at the Pantages include Dream Theater, Foo Fighters, and Mark Knopfler.[ citation needed ]

Past productions

Architecture and design

The Pantages's second story and roofline Pantages Theatre 2 (15385470679).jpg
The Pantages's second story and roofline

Designed by B. Marcus Priteca and opened in 1930, [3] the Pantages was originally meant to be a twelve-story building, with two stories of theater space and ten stories of office space above, however, the office space was never built. The cost of construction for the two-story theater was $1.25 million. [4]

The theater is a two-story concrete construction designed in the art deco style with an ersatz stone exterior. The building features first story windows outlined with metal zigzag frames, Egyptian lotus patterns that highlight the second story, and a sculptured goddesses that highlights the roofline. [3] The theater's forecourt features a lavish ceiling with gold, silver, and bronze-colored starbursts that radiate in multiple, geometric patterns. [1]

Inside, the lobby is a 110-feet wide by 60-feet deep poly-chromatic fan vault, decorated in a zigzag geometric design with gold and henna shades. The entire area is illuminated by three huge Moderne frosted glass chandeliers hanging from three star-shaped domes. At each end of the lobby is a 20-foot wide carpeted stairway, lined with vaguely Egyptian and Assyro-Babylonian styled statues, one of which depicts in an Art Deco style, a camera crew filming. [4] Also in the lobby, bronze sunbursts are featured above the elevator doors. [3]

The theater's double ceiling Pantages 11.jpg
The theater's double ceiling

The theater's proscenium is 54 feet wide, and above the proscenium are three painted panels depicting Apollo leading his snorting steeds, California oil riches, and Native Californians. On each side of the proscenium were originally two small side-stages flanked on the side-walls by large organ chambers. The orchestra pit was on an elevator, and the stage, measuring 180 feet wide and 70 feet deep, is the second largest west of Chicago, after the Shrine Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles. [6]

The crowning beauty of the theater's Art Deco decorations is its double ceiling. Designed by Anthony B. Heinsbergen, the ceiling features a series of fretwork sunray effects that converge from the center, from which a large frosted glass and bronze chandelier is hung. [4]

Disney California Adventure's Hollywood Pictures Backlot façade is based on The Pantages, but only the part of the theater left of its entrance and marquee, hence why the façade doesn’t look like a theater. [4]

Many concert scenes have been shot at the Pantages, including the 1980 film The Jazz Singer , [17] Michael Jackson's 1995 music video "You Are Not Alone", [9] the Talking Heads 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense , [18] and more.

The Academy Award scenes in The Bodyguard were shot in The Pantages, and the theater's interior was used for the Ritz Gotham Hotel in Batman Forever . Other films that shot at The Pantages include Ed Wood and Friends with Benefits . [19]

In October 1995, George Burns taped a TV special commemorating his 100th birthday at this theater. [9]

Rickie Lee Jones's 1979 self-titled debut album includes a reference to The Pantages in her song "Chuck E.'s In Love".[ citation needed ]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood and Vine</span> Street intersection in Los Angeles

Hollywood and Vine, the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, a district of Los Angeles, became known in the 1920s for its concentration of radio and movie-related businesses. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is centered on the intersection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grauman's Egyptian Theatre</span> Movie theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

Grauman's Egyptian Theatre, also known as Egyptian Hollywood and The Egyptian, is a historic movie theater located on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Opened in 1922, it is an early example of a lavish movie palace and is noted as having been the site of the world's first film premiere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolby Theatre</span> Live-entertainment auditorium in Los Angeles, United States

The Dolby Theatre is a live-performance auditorium in the Ovation Hollywood shopping mall and entertainment complex, on Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. Since its opening on November 9, 2001, it has been the venue of the annual Academy Awards ceremony. It's adjacent to Grauman's Chinese Theatre and across from the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Boulevard</span> Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States

Hollywood Boulevard is a major east–west street in Los Angeles, California. It runs through the Hollywood, East Hollywood, Little Armenia, Thai Town, and Los Feliz districts. Its western terminus is at Sunset Plaza Drive in the Hollywood Hills and its eastern terminus is at Sunset Boulevard in Los Feliz. Hollywood Boulevard is famous for running through the tourist areas in central Hollywood, including attractions such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Ovation Hollywood shopping and entertainment complex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Palladium</span> Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

The Hollywood Palladium is a theater located at 6215 Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was built in a Streamline Moderne, Art Deco style and includes an 11,200-square-foot (1,040 m2) dance floor including a mezzanine and a floor level with room for up to 4,000 people. The theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. The Palladium was designated Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument No. 1130 on September 28, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grauman's Chinese Theatre</span> Movie theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles

The TCL Chinese Theatre, commonly referred to as Grauman's Chinese Theatre, is a movie palace on the historic Hollywood Walk of Fame in the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warner Grand Theatre</span>

The Warner Grand Theatre is a historic movie palace that opened on January 20, 1931. It is located in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, at 478 West 6th Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saban Theatre</span> Historic theatre in Beverly Hills, California

The Saban Theatre is a historic theatre in Beverly Hills, California, formerly known as the Fox Wilshire Theater. It is an Art Deco structure at the southeast corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Hamilton Drive designed by architect S. Charles Lee and is considered a classic Los Angeles landmark. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pellissier Building and Wiltern Theatre</span> Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument

The Pellissier Building and adjoining Wiltern Theatre is a 12-story, 155-foot (47 m) Art Deco landmark at the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California. The entire complex is commonly referred to as the Wiltern Center. Clad in a blue-green glazed architectural terra-cotta tile and situated diagonal to the street corner, the complex is considered one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the United States. The Wiltern building is owned privately, and the Wiltern Theatre is operated by Live Nation's Los Angeles division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Pantages</span> Greek American impresario and vaudeville/film producer

Alexander Pantages was a Greek American vaudeville impresario and early motion picture producer. He created a large and powerful circuit of theatres across the Western United States and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">B. Marcus Priteca</span> Scottish architect

Benjamin Marcus Priteca was a Scottish architect. He is best known for designing theatres for Alexander Pantages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stiles Clements</span> American architect

Stiles Oliver Clements was an architect practicing in Los Angeles and Southern California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fox Theatre (Fullerton, California)</span>

Fox Theatre is a historic movie theater located on Harbor Boulevard in Fullerton, California. Built in 1925 as part of the chain of Fox Theatres, the theater was closed and abandoned in 1987. The Fullerton Historic Theatre Foundation is currently in the process of fundraising and restoring the theater.

S. Charles Lee was an American architect recognized as one of the most prolific and distinguished motion picture theater designers on the West Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broadway Theater District (Los Angeles)</span> United States historic place

The Broadway Theater District in the Historic Core of Downtown Los Angeles is the first and largest historic theater district listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). With twelve movie palaces located along a six-block stretch of Broadway, it is the only large concentration of movie palaces left in the United States. The same six-block stretch of Broadway, and an adjacent section of Seventh Street, was also the city's retail hub for the first half of the twentieth century, lined with large and small department stores and specialty stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arcade Theatre</span> Former movie theater in Los Angeles, California

The Arcade Theatre is a historic former vaudeville and movie theater in the Broadway district of Los Angeles, California. Commissioned by real estate developer William May Garland in 1910, it originally operated under the direction of Alexander Pantages. In 1920, the Pantages operation moved to a new auditorium on 7th Street; thereafter, the theater became known as Dalton's Broadway for two years before ultimately taking the Arcade name in 1924 in association with the adjacent Spring Arcade building. Metropolitan Theatres later operated the facility as a grindhouse until its closure in 1992.

The Utah Theatre was a historic theater in Salt Lake City, Utah in the United States. It opened in 1918 as the Pantages Theater, after the name of its owner, Alexander Pantages. The theatre was located at 148 South Main Street, Salt Lake City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pantages Theater (Tacoma, Washington)</span> United States historic place

The Pantages Theatre or Jones Building in Tacoma, Washington was designed by the architect B. Marcus Priteca. The unusual structure opened in January 1918. It was designed to be an office building and a vaudeville theatre. The theater's Second Renaissance Revival style is juxtaposed with the Commercial style. The exterior above the ground floor is largely unaltered. The building still houses entertainment and commercial activities

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District</span> United States historic place

Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District consists of twelve blocks between the 6200 and 7000 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. This strip of commercial and retail businesses is recognized for its historical significance and was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attie Building</span> Building in Los Angeles, California, U.S.

The Attie Building, also known as the Playmates of Hollywood Building, is a historic two-story building located at 6436 W. Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California. The building is notable for its second-floor art deco exterior as well as the 'You Are the Star' mural painted on its western-facing first floor exterior.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Pantages Theatre". LA Conservancy. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Department of City Planning. "Designated Historic-Cultural Monuments". City of Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2010-06-09. Retrieved 2010-06-15.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form - Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District". United States Department of the Interior - National Park Service. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Pantages Theatre (Hollywood)". Water and Power Associates. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Pantages Theatre Information | Hollywood, LA" . Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 Ken Roe. "Pantages Theatre". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  7. "Location! Location! Location! A rundown of great Emmy venues through the years". Television Academy. July 2, 2009.
  8. 1 2 "Hollywood Pantages Theatre: The Story of an L.A. Icon". Discover Los Angeles. March 14, 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Pantages Theatre". seeing-stars.com. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  10. Vincent, Roger (6 December 2007). "Pantages presents a revival: tower plan from the 1920s". Los Angeles Times. pp. C1, C4. Retrieved 6 August 2012.
  11. "Hollywood Pantages Theatre". The Hollywood Partnership. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  12. "Alice Cooper - Apr 7, 1990". concertarchives.org. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  13. "Alice Cooper - Oct 30, 2016". concertarchives.org. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  14. "Prince Setlist". setlist.fm. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  15. "Shakira Setlist". setlist.fm. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  16. "Live in Hollywood - RBD". allmusic.com. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  17. Laura Jackson (2005). Neil Diamond: His Life, His Music, His Passion. ECW Press. p. 169.
  18. Michael Juliano (April 25, 2024). "A Night of 'Stop Making Sense'". Time Out Magazine.
  19. Genie Davis (February 26, 2020). "Hollywood on the Big Screen". The Hollywood Partnership.