Hollywood Theatre
6764 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6764 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
27 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 94 comments
That is a beautiful photo! And it appears, traffic was just as dreadful on Hollywood Blvd in 1939 as it is today!
Here is a 1939 night shot from the USC library:
http://tinyurl.com/c569pz
Here’s the Hollywood in 1980:
View link
Here is a 1936 photo:
http://sclee.library.ucla.edu/003/09/i0030901.jpg
Here is a 1980 photo, pre-Guinness:
http://tinyurl.com/cj97cu
Bob Pierce was the assistant manager at the Hollywood when I worked there. He was a wonderful person, a batchelor and sort of secretive. He wore biker type of boots with his dress pants and sports coat. He would often tell funny stories to all of us. I go into detail about the Hollywood Theater, Hollywood itself, and Grauman’s in my manuscript. It is too lengthy to review it here. The following are articles related to these two theaters and Hollywood in 1957.
http://the-gossip-columnist-17.blogspot.com
http://the-gossip-columnist-16.blogspot.com
http://the-gossip-columnist-13.blogspot.com
Vampira, Maila Nurmi, who died last year, said she had snipped a
piece of the paint off of it.
The blond haired guy in the last scene of GIANT driving a sports car, looking over at Hudson’s daughter in their car, claimed he had one of the rear tail lights. He also had owned Hitler’s Touring Car, A real collector-smile!
Yes, the Paramount was located across from Pershing Square. My dad told me about his Porsche display there.
I get the Academy and The Admiral mixed up. I never went to either one very often, if ever. Being a theater employee I got free passes to all of the Fox West Coast theaters on my days off. I think the Paramount was downtown across from Pershing Square. James Dean’s wrecked Porsche was in front for the James Dean Story. It was roped off and people could get close enough to see the blood stains. Someone later stole the car when it was being transferred to another venue. Rumor is that is was crushed up and made into a coffee table. I wish I had lived in Los Angeles during the forties. Seems like it was a very nice and exciting place to be. I guess certain sections have already been built with new theaters, apartments, etc.
“Caligula” played the Holly Theatre (also known as the Academy), not the Vine Theatre. The SRO chain four-walled the Holly Theatre for that engagement.
The post on Zimbio has to read www.Zimbio.com/bill-dakota
The Hollywood theater was a successful, although small, theater. I recall lines around the corner on Highland on weekends. Actor, Tommy Kirk, (OLD YELLER) was going to Hollywood High and he used to cruise the theater-smile! Elvis came there, Natalie Wood, Nick Adams, Fred Astaire, Jack Lemmon with his son, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay, Joey Bishop, who loved horror films, James McArthur, David Nelson, and too many to list here. I am listed at www.Zimbio.com/who is bill-dakota? My manuscript of my life. The main projectionist at the Hollywood was Kelly who was related to the partner/owner with Fox West Coast theaters. He was best. The other ones needed glasses, I guess.
When Dave James left the Hollywood he was transferred to Westwood. I went there a couple of times to see him. Carol Burnette was also an usher at the FOX! I never owned a car then. I was 19 years old. I lived on Orchid Ave. by Grauman’s. My single at the Commodore Gardens (now a hotel) was $24.50 a week. Food budget was $7.50 weekly on a pay check for $40.00. Maid service daily and towels changed weekly. I was happier then, than I am now. Charlton Heston lived there three years before me, in a one bedroom. There were no tall buildings in Hollywood in those days. Capitol Records was the newest that opened when I first moved there. A wonderful Italian Restaurant was next door to the Hollywood. And a hotdog stand later by the parking lot.
The adult CAVE is now an adult theater. They used to show x-rated films, and maybe still do. Before that, years ago, it was a nightclub, called SARDI’s, like the famous one in New York. I saw THE TRENIERS there in person. The CAVE is located close to the Vine theater with another adult business next door.
The Admiral theater was a few blocks west of the Vine. They had a long run on CALIGULA with Peter O'Toole. It was considered as a Roadshow engagement. I don’t recall if the Academy is now the Vine, or if it has always been the Vine. The Vine/Academy is where Nick Adams worked as a doorman. He was fired when he put his name on the marquee as an actor in the film that was playing there at that time. The HAWAII theater was down the Boulevard past the Pantages. It had a large auditorium. It was later bought and set up with two screens playing adult films. I believe it is now a warehouse. I moved from Hollywood in 2005.
Unknown to the general public, the police had installed a two way mirror in the men’s room. They would go into the projection booth on the other side to try to catch gay guys putting the make on guys. Bugliosi said there were several bloody fights that took place. The New View theatre later the Pussycat down the street, also had a two way mirror installed so the Vice could catch any gay activity that took place. This Hollywood Vice harassment is what created West Hollywood as the gay center of Los Angeles. The Sheriff’s department was more lenient. Today, the downtown Los Angeles theaters, are the cruising places.
The doorman that took my place was called “Slim.” He later was doorman at the FOX down the street. Mr. Quann had finally bought me a doorman’s uniform. Slim wore it after I left. It was rather short in the pants for him. Slim wanted to be in the movies. He studied acting, dancing, etc. He just didn’t have any talent. After he retired he moved to another state. One woman came into the theater with three kids. She wanted to sleep in the theater. Bugliosi asked her what she was doing in Hollywood? She said she came to get into movies. Jack Chaplain was an usher before he was contracted with Nick Adams for the REBEL TV show. He too slept in the theatre. I was Nick’s secretary before he had the REBEL series. I worked nights at the theater and answered his fanmail days.
Mr. Quann told me Marjorie Main came by the theater when a “Ma & Pa Kettle” movie was showing. She asked Mr. Quann if she could go in just to see her part? Jayne Mansfield phoned to see if her and Mickey Hargitay could get in free to see “WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER,” that she starred in. The New York baseball team had moved to Los Angeles. The team came by bus and they sat in a row about ten rows behind Jayne. They were yelling at her on the screen and was unaware she was sitting in front of them. Johnny (Tarzan) Weismuller used to come and sit in the lobby talking with Mr. Quann. Howard Hughes sent a motorcycle to pick up reels of “THE THREE FACES OF EVE” as they came off the projector. Then the cyclist would return it when he viewed it at home. He paid the manager and the projectionist.
1960’s.Thanks for the Coffee Dan’s photo! It brings back many memories, of 10 cent donuts and 10 cent coffee. Other notables – the drug store across the street, also on Highland that had a soda fountain. One could buy mascara then sit at the soda fountain and order ice cream. A used record store west of here, and my favorite place buying 10 cent pairs of shoes and other great finds from the 1940’s, at the Thrift stores on Western Avenue. Those were the days when I could have fun for a whole day with one dollar including bus fare.
You can see Coffee Dan’s in the photo posted on 4/1/08.
Thanks for your information! Very interesting. See my posts above.
I went to Coffee Dan’s often when I was a student at HHS, mid to late 1960’s, and remember the gay hangouts nearby with the guys in drag.
Addendum: There was no air-conditioning at the theater in those days. At night we went up on the roof to open it up so the cool California air could be drawn into the theater by the fans. Sagedy was an usher. He worked there the two years I had. I heard he later became a teacher.Bob was the assistant manager. I have forgotten his last name? He was in his fifties and a real nice, but secretive, guy. Rocky changed the marquee until the studios made up special marquees for the films. Kelly was the projectionist. It was half Fox West Coast and half co-owned. Gangster Mickey Cohen came in one time. I was approched by two suits who asked “Where did he go?” I didn’t know whom they were looking for. Mickey had walked down the aisle and out the rear exit.
I worked at the Hollywood theater in 1957 and 1960. Mr. Bill Quann was the manager. He had worked at the studios until he retired to manage the theater. He always was dressed in a suit and parked his car in the parking space at the curb. Kathy McRae was the theater cashier. She was a theater cashier in Hollywod until she passed away. Victor Bugliosi was the night manager. He is the brother of Vincent Bugliosi who prosecuted Charles Manson. I worked nights. We had double features. A first run with a B feature. Many clebrities came to the theater after the Sunset clubs closed. Coffee Dan’s was located next door. It had an all gay clientel after the gay bars closed. It was exciting to work there. It was a Fox West Coast theater at that time and later Mann’s took it over.
Here is a photo taken last night:
http://tinyurl.com/6paevy
Here are some October 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/4pcvmr
http://tinyurl.com/4pk8dj
http://tinyurl.com/3whgf6
http://tinyurl.com/4pgkyn