Pacific 1-2-3
6433 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6433 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
60 people
favorited this theater
Showing 301 - 325 of 398 comments
I think I remember seeing “Dressed to Kill” up in one of the converted balcony areas and my neck was all twisted as you had to turn to see the screen the way they cut the theater balcony in half and did not move the seats. What a mess.
I saw many shows at the Pacific and later ran the last few years as the projectionist before it closed. I remember during one of the last summers at that theatre, we had a new manager. Pacific Theatres stopped paying the neon company to repair the radio towers. So one Saturday night I was in the upper booth. I found the timer for the east tower and reconnected the power to it. At that time the Pacific and the Vine theatre was tied together for the projectionist to run. So I set the timer to go on for a few hours at night. That night I was on my way to the Vine for their next show. Later the manager asked me how to turn the tower off, because Pacific did not want to keep running the neon. Pacific Theatres payed around $10,000 a year for service on that neon. Oh Well we had fun there.
A little more of “my” history with this beautiful theater: First time I was ever in it was for Seven Wonders of the World (a revival showing a couple of years after its original run) and I was flabbergasted (and wrote about it at length in my novel Benjamin Kritzer, in which many LA theaters are fondly remembered). I saw How The West Was Won, Brothers Grimm, then, when it changed over after Cinerama, I saw Flower Drum Song and The Counterfeit Traitor, and Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Back Street and many, many others. After the screwed up the balcony by twinning upstairs, I stopped going regularly. I think the last film I saw there was Carrie, although I may be misremembering.
Just saw a digital screening of the “restored” South Pacific. It was so great to be sitting in the theater. I was surprised at how nice it was inside the auditorium. The lobby isn’t so swell right now – it would be wonderful if it could be restored and used in the way Disney uses the El Capitan – obviously that renovation worked for Disney and certainly it wasn’t cheap.
Too much traffic on Hollywood Boulevard:
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Construction, circa 1925:
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This photo was taken in 1992, during the riots in April:
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An interesting photo from the Bruce Torrence collection:
View link
One more:
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From the LA Library:
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I walked by the theatre when I was in LA last month and was sad to see it still shut down some 10yrs later. The best film I saw here was “Scarface” in 1983.
Man are you guys picky! :) OK, I didn’t write the text. I guess what I should have said was “the text is from an article on the Warner Theatre that is in the March 14th, 1962 issue of Motion Picture Herald that I copied to a page on my web site – http://cinerama.topcities.com/warner.htm .” I added that article to the web site to help clarify a question some of you had about the name of the theatre during that time period between it was called a Cinerama theatre. There is also a link on my site – http://alexdlg.tripod.com/aco/pressbook.html to a web site that has pictures of the outside and inside of the theatre from a Clockwork Orange pressbook and another link to the CinemaTour web site http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=10476 that has more recent pictures of the theatre. I wish I lived near LA so I could visit the theatre for it special showing.
I was in the middle of a project when I wrote that post and forgot to write a source on it. The source of the original text was not even Roland’s. It was from a copy of “MOTION PICTURE HERALD” issue March 14th. 1962, plus having worked the theatre and being the last projectionist assigned to it.
“Early 1962 the Warner Hollywood Theatre, long one of the nation’s most celebrated theatres went though it’s second to last remodel….” (William)
“William, you just copied text from a page on my web site” (Roland)
Actually, William’s “text” has more typos than what appears on your site. :)
Seriously… Roland, very little of what appears on your website is original, so I don’t think suggesting that someone “stole” from you is appropriate. Nonetheless, William — and ALL Cinema Treasures members, for that matter — should consider citing sources when making a post.
It’s great this place stays alive because of the digital test screenings. It keeps the building alive and hopefully someday a full restoration will be done.
Movies return to the former Warner Theatre next Wednesday 15th June 2005 for one night only when the Rita Hayworth movie “Cover Girl” is being screened as part of the LA Conservancy ‘Best Remaining Seats’ series of films ‘Classic films in Classic Theatres’.
The screening will be held in the former orchestra level of the theatre (1,100 seats). The balcony was split into 2 screens and access to the public cannot be given to this area of the theatre. I believe all tickets are sold out.
William, you just copied text from a page on my web site – http://cinerama.topcities.com/warner.htm
Early 1962 the Warner Hollywood Theatre, long one of the nation’s most celebrated theatres went though it’s second to last remodel, the theatre was later tri-plexed in the early 1978. In this remodel the Stanley Warner chain removed basic forms of the theatres original outmoded superficial ornamentation. With the removal of the “gingerbread,” the clear interior surfaces were painted a light beige, a “warm” color but not dominating. In keeping with this tone scheme, carpeting of special design with a white pattern on a gold ground, was laid throught the theatre. Included in this remodel was a new concessions stand, which was in use at the time the theatre closed in the 90’s. Collaborating with this decor are chandeliers and sconces in oyster white with gold lamping. The
Warner has two general lounges, one on the main floor, one below, and these were similarly renovated. The ladies' lounge, however, has heliotrope carpeting, white and gold walls.
In the auditorium, the proscenium arch and adjoining walls have been obliterated by oyster white drapery from ceiling to floor, curving back to the screen opening, which has a contour curtain with a pattern in gold and orange on oyster white. The auditorium has been reseated with American seating chairs having spring backs on the main and mezzanine levels. The chairs were coverings are turquoise nylon. The entrance on Hollywood Blvd. was completely rebuilt, with an open outer lobby having walls of Italian marble. Doors are of glass in gold anodized aluminum frames, (formerly wooden doors)and display cases match these door frames. Remodeling of the Warner included the installation of Norelco 70/35MM projectors, a new six channel sound system and Ashcraft Super Cinex lamphouses.
The Hollywood Pacific Theatre’s drapery and seats are orange, not red.
“I was living in Hollywood when the Warner’s theater was showing ‘This is Cinerama’ for the years 1953/56. After 56 or 57 they started showing other pictures. Correct me.” (clvee)
“I hadn’t realized that ‘regular’ movies were programmed in between runs of Cinerama films” (stevebob)
THE ORIGINAL 3-STRIP CINERAMA ENGAGEMENTS FOR THIS THEATRE
[Note that the films were not shown in the sequence in which they were produced and exhibited in their world premiere New York City engagements.]
This Is Cinerama … 4/29/53 – 11/13/55 (133 weeks)
Cinerama Holiday … 11/14/55 – 6/2/57 (81 weeks)
Seven Wonders Of The World … 6/5/57 – 9/28/58 (69 weeks)
South Seas Adventure … 10/1/58 – 2/7/60 (71 weeks)
Search For Paradise … 2/11/60 – 10/30/60 (38 weeks)
RETURN ENGAGEMENTS (with premiere date and engagement duration)
This Is Cinerama … 11/2/60 (22 weeks)
Cinerama Holiday … 4/4/61 (7 weeks)
Seven Wonders Of The World … 5/23/61 (16 weeks)
NON-CINERAMA, NON-ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENTS SHOWN 9/11/61 – 8/6/62
MORE 3-STRIP CINERAMA ENGAGEMENTS
The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm … 8/7/62 (28 weeks)
How The West Was Won … 2/20/63 (93 weeks)
70MM ENGAGEMENTS PROMOTED AS CINERAMA
Circus World … 12/18/64 (16 weeks)
Mediterranean Holiday … 4/9/65 (11 weeks)
The Hallelujah Trail … 6/23/65 (26 weeks)
Cinerama’s Russian Adventure … 5/3/66 (13 weeks)
2001: A Space Odyssey … 4/4/68 … (80 weeks)
Re the name of the theatre. The building and its marquee has been covered in this discussion. As far as the newspaper advertisements, the theatre name varied, depending on the film and the ad, between “Warner Hollywood,” “Warner Hollywood Cinerama,” and “Warner Cinerama.” During the course of the 18-month “2001: A Space Odyssey” engagement, ownership changed hands from Stanley-Warner to Pacific, and the name changed again to “Hollywood Pacific.”
Sources:
Los Angeles Times
unpublished Cinerama history article
View link
View link
I would LOVE to come back to LA and be a part of helping restore these wonderful Palaces of the Dark.
I lived in LA in 81, worked down the street at the HOLLY CINEMA, saw many movies at the PACIFIC, only I was not fond of the balcony theatres, small and the picture were not centered properly, but bottom, main theatre was a nice large screen. I always wanted to look under the red drapery, because the rest of the theatre was in its ornate state and wanted to see that main room.
When they did the original Cinerama installation back in 1952 for the opening of “This is Cinerama”. The Stanley Warner Corp. cut 1250 seats from the then theatre capacity of 2760 seat for a total of 1510 seats.
It’s about 4-5 blocks east of the Egyptian Theatre between Wilcox Ave. and Cahuenga Blvd. on the North side of the street.
The Pacific Theatre is at Wilcox, across the street from the Fox Theatre. It’s the one with the two tall radio towers.
Where is the Pacific in relation to the Egyptian and the Scientology building?