One Of Hollywood’s Legendary Movie Palaces Is At Risk!
This is the interior of Hollywood’s famed Warner Hollywood Theater, which was opened originally in 1928 on Hollywood Boulevard.
Photographer Matthew Lambros captured all of these terrific pictures inside the massive theater – he was given access recently to show the beauty of the abandoned theater.
This is a beautiful movie palace, even though it’s obviously in disrepair, and “Curbed LA” has a great story about the status of the theater. While it looks beautiful on the inside, outside is a different matter:
As you can see from this picture from outside the building, there’s no hint of the gorgeous theater that is inside.
Here’s what it looked like in its heyday:
The Warner Hollywood Theater suffered damage in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and it closed soon after. It has sat vacant for years now.
According to Curbed LA:
“The venue has been in limbo since about 2013, and the uncertainty about its future has some preservation advocates and local stakeholders nervous.
The property’s owner, Robertson Properties Group, has said that too much work needs to be done on the building, and that restoring it isn’t financially viable, says Kerry Morrison, the executive director of the Hollywood Property Owners Alliance. Many, including the Los Angeles Conservancy, fear that the property is at risk of demolition.”
Bravo to “la.curbed.com” for the great story – see more pics and details here:
https://la.curbed.com/2017/8/4/16010422/la-history-hollywood-warner-pacific-theater
It’s just another example of Hollywood landmarks at risk – we are still waiting to see if The Formosa Cafe can be revitalized:
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Hollywood’s legendary Formosa Cafe closed recently, and it appears that new Owners are going to re-open it – here is that story:
Hollywood’s iconic locations are continually under attack from Developers:
As always, my friend Alison Martino documents everything that is “Vintage Los Angeles” – you can follow her at her terrific website here:
Let’s hope that one of Hollywood’s legendary theaters can survive…
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One major problem of LA–having lived there for decades–is the abject lack of respect for history. It’s all about what’s ‘new’. Little respect for tradition. It’s all about the New. Therefore demolition in lieu of preservation. Preserve these two buildings–especially the Formosa.
No had wringing and fatuous commentary. Let’s do something!
Completely agree – NO respect for the history of the town
I was a tenant in this building for close to 8 years, Robertson properties were the worst people to deal with and eventually shuttered my business at a great loss to all involved. They literally don’t care about the building and said so many times, let’s not forget this is the same company that tried to tear down the Cinerama Dome and ripped out the interior of the Cinematheque one weekend when ‘no one was looking’ it should be a crime.
Thanks for this note – that is awful – and the lack of respect in Hollywood for the great places of the past is shameful!
Oh no! This is where I saw 2001: A Space Odyssey first-run as a teen. Oy. Another classic movie palace endangered by the short-minded. 😦
To answer the question on my email. The M&C organ was removed by the LATOS and moved to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Due to some skulduggery on the LATOS Board and well healed individuals the organ was donated to the Phoenix Arizona Chapter of ATOS. After that I don’t know what the organ’s fate was. I believe that plans to install it there fell through.
Thanks for the update – sad to hear
Wonderful story John. I value classic movie theaters much more than malls, but it’s sad to see both closing and falling into such disrepair across America.
So true, Drew…replaced by towers that enclose people, not include them!
What a gorgeous venue. Oh, I hope it finds a benefactor!
Criminal. So sad.
I have walked by this building for years, no idea the beauty of the theater in side…
Too many buildings left to rot or destroyed. Beggars belief.
This is just criminal! This is probably a stupid question, but does LA and Hollywood have a historical preservation society?
Yes they both do – but they are not very proactive about this stuff, and many of the classic Hollywood haunts are destroyed before action is taken – this story in CurbedLA is designed to wake people up before its too late…
I hope it works.
What a wonderful Art Deco exterior. That really should be preserved. Surely Los Angeles is rich enough to refurbish this lovely historic building, and save it from being demolished?
Best wishes, Pete.
Pete, the callousness in this town is shocking at times – NO respect for history – remember, anything over 50 years old gets torn down to make another high-rise!
Time to start a campaign! Get a rich film star interested. Perhaps it can be renamed something like the ‘George Clooney Theatre’?
Pete, that’s exactly what is needed!
Very doubtful it will be saved. If there were to be a celebrity who would save it that would probably already have happened. Hollywood is not a wealthy city at all. It’ll be gone soon unfortunately.
Unfortunately, there is NO momentum to save classic Hollywood
Sad to hear…History is so important, but seemingly less so in the USA. Unless it is to do with the Revolutionary War of course.
Regards from England, Pete.