Pacific 1-2-3

kencmcintyre on December 8, 2005 at 2:59 pm

Construction, circa 1925:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics03/00011253.jpg

kencmcintyre on December 4, 2005 at 8:19 am

An interesting photo from the Bruce Torrence collection:

View link

kencmcintyre on November 28, 2005 at 4:08 pm

From the LA Library:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014816.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014784.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014787.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014793.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014796.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014797.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014800.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014802.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014803.jpg

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater1/00014805.jpg

Cinerama on June 9, 2005 at 10:29 am

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.

Coate on June 8, 2005 at 7:53 pm

“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)

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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.

Ken Roe on June 8, 2005 at 7:19 pm

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 on June 8, 2005 at 5:29 pm

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.

Coate on June 8, 2005 at 2:11 pm

“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)

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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

William on May 20, 2005 at 9:19 am

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.

William on May 4, 2005 at 1:58 pm

The Pacific Theatre is at Wilcox, across the street from the Fox Theatre. It’s the one with the two tall radio towers.

William on May 4, 2005 at 1:23 pm

The Pacific is still leased to Entertainment Technology Center as a Digital Projection testing theatre.

johnmontgomery on May 4, 2005 at 8:55 am

I saw both HOW THE WEST WAS WON and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY here in their original roadshow engagement. I had a special connection to the film, as my junior high school English teacher, Clara Smith, was the mother of the choral director for the film. Clara taught at Lincoln Junior High in Santa Monica and talked endlessly about her son’s accomplishments, which included playing Jesus at an annual production of the Last Supper or something like that held at a local theater. Her son, Academy Award winner Ken Darby, was a long-time collaborator and friend of the renowned composer Alfred Newman, and produced and directed the choral arrangements for THE ROBE, THE EGYPTIAN (I think, which was co-scored by Bernard Hermann), and THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. Much of the fine choral arrangements and folk songs in HTWWW were the work of Darby, and Darby conducted and wrote much of the original music for the film in conjunction with Newman. Indeed, Darby had more to do with the score than Newman himself, who wrote only limited original themes.

Although I never met Ken Darby, his ghost in a sense has dogged me the rest of my life.

In any event, after recently viewing photographs of the interior of the Warner Hollywood I was struck with an instant flood of memories about the day I saw the show. I remember the exterior and interior of the theater, but not the lobby, although I vaguely recollect buying popcorn there. I believe I sat in the second or third row just left of center as you face the screen—a practice I repeated when I saw IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD and THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD at the Cinerama dome. This allowed for maximum stereo effect and for the giant curved screen to wrap almost as far around the viewer as the corner of their vision. This effect diminishes as you sit farther back in the theater, and when you reach the back seats the cinerama effect is nearly insignificant. At least that’s what I thought when I was 11!