Fox Theatre
6508 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6508 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
20 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 152 comments
It’s nice to so that marquee all lit up.
Thank you for both these photos. They should have kept the street cars.
Here is a 1954 view of the Iris:
http://tinyurl.com/d3wfz8
Here is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cyrdzz
As this was a successful movie theatre from its 1918 opening, I think it likely that the Hollywood Lutherian Church could have used the original Idyl Hour/Iris Theatre on the other side of the Boulevard, which could have been sitting empty since closing in 1918, until its demolition in around 1927 when the Warner Theatre was built.
Joe: I have added the Idyl Hour Theatre and first Iris Theatre, and they now have their own seperate pages.
Thanks for all the info!!! I started working here summer of 1969. I didn’t know that it was renamed Fox, Dec 20, 1968. I recall National General, cause I received my paycheck from them.
Nobody has yet created Cinema Treasures pages for the Fox Theatre’s two predecessors (mentioned in Ken Roe’s comment of January 2, 2005, above), the 1911 Idyl Hour Theatre at 6265 Hollywood Boulevard, and the 1913 Iris Theatre at 6415 Hollywood Boulevard. Does somebody want to do that, or should I post them? Ken?
Incidentally, the 1915 Los Angeles City Directory lists the Iris Theatre at 6417 Hollywood Boulevard. I believe that lot was absorbed into the parcel on which the Warner Bros. Hollywood Theatre was built. Unless there was some shifting of addresses over the years, the original Iris might have been demolished then.
Also, though the Idyl Hour Theatre appears to have been the first movie house built on Hollywood Boulevard, it might not have been the first in the Hollywood district. The building in which the Ivy Theatre was operating in 1915, and which is now the location of the Chaplin Stage of the El Centro Theatre, was erected in 1910. So far I don’t know if this building was built as a theater, or if it was converted into a theater within a few years of its construction, but if it was built as a theater then the Idyl Hour was not Hollywood’s first movie house.
Here is another LA Times excerpt dated 11/24/68:
National General Corp. has closed the Iris Theater om Hollywood for a $250,000 renovation project. The theater will be renamed the Fox and will reopen on December 20 with an exclusive run of “The Killing of Sister George”. The remodeling is part of an expansion program launched by Eugene V. Klein, president of the Los Angeles-based company.
The 650-seat house will be given a deluxe appearance, including a new facade, expanded lobby, marble walls, carpeting and comfortable bodiform chairs.
Here is part of an LA Times article dated 2/11/55:
Fox West Coast Theaters yesterday announced the gala opening of its newly remodeled Iris Theater in Hollywood for next Tuesday night after refurbishing at a cost of $100,000.
The first-run show house will feature a wide “miracle mirror” screen adapted for conventional, Cinemascope, 3D or VistaVision films, Edwin F. Zabel, Fox West Coast manager reported.
Additions under the redecoration program include a new facade on the front of the building, marquee, seats, carpeting, lighting system, box office and poster display cases finished in stainless steel. William F. Katzky, Jr., 35, with 16 years experience in show business has been named manager of the theater.
Signage has just gone up on the boards indicating the opening of the nightclub/event venue Playhouse. The interior renderings look good (click on link, then click on Playhouse) Another space for the young and wealthy to party the nights away. None of the original theatre remains except for the facade and marquee. The facade has still not been renovated. Hopefully they will keep the kooky design intact and leave the marquee.
[url]http://muselifestylegroup.com/[/url]
Here is a 1953 photo from the USC archive:
http://tinyurl.com/3zvxuj
So sad, the graffiti must go. Has any work happened to this theatre yet?
Here is a photo taken today:
http://tinyurl.com/47yxfu
Work has finally started on the theater. I went by today and noticed the rear doors were open. Other than some faded and chipped panels on the walls, the auditorium has been cleared out. They were in the process of knocking out the projection booth. I have to admit I felt a twinge of sadness seeing it like this.
By the way. The much discussed 1955 remodel didn’t happen until 1959. That’s when the theater lost most of its character, the Iris name and the great old marquee. It reopened in August of 1960 with “The Time Machine”.
I think it was the Rodney King riots.
Re: 1992
What happened in 92? I see smoke and the fire dept. The people look different too, than when I was there in the 60’s. I remember well dressed office and retail store types.
Here is a 1992 photo from the LAPL:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics47/00043422.jpg
The plans have changed. The property will not be a Crobar-branded venue like the ones in Chicago and Miami, but will still be a multi-purpose live performance venue. This article provides links to other related ones.
View link
It’s expected to open in the fall.
I guess if you pulled down the fake facade, as seen in the last photo, you would get a look at the original front. Maybe in the future.
Here are some March 2008 photos:
http://tinyurl.com/3xns9x
http://tinyurl.com/2nelq9
http://tinyurl.com/2vkzea
http://tinyurl.com/3azfa7
Here is a 1918 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2ry26j
Thanks guys. Feel free to comment on them in Flickr as well (you need to subscrobe though).
Roloff, you do have great photos. Thank you very much. I hate to see the old “Fox” structure go down.
View link
for a postcard of the Iris and Warner, and a better look at my picture that’s featured at the top of this page here:
View link