Fox Theatre
6508 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6508 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
20 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
Playhouse Hollywood (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Fox West Coast Theatres, Mann Theatres, National General Theatres
Architects: Simeon Charles Lee, Frank Meline
Styles: Art Deco, Romanesque Revival
Previous Names: Iris Theatre, Hollywood Fox Theatre
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
323.656.4600
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Oct 6, 2006 — Vogue Theatre N/A
Opened in 1918, as the second theatre on Hollywood Boulevard to be name Iris Theatre. It was built by P. Tabor who employed architect Frank Meline, to design a Romanesque style theatre, with a brick façade.
Taken over by Fox West Coast Theatres, the Iris Theatre was re-designed by architect S. Charles Lee in July 1934 and was given an Art Deco style. That survived until December 18, 1968, when a new façade was erected and the name was changed to Hollywood Fox Theatre.
The Fox Theatre was operated by Fox West Coast Theatres, National General Theatres and lastly by Mann’s Theatres. The Fox Theatre was closed in 1994, due to earthquake damage. The building remained closed to the public for over a decade, although for a while it was used by Mann’s Theatres for storage.
In 2009, millions of dollars were spent by new owners, to convert the building as a ‘lounge/club’ named the Playhouse Hollywood. It re-opened in Summer 2009. It was closed on March 16 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Contributed by
Cinema Treasures, Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 152 comments)
DOCUMENTARY ON CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD CINEMAS – Lookn for interviewees, photos, videos of old hollywood
Hello,
I’m and independent filmmaker working on a documentary about old movie theatres in hollywood (Iris, Warner, Pacific, Hollywood, Vogue, Grauman’s Chinese, Egyptian etc..) that have had an impact on the hollywood community, both as a symbol of Hollywood as well as the historical and heritage effects it has had on “hollywood” as an industry. We are profiling theatres that are currently functioning as well as the obsolete. If you worked in these theatres back in the day (during their highlights) and have interesting stories to tell, photos to show, video to talk about I would like to hear from you. Many older movie houses are being demolished due to new developments and it is important to help future generation know and understand how these movie palaces have helped shaped the Hollywood we know today. If you have any photos or videos with personal stories you’d like to share, please contact me (323) 876-0975 – – You must owns the materials you are willing to share (taken the picture- recorded the videos, written the letters, etc…)
If you do have materials you’d like to send that may help in accurate information, you are welcome to send it to me.
Jorge Ameer
Classic Hollywood Cinemas
Box 3204
Hollywood, California 90028
Tinseltoes: The Playground club opened last year in this space. The lobby is now the Sweet Love Hangover diner.
An Estey theater organ opus 1925 size 2/10 was installed in the Iris Theater in 1921. Note: Moved from Queen Theater Long Beach, California.
This note was posted in 2007. I have the 1955 Golden Jubilee Book from Immaculate Conception Church in Monrovia, CA. and in the section on the church choir it is stated “A much appreciated step was taken by Father John Moclair, then pastor, when in 1935 he purchased a fine organ from the Fox Hollywood Theatre.” They probably called it the Fox because it was 1955 when the theatre’s name was changed to Fox. Also in the Jubilee Book was an advertisement for Ed J. McDonald the “Builder of the Church Organâ€. Mr. McDonald probably modified the organ from a theatre organ to a church organ. I used to play the organ in the 60’s and remember seeing unused relays for traps and a toy counter.
The description currently says that the Iris was renamed the Fox in 1955. This house was still called the Iris at least as late as April, 1962. Here is a photo of the Iris with “2 Academy Award Winners” on the marquee, and the award winners are Two Women and The Hustler, both of which won Oscars in the ceremony held on April 9, 1962.
I can’t swear to it, but I think the remodeling/renaming took place in 1964. I do know that the tacky false front they slapped on the building when the theater was renamed was pure sixties.
I’d forgotten that kenmc already posted this comment three years ago, quoting from a 1968 Times article about the renaming of the Iris. It was December 20, 1968, when the house reopened as the Fox.
The previous Hollywood Fox was the one previously known as the Music Box, then—after being Fox, had its signage altered to read PIX, then became the Henry Fonda. So THAT would have been the theatre renamed Fox in 1955, whereas the Iris kept its name until the 1968 remodeling.
So what exactly is going on with this theatre NOW? As of 9/28/2017?
When I clicked on the website link above, it seems that it is an active nightclub…
This reopened as the 2nd Fox theatre in Hollywood on December 18th, 1968 and closed in 1995. The First Fox theatre (AKA: Music Box) opened on May 25th, 1954-1959 (Listed elsewhere on this website). Grand opening ad posted.
In recent years the auditorium was utilized as the Playhouse night club and the former lobby was home to Calle Tacos (the nightclub was accessed via a separate door/hallway). Both businesses went under during the 2020 pandemic and the venue has sat vacant for the past two years. However, there is currently (Winter 2022) work taking place at the site, which suggests a new business is moving into the lobby space.