Holly Cinema
6523 Hollywood Boulevard,
Hollywood,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
6523 Hollywood Boulevard,
Hollywood,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
11 people
favorited this theater
The Holly Theatre is perhaps best known for premiering and exhibiting “Caligula” exclusively for over a year in 1980-1981, and is located across Hollywood Boulevard from the Fox Theatre.
Converted from a garage by architect S. Charles Lee for operators Harold Frankin and Howard Hughes, it had 300 seats and was originally named the Studio Theatre. Opened on 31st July 1931, it was the first ‘automatic’ theatre in the area, having no ushers, just a cashier, a manager and a projectionist as staff. Patrons passed through a turnstile after purchasing their tickets, which operated automatic doors. Candy, cigarettes and drinks were sold via coin operated slot machines. The Studio Theatre was billed as the ‘World’s Most Unique Theatre’.
In December 1936, it was renamed Colony Theatre, and by 1941, had changed name=s again to Music Hall, Hollywood. By then the seating capacity had been increased to 488 after a remodelling. By the mid-1950’s, it was known as the Academy Theatre.
It remained a first run movie theatre and became the Loew’s Holly Theatre in the mid-1960’s, when its Art deco style interior was curtained over and a false ceiling was installed. Soon it became the Holly Cinema, and the notorious Penthouse production of “Caligua” broke box office records.
The Holly Cinema was a companion theater to the Paramount (now the El Capitan) through its series of owners. The Holly Cinema was taken over by Pacific Theatres and was closed in the Summer of 1986.
It was converted into retail use, at one time becoming a shoe store, and since 2004, has been used as a Scientology Learning Center. All traces of its cinematic past have either been removed or covered over.
Contributed by
B Erickson, Ray Martinez, Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 71 comments)
Has anyone noticed that the Scientologists now own at least a half dozen buildings in Hollywood, some of them quite large? They must be doing OK.
I guess that they got my donation.
Here are some early 1930s views from the UCLA collection:
http://tinyurl.com/98q3hh
As a kid,i saw “Bugsy Malone” and “The Big Bus” as a double feature in 1976 at the Holly.
It looks like the theater has always occupied the right or east side of the building, with retail or some other enterprise on the west side. This is despite the fact that one building has always encompassed both businesses.
Here is a 1982 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cogzd6
Aside from the theater looking much more run down today, it hasn’t changed all that much.
Here is a January 1939 ad for the Colony from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/ntn524
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
View link
I worked at this theatre in 1981. I started at the end of the Caligula run.