Pacific 1-2-3

The Pacific could become a premiere house for the studios because of its capacity. Due to zoning and other problems Westwood will be hosting fewer premieres and the Pacific could become a glamorous screen again to host these events in Hollywood. Currently only the Cinerama Dome, El Capitan and Chinese host these events in Hollywood.The Pacific is the only unrestored major film palace in Hollywood.Maybe the redeveopment agency would help fund it to help revitalize this part of Hollywood Blvd.brucec

Yes, the earthquake damage is fixable. But at the time that Pacific Theatres was operating the Hollywood Pacific. Two other things were happening, besides the earthquake damage. The MTA tunneling flooded the basement and Pacific had been looking for someone to buy the building (At the time the asking price was 14 million). William R. Forman owned a lot of Hollywood property. At one time the Hollywood Museum was to have been located in the upper floors of the building.

Having worked a few years at that theatre and being the last projectionist before it closed. I’ve been in it when the city had an earthquake. Most of the damage is some fallen plaster and ceiling tile in the balcony. The theatre is solid it goes down 3 flights below ground. Since the theatre and surrounding area was on a decline. Many of the many single screen theatres closed. Pacific Theatres operated the most. (Cinerama Dome, Hollywood Pacific 3, Pantages, Pix, Vine, New View, World). Mann Theatres operated only 6 screens and UA only had 3 screens and Loew’s 2 screens. Pacific did not want to put more money into the building. But since the Pantages and some of the area is coming back. They can make a killing on the last of the major palaces. The Hollywood Pacific Theatre can be a major player along with the Pantages. I’ve been all over the building back stage, in the basement. And it has the second best lobby in Hollywood after the Pantages.

The Hollywood Pacific Theatre is still being used by Entertainment Technology Center for digital projection.

New World Pictures “ANGEL” premiered at this house in the early 80’s.
Reduced to exploitation titles, this palace of yesteryear still survived and turned in exceptional grosses. I certainly hope that one day it can be returned to its origanal grandeur and become a treasure for all of us to enjoy once again.

In 1967 I saw “Thorouly Modern Millie” in its road show engagement. The last film I saw at the Pacific was “Back to the Future 111”. I wish Warner Bros would do with this house what Disney did with the El Capitan. This would give Warners a prestige showcase in a revitalized Hollywood Blvd. It would also be a tribute to the Warner Bros who built the theatre. brucec

In 1979 I saw “Moonracker” here in one of the converted balconies. I remember the pich of the seats toward the screen was drastic. I returned in 1994 to see “Sirens” just before the theater closed. Even as a child in 1979, and especially as an adult in 1994, I noticed the opulence of the downstairs restrooms that harkened to an older era in Hollywood.

The downstairs auditorium now holds the Entertainment Technology Center, a highly respected testing ground for the upcoming (?) digital projection revolution.

For this year’s film festival, the AFI is using the Pacific for a few screenings, including the big centerpiece gala which took place on the 5th. According to a flyer distributed in the lobby, the two upstairs screens have been deemed unsafe for use since the 1994 Northridge quake.

If you stand across the street from the theatre and look up at the towers above. Look behind the sign that spells out P A C I F I C, you will see the backs of one of the old signs for the theatre W A R N E R S . In the mid 50’s they added in neon the word C I N E R A M A . This theatre was Cinerama Theatre #3, in the conversion to Cinerama the theatre organ in the pit, was covered up by a concrete slab. When you go back stage you can see how they cut a large curve to fit the curved Cinerama screen. Other than the Pantages down the street, this is the next best lobby in Hollywood. That is the second marquee for this theatre. This marquee goes back to around late 1939. The Hollywood Pacific was tri-plexed early in 1978, the last film to play the theatre as a single screen was “The Gauntlet” in late December 1977. In the main house, everything was covered by curtains. The Pacific also had a screening room in the building. This theatre has been closed since the mid 90’s. But it is currently being used as a site for testing digital projection.