King Of Kings (1961)

Historic Hollywood Movie Theaters And Why They Are Special

Movie lovers know that for the ultimate cinema experience, nothing beats the movie theatre. Before the invention of the VCR, theatres were the only places where people could watch movies, and this meant that the demand for new theatres, particularly in places like Hollywood, where many movies were also being made, was very high.


The first movie exhibition in Hollywood took place in 1910, but it was not until 1922 when Graumans Egyptian theatre opened that movies were shown in this area on a permanent basis. Graumans second theatre, the Chinese opened five years later in 1927 with the premiere of Cecile B. Demilles King of Kings.


The Chinese would later be the venue for the premiers of, among others, King Kong in 1933, Hello Dolly in 1969, The Jungle Book in 1967, and Star Wars in 1977,


Nearby, another historic movie theatre, El Capitan, which first opened its doors in 1926, was originally a playhouse before becoming a first run theatre after an extensive remodel in 1942 and was renamed The Paramount. The lobby of the new theatre featured a coconut milk bar and played many first run Disney films. It has since been restored by Disney and Pacific Theatres, and today, is a popular first run theatre once more.


The Warner Bros. Theatre, now known as the Hollywood Pacific, first opened in 1928 and was the venue for the premiere of many of the Warner Bros. films featuring their Vitaphone sound on disc process.


The Warner Bros. were the first movie studio to have their theatres wired for sound, and quickly began producing new movies and their popular cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and other classic cartoon stars. . In 1953, the theatre was renovated and became Cinerama at the Warner, featuring a unique 28 by 46 screen with a dramatic 146 degree arc.


A few years later, in 1961, the theatre was revamped and renamed yet a gain, becoming the 70MM at the Warner, and later, a triplex in 1978, before closing its doors in 1994.


Historic Hollywood movie theatres are both a testament to Americas love of the cinema and to the architects, designers, and studios that inspired them. Many of the theatres mentioned in this article, as well as others in the same area are still standing, and a majority of them are still active.


For true movie lovers, a trip to one of these historic locations is the perfect way to experience the Hollywood, and the Hollywood movie experience, of yesteryear.

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