Opened on June 4, 1930, the Pantages Theatre can claim two “lasts”: the last movie palace built in Hollywood and the last venue erected by vaudeville circuit owner Alexander Pantages.
Designed by B. Marcus Priteca as the epitome of the Art Deco era, from the sidewalk to the stage, the Pantages dazzles theatergoers with chevrons, zigzags, stars, and exotic figures. The 2,691-seat theater (originally 2,812) features a lavish orchestra pit with ceilings of gold, silver, and bronze expanding in multiple geometric patterns.
In the lobby, two grand carpeted staircases rise on each side under the enormous Art Deco-style chandeliers. The starry ceiling pattern is echoed inside the auditorium but in a much grander style, backlit with deep blue tones that add more depth and dimension to its scale.
The theater, stage, and backstage areas were designed to accommodate lavish vaudeville performances as well as movies. However, as the Depression passed, live performances became too expensive, and the theater, with occasional exceptions, turned into a regular cinema.
In 1932, financial tensions and a highly publicized personal scandal forced Pantages to sell his theater to Fox. In 1949, the great magnate and RKO owner, Howard Hughes, bought the theater, relocating his private offices to the second floor. It was during his ownership that the Pantages hosted the Academy Awards for eleven consecutive years (1950 – 1960), including the first broadcast of the ceremony in 1953.
The Pacific Theatres cinema chain purchased the venue in 1965, covering many Art Deco elements with curtains and low ceilings. In 1977, the theater exclusively began hosting live productions. In 2000, the theater underwent a massive rehabilitation project, rediscovering its Art Deco grandeur and receiving a Conservation Award in 2001.
Now operated by a subsidiary of the Nederlander Organization, the fully restored Pantages is one of the city’s highest-grossing venues for live productions in the purest Broadway style, attracting audiences with massive hits like ‘The Lion King,’ ‘Grease,’ ‘Mamma Mia!,’ ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, or ‘Wicked’, among many others.
With a prime location on Hollywood Boulevard, just steps from the iconic “Hollywood and Vine” intersection, a significant hotel complex, and a metro station directly across the street, along with numerous newly announced or ongoing development projects, the best years of the Pantages may well be ahead.
The theater has also occasionally hosted pop music concerts, featuring artists and groups like Dream Theater, Prince, Foo Fighters, and Mark Knopfler. The 1984 concert film by Talking Heads, ‘Stop Making Sense,’ was shot there. In 1997, Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira performed her first show in the United States at the Hollywood Pantages. In 2006, the Mexican pop group RBD recorded their CD/DVD ‘Live in Hollywood.’
The Hollywood Pantages Theatre is also a popular location for filming movies, TV shows, and music videos. Concert scenes from the 1980 film ‘The Jazz Singer’ and the 1995 video by Michael Jackson “You Are Not Alone” are just two of many examples.
In addition to the historical value of the building itself, if you enjoy musicals, this is your place in Hollywood.
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