6433 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028 | map |
Pages about the Warner Hollywood: an overview | street views 1926 to 1954 | street views 1955 to present | main lobby | basement lounge | upper lobby areas | recent auditorium views | vintage auditorium views | stage | stage basement | other basement areas | booth and attic |
A basement plan with Hollywood Blvd. at the bottom and Wilcox Ave. along the left edge. Many thanks to April Clemmer for sharing
this from her collection. The plan reflects
revisions as of November 24, 1926. Visit the April's Old Hollywood
website for information about her historic Hollywood walking tours,
presentations about Hollywood history, and other events. She also has a blog, an Instagram and a Facebook page.
The
angled mess in the center is the basement lounge area, with the
screening room (parallel to Hollywood Blvd.) at the right. The oval area
above that is the air handling plenum below the auditorium floor.
Dressing rooms and mechanical rooms are in the upper left toward Wilcox.
The stage basement is seen in the upper right with rooms for the stagehands and musicians back in the corner.
Along the east side of the basement:
A detail of the corridor along the right (east) side of the plan running from the stage basement at the top down to the area under the office building lobby at the bottom. That downstage left "Remote Control Switch Board Rm" is discussed on the stage basement page. We're headed for the main switchboard, a third of the way down, along the east wall of what's identified as the "Motor Generator Room."
Looking in toward the building's main switchboard room in 1997. After you come down the stairs on the stage left side of the
stage and head toward the lobby, this room is the first thing
you run into. At the time of the photo it was being used for seat storage. Head up the stairs at the end of the room and you can enter the screening room, converted to an upholstery shop. The plenum is off to the right. Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for sharing his photo.
A later view. Note on the far left that the original 3-phase section of the board has been dismantled. Through the arch beyond the caution tape is a newer 240V Delta 3-phase switchboard section. 30Kw and 70Kw DC generators for stage and booth used to sit to the right of the center column. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The stage left passage continues forward with access to a lamp room on the left and a battery room on the right. Up a few stairs and take a right to the screening room or head straight into the office building lobby near the elevators.
Another view of the main switchboard. The DWP vault is beyond the far wall. That gray open door on the right is to a storage room. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The Frank Adam Electric Co.'s publication "Electrical Data on Three Major Theatres" noted that the supply to the vault was 4400 volts. A
lighting transformer bank of three 200 KVA stepped the voltage down to
110-220 volts single phase. The power transformer bank consisted of
three 150 KVA transformers to produce 220 3 phase. The original cooling
compressor was 150 tons. A chilled drinking water system was also supplied. The publication notes:
"The main switchboard is of the 'Fuslock' type, 44 feet long and 9 feet
10 inches high. The switchboard is of the dead face type, and all
switches are brush contact, safety type, with an interlocking door over
the fuses. The face of the switchboard including the steel covers for
all of the switches and the slate bases for the circuit breakers is
finished in maroon lacquer. The total electrical energy for light and
power is 1150 KVA, all of which is controlled from this switchboard.
"The
switchboard is divided into three sections, single phase lighting
section, three phase section and the direct current section. The direct
current section controls and distributes current supplied from three
motor generator sets, two gasoline engine driven emergency generators
and the storage battery system. The motor generator sets are located in
the main switchboard room. This section is equipped with automatic
switching apparatus to handle the emergency lighting and other control
equipment in the building.
"The circuit breakers are of the ITE Circuit Breaker Company manufacture. The various automatic throw-over switches are of Sundh Electric Company manufacture. A Western Electric Company three unit 75 KW machine supplies current for the various direct current outlets on the stage such as heavy duty stage pockets. Another 30 KW Western Electric Company machine supplies the direct current used in the projection booth. A second 30 KW machine of the same type supplies the current for the storage batteries of the emergency lighting system. These machines are remote controlled from the stage switchboard. A small motor generator set is also installed to supply direct current for the reactance type dimmers of the stage switchboard.
"Emergency Lighting Service - The elaborate emergency lighting system is of particular interest. This system consists of a bank of storage batteries which float on the line from the 30 KW charging generators. The capacity of these batteries is such that the entire building emergency lighting load can be carries for a period of one and one-half hours. In addition to this emergency lighting load, provision is made to supply the projection room machines for a period of ten minutes.
"The limited time provision for the projection room load has been made to prevent too great a drain on the batteries which would result in lack of sufficient current for the lighting load. The ten minute period also allows the engineer to start up the gasoline driven generators and as soon as these generators are up to voltage the projection room loaf is automatically taken off the batteries. The projection room load will be automatically transferred to the emergency battery system upon failure of the outside supply.
"The circuit breakers are of the ITE Circuit Breaker Company manufacture. The various automatic throw-over switches are of Sundh Electric Company manufacture. A Western Electric Company three unit 75 KW machine supplies current for the various direct current outlets on the stage such as heavy duty stage pockets. Another 30 KW Western Electric Company machine supplies the direct current used in the projection booth. A second 30 KW machine of the same type supplies the current for the storage batteries of the emergency lighting system. These machines are remote controlled from the stage switchboard. A small motor generator set is also installed to supply direct current for the reactance type dimmers of the stage switchboard.
"Emergency Lighting Service - The elaborate emergency lighting system is of particular interest. This system consists of a bank of storage batteries which float on the line from the 30 KW charging generators. The capacity of these batteries is such that the entire building emergency lighting load can be carries for a period of one and one-half hours. In addition to this emergency lighting load, provision is made to supply the projection room machines for a period of ten minutes.
"The limited time provision for the projection room load has been made to prevent too great a drain on the batteries which would result in lack of sufficient current for the lighting load. The ten minute period also allows the engineer to start up the gasoline driven generators and as soon as these generators are up to voltage the projection room loaf is automatically taken off the batteries. The projection room load will be automatically transferred to the emergency battery system upon failure of the outside supply.
"As a further precaution in case of emergency, a service connection box is provided on the outside of the building. Thus a portable generator from the studio may be tied into the building lighting system upon failure of all the generating equipment and outside service. The service box has another possible use and that is to supply direct current from the theatre generators for searchlights outside the building."
The Frank Adam publication also dealt with the Mosque in Richmond and the Stanley Theatre in Jersey City. It was in the collection of Lyman Brenneman and reprinted by the Theatre Historical Society in 1973. Thanks to Bob Foreman for making it available. His Vintage Theatre Catalogs site has a number of interesting items including a post of a Frank Adam/Major catalog from 1922 and a post of a 1952 Frank Adam catalog along with photos of earlier installations.
A look behind the main switchboard. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
Down beyond the switchboard. At the top of the stairs you can take a right to the screening room or go straight ahead to the office building basement near the elevators. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The screening room, adjacent to the men's room, being used as an upholstery shop in 1997. We're looking toward the portholes. The doorway on the right gets you up a few stairs to the booth or out to the landing that leads either to the switchboard room or the office building basement. On the plans Lansburgh labels this space as the "Preview Room." Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for this photo.
The west corridor toward Wilcox -- to the plenum, fan room and boiler room:
This is the stage end of the corridor along the north side of the basement toward Wilcox Ave. The green area is the bottom of the stairs going up to stage right. Note the exit sign. Just beyond on the left is the access to the plenum. The dressing rooms along the corridor are discussed on the stage basement page. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The little corridor leading to the plenum can be seen in the center of this detail from the full basement plan in April Clemmer's collection. Visit her April's Old Hollywood website for the latest event news. The north wall of the building is along the top. The fan room entrance is farther along the "Dressing Room Passage" to the left. The stage basement is to the right.
A look into the plenum space under the main floor seats. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
From the corridor plenum access door, a look toward the rear (lobby end) of the plenum space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
A look up at the holes in the slab for supply air - there are mushrooms on top. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The main fan room:
A peek into the fan room from the dressing room corridor. The boiler room is just off to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
A peek into the fan room from the dressing room corridor. The boiler room is just off to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
A fan room detail from the basement plan. Those are chorus dressing rooms at the top of the image. The boiler room is off to the left.
A deeper look into the fan room. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
Looking down and to the left at the main supply fan air washer. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
Looking back toward the corridor. The entrance to the boiler room is a doorway to the left at the top of the stairs. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The balcony supply fan. The maroon panel on the room's south wall is the electrical switchboard for the mechanical rooms. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The boiler room:
A view south from the fan room into the boiler room. We're looking at the end of the house vacuum turbine. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
A detail of the boiler room and chiller rooms from the full basement plan. That's Wilcox Ave. along the left of the image. At the top it's one of the chorus dressing rooms. The fan room is off on the upper right the nursery, here shown as the "Children's Room," is at the right center and part of the basement lounge area is on the lower right.
In the boiler room looking toward the house vac, on the right near the west wall. That's the storage container at the center. That's a toilet room in the corner of the space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
In the boiler room looking toward the house vac, on the right near the west wall. That's the storage container at the center. That's a toilet room in the corner of the space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
In the boiler room looking south to the boilers. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
From near the door to the chiller room we get this view looking north at the other end of the boilers -- plus a smaller unit and water heaters. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The chiller room:
A look south from the boiler room toward the newer chillers. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
Head in through the doors and at the far left corner of the chiller room is a ramp up a few feet to the corridor behind the basement area for the retail spaces on the south end of the Wilcox end of the building. The corridor then takes a left and continues along the Hollywood Blvd. end of the basement.
On the chiller room west wall -- a sidewalk elevator. It pops up on the Wilcox sidewalk. We're about half way along that side of the building. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The remains of the original ammonia based air conditioning system with its synchronous motor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The ramp out of the chiller room in the southeast corner. We're looking south down the corridor that services the basement spaces for the retail tenants. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
Looking east in the corridor behind the basement spaces along Hollywood Blvd. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The ramp out of the chiller room in the southeast corner. We're looking south down the corridor that services the basement spaces for the retail tenants. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
At the top of the ramp, looking north back into the chiller room. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The basement areas for the office building and retail tenants:
A detail from the 1926 basement plan with Wilcox on the left and Hollywood Blvd. along the bottom. That's a bit of the chiller room in the upper left and the theatre's basement lounge area and screening room in the center. The main switchboard room is in the upper right. That's the area under the office building lobby in the lower right.
Looking east in the corridor behind the basement spaces along Hollywood Blvd. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
We're looking toward the area under the office building lobby. The door we see way down at the end goes to the stairs up to the office lobby. That bump out on the left is for stairs going down to men's side of the theatre's basement lounges.
Under one of the retail spaces. Tenant
improvements? Plans to use the basement? Perhaps an abandoned project.
Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The office building elevator at basement level. Head down the corridor and jog left and you'd see a sidewalk elevator that pops up on Hollywood Blvd. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
A detail of the office building basement from the 1926 plan. That's the booth for the screening room in the upper left, the DWP vault along the upper right. Hollywood Blvd. is at the bottom. Thanks, April!
Looking back up from the Hollywood Blvd. end of the corridor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2012
The sliding fire door on the left is to the elevator door compressor room. The left door on the far wall goes to the screening room or, down a few stairs, into the switchboard room. The right door is to the building's telephone terminal room. The elevator is on the right just beyond the red fire cabinet. The door in the foreground on the right is to the room for the female janitorial staff.
About the Warner Hollywood:
| an overview | street views 1926 to 1954 | street views 1955 to present | main lobby | basement lounge | upper lobby areas | recent auditorium views | vintage auditorium views | stage | stage basement | back to top - other basement areas | booth and attic | all warner hollywood posts |
| Hollywood Theatres: overview and alphabetical lists | Hollywood Theatres: list by address | Hollywood Christmas | Downtown theatres | Westside | Westwood and Brentwood | Along the Coast | [more] Los Angeles movie palaces | L.A. Theatres: main alphabetical list | L.A. Theatres: list by address | theatre history resources | film and theatre tech resources | theatres in movies | LA Theatres on facebook | contact info | welcome and site navigation guide |
| an overview | street views 1926 to 1954 | street views 1955 to present | main lobby | basement lounge | upper lobby areas | recent auditorium views | vintage auditorium views | stage | stage basement | back to top - other basement areas | booth and attic | all warner hollywood posts |
| Hollywood Theatres: overview and alphabetical lists | Hollywood Theatres: list by address | Hollywood Christmas | Downtown theatres | Westside | Westwood and Brentwood | Along the Coast | [more] Los Angeles movie palaces | L.A. Theatres: main alphabetical list | L.A. Theatres: list by address | theatre history resources | film and theatre tech resources | theatres in movies | LA Theatres on facebook | contact info | welcome and site navigation guide |
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