Los Angeles Theatres: Pantages: street views 1955 to present

Pantages: street views 1955 to present

1955 - The Christmas parade in November. Thanks to the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for this image, a somewhat cropped version of their #P-008-12. See their Parade Gallery for over a hundred shots of various Hollywood parades.

1956 - The 28th Academy Awards. This shot is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. The Library also has a street level view of the 1956 ceremonies in their Herald Examiner collection.

1956 - A wider Oscars shot from Bettmann Archive / Getty Images. "Marty" was the winner for Best Picture. The photo appeared with "20 photos of LA in the 1950s," a 2022 article by Stacker Studio appearing on the ABC 17 website.

1956 - A view west toward the theatre that was located by Richard Wojcik. It was a post on the Mid Century Modern Los Angeles Facebook page. Thanks, Richard!

1956 - Looking east toward Hollywood and Vine. The end panel of the Pantages marquee was advertising Vicente Minnelli's film of "Tea and Sympathy," starring Deborah Kerr, John Kerr and Leif Erickson. It opened October 3. Thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing this photo from his collection on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. Note the new American Airlines vertical sign on the Equitable Building.

1956 - A November parade view with the Pantages running "Teahouse of the August Moon" starring Marlon Brando and Glenn Ford. Thanks to McAvoy Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for this shot by an unknown photographer, one of 101 Christmas photos appearing on their website. This one is #P-008-44. A 1956 view looking east is in the collection as #P-008-17.

1956 - A photo by A. Ellis Smith that's in the Historic Hollywood Photographs collection. It's their #HB-269, included as one of 226 photos in their gallery Hollywood Boulevard 1941-1990. Thanks!

1957 - Heading east toward Vine with the Admiral, on the left, running "The Searchers" and "Francis In The Navy." Bruce Kimmel notes that this program began March 17.

It's a screenshot from Getty Images footage that's included in Rick Prelinger's "Lost Landscapes of Los Angeles - 2016," an hour and twenty minutes of wonderful images from various sources that was originally presented in a program at the Los Angeles Public Library. Also see "Lost Landscapes of Los Angeles - 2019." This second installment was presented at the Library by the organization Photo Friends as part of the series L.A. in Focus. Both compilations are on Vimeo.

1957 - Getting closer to the Pantages in the March Getty footage from the Prelinger compilation. On the marquee it's John Ford's "The Wings of Eagles," a film with Maureen O'Hara and Dan Dailey that opened February 20. The vertical of the Music Box, here with signage as the Fox, is in the distance.

1957 - In this view the theatre was running "Designing Woman" with Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck. Thanks to Bill Gabel for locating the photo for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. Bruce Kimmel notes that the premiere was April 10 with the regular run beginning April 11.

1957 - A look east from the American Airlines office at Hollywood and Vine. "Something of Value" with Rock Hudson and Dana Winter is at the Pantages. Thanks to James J. Chun for sharing the photo with the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. Bruce Kimmel comments: "The film opened on June 5 and played until the end of the month."

1957 - The Pantages running "Silk Stockings" with Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse, a July release. Thanks to Hector Acuna for spotting the photo and posting it on the private Facebook group Mid Century Modern Los Angeles.

1957 - The program was "Tip On a Dead Jockey" with Robert Taylor and Dorothy Malone along with "House of Numbers" starring Jack Palance. Glen Norman notes that this program opened August 28. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the photo on eBay. It also makes an appearance on Ethereal Reality's Noirish Los Angeles post #56087.

Glen adds: "Note the twin-armed street light second from the left. All of the lights installed on Hollywood Boulevard in 1948 were equipped with extra mounting plates to accommodate twin mast-arms allowing for two luminaires. But this one light across from the Pantages was the only place we saw this installation on the Boulevard."

also from 1957: See a "Les Girls" Christmas parade shot from the McAvoy/Bruce Torrance Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, their #P-008-67.

1958 - "Seven Hills of Rome" was released in January 1958. It's a shot posted on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page by Steve Piotrowski.

1958 - A Life Magazine photo of the March 26 30th Academy Awards presentation appearing on Google/Life Images. Thanks to BifRayRock on Noirish Los Angeles for the find. The Los Angeles Public Library also has a photo from a similar vantage point in their Herald Examiner collection -- plus there are many more of the Academy Awards if you care to browse the Library's website.

1958 - A wider angle Life photo of the Academy Awards. It's on Google/Life Images where you can also browse thousands more photos in the Life Photo Archive. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor BifRayRock for the find -- it's on his Noirish post #40489 where he also has a third view of the event.

1958 - Another Academy Awards photo taken by Ralph Crane for Life. Thanks to Forgotten Los Angeles for spotting this one for a post on their Facebook page.

1958 - A great look at the marquee neon the night of the Academy Awards. Thanks to the Follies of God Facebook page for sharing the image. Their post also includes eight photos of various stars rehearsing for the event. James Grissom is the author of "Follies of God," a biography of Tennessee Williams.

1958 - A peek at the end of the marquee during the run of "The Bravados," a June release. Thanks to diligent theatre sleuth Sean Ault for sending along the this look at the trendy crowd on Hollywood Blvd.

1959 - A look at the 31st Academy Awards. It's a photo in the UCLA L.A. Times Photo Collection. Thanks to Steve Harrod for sharing this version of the photo in a post for the Facebook group Lost Angeles.

1959 - A 31st Academy Awards photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. It's a Herald Examiner photo that popped up on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. See another view of the event on the site epnet.com.

1959 - A fine view east toward the Pantages from Hollywood and Vine. Thanks to Mr. Ethereal Reality who put it on his Noirish Los Angeles post #25007. It's a slide he found advertised on eBay.

1959 - A street view during a Christmas parade that appeared on Ed Fuentes' blog [view] from a loft. The photo is from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. The photo has also been seen on Vintage Los Angeles.

1960 - The 32nd Academy Awards, held April 4. Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for locating the photo when it was for sale online. He notes that here we get an early view of the revised neon treatment on the marquee, simplified during the late 1959 renovations. Visit Kurt's wonderful site about a little theatre up the street from the Pantages: www.graumanschinese.org

1960 - A lovely photo on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles from the Richard Wojcik collection. It was taken during the run of "Bells Are Ringing" with Judy Holliday and Dean Martin. The film opened June 29 for a nine week run.

1960 - Thanks to Sean Ault for sending along this great photo from his collection. Richard Wojick also had a post of it on Vintage Los Angeles. Thanks to Steven Otto for determining that this was another shot taken during the run of "Bells are Ringing."

1960 - Another "Bells are Ringing" shot. Thanks to Bill Gabel for this one, a post on Photos of Los Angeles. On August 31 the film was replaced with the war drama "Hell to Eternity." That one opened wide with the Pantages plus 15 other theatres and drive-ins.

c.1960 - Thanks to Bill Gabel for locating this fine view looking west. It was a post of his on Photos of Los Angeles.

c.1960 - A fine look at Bob's Burger Bar and the Capitol Records building from Hollywood and Vista Del Mar Ave. It's a photo by Roy Hankey that's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Jack Feldman includes this one in his great Capitol Records Building W&PA Museum page.

1960 - A Los Angeles Public Library photo giving us a look at the vertical sign with the neon added for "Spartacus." The reserved seat 70mm engagement opened with a benefit premiere on October 19.

1961 - A look east during the run of "Spartacus," here with Summer Prices being advertised. Thanks to Bill Gabel for finding the photo for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

1961 - Another "Spartacus Summer Prices" shot. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing this one from his collection on Flickr. With co-author Tom Zimmerman, Eric is responsible for the Angel City Press book "Spectacular Illumination: Neon Los Angeles 1925-1965." Also see Eric's 2016 book "Signs of Life: Los Angeles is the City of Neon."

1962 - The theatre running "Two Weeks in Another Town" with Kirk Douglas and Edward G. Robinson along with "Murder She Said" starring Margaret Rutherford. The program opened September 19. Many thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing the photo from his collection on the page for the Facebook group Mid Century Modern.

1963 - The June 19 opening of "Cleopatra." It's an Times photo in the UCLA L.A. Times Photographs Collection. Bruce Kimmel notes that this big-ticket event was a benefit for the Music Center, then under construction.

1963 - The "Cleopatra" premiere from across the street. Thanks to Channing Thomson of Channing Posters for sharing this one on Twitter. Martin Turnbull picked it up for a post on his Hollywood's Garden of Allah Novels Facebook page. See Michael Coat's article about the film's roadshow engagement on the site The Digital Bits. He notes that the Pantages ran the film 72 weeks.

1963 - A premiere shot appearing in Nanette Burstein's "Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes" (HBO, 2024). The film features interviews that Liz did beginning in 1964 with journalist Richard Meryman and is filled out with other archival material. Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for getting the screenshot. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for three shots up in the balcony taken at the Oscar ceremony in 1960.

1963 - A "Cleopatra" shot looking east. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding this one for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

1963 - A December "Cleopatra" shot on Vintage Los Angeles from the collection of Richard Wojcik. Note the added neon on the vertical. Thanks, Richard!

1964 - "Cleopatra" was still running when we drive up Vine St. in "Hollywood 1964," a minute and a half of footage on YouTube from John "Johnny Boy" Bryant. It was shot by one of his grandparents sometime between March and May. Thanks to Stephen Russo for spotting it. We also see the Filmarte, the Warner, the Iris/Fox and the Chinese.

c.1964 - A lovely view from the Jon Fisher collection on the private Facebook group Mid Century Modern. We're looking east on Hollywood Blvd. toward Vine St.

1965 - "None But the Brave" with Frank Sinatra and Clint Walker played the Pantages and other theatres in mid-February. The co-feature was "Ready for the People." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the shot and researching the booking for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

1965 - Looking east on Hollywood Blvd. with "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" and "Divorce Italian Style" on the marquee. Although the billboard says you can see "The Pawnbroker," the red sticker notes "Starts April 20th." Thanks to Alison Martino for the photo, a post on Flickr. It also appears on the 2009 "Vintage Los Angeles" post on the Neat Stuff Blog.

1965 - Here they were running Sidney Lumet's "The Pawnbroker," an April release with Rod Steiger and Geraldine Fitzgerald. Note the billboard for the next attraction: Blake Edwards' "The Great Race." It appears that Pacific was trying to hide the "RKO" atop the vertical with a little bonnet. Thanks to Bill Gabel for locating the photo for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

1965 - A lovely view taken during the run of "The Great Race" starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemon and Natalie Wood. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this shot and the one below for a post on Photos of Los Angeles. The photo is by Mario Di Biasi and appears in the Mondadori Portfolio on the Getty Images website.

Bruce Kimmel comments: "'The Great Race' opened roadshow at the Pantages - its gala world premiere premiere was on July 1 and proper opening was July 2. I was there for the first show on July 2. It played there roadshow until November 9, when it moved over to the Pix across the street. 'Never Too Late' went into the Pantages and didn't do very well, and then it was 'Inside Daisy Clover.'"

1965 - Under the marquee during the run of "The Great Race." Somehow those two ladies don't look like ticket buyers. The Mario Di Biasi photo can be found on the Getty Images site.

1965 - Another "Great Race" shot by Mario DiBiasi from Getty Images. Thanks to Torbjörn Eriksson for locating this one for a post on the Southern California Nostalgia private Facebook group.

1965 - A fine look east on taken looking out the front of a bus. "The Great Race" is still on the billboard. Thanks to Alison Martino on Vintage Los Angeles for the photo.

1965 - The world premiere of Robert Mulligan's film "Inside Daisy Clover" was December 22 at the Pantages. Thanks to Alison Martino for a post on her Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page where she shared "A Tour of Old Hollywood," the 2 minute video clip this shot came from that also looks at the Chinese and the Huntington Hartford. It's on YouTube from the History Channel. Alison notes that the segment was produced by Rick Spalla.

Bruce Kimmel comments: "I was there on opening day. Also opening on 12/22 was 'Thunderball' and I saw that right after I saw 'Daisy Clover.' Ah, the days when you could just walk easily from the Pantages to the Chinese. More importantly, 'The Odd Couple' opened [at the Huntington Hartford] on 12/27. This is sometime between then and whenever the Christmas stuff came down. For those who might be interested, the stars of 'The Odd Couple' were Dan Dailey and Richard Benjamin."

1966 - A bus windshield view looking east on Hollywood Blvd. with the Pantages down the street. The Admiral/Vine Theatre was running "Sweet Hearts" and "The Merry Widow." Thanks to The Kingsley Collection for the photo. It appears in their album Classic Los Angeles which features photos from the estate of Barbara Harlen.

1966 - Thanks to Warren Beckerman for this shot he took. On the billboard: "Not With My Wife You Don't," a November release. The billboard also tells that it's no longer an RKO-Stanley Warner house. It says "Pacific's Pantages."

1967 - A shot of the premiere of Disney's "The Happiest Millionaire." Thanks to John Stephen for spotting the footage for a Facebook post. The nine minutes of footage is on YouTube as a post from FT Depot.

1967 - A marquee detail from the footage taken at the premiere for "The Happiest Millionaire."

1969 - The theatre during the run of "de Sade" with Keir Dullea and Senta Berger. It was an August release from American International. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection.

1969 - "Hell's Angels '69" was a September release. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for sharing the photo as a Facebook post on Ken's Movie Page.

1971 - A John Ward photo of the May 20 premiere of "The Abominable Dr. Phibes." Vincent Price is being interviewed by the TV host of the event on the stage at the center of the image. Thanks to Damon J. Goldstein for sharing the photo on the Dr. Phibes Facebook page. Goldstein is the son of William I. Goldstein, co-screenwriter for the film.

1972 - "Lady Sings The Blues" at the Pantages. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for the photo, a post of his on Photos of Los Angeles.

1973 - Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this photo taken in March.

1973 - A look across the street that William Malin shared on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page. He and his father, in the photo, were headed to the movies. "Dillinger" was a June release.

1973 - A November parade view. Thanks to the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for this shot by an unknown photographer, one of 101 Christmas photos appearing on their website. This one is #P-008-122. It can also be seen in their "Santa Claus Lane" gallery. See three more 1973 parade shots at the Pantages: #P-008-124, #P-008-126 and #P-008-131. Posters for "Coffy" can be seen in the display cases in several of these.

1974 - The theatre running Paul Mazursky's "Harry and Tonto." Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection.

1970s - Thanks to Kolchak Ans for this vertical shot. Note that it says "Pacific" at the top. It's from his post on the Facebook page Photos of Los Angeles.

1975 - "Black Christmas" at the Pantages. Thanks to John Stewart for his photo, one of fourteen appearing in his Los Angeles Theaters set on Flickr.

1975 - A marquee detail from John Stewart on Flickr. John is the long-time projectionist at the Austin Paramount. Thanks to Mike Hume for advising about John's photo collection.

1976 - Looking east on Hollywood Blvd. in a view Ken McIntyre found for Photos of Los Angeles. We get a bit of the Pantages below us and the Music Box (then called the Pix) down the street.

1976 - The Pantages with "Return of a Man Called Horse" and "Missouri Breaks." Thanks to Bill Gabel for locating the photo for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. Bruce Kimmel calls this a "horrid double bill" and notes that it opened December 1.

1977 - The last film to play the Pantages was "The Enforcer" with Clint Eastwood. The theatre reopened as a legit house under Nederlander management in early 1977.

1979 - A vista looking east on Vintage Los Angeles from the collection of Richard Wojcik. Thanks, Richard! The photo is from the BRC Photography Collection.

1979 - "Live On Stage." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for sharing this "King and I" view on the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

1979 - The vertical gets some repair work. The National Tour of "A Chorus Line" played the Pantages from October 8 until December 22. Thanks to Allen Headrick for locating the photo for a post for the Facebook group Images and Memories of Los Angeles.

1981 - Looking west at the Pantages in a view on Vintage Los Angeles from the Richard Wojcik collection. The stage production "Annie" was playing.

1981 - A look at the season, as advertised on the west wall. Thanks to Marc Seavey for his photo, one of six Hollywood views he took included in a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

1982 - Herschel Bernardi playing in "Fiddler on the Roof" in May. Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for the photo.

1983 - "Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music" playing the Pantages in early January. It's a photo that once appeared on the American Classic Images website. The show opened November 17, 1982 for a seven week run. Look closely at the vertical and you can see letters spelling "LENA" on top of the Pantages letters.

1983 - An April view west by Roy Hankey from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Kurt Wahlner comments regarding the item in the display case: "It's Sammy Davis, Jr. A musical review called 'Sammy' was playing at the Fox Wilshire, then under the direction of the Neederlanders. It closed on Sunday, May 1 so this was a cross-plug for that show. It doesn’t look like the Pan had anything until late August, when 'The King and I' showed up."

1983 - A view east taken by Roy Hankey in May. It's an image included in the Los Angeles Photographers Collection of the Los Angeles Public Library. Also from the same month, see his Walk of Fame view west from El Centro.

1986 - Advertising "Not a Well Woman," a show with female impersonator Charles Pierce that was playing at the Fonda Theatre. It's a photo from the ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives that appears on the USC Digital Library website.

1987 - A William Reagh photo in the California State Library collection taken during the run of "Me And My Girl." It's the Library's item # 001381114.

1990 - Shirley MacLaine was appearing. It's a photo by Carol Westwood that's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

1990 - Another shot taken during the run of Shirley MacLaine's show. Thanks to Alan Light for sharing his photo on Flickr.

1995 - The big dig happening for the Hollywood & Vine Red Line station. It's a February photo from the Metro Archive & Library on Flickr.

1995 - Opening up another section of the street. It's a photo from the Metro Library and Archive.

1995 - Filling it all in. It's a photo from the Metro Library and Archive. For additional fun check out their 135 photo LACMTA Metro Red Line Construction album.

2001 - A "Lion King" shot on Vintage Los Angeles from the collection of Brad Adams. Thanks, Brad!

2004 - An April 4 shot taken by Linda Mayberry. The event at the theatre was a reading of the "Sunset Boulevard" film script.

2004 - A closer look at the marquee. Thanks to Linda Mayberry for sharing this second photo she took. She comments: "I attended a one-day only event for the Actors Fund. It was a reading of the movie script 'Sunset Blvd.' with an all-star cast. Anjelica Huston as Norma, Patrick Wilson as Joe and Sir Ben Kingsley as Max. Every role was played by a name and the audience had many celebrities in attendance. The part of C.B. DeMille was played by director Stanley Donen and Jeff Goldblum was seated across the aisle from me." Also see Linda's photo at dusk, just after the marquee and vertical were turned on.

2005 - The Pantages playing the musical "White Christmas." It's a Skip Bolen photo from his Los Angeles at Night album on Facebook. Thanks, Skip!

2007 - A long run for "Wicked." Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - The Pantages hides its opulence well. Looking at the storefronts, you'd never guess what's inside. Photo: Bill Counter

2007 - A facade detail. Photo: Bill Counter

2009 - A look up at the Pantages neon by Ken McIntyre on Photos of Los Angeles.

2010 - Thanks to Don Solosan for this facade view, appearing on the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation Facebook page.

2010 - A view during the run of "Stomp." Photo: Bill Counter

2010 - Looking east past the Frolic Room. Photo: Bill Counter

2010 - Another look at the famous Frolic Room neon. Photo: Bill Counter

2010 - A fine vertical sign shot by Don Solosan on the LAFTF Facebook page. Thanks, Don!

2013 - A look up the length of the Pantages vertical from atop the marquee. It's a photo that appeared on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page from Howard Nugent, then the master electrician at the theatre.

2013 - The Pantages running "The Wizard of Oz." No, this wasn't the 3-D IMAX film version -- but that was up the street at the Chinese at the same time. This was an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on the 1939 film. Photo: Bill Counter

2015 - The view west from the Pantages toward Hollywood & Vine. Thanks to Howard Nugent for his photo. Now retired, at the time he took the photo he was the master electrician at the Pantages. The photo originally appeared as a post on the Los Angeles Theatres Facebook page.

2015 - "Holiday Trees," a December 2015 Pantages Blog post included this great look down the vertical.

2015 - Christmas decorations going up. It's a photo from the "Holiday Trees" post on the Pantages Blog.

2015 - A lovely night view looking west. Thanks to the Pantages for the terrific photos. See the "Holiday Trees" post for more photos of the Christmas decorating action -- and a video.

2016 - "Marquee," a January post on the Pantages Blog includes many vintage photos as well as several views of the LED panels retrofitted into the 1930 structure. Here we see the panels getting a checkup. See the post for a fine tour.

2016 - Thanks to Shawn Dudley for this December look down from the W Hotel. It was a post on Photos of Los Angeles. In the background we get the lights atop Capitol Records.

2017 - All wonderfully decorated again. Who else puts Christmas trees on their marquee? "Hamilton" was running until December 30. Photo: Bill Counter

2018 - A Wicked Christmas at the Pantages. Photo: Bill Counter

2019 - Cyclists take over the street for an August 18 CicLAvia event. Note the scaffolding on the theatre's tower. Photo: Bill Counter

2019 - The scaffolding is down and the tower supporting the vertical sign is gleaming after being repainted. Photo: Bill Counter - September 23

February 29, 2020 - The top of the vertical up in the air. Thanks to Adam Faruqi for his photo, added as a comment on a Hidden Los Angeles Facebook page post. On Instagram there's a cropped version of the photo, uncredited, as a post from Eric Lynxwiler. The rehab project for the vertical is being done by YESCO, Young Electric Sign Co., based in Salt Lake City.

February 29, 2020 - "PANT" on the ground. Thanks to Daniel Moreno for the photo. To the left of the sign section is Joe Mongelli, current head electrician at the Pantages. The photo was on the Hidden Los Angeles Facebook page for a post that got many comments. It can also be seen, uncredited, on Instagram as a post from Eric Lynxwiler and on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page as a post by Alison Martino.

February 29, 2020 - The bottom of the old sign. Thanks to Jen Smith for sharing her photo.

February 29, 2020 - The first night since the theatre opened without having a vertical sign. Photo: Bill Counter

March 1, 2020 - The daytime look without the vertical. Photo: Bill Counter

March 3, 2020 - YESCO back in action to weld extensions on to the supporting I-beams that were chopped off close to the facade during the vertical's removal. Photo: Bill Counter

March 3, 2020 - Welding an extension onto the beam halfway up the facade. Photo: Bill Counter

March 3, 2020 - Working on adding an extension for the stub of a beam at the top of the facade. Photo: Bill Counter

March 3, 2020 - Coming down after preliminary work at the top of the facade. Note the new beam in place. Photo: Bill Counter

March 3, 2020 - Finishing work for the beam extension at the top of the facade. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - The sign arrives from the YESCO shop. It's in two pieces. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - A detail of the tubing. When it's on the letters have an outer band of turquoise with two runs of white inside that. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - Pantages head electrician Joe Mongelli checking out the workmanship. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - The bottom section lifted off the truck. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - The two pieces getting lined up so they can be bolted together. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - Up in the air. But it didn't work this first time. The crane they were using didn't have enough length to get the sign high enough to clear the marquee. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - Lifting a second time using the other crane. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - The sign getting a push to slide it on to the two support beams. Additional support would be a welded connection to the framework sticking out from the top of the spire as well as a bracket on the theatre facade at the bottom of the sign. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - A bit of welding at the support beam half way up the facade. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - Securing the sign to the support beam at the top of the facade. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - That's a level in his left hand, checking for alignment before the top of the sign is temporarily secured to the spire. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - A bit of welding at the top before they unhook the nylon sling that's supporting the sign. Photo: Bill Counter

March 4, 2020 - Inside the sign for a bit more welding to the support beam half way up the facade. Photo: Bill Counter

March 5, 2020 - One YESCO guy inside the sign and two at the base determining what welding needed to be done to attach the sign to the bottom bracket. Photo: Bill Counter

March 5, 2020 - Measuring a piece of channel to reinforce the framework at the top of the spire. Some of the final welding would have to wait until the next day due to generator problems. Photo: Bill Counter

March 5, 2020 - Getting ready to take up the "Hollywood" tubing for the east side of the sign. All the other tubing had been installed at the shop. Photo: Bill Counter

March 5, 2020 - Installing the "H" on Hollywood as the guys on the crane start installing the covers on the edge of the sign. Photo: Bill Counter

March 5, 2020 - Installation continues on the edge covers and the "Hollywood" tubing. Photo: Bill Counter

March 6, 2020 - Finishing the welding on the bottom support bracket. Photo: Bill Counter

March 6, 2020 - Revamping an existing conduit run to power the sign. Photo: Bill Counter

March 6, 2020 - Up in the basket with the City's inspector, on the left, taking a look at the work. Photo: Bill Counter

March 6, 2020 - Finishing the welding at the top. Photo: Bill Counter

March 6, 2020 - Lit for the first time. Photo: Bill Counter

March 6, 2020 - The Yesco crew getting ready to pack up and hit the road. Here they're bringing down some runs of spare tubing. Photo: Bill Counter

March 6, 2020 - The "Hollywood" tubing on the west side. Photo: Bill Counter

April 2020 - With the virus shutdown the message from the Nederlander Organization was "Only Intermission." Photo: Bill Counter

April 2020 - A marquee detail. Thanks to Brian Donnelly for his photo.

June 3, 2020 - A peaceful protest against police violence and racial inequality. Thanks to Brad Stubbs for his photo, one of 46 in his album "BLM Protest - Hollywood (Day 3)" on Facebook.

June 3, 2020 - A view east toward the Pantages as protests continued into the evening. Thanks again to Brad Stubbs for the photo. This one is included in his 40 photo album "BLM Protest Caravan."

2022 - "Hamilton" coming down and "Moulin Rouge" banners going up. Thanks to April Brooks Clemmer for catching the action and sharing the March photo on her Old Hollywood Facebook page.

2022 - A merry Pantages Christmas. They were hosting a Red Cross blood drive. Photo: Bill Counter

2023 - A September photo taken by Brian M. Currie from the Sky Terrace restaurant in the W Hotel. Thanks to Brian for sharing this on a Facebook post.

2024 - Not your usual Hollywood Boulevard traffic. The car show was part of a "Hollywood Pal" event on April 28. Thanks to the Hollywood Partnership for the photo. Their Facebook post includes four additional shots.

The east side of the building -- along Argyle Street:

2007 - The stage end of the building. The theatre had the largest stage that was ever built for the Pantages chain. Photo: Bill Counter

2021 - The east side of the building at dusk. It was gleaming after its first paint job in decades. Spectra was the contractor. Note that in this January view there was still scaffolding up near the front of the building. Photo: Bill Counter

2021 - A bit of east wall ornament. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - Looking north from Hollywood Blvd. The stage entrance, as well as the exits from the house right end of the inner lobby and auditorium are through the black gate. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - A detail of the ornament on the corner. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - A fancifully painted area at the exits from the east end of the inner lobby. There's also a boxoffice. Photo: Bill Counter

The boxoffice is (or was) real, one of two auxiliary boxoffices. The interior of this one has been gutted for ADA compliant restroom use. There's no evidence remaining of the one that was once on the west side of the theatre. It's unknown how much use these got.

2022 - The display above the boxoffice is a tribute to the theatre's opening film, "The Florodora Girl." Miles Kruger notes that here they have spelled it "Floradora." Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - A closer look at the Argyle boxoffice. Thanks to Doug Palmer for sharing his photo. It's one of 37 posted on the LAHTF Facebook page that he took at a Pantages subscriber open house in October.

2022 - A view down the ramp toward the stage door. Thanks to Claudia Mullins for sharing her photo. It's one she took during the April LAHTF "all-about" tour. See her terrific 40 photo Pantages set on Facebook.

2022 - Down the passage toward the stage door. The rollup on the left goes directly onto the stage. That's the retaining wall on the right. We're way below street level at this point. Photo: Doug Palmer

2022 - The stage door. Photo: Doug Palmer. Thanks, Doug!

2022 - The stage end of the east side of the building. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - Concrete ornament on the stagehouse. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - Looking back toward Hollywood Blvd. Photo: Bill Counter

Around the back:

2022 - A view from the Capitol Records parking lot behind the theatre. Look at that nice deco trim on the cooling tower. Photo: Bill Counter.

2022 - We're looking at the upstage left area. The doors on the left go to the freight elevator. The right doors open onto the top of the ramp down onto the stage. The hoses are for a "temporary" air conditioning system for the dressing rooms. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - A view from farther over toward stage right. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - An upstage right corner view. The scaffolding was for an ongoing waterproofing and painting project. Photo: Bill Counter

2023 - The deco chimney vanishes. Thanks to former building engineer Dave Richards for sharing this photo he took in April. Howard Nugent, for years the theatre's house electrician, commented:

"It was removed in lieu of it collapsing. It was pulling away from the building. And not repairable. The chimney was an exhaust vent for the old boiler system in the basement, for heating. The boilers were cut up and removed as part of the 1999-2000 renovation to create new modern dressing rooms downstairs. A requirement for 'Lion King" as well as all the other shows to follow."

And regarding the cooling tower, Howard notes: "The cooling tower was replaced several years ago. It was also removed before it collapsed from age and rust. The one you see now is a restored copy of the original."

The west side of the building:

2022 - A look from Hollywood Blvd. The space west of the building is currently used to park cars, double deck style, for the Hollywood and Vine Building. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - Looking across a sea of parking. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - Along the west side of the building. Photo: Bill Counter

2022 - The west side of the building but closer to Hollywood Blvd. At the right are the gates that all the house left exits feed toward. The windows we see above the gates are on the stairs to the booth and in the balcony level ladies lounge. Photo: Bill Counter

Los Angeles Theatres

Pantages: street views 1955 to present

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