Opened: The Egyptian Revival style building for Hollywood Post 43 of the American Legion opened in 1929. It's on the west side of the street just down a bit from the Hollywood Bowl. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
This post had been chartered in 1919 by veterans in the movie business and also enjoyed support form non-veterans including Cecil B. DeMille, Adolph Menjou and Mary Pickford. Among the members were Clark Gable, Gene Autry, Mickey Rooney, Ronald Reagan, Charlton Heston and Stan Lee. The auditorium was known as the Liberty Theatre for a run of plays in the 1980s.
The theatre got a full renovation in 2018. The first major theatrical
use for the upgraded venue will be for the April 2019 TCM Festival. The
Post's plan is to open what had largely been a private facility to a wider
audience by offering classic film screenings, premieres and other
events.
Project manager Bill Steele was quoted in a 2018 KCRW story: "We’re not going to be a calendar house like the Egyptian Theater or the New Beverly, but definitely I think we’re going do enough screenings where it’s going to become I think a pretty major new addition to the movie-going public in Los Angeles."
Website: hollywoodlegiontheater.com On Facebook: facebook.com/legiontheater
Architects: Weston and Weston. The building has been designated a City of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Landmark. Peter Grueneisen of the firm nonzero\architecture was lead architect for the renovations.
Seating: 484
Proscenium width: 55'
Projection capabilities: Two Norelco AAII projectors for 35 and 70mm are in the original booth. A digital unit is positioned on the floor between the machines.
Screen size: 18' x 38'
Speakers: The system is by Alcons Audio. See a detailed page about the project on their website. The 5 stage channels, built into a THX-style baffle wall, are CR4 tri-amped large-format screen systems, each composed of three RBN401 pro-ribbon HF driver arrays, quad 6.5" midrange speakers and double 15" woofers. The subs are four CB362 units. Surrounds include 16 CRS12 large-format reference surrounds and 12 LR7 micro line-array modules. It's powered and controlled by six Sentinel 10 amplified loudspeaker controllers. The system was installed by the LA company Stay on Screen, headed by Levi Joos.
Stage facilities: Well, almost none. There's only about 10' behind the proscenium. A full stagehouse with dressing rooms and other support facilities was designed in the 20s but never built.
Status: After a 2023 management shakeup and labor dispute with I.A. Local 33 it's not been used as a venue for film screenings. Former head projectionist Taylor Umphenour saw his position eliminated by a board vote in August.
See "Theater of War: How an A-List Venue at a Military Club in Hollywood Became a Battleground," a September 2023 Hollywood Reporter story by Gary Baum. Thanks to Mike Hume for spotting the article. The L.A. Times ran a September 27 story by Jessica Gelt: "Sexual harassment allegations, infighting, labor unrest: The unraveling of Hollywood Legion Theatre."
The lobby areas:
A new boxoffice window in the entrance vestibule. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
The two-story outer lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
Looking up toward the ceiling. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
On the second floor of the lobby. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
The occasion was a Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour of the building. The organization is actively involved in the study and preservation of the
vintage theatres in the L.A. area. The group frequently supports events
and offers tours of various historic theatres. www.lahtf.org | LAHTF on Facebook
On the main floor house right looking through the inner lobby to the auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
A pre-renovation view of the inner lobby. It's a photo appearing in the section about the project on the website of Peter Grueneisen's nonzero/architecture.
A post-renovation view of the inner lobby from house right. The stairs get you to the parking lot or to the downstairs bar. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
Looking back out to the house right side of the outer lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
The auditorium:
A drawing for the proscenium from the 1929 plans. It appeared on the Legion Theater Facebook page.
Construction in 1929. It's a photo that appeared on the Legion Theater Facebook page.
An early seating layout. The photo appeared as part of a fundraising pitch on the site Classy.org.
The auditorium before renovations began. It's a photo appearing on Peter Grueneisen's nonzero / architecture website.
Thanks to Peter Genovese for sharing this pre-renovation view from the booth. He added it as a comment to a Facebook post by Escott O. Norton.
The rear of the auditorium before renovations. Photo: nonzero/architecture
A look to the rear of the house during a film screening, presumably in 2013. It's a photo that appears on a 2015 post on the Tolkein fan site The One Ring.
Working on the baffle wall for the 5 stage channels and the 4 subs. It's a photo used by Bill Steele during a presentation for the June 2021 Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour of the building.
Another baffle wall view. Photo: Bill Steele
The proscenium during renovation. The photo appears with "Veterans bring Hollywood sizzle to Legion Post," a September 2018 story by Jennifer Swann on the KCRW website.
A 2018 post-renovation view. The photo appears with the 2018 story about the project on the KCRW website.
A photo from the Legion Theater Facebook page.
A sidewall view appearing on the Legion Theater Facebook page. It can also be seen on the nonzero/architecture website.
A look at the screen masked for 1.85. Photo: nonzero/architecture
A look toward the screen on a film night. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
A detail of seating at the rear of the house. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
A look toward the screen on a film night. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
A detail of seating at the rear of the house. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
The rear of the house. It's a 2018 photo from a page about the project on the website of nonzero / architecture. Among many other changes, the front of the booth has been opened up and there's a new port down low for the digital projector.
Another view to the rear. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
Thanks to John Bernstein for catching this view during the 2020 "Gold Rush" screening hosted by the group Retroformat. That organization included the photo in a 2021 email blast celebrating the theatre's April 10 reopening.
Up to the booth:
Yes, you go on the roof to get into the booth. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
Silent movies at the theatre. It's a photo that appeared on the Legion Theater Facebook page.
Sound arrives at the Legion. They had Powers projectors and Western Electric 1-B soundheads on WE Universal Bases. Note the amp rack at the far end of the booth. It's a photo on display in the building.
A Legionaire having fun with one of the pole-mounted hand feed arc followspots. It's a photo used by Bill Steele during his June 6, 2021 presentation for the LAHTF tour.
A pre-renovation booth view. Photo: nonzero/architecture
Looking out the Brenograph port pre-renovation. Thanks to Peter Grueneisen for this shot as well as the other photos appearing on the nonzero/architecture website.
Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation member Donavan S. Moye chatting with Taylor Umphenour, the theatre's initial head projectionist, during an April 2019 "all-about" tour of the building. Photo: Claudia Mullins.
That's one of the booth's two Norelco AAII's behind the gentlemen. The machines came from L.A. Center
Studios and had to be completely rebuilt by Taylor and the engineer for
the project, Roger Addams. The lamps are by Kinoton.
Off in the left front corner of the booth. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
A
70mm print of "Tenet." The black box beyond is the theatre's digital
projector. Thanks to Michelle Gerdes for this shot and her other photos
on the page. Don't miss her Hollywood Legion album
on Facebook that has 50 photos taken during the June 2021 Los Angeles
Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour of the building.
A look alongside machine #1. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
Projectionist Scott DuVall with machine #1. It's a photo taken for the L.A. Times by Alan J. Schaben that appeared with "Sexual harassment allegations, infighting, labor unrest: The unraveling of Hollywood Legion Theatre," their September 2023 story by Jessica Gelt. Scott quit in 2023 in the middle of the labor and management troubles.
Another
view of machine #1. Those are the Dolby Digital and DTS soundheads on top.
Just below the door note the controller for the variable frequency
drive. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
A peek out the port alongside machine #2. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
Thanks to Retroformat
for sharing this view of Taylor Umphenour putting an
empty 70mm reel on machine #2 for a photo opp. The black box on
the floor between the two Norelcos is the
theatre's digital projector.
Looking across the front of the booth as Taylor gives a tour for the LAHTF visitors. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
Machine #2 with a reel of 70 threaded up. Thanks to Roger Addams for sharing his photo in a 2022 post on the Friends of 70mm Facebook page.
The controller for the variable frequency drive on machine #2. Running silent films? Pick your speed. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
A
peek back in the corner of the right end of the booth. The illuminated
units below the patchbay in the rack in the lower center are the Alcons
controllers for the speakers. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
The amplifier and control corner on the right end of the booth. The
screen in the upper left shows lighting cues. Behind it, at the top of
rack #1 is a Dolby mag preamp unit. It's a Dolby Atmos CP850 processor
at the top of rack #2 with screens for the booth automation below. A
Yamaha mixer is atop rack #3. Below is a Shure wireless mic receiver and
an audio patchbay. Below that are the 6 Alcons speaker controllers.
Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
A closer look at gear near the top of rack #1 with a DTS XD10 processor,
a Dolby CP650 processor and a QSC CM Series monitor unit. The row of
black switches select which channels you want to listen to and you can
select either the output of the processor or the power amps. Photo: Bill
Counter - 2021
The bottom of rack #1 with 3 Dolby Cat 363 units each holding 2 Cat 300
cards for a total of 6 channels of either Dolby Type A or SR noise
reduction. Two Dolby PS1B power supplies are below. Photo: Bill Counter -
2021
Scott
Duvall making up a show at the
bench along the back wall. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2021
A port view with a lens, projector conversion parts kit, and some
aperture plates in the foreground. In the lower right corner are several
magazine spindles. They're changeable between the standard 5/16"
diameter used for 35mm reels to the 1/2" diameter ones used for 70mm
reels. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2021
Another view from alongside machine #2. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
In the basement:
The basement bar. The photo appears with "Veterans bring Hollywood sizzle to Legion Post," the September 2018 story on the KCRW website.
Mirrors and deco glass. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
A view showing the east alcove. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
A view showing the east alcove. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation board member David Saffer tending bar during the "all-about" tour. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
Another view of the bar. Photo: Claudia Mullins - 2019
Looking across from the east alcove. The doorway left of center leads to restrooms, an assembly room under the auditorium, and the stairs back up to the main floor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2019
The Drive-In: This 30 car facility was a project constructed in the Legion's parking lot during the 2020 Covid shutdown. It was designed and engineered by then head projectionist Taylor Umphenour and Bill Steele, who had managed the renovation of the indoor theatre not long before. Bill was also serving as the theatre manager at the time.
Looking in from alongside the screen. Ron Mahan and another volunteer were assisting as cars were arriving for the June 2021 LAHTF "all-about" tour. Photo: Bill Counter
A view toward the booth. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
A closer look up toward the digital projector in a box on the left and two Simplex 35/70s on the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
The screen as seen from in front of the booth. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
Bill Steele leading a booth tour. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2021. Thanks, Michelle!
One of the Simplex 35/70s. Sound is Dolby analog going to an FM transmitter. They're using 4200 W lamps in the Xetron lamphouses. Photo: Bill Counter - 2021
A look out alongside machine #2. Thanks to Melissa Michelson for her 2021 photo, added as a comment to a post on the LAHTF Facebook page.
Taylor Umphenour in the booth as the drive-in was getting ready for a season of 35mm screenings. Thanks to Chris Nichols for sharing his photo in a July 2021 Facebook post.
A staged shot taken by Scott DuVall that appeared with "Sexual harassment allegations, infighting, labor unrest: The unraveling of Hollywood Legion Theatre," the September 2023 Times article by Jessica Gelt.
The drive-in in action. Thanks to Taylor Umphenour for the photo, another that appeared with the 2023 Times article. In 2023 the Legion dismantled the drive-in to allow more parking spaces.
More exterior views:
The Post shortly after its 1929 opening. It's a photo that appeared on the Legion Theater Facebook page.
A vintage exterior that appeared with the venue's fundraising pitch on the site Classy.org.
The Legion Theatre in the Movies:
The Legion appears as the Police Academy auditorium in Ron Shelton's "Dark Blue" (United Artists, 2003). The occasion was the promotion ceremony for several officers, set on the day the city started to burn following the acquittals of the officers involved in the Rodney King beating. Thanks to Tommy Dangcil for noting the use of the building. He worked as an electrician on the film.
The film stars Kurt
Russell, Ving Rhames, Scott Speedman, Lolita Davidovich, Khandi
Alexander, Brendon Gleeson, Kurupt and Dash Mihok. It was written by
David Ayer based on a story by James Ellroy. The cinematography was by
Barry Peterson. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for two more shots from the scene at the Legion.
The Legion was used for the interior shots of "Figueroa Hall," the venue for the Golden Quill spelling bee finals in "Bad Words" (Focus Features, 2014). Jason
Bateman directed and also stars as a 40 year old who has entered the
competition. Also featured in the film are Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand,
Philip Baker Hall, Alison Janney, Ben Falcone and Beth Grant. The
cinematography was by Ken Seng. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for six more shots from scenes done at the Legion plus two exterior views of the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
The Legion's bar in the movies: It's appeared in a number of TV shows and films. One noticeable film appearance was the use for interior shots of the bar Lesley Ann Warren owned in the Alan Rudolph film "Choose Me" (Lions Gate, 1984).
The Legion Theatre in the air: The interior of the theatre is seen near the end of "United - Fly the Friendly Galaxy," a five minute 2019 "Star Wars" themed safety video. Thanks to Mike Hume for spotting it on YouTube.
More information: See Mary Mallory's 2013 Hollywood Heights article on the Legion's building. The Wall Street Journal's September 2017 article "The American Legion: Hollywood's Hottest Private Club" discussed the post's resurgence driven by younger members. L.A. Art and Architecture Tours has a fine 2019 album of 31 photos of the building on the SoCal Historic Architecture Facebook page.
The theatre's renovation and equipment installation is discussed in Bill Steele's 2020 in70mm article "The Hollywood Legion Theater: How military veterans are fighting to preserve 70mm." Also see a Legion photo gallery on the site. Don't miss the 50 photos Michelle Gerdes has on Facebook that were taken during the June 2021 Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation "all-about" tour of the building. There are also comments about the theatre on a 2021 post on the page for the private Facebook group Friends of 70mm.
"The hottest red carpet in Hollywood is... the American Legion?," Mary MacNamara's January 2023 L.A. Times article features a fine history of the building along with many photos.
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Here are a few additional links from Hollywood American Legion's Facebook page on the history of the Projection Room: https://www.facebook.com/hollywoodpost43/posts/10152987699897242 and https://www.facebook.com/hollywoodpost43/posts/10152286098817242
ReplyDelete"Notes from 'PROJECTION COMMITTEE - Allen J. Pinker, Chairman': "Until Feb. 7, 1938 we were without adequate equipment to show talking pictures. I felt that the patriotic pictures that most of the studios are now making would be a great factor in the education of youth (and also some of the elders). With this in mind we started out. Our Commander, Willard Stewart, handled the Fox Studio and was successful in securing two Peerless ARC Lamps to furnish light. Those at 20th Century Fox who so willingly helped him were Ray Corey, William Weisheit, E.H. Hansen, F.L. Metzler, and Tom Young. From Warner Bros. Studio we were able to secure complete sound and projection equipment, including sound screen, through the generosity of a man who believes in Americanism and the American Legion--a man who is vitally interested in Americanism and peace, H.M. Warner."
Thanks!
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