Admiral / Vine Theatre

6321 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028  | map |

A 1966 bus windshield view looking east on Hollywood Blvd. with the theatre at the time called Rector's Admiral. They're running an MGM revival package that was out that year. On the marquee: "Sweethearts" and "The Merry Widow." Oh, that's the Pantages down the street on the left. 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. Among other places, the photo has also been seen in a cropped version on Photos of Los Angeles as a post of Bill Gabel.

Opened: May 16, 1940 as the Admiral. It was originally a restaurant before the remodel into a theatre. The opening films were "His Majesty's Mistress" with Danielle Darrieux and John Loder along with "Torpedoed" starring H.B. Warner.

Website: www.dolby.com/...vine-screening-room.html  

As of mid-2024 Dolby was still using the Vine as a screening room although their web page hasn't been updated for several years. If you click on the "go to contact form" button you get "Our Los Angeles screening rooms are currently unavailable for new bookings through the end of 2022. Please come back in 2023 to inquire about future bookings."

Architect: S. Charles Lee did the 1940 conversion into a theatre.

A preliminary facade sketch that appears on Calisphere from the S. Charles Lee Papers Collection at the Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA.

A section by Mr. Lee showing the proscenium and auditorium back wall. It's a detail from a larger drawing in the S. Charles Lee Papers Collection.

Seating: 603 after the 1969 renovations. The Dolby renovations of 2014 took it down to 70 seats.

Noir City Dame in her Noirish Los Angeles post #19591 traces the use of the building as a restaurant. In 1933 it was Henry's Restaurant. In March 1934 Henry was out and it reopened as Perry's Brass Rail, Perry having moved from three doors to the west. By late 1936 it had become the Weiss Cafe. 

The L.A. Times issue of May 17, 1940 reported the opening of the theatre:

 

Thanks to Noir City Dame for finding the article.

 

 

A June 1940 ad. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a Facebook post on Ken's Movie Page. 

 

A 1941 ad for the Admiral.

Beginning in January 1957 the theatre was known as Rector's Admiral. Bruce Kimmel notes that he visited:

"Funnily, I was only in that theater once. I was obsessed with 'North by Northwest' back when it came out - saw at the Wiltern several times originally, then followed it around town. It played the Admiral in December of 1959, right around Christmas. I took a bus up to Hollywood to see it, but oh dear what a horrid little theater it was. I don't know that I'd ever been in such a weird theater before."

At the end it played mostly revivals and sub-runs. Trans-Beacon, in conjunction with B.S. Moss Enterprises, took over in 1968 and gave it a $200,000 remodel and re-named it the Vine Theatre. The new look was by Ben Mayer Design Studios with the Filbert Co. supplying equipment. 

 

Joe Masher notes that Trans-Beacon itself was a partnership between the Forman family (Pacific Theatres) and New York's B.S. Moss circuit, now Bow Tie Cinemas. Among other locations, they operated the Golden Gate in San Francisco and the Broadway in Portland.

 

"The Vine - Hollywood's Newest & Finest Showcase." It's the October 11, 1968 reopening ad in the Times. Mark Valen comments:

"I remember when the newly remodeled former Admiral reopened as the Vine Theatre. In fact it was October 1968. They opened exclusively with 'The Bliss of Mrs Blossom' (Shirley MacLaine) which only played a few short weeks. Was replaced by Zeffirelli’s 'Romeo and Juliet' which opened day and date with the Tivoli Plaza (later to become the Royal in West LA.) 

 

"'R and J' was of course a smash hit and played at the Vine for 10 months until 'Medium Cool' opened there in late summer of ‘69. So it was a Paramount showcase house initially."

Work included a greater height lobby area (with new lobby decor), redone boxoffice area, new seating, new booth equipment, redesigned rear exit scheme, a bigger screen and new auditorium decor (mostly drapes). The remodel was profiled in the May 19, 1969 issue of Boxoffice. The initial page of the article is on Cinema Treasures.

By 1971 the theatre was being operated by Pacific. Mark Valen notes that it's listed as one of their houses in a June 9 Times ad for a double bill of "Villain" and "Brewster McCloud." In a 1972 photo it's seen that the Trans-Beacon logo was no longer on the marquee. Pacific Theatres operated the Vine for years (with a yet another remodel in the 70's) as both a Spanish language house and a $2 grindhouse. 

At the end it was a sad independent operation with $7 double features. After 70 years of operation (with a few breaks) the Vine closed as a regular film theatre in October 2007. 

The Vine then was a rental house for a few years for various downmarket events and private screenings. The marquee's semi-permanent copy usually touted the theatre's 35mm and digital projection capabilities. In June 2009 it had a fling as the home of the Laserium. The L.A. Times had the story. Evidently the Laserium folks couldn't make a go of it. A January 2010 story detailed the defeat.

Status: Dolby leased the Vine in late 2013 and the theatre was gutted down to the bare walls in 2014. It was rebuilt as a private demonstration showcase for their Dolby Vision process, featuring laser-based projection. They work with Christie as an equipment supplier.

SF Gate had a May 2015 story by Benny Evangelista about the company's new technologies, "Dolby hopes to lure movie fans back with theater of the future," that included photos of both the Vine and the Dolby Theatre.

Hollywood Reporter had a December 2014 story about a demo at the theatre: "Sensory Assault: Dolby Takes on IMAX with Mega-Theatre Rival." Digital Trend ran a December story about the process: "Dolby Looks to Outdo IMAX..."

 

 

Interior views:

The interior of the building as Henry's Restaurant before its conversion to a theatre.  The card appears as part of Mr. Ethereal Reality's Noirish Los Angeles post #20899 and was a find by him on eBay.

The Vine's auditorium after the 1968 remodel. The photo apeared in the May 19, 1969 issue of Boxoffice. The photo is also on Cinema Treasures, added by Bill Gabel.

The outer lobby showing the results of the 2014 Dolby renovations. Hollywood Blvd. is off to the left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

Looking in toward the effects wall. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

The effects wall. Dolby's idea for their Dolby Vision Theatre is to have a long entrance corridor to act as a transition from the outside world. It's a photo by David Walter Banks that appeared with a May 2015 SF Gate story by Benny Evangelista "Dolby hopes to lure movie fans back..." that included photos of both the Vine and the Dolby Theatre. They commented: "Instead of a traditional lobby, the entrance to the auditorium is a dark, curved corridor. Projectors cast a floor-to-ceiling video the length of the corridor, with accompanying Atmos sound."

Another look at the effects wall. It's done with multiple projectors overhead. You follow it around to either side for the auditorium entrances. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

 The house left corridor into the auditorium. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

A view from house left. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

A detail of a corner of the floating screen. No masking. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

A 2015 photo by David Walter Banks appearing with the SF Gate article. They commented: "The seats and wall coverings are made of materials in flat black to eliminate light reflecting from the screen. The speakers are hidden behind faceted panels, smaller in the back and larger toward the front, to help focus the viewer’s attention to the screen."

The rear of the Vine's re-configured auditorium. It's a 2015 photo by David Walter Banks for SF Gate.

Another look to the rear of the house. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

More exterior views: 

1928 - The building that would become the Admiral Theatre after S. Charles Lee got to it. Thanks to Garry Tellalian for locating this version of the photo for a thread about the building on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. He comments: "The vertical sign says 'Delicatessen. Henry's. Patisserie.' Note See’s Candy next door." The restaurant was open by late-1927.

 

See "The First Hollywood Restaurant To Stay Open Past Midnight Was Funded by Charlie Chaplin," a 2016 Laist story by Jen Carlson." Thanks to Gary for locating it.  

 

Noirish Los Angeles researcher Noir City Dame discusses the building in Noirish Los Angeles post # 19591 where she traces it through several restaurant uses after it was Henry's. It became Perry's Brass Rail in March 1934. By Christmas Eve 1936 it had become The Weiss Café.  

 

Her research determined that the building on the right was redone by R.M. Schindler for Eddie Brandstatter and opened as Sardi's in January 1933. The project was announced in the Times on July 10, 1932 and an opening ad appeared on January 3, 1933. The L.A. Times covered a fire at Sardi's in their October 2, 1936 issue. It was rebuilt and ran until 1945 when it reopened in August as Chi Chi's. In June 1947 it was Sardi's Chi Chi and by October just Sardi's again. Fixtures were auctioned in June 1948 after which the premises were rebranded as Eddie's. Much later in life it became the Cave Theatre.

 

c.1931 - A view of Henry's restaurant taken by the General Photographic Agency. Note the glimpse of an added roof sign as well as an arrow of light bulbs pointing down to the entrance. It's a shot that's now in the Getty Images collection. Thanks to Torbjörn Eriksson for locating it for a post for the Southern California Nostalgia private Facebook group. He noted that the venture was financed by Charlie Chaplin and that the operator was Henry Bergman.

 

c.1931 - Looking east across Vine St. toward the Pantages. Henry's restaurant is in the lower left. The photo is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. The expansion of the Equitable Building had recently been completed, adding the second tower.

 

 

1932 - Sardi's under construction on the right. They opened in January 1933. Thanks to Garry Tellalian for locating the photo for a thread about the building on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

 

c.1937 - A Herman Schultheis view across toward where the Admiral Theatre would soon be. It's still a restaurant at this point. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. Note the little Santas atop the Christmas trees.

1940 - A pre-opening photo by Julius Shulman from the UCLA S. Charles Lee Papers collection appearing on Calisphere. 

c.1942 - A lovely shot taken across the street from the Admiral with its marquee reflected in the window. The photo by Russell Lee appears on the Library of Congress website. It was taken for the Farm Security Administration / Office of War Information.

Bruce Kimmel comments: "Got the top-billed feature - 'Last of the Duanes' starring George Montgomery. That film came out in September of 1941 and would have hit second and third run theaters like the Admiral a few months later." The second feature looks like it might be Lloyd Nolan in "Buy Me That Town," an October 1941 release."

1942 - This view is in the great Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, now owned by the McAvoy family. On the marquee: "Hellzapoppin" and "Saboteur." It's their item # T-002-1. The collection, of course, has many more Hollywood theatre photos to browse.

1942 - This detail from the photo above appears on page 67 of the 2008 Arcadia Publishing book "Theatres in Los Angeles" by Suzanne Tarbell Cooper, Amy Ronnebeck Hall and Marc Wanamaker. Most of the rare photos in the book are from Marc Wanamaker's Bison Archives. Google Books has a preview of the book to browse.

 

1942 - Santa at the Admiral. This revival double bill played one week beginning November 26. "You Can't Get Away With Murder" with Humphrey Bogart and "Three Musketeers" with Don Ameche and the Ritz Brothers were both 1939 releases.

 

Thanks to Johnny Wareham on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles for this photo from an album belonging to his mother, who noted "The little arrow [upper right] is pointing to where I worked during Xmas. Just up the street a little ways from the Taft building, still on Hollywood Blvd., is the 'Hitching Post.' Straight up from the theater, about 3 doors is 'Melody Lane' a quite well known restaurant."

 

1944 - A view including part of the theatre's marquee that appeared on the blog The Black Dahlia in Hollywood. The shot is featured in Ethereal Reality's Noirish Los Angeles post #3988. Bruce Kimmel did the research: "As always, the Admiral was very late to the party - This is sometime around July 18, 1944. 'Footlight Serenade' came out in 1942 and 'Dark Command,' the second feature (Walter Pidgeon, John Wayne, Claire Trevor), was 1940. I want to go to Sardi's, don't you?"

 

c.1945 - A view looking east toward Hollywood & Vine. Thanks to Dann Pryce for locating the shot for a post on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. There's a fine version of it from ArchiTexty on Flickr.  They note that it's from the National Archives, 111-SC box 692 329541.

 

 

 

c.1945 - A detail from ArchiTexty's version of the previous photo. The Admiral was running "Once Upon a Honeymoon," a 1943 release with Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers along with "Happy Go Lucky" starring Eddie Bracken, Betty Hutton, Rudy Vallee and Mary Martin.

c.1946 - A glamorous post-war view east to Hollywood & Vine. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this card. The copy he located had a November 1946 postmark.  

 

 

c.1946 - A detail from Sean's card. Note the vertical sign just beyond the Admiral for Chi Chi's, the restaurant that had taken over the Sardi's space beginning in August 1945. 

1946 - A Christmas view looking west at one of the most photographed corners in the city, Hollywood and Vine. The Admiral marquee is glowing brightly in the middle of the image. The uncredited photo is in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Note the lit Chi Chi's vertical above the former Sardi's space.

1947 - A busy Frasher Foto Card looking west on Hollywood Blvd. across Vine with the Admiral Theatre in the center. It appears on Calisphere from the Pomona Public Library collection. The photo also is part of Ethereal Reality's Noirish Los Angeles post #5198, a fun photo survey of the use of banners across L.A.'s streets.

 

c.1947 - A photo by Ralph Morris looking east on Hollywood Blvd. Below us is the Admiral Theatre with Vine St. and the Pantages beyond. It's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.  

 

 

1948 - Looking east along Hollywood Blvd. with a sliver of the Pantages vertical on the left. The main feature at the Admiral this week was "The Razor's Edge," a November 1946 release with Gene Tierney and Tyrone Power. With it was "The Housekeeper's Daughter," a 1939 film with Joan Bennett and Adolphe Menjou. Bruce Kimmel notes that this program opened around June 9 and played several weeks.

 

Glen Norman comments: "The 'tall' street light at the Southwest corner of Hollywood & Vine was installed circa 1946. But the twin street lights on Hollywood Boulevard were gone by mid-to late 1948." On the left, the clothing store Squire's is adding some lettering to their illuminated pylon. The photo came from Tom Wetzel's now-vanished site Uncanny, a lovely exposition about L.A. transit history.

1948 - Well it's a nice look at the newstand. Thanks to Mr. Ethereal Reality for the tourist snapshot from eBay, included in his Noirish Los Angeles post #34180. Our theatre is lurking across the street.  Harris & Frank has moved into the store earlier called Brooks. 

Glen Norman notes that the streetlights we see in this photo were installed in 1948. 

 

 

1948 - A November look at the Admiral during a home movie drive up the street. They were running the July 1946 release "The Stranger" with Loretta Young, Edward G. Robinson and Orson Welles. It was paired with Robert Wise's "Born to Kill," a May 1946 release with Claire Trevor, Lawrence Tierney and Walter Slezak. Thanks to Alison Martino for sharing the lovely three-minute clip as a post on her Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page. Down the street we get a look at the Warner with "June Bride," the Hollywood Hotel, and a view of the Chinese with "The Paradine Case" and "Million Dollar Weekend." There are also some shots of various studios. 

 

1948 - Looking west through Hollywood and Vine in a December photo by Arnold Hylen. It comes to us courtesy of his grand niece Greta Gustafsson. Pay a visit to the Facebook page Greta curates: Arnold Hylen - Los Angeles Images of an Era 1850 - 1950.

 

 

 

1952 - A glimpse of the theatre's facade during the Christmas parade as it's being broadcast by KTLA. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting the photo in the Arcadia book "Location Filming in Los Angeles" by Marc Wanamaker, Karie Bible and Harry Medved. The Admiral, in a revival phase, was running "The Long Voyage Home" (1940) and "Barbary Coast" (1935).

 

1953 - The Vine was hiding behind the Christmas trees. Stan Getz was at Zardi's. Beyond the Security Bank vertical the edge of the "Cinerama" neon is visible on the far roof tower of the Warner. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing this photo from his amazing collection. It's on Flickr. See the next shot in the collection, a 1950 Christmas view of the Hollywood Theatre. Eric is the author, with Tom Zimmerman, of 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."

 

 

early 1950s- A rainy Christmas season view looking east toward Vine St. The Admiral Theatre marquee is peeking out on the left. Thanks to Sean Ault, a noted historian of transit in the Los Angeles area, for the photo.

 

 

1953 - A November look at a slice of the Admiral. It's part of Beaudry's fine Noirish Los Angeles post #28689 featuring photos from the book "LAPD '53" (Abrams) by James Ellroy and L.A. Police Museum executive director Glynn Martin. Also see the Los Angeles magazine article about the book: "James Ellroy and Glynn Martin Revisit the LAPD's Grim Archives..."

 

1954 - The Admiral is beyond Red Car 1548 in this September photo. They were running "Ruby Gentry," a December 1952 release with Jennifer Jones and Charlton Heston. The co-feature was "Let's Do It Again" with Jane Wyman and Ray Milland, out in July 1953. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection. 

 

Glen Norman notes that Melody Lane became Hody's in 1955

 

1954 - A detail from Sean's September photo. That was the last month for Red Car service on the Hollywood line.

1954 - A sweet December view of the theatre's marquee in the center of the image as we look west. The Warner is down the street  The Admiral was running "The Wild One," a December 1953 release with Brando along with "My Forbidden Past," a 1951 release with Robert Mitchum and Ava Gardner. This program opened Christmas Day 1954. 

The corner billboard was advertising the DC-7, a plane that American had put into service in November 1953. Thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing the postcard from his collection. The card has also been seen in various versions on the So Cal Historic Architecture private Facebook group, on Gaylord Wilshire's Noirish Los Angeles post #9302, on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group and in Elizabeth Fuller's Old Los Angeles Postcards collection on Flickr. Elizabeth gives us what is on the back of the one she has, mailed in January 1958: 

"Famous intersection in the heart of the entertainment capital of the world. Motion Picture Studios, Broadcasting Studios, Famous hotels and restaurants are nearby. Here, a visitor to the southland may by chance catch a glimpse of his favorite celebrity." "Greetings: We are having a wonderful time out here. It is sunny and warm - 79 degrees today. Fine places to see and go to - we are starting back this week. We'll see you soon I hope. Lillian Art"

 

1954 - Another view of the Admiral running "The Wild One" and "My Forbidden Past." The banner says "New Wide Screen." Thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing the photo from his collection, appearing on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page. 

 

 

 

1954 - A look to the east during the engagement of "The Wild One" and "My Forbidden Past." Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this image from his collection. It's half of a stereo pair. 

 

Glen Norman notes: "These Christmas decorations and street lights were replaced with new designs beginning in 1960."

 

1955 - A view east with the Admiral running "Hell Below Zero" with Alan Ladd, a July 1954 release. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo. Bruce Kimmel notes: "Week of February 23. 'Hell Below Zero' finally makes it to the Admiral about eight months after the fact. Second feature is 'Clash by Night.'"

 

 

1956 - An image from the Herald Examiner collection at the Los Angeles Public Library. 

 

 

1957 - The Admiral in running "The Searchers" and "Francis In The Navy." It's from Getty Images stock footage that can be seen as "Hollywood Blvd. 1956 Vintage Los Angeles," a one minute+ clip on YouTube from Alison Martino. The same footage appears on YouTube as a separate post from Alison titled "Hollywood Blvd. Part 3 - 1956." 

More of the Getty Images footage shot at the same time can be seen in "Hollywood Blvd. 1956," four minutes of lovely clips on YouTube from Craiglaca1. Thanks to Donavan S. Moye for this screenshot, taken from an appearance of the footage in the 2019 Showtime documentary "Sid & Judy." Bruce Kimmel notes that this program ran at the Admiral the week of March 17, 1957

1957 - Another time around the block in the Getty footage allows a better look at the boxoffice. This shot is from the 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 - Looking east toward the Vine and Pantages in another March view from the Getty footage in Rick Prelinger's "Lost Landscapes of Los Angeles - 2016."  

 

 

c.1957 - Well, it's hard to see much of the Admiral Theatre in this postcard view but it's there on the right as we look west on Hollywood Blvd. This was a post of Douglas Rudd for the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

 

 

 

1960 - Looking east on Hollywood Blvd. with Rector's Admiral running "I Want To Live" with Susan Hayward, a November 1958 release. The theatre is actually seen in the film. See a shot from the film. The 2nd big feature is "The Long, Long Trailer" (1953) with Lucy and Desi. It's another find by devoted theatre sleuth Sean Ault. Bruce Kimmel comments: "This double bill played for a week beginning on January 20."

 

Note a bit of the Arthur Murray signage in the upper left. They replaced Zardi's, the restaurant that had once been Sardi's and then Chi Chi's. The Admiral had become Rector's Admiral in January 1957 but it's unknown when Mr. Rector actually got his name installed on the marquee. 

 

 

c.1960 - Yes, it's mostly Hody's -- but the Admiral is down there on the left. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo when it was for sale online. 

1961 - Thanks to John Nelson for locating this shot for a post on the private Facebook group Southern California Nostalgia. Note the Cinerama neon down the street on the towers of the Warner.

 

 

1961 - A Christmas season view by Frederick Schussel that was located by Torbjörn Eriksson. It's from American Stock Archive and can be seen on the Getty Images site and on Photos.com. Thanks to Bruce Kimmel for dating the photo. He notes that "The Grass is Greener" and "On the Double" opened on November 22 for a one week run.

1963 - Looking west from Hollywood and Vine in August. The Admiral was running a reissue of "Auntie Mame" from 1958 plus "The Day They Robbed The Bank of England," a 1960 release. Bruce Kimmel notes that this double bill played a week beginning August 21. The photo was shared on Shorpy by Tterrace/Paul Penna, who says he's the guy in the photo visiting the big city. On the Mid-Century in Color private Facebook group Paul says the shot was taken by his brother. Thanks to Phillip Cutler for giving a nudge to get this one included by posting it on the Los Angeles Theatres Facebook page. Visit his Classic Hollywood/Los Angeles/SFV page. 

c.1964 - The view west on Hollywood Blvd. with Rector's Admiral visible on the far left. Thanks to Alison Martino for sharing the photo on Flickr where she also has a nice collection of additional historic L.A. photos. At the theatre that week: Belmondo in "That Man From Rio" (a June 1964 U.S. release) and Deborah Kerr and Gary Cooper in "The Naked Edge," a 1961 release. The photo also appears on Ryan Khatam's Neat Stuff Blog in a 2009 post called "Vintage Los Angeles."

 

c.1964 - A wider view with the same Kahlua billboard on Hody's. Thanks to John Davis for locating this one for a post on the Southern California Nostalgia private Facebook group.

1965 - A look east from Ivar St. with the Admiral on the left. Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting this shot on eBay. The theatre was running "Viva Las Vegas," a May 1964 release with Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret. The second feature was the March 1965 release "The Rounders" with Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda. Bruce Kimmel notes that this program played the week of July 7.

 

1965 - A "Viva Las Vegas" lobby card and stills are in the poster case. Care for an Orange Julius next door? Or a visit to the Haunted House nightclub in the space that was formerly Sardi's? Later it was the Cave Theatre and later yet the Deja Vu strip club. We get a bit of the nice green Pantages vertical in the next block and the signage for the Pix in the distance on the right. The photo was another find of Sean Ault on eBay. Thanks!

 

 

1965 - The theatre had Sinatra in the January 1965 release "None But The Brave," along with "Bus Riley's Back in Town," an April 1965 release with Ann-Margret. It's a photo by Sid Avery appearing on the site MPTV Images. Sorry about the watermark but thought you'd want to see the neon. Bruce Kimmel comments: "Fantastic shot. The Admiral at this time was doing short runs - this opened on August 18 and played through Saturday the 21st. Replaced by 'The Cardinal.'"

1966 - A view west with the theatre running "Never Too Late," a November 1965 release with Paul Ford and Connie Stevens along with Billy Wilder's "Irma la Douce," a June 1963 release with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Note that the Haunted House was still in business with new and improved signage. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection. 

 

1968 - The Trans-Beacon remodel and rebranding of the Admiral as the Vine was profiled in the May 19, 1969 issue of Boxoffice. This view appeared with the article. The photo is also on Cinema Treasures, an addition to the site by prolific contributor Bill Gabel. The initial page of the article is also on Cinema Treasures. Mark Valen notes that "The Bliss of Mrs Blossom" was the first booking when the house reopened on October 11, 1968. 

 

1968-69 - Zeffirelli's "Romeo and Juliet" opened October 31 day-and-date with the Tivoli Plaza, now called the Royal. This was the second film to play the theatre after the remodel. Thanks to John Nelson for sharing the photo in a post for the Southern California Nostalgia private Facebook group. 

Mark Valen comments: "'R and J' was of course a smash hit and played at the Vine for 10 months until 'Medium Cool' opened there in late summer of ‘69. So it was a Paramount showcase house initially." In 2018 Quentin Tarantino put "Romeo and Juliet" back on the Vine marquee for "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood." See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post about the portion of the shoot involving the Vine and Pantages.

 

1972 - Thanks to the McAvoy family's Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for this view, their item #T-050-1. Note that the Trans-Beacon initials are off the front of the marquee.  

 

1973 - They've got "Soylent Green" with Charlton Heston, a May release. Thanks to Sean Ault for finding the photo. 

 

 

 

1970s - A triple bill at the Vine. It's a photo by Kolchak Ans shared in a post for the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

 

 

1978 - Over at the Vine it was "Coming Home" with Jane Fonda, Jon Voight and Bruce Dern. The film was a February release. See our page about the Cave Theatre for more about that venue. Thanks to the Classic Hollywood/Los Angeles/SFV Facebook page for locating the photo. It later popped up in a post for the Lost Angeles Facebook group.

1980 - The run of "Cruising" brought out the protestors. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Granola for adding it to the site's page on the Vine Theatre.

1981 - Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this shot.  

 

 

c.1986 - Thanks to the McAvoy family's Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for this view west. It's their #HB-544, included as one of 226 photos in their gallery Hollywood Boulevard 1941-1990. The Vine's second feature, "Victimas de la pobreza," was a 1986 release.

c.2000 - The Vine marquee in its later grind house days. The marquee is tying to tell us that it's two movies for $5. The photo is from Preemo on Flickr. It's also been seen on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook group.

2007 - "Two Movies Seven Dollars." Photo: Bill Counter

2009 - A look west with the intersection of Hollywood and Vine behind us. Note the towers of the Warner Theatre in the distance. It's a view from Google Maps.

2009 - A Laserium marquee detail from intrepid theatre photographer Hollywood 90038, who has stalked all of Hollywood. It was once on the Cinema Treasures page for the Vine but seems to have vanished from that site.

2010 - Another view of the Vine in its brief Laserium phase. Photo: Bill Counter

2010 - A signage detail. Photo: Bill Counter

2014 - A January look at the Vine with the "For Rent" lettering off the marquee. The Dolby team was at work on a renovation. It's a photo by Andrew Gage that appeared on the page for the Mid Century Modern Facebook group. Thanks to Stephen Russo for spotting it. The marquee design and name date from the 1969 remodel.

2015 - A view from the May SF Gate story by Benny Evangelista "Dolby hopes to lure movie fans back..." It may be all new inside but there were no Dolby upgrades on the exterior -- except a security guard to limit entrance when Dolby has an invitational screening. It's a photo by David Walter Banks.

 

2020 - A peaceful protest against police violence and racial inequality on June 3. Yes, that's the National Guard standing by. Thanks to Brad Stubbs for his photo, one of 46 in his album "BLM Protest - Hollywood (Day 3)" on Facebook. Also see 40 additional photos from that evening in his "BLM Protest Caravan" album. 

 

The Admiral/Vine Theatre in the Movies: 

We get a chase down Hollywood Boulevard with views of the Admiral Theatre and the Egyptian in Gregory Ratoff's comedy "The Bride Wore Crutches" (20th Century Fox, 1941). Our cub reporter is chasing some robbers after he witnessed a bank holdup. The only problem is that he lost the robbers and ended up chasing a police car. The film stars Lynne Roberts, Ted North, Edgar Kennedy, Robert Armstrong and Lionel Stander. The cinematography was by Charles G. Clarke.  

 

In a chase down Vine St. in "The Falcon in Hollywood" (RKO, 1944) we get a glimpse of the theatre on the right after a turn onto Hollywood Blvd. This comedy, one of more than a dozen in the Falcon series, stars Tom Conway as an amateur detective trying to solve a death on a studio backlot. Featured are Barbara Hale, Veda Ann Borg, John Abbott, Sheldon Leonard, Jean Brooks and Paula Corday. Gordon Douglas directed. The cinematography was by Nicholas Musuraca. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more about the film.

 

 

 

We're treated to a view of the Admiral with the towers of the Warner in the distance during the opening credits of William Castle's "Hollywood Story" (Universal-International, 1951). It stars Richard Conte as a producer who rents the Chaplin Studios and decides to make a film about a silent film director killed on the lot years earlier. It's loosely based on the still-unsolved 1922 murder of William Desmond Taylor. We get lots of cameos by silent stars plus Julie Adams, Jim Backus, Fred Clark, Henry Hull and Paul Cavanagh. The cinematography was by Carl E. Guthrie. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for four shots later in the film of Grauman's Chinese during the 1950 Christmas Parade. 

The Admiral gets a shot in Robert Wise's "I Want To Live" with Susan Hayward (United Artists, 1958). Thanks to GS Jansen for posting the screenshot on his Noirish Los Angeles post #23572. We're looking west from Hollywood & Vine toward the Warner. The theatre is playing "Saratoga Trunk" (1945) with Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman along with "The Square Jungle" (1955) with Tony Curtis and Ernest Borgnine.

We get the same shot repeated in Joseph Newman's "The George Raft Story" (Allied Artists, 1961) with Ray Danton, Jayne Mansfield and Julie London. For the purposes of "Raft" the towers of the Warner in the distance with the neon saying "Cinerama" are a bit of an anachronism. Thanks to Kliph Nesteroff for the screenshot this time, posted on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles.

 

Terri Garr decides to dance as she waits for the bus at a stop just west of Rector's Admiral in "Where's the Bus?," a five minute film by John Harris from 1966. It can be seen on YouTube. Thanks to Jonathan Raines for spotting a post about it.

We get a fine tour of Los Angeles in Jacques Deray's "The Outside Man" (United Artists, 1973). Here we get a bit of the Vine's marquee advertising "Nicholas and Alexandra" and the vertical of the Pix scintillating in the distance as Jean-Louis Trintignant picks up a hitchhiker. The film also stars Roy Scheider as another hit man and Ann-Margret as the former owner of a bar who gets caught in the middle of the mess. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for another distance view of the Pix plus shots of the Cinematheque 16 on Sunset and the La Reina in Sherman Oaks. 

 

The Vine's signage gets a quick cameo during a musical number in "The First Nudie Musical" (Paramount, 1976). The book, music, and lyrics for the movie are by Bruce Kimmel. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for sixteen more shots from the film including more views of Hollywood marquees and a look at the lobby of the Fox Venice. 

 

 

Looking west across the facade of the Cave Theatre toward the Vine in Robert Hammer's film "Don't Answer the Phone!" (Crown International, 1980). It's a grisly exploitation film with a serial killer and lots of semi-naked women. That's the killer, played by Nicholas Worth, behind the three ladies in this shot. Also featured are James Westmoreland, Ben Frank and Flo Lawrence. The cinematography was by James L. Carter. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a shot a moment earlier than this one as well as views of the Chinese, Paramount, Egyptian, Pantages and Pussycat Sunset theatres. 

 

 

 

We get a scene in front of the Cave Theatre with several views of the Vine in J. Lee Thompson's "10 to Midnight" (Cannon Group, 1983). Charles Bronson stars as a cop on the trail of a psychopath who is targeting young women. The film also stars Lisa Eilbacher, Andrew Stevens and Gene Davis. Adam Greenberg did the cinematography. Thanks to Brian Michael McCray for spotting the theatres in the film. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more views of this block, a quick look at the Pantages, and lots from an earlier scene at the Aero Theatre.  

 

Jenny Wright is strolling Hollywood Blvd. near the Vine in "I, Madman" (Trans World Entertainment, 1989). Her character has been reading 1950s pulp novels and the killer in them comes to life. The film also features Clayton Rohner, Randall William Cook and Stephanie Hodge. It was directed by Tibor Takács. The cinematography was by Bryan England. Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatre in the film and getting the screenshot. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for a view of Jenny up the street near the Mann Chinese Twin.

 

We get this look at the Vine and the Cave Adult Theatre in Marc Rocco's film "Where the Day Takes You" (New Line Cinema, 1992). It's about a gang of teenagers living on the streets of Hollywood. The film stars Sean Astin, Dermot Mulroney, Laura San Giacomo, Lara Flynn Boyle and Will Smith. The cinematography was by King Baggot. Thanks to Eric Schaefer for spotting the theatres and getting the screenshot. He notes that this is part of a crane shot 39:30 into the film that swoops down the buildings and along Hollywood Blvd. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for two more views from the shot. 

 

Jim Carrey and Courtney Love go to the movies at the Vine in "Man on the Moon" (Universal, 1999). This film about the strange life of comic Andy Kaufman was directed by Milos Forman. It also features Danny DeVito, Gerry Becker, Leslie Lyles, George Shapiro and Melanie Vesey. The cinematography was by Anastas Michos. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for two more Vine shots plus some views late in the film of the auditorium of the Los Angeles Theatre when it subs for Carnegie Hall.

"Go see what's playing at the Vine" her father said. So Elle Fanning risks a jaywalking ticket while he has a tryst in "Low Down" (Oscilloscope Labs, 2015). She's the daughter of troubled jazz pianist Joe Albany, played by John Hawkes. It's 1974 and the cashier won't let her in to see "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" due to its X rating. Thanks to Royce Mathew for the screenshot.

In "Keanu" (Warner/Fine Line, 2016) we take a drive to the Hollywood Hills for a drug delivery after our two stars, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key, get involved with a gang in an attempt to get back a stolen cat. On the far left is the dark marquee of the Vine with the Pantages in the distance. In "Keanu" we also see the Palace Theatre, the Los Angeles Theatre and the Cinerama Dome. See the Theatres In Movies post for more shots from the film.

 

The Vine is seen in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" (Sony, 2019). The film stars Leo DiCaprio and his friend Brad Pitt as an actor and stuntman trying to find work in the business in 1969. The Manson murder case also figures into the plot as the guys live next door to Sharon Tate, played by Margot Robbie. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies pages for more shots of the shoot at the Vine as well as lots of action at the Cinerama Dome, Earl Carroll, Vogue, Pussycat/Ritz, Fox Westwood, Bruin, and Pantages theatres. "Romeo and Juliet" did play the Vine in 1969.

 

The Vine was back in business for an April 2023 shoot for Ti West's "MaXXXine" (A24, 2024). It's a horror film set in the 1980s that follows Mia Goth as an adult film performer who survives a bloody incident and tries to become a Hollywood star. Also featured are Michelle Monaghan, Giancarlo Esposito, Elizabeth Debicki, Halsey, Kevin Bacon, Lily Collins and Bobby Canavale. The cinematography was by Eliot Rockett. See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post for more views of the Vine plus shots of the Cave, Warner and Chinese from the film as well as during production. 

More Information: See the Cinema Tour page for more pictures. And there's lots of discussion on the Cinema Treasures page.

The owner of the theatre building can be reached at (310) 444-8955.

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