Los Angeles Theatres: Warner Hollywood: street views 1926

Warner Hollywood: street views 1926 - 1954

January 1927 - The lot was cleared late in 1926 and the sign we see here was erected saying "Warner Bros. Hollywood Theatre To Be Erected on This Site Immediately." But nothing had happened for months. Later the small sign on the right appeared announcing that the groundbreaking ceremonies were to take place on January 2 at Noon and that everybody was invited. That's the "Hollywoodland" sign in the upper right.

Thanks to Thanks to April Brooks Clemmer for sharing the photo. She notes that it's a radio truck on the left, evidently getting ready for the groundbreaking ceremonies. Visit her April's Hollywood Facebook page and the website for the Old Hollywood Tours she conducts.

January 1927 - Jack Warner, Hal Wallis, Michael Curtiz and friends break ground for the new Warner Hollywood Theatre. Thanks to theatre historian Kurt Wahlner for finding the photo in the January 28, 1927 issue of Motion Picture News. While Kurt appreciates the glories of the Warner, he devotes most of his energy to researching Grauman's Chinese. Visit his website: GraumansChinese.org

1927 - That's the steel frame of the Warner rising behind the house getting demolished. The house, a onetime Hollywood tourist attraction, was that of famous painter Paul deLongpre. We're looking west from Cahuenga Blvd. with Hollywood Blvd. out of the frame to the left. The photo, from the California Historical Society, is in the USC Digital Library collection.

1927 - A photo that appeared in the August 13 issue of Exhibitors Herald. Thanks to Mike Hume for finding it on Internet Archive. Check out the page about the Warner on his terrific Historic Theatre Photography site. It appears that the magazine's writer was a bit confused as to whether this was a theatre or part of the studio. Their caption:

"Soaring steel -- the modern symbol of progress -- testifies to the growing needs of Warner Brothers' production activities. The photograph above shows the stage of construction of this producer's large plant in the heart of Hollywood, from which Warner dramatic and Vitaphone product will issue when the establishment is finally completed. Construction begun a number of months ago is now progressing rapidly."

1927 - Looking north on Wilcox toward Hollywood Blvd. in a Los Angeles Public Library photo. That's the Warner under construction. Note that the construction signage is touting "Vitaphone."

1928 - A view of the theatre nearing completion from the great McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, item #T-053-1. Thanks!

1928 - The marquee of the nearly completed theatre in a Los Angeles Public Library photo.

1928 - A pre-opening view with "Glorious Betsy" on the marquee. It's a photo that appears on page 138 of the Bruce Torrence book "Hollywood: The First 100 Years" (Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, 1979).

1928 - A fine California State Library postcard based on a photo taken before the opening. On the end of the marquee: "Popular Prices."

1928 - The theatre prior to the opening. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. The marquee was advertising "Glorious Betsy," the opening feature.

1928 - The April 26 opening night before the stars arrive. Thanks to April Brooks Clemmer for locating the photo for a Facebook post. Also see her April's Hollywood Facebook page.

1928 - An opening night view from across the street. Thanks to Eric Lynxwiler for sharing this photo from his amazing collection. It's on Flickr. He's the author, with Tom Zimmerman, of the Angel City Press book "Spectacular Illumination: Neon Los Angeles 1925-1965." And, with Kevin Roderick, he's also done the celebrated book "Wilshire Boulevard: The Grand Concourse of Los Angeles.

1928 - A closer look at the boxoffice. Note the added "Warner Bros. Studios" horns. It's a detail from Eric's photo.

1928 - Another opening night view. This one is from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

1928 - A closer view of the entrance during the run of the theatre's initial attraction. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. It also appears in the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, #T-053-4.

1928 - The west corner of the building photographed by Mott Studios in a view from the California State Library photo set #001386583. The State Library also has a 1932 postcard that was made from the photo. The theatre was playing "Tenderloin." It was a March release, but obviously playing the Warner a bit later.

1928 - A shot of that great marquee during the run of "Tenderloin." It's from the Mott-Merge collection of the California State Library. One of the ads read: "Vitaphone's Newest Achievement! The Picture That Talks! See and Hear! Dolores Costello in 'Tenderloin' With Conrad Nagel Talking on the Vitaphone."

1928 - The Warner running "The Lion and The Mouse" with May McAvoy and Lionel Barrymore, a May release. It's a Mott Studios photo from the Mott-Merge collection of the California State Library, included in their 11 photo set #001386583.

1928 - Looking east past the Iris, later renamed the Fox. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. They used to have a copy online as #00007824 that was the same photo retouched. It seems to have gone missing. The retouched version also makes an appearance in Laurence Landreth Hill's book "La Reina, Los Angeles in Three Centuries," published in 1929 by the Security Trust & Savings Bank. The Iris was running "Don't Marry," a June release.

1928 - Lined up in July for "Lights of New York." It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo.

1928 - Another shot taken during the run of "Lights of New York." The photo is in the collection of the Los Angeles Public Library.

1928 - This ad for Cutler-Hammer dimmers featured a photo of the Warner taken in August during the run of "Women They Talk About." It appeared a year later in the July 6, 1929 issue of Exhibitors Herald World. Thanks to Mike Hume for finding the ad on Internet Archive.

1928 - A shot from "1920s Hollywood California...," a 5+ minute long Hollywood travelogue on YouTube from Periscope Films. In that footage are views of the Chinese, El Capitan, the Egyptian and other Hollywood sights.

1928 - Thanks to Brian Michael McCray for this great night view from his amazing collection of Hollywood Postcards, formerly displayed on Picasa. The week of the card they were running "My Man" with Fanny Brice, a December release. Above the marquee it says: "See and Hear Vitaphone."

Another version of the card also appears as part of the Summer / Fall 2004 news on The Vitaphone Project. On that site: "My Man" card - version 2 | a detail: the entrance area enlarged | The California State Library also has a version of the card, but not quite as nice as Brian's. They note their copy was published in 1936.

1928 - Another view of the theatre during the run of "My Man." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post on the America in the 1920s Facebook group.

1928 - The USC Digital Library collection has this stunning California Historical Society photo. We're looking at illuminated Christmas trees down Hollywood Blvd in December. Real trees that year.

1929 - A shot by Keystone Photo Service taken during the run of "Hottentot," a film starring Edward Everett Horton and Patsy Ruth Miller that opened August 5. Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for spotting this when it appeared on eBay. See the detail below for a sharper scan of the left side of the image. Visit Kurt's site about the Chinese: GraumansChinese.org.

Just beyond the theatre is the building that had been the home of the Iris Theatre from 1914 to 1918, their second location. The second floor was added during a rebuild after they left. Later it was the home of the Warner radio station KFWB. On the left down at Vine St. there's scaffolding is still up for the top of the Equitable Building. On the right the 1927 vintage building with the big "B.H. DYAS" sign was the department store location that was soon taken over by The Broadway.

1929 - A much nicer scan of the left side of the "Hottentot" photo. Note the icicle display under the marquee and patrons with umbrellas deployed due to the heat. See the film's opening day ad that was located by Kurt calling the theatre "A National Institution" and advertising their "Modern Refrigerating Plant - Always Cool."

c.1929 - An uncredited Christmas season photo looking east toward the Warner that's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Here we have nice chevron patterned trees. Candles would replace the regular streetlamp glass for the next two seasons.

1930 - The Warner all dolled up to celebrate its 2nd Anniversary. The trade magazine illustration is on Cinema Treasures, a contribution of Dallas Movie Theatres. The caption: "It’s April 26, 1930 and time for the Warner Hollywood’s second birthday as Frank Murphy hangs an astonishing 18,000 pennants to help celebrate."

1930 - Here's a shot with the crowd lined up for "Top Speed" with Joe E. Brown, an August 24 release. It's a Los Angeles Public Library photo. The photo also appears in the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, item #T-053-5. There's also a version indexed as #T-053-13.

1930 - Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting this one for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. The photo appears in the Angel City Press book "Spectacular Illumination" by Tom Zimmerman and Eric Lynxwiler. They note that the Warner was running the October release "The Girl of the Golden West" with Ann Harding and James Rennie.

1930 - A superb view looking west along Hollywood Blvd. Note the Christmas "trees" with deco chevron patterns. The banner at the Warner is advertising Lew Ayres in "The Doorway to Hell," a film that opened November 28. Thanks to David Urov for spotting the photo for a post on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. It appears on page 247 of "The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History" by Gregory Paul Williams, available on Amazon. There's a preview of the book to browse on Google Books.

1930 - Looking east during the run of "The Doorway to Hell." Thanks to the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for sharing it on their website, their #HB-158. It's one of 214 in their album "Hollywood Boulevard 1899-1940."

1930 - A lovely "Doorway To Hell." shot by Adelbert Bartlett. It's on the UCLA Library website. The photo, from the Library's Adelbert Bartlett Papers Collection, is also on Calisphere.

1930 - A detail from the Adelbert Bartlett shot above.

1930 - The "candles" on either side of the trees replaced the regular streetlight globes. Thanks to Glen Norman for locating this L.A. Times photo.

c.1930 - An undated view of the storefronts east of the theatre entrance. The big arch is the entrance to the Warner office building. It's a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library.

c.1930 - Another undated view -- here looking west. It's a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library. On the marquee end panel: "Davey Lee" -- a child actor who did half a dozen films in 1929 and 1930.

1931 - The first known color image of the theatre, a frame from "Round About Hollywood." The seven minute short also offers views of the Chinese and the Pantages. It's on Internet Archive from a print released by the UK firm Wardour Films done in the two-color Cinecolor process.

Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for spotting the footage online. He turned to Sophia Lorent, a curatorial assistant in the Moving Image Department at the George Eastman House, to determine the origin of the footage. The banner is for "My Past," a film with Bebe Daniels and Lewis Stone that played for a week at the Warner Hollywood and the Warner Downtown beginning March 27.

1931 - The Warner running "Safe in Hell" in a shot Ken McIntyre found for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. The William Wellman film starred Dorothy Mackaill and Donald Cook. Note the new paint job on the Christmas trees -- no more chevron pattern.

1931 - Another "Safe in Hell" view. Thanks to the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for sharing it on their website, their #HB-137. It's one of 214 in their album "Hollywood Boulevard 1899-1940."

1931 - "The Ruling Voice" with Walter Huston and Loretta Young opened October 21. Thanks to the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection for sharing this photo, their #HB-134. Also see a view during that run taken from Wilcox St., the collection's #T-053-6.

1930s - "Greater than ever - Larry Ceballos..." He was the producer of the revues that were the stage portion of the Warner's programs. We're looking north on Wilcox Ave. It's a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

1930s ? - A Life magazine view east from Cahuenga with some Bette Davis film at the Warner. It's a photo hosted on Google/Life Images and spotted by Noirish Los Angeles contributor BifRayRock. He has it, with many other terrific Life Hollywood photos, on his Noirish post #40453.

1932 - We get nice a detail view of the entrance in this USC Digital Library shot taken during the run of "Taxi," a January release with James Cagney and Loretta Young. It's from the California Historical Society.

1932 - The "Bonus Army" marches to Washington in search of benefits. "The Dark Horse" was a June release with Warren William and Bette Davis. It's one of over 800 images in the great book "The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History" by Gregory Paul Williams, available on Amazon. This photo is on page 173.

1935 - A lovely view west on Hollywood Blvd. taken during the run of "Bordertown" with Paul Muni, a film that opened January 12. Thanks to Fedj Sylvanus for posting the photo on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page where he credits it to a post of Cathay Degrande. Fedj calls our attention to the fact that "KFWB actually used the two towers at the Warner as a real antenna. If you look closely, you can see the 'Ladder' of wires strung between the two."

1935 - "The Case of the Curious Bride." It's a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library. The photo also appears in the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, #T-053-12. The film was an April release.

1935 - A look east on Hollywood Blvd. with the Warner on the left running "G Men." Thanks to Brian Michael McCray for the great card from his Hollywood Postcards collection. Note the vertical sign for the radio station on the corner of the building. There's another version of the card on the site Card Cow. Yet another version but with different coloration and a retouched sky with fluffier clouds is in the California State Library collection. Bruce Kimmel comments: "'G Men' opened April 25 at this theatre and played for the next two weeks, then went wider."

c.1935 - A noirish look east on a wet night during Christmas season. It's a California Historical Society photo appearing on the USC Digital Library website. Note the Santa medallions suspended across the street and double stars near the top of the Christmas trees for this season. Also see another view the same year with a closer look at the trees. That one is looking east from the El Capitan building. Also see a Christmas postcard in the USC collection looking west toward Cherokee St. that they date as 1936 but is probably a year or two earlier.

1937 - "Dead End" was an August release from United Artists with Sylvia Sidney and Joel McCrea. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this one for a Facebook post on the Ken's Movie Page group.

1937 - A lovely view of the Warner facade taken when they were playing "The Great Garrick," a film that opened November 11. The photo is from the Los Angeles Public Library. Note the added readerboard above the marquee. The photo is also in the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, #T-053-8.

1937 - A Christmas season photo from the Los Angeles Public Library Blackstock Negatives Collection. At the Warner: "It's Love I'm After," a November 1937 Warner release with Leslie Howard and Bette Davis.

1937 - A view from the west with "It's Love I'm After" at the Warner. It's a postcard using a Bob Plunkett photo that's in the Huntington Library collection.

1937 - A detail from the Plunkett photo. On the left, the Colony Theatre, later known as the Holly, has a banner out for "Two Men and a Girl" with Deanna Durbin and Adolphe Menjou. The banner at the Warner advises that "Alcatraz Island" has been held over as a co-feature. On the right we have a banner at the Iris Theatre, later known as the Fox, for "Wee Willie Winkie.'

1937 - Thanks to L.A. historian Mary Mallory for sharing this card from her collection on a Facebook post.

1937 - A view looking west from the Los Angeles Public Library collection. It's a Herman Schultheis photo. Note the flying Santas atop the Christmas trees.

1937 - A rainy Christmas season day in Hollywood captured by Herman Schultheis in a Los Angeles Public Library photo. We're looking west on Hollywood Blvd. toward the Warner.

c.1937 - A Herman Schultheis photo looking north on Wilcox toward the lighted towers of the Warner. It's in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

1938 - A gaggle of reporters outside the Warner seen in a Herman Schultheis photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. It looks like a promotion for "Hollywood Hotel," a January release.

1938 - "Derby" on the Boulevard in a Herman Schultheis photo taken during the run of "Hollywood Hotel." It's unknown what the event was. It's a photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

1938 - A view of the display for "Jezebel," a March release. Thanks to Martin Turnbull for locating this shot by an Unknown photographer. See his website as well as the Hollywood's Garden of Allah Novels Facebook page. There's a cropped version of this in "The Story of Hollywood - An Illustrated History" by Gregory Paul Williams.

1938 - A photo looking east toward the Warner taken by John Swope. On the right at the Iris there's a banner out for "Adventures of Marco Polo," an April release with Gary Cooper. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the photo for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

1938 - Looking west to Ivar St. and beyond. It's another photo by John Swope. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding it for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

1938 - A USC Digital Library view by Dick Whittington looking east along Hollywood Blvd. during the run of "The Dawn Patrol," a December release with Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone and David Niven. Note the "Santa Claus Lane" signs above the trees this year.

1938 - A look from across the street during the run of "The Dawn Patrol." It's another Dick Whittington Studio photo in the USC Digital Library collection.

1938 - The lights at night during the run of "The Dawn Patrol." Thanks to Marc Wanamaker for sharing the photo from his Bison Archives.

1939 - A shot from a fast ride up Hollywood Blvd. behind an ambulance in some nice footage from Warner Bros. appearing on the Getty Images site. The Warner was running the January release "They Made Me a Criminal" with John Garfield and Claude Rains.

c.1939 - A look at the Warner in the middle of the photo, with the two radio towers. We're looking east in this USC Digital Library view from Dick Whittington Studio.

1939 - The Warner with the April release "Confessions of a Nazi Spy" with Edward G. Robinson and George Saunders. Thanks to Martin Turnbull for locating the photo for a post on his Hollywood's Gardens of Allah Novels Facebook page.

1939 - A view east with "Paul Muni" on the readerboard above the marquee. His film "We Are Not Alone" opened November 30 for a two week run along with "Private Detective." This shot is 3 minutes into 17 minutes of 8mm Kodachrome Christmas season footage taken all up and down the street. We come back to the Warner at 11:36 when they were running "Four Wives," a film that opened December 14 with the big co-feature "Smashing the Money Ring."

The footage includes views of the Chinese, El Capitan, Pantages and other theatres. Many thanks to Jeff Joseph for sharing it on YouTube. And thanks to Kurt Wahlner for spotting the post. Our Hollywood decorations consultant Glen Norman advises that the first minute of the footage is actually Christmas 1940. Note the polka dots on the trees that year.

1940 - Here in this Frasher Foto postcard we see the Warner running "Dr. Erlich's Magic Bullet" with Edward G. Robinson. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the card when it was for sale online.

The film is touted as a milestone in the "Motion Picture Parade of Progress" in a montage at the beginning of the trailer for the film that's on IMDb. Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for spotting opening night footage of the Wiltern in the montage. "Shocking only for those who fear the truth...Ten years from today you will still remember it!"

The California State Library has a version of the "Magic Bullet" card from Frasher using a wider version of the same photo that includes the Iris Theatre on the right side with a banner out for Nelson Eddy in "Balalaika." It's their item #01537182.

1940 - A postcard view toward the Warner running "The Invisible Man Returns." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for the find, a post of his on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. Note the signage and the two gentlemen in the lower right.

1940 - Here's Elizabeth Fuller's version of the "Invisible Man Returns" card. Same image with some retouching. Note on the right we've gone more fashionable with the signage and we now have three ladies window shopping. We've also lost the signs for the dentist across the street from the dress shop. Elizabeth's Old Los Angeles Postcards collection on Flickr is a wonderful treat -- 686 cards at last count.

c.1940 - The towers of the Warner are on the left in this shot from footage that appears 56:31 into Rick Prelinger's "Lost Landscapes of Los Angeles - 2019." His hour and thirty minute program of wonderful clips from a variety sources was presented at the Los Angeles Public Library by the organization Photo Friends as part of the series L.A. in Focus. Also see an earlier compilation: "Lost Landscapes of Los Angeles - 2016." Both programs are on Vimeo.

1941 - The March 12 premiere for "Meet John Doe" with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. It's a photo from the Los Angeles Public Library.

1941 - A closer shot of the "Meet John Doe" premiere. Thanks to David Zornig for posting this one on Cinema Treasures. It's a photo from Mark Christianson.

1941 - Thanks to Gregory Paul Williams for this entrance view taken at the "Meet John Doe" premiere. It's in his book "The Story of Hollywood - An Illustrated History" from BL Press, 2005. Check out the Google Books preview. The title is available from the publisher or on Amazon.

1942 - Here the Warner is running "Sergeant York" with Gary Cooper, a September 1941 release. Note the new rounded marquee and the redone vertical saying "Warners," The earlier version said "Warner" with a small "Bros." underneath. Over on the right it's the Iris/Fox with "The Wife Takes a Flyer" and "Two Yanks in Trinidad," early 1942 releases. Thanks to Sean Ault for this photo, one he spotted on eBay.

1942 - The Los Angeles premiere of "Yankee Doodle Dandy" with James Cagney. It's a photo appearing on the IMDb page about the film. It was a June release.

1942 - A "Yankee Doodle" premiere view that appears in one of the extras with the film's DVD.

1942 - Another "Yankee Doodle Dandy" premiere view appearing on the film's DVD extras disc.

1942 - "Week After Week Warners Have The Hits." Thanks to Kevin Wedman for locating the photo. It appeared with this caption: "More than 400 Lockheed and Vega swing shifters turned out at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday for the premiere of 'Wings for the Eagle,' Warner Bros. picture filmed at Lockheed. Here are a few. A second showing had to be held at 3:28 a.m. to accommodate everyone." The film was a July release.

1943 - The Warner was running "Casablanca" at the time of this shot taken by Waldemar Sievers. It can a be seen on the art poster site Pixels where they'll sell you a print or put the image on a coffee mug. The film had premiered in New York on November 26, 1942. In Los Angeles it opened January 29 at the Warner Hollywood, the Warner Downtown and the Wiltern.

1943 - The crowd and the troops celebrating Irving Berlin's "This Is The Army." Thanks to Roland Lataille for sharing this version of the photo on the Warner page of his site InCinerama.com. There's also a copy of this in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Bruce Kimmel notes that the premiere was August 17.

1943 - Another "This Is The Army" premiere view. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a post on Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

1944 - The theatre with the May release "Mr. Skeffington" with Bette Davis and Claude Rains. It's a shot from a short clip from Warner Bros. Entertainment that Ken McIntyre located on the Getty Images site. Before we get to the Warner, there's a view of the Colony / Holly Theatre with "The Crystal Ball," a January 1943 release with Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland along with Noël Coward's "In Which We Serve."

1944 - The action in front of the Warner for the opening of "Hollywood Canteen," a December release. The photo appeared as a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group, where Ken McIntyre credited it to the Hollywood Canteen Facebook page. A version of it also appears in the McAvoy/Bruce Torrence Historic Hollywood Photographs collection, item #HC-149.

c.1944 - A smoggy view from the Los Angeles Public Library. Sorry, we can't see what's on the marquee except that Humphrey Bogart has his name on the center panel.

1940s - Looking southeast at the Wilcox side of the building in a shot from ten minutes of footage titled "Hollywood, California Aerials" on Internet Archive. It's fascinating but messes with your brain as it's flipped. Toward the end of the reel we go to the Hollywood Bowl and out the freeway to the Universal backlot. Thanks to Alison Martino for posting an unflipped version of the footage on YouTube.

1945 - The view east toward the Warner in December. The photo was added to the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles by Richard Wojcik. He credits it to Electrospark on Flickr. Over on the right the Iris was running something with Shirley Temple.

1945 - "San Antonio," a December release with Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo when it was for sale online. It had a December 31 date written on the edge.

1946 - Looking east with the Warner playing "The Time, The Place and The Girl" with Dennis Morgan, Martha Vickers and Jack Carson. It's a photo in the Los Angeles Public Library collection. Although the Library doesn't credit the photo, it's one by Burton Frasher (1888-1955) that also shows up as a Frashers Fotos postcard from the Pomona-based studio.

1946 - A lovely shot of the premiere of "Night and Day." Alice Japan has it in her Alexis Smith album on Flickr. Thanks to theatre sleuth Arnold Darrow for spotting it!

c.1946 - A Frasher Foto Card from the Pomona Library on UCLA's Calisphere. We're looking east toward the Warner. We also see the Academy / Studio / Holly Theatre on the left and the Iris / Fox on the right. Note that the towers atop the Warner still say "KFWB."

1946 - Note the newly installed "Warners" letters on the towers. This view east toward Cherokee is by Bob Plunkett. It's part of Eric Lynxwiler's gigantic collection on Flickr. On the right the News-View/Ritz Theatre marquee can be seen (barely) through the trees. They were running footage from some wedding and from a USC vs. UCLA game. The negative for this card is in the Huntington Library collection.

c.1948 - A view east toward the Iris and the Warner. Thanks to Maurice Ideses for the post on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles. Glen Norman votes for a 1948 date. He comments: "I think we can almost exactly pinpoint this to 1948. The street lights on Hollywood Blvd. were changed from these to overheads around 1948." Sean Ault notes that the bus we see is from L.A. Motorcoach, a company that ceased operations May 1, 1949.

1948 - A shot by Arnold Hylen. Thanks to his grand-niece Greta Gustaffson for sending it along. Pay a visit to the Facebook page she curates: Arnold Hylen - Los Angeles Images of an Era 1850-1950.

1948 - A view of the signage on the east wall of the theatre during a home movie drive west on the Boulevard. Thanks to Alison Martino for sharing the lovely three-minute clip as a post on her Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page.

1948 - A moment later in the clip shared by Alison. "June Bride" with Bette Davis and Robert Montgomery opened November 4. We also get the Admiral Theatre with "The Stranger" and "Born to Kill," a drive along the Hollywood Hotel, and a look at the Chinese with "The Paradine Case" and "Million Dollar Weekend."

1948 - Raoul Walsh's "Fighter Squadron" at the Warner in a shot from the collection of Eric Lynxwiler on Flickr. Thanks to Eric for the photo -- and to Arnold Darrow for spotting it. The film was a November release.

c.1948 - A Los Angeles Public Library Christmas season look east toward the Warner.

1948 - A December view looking east toward the Warner by Arnold Hylen. The Iris Theatre on the right (which would become the Fox in 1968) is running a preview of "You Gotta Stay Happy." Or maybe they're running that feature plus a preview. Thanks to Greta Gustaffson for the photo. The Arnold Hylen Facebook page: Arnold Hylen - Los Angeles Images of an Era 1850-1950.

1948 - Another Christmas season photo by Arnold Hylen. Thanks to Mr. Hylen's grand niece, Greta Gustaffson, for making it available.

1949 - A July photo from the Los Angeles Public Library Blackstock Negatives Collection.

1949 - An interesting view that Ken McIntyre shared on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. Looking across from the front corner of the building to the cooling tower on the stagehouse (just right of the left radio antenna tower), we're looking right down the centerline of the diagonally positioned auditorium. On the marquee: "John Loves Mary" with Ronald Reagan and Jack Carson.

1950 - A Life magazine look east on Hollywood Blvd. When was the last time you saw the towers lit? Note the the Vogue Theatre on the left. The green neon tower on the right is newly redone facade of the Egyptian. The image appears on Tourmaline's Noirish Los Angeles post #35733.

1950 - In addition to the signage we see in the narrower shot, this wider Life image gives us a look at the vertical and marquee of the Hollywood Theatre as well. They're running the Barbara Stanwyck feature "No Man Of Her Own," a February 1950 release along with "No Sad Songs For Me." Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Tourmaline for spotting the shot in the Life collection -- it's on the Noirish post #35733 along with other Hollywood views.

1950 - The Warner premiering Joan Crawford's "The Damned Don't Cry," an April release. The photo is part of an article on Cinema Treasures by Michael Zoldessy called "The Sleeping Giant of Hollywood."

1950 - British Pathé has newsreel footage of the November 8 premiere of "Breakthrough" at the Warner.

1950 - The view west toward the towers of the Warner during the November Christmas parade. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the photo for a post on the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles.

1950 - A December view west from Ivar. Thanks to Torbjörn Eriksson for finding this one for a post for the private Facebook group Southern California Nostalgia. In addition to providing the date, Torbjörn credits the photo to Emil Muench/Archive Photos.

1950 - Another shot taken moments before or after the above. Thanks to Richard Wojcik for sharing this one on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page.

c.1950 - A great view (with a Pacific Electric Red Car) looking west on Hollywood Blvd. from Richard Wojcik on the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles.

c.1950 - Another fine Vintage Los Angeles post from Richard Wojcik. Again we're looking west on Hollywood Blvd. toward the Warner.

1951 - A shot taken by Earl Leaf on June 7. It's from the Michael Ochs Archive/Getty Images. Thanks to the Los Angeles Relics Facebook page for sharing it and including the credits.

1952 - "Bend of the River" with James Stewart and Arthur Kennedy gets an elaborate front at the Warner. Thanks to Mr. Ethereal Reality for posting this photo he found on eBay on the Noirish Los Angeles forum. The film was a January release.

1952 - A postcard from Eric Lynxwiler's collection that he shared on Flickr. The Warner was running "Jack and the Beanstalk" with Abbott and Costello. Bruce Kimmel comments: "Opened on April 9 on a double bill with a movie called 'Rodeo.' Also playing at the Warners Downtown and the Wiltern. Now, that night you could have gone to see 'Jack and the Beanstalk' OR - just down the street - the premiere of - 'Singin' in the Rain' at the Egyptian. Tough choice." Ken McIntyre had also found a copy of this one for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group.

1952 - A view of the Christmas decorations as we look east toward the Warner in a photo appearing on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group. Thanks to James J. Chun for the post. The marquee on the right, with "Newsreels" on top, is the News-View Theatre, later called the New View, the Pussycat, and the Ritz.

1953 - A shot from "Hollywood in the 50s," a 1+ minute clip from British Pathé. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for spotting this on YouTube. "This Is Cinerama" had an invitational preview on April 29 with the first public showings on April 30. The presentation ran for 133 weeks.

1953 - A look at the crowd for "This is Cinerama" in a view from the Los Angeles Times located by Roland Lataille for the Warner Theatre page of his In Cinerama website.

1953 - A look west from the California Historical Society in the USC Digital Library collection. On the front of the Warner's marquee: "Cinerama." There's the Iris/Fox down the street on the left, running "Ivanhoe." The Academy Theatre, later renamed the Holly, is on the right with "The Jazz Singer," this version a February 1953 release with Danny Thomas and Peggy Lee.

1953 - A December view from the Metro Library and Archive looking west on Hollywood Blvd. toward the Warner. The caption notes that it would be the last Christmas for the Red Line cars.

early 50s - Thanks to Sean Ault for this Christmas season view looking east toward the theatre. It's one he found on eBay.

early 50s - A Christmas image appearing on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page from the Richard Wojcik collection. Another version of the photo appears on the Photos of Los Angeles private Facebook group from Bill Gabel.

1954 - "This Is Cinerama" in its 50th week. Thanks to Ron Whitfield for sharing this great photo on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page. This first Cinerama presentation had opened April 29, 1953 and would run a total of 133 weeks.

See the Historic L.A. Theatres in Movies post about David Strohmaier's 2002 documentary "Cinerama Adventure" for a 48th week "This Is Cinerama" photo as well as several "How The West Was Won" shots and views of the Cinerama Dome.

1954 - A lovely view of the marquee with "This is Cinerama" in its 2nd year. "You must see it to believe it." Thanks to Arnold Darrow for finding the photo. Ken McIntyre had a post of the image for the private Facebook group Photos of Los Angeles in 2012. The All Movie Theatres Facebook page shared Marc Wanamaker's copy in a 2023 post.

1954 - PE Red Car 5162 heads west. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this view from his collection.

This may have been a farewell shot taken by a rail fan. Service on this line would end in September 26, 1954. See the PE Hollywood Line article from the Electric Railway Historical Association.

1954 - A happy family coming to see "This Is Cinerama." Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo when it was for sale online.

1954 - Another view of the same family. Thanks to Martin Turnbull for spotting this one to share on a Hollywood's Garden of Allah Novels Facebook post. It appears that the PE rails had been removed from the street by the time of these photos.

1954 - A Christmas shopping expedition. It's members of the same family that we see in the two previous photos but a different trip several months later. The Warner was still running "This Is Cinerama." Thanks to Sean Ault for spotting the photo when it was for sale online.

1954 - Thanks to Scott Collette for locating this neon shot in a reel of vacation footage from Periscope Films, their item #58874 that's titled "Westward Bound." Scott has selections from the reel as a post on his Facebook page Forgotten Los Angeles. His research findings can also be seen on Instagram.

Pages about the Warner Hollywood:

Los Angeles Theatres

Warner Hollywood: street views 1926 - 1954

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