The Hollywood Pantages hides its opulence well. Looking at the storefronts here, you'd never guess that on of the most dazzling of all the Los Angeles theatres awaits you inside.
click any of these images to enlarge
The over-the-top art deco grandeur of the Pantages becomes more evident when you get to the boxoffice area, seen in these 2007 photos. Note the lettering over the display cases saying "RKO Pantages". RKO acquired the theatre in from Fox in1949.
The Pantages Theatre stagehouse, the largest stage that was built for the Pantages chain. The building was designed by noted theatre architect B. Marcus Priteca, who hd designed a downtown Los Angeles theatre for Pantages in 1920.
More sources for information about the Pantages Theatre...
The thumbnail images below are generally from searches on Google Images, Yahoo! or other databases. Click on the image to see how it was found in context.
We also give you a link to the site itself (or sometimes a specific article) for your further research.
All images are subject to copyright.
Arcaid
www.arcaid.co.uk A wonderful lobby photo by John Edward Linden. This is part of a set by Arcaid documenting the 2001 restoration of the Pantages Hollywood by SPF Architects. full size image
Also from this set: auditorium dome | lobby grand staircase | view across auditorium
Amy Higgins - Scenic Artist
www.amyhiggins.com Amy's dazzling work on the 2000 Nederlander renovation of the theatre is displayed on her Pantages Theatre page. She's also got some archival photos, some construction shots showing work in progress and an eyeball-popping array of photos (by Richard Glenn) showing off the most opulent of all art deco Los Angeles theatres. full size view
Also on Amy's Pantages page: a lobby ceiling view | auditorium ceiling | proscenium view and lots more!
California State Library
www.lib.state.ca.us
The State Library has a wonderful array of 1929-30 vintage Pantages Theatre photos from the Mott-Merge collection.
Pantages Theatre exteriors: exterior shortly before opening | from across the street | view from higher up | east side of building near Hollywood Blvd. | another view of east side of 2nd floor | east auditorium sidewall | sidewall including stagehouse | side of stagehouse | sidewall detail | detail, 2nd floor office building | top of building detail | another detail | night view of marquee and vertical | searchlights | architectural drawing of exterior
Boxoffice area: boxoffice | display cases | display case detail | ceiling and entrance doors behind boxoffice | another view of entrance doors
Entrance Foyer: foyer | another foyer view
Pantages Theatre Grand Lobby: Perhaps the most impressive of any Los Angeles theatre. Here's a view looking down the length of the lobby toward the west stairs . Auditorium is on the right.
Other lobby photos include: vista down the lobby | chandelier and ceiling detail | chandelier detail | looking up the stairs | stair detail | stairway view | another stairway view | statuary along stairway | view from midway up the stairs | statuary detail | south wall near stairs | detail at stairway | wall detail near stairs | sculptural detail near inner foyer | view toward inner foyer | another view into inner foyer
Inner Foyer, Rear of Main Floor: This is a view of one of the elaborate wall insets in the foyer at the rear of the main floor.
Other views of this area include: foyer looking west auditorium is to the right | sofa and wall detail | closer view of sofa | end of foyer | opposite end of foyer | sofa and wall detail | sofa | fountain and ceiling detail | another fountain view
Balcony Promenade and Foyers: mezzanine stairway into lobby below | mezzanine lounge with stairs up | corner of lounge | another lounge view | mezzanine lounge corner detail | lounge furniture | stairs up to balcony promenade | view along balcony promenade | balcony promenade furniture detail
Lounge areas: lounge view | lounge with view of fountain |fountain detail | lounge center table | lounge corner view | lounge looking toward lavatory |
looking into another lounge | lounge corner | lounge corner detail | lounge furniture detail |
Ladies' Lounge areas: Here's a dazzling view of the mirrors in one of the ladies' cosmetics rooms.
Other views: another ladies' cosmetics room | furniture detail |
ladies' smoking lounge | lounge wall detail | smoking lounge corner detail | furniture detail |
Men's Lounges: men's smoking lounge | lounge looking toward windows | table detail |
Pantages Theatre Auditorium near stage: Here's a view across the auditorium, one of the grandest in any Los Angeles theatre.
Other auditorium photos in the collection include: proscenium with waterfall curtain | fire curtain | another view with fire curtain | proscenium with film draperies | ceiling and top of proscenium | piano alcove house right | house right piano alcove and organ grille | closer view house right | house right wall from front of main floor | house left organ grille |
Auditorium rear and ceiling: from stage to rear of auditorium |
another view from stage - note seating fabric | view toward rear from front of main floor | another main floor view toward rear | from house left piano alcove | ceiling and booth front house left | ceiling and balcony toward house right | main chandelier detail | another chandelier detail |
Balcony views: looking across to house right | balcony sidewall detail |looking across to house left | lower balcony sidewall house left | ceiling at rear of balcony | balcony seating |
Stage: dimmer board | speaker system and pit note "Idea" scenery | closer view of speakers | mic set up in auditorium
Basement: heating system equipment
Pantages Office Building: entrance to building | lobby | another lobby view
Cinema Treasures
www.cinematreasures.org Here's a boxoffice shot (courtesy of the LA Public Library) that's on the Cinema Treasures Pantages Theatre page. See the history of the theatre by John Adey on this page as well. full size image
Flikr
www.flikr.com A nice lobby view by Somah. Check out lots more nice shots on Somah's Wicked photo set.
A detail of lobby sculpture, again by Somah.
Main auditorium chandelier detail by Mockturtle.
A chandelier photo by Robem
A ceiling view by Craig1Black.
From Script to DVD
www.fromscripttodvd.com This terrific site has a number of nice images of the Pantages Theatre. Here we see a side view of the auditorium from the LAPL collection showing the draping of proscenium and some auditorium areas for the engagement of Spartacus. full size view
A view of the proscenium in 1960.
For more go the site's Pantages Theatre page. The site also has a nice Photo Gallery of Los Angeles Theatres that were equipped for 70mm.
Hollywood Photographs
www.hollywoodphotographs.com The Bruce Torrance Hollywood Photograph Collection has many Los Angeles theatre photos for sale. This exterior viewof the Pantages is from the 1950 Academy Awards.
full size view Browse other Pantages Theatre photos on this site.
Historic LA
www.historicla.com An early view of the boxoffice area from the website of the Historic Resources Group, a firm specializing in historic preservation planning. full size image
Irwin Seating Co.
www.irwinseating.com Here's a picture of the main floor of the Pantages on Irwin's installations page showing off, naturally, the seats. full size image
Lite Makers
www.litemakers.com A nice view of the ceiling from the website of the supplier of some of the lighting fixtures for the recent renovation of the theatre.
A lobby view showing the lighted rail up the center of the stairs that was manufactured by this company.
Also on the Pantages section of this site: stairs to balcony
L.A. Public Library Photo Collection
www.lapl.org Here's a nice shot of an Academy Awards show at the Pantages from the library's collection.
Here's the exterior during construction.
More exteriors from the Library's collection: boxoffice | facade and marquee | changeable neon letters - Herman Schultheis photo |
Interior views: lobby looking west | another lobby view - 1930 | inner foyer furniture and mirror | 1929 proscenium and draperies | proscenium with waterfall draperies | proscenium masking - "Spartacus" -1960 | ceiling | balcony sidewall | piano alcove house right | looking to rear of auditorium -1929 | men's lounge
...plus there are about 70 more (including many of Academy Awards) if you care to browse the Library's website. A number of the interior shots in the LAPL collection (such as many views of the lounge areas) duplicate those in the California State Library Collection.
Local 33 - Backstage at the Pantages
www.ia33.org There are great backstage photos on this site belonging to I.A.T.S.E. Local 33, the Los Angeles stagehands union. Visit their Pantages Theatre page. full size image
Smoker's Hack
www.smokershack.wordpress.com This photo of the women's lounge is one of several on an article called "The Real Way to Smoke" celebrating the Pantages men's and women's smoking areas. full size image
An upstairs men's lounge at the Pantages. All of these lounge views are from the the Los Angeles public library Collection.
Another smoking lounge.
More Pantages photos from a variety of blogs...
www.pretallez.com/onstage/index.html
1959 Academy Awards
A street view during a Christmas parade.
UCLA Archives: Changing Times - LA in Pictures
http://unitproj.library.ucla.edu/dlib
From the UCLA Changing Times collection: 1959 Academy awards | Cleopatra 1963
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