Warner Grand Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Warner Grand Theatre is an historic movie palace
which was opened on January 20, 1931. It is located in San Pedro, California, at 478 West 6th Street in the United States of America.
The design of the Warner Grand Theatre was a collaboration by architect B. Marcus Priteca
and interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen
, in the Art Deco
—Moderne
style. It was one of three similarly lavish Los Angeles area art-deco movie palaces on which Priteca and Heinsbergen collaborated for the Warner Bros.
company in the early 1930s. The others were located in Beverly Hills
, and Huntington Park
. Priteca later designed Hollywood's famous Pantages Theatre
.
The Warner Beverly Hills Theatre has been demolished, and the Huntington Park Warner, closed for many years, has been extensively altered, leaving the Grand as the last of the three original theaters remaining intact. By the mid-1990s it had suffered a lengthy period of neglect, despite having been declared a historical and cultural monument of the city in 1982.
The theater was facing possible demolition or re-development when, in 1995, a local group of activists formed the Grand Vision Foundation to work for the preservation of the historic building. Their efforts were successful when the theater was purchased by the Cultural Affairs Department
(later renamed the Department of Cultural affairs) of the City of Los Angeles in 1996. Efforts to both restore and program the theater have been ongoing since the acquisition. That same year, the Grand Vision Foundation incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, to preserve and promote the Warner Grand Theatre. In 1999, the Warner was added to the National Register of Historic Places
as building #98001633.
Warner Grand Theatre currently hosts foreign films, art films and family films presented by Cinema Grand, Grand Vision Foundation and Los Angeles Harbor International Film Festival. Two organizations have also claimed residence at the Warner Grand, Golden State Pops Orchestra
and The Relevant Stage: San Pedro's Musical Theatre Company.
The Warner Grand Theatre is a facility of City of Los Angeles. For rental/booking information please call the business office at (310) 548-2493.
Jack Warner
called it "The Castle of Your Dreams." The Warner Grand Theatre has also been used as a location in some movies, including "Pearl Harbor
" in 2001.
Movie palace
A movie palace is a term used to refer to the large, elaborately decorated movie theaters built between the 1910s and the 1940s. The late 1920s saw the peak of the movie palace, with hundreds opened every year between 1925 and 1930.There are three building types in particular which can be subsumed...
which was opened on January 20, 1931. It is located in San Pedro, California, at 478 West 6th Street in the United States of America.
The design of the Warner Grand Theatre was a collaboration by architect B. Marcus Priteca
B. Marcus Priteca
Benjamin Marcus Priteca was born in Glasgow, Scotland. A theater architect, he is best-known for his work for Alexander Pantages. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1907 and later attended the Royal College of Art...
and interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen
Anthony Heinsbergen
Anthony Heinsbergen was an American muralist considered the foremost designer of North American movie theatre interiors....
, in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
—Moderne
Streamline Moderne
Streamline Moderne, sometimes referred to by either name alone or as Art Moderne, was a late type of the Art Deco design style which emerged during the 1930s...
style. It was one of three similarly lavish Los Angeles area art-deco movie palaces on which Priteca and Heinsbergen collaborated for the Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
company in the early 1930s. The others were located in Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
, and Huntington Park
Huntington Park, California
Huntington Park is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 58,114, down from 61,348 at the 2000 census.- History :...
. Priteca later designed Hollywood's famous Pantages Theatre
Pantages Theatre (Hollywood)
The Pantages Theatre, formerly known as RKO Pantages Theatre, is located at Hollywood and Vine , Hollywood, California, USA. Designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca, it was the last theater built by the vaudeville impresario Alexander Pantages...
.
The Warner Beverly Hills Theatre has been demolished, and the Huntington Park Warner, closed for many years, has been extensively altered, leaving the Grand as the last of the three original theaters remaining intact. By the mid-1990s it had suffered a lengthy period of neglect, despite having been declared a historical and cultural monument of the city in 1982.
City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department
The City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department is the official Los Angeles, California, USA arts council.The agency approves the design of structures built on or over City property and accepts works of art to be acquired by the City...
(later renamed the Department of Cultural affairs) of the City of Los Angeles in 1996. Efforts to both restore and program the theater have been ongoing since the acquisition. That same year, the Grand Vision Foundation incorporated as a 501(c)(3) charitable corporation, to preserve and promote the Warner Grand Theatre. In 1999, the Warner was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as building #98001633.
Warner Grand Theatre currently hosts foreign films, art films and family films presented by Cinema Grand, Grand Vision Foundation and Los Angeles Harbor International Film Festival. Two organizations have also claimed residence at the Warner Grand, Golden State Pops Orchestra
Golden State Pops Orchestra
The Golden State Pops Orchestra is a symphony pops orchestra located in the San Pedro district of Los Angeles, California in the United States of America. The GSPO is the resident orchestra of the Warner Grand Theatre, an Art Deco movie palace built by Warner Brothers Studios in 1931...
and The Relevant Stage: San Pedro's Musical Theatre Company.
The Warner Grand Theatre is a facility of City of Los Angeles. For rental/booking information please call the business office at (310) 548-2493.
Jack Warner
Jack Warner
Jack Leonard "J. L." Warner , born Jacob Warner in London, Ontario, was a Canadian American film executive who was the president and driving force behind the Warner Bros. Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California...
called it "The Castle of Your Dreams." The Warner Grand Theatre has also been used as a location in some movies, including "Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor (film)
Pearl Harbor is a 2001 American action drama war film directed by Michael Bay and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Randall Wallace, who wrote the screenplay...
" in 2001.
See also
- List of Registered Historic Places in Los Angeles
- List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in the Harbor area