Hollywood in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
El Capitan Theatre
& Office Building
Photographed By Craig Baker, August 26, 2023
1. El Capitan Theatre Marker
Spanish Baroque Revival style. Architects - Morgan, Walls & Clements. Built 1926. Declared 1990, Historic-Cultural Monument No. 495, City of Los Angeles, Cultural Heritage Commission, Cultural Affairs Department.
Contributing structure, Hollywood Boulevard Commercial & Entertainment District, National Register of Historic Places.
Erected 1990 by City of Los Angeles. (Marker Number 495.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, and the National Register of Historic Places series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1926.
Location. 34° 6.087′ N, 118° 20.384′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Hollywood. Marker is on Hollywood Boulevard west of Highland Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6838 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90028, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A different marker also named The El Capitan Theatre (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named El Capitan Theatre (a few steps from this marker); The Masonic Temple
this page online
Regarding El Capitan Theatre. In the early 1920s, real estate developer Charles E. Toberman, the "Father of Hollywood," was involved in 36 projects while building the Max Factor Building, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and the Hollywood Masonic Temple. With Sid Grauman, he opened the three themed theaters: Egyptian (1922), El Capitan (1926), and Chinese (1927).
The El Capitan theater is built into a six-story office building. The design featured an exterior done in California Churrigueresque style of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture designed by Stiles O. Clements of the architectural firm of Morgan, Walls & Clements, and mixed interior by G. Albert Lansburgh. The interior is a lavish East Indian in the main auditorium,
Photographed By Craig Baker, August 26, 2023
2. El Capitan Theatre Marker
El Capitan, dubbed "Hollywood's First Home of Spoken Drama," began presenting live performances on May 3, 1926.
By the late 1930s, El Capitan felt the economic effects of the Depression, showcasing fewer and fewer productions. As a result, the theater began showing movies. When Orson Welles was unable to locate a theater owner willing to risk screening Citizen Kane, he turned to the El Capitan, and in 1941, Citizen Kane had its world premiere there. The theater then closed for one year as Paramount Pictures purchased the theater. The building was remodeled in the modern style, with the decor covered with curtains and removing the box-seat balconies. The theater reopened in 1942 as the Hollywood Paramount Theater. (in 1975 I saw the movie Jaws at the Paramount. -CB) Late in the 1980s, Disney purchased a controlling stake, leading to Disney's Buena Vista Theaters renovating the El Capitan Theatre by 1989. They spent $14 million on a complete renovation of the Paramount, restoring much of the building's original decor as well as the theater's original name. El Capitan reopened in 1991. The 1992 National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation was bestowed on the restorers of the theater.
After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, the entire building was refurbished
Photographed By Craig Baker, August 26, 2023
3. El Capitan Theatre Marker
In July 1998, Buena Vista Pictures purchased the Masonic Temple next door to use it as a promotional venue for its movie premieres. Since 2003, it has been the home of ABC's late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live.
In November 2013, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop co-located with the Disney Studio Store next to the theater in the El Capitan building.
The refurbished theater features a large Wurlitzer theatre organ originally installed in San Francisco's Fox Theatre in 1929. Below the theater is a small exhibit space, often used to display props from the films, such as costumes or set pieces.
Photographed By Craig Baker, August 26, 2023
4. El Capitan Theatre & Office Building
Credits. This page was last revised on November 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 29, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 85 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 29, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
