Theater in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
The
Hollywood Palladium
is a
theater
located at 6215
Sunset Boulevard
in the
Hollywood
neighborhood of
Los Angeles
,
California
, United States. It was built in a
Streamline Moderne
,
[1]
Art Deco
style and includes an 11,200-square-foot (1,040 m
2
) dance floor including a mezzanine and a floor level with room for up to 4,000 people. The theater was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
in 2016. The Palladium was designated
Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument
No. 1130 on September 28, 2016.
History
[
edit
]
Los Angeles Times
publisher
Norman Chandler
funded the construction of the
art deco
Hollywood Palladium at a cost of $1.6 million in 1940.
[2]
It was built where the original
Paramount
lot once stood between Argyle and El Centro avenues,
[3]
and was operated by film producer
Maurice Cohen
. The dance hall was designed by
Gordon Kaufmann
, architect of the
Greystone Mansion
, the
Los Angeles Times
Building and the
Santa Anita Racetrack
in
Arcadia
.
[1]
He was also the architect for the
Hoover Dam
and early
Caltech
dorms.
[3]
The ballroom opened on October 31, 1940
[2]
with a dance featuring
Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra
and band vocalist
Frank Sinatra
.
[3]
It had six bars serving liquor and two more serving soft drinks and a $1 cover charge and a $3 charge for dinner.
[3]
During World War II, the Palladium hosted radio broadcasts featuring
Betty Grable
greeting servicemens' song requests. Big Band acts began losing popularity in the 1950s, causing the Palladium to hold charity balls, political events, auto shows, and rock concerts. In 1961, it became the home of the long-running
Lawrence Welk Show
.
[2]
[4]
From 1955?1976, the venue was the scene of Latin Music Orchestras for ragers sponsored by radio personality Chico Sesma titled
Latin Holidays
, featuring childhood friend
Ray Vasquez
Recording Artist, Lead Vocalist and Trombonist. The Tito Puente Orchestra performed regularly between 1957-1977 to sold-out houses of 5000.
[5]
President
John F. Kennedy
attended a dinner given in his honor by the California Democratic Party at the Palladium on November 18, 1961.
In 1964, it was announced that none of the jazz bands scheduled were to be paid and a riot ensued after the show was cancelled.
[3]
The Joe Loco Orchestra and show performed on the March 1965 Latin Holiday with singer/dancer Josephine "Josie" Powell.
Pop Expo '69, referred to as a "teenage fair," was a youth-oriented event held from 28 March to 6 April 1969 at the Palladium, and included performances by
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
and the
MC5
.
In 1973, Stevie Wonder performed with
Taj Mahal
in what was advertised as an "Afrocentric concert" to benefit African refugees.
[3]
Beginning in the 1980s and 1990s,
punk rock
,
rap
and
heavy metal
concerts started to be booked at the venue. Several violent disturbances resulted, eventually leading to the Palladium closing for eight weeks, starting in February 1993.
[6]
Since 1985, the theater has been owned by Palladium Investors Ltd., a privately held group. Curfews were implemented in 1993 and a show by
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch
was called off because of a brawl that occurred a few nights earlier. It was also used for Hollywood celebrity parties.
[3]
Renovation and reopening
[
edit
]
In 2007, the owners agreed to a long-term lease to operate, manage and exclusively book the Hollywood Palladium with
Live Nation
, a Los Angeles-based company.
[7]
The Palladium reopened with a
Jay-Z
concert on October 15, 2008 after a year-long, multimillion-dollar renovation by Live Nation.
[8]
The renovation included an overhaul of the venue's interior and exterior, a new dance floor, expanded concessions, upgraded restrooms and improvements to the stage infrastructure. Jay-Z performed for nearly an hour-and-half, backed by an eight-piece band and
DJ AM
, who played his first show after surviving a plane crash in South Carolina.
[7]
The Hollywood Palladium was also used as the memorial service site for DJ AM on September 3, 2009.
[9]
For the 2008?2009 season, a yearlong table for four cost $30,000.
[3]
Residential expansion
[
edit
]
The
Los Angeles City Council
approved an expansion of the Palladium property parking lot in March 2016. The plan consists of two 28-story residential towers that surrounds the Palladium, standing 350 feet (110 m) tall and creating 731 condominiums, 24,000-square-foot (2,200 m
2
) of store-front retail space, and a below grade-parking garage. The Towers were designed by Stanley Saitowits of Natoma Architects for developer Crescent Heights. The L-shaped design resembles and echoes the design of the Palladium.
The local
AIDS Healthcare Foundation
(AHF) filed a lawsuit in 2016 citing over development and improper approval process. One of many local lawsuits filed by AHF president Michael Weinstein.
[10]
In August 2018, the district court ruled all steps were taken during
EIR/DEIR
. The AHF filed an appeal.
[11]
The AHF lost the appeal in November 2019 and Crescent Heights plans to proceed.
[12]
In popular culture
[
edit
]
The Hollywood Palladium has been featured in many films and television productions over the years:
- The Hollywood Palladium exterior, with its iconic Art Deco facade, served as the fictional sound stage for
Aaron Sorkin's
2006-2007 ensemble television drama
Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip
.
- The Day of the Locust
(1975).
[13]
- The last scene of the series finale of
Adam-12
was filmed at the Palladium in 1975. Officer Jim Reed, played by
Kent McCord
received the
Los Angeles Police Department
Medal of Valor
for saving Officer Pete Malloy, played by
Martin Milner
.
[14]
- Skatetown, U.S.A.
(1979).
[15]
[16]
- The final concert scene in
The Blues Brothers
depicted as "Palace Hotel Ballroom". The exterior was actually the
South Shore Country Club
in
Chicago
. (1980).
[3]
- Richard Pryor
performed two dates in December 1981 and was filmed for the theatrical release
Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip
in March 1982.
- The A-Team
, season 4, episode 6 "The Heart of Rock N' Roll" shows the theater being used for concerts by
Rick James
and
Isaac Hayes
(character C.J. Mack).
[17]
- Keith Richards
released a CD and DVD of his solo concert
Live at the Hollywood Palladium, December 15, 1988
.
- The
punk
band
Bad Religion
recorded
Live at the Palladium
in 2006, a collection from their two days of performances.
- Thrash Metal
band
Megadeth
filmed a live DVD based on the 20th anniversary of their album
Rust in Peace
at The Palladium.
- Luna Sea
performed their first American concert at the Palladium on December 4, 2010. It was recorded in
3D
and released as both a live album and
concert film
,
Luna Sea 3D in Los Angeles
.
[18]
- In 2016,
Dave Chappelle
filmed his
Netflix
special at the Palladium.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
Rasmussen, Cecelia (October 7, 2007).
"Palladium keeps in swing of things"
.
Los Angeles Times
. p. B2
. Retrieved
February 6,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
c
Jezek, George Ross; Wanamaker, Marc (October 1, 2002).
Hollywood: Past and Present
. San Diego, Calif.: George Ross Jezek Photography & Publishing. pp. 92?93.
ISBN
978-0970103611
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
Sterling, Scott T. (October 15, 2008). "Light it Up! The Rad Return of a Hollywood Gem".
Metromix Los Angeles
.
- ^
"The Hollywood Palladium"
.
Wikimapia
. Retrieved
September 27,
2009
.
- ^
Powell, Josephine (2010).
Tito Puente: When The Drums Are Dreaming
Author House. pp 138-242.
ISBN
978-1452072746
. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
- ^
Hochman, Steve (December 14, 1994).
"Palladium Security Reflects the Reality of Rock 'n' Roll"
.
Los Angeles Times
. Retrieved
December 29,
2020
.
- ^
a
b
Peters, Mitchell (October 16, 2008).
"Jay-Z Christens New Hollywood Palladium"
.
Billboard
. Archived from
the original
on November 19, 2013.
- ^
Willman, Chris (October 16, 2008).
"Jay-Z reopens the Hollywood Palladium"
.
Entertainment Weekly
. Retrieved
December 29,
2020
.
- ^
Bryant, Adam (September 2, 2009).
"DJ AM Funeral and Burial to Be Held Wednesday"
.
TV Guide
. Retrieved
September 4,
2009
.
- ^
Sharp, Steven (July 13, 2018).
"Hollywood's Palladium Development Score a Legal Victory"
.
Urbanize Los Angeles
. Retrieved
January 20,
2020
.
- ^
"L.A. City Council Approves Palladium Residences"
.
Urbanize Los Angeles
. March 23, 2016
. Retrieved
December 29,
2020
.
- ^
"Hollywood Palladium"
.
Urbanize Los Angeles
. Retrieved
January 20,
2020
.
- ^
Lawson, Kristan; Rufus, Anneli (September 24, 2013).
California Babylon: A Guide to Site of Scandal, Mayhem and Celluloid in the Golden State
. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 35?36.
ISBN
978-1466854147
.
- ^
"Something Worth Dying For: Part 2"
,
IMDb
, retrieved
May 2,
2020
- ^
"Skatetown U.S.A."
IMDb
. October 1, 1979
. Retrieved
June 27,
2018
.
- ^
"Skatetown U.S.A."
AFI Catalog
. Retrieved
December 29,
2020
.
- ^
https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?locations=Hollywood+Palladium+-+6215+Sunset+Blvd.%2C+Hollywood%2C+Los+Angeles%2C+California%2C+USA
[
user-generated source
]
- ^
"LUNA SEA announces the release date for their 3D live movie"
.
Tokyo Hive
. April 30, 2011
. Retrieved
2011-06-11
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
- The Beverly Hilton
(1959?1965)
- Hollywood Palladium
(1971, 1974, 1976?1977)
- Madison Square Garden
(1972, 1997, 2003, 2018)
- Tennessee Theatre
(1973)
- Uris Theatre
(1975)
- Shrine Auditorium
(1978?1980, 1982?1987, 1989?1990, 1993, 1995?1996, 1999)
- Radio City Music Hall
(1981, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1998)
- Crypto.com Arena
(2000?2002, 2004?2017, 2019?2020, 2023?present)
- Los Angeles Convention Center
(2021)
- MGM Grand Garden Arena
(2022)
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