Mary Poppins at Grauman’s

This image from October 1964 shows Disney’s “Mary Poppins” playing at the famed Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Released on August 27, 1964, the blockbuster hit continues to be a source of revenue for the Disney Corporation. A closeup of the posters on both sides of the theatre:



I could not match the style of the poster shown; the original one-sheet is slightly different from what Grauman’s has in their display case:



This publicity still can be seen in the case, lower right below the poster:



On the right side is a poster highlighting the cast of the film:



A few years back, I was able to see the original neon dragon from Grauman’s at the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale:



Switching gears to a very hot topic in the Disney community: the recently unveiled Walt Disney animatronic figure. The DSNY Newscast is one of many fan outlets that have released a video from the highly anticipated media preview. Kudos to Jack from DSNY for doing a great review of the figure and the show. It was much less dramatic and peppered with more thoughtful feedback than the Disney fan community usually gets. I read USA Today’s review and wondered if they had been sniffing glue beforehand, it was so over-the-top enthusiastic. Disney Imagineers created a slightly-walking-talking Walt Disney robot. It is apparent that there was a lot of work put into this figure, but it still does not transcend the creepy factor. More Stepford Wives than Walt Disney, the all-too-youthful sounding voice does not match the cigarette-scarred voice of the real man at the time of his life that this animatronic is supposed to represent. Had they let the animatronic smoke, I would have REALLY been impressed! Videos of Walt also show his motions as being much quicker than what the robot is capable of doing. I won’t pan the efforts as hard as what most Disney fans seem to be doing out there; when you attempt to re-create an iconic real person such as Walt Disney, the expectations are going to be higher than for someone like Abe Lincoln, for which none of us have ever seen in person. You are basically fighting a losing battle. I also want to applaud the efforts of Imagineers for making an attempt to keep the Man behind the Mouse in front of the public, so that he is able to stay “alive” and relevant for future generations.



I was really anxious to go to the Park to see this show in person (which debuts to the public tomorrow, July 17), but after seeing the video, the chances of that happening any time soon have been dampened. Hopefully the figure can be upgraded and the likeness of the face can be improved with time and feedback. We shall see…

See more Grauman’s Chinese Theatre photos at my main website.

Arrivederci, Hotel Hollywood

The Hotel Hollywood was a staple of Hollywood Boulevard for years, just about a block away from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. It opened December 1902, designed and built by Lyman Farwell and Oliver Perry Dennis for Hollywood developer H.J. Whitley. The photo above was taken some time before 1910 (for explanation of how I know this, keep reading!). The photo below, which appears to be from the 1940s, was used to accompany an October 1952 news story:

HOLLYWOOD’S OLDEST LANDMARK

The Hollywood Hotel, on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue, and the film capital’s oldest landmark, was at one time the show place of the stars and home for many of them. Part of the hotel was built in 1906, the rest 10 years later. Now the structure is occupied mostly by retired folk who like to sit on its porch and rock.



The below image from 1951 illustrates how the hotel had begun to suffer from deferred maintenance:



Below is a color shot from Christmas, 1954:



When I see photos of the large historic structure, it’s hard for me to believe that it was eventually removed. But, that’s what they do in Hollywood to its history. By the 1950s, the land it was on was worth more than the business, and so it was demolished in August 1956. Below is a shot from July, before the lot was completely cleared.



Oh, to have been there to salvage some of the items from that historic Mission Revival building!



In the corner, you can see Toff’s Diner, which was removed some time around the 1970s (don’t quote me on that!).



Originally, Hollywood Boulevard was called Prospect Avenue, as you can see from the detailed view from this post’s first photo:



By 1910, the town of Hollywood was incorporated into Los Angeles, and Prospect Avenue was officially renamed Hollywood Boulevard.

See more vintage and contemporary Hollywood photos at my main website.

A Tale of Two Capitans

The name “El Capitan” was used at different times for two different theatres at two different locations. It must have been a coveted name to have earned that distinction! In the first photo for today’s post from March 2002, we see what is the commonly known Hollywood Boulevard location. Edited from the El Capitan website:

1926: Dubbed "Hollywood's First Home of Spoken Drama" the El Capitan Theatre made its debut as the largest legitimate theatre in Hollywood on On May 3, 1926. Stars filled the 1,550 seat theatre for the premiere of the fresh-from-Broadway play CHARLOT'S REVUE, starring Jack Buchanan, Gertrude Lawrence and Beatrice Lillie.

1941: Business was faltering, and the theater then began showing movies. On May 8, 1941, Orson Welles premiered his first feature, and very controversial, film “Citizen Kane,” at the El Capitan Theatre. Welles was unable to locate a theater owner willing to risk screening his film so he turned to the El Capitan.



1942: The theater closed for a two month renovation and reopened in March 1942 as the Hollywood Paramount (it had been purchased by Paramount Pictures), a new, streamlined "art moderne" first run movie house. Its inaugural film presentation was Cecil B. DeMille's “Reap the Wild Wind.”

1989: The Walt Disney Company joined forces with Pacific Theatres and launched a two-year, remodel of the El Capitan Theatre. The remodel was led by renowned theatre designer Joseph J. Musil with the supervision of the National Park Service's Department of the Interior, and guidance from conservator Martin Weil and architect Ed Fields.

1991: The theatre reopened its doors to the public on June 19, 1991 for the world premiere of Walt Disney Pictures’ THE ROCKETEER.



In 2011, the 20th anniversary of the film, “The Rocketeer” was shown again at the El Capitan, with leading man Billy Campbell in attendance. I was there, too.



This vintage 1946 shot shows the OTHER El Capitan, just a few blocks away on Vine Street.



Originally known as The Hollywood Playhouse, it was designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style by the architectural firm of Gogarty and Weyl. During the Great Depression, the theatre was renamed The WPA Federal Theatre (after the Works Progress Administration), and used for government-sponsored programs. Later, the theatre hosted many CBS Radio Network programs, including Fanny Brice’s “Baby Snooks” show and Lucille Ball’s “My Favorite Husband” program (the precursor to “I Love Lucy”). In the 1940s, it was renamed The El Capitan Theatre, and used for a long-running live burlesque variety show called Ken Murray's Blackouts.



In the 1950s, the theatre became a television studio and it was from a set on its stage that Richard Nixon delivered his famous “Checkers speech” on September 23, 1952. This event is often mistakenly said (especially on the Internet) to have taken place at the other El Capitan. The theater was also home to The Colgate Comedy Hour, the Lawrence Welk Show, and This is Your Life. In 1963, ABC television used the theater for Jerry Lewis’ weekly TV program, and renamed it The Jerry Lewis Theatre. After the cancellation of Lewis’ show, ABC renamed the building the Hollywood Palace and launched The Hollywood Palace, a variety series which had guests such as Judy Garland (below in 1965), Groucho Marx, and Louis Armstrong.



The program was successful and continued for seven years until 1970, after which ABC continued to use the building as a studio for occasional broadcasts. In 1978, ABC sold the theatre to private businessman Dennis Lidtke, who restored it and reopened it four years later with an abridged name, The Palace. It can be seen in the film “Against All Odds.” The punk band The Ramones played their 2263rd and final show here on August 6th 1996. It was recorded for Billboard live for the album We’re Outta Here. The building was purchased by Hollywood Entertainment Partners in September 2002 and renamed The Avalon. Here’s how it currently looks:



A December 2014 shot of the other El Capitan:



See more vintage and contemporary Hollywood photos at my main website.

The Century Plaza

In August 2008, I spent one night at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City. Situated on property that was once the 20th Century-Fox lot, it originally opened in 1966 (without the “Hyatt Regency” in the name).



The hotel was host to a glittering list of stars and politicians, including Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Walt Disney, Ronald Reagan, and Richard Nixon. At the time I stayed there, it was two years into its ownership by Hyatt Hotels. Sold off in December 2008, the new owners planned to demolish the building but were thwarted because of its historic designation. Instead, they renovated the hotel and converted some of the floors to condos.



From 2016-2021, the hotel was closed for a $2.5 billion renovation, reopening on September 27, 2021 as the Fairmont Century Plaza.



I don’t remember much about my stay; it was only 24 hours, and most of that time was spent in Hollywood for “Wicked” at the Pantages Theatre.



Sharp-eyed movie viewers will recognize the curved façade of the hotel from the 1980 movie “9 to 5,” specifically the scene where Doralee (Dolly Parton) gets a phone call from Missy Hart (Marian Mercer) inadvertently letting her know that her husband Franklin (Dabney Coleman) is now on the loose.



Like I mentioned, I was mostly at the Pantages on Hollywood Boulevard:



These behind-the-scenes shots were taken during a tour of the theatre and show the sets for “Wicked.”







I was more impressed with the interior of the theatre itself than “Wicked”; I fell asleep mid-show, just like I did when I saw it on Broadway. The songs did not resonate with me and the story seemed contrived.



See more Century City photos at my main website.

Cement and Fur at Grauman’s

Just a quickie today as I am somewhat buried in a few projects right now. This unmarked 1950’s image shows a stylish gal all dressed up for her visit to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.



Can you imagine getting this dressed up to go to a movie? I need to go back there and get a corresponding contemporary shot. Just another project…

See more Grauman’s Chinese Theatre photos at my main website.

Monday with Musso & Frank

It had been seven years since my last visit to the oldest restaurant in Hollywood, Musso & Frank Grill. Would it disappoint? Had it been tarnished by the pandemic like so many other places that allowed their customer service and quality to slip in order to recoup the losses?



As far as the food and drink go, the answer is a resoundingly positive “no”; you can expect the same delicious food that patrons have been experiencing since it opened in 1919.



The atmosphere has not changed, either. You can still expect to see the historic murals, the phone booths where gossip columnists phoned in their stories, and the signature red leather booths.



This is where all the news was first broken:



The wedge salad was out of this world; just the right balance of iceberg lettuce and tasty toppings:



The Chicken Parmesan was tender and delicious; definitely one of the best I have ever had.



I tried the new signature desert, the Club 1919 Sundae, named after the year the restaurant was founded. It’s the Musso and Frank take on Bananas Foster, made with California ice cream. It’s all in the details.



Note the anniversary drink stirrer, celebrating the 100 year anniversary (well, technically 103 years, but the pandemic obviously screwed everything up).



The one disappointment had to do with the staff. Our waiter had been there for six years, but I can’t say that’s a positive thing. Perhaps Josh was having a bad night. He forgot to bring my cocktail; once reminded, he rushed off to get it and promptly brought it back without an apology. At the end of the meal (with no checking in after our dinners were served), he hastily dumped a complimentary dessert in front of me saying it was for forgetting my drink. While it was nice to have the free dessert, his lack of service during the meal was not customary for the Musso & Frank I experienced in the past. One other sour note came from General Manager, Andrea Scuto. I walked Melissa (aka “The Colonel”) to the restroom so she wouldn’t get lost. The previous time I was at Musso & Frank in 2015, I took pictures of the architectural details (as I so often do). The Manager on duty at the time came up to me and offered to give me a tour around while I took my photos and even explained many of the historic details that I would have missed had he not done so. That was not the case with Scuto. He told me in no uncertain terms that I should not be taking photos as it was not allowed. While I understand the policy (to protect certain guests from “paparazzi”), I am also aware that there are many ways to deliver the same message and his tone with me (a paying guest) was extremely rude and accusatory. Anyone with two eyes could see my camera was aimed at the top of the phone booth and nowhere near any patrons. As I continued to stand near the phone booth, waiting for Melissa to return from the restroom, he paced by a few times to make sure I wasn’t taking pictures, eyes glaring at my camera. Next thing I knew he was whispering to another Manager and not very subtly motioning towards me. As soon as Melissa returned, I walked over to the other Manager and let him know how rude Scuto had been. He was very apologetic and when we were finished our meal, checked in at our table to see how the meal was and then toured us around the restaurant, showing us some of the banquet rooms and discussing the history of the restaurant. THAT’S how you do customer service. Would I go back? Of course. The overall experience was very good; you can’t judge a place on two bad apples.

See more Musso & Frank photos at my main website.

1 out of 3 at the Hollywood Hotel

Three hopeful starlets can be seen in this 1937 photo taken on the porch of the Hollywood Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard, but only one achieved stardom. Can you guess which one?



If you guessed the girl in the center, you’d be correct, as she’s Lana Turner, who played the part of Cora, the femme fatale in “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1946).



If you’re not familiar with the Hollywood Hotel, it’s another historic landmark that bit the dust for the sake of “progress.” Here’s a color image from 1954:



It was located next door to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre; you can see the corner of it on the right side of this shot from 1951:



Now you see it, now you don’t, in this 1956 view:



Breaks my heart.



See more Hollywood photos at my main website.