Wiltern Theatre
3790 Wilshire Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90010
3790 Wilshire Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90010
46 people favorited this theater
Showing 126 - 134 of 134 comments
WHAT SUNDAY IN MARCH 2003 WAS THE JAHEIM CONCERT HELD AT THE WILTERN THEATER???
Such a beautiful and unique theatre. Easily one of my favorites just by looking! 2 cheers for restoration!
To see a 1931 exterior view (grand opening) of the Warner Bros Western click here:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015653.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015655.jpg
To see a 1931 interior view of the Warner Bros Western click here:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015656.jpg
This site is such a great resource. As student of interior design I have just found my calling.
I was lucky enough to see the Rolling Stones at the Wiltern (!), and was so overwhelmed by the interiors I spent just as much time looking around, as at the band. Thanks.
In the late 70’s Paramount Pictures made a film called “American Hot Wax”. They redressed the Wiltern Theatre to look like the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre for the Rock and Roll concerts that DJ Allen Freed held. Paramount placed new neon on the vertical theatre sign and marquee. And Universal used the Wiltern for “Streets of Fire” and Chuck Norris used it for a location of one of his movies.
How do you say you fell in love with a theatre…hehe…well, the first time I saw this place in about 1940, I just could not get enough of it, I could use superlatives all day about it. I was in the “attic” area once, and I swear, you could have put a small one story two bedroom house up there. The one place I always recognize, besides the front, is that long metal ramp at the rear on the west side. In the movie made just a few years back, The Shadow, with Alec Baldwin, I saw that ramp with a 1946 Ford police car by it, and knew it right away. Yes, I will always remember that place, and long may it live.
The theater opened 0ctober 7, 1931. Building Architects were Morgan,Walls & Clements. Theater architect was G. Albert Lansburgh, along with theater decorator Anthony Heinsbergen.
This theatre opened as the Warner Bros. WESTERN theatre. The theatre is located at the corner of Western and Wilshire Blvd. (Wiltern). An Art Deco delight. The organ in the Wiltern came from another local Warner House just south of it on Pico Blvd. (The Forum theatre). The last chain to operate the Wiltern was Pacific Theatres. Just before this was to close, Pacific removed the organ and placed it in storage (as of the mid 80’s).
Nice Web Site. I’ve been in most of the great L.A. theaters that you have listed here. Seeking some information about Wiltern is what brought me to your site.
BTW – the Wiltern seats 2,200, balcony included and, to my knowledge, it still has its Wurlitzer pipe organ. The organ was restored by the American Theater Organ Society (ATOS) years ago. My father used to take me to ATOS concerts at the Wiltern.
If I can be of any help (photos, info, etc.) for your web site, please let me know.