Hawaii Theatre
5941 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
5941 Hollywood Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90028
20 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Architects: Carl G. Moeller, Clarence J. Smale
Functions: Church
Styles: Atmospheric, Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Hawaii Music Hall
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Nov 11, 2010 — All About The Music Box & Hawaii Theaters
The Hawaii Theatre was opened on 6th May 1940 with Raymond Massey in “Abe Lincoln in Illinois”(aka “Spirit of the People”) and Jean Hersholt in “Courageous Dr. Christian”. It was designed by architect Carl Moeller, with Clarence G. Smale acting as consultant architect. The exterior of the Hawaii Theatre was dressed with a tropical mural over the box marquee. Round glass walls proceded onto the sidewalk flanking either side of the front entrance.
Inside, the auditorium was decorated with tropical jungle murals and had a simple Atmospheric style effect on the ceiling to continue the theatre’s theme. All seating was on a single level.
On August 8, 1945 it was renamed Hawaii Music Hall, playing Burgess Meredith in “Story of G.I. Joe”. The theatre was closed in July 1963 and was gutted to be converted into the Salvation Army Tabernacle in 1965. It remains their Hollywood headquarters. Renovations were carried out to the building in 2015.
Contributed by
W Housos, Donald John Long
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Recent comments (view all 59 comments)
My father took me to movies there in the 60’s. I remember going to see The Guns of Navaronne there. The parking lot was in the back and you walked down this hallway that ran alongside the building and there were footprints painted on the floor leading to the box office. We thought that was fun to try and walk in the footprints!! I don’t remember the interior though. I think for a while they ran all night movies there in the late 60’s. We went after the clubs closed and saw Wait Until Dark one night. Although that could have been the World Theater nearer to Gower.
Having the salvation army using this location is a good choice.
1940 premiere of “Rebecca”. Photo added via Susan Milner‎.
Article from Showmen’s Trade Review about the opening of the Hawaii: http://www.archive.org/stream/showmenstraderev32lewi#page/n499/mode/2up/
The last time I went to this site, in 2012, the building was closed up and it appeared as if it were either vacant or being used as a storage facility. A sad end to a formerly beautiful theater – but this is unfortunately very often the case with most picture palaces of the past.
The Salvation Army took possession of the property in 1964 and gutted it and renovated it into a church in 1965 where they have remained to this day. The church was closed in 2010 for repairs and renovations, and reopened in early 2015 as it appears today as Ejercito de Salvacion, a Spanish-language church operated by the Salvation Army.
The first movie shown at the Hawaii Theater when it first opened on May 9, 1940 was “ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS”. The theater had a gala Grand Opening event with lots of publicity.
1959 photo added, credit Willy Rizzo.
Link with multiple photos not previously posted.
https://losangelestheatres.blogspot.com/2017/02/hawaii-theatre.html?fbclid=IwAR0-jNQ5G7G36HCzKTax11m8QLDs3Hpzazxo5zKwU2uLTHhc7iEczCfRGPg
Now a Salivation Army center.