In 1964, The Beatles had their first West Coast performance in the building at 1735 N. Vine Street, prior to their appearance at the Hollywood Bowl. In 2006, that classic, world-famous music and entertainment venue situated just north of the renowned intersection of Hollywood and Vine looks to the future even as its storied history deserves a look back.
Born as the Hollywood Playhouse, the building opened as one of Los Angeles" first and most lavish legitimate theatres on January 24, 1927 with a production of "Alias The Deacon," starring 1920s matinee idol Burton Churchill. Many theatrical productions followed, including the West Coast premiere of Ibsen"s "An Enemy Of The People."
As the excitement and glamour of the Roaring "20s passed into the Great Depression years of the "30s, the theatre continued to present contemporary drama under the auspices of the government-sponsored Works Progress Administration, thus renaming the building The WPA Federal Theatre.
The advent of radio brought many CBS Radio Network programs to its stage, including the infamous Fanny Brice with her "Baby Snooks" show and Lucille Ball"s "My Favorite Husband." With the dawning of the "40s came a new name and spirit. Now called the El Capitan Theatre, the building opened with "Ken Murray"s Blackouts," a live variety/burlesque show which played 3,844 performances--a record that has remained unbroken since 1949.
The "50s brought television to the El Capitan.
In 1963, the building was again renamed, dubbed The Jerry Lewis Theatre to house the comedian"s weekly ABC-TV variety series. When the program failed, ABC raised a more classic title onto the marquee, The Hollywood Palace, and launched its hit "Hollywood Palace" series with a kaleidoscope of show business greats--from Judy Garland to Louis Armstrong. Through seven successful years three things remained constant: season premieres hosted by Bing Crosby, a weekly all-star line-up unrivaled by any television presentation before or since, and ratings that made Nielsen history.
The Hollywood Palace also continued to feature music concerts, among them The Beatles" noted performance (over the years, each ex-Beatle would also take the stage as a solo artist). !" Though the "Hollywood Palace" series was canceled in 1970, the name and the theatre lived on as an ABC studio where variety shows were produced featuring Fred Astaire, Jimmy Durante and Pearl Bailey. Subsequently, Merv Griffin would settle in with his popular talk show.
After Griffin moved his program into its own facility down the street, The Hollywood Palace remained dark until a local businessman purchased the property in 1978. After four years of careful planning, painstaking restoration and massive refurbishing, the theatre opened once again, this time with only a truncated name--The Palace.
Rebuilt as a multimedia facility, The Palace became the consummate concert venue and nightclub in town. As a five-night-a-week mega dance club featuring the largest light and sound system in Los Angeles, The Palace was the West Coast version of New York"s infamous Studio 54.
Prince, Madonna, The Rolling Stones and others regularly came to party at The Palace. (Olivia Newton John even had her wedding reception there.)
Some bands, like The Rolling Stones, Prince, Tina Turner, and Oingo Boingo performed there just because it was The Palace.
The "90s brought a new owner and its stage played a role in the ever-evolving music scene. Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Soundgarden headlined. Nine Inch Nails and The Beastie Boys performed multiple nights to kick off their world tours. Dance nights reflected changing musical influences by hosting some of the best known DJs in the world, such as Frankie Knuckles, Goldie, and The Dust Brothers. The Palace also played host to many movie premiere and wrap parties, industrial events and awards shows. Famous politicians too appeared at noteworthy Palace events; during one, President Bill Clinton gave his historic "don"t ask, don"t tell" speech.
In September 2002, the venue was purchased by Hollywood Entertainment Partners (principals: Steve Adelman and John Lyons). In their hands, 1735 N. Vine Street will continue to make history in the new millennium as an entertainment facility embodying the glamour of the past while embracing the future of Hollywood.
