Renaissance of
El Capitan Theatre
Hollywood, California
From the November/December 1999 issue of the ATOS journal, Theatre Organ
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In a joint effort between Pacific Theatres and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc., the venerable El Capitan Theatre (formerly the Paramount) on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles has been completely restored as a showcase for first-run motion pictures. After a painstaking two-year restoration, under the supervision of the National Parks Service and the guidance of design architect Joseph J. Musil, the building has undergone a complete renaissance. Boasting a patron seating capacity of approximately 1,100 (evenly split between the downstairs auditorium and the balcony), audiences view 35mm and 70mm motion pictures projected onto a 42' x 20' screen in a historic atmosphere the likes of which have not been seen in over half a century. The only auditorium of this kind in Los Angeles to ever be restored as a picture palace, the El Capitan features state-of-the-art projection equipment and display, as well as TFIX and Cinema Digital Sound capabilities.
By the late 1930s however, the El Capitan felt the economic effects of the Depression, showcasing fewer and fewer productions. This period saw a cycle of experimentation with entertainment. In an effort to boost attendance to the theatre, revues, road shows and benefits were the main lure. Despite these efforts, however, the El Capitan was faltering. When Orson Welles was unable to locate a theatre owner willing to risk screening Citizen Kane in 1941, he turned to the El Capitan for the world premiere of his first feature film, foretelling the theatre's future. Soon, stage circuit promoters Fanchon & Marco convinced Paramount Hollywood Theatre Corporation to refurbish the El Capitan as a movie house. Thus, the theatre closed in 1941, and was reborn on March 18, 1942 as the Paramount Theatre. Its inaugural film presentation was Cecil B. DeMille's Technicolor feature Reap the Wild Wind, starring Ray Milland, John Wayne, Paulette Goddard and Raymond Massey. Over the next four decades, the theatre attracted audiences with such classic motion pictures as Incendiary Blonde starring Betty Hutton, Sunset Blvd. starring Gloria Swanson, War and Peace with Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda, Gigi, Vertigo, Cimarron and The Music Man, among many others. The theatre's management also changed several times, and by the end of the 1980s, the Paramount had become rundown. Like most of the picture palaces built between 1925-1930, the Paramount seemed destined to be lost to ravages of age. However, in 1989, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. and Pacific Theatres initiated a restoration project that would return the theatre to its early elegance. Under the guidance of the National Parks Service, the ensuing two-year restoration process included removal of over 30 tons of asbestos, and recruitment of 30 subcontractors and 200 artisans of every talent to bring the theatre back to its original magnificence. The Early Years of the El Capitan Theatre The genesis of this renaissance began inauspiciously enough with the 1902 arrival in Los Angeles of Charles E. Toberman, a native Texan who would become one of Hollywood's great real estate developers. A savvy businessman, Toberman started his first land development business in 1907, and by the time he was 49, had developed and subdivided parts of Hollywood, the Fairfax area, North Hollywood, West Hollywood and a portion of Beverly Hills, making him a millionaire many times over. His building development projects included the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the Max Factor Building and the Hollywood Masonic Temple. In 1924 or 1925, through Toberman's Hollywood Improvement Company, renowned theatre architect G. Albert Lansburgh of San Francisco, and the firm of Morgan, Walls & Clements of Los Angeles, were commissioned to draw up plans for a new legitimate stage theatre in Hollywood, to be named the El Capitan. Lansburgh, considered the dean of American theatre architecture, had previously designed San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre (1921) and the Warfield (1922), among many others throughout the country. He would later design the Warner's Western Theatre in 1931 Simultaneously, Edward D. Smith, a veteran East Coast showman and producer from Boston, who served as general manager for the Schubert Organization, was making the trek to California to oversee construction and management of the Biltmore Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, for the Erlanger theatre empire. Before the El Capitan was completed in 1926, Smith leased the property for a then staggering $5,000 per month. Noted interior decorator John B. Smeraldi, whose work also includes the Biltmore Hotel and Theatre in Los Angeles, and the Miami Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida, among many others, was awarded the interior design responsibilities for the El Capitan. Together, these pioneers collaborated on what was described as a six-story class A steel and concrete structure decorated along Spanish renaissance lines Celebrating its official grand opening May 3, 1926, with a stage production of Chariot's Revue of 1926, staged by London producer Andre Chariot, the theatre was cause for much public celebration. As was the theatre design custom of the day, the architects of the El Capitan sought to impress theatergoers with an elaborately decorated lobby and auditorium, aiming to create a showplace with all the trappings of the rich A tour of the El Capitan Theatre at this time would have revealed that the box office foyer (designed by architects Morgan, Walls and Clements) carried through the same motif used on the exterior of the building. Three box office windows were built into the right/west side of the room, with elaborate and intricately designed wrought iron decorations around the windows, over the entrance doors and around poster cases. The elaborately decorated ceiling was about 20 feet high. Moving into the lobby, which was comparatively subdued in design, the walls were of stone finish while the ceiling boasted fanciful stenciled designs. A stairway to one side led to the mezzanine level, while four pairs of doors opened to the rear of the orchestra promenade. The architectural elements of the rear orchestra promenade were also stone-finished walls, with simpler ceiling ornaments. Stairways at either end descended to a general lounge and rest rooms. The mezzanine foyer above was a spacious area complete with checkroom and more rest room facilities. The walls were decorated to simulate cut stone and the ceiling was of a slight barrel vault. The basement lounges were decorated in a Gothic style, with wood paneling and an ornamented ceiling. Overstuffed furniture, area rugs and other furnishings accented the room, as defined by legitimate theatre interior design fashion of the day. Originally, patrons could look into the auditorium from the foyer to allow for standing room, but within several years of the theatre's opening, an ornamented cast metal and leaded glass partition was installed on top of the existing standee wall behind the orchestra seating area for reasons of soundproofing. Doors were also added at the head of each aisle. The auditorium, designed by architect G. Albert Lansburgh in an East Indian style (believed to be the only time he used this concept in a theatre) boasted a proscenium, ornate opera boxes and organ grilles ornamented with elaborate cast plaster decorations. Although space for a pipe organ was provided, one was never installed. The decorative scheme, with much glazed gold metal leaf and brilliant color combinations (primarily blue and green), was carried out under the direction of John B. Smeraldi. The asbestos fire safety curtain was covered in silver metal leaf and painted with a beautiful garden scene showing a fountain, peacocks, hydrangeas and cypress trees. Seating of 1,500 patrons in the theatre was on two levels: an orchestra floor 20 rows deep, and the balcony with a loge section three rows deep and upper balcony of 11 rows. Box seating on either side of the proscenium was provided a few steps below the loge level, each containing 12 movable chairs. The proscenium overdrapes and box drapes were in red and brown cut velvet, trimmed with fringe and tassels. The house curtain was of gold satin, with brilliantly colored embroidered panels and border. Over the next 15 years, more than 120 live productions were mounted at the El Capitan including No, No Nanette starring Taylor Holmes; Irene, starring Dale Winter; Abie's Irish Rose, starring George Sidney and Charlie Murray; Ah Wilderness with Will Rogers; and Cole Porter's Anything Goes starring George Murphy and Shirley Ross, among many others. In 1941, Edward Everett Horton and Marjorie Lord starred in Springtime For Henry, which was to be the last live drama to play the El Capitan. Toward the end of the Great Depression, legitimate shows were a waning form of entertainment. As audiences for stage shows began to dwindle in the 1930s, attendance at movie palaces increased proportionately. During their peak years, movie palaces drew full houses three or four times a day, and in 1941, it was determined that the El Capitan would be converted to a motion picture theatre. A Makeover for Movies
When the theatre reopened March 18, 1942, as the Paramount Theatre, it was strikingly obvious that a great deal of work had been done. The exterior face above the entrance now contained a brightly-lit marquee, and the box office foyer was extensively updated, resulting in a modem streamlined look that included much neon decoration. A lowered ceiling was installed in the box office foyer, while new showcases and an island box office obscured all original architectural details. Major changes that occurred in the auditorium were corrugated plaster or fiberglass covering the walls and ceiling forward of the balcony. Swaged contour drapes framed the new proscenium opening. The orchestra floor was extended into the stage area, and a motion picture screen was installed. About the Restoration In the summer of 1987, the availability of the old Paramount Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard came to the attention of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. After their success redesigning the old Crest Theatre in Westwood, the company had been keeping an eye open for another venue with the potential for restoration. "The Crest Theatre project is a spectacular success," Dick Cook, president of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution says. "It's a Disney dream come true. But there was another place, right in Hollywood, that I knew we could turn into a movie palace of the highest order Pacific Theatres held the lease to the Paramount Theatre and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution approached the entertainment exhibitor with the idea for a joint venture that would begin with remodeling. Dick Cook telephoned theatre designer Joseph J. Musil, with whom he had successfully collaborated on the Crest Theatre project, and asked him to start thinking about design concepts for the Paramount. Musil, an architectural designer specializing in lavish and exotic period interiors and atmospheric environments, achieved wide recognition for his masterful work in the design business. A graduate of the Chouinard Art School (now CalArts), specializing in set design for motion pictures, Musil also studied set design for grand opera and interior design at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts in Milan, Italy, before achieving his reputation as creator of some of California's more exotic commercial environments. Upon learning of the decision to remodel the Paramount Theatre, Musil immediately turned his studio in Long Beach, California into a theatre workshop where he created a model reproduction of the El Capitan at quarter inch scale. An early concept for the renovation of the building included a plan to create a twin screen theatre, which was approved by the Community Redevelopment Agency. However, further analysis by Buena Vista revealed that the optics in the proposed upstairs cinema would have been of poor viewing quality. At the same time, it was discovered that between the auditorium attic and the corrugated asbestos plaster shell that had been suspended below the original (in the 1942 modernization) was a good bit of Lansburgh's original interior. "I felt like an archaeologist in Egypt pulling back the last seal of the ancient Pyramid to find treasures," recalls Hillsman Wright, Chairman of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation. "The ceiling was virtually the same as when they walled it in during the 1942 renovation." With the exciting discovery of the original vaulted ceiling in the theatre, the preservation community of Hollywood quickly nominated the interior of the building for landmark status. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. and Pacific Theatres then made an extraordinary announcement: a complete restoration of the venerable theatre would commence, and the twin screen concept abandoned. The building had long been listed as contributing to the historic character of the Hollywood district, and now with a similar designation for the interior, the preserved El Capitan would become a living, breathing link to the golden age of Hollywood. "It was an especially noteworthy decision to completely restore the theatre," acknowledges restoration architect Martin Weil, "because nobody in Los Angeles had ever taken one of the old picture palaces and restored it as a picture palace. The Wiltern Theatre was restored, but it serves as a performing arts center. Another theatre downtown was restored, but it serves as a church. "With the extraordinary technology and energy that goes into making films today, it makes sense to create the best possible environment to showcase the product," observes Dick Cook. "It's not enough to offer our customers a great movie, there has to be great places to show our product. The possibilities at the Paramount seemed unlimited." Restoration Begins with Demolition and Cleaning Demolition of the interior shell of the theatre began in December 1989, with asbestos abatement. To the amazement of all, the dismantling revealed far more of the original theatre architecture than anyone could have imagined or hoped for, as well as souvenirs such as ticket stubs dating back to the 1940s.
Down came the elaborate wall drapery. Down came the plaster "improvements." By the Secretary of the Interior's standards, as administered by the National Park Service, the preservationists protected all of the original details that were in the theatre. This did not necessarily include having to reconstruct all the things that were missing, but as part of their grand efforts, the restoration team chose to do just that. Over the next two years, no stone was left unturned in an effort to not only restore the elaborate decorations throughout the theatre, but to also protect the integrity of the original architecture. "In the lobby, there was terrazzo on the floor, the walls were covered with mirrors, there was a drop ceiling suspended by wires from the original ceiling and it looked awful," remembers Martin Weil. "The challenge was to have the plaster ceiling repaired and repainted so that one couldn't tell that it had been smashed. Our success at this was a great achievement." "Buena Vista has been very sensitive to the preservation community, and they've gone to great trouble to do a first class museum-grade restoration of an extremely impressive theatre," notes Hillsman Wright. "For example, they maintained the integrity of the original stage house. It would have been much easier to run the new ventilation system back through the stage house, but they felt it would compromise the possibility of using that area sometime in the future." One of the biggest challenges for the restoration team was to replicate the painted surfaces within the theatre. "We did a lot of reconstruction of painted surfaces that had entirely disappeared," says restoration architect Martin Weil. "We have brought them back to what they would have looked like. For example, in the outer lobby, all the cast stonework was tinted. We have now brought that back so we can see what the various tinted finishes looked like. It's all completely new, but it matches what was done originally. In some cases we've got original painted details that have been preserved, and in others we've done a lot of repair work. Then in other areas where pieces were completely missing, or we had just a little bit of evidence, it's been completely reconstructed. Among the elements of the theatre design that were intentionally not restored to the original 1926 blueprint was the wall between the lobby and auditorium. When the theatre was originally built, a half wall existed in that space. Then a few years later a glass wall was added for reasons of sound. "We chose not to go back to the earliest arrangement because we needed a theatre that was soundproof," notes Martin Weil. "This wall has been treated as a modern element, with contemporary murals applied to it. The other walls in the lobby have been restored to the way they would have looked in the 1920s. But the actual wall between the theatre and the lobby has been done in a contemporary style so that patrons will be made aware of the difference between the original and the new." The doors leading into the theatre are also in a modem design. And throughout the theatre, all the areas that are painted purple, are areas that were not there originally.
Presentation of the product is also an important philosophy that is being discovered. "Presentation is really a science and it has been largely lost and forgotten," notes Joseph Musil. "Two curtains before the movie always meant that you were in a deluxe theatre in the 1930s and 40s. They felt that this gave the theatre class, because neighborhood theatres generally only had one curtain. At the El Capitan, I put in three stage curtains because I wanted a socko dramatic effect. At first patrons are overwhelmed by the theatre. I didn't want them to be let down. Multiple curtains enhance the possibility of the unlimited. They fulfill the audience's need to be thrilled." "During the 1920s and 30s, people didn't just go to a movie, they went to the theatre," observes Milt Moritz of Pacific Theatres. "The last two generations have grown up during a period where all new theatres are multiplexes. The El Capitan is an attraction unto itself and people will definitely go out of their way to go to this particular theatre, even if they have to pass three theatres playing the same film. This is definitely a destination theatre." Auditorium Ceiling 96% of the ceiling is original and has been restored by using museum level conservation techniques. First, the ceiling was carefully cleaned to remove a thick encrustation of soot. During this process, paint stabilization techniques were used to prevent the historic paints from flaking from the surfaces. Mr. Juan Sequeira-Salas, of Restoration Studio, supervised restoration of broken plaster decoration and the stabilization of deteriorated paint coatings, while a team headed by J. Ronald Reed completed painting of missing areas to return the ceiling to its original elegance. Entry Foyer Ceiling 80% of the restored ceiling is original. This gilded and hand painted ceiling had more than 68 holes punched through the plaster to permit suspension of a drop ceiling. The original ceiling is of primary importance. Very few examples of this style of decorative ceiling exist in the United States or Europe. The ceiling is styled after the gilded ceilings of the Venetian Renaissance era that inspired the baroque gilded ceilings of Italy, France and Spain. Proscenium Ceiling, Fan Arch and Balcony Walls 75% of this area is original; however, later period remodeling had caused major damage. Holes the size of doorways penetrated the cornice molding and coffered ceiling. The fan arch was missing as well as the comer bead columns. The opera box interiors remained intact, but the balcony faces had been sawed off. Under the direction of J. Ronald Reed, a plaster staff shop was established at the job site. Replication of the missing plaster decorations required more than two dozen molds and two months to complete the ceiling restoration. An additional seventeen molds and two months were required to complete the cornice, fan arch and opera box wall. In-painting of the architectural fin-ishes was directed by J. Ronald Reed, Conservator, and reviewed and approved by Preservation Architect Martin E. Weil, AIA. Stencil Art Entry Lobby Ceiling This stencil art ceiling was badly damaged and contained asbestos. J. Ronald Reed carefully surveyed the ceiling and with the assistance of Juan Sequeira-Salas, a complete record of the stencil art patterns and colors was accurately documented. The ceiling was removed and fragments were stored by the general contractor, Glen May of Turner Construction. A team of specialists headed by Juan Sequeira-Salas and Kathy Rienwald under the direction of J. Ronald Reed have faithfully restored the ceiling. Assisting was Robin Hill, who has carefully recreated missing patterns from the historic photographs. El Capitan's Mighty Wurlitzer Organ
The former San Francisco Fox Theatre 4/36 Wurlitzer (now 4/37 with added Flute Celeste) had a very successful grand opening at the El Capitan Theatre in early summer 1999. The meticulously restored Wurlitzer was restored and installed by G. M. Buck Pipe Organs, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Charter ATOS member Gordon Kibbee served as a consultant on the project along with William Schutz. Previously, George Buck had been involved with the move of the large 3-manual Wurlitzer from a restaurant to a museum in Grand Rapids. He was also heavily involved with "The Mightiest" Wurlitzer installed in what was then the company's headquarters in DeKalb, Illinois. Richard Cook, chairman of The Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, developed the idea of placing a Wurlitzer in the El Capitan. While one of the company road shows was on tour, Mr. Cook heard the electrifying effect of a live Wurlitzer organ in a theatre. The rest is now history. In a press release on the subject, Mr. Cook stated, "Hearing a Mighty Wurlitzer played in a great theatre is truly an unforgettable experience. We are thrilled to be able to provide today's moviegoers with this unique opportunity and we believe that it adds to the fun and excitement of seeing a show at the El Capitan. George Buck and his team have done a great job overseeing the installation of this landmark instrument and we're glad that it has found a home in Hollywood." Theatre organ aficionados over the world can take heart in a person of vision such as Mr. Cook. A public venue such as the El Capitan will provide an outlet for thousands of people to be exposed to the sound of a theatre organ each year. Understandably, the organ bears little resemblance to its days in the 4700-seat San Francisco Fox. The instrument today has a very intimate, yet big sound in the El Capitan. Without a doubt, it has a fine Wurlitzer sound which the organ crew is continuing to perfect. They have a marvelous product at hand. Prior to the acquisition by the Disney Company, the organ was installed for many years in the La Canada/ Flintridge, California home of former theatre organist and state legislator, Frank Lanterman. He was directly responsible for the Wurlitzer production of the rare Style 216, 10-rank Wurlitzer. These wonderful organs, equipped with English Horns, were all installed in Southern California Fox West Coast Theatres (excepting one organ in the Fox Senator Theatre in Oakland, California). The organ was moved directly from the San Francisco Fox to the Lanterman home. Much of this effort was done by Bob Rhodes and Richard S. Villemin. Both men were involved with the organ's 1963 removal from the Fox, under the direction of the late Buster Rosser. The removal was a monumental task, and was accomplished with great expertise by this crew with no damage to the instrument or humans (save for one tired crew member tripping over a 32' Diaphone on the doomed theatre's stage floor). With the passing of Frank Lanterman (and later his brother, Lloyd), the organ's ownership was assumed by the City of Glendale, California. Edward Millington Stout III, and his company removed the organ from the historic Lanterman home. From Glendale, the organ went to the Disney Company. The Disney Company and its associates are to be highly commended for their efforts and foresight to install this historic Wurlitzer in the El Capitan. Through the efforts of Mr. Cook, Ed Collins, and Kevin Frawley, this magnificent Wurlitzer will be rediscovered by new generations of theatregoers. At one summer gathering, over 800 school children were treated to the sound of the Mighty Wurlitzer, a stage show, and a current Disney motion picture. Think of it: 800 children who most likely never heard a theatre organ were provided the opportunity to also view it in the atmosphere of a grand theatre! Copyright © 1999 The American Theatre Organ Society, Inc. All rights reserved. |
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