Shrine Auditorium facts for kids
The Shrine Auditorium
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| Location | 665 W. Jefferson Blvd Los Angeles, California |
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| Public transit |   Jefferson/USC |
| Owner | Al Malaikah Auditorium Company |
| Type | Indoor theater |
| Capacity | 6,301 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1925 |
| Opened | 1926 |
| Renovated | 2002 |
| Construction cost | $2.7 million |
| Website | |
| shrineauditorium.com | |
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Al Malaikah Temple
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Architect | John C. Austin |
| Architectural style | Moorish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 87000577 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | April 2, 1987 |
The Shrine Auditorium is a famous building in Los Angeles, California. It's a large place where many big events happen. It is also the main office for the Al Malaikah Temple, which is part of a group called the Shriners. In 1975, it was named a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument, meaning it's an important historical site.
Contents
History of the Shrine Auditorium
The Shrine Auditorium we see today opened in 1926. It replaced an older building from 1906 that was sadly destroyed by a big fire on January 11, 1920. That fire burned down the old building in just 30 minutes!
In the late 1960s, people who went to rock concerts there started calling the Shrine "The Pinnacle." This nickname showed how important it was for music events.
In 2002, the auditorium got a big upgrade that cost $15 million. They improved the stage with new lights and equipment. They also added new roofs and air conditioning for both the Auditorium and the Expo Center. The snack stands were made modern, and more restrooms were added. The whole building complex looks like it's from Morocco, with a special architectural style.
About the Building
The new Shrine Auditorium was designed in a unique style called Moorish Revival architecture. This means it looks like buildings from North Africa and the Middle East, with arches and detailed decorations. The main architect was G. Albert Lansburgh, with help from John C. Austin and A. M. Edelman.
When it was first built, the auditorium could fit 1,200 people on its stage. It could also seat an audience of 6,442 people. Today, it seats about 6,300 people. The stage is very wide, about 194 feet (59 meters), and 69 feet (21 meters) deep.
The Auditorium has special seating areas. There are two "boxes" above the main floor, each holding 40 people. There are also seven "loges" on the balcony, which can seat between 36 and 47 people each. Most of the seats are on the main floor (2,964 seats) and the balcony (2,982 seats).
Right next to the Shrine Auditorium is the Shrine Exposition Hall, which is another large space for events.
Famous Events at the Shrine
The Shrine Auditorium has hosted many exciting events over the years, especially in entertainment.
Awards Shows
Many major awards ceremonies have taken place here:
- Academy Awards (Oscars): 1947–48, 1988–1989, 1991, 1995, 1997–1998, 2000–2001
- American Music Awards: 1982–2006
- Grammy Awards: 1978–1980, 1982–1987, 1989–1990, 1993, 1995–1996, 1999
- Primetime Emmy Awards: 1998–2007
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: 1998–present
- BET Awards: 2006–2012
- iHeartRadio Music Awards: 2014–2015, 2021
- MTV Movie & TV Awards: 2001–2003, 2005, 2017
- NAACP Image Awards: 2006–2013
- People's Choice Awards: 2001–2003, 2006–2009
- Soul Train Music Awards: 1989–2001
- Teen Choice Awards: 2014
- Miss Universe beauty pageant: 2006
Movies and Filming
The Shrine has been a location for movies and premieres:
- King Kong (1933): Scenes where King Kong was shown on stage were filmed here.
- A Star Is Born (1953): Some parts of this movie were filmed at the Shrine.
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017): The world premiere of this movie happened here.
- A Star Is Born (2018): The final scene was filmed at the Shrine as a tribute to the 1954 movie.
- A Pepsi commercial (1984): During filming, an accident with special effects caused Michael Jackson's hair to catch fire.
Music Concerts and Recordings
Many famous musicians have performed or recorded at the Shrine:
- Art Tatum: A solo piano performance was recorded in 1949.
- The Great Shrine Auditorium Concert (1955): A major gospel music event with artists like Dorothy Love Coates, Brother Joe May, and a young Sam Cooke.
- Elvis Presley: His first concert at the Shrine was on June 8, 1956.
- The Fourteenth Cavalcade of Jazz (1958): Featured Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, and Little Willie John.
- Ray Charles: Recorded his live album Live in Concert here in 1964.
- The Grateful Dead: Recorded their live album Two from the Vault here in 1968.
- Genesis: A live performance from 1975 was released in 1998.
- KIIS-FM Jingle Ball: Hosted in 2000, 2001, and 2005.
- KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas concert: Hosted in 1998 and since 2013.
- My Chemical Romance: Held their reunion concert here in 2019 after a seven-year break.
Sports Events
The Shrine has also been a venue for sports:
- It was the home court for the USC's Trojans basketball team for 33 years.
- The Los Angeles Lakers basketball team briefly played some playoff games here.
Video Games
- The Shrine Auditorium is featured in the video game Midnight Club: Los Angeles as part of the South Central Map Expansion.
Images for kids
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The old Shrine Auditorium, 1905.
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The old Shrine Auditorium, 1910.
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The Shrine Auditorium in 1990, before the 2002 renovations.
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View of the building from University Park.
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Southwest facade
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South Spire
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Royal Street vestibule
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Jefferson Blvd. vestibule
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Detail of stained glass window
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See also
In Spanish: Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall para niños
