Warner Grand Theatre facts for kids
Warner Grand Theater, 2008
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| Former names | Warner Bros. Theatre San Pedro Theatre Teatro Juarez |
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| Address | 478 W. 6th St. San Pedro, Los Angeles, California United States |
| Owner | City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department |
| Type | movie palace |
| Current use | cinema and live event venue |
| Opened | January 20, 1931 |
| Website | |
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Warner Grand Theatre
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Architect | B. Marcus Priteca |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 98001633 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 21, 1999 |
The Warner Grand Theatre is a super cool old movie palace that first opened its doors on January 20, 1931. You can find it in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California. It's located at 478 West 6th Street.
This amazing theater was designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca and interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen. They used a popular style from that time called Art Deco and Moderne. The Warner Grand was one of three fancy movie palaces they worked on for the Warner Bros. company. The other two were in Beverly Hills and Huntington Park.
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About the Warner Grand Theatre
The Warner Grand Theatre is a special kind of building called a "movie palace." These were grand, fancy theaters built in the early 1900s. They were designed to make going to the movies feel like a truly magical experience.
Its Amazing Design
The Warner Grand Theatre is a great example of Art Deco and Moderne styles. These styles were popular in the 1920s and 1930s. They feature sleek lines, geometric shapes, and often shiny materials.
The theater has seats for 1,489 people. There are 889 seats on the main floor and 600 seats on the mezzanine and balcony. It has a big stage that is 50 feet wide and 32 feet deep. This stage is perfect for concerts, dance shows, musicals, and plays.
What Happens There Today?
Even though it was built for movies, the Warner Grand Theatre is now used for many different events. You can still watch films there, but you can also see live concerts, dance performances, and comedy shows.
The City of Los Angeles bought the theater in 1996. The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) now runs it. They want to make sure artists and community groups can use the theater at a low cost. This helps make art and culture available to everyone.
The theater is also a popular spot for filming! You might see it in commercials, TV shows, movies, and music videos. People even have weddings and other special events there.
History of the Grand Theatre
The Warner Grand Theatre is the only one of the three original Warner Bros. movie palaces in Los Angeles that is still standing and looks mostly the same. The one in Beverly Hills was torn down. The one in Huntington Park was changed a lot.
By the mid-1990s, the Warner Grand was in need of some care. Even though it was named a historical monument in 1982, it was not being well-maintained. It was even in danger of being torn down!
Saving the Theater
In 1995, a group of local people formed the Grand Vision Foundation. They wanted to save this historic building. Their hard work paid off! In 1996, the City of Los Angeles bought the theater.
The Grand Vision Foundation became a charity in 1996. They continue to work to preserve and promote the Warner Grand Theatre. In 1999, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical building in the United States.
Movies and More
Today, the Warner Grand Theatre shows many different kinds of films. You can see foreign films, art films, and family movies. These are often presented by groups like Cinema Grand and the San Pedro International Film Festival.
Jack L. Warner, who helped build the theater, called it "The Castle of Your Dreams." It has also been used as a filming location for several movies, including Remote Control (1988), What's Love Got to Do with It (1993), Pearl Harbor (2001), and Babylon (2022 film).
Images for kids
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Adjusting the sign on the Warner Grand marquis
See also
