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62-635: El Capitan Theatre is a fully restored movie palace at 6838 Hollywood Boulevard in the Hollywood neighborhood in Los Angeles , California , United States. The theater and adjacent Hollywood Masonic Temple (now known as the El Capitan Entertainment Centre) are owned by The Walt Disney Company and serve as the venue for a majority of the Walt Disney Studios ' film premieres . In

124-693: A merger of the Council into the National Trust. The merger was effective the following year and was completed by 1956. The National Trust became a membership organization and assumed all other functions of the National Council. In its early years, the National Trust’s founders envisioned an organization whose primary purpose would be the acquisition and administration of historic sites, while encouraging public participation in their preservation. In 1957,

186-643: A bill to Congress, H.R. 5170, introduced by Congressman J. Hardin Peterson of Florida and passed. The private, nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation was formally established by charter through the Act of Congress when President Harry S. Truman signed the legislation on October 26, 1949. The charter provided that the Trust should acquire and preserve historic sites and objects of national significance and provide annual reports to Congress on its activities. Finley served as

248-740: A defining feature; and the Art Deco theaters that became popular in the 1930s. Paid exhibition of motion pictures began on April 14, 1894, at Andrew M. Holland's phonograph store, located at 1155 Broadway in New York City , with the Kinetoscope . Dropping a nickel in a machine allowed a viewer to see a short motion picture, devoid of plot. The machines were installed in Kinetoscope parlors, hotels, department stores , bars and drugstores in large American cities. The machines were popular from 1894 to 1896, but by

310-492: A fantasy environment to attract moviegoers and involved a type of social engineering, distraction, and traffic management, meant to work on human bodies and minds in a specific way. Today, most of the surviving movie palaces operate as regular theaters, showcasing concerts, plays and operas. This is a list of selected movie palaces, with location and year of construction. See also National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation

372-409: A variety of referenced visual styles collided wildly with one another. French Baroque, High Gothic, Moroccan, Mediterranean, Spanish Gothic, Hindu, Babylonian, Aztec, Mayan, Orientalist, Italian Renaissance, and (after the discovery of King Tut 's tomb in 1922) Egyptian Revival were all variously mixed and matched. This wealth of ornament was not merely for aesthetic effect. It was meant to create

434-454: Is a lavish East Indian in the main auditorium, English Tudor in the wood-paneled lower lobby and Italian Baroque on the facade. The refurbished theater features a large Wurlitzer theatre organ originally installed in San Francisco 's Fox Theatre in 1929. Below the theater is a small exhibit space, often used to display props from the films, such as costumes or set pieces. Next door is

496-798: Is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. , that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States . The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support the preservation of America’s diverse historic buildings, neighborhoods, and heritage through its programs, resources, and advocacy. The National Trust for Historic Preservation aims to empower local preservationists by providing leadership to save and revitalize America's historic places, and by working on both national policies as well as local preservation campaigns through its network of field offices and preservation partners, including

558-630: Is meant to resemble a movie theater in Toontown called "El CapiTOON Theater" based on the El Capitan. The theater is built into a six-story office building built in the 1920s. The design featured an exterior done in California Churrigueresque style of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture exterior designed by Stiles O. Clements of the architectural firm of Morgan, Walls & Clements , and mixed interior by G. Albert Lansburgh . The interior

620-606: Is periodically challenged through the transportation reauthorization process, most recently during the consideration of MAP-21. Due to work by preservationists, Section 4(f) remains intact. The National Trust advocates for the preservation of historic and cultural resources on federal public lands , partnering with the Bureau of Land Management , the Forest Service , and the National Park Service . The National Trust supported

682-605: The Herbie: Fully Loaded premiere on June 22, 2005, the Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store opened up in the El Capitan Building on the ground floor replacing a Disney Store. CUNA Mutual, having leased the building to full capacity, placed the building up for sale in 2008 at a price of $ 31 million, and eventually sold it for $ 28 million. In November 2013, Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop co-located with

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744-551: The Chicago firm of Rapp and Rapp , which designed the Chicago , Uptown , and Oriental Theatres . S.L. "Roxy" Rothafel , originated the deluxe presentation of films with themed stage shows. Sid Grauman , built the first movie palace on the West Coast , Los Angeles' Million Dollar Theater , in 1918. Following World War II movie ticket sales began to rapidly decline due to the widespread adoption of television and mass migration of

806-682: The Disney Studio Store next to the theater in the El Capitan building. On March 17, 2020, the theatre temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in California . The theatre eventually reopened a year later with a reduced capacity of just 100 seats. The first film shown after its reopening was Raya and the Last Dragon . Disney Parks opened a theme ride called Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway at Disneyland on January 27, 2023. The facade

868-720: The Green Mountain Lookout Heritage Protection Act , a bill that would prevent the United States Forest Service from removing a building from the Glacier Peak Wilderness Area in Washington State unless the agency determines that the structure is unsafe for visitors. The National Trust stating that it was "pleased that Congress has acted to protect this historically significant and locally cherished landmark. With this vote,

930-459: The National Gallery of Art to discuss the formation of such a national organization. This meeting was followed by a larger gathering on April 15, 1947, attended by representatives from a number of art, architectural, and historical societies , which culminated in the creation of the National Council for Historic Sites and Buildings. The meeting’s attendants became the first charter members of

992-506: The National Park Service , State Historic Preservation Offices , and local preservation groups. The National Trust is headquartered in Washington, D.C. , with field operations located throughout the country. The organization is governed by a board of trustees and led by president & CEO, Carol Quillen. As of November 2023, the National Trust reports that it has over 1 million actively engaged visitors, followers, supporters, and advocates. In addition to leading campaigns and advocacy,

1054-594: The 1980s, Disney purchased a controlling stake in one of Pacific Theatres ' chains, leading to Disney's Buena Vista Theaters and Pacific renovating the El Capitan Theatre and the Crest by 1989. These theaters became Disney's flagship houses. They spent $ 14 million on a complete renovation of the Paramount, restoring much of the building's original decor as well as the theater's original name. El Capitan reopened in 1991 with

1116-757: The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To be included in the program, hotels must be at least 50 years old; designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places ; and recognized as having historic significance. Initiated in 2011, the National Treasures program identified historically significant landmarks that face imminent threat. With

1178-491: The El Capitan, and in 1941, Citizen Kane had its world premiere there. The theater then closed for one year as Paramount Pictures purchased the theater. The building was remodeled in the modern style, with the decor covered with curtains and removing the box-seat balconies. The theater reopened in 1942 as the Hollywood Paramount Theater. Its inaugural film presentation was Cecil B. DeMille 's feature Reap

1240-595: The National Trust officially acquired its first property, Woodlawn Plantation in northern Virginia . Since then, the National Trust portfolio of historic properties and contracted affiliates has expanded to include twenty-seven historic sites, ranging from the 18th-century Drayton Hall in South Carolina to the Modernist Glass House in Connecticut . Over the next decade, the National Trust grew to become

1302-533: The National Trust opened its first field office in San Francisco. As the organization grew, the National Trust expanded its work, consisting of programs, educational resources, and advocacy. In 1980, the National Trust initiated the National Main Street Center , specializing in revitalizing historic business districts, which has since transitioned into a subsidiary. In 2010, Stephanie Meeks became

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1364-673: The National Trust provides a growing educational resource through the Preservation Leadership Forum, which offers articles, journals, case studies, and conferences and training. The National Trust issues the quarterly Preservation magazine as well as online stories. The National Trust’s current work focuses on building sustainable communities through the adaptive reuse of historic spaces; preserving and empowering cultural diversity through protecting sites of cultural significance; advocating for greater stewardship of historic places on public land ; and leading innovation in

1426-413: The National Trust's first chairman of the board, remaining in the position for 12 years. Archaeologist Richard Hubbard Howland became the nonprofit's first president in 1956. The National Trust and the National Council existed side by side for several years until the need to merge resources compelled the executive committee to integrate the two entities. In 1952, the boards of both organizations approved

1488-543: The Pacific Theatres Circuit in the 1980s. After a 50-year stay, Barker Bros. Furniture closed its location in the building in the 1970s. In 1985, Pacific Theatres purchased the theater from SRO Theaters. The building's owners, Nick Olaerts and Thomas L. Harnsberger, had assigned authority for the theater's facade to the Los Angeles Conservancy in exchange for historical building tax credits. Late in

1550-406: The Preservation Leadership Forum, a network of preservation professionals. The National Trust for Historic Preservation created Historic Hotels of America in 1989, with 32 charter members. Historic Hotels of America identifies hotels that have maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity. As of June 5, 2015, the program includes over 260 members in 44 states, including

1612-559: The United States. The nickelodeons were like simple storefront theatres, but differed in the continuous showings and the marketing to women and families. The movie house, in a building designed specifically for motion picture exhibition, was the last step before the movie palace. Comfort was paramount, with upholstered seating and climate controls. One of the first movie houses was Tally's Broadway Theater in Los Angeles. The movie palace

1674-589: The Wild Wind . The theater remained the West Coast flagship for Paramount Pictures until the studio was forced by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the antitrust case U.S. vs. Paramount Pictures, et al. to divest itself of its theater holdings. After this, the Hollywood Paramount was operated by United Paramount Theatres for some years, then by a series of other companies, culminating with ownership by

1736-468: The adjacent Disney's Soda Fountain and Studio Store, where patrons can purchase ice cream themed to the film currently playing in the cinema next door. A wide variety of Disney and movie merchandise is available there. Movie palace There are three architectural design types of movie palaces: the classical-style movie palace, with opulent, luxurious architecture; the atmospheric theatre , which has an auditorium ceiling that resembles an open sky as

1798-471: The city designated El Capitan a Los Angeles Cultural-Historic Monument . A Michael Jackson mural was approved by the National Park Service to be placed on the side of the building in December 1992. After the 1994 Northridge earthquake , the building's frame was compromised and the theater had been flooded by its sprinklers and was considered uninhabitable by building inspectors. The owner walked away from

1860-472: The council. The organization’s first headquarters was in the offices of Ford’s Theatre (Lincoln Museum) in downtown Washington, D.C. The Council pursued the formation of a National Trust for Historic Preservation, somewhat modeled on the British National Trust , which would be tasked with the acquisition and maintenance of historic properties. The creation of the National Trust was proposed as

1922-469: The country as empty storefronts were equipped with chairs, a Vitascope projector, a muslin sheet on which the motion picture was exhibited, darkened windows, and a box by the door to service as a ticket office (literally, the "box office".) Storefront theatres, supplied with motion pictures made in Chicago and New York, spread throughout America. These theatres exhibited a motion picture at a specific time during

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1984-518: The day. Air domes also became popular in warm climates and in the summertime in northern climates. With no roof and only side walls or fences, the air domes allowed patrons to view motion pictures in a venue that was cooler than the stifling atmosphere of the storefront theatre. In 1905, the nickelodeon was born. Rather than exhibiting one program a night, the nickelodeon offered continuous motion picture entertainment for five cents. They were widely popular. By 1910, nickelodeons grossed $ 91 million in

2046-655: The early 1920s, real estate developer Charles E. Toberman (the "Father of Hollywood") envisioned a thriving Hollywood theater district. Toberman was involved in 36 projects while building the Max Factor Building (now the Hollywood Museum ), Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and the Hollywood Masonic Temple . With Sid Grauman , he opened the three themed theaters: Egyptian (1922), El Capitan (1926), and Chinese (1927). Barker Bros. Furniture Emporium took up

2108-517: 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 at the theater, its management attempted to lure revues, road shows and benefits. Despite these efforts, business was faltering, and the theater then began showing movies. When Orson Welles was unable to locate a theater owner willing to risk screening Citizen Kane , he turned to

2170-666: The first National Park , Yellowstone . In 1906, the Antiquities Act enabled the President to declare landmarks or objects as a national monument . Then in 1935, during the Great Depression, Congress passed the Historic Sites Act , which outlined programs for research and inventory of historic sites. Meanwhile, historic preservation initiatives existed on local and state levels. In 1931, Charleston, South Carolina created

2232-453: The first historic district for protection. However, efforts to save and maintain historic sites were still largely limited to private citizens or local groups. In the late 1940s, leaders in American historic preservation saw the need for a national organization to support local preservation efforts. In 1946, David E. Finley Jr. , George McAneny , Christopher Crittenden, and Ronald Lee met at

2294-419: The highest-grossing first-run films for which they were no longer viable exhibition venues. They became second-run theaters or specialized in showing art house films . By 2004, only about a quarter of U.S. movie theaters still had only one screen, and the average number of screens per theater was 6.1. Eberson specialized in the subgenre of "atmospheric" theatres. His first, of the 500 in his career,

2356-510: The leading national organization in historic preservation. They began working with citizens and city planning officials on legislative matters, including federal, state, and municipal ordinances for historic preservation. National Trust staff also traveled to parts of the country to advise local communities on preservation projects. In 1966, Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act , significant legislation for

2418-655: The local, state, and federal level. Current advocacy priorities are: The Historic Tax Credit (HTC) is the federal tax credit program that incentivizes the rehabilitation of historic buildings. The HTC, which has rehabilitated more than 38,700 buildings and leveraged about $ 106 billion in private investment nationwide, is in danger of being eliminated in current budget-balancing discussions in Congress. The federal Department of Transportation Act of 1966 included Section 4(f), which stipulates that planners must develop projects that protect or avoid historic resources. However, Section 4(f)

2480-420: The major studios and were forced to close. Many were able to stay in business by converting to operate as race or pornography theaters . The death knell for single-screen movie theaters (including movie palaces) arrived with the development of the multiplex in the 1980s and the megaplex in the 1990s. Some movie palaces were able to stay in business only by getting out of the way, at least with respect to

2542-469: The management of historic properties. Toward the end of the 19th century, in response to increased immigration and the broad effort of rebuilding after the Civil War , the country was developing a renewed sense of national identity and history. The government began to enact legislation for the preservation of sites and objects deemed significant to the nation’s history. In 1872, an Act of Congress established

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2604-450: The middle class regularly began to attend the nickelodeons by the early 1910s the upperclass continued to attend stage theater performances such as opera and big-time vaudeville. However, as more sophisticated, complex, and longer films featuring prominent stage actors were developed, the upperclass desires to attend the movies began to increase and a demand for higher class theaters began to develop. Nickelodeons could not meet this demand as

2666-529: The next-door building, for Totally Toy Story , an instant theme park and a promotional event for the movie. In July 1998, Buena Vista Pictures Distribution purchased the convention hall to continue using it as a promotional venue. A Disney Store location opened next to the theater in the El Capitan Building in 1998. The $ 3 million seismic retrofitting was finished in time for the June 21, 1996, premiere of The Hunchback of Notre Dame . The building's full restoration

2728-669: The organization’s president, replacing Richard Moe , who had led the organization for 17 years. In 2013, the National Trust headquarters moved from the Andrew Mellon Building on 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW in Washington D.C.’s Dupont Circle to the historic Watergate office complex . Meeks said in a statement about the move, "The selection of the Watergate demonstrates our ongoing commitment to recognizing and protecting important places from every era in American history, including

2790-408: The population from the cities, where all the movie palaces had been built, into the suburbs. The closing of most movie palaces occurred after United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. in 1948, which ordered all of the major film studios to sell their theaters. Most of the newly independent theaters could not continue to operate on the low admissions sales of the time without the financial support of

2852-528: The premiere of The Rocketeer . The 1992 National Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation was bestowed on the restorers of the theater. In 1984, the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District was added to the National Register of Historic Places , with El Capitan/Paramount listed as a contributing property in the district, and in 1990,

2914-643: The preservation movement. The Act also provided federal funding in support of the National Trust’s work. The funding later ceased in 1996, at which point the National Trust became entirely privately funded. Following the adoption of the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Trust broadened in its mission beyond administering historic sites. In 1969, the National Trust created the Preservation Services Fund to provide financial assistance to local preservation projects. In 1971,

2976-630: The public and eventually selected based on a range of factors, including its significance, whether there is a local group engaged in its preservation, the urgency of the threat, and potential solutions to that threat. In 2017, the Trust launched an initiative called the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to identify underrepresented Black cultural sites in need of funding for restoration and preservation. The program has been directed by historian Brent Leggs . The National Trust for Historic Preservation organizes

3038-538: The recent past." In 2022, the National Trust headquarters moved from the Watergate to a shared coworking space (located in a former Garfinckel's department store ) in downtown D.C. The National Trust’s programs include publication of the annual list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places , first issued in 1988, which highlights endangered sites across the country. Meeks stepped down as president in December 2018. Former general counsel and chief legal officer Paul Edmondson then served as president and CEO until

3100-408: The rest of the building in the 1920s. El Capitan, dubbed "Hollywood's First Home of Spoken Drama," began presenting live performances on May 3, 1926, with Charlot's Revue starring Gertrude Lawrence and Jack Buchanan . El Capitan continued presenting live theater for a decade, with over 120 productions including such legends as Clark Gable and Joan Fontaine . By the late 1930s, El Capitan felt

3162-474: The spring of 2023. Beginning in January of 2024, Carol Quillen , former president of Davidson College , began serving as president and CEO. First published in 1988, the National Trust’s list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places is an annual list that highlights endangered historic sites across the United States. The list serves to raise national awareness of these sites. The sites are nominated by

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3224-451: The support of local preservationists, the National Trust led direct action to save these sites through fundraising, coalition building, and legal advocacy. The sites were selected based on criteria including: integrity, contribution to America’s diverse history, and preservation strategies that can be applied to other sites. The portfolio of National Treasures included, for example: The National Trust’s advocacy arm works to effect policy at

3286-590: The theater leaving the building to its mortgage company, CUNA Mutual Group . CUNA Mutual, having Disney as a continuing tenant, not only refurbished the theater but the office floors above for $ 10 million. In July 1995, Buena Vista purchased the Lanterman organ from Glendale City Redevelopment Agency. From the November 18, 1995, Toy Story premiere to January 1, 1996, Disney rented the Masonic Convention Hall ,

3348-424: The turn of the century had almost disappeared as Americans rejected the solitary viewing experience and boring entertainment. Around 1900, motion pictures became a small part of vaudeville theatres. The competitive vaudeville theatre market caused owners to constantly look for new entertainment, and the motion picture helped create demand, although the new form of entertainment was not the main draw for patrons. It

3410-410: The upperclass feared the moral repercussions of intermingling between women and children with immigrants. There were also real concerns over the physical safety of the nickelodeon theaters themselves as they were often cramped with little ventilation and the nitrate film stock used at the time was extremely flammable. The demand for an upscale film theater, suitable to exhibit films to the upperclass,

3472-401: Was completed in December 1997, which included the sign tower. The Hollywood Entertainment District, a self-taxing business improvement district , was formed for the properties from La Brea Avenue to McCadden Place on Hollywood Boulevard. The office space's first tenants were TrizecHahn Centers, builders of the 425,000-square-foot development on the other side of the boulevard. In conjunction with

3534-437: Was developed as the step beyond the small theaters of the 1900s and 1910s. As motion pictures developed as an art form, theatre infrastructure needed to change. Storefront theatres and nickelodeons catered to the busy work lives and limited budgets of the lower and middle classes. Motion pictures were generally only thought to be for the lower classes at that time as they were simple, short, and cost only five cents to attend. While

3596-656: Was first met when the Regent Theater, designed by Thomas Lamb , was opened in February 1913, becoming the first ever movie palace. However the theater's location in Harlem prompted many to suggest that the theater be moved to Broadway alongside the stage theaters. These desires were satisfied when Lamb built the Strand Theatre on Broadway, which was opened in 1914 by Mitchel H. Mark at the cost of one million dollars. This opening

3658-401: Was initially based on the more traditional, "hardtop" form patterned on opera houses , but was no less ornate. His theaters evolved from relatively restrained neo-classic designs in the 1910s to those with elaborate baroque and Asian motifs in the late 1920s. The movie palace's signature look was one of extravagant ornamentation. The theaters were often designed with an eclectic exoticism where

3720-451: Was often used as a "chaser"—shown as the end of the performance to chase the audience from the theatre. These theatres were designed much like legitimate theatres. The Beaux-Arts architecture of these theatres was formal and ornate. They were not designed for motion pictures, but rather live stage performances. In 1902, the storefront theatre was born at Thomas Lincoln Tally 's Electric Theatre in Los Angeles. These soon spread throughout

3782-505: Was the 1923 Majestic in Houston, Texas . The atmospherics usually conveyed the impression of sitting in an outdoor courtyard, surrounded by highly ornamented asymmetrical facades and exotic flora and fauna, underneath a dark blue canopy; when the lights went out, a specially designed projector, the Brenograph, was used to project clouds, and special celestial effects on the ceiling. Lamb's style

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3844-484: Was the first example of a success in drawing the upper middle class to the movies and it spurred others to follow suit. As their name implies movie palaces were advertised to, "make the average citizen feel like royalty." To accomplish this these theaters were outfitted with a plethora of amenities such as larger sitting areas, air conditioning, and even childcare services. Between 1914 and 1922 over 4,000 movie palaces were opened. Notable pioneers of movies palaces include

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