Hollywood Studio Magazine (June 1972)

make way for a parking structure), the Fox-Wilshire, Los Angeles, and the Pantages Theatre, Hollywood were all of the same mold. One of the creators of this period, Anthony B. Heinsbergen ruled with tons of plaster and imagination. In fact, he is responsible for more than 747 theatres that stretch from Alaska to Mexico City. Heinsbergen was probably the most extravagantly opulent of the many theatre architects that flourished in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Blossoming all WARNER’S PALACE -Once teeming with life, the upper floors crammed with show business agents, bookers, actors and the like, the Warner Theatre building at 7 th and Broadway is currently running such undistinguished bills as horror films to keep operating in the black. at once, Heinsbergen’s art drew upon such things as Medieval manuscripts, the pyramids of Egypt, high baroque, and the Renaissance, plus the fantasies of the movie moguls themselves. Art Deco Theatre But not even Heinsbergen is the father of this particular art form, probably no one man or group of men would have had the vision required for the establishment of such a robust and wild idea had it not been for the 1925 exhibition of what is known today as art deco in Paris. This collection of modern design captured the imagination of LOS ANGELES TOWER - The facade of the Los Angeles Theatre is intact, although it is no longer the gathering place of celebrities for premieres and entertainment. Like other theatres along Broadway, it has fallen on hard times. Heinsbergen who saw in these advanced forms of art, a new era of theatrical expression. The architect was already designing theatres, but he had been leaning toward a mish-mash of Renaissance and baroque that theatre tycoons loved. After Heinsbergen saw the Paris show, he immediately relized this was a coming thing, something that he could capitalize on in his work. Rushing about the show, the artist photographed everything in sight, then took the first boat for America. In the offices of his boss, Charles ORNATE ENTRANCE - Now used for Spanish language films, the Million Dollar Theatre on Broadway was once a Los Angeles showplace. The baroque decoration of Grauman’s architect is still evident. Skouras of Fox Theatres, Heinsbergen revealed what he had seen in France. Impressed, Skouras decided to give his architect free reign, and did so by telling him: “Do the next one that way.” This was all the Dutch immigrant needed, and he set to work with a will to push the motion picture theatre into the 20th Century with a bang. To create true art deco, Heinsbergen needed to streamline his former designs, and lavish the theatres with glass, and vast strips of chrome and black colors. His first creation in this medium, and the first true art deco theatre was the Fox-Wilshire which opened in 1928. The furniture has been described as Bauhaus-decadent with traces of Roman architectural touches such as columns. But he didn’t stop there. He used Egyptian motifs and put a spiked tiara above the stage. The curtain was graced with long streamers of art deco designs; the predominant color scheme was chrome, black and coral red. Above the patrons heads was an orgy of scroll designs that could produce vertigo if stared at too long. But the style that Heinsbergen evolved in this theatre was classic — and remains so to this day. That same year, the second art deco movie palace was opened to the public, and it too was Heinsbergen designed. The Pantages Hollywood Theatre was devoted in large measure to the sky. In fact, it was a pean to that void above the earth that had suddenly captured the imagination of Americans in the late 1920’s. The ceiling devoted itself to clouds, airplanes, parachutes, balloons, and other aerial wonders. The walls were a profusion of suns and stars and burning comets that were intended to instill the theatre patrons with a feeling of awe and wonder. Surely they must have accomplished their goal. As a special dramatic touch, a gargantuan chariot with wings flew above the stage, with a sky of black behind it. The speakers, so necessary for the talkies then coming into their own, were hidden behind the massive figure. The black sky was actually a cavernous void that allowed the sound to exit. But it must also, be remembered that Heinsbergen was designing more than just a fancy hall to house an audience and a silver screen - he was also building a true theatre. Most of Turn to Page 19