The auditorium itself was shaped in the form of a perfect circle, extended vertically into a cylinder, set inside a square that fleshed out the remainder of the building. It seated 1,150. Initially developed by Fox, it was called the Fox Carthay Circle Theater for its unique floorplan.
The Carthay Circle Theater opened at 6316 San Vicente Boulevard on May 18, 1926, with a showing of The Volga Boatman (1926),[1] and was considered developer J. Harvey McCarthy's most successful monument, a stroke of shrewd thinking that made a famous name of the newly developed Carthay Center neighborhood[2][3] in Los Angeles, California.[4] (McCarthy's development was called Carthay Center—an anglicized version of his last name.) The Carthay Circle Theater became the focal point of Carthay Center, and Carthay Circle became the neighborhood's official name.[5]
Design
The exterior design was in the Spanish Colonial Revival style, with whitewashed concrete trimmed in blue, with a high bell tower and neon sign visible for miles.[4] The architects were Carleton Winslow and Dwight Gibbs.[6] The iconic octagonal tower was placed in the front corner spandrel space left between the circle and the square. The auditorium's cylinder-shaped wall was raised up above the roof line, to create a parapet visible from the outside that resembled a circus tent. "Simple, massive and dignified, the building stands out for its intrinsic beauty," raved The Architect and Engineer. Pacific Coast Architect wrote that it was a theatre "masked as a cathedral".[4]
For the glamorous world premiere of MGM's Marie Antoinette (1938), with Norma Shearer and Tyrone Power, the gardens around the theater were restructured and enhanced to resemble the landscaping of the Palace of Versailles. In the 1930s and '40s, props from the sets of such premiered films as The Great Ziegfeld (1936), The Good Earth (1937), Captains Courageous (1937) and Gone with the Wind (1939) were displayed on the grassy median of McCarthy Vista, from Wilshire Boulevard south to San Vicente Boulevard. The premieres were red-carpet events, with the stars of the motion picture arriving in limousines at the entrance to the covered walkway to the theater south from San Vicente and cheered by hundreds of fans in bleachers there, accompanied by searchlights scanning the sky. Only Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood also had such elaborate premieres in that era.
Although the Carthay Circle Theater had hosted the first-run "roadshow", reserved-seat engagements of a great many aesthetically- and economically-important films, by the 1960s the "roadshow" concept, and, indeed, the Carthay Circle Theater itself, was considered an anachronism, overshadowed by modern multi-screen cinemas.
Its customer base had also been sapped by suburbanization, and many other economic factors, as film print runs increased almost exponentially from a few, high-quality, high-resolution prints (often "wide gauge"), to literally thousands, or even several thousands of average-quality, lower-resolution prints (usually "standard gauge").
The theater was demolished in 1969 by its owner, NAFI Corporation, which erected its headquarters and main computer operations center in its place; today, two low-rise office buildings and a city park occupy its former site.
In July 1994, a smaller-scale pastiche of the facade of the theatre (primarily the octagonal tower) was opened as the "Once Upon a Time" gift shop on the Sunset Boulevard section in Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The store now sells clothing items for men and women.[9]
In June 2012, a fanciful larger-scale replica of the theater building was opened in the Buena Vista Street section of Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Although this replica is larger than the Orlando version, it is still slightly smaller than the 1926 original, and has a modified exterior footprint and interior floorplan. While there is no actual theatre inside, the building houses the "Carthay Circle Lounge" and the members-only "Club 1901" on the first floor, with the "Carthay Circle Restaurant" on the second floor.[10] The original's signature circular floorplan is absent from the replica building, and the circular parapet is squared off from the outside.
References
^"Carthay Opens at Hollywood: Fred Miller Invades Coat's First Run Field with Unique Theatre", Motion Picture News, New York City, New York: Motion Picture News, Inc., 33 (24): 2796, 12 June 1926, retrieved 11 May 2023
^"Carthay Circle - Office of Historic Resources, City of Los Angeles". preservation.lacity.org.
^Winkler, Robert (September 2009). An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles. p. 163. ISBN9781423608936.
^ abcdeRoderick, Kevin; Lynxwiler, J. Eric (2005). Wilshire Boulevard: Grand Concourse of Los Angeles. Angel City Press. pp. 135–137. ISBN1-883318-55-6.
^"Pioneers, Politics, and Punches: Dan the Miner, Carthay Circle, and Dirty Dealings in the Golden West". 3 May 2013.
^"ArchitectDB - Structure Detail". Digital.lib.washington.edu. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
^Higham, Charles (Dec 1994) [1993]. Merchant of Dreams: Louis B. Mayer, M.G.M., and the Secret Hollywood (paperback ed.). Dell Publishing. p. 289. ISBN0-440-22066-1.
^Baguez, Salvador (March 2, 1938). ""Snow White" in Spanish Given at Carthay Circle". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 18, 2018. The beautiful princess, Snow White, her prince charming, the gruff queen and even the seven dwarfs have learned to speak Spanish, in a way. This is taking place every Sunday afternoon—5 o'clock to be exact—at the Carathay Circle Theatre....
^DisneyWorld Official Site: Disney's Hollywood Studios Shopping
^Disneyland Official Site: Carthay Circle Restaurant
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carthay Circle Theater.
carthay, circle, theatre, most, famous, movie, palaces, hollywood, golden, located, vicente, boulevard, angeles, california, opened, 1926, demolished, 1969, premiere, life, emile, zola, carthay, circle, theater, 1937, auditorium, itself, shaped, form, perfect,. The Carthay Circle Theatre was one of the most famous movie palaces of Hollywood s Golden Age Located on San Vicente Boulevard in Los Angeles California it opened in 1926 and was demolished in 1969 Premiere of Life of Emile Zola at the Carthay Circle Theater 1937 The auditorium itself was shaped in the form of a perfect circle extended vertically into a cylinder set inside a square that fleshed out the remainder of the building It seated 1 150 Initially developed by Fox it was called the Fox Carthay Circle Theater for its unique floorplan Contents 1 Location 2 Design 3 Premieres 4 Decline 5 Later replicas 6 References 7 External linksLocation EditThe Carthay Circle Theater opened at 6316 San Vicente Boulevard on May 18 1926 with a showing of The Volga Boatman 1926 1 and was considered developer J Harvey McCarthy s most successful monument a stroke of shrewd thinking that made a famous name of the newly developed Carthay Center neighborhood 2 3 in Los Angeles California 4 McCarthy s development was called Carthay Center an anglicized version of his last name The Carthay Circle Theater became the focal point of Carthay Center and Carthay Circle became the neighborhood s official name 5 Design EditThe exterior design was in the Spanish Colonial Revival style with whitewashed concrete trimmed in blue with a high bell tower and neon sign visible for miles 4 The architects were Carleton Winslow and Dwight Gibbs 6 The iconic octagonal tower was placed in the front corner spandrel space left between the circle and the square The auditorium s cylinder shaped wall was raised up above the roof line to create a parapet visible from the outside that resembled a circus tent Simple massive and dignified the building stands out for its intrinsic beauty raved The Architect and Engineer Pacific Coast Architect wrote that it was a theatre masked as a cathedral 4 There was a drop curtain that featured an homage to the pioneer Donner Party that perished crossing the Sierra Nevada Mountains Bronze busts of Native American leaders and photographs of Edwin Booth Herbert Beerbohm Tree Sarah Bernhardt Eleanora Duse Ellen Terry Lillie Langtry and other 19th century actors adorned the lounges and lobbies Murals of historic scenes 40 feet tall graced the walls painted by Pasadena artist Alson S Clark 4 Premieres Edit The premiere of High Wide and Handsome at the theater in 1937 The theatre hosted the official premieres of The Life of Emile Zola 1937 Romeo and Juliet 1936 7 Walt Disney s first animated feature length film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937 8 and Gone with the Wind 1939 among many other notable films For Disney s Fantasia 1940 the most elaborate audio system in use at the time Fantasound a pioneering stereophonic process was installed at this theatre 4 For the glamorous world premiere of MGM s Marie Antoinette 1938 with Norma Shearer and Tyrone Power the gardens around the theater were restructured and enhanced to resemble the landscaping of the Palace of Versailles In the 1930s and 40s props from the sets of such premiered films as The Great Ziegfeld 1936 The Good Earth 1937 Captains Courageous 1937 and Gone with the Wind 1939 were displayed on the grassy median of McCarthy Vista from Wilshire Boulevard south to San Vicente Boulevard The premieres were red carpet events with the stars of the motion picture arriving in limousines at the entrance to the covered walkway to the theater south from San Vicente and cheered by hundreds of fans in bleachers there accompanied by searchlights scanning the sky Only Grauman s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood also had such elaborate premieres in that era In 1951 the first PATSY Award ceremony was held at the Carthay Circle Presented by the American Humane Association the event was hosted by Ronald Reagan and honored Francis the Talking Mule as the first recipient of the award that honored animal actors Decline EditAlthough the Carthay Circle Theater had hosted the first run roadshow reserved seat engagements of a great many aesthetically and economically important films by the 1960s the roadshow concept and indeed the Carthay Circle Theater itself was considered an anachronism overshadowed by modern multi screen cinemas Its customer base had also been sapped by suburbanization and many other economic factors as film print runs increased almost exponentially from a few high quality high resolution prints often wide gauge to literally thousands or even several thousands of average quality lower resolution prints usually standard gauge The theater was demolished in 1969 by its owner NAFI Corporation which erected its headquarters and main computer operations center in its place today two low rise office buildings and a city park occupy its former site Later replicas Edit Carthay Circle Restaurant at Disney California Adventure during the 60th Anniversary In July 1994 a smaller scale pastiche of the facade of the theatre primarily the octagonal tower was opened as the Once Upon a Time gift shop on the Sunset Boulevard section in Disney s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida The store now sells clothing items for men and women 9 In June 2012 a fanciful larger scale replica of the theater building was opened in the Buena Vista Street section of Disney California Adventure Park at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim California Although this replica is larger than the Orlando version it is still slightly smaller than the 1926 original and has a modified exterior footprint and interior floorplan While there is no actual theatre inside the building houses the Carthay Circle Lounge and the members only Club 1901 on the first floor with the Carthay Circle Restaurant on the second floor 10 The original s signature circular floorplan is absent from the replica building and the circular parapet is squared off from the outside References Edit Carthay Opens at Hollywood Fred Miller Invades Coat s First Run Field with Unique Theatre Motion Picture News New York City New York Motion Picture News Inc 33 24 2796 12 June 1926 retrieved 11 May 2023 Carthay Circle Office of Historic Resources City of Los Angeles preservation lacity org Winkler Robert September 2009 An Arch Guidebook to Los Angeles p 163 ISBN 9781423608936 a b c d e Roderick Kevin Lynxwiler J Eric 2005 Wilshire Boulevard Grand Concourse of Los Angeles Angel City Press pp 135 137 ISBN 1 883318 55 6 Pioneers Politics and Punches Dan the Miner Carthay Circle and Dirty Dealings in the Golden West 3 May 2013 ArchitectDB Structure Detail Digital lib washington edu Retrieved December 21 2012 Higham Charles Dec 1994 1993 Merchant of Dreams Louis B Mayer M G M and the Secret Hollywood paperback ed Dell Publishing p 289 ISBN 0 440 22066 1 Baguez Salvador March 2 1938 Snow White in Spanish Given at Carthay Circle Los Angeles Times Retrieved June 18 2018 The beautiful princess Snow White her prince charming the gruff queen and even the seven dwarfs have learned to speak Spanish in a way This is taking place every Sunday afternoon 5 o clock to be exact at the Carathay Circle Theatre DisneyWorld Official Site Disney s Hollywood Studios Shopping Disneyland Official Site Carthay Circle RestaurantExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Carthay Circle Theater Carthay Circle Theatre at CinemaTreasures org 34 03 39 N 118 22 05 W 34 0608 N 118 368 W 34 0608 118 368 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Carthay Circle Theatre amp oldid 1154292357, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
