11:00 am -- Pantages Theatre Price: FREE  Duration: 10 minutes Address: 6233 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, 90028 Built in 1930, just after the birth of talking pictures, The Pantages was one of the most beautiful movie theatres in Los Angeles, as it should be at a cost of $1.25 million, a staggering amount back then! In 1949, Howard Hughes bought the theatre and had his offices on the 2nd floor, which some people believe he haunts. During the 1950s, The Pantages hosted the Academy Awards (Oscars) including the first televised ceremony in 1953. The Emmy Awards (television's version of the Oscars) was also held here till 1977. Around that time, the theatre turned into a live theatre showcasing the west coast performances of New York's Broadway hits. In 2000, it had a $10 million makeover to restore it to its opening night glory and today it still hosts Broadway hits and sometimes stars in music videos, TV shows and movies - notably Michael Jackson's You Are Not Alone video which has great shots of the interior as has this video by the LA Historic Theatre Foundation. You can only admire the outside and foyer, but if you want, come back later to see inside and catch a production. You can buy tickets on their website. Be sure to check sites like Groupon, …show more content…
Contrary to popular belief, it was the first theatre Sid Grauman built on the Blvd (before the Chinese). Built in 1922, the theatre was inspired by the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt the same year. The first movie to be shown here was Robin Hood with Douglas Fairbanks the same year. Like the rest of Hollywood, the theatre fell from grace in the 70s and it finally closed in 1992 after earthquake damage. Thankfully in 1996, it was sold for just $1 to American Cinematheque a non-profit specializing in showing indie, foreign and old movies in historic theatres, they restored it and continue to run it