The Hollywood Palladium is indeed a movie theatre in Hollywood, California, situated at 6215 Sunset Boulevard. It features an 11,200-square-foot (1,040 m2) dance floor, a mezzanine, as well as a floor level containing seating for up to 4,000 people, and also was designed in such a Streamline Moderne, Art Deco style. In 2016, the theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1940, Los Angeles Times publisher Norman Chandler contributed $1.6 million to the development of the art deco Hollywood Palladium. This was erected by movie producer Maurice Cohen among Argyle and El Centro avenues, in which the original Paramount property formerly stood.
Gordon Kaufmann, the architect of the Greystone Mansion, the Los Angeles Times Building, and also the Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia, constructed the dance hall. He also designed the Hoover Dam and the very first Caltech dormitories.
On October 31, 1940, the ballroom debuted with such a dance starring Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra, as well as band vocalist Frank Sinatra. There were six bars providing alcoholic beverages and two more serving soft drinks, with a $1 cover charge as well as a $3 supper charge.
The Palladium sponsored radio broadcasts with Betty Grable welcoming servicemen’s song requests during World War II. In the 1950s, big band performers started to lose favour, prompting the Palladium to host charity dances, political events, auto displays, and rock concerts. It has become the long-running Lawrence Welk Show’s home in 1961.
From 1955 until 1976, the venue hosted Latin Music Orchestras for ragers branded Latin Holidays, sponsored by radio star Chico Sesma and featured boyhood buddy Ray Vasquez as recording artist, lead vocalist, as well as trombonist. Between 1957 and 1977, the Tito Puente Orchestra played before sold-out crowds of 5000 people on a regular basis.
On November 18, 1961, President John F. Kennedy addressed a luncheon hosted by that of the California Democratic Party in his honour there at Palladium.
In 1964, this was stated that none of booked jazz bands would be compensated, resulting inside a riot just after event was cancelled.
On the Latin Holiday in March 1965, the Joe Loco Orchestra as well as show performed with singer/dancer Josephine “Josie” Powell.
Pop Expo ’69, sometimes known as a “teenage fair,” was indeed a youth-oriented event that took place there at Palladium from March 28 to April 6, 1969, and featured performances by The Jimi Hendrix Experience as well as the MC5.
Stevie Wonder and Taj Mahal collaborated on a “Afrocentric concert” in 1973 to raise money for African refugees.
Punk rock, rap, as well as heavy metal events began to also be booked at the theatre in the 1980s and 1990s. Following a series of violent riots, the Palladium was forced to close for eight weeks beginning in February 1993.
Palladium Investors Ltd., a privately held company, has owned the theatre since 1985. In 1993, curfews were established, and a gig by Marky Mark as well as the Funky Bunch was cancelled due to a brawl a few nights prior.