JANUARY 2021
WGT'S PAST, PRESENT, & FUTURE | GARY BETTIS HONORED | GRAND VISION AT 25 | AND MUCH MORE!
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JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 3
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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I want to believe it was kismet that led to this special issue of San Pedro Today. Lorem ipsum When I learned that Grand Vision Foundation wanted to produce something unique this month for the Warner Grand Theatre’s 90th anniversary, I thought teaming up with them to create a commemorative issue was a nobrainer. Fortunately, they thought the same thing. Coming off a year that’s been hard on all of us, and while celebrating the holidays and New Year’s in quarantine, I was eager to find a timely and interesting topic to start the year off right that was a welcome distraction from the news of the world. Celebrating the theater’s rich history and exciting future on a milestone anniversary was the perfect fit. The Warner Grand holds special significance to different generations of San Pedrans. In its heyday of the 1930s and ‘40s, it was this spectacular movie palace where maybe your grandparents or great-grandparents met and fell in love. If you were a child of the 1980s, like I was, we enjoyed blockbusters like Gremlins and Top Gun when they started showing popular movies during the summer. It wouldn’t be until the mid-‘90s, when the City of L.A. purchased the theater and Grand Vision Foundation became its Friends Group, that the theater finally began to live up to its grandeur and namesake once again. The theater’s story is a thick thread woven into San Pedro’s rich tapestry. For some of you, reading through these pages will be a walk down Memory
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Lane. For others, this will be an eyeopening introduction to one of our town’s crown jewels. As guest editors and contributors this month, Grand Vision Foundation’s Liz Schindler-Johnson and Taran Schindler have helped put together a fascinating look at the past, present, and future of the Warner Grand, which includes stories most people have never heard before. I want to thank them for their hard work and teaming up with the magazine to put this special edition together. Also, a big thank you to all the businesses and individuals who supported this issue, allowing us to produce this 60-page keepsake. From a lion showing up to a film premiere to Madonna having a photoshoot with Herb Ritts in the theater’s bathroom to almost becoming a swap meet, the Warner Grand has had a wild ride. I’m thrilled we were able to collect all these stories and more in our pages this month. Ten years from now, the place that was once called “the castle of your dreams” will turn 100. With modern upgrades on the way and a downtown neighborhood in a state of redevelopment, the City of L.A., with Grand Vision Foundation’s help, is preparing the theater for another century of entertainment and memories. On behalf of San Pedro Today and Grand Vision Foundation, we hope you enjoy this look back at 90 years of the Warner Grand Theatre. spt Joshua Stecker is publisher/editorin-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.
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329 W. 6th Street | San Pedro | (310) 832-9364 JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 5
JANUARY 2021
TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
4
MESSAGE FROM GRAND VISION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
10
GREETINGS FROM CITY OF L.A. DIRECTOR OF PERFORMING ARTS
10
A GRAND VISIONARY: HONORING GARY BETTIS & BETTIS INSURANCE
12
WARNER GRAND: THE ANCHOR OF OUR INNOVATION DISTRICT
14
WARNER GRAND, ITALIAN STYLE
16
STARS, USHERS, & THE CASTLE OF YOUR DREAMS: Remembering the Warner Grand Theatre’s Elegant Beginnings
18
B. MARCUS PRITECA: THEATER ARCHITECT EXTRAORDINAIRE
20
MOVIES & MEMORIES: The Warner Grand's First Era
21
by Liz Schindler-Johnson by Ben Johnson by Gary Bettis
by Tim McOsker
by Anthony Pirozzi, Jr.
THE NEW GENERATION: 26 The Theater's Rebirth as a Performing Arts Venue HAYS CODE: 'CLEANING UP' HOLLYWOOD
33
GRAND VISION FOUNDATION: 25 Years of Care for the Warner Grand Theatre
35
GIVING THE WARNER GRAND LOBBIES SOME LOVE
40
PLANNING THE WARNER GRAND’S $10 MILLION RENOVATION: An Interview with Alison Becker
44
LOWER LOBBY CHANDELIERS: RESTORED!
52
THE BACK PAGE 58 On the Cover: The Warner Grand Theatre's stage. (photo: Taso Papadakis)
SAN PEDRO TODAY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Joshua J. Stecker
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lori Garrett
ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION Joseph A. Castañeda
GUEST EDITORS & CONTRIBUTORS FOR SAN PEDRO TODAY
Tim McOsker, Anthony Pirozzi, Jr., Angela Romero FOR GRAND VISION FOUNDATION
Liz Schindler-Johnson, GVF executive director Taran Schindler, GVF artistic director Samantha Mavar, GVF archives intern Ben Johnson, City of L.A. Dir. of Performing Arts Gary Bettis, 2021 GVF honoree
CONTACT INFO
Phone: (424) 224-9063 Email: contact@sanpedrotoday.com San Pedro Today, P.O. Box 1168 San Pedro, CA 90733
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General Inquiries: ads@sanpedrotoday.com Patricia Roberts - (562) 964-8166 patricia@sanpedrotoday.com Amanda Silva - (310) 650-8051 amanda@sanpedrotoday.com
EMPIRE22 MEDIA LLC
Joshua J. Stecker, owner/publisher
VOLUME 12 | NUMBER 12
GVF thanks local historian, Angela Romero, for helping to bring to life the history of the WGT. San Pedro Today publishes the last Thursday of every month and is produced monthly by Empire22 Media LLC. No portion of this publication can be reproduced without written permission by Empire22 Media. 25,000 copies are delivered to San Pedro and portions of Rancho Palos Verdes. San Pedro Today is a product of Empire22 Media LLC. Empire22 Media LLC, their subsidiaries and affiliates are released from all liability that may involve the publication of San Pedro Today. Copyright 2009-2021, Empire22 Media LLC.
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HAPPY 90TH BIRTHDAY, WARNER GRAND! WE REMEMBER THE GOOD TIMES!
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JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 9
A MESSAGE FROM GRAND VISION’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
GREETINGS FROM CITY OF L.A. DIRECTOR OF PERFORMING ARTS by Ben Johnson director of performing arts, City of L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs
by Liz Schindler-Johnson, executive director, Grand Vision Foundation
a generation of local school children have grown up with the theater firmly in their lives and their public education. That is also something worth celebrating. Seeing a show at the Warner Grand is a one-of-a-kind experience, in part, because so many people in the audience know each other. This creates quite a buzz in the lobby as the crowd comes in. I’ve had the unique chance to talk to This January, we mark two significant some of the performers that have come community milestones: the Warner through the theater in recent years, Grand Theatre’s 90th and Grand Vision and they mention that they can feel Foundation’s 25th anniversaries. the energy coming from such a coheNinety years is a long time. The sive audience. It makes the performers Warner Grand Theatre, like all 90-yearwarm up and play longer. It makes the olds, is a survivor. Survivors don’t just live through one near miss; they usually big-name pop and rock concerts better and so memorable. It’s an unexpected live through many, and the theater is benefit that makes me proud to be part no exception. This alone is something of this community. This warm fuzzy is worth celebrating. something to celebrate too! When the publisher offered to dediWe miss those times and cannot wait cate this issue of the magazine to the for the theater to reopen and touch our Warner Grand, I was thrilled. It meant lives again. that we could tell all of San Pedro about When I became involved 22 years the theater and the hows and whys of ago, the most pressing needs were to fix its survival. It’s a tale that turns bleak the building and become established as and then grows increasingly positive, a theatrical venue. In the process, I’ve and that is a theme that we all can apmet incredible people who have cared preciate in these difficult times. Twenty-five years ago, Grand Vision passionately, devoted countless hours, was founded to save the Warner Grand and shown tremendous generosity. Each year at Grand Vision FoundaTheatre and successfully convinced tion’s annual “Gathering for the Grand,” the City of Los Angeles to purchase it. we recognize one of these people. This Together, we set some lofty goals: to reactivate the local economy and train a year, we are honoring Gary Bettis and new generation in the performing arts. Bettis Insurance for their dedication to the theater, the community, and its After 25 years, we’re closer to these youth. I’m grateful to San Pedro Today goals. Before the pandemic shutdown, for allowing us to recognize Gary the restaurant economy in town certainly “boomed” on busy theater nights. and his family’s company in this very special edition devoted to the past, presAnd the theater has sparked a renaisent, and future of the Warner Grand sance of youth-oriented programming. It’s the “new normal” that more than Theatre. WGT
forming Arts Program, I am so pleased with how we have been able to steward this venue over the last five years. It has taken a team effort, and we are now about to begin several phases of renovations and upgrades of the venue that will occur over the next few years. At minimum, the community deserves a safe, clean, and well-run venue that supports and anchors the performing arts, education, and service organiThank you for inviting me to join you, zations in the South Bay. With that in Liz, in welcoming the San Pedro Today mind, we are looking to transform the readership to this celebratory issue of theater to allow for a safe reopening, the magazine. The Warner Grand The- which will enable the space to be a tool atre is one of the great theatrical gems for economic recovery in the area. in the City of Los Angeles. I’m honOver the past few years, we have adored that as the director of performing dressed several critical items, and when arts, I can celebrate the theater’s 90th we are allowed to reopen, we are excitbirthday with you. It is such a pleasure ed for artists and audiences to return to to participate in the active restoration see a brand-new digital film projector, and revitalization of this performing a completely upgraded sound and light arts center. system, a restored and encapsulated fire We are continually indebted to the curtain, and a completely refurbished leadership of Council District 15 and and restored Yamaha grand piano. Councilmember Joe Buscaino and his At the end of this year, we will begin Senior Advisor Alison Becker for their a substantial renovation, which will leadership in improving this important, include restoration work in the lobhistorical landmark on behalf of the San bies, building a lobby elevator, updating Pedro community. Moreover, with the plumbing and electrical systems, updatsupport of the Grand Vision Foundaing bathrooms and making them ADA tion, brilliantly led by Liz Schindlercompliant, and adaptively reusing office Johnson and Taran Schindler, we can spaces and ancillary spaces. actively address all of the immediate San Pedro and the City of Los Angeneeds of this unique building on behalf les deserve a world-class venue and a of the artists and audiences that call the beautiful symbol of community pride, Warner Grand Theatre "home." so I'm thrilled that we can help make With our trusty staff at DCA, which that happen for now and generations to includes Venue Director Lee Sweet, and come. WGT the stellar crew and staff of the Per-
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES
Arthur & Irene Almeida 10 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2021
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 11
The San Pedro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Celebrates & Honors the Warner Grand Theatre on the occasion of its 90 th Anniversary.
Gary Bettis
A GRAND VISIONARY: www.sanpedrochamber.com
HONORING GARY BETTIS & BETTIS INSURANCE remarks by Gary Bettis It’s an honor for me and my business to be recognized by Grand Vision Foundation and its board of directors. As a lifelong resident, I have watched as the Warner Grand transitioned from a family destination to low points in the 1970s and ’80s, like “blue” movies and “swap meet” plans. Thankfully, our city leaders heard the community’s call to purchase the theater and turn this around. The most important thing that has happened to our Warner Grand is really Liz and her Grand Vision. I’ve enjoyed seeing them grow, from the days of the Save Your Seat campaign to the present, with music events and music education in the local schools. What Grand Vision has done to preserve the theater is awesome. I honestly think that if Grand Vision didn’t exist, the theater wouldn’t either — or it wouldn’t be usable. One of the greatest gifts Grand Vision has given our community is the venue for local youth to experience music and the performing arts. Many children in this area are lower-income, and cultural arts programming in schools is very limited. Grand Vision’s music education program provides an important intervention for these kids. Grand Vision has also helped me grow my business as a provider of insurance protection for many local nonprofits. I can look back and see how interrelated many of these organiza-
12 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2021
tions are that rely on the Warner Grand as a venue for fundraising events, talent showcases, graduations, and more. I owe a big thank you to Grand Vision for its support over the years in helping us build a business that also helps others. My family first came to San Pedro when my mother’s grandfather moved west in the late 1890s to work the mule trains that brought the boulders to build the federal breakwater. The Bettis side of the family arrived in San Pedro in the early 1940s. My father, Wayne, used to enjoy telling the story of having a very strict father who made him work all the time. One day, my father skipped work to bring a date to a matinee at the Warner. His dad found out and marched into the projection booth, stopped the movie, and hauled him back to work. It must have looked pretty funny because my grandfather was of average height, and my father was pretty tall. There are so many stories. The Warner Grand Theatre has always been part of our family and our lives. I’m proud that, thanks to Grand Vision Foundation, the last remaining historic movie palace in our area is still running and still entertaining people, right here in San Pedro. WGT Gary Bettis is a principal at Bettis Insurance.
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 13
WARNER GRAND: THE ANCHOR OF OUR INNOVATION DISTRICT by Tim McOsker Why does an old theater like the Warner Grand matter anyway? I have so many responses, but most are personal to me. The “Warner Brothers” (as my dad still calls it) was a catalytic investment in Downtown San Pedro in the early 1930s. It was an architectural and technical innovation and a point of pride when my grandparents on both sides arrived in San Pedro. The Warner was still a young movie palace when my parents met working there and fell in love. (Dad was an usher and Mom was a candy “girl”). Today, my wife, Connie, works for the Grand Vision Foundation. Her dedication to the theater allowed us to reconnect with the historic landmark perched on 6th Street. Connie and I danced on that stage with the San Pedro Ballet in a Christmas performance of The Nutcracker. In 2016, the main stage and lobbies became the settings for our daughter Nella’s beautiful wedding. But these milestones that mean so much to my family are not the reasons why the theater is vital to our community. The Warner Grand is important to us collectively because it can help lead the way to a brighter future in San Pedro by serving as an anchor for our downtown’s evolution into an Innovation District. What is an Innovation District? It’s an academic title for a geographic area that creates jobs, fosters ideas, hatches innovations, and sustains healthy and interesting lives. The kind of place we all want for ourselves and future generations. We have all the tools and abilities to be that. I know it is difficult today to imagine San Pedro — or anywhere in our region — as an Innovation District. We are in a pandemic, and the economy is shut down. Business and community groups are suffering. But there is hope in sight. We will heal, reopen, and recover. When we do, we can come back better than ever. Our historic waterfront and downtown area give San Pedro a massive head start on other geographic areas that might want to create an Innovation District. As we embark on a postpandemic recovery, we need to focus 14 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2021
particularly on the opportunities surrounding two of our unique attributes: 1.) our urban ocean, and 2.) our arts history and culture. As the CEO of AltaSea, I have the privilege of working with people who are redeveloping 35 acres of City Dock No. 1 to bring about a future for this region in ocean sciences, technology, business innovation, and new jobs for a sustainable future. The Port of L.A. and the waterfront of our urban ocean are uniquely situated to be the center of a vibrant emerging Blue Economy of good jobs and economic development. But we will want more than just new business and jobs. We want San Pedro to have a sense of place and to support balanced, fulfilling, and healthy lives. For that, we need good schools, a hospital and medical offices, places of worship, restaurants, and shops. And we need the arts. But why the arts? Great innovative companies are typically populated with creative people who appreciate all types of creativity, especially the arts. When the leaders in these companies are looking for places to set up shop, they want to be in a district that is vibrant, fun, and creative. They want it for themselves, and they know it’s a selling point to attract the best employees. San Pedro has so much to offer for these creative types. We have a rich history of the written word, painting, sculpture, stage performance, song, dance, oratory, and folk craft. These arts are in our shared and our individual histories. They are part of the fabric of San Pedro. Of course, the arts have many places, homes, and expressions in our town. The Warner Grand is a special one of those places; it is a focal point. It is historically and geographically a centerpiece, an anchor to the arts, and at the core of what can be a walkable, authentic, vibrant downtown. As we emerge from this pandemic, we can build a bright future and sustain generations in San Pedro by embracing our unique attributes and history in the urban ocean, the arts, and places like the Warner Grand. WGT Tim McOsker is the CEO of AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles.
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 15
WARNER GRAND, ITALIAN STYLE by Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. The Warner Grand Theatre holds a special place in my heart, with memories of Italian concerts produced by my father and his partner Domenic Manghisi in the 1980s, ‘90s, and early 2000s. I would continue to make more memories when my friend Gale Kadota and I started Scalawag Productions, producing young adult theatre productions starting in 2011. For me, over these four decades, the Warner Grand Theatre was more than a place to go; it was a place to experience from the inside out. From the early days of coming from Italy in 1956, my father had a passion for promoting Italian culture in order for immigrants to feel a piece of home. He had a great passion for soccer, radio, and music. So in 1987, he decided to produce his first Italian concert at the Warner Grand with Manghisi. Their vision was to bring the best of Italy to San Pedro. The headliners they produced would consist of winners of the Italian Song Festival of Sanremo, Italy. This annual festival is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the town of Sanremo, Liguria, Italy. The festival has launched the careers of some of Italy’s most successful singers, including Andrea Bocelli. My siblings and I had no idea who the singers were and didn’t know any of their music. We only knew if dad was bringing them to San Pedro, they must be famous in Italy. Our job was simple: help in any way possible. Whether going with dad to the airport to pick up the singers and handle luggage, photograph and film the concert, or sell cappuccinos and pastries at intermission, we did whatever needed to get done. 1987 saw Al Bano and Romina Power, one of the most famous duos in Italian music history, perform at the Warner Grand. They won Sanremo in 1984 with the song “Ci Sara” (“There Will Be”). The theater was not only sold out, but many who attended were dressed to the nines. Women wore beautiful dresses, and men wore suits. It was truly something to see and experi16 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2021
ence for the first time. This sold-out performance led to the next production in 1988 of Ricchi e Poveri (Rich and Poor), a famous Italian trio who won Sanremo in 1985 with “Se m‘innamoro” (“If I Fall in Love”) and have sold over 20 million records in their career. The highlight would occur the following year when Toto Cutugno, the 1980 Sanremo winner with the song “Solo noi” (“Only Us”) and famously known for the song “L’Italiano” (“The Italian”), would take the stage. Toto attracted a fairly younger crowd and made up a majority of the sold-out show. When he sang, the crowd erupted and screamed out his name. Toto captivated the audience when he walked into the crowd for his final song. He sang through the crowd and made his way up to the balcony, and the crowd enjoyed every moment of it. What a night! The 1990s saw most shows produced outside of San Pedro until 2005, when Gigi D’Alessio performed for the final Manghisi/Pirozzi production at the Warner Grand Theatre. Scalawag Productions was an offshoot of the Dodson drama program where both Gale and my kids participated. We established Scalawag as a way to provide an opportunity for high school and college-age performers the opportunity to perform at the Warner Grand Theatre. We worked closely with the Grand Vision Foundation on our first production of a Gilbert & Sullivan revue, which we pulled together in just over a month. It was a learning experience, to say the least. The following four years would see full productions of Oklahoma, Fame, Guys and Dolls, and A Chorus Line. The experience was great, a lot of work, and very satisfying. The best part was watching the actors progress from learning the script, dance, and music to transforming into the characters in the performance. The end product was always of high quality from performances, set design, lighting, and of course, the live orchestra. Scalawag prided itself on a core value of no music tracks, only live music. Great memories! Happy 90th WGT! WGT Anthony Pirozzi, Jr. is a Los Angeles Harbor Commissioner. He can be reached at apirozzi@yahoo.com.
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(L to r) Opening day in San Pedro, January 20, 1931; Artistic montage created using artwork from the Warner's opening day program. (photos: Grand Vision Foundation archives)
STARS, USHERS, & THE CASTLE OF YOUR DREAMS: REMEMBERING THE WARNER GRAND THEATRE’S ELEGANT BEGINNINGS by GVF Staff Writers
HOW IT ALL STARTED
The Warner Grand, originally called the Warner Bros. San Pedro Theatre, was developed as part of Warner Bros. Pictures’ 1928 expansion plan to bring new “picture houses” to suburban Los Angeles neighborhoods. San Pedro, with its vibrant maritime economy, piqued the interest of the Warner Bros. scouts who purchased the property on 6th Street near Pacific Avenue. This was an ideal location because it was the main bus thoroughfare for thousands of longshoremen, fishermen, cannery workers, and shipbuilders who worked at the San Pedro waterfront and Terminal Island. The theater was designed by the prolific team of architect B. Marcus Priteca and designer Anthony Heinsbergen. Completed in 1931 for just $500,000, the theater has indeed stood the test of time.
GROUND BREAKING
On June 18, 1930, over 500 citizens gathered on 6th Street for a mo-
mentous ceremony. Jack L. Warner, Warner Bros. president and one of the four Warner brothers, declared the theater “the castle of your dreams.” He sent his son, Jack Warner, Jr., to break ground alongside top stars of the day, including Laura Lee, Claudia Dell, and Grant Withers.
A STAR-STUDDED CROWD WELCOMES AN EXTRAORDINARY THEATRE
Seven months later, on January 20, 1931, thousands gathered for the highly anticipated opening day. Back-to-back shows were sold out — both emceed by actor Frank Fay and featuring Warner Bros.’ new comedy Going Wild with Joe E. Brown. Brown was a big star of the day, though he’s probably best known in later years for Some Like it Hot when he played the batty millionaire who fell for a crossdressing Jack Lemmon on a cruise. Stylish film stars were there, in-
18 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2021
cluding Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Blondell, and Loretta Young. Also on hand were dashing leading men Lawrence Gray, Edward Woods, and Joe Donahue. These actors were under contract with Warner Bros.; part of what was called the studio’s “stable,” and appearances were part of the job. Uniformed military officers, business leaders, and Warner Bros. execs also mingled with the enthusiastic crowd. At 6 p.m., the doors swung open, revealing a red-carpeted lobby with an elaborately decorated ceiling, elegant furnishings, and a large tile water fountain, whose look is now lost to history. Fun fact: In those days, theater lobbies didn’t have concession stands. Red carpeting extended through the lower and mezzanine level smoking lounges. Young men from town, trained as ushers, wore white uniforms and used a fascinating “sign language” to communicate over the crowd as they guided ticket holders to open seats.
There must have been a great hush as the first audience entered the lavish 50-foot-high two-story auditorium. There were 1,500 plush seats, giant chandeliers, and a beautifully painted fire curtain. When they looked up, they saw the stunning carved plaster sunburst ceiling, painted in metallic gold, blue, brown, and silver, that still awes audiences today. Warner’s General Manager M.A. Silver took the stage and proclaimed, “We now dedicate this new Warner Bros. San Pedro Theatre to you, our friends and neighbors for whom it was built . . . a most hearty welcome!” And with that, the Warner Bros. Theatre began her long life, experiencing the ups and downs of the 20th century movie theater and surviving to become San Pedro and the South Bay’s last remaining historic movie palace and now, a beloved landmark and performing arts venue. WGT
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 19
B. MARCUS PRITECA:
THEATER ARCHITECT EXTRAORDINAIRE by GVF Staff Writers
“Any damn fool can make a place look like a million dollars by spending a million dollars, but it's not everybody who can do the same thing with half a million” - Alexander Pantages, theater entrepreneur The Warner Grand Theatre owes its phenomenal structure to architect B. Marcus Priteca. Known as Ben, he was a Scottish immigrant who settled in Seattle. He designed theaters for Pantages, Paramount, Orpheum, and Warner Bros., and his buildings can be found throughout the country, especially up and down
(L to r) B. Marcus Priteca's renderings of the WGT ceiling; the architect in 1916. (photos: Grand Vision Foundation archives)
the West Coast and Southwest. Throughout his career, Priteca designed 22 theaters for Pantages and another 128 for other theater owners. Notable venues include the Coliseum in Seattle (1915), Seattle’s first theater built expressly for showing movies; the Pantages in San Francisco (1926) — renamed the Orpheum in 1929, it was a showcase for his new, more ornate work; and the Hollywood Pantages (1929), the last and largest of the Pantages theaters. While working for Pantages,
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Priteca developed his trademark “multi-use” movie houses that included office and commercial space and earned a reputation for quick work and “opulence on a budget.” His success with Pantages drew attention in the theater world, and he was in high demand by all the major studios. It was said that he had a “good ear,” and early on, he was designing with the audience’s auditory experience in mind. He included contoured walls and ceilings and used softer materials for interior features to improve the sound.
Priteca’s experience and forwardthinking set the San Pedro Warner Theatre apart. Not only was he aware of acoustics, but sightlines and safety were also at the top of his list. For the Warner Bros., Priteca re-engineered the “old-fashioned” steep balcony into an original modern low-slung design. Unlike many other historic theaters throughout Los Angeles, the mezzanine seating at San Pedro’s theater is not “high-altitude.” WGT
A lion at the Warner Bros. Theatre, 1935 — one way to get people in the door! (photo: Grand Vision Foundation archives)
MOVIES & MEMORIES:
THE WARNER GRAND'S FIRST ERA by Angela Romero and Taran Schindler “It was a palace. Walking into the Warner Theater always made me feel like I was somehow walking on air,” Yolanda Valle Perry reminisces. Yolanda was born and raised in San Pedro and spent countless Saturday afternoons during her childhood at the Warner Grand, enjoying its grand surroundings. She remembers imagining the glamorous lives of the movie stars and escaping through the characters they played. “What a time that was!” Yolanda remembers. “I was there mostly in the 1950s. There were so many theaters in town, the Fox Cabrillo, the Strand, the Globe, but by far, the Warner Brothers was the most dazzling.”
console in the pit, no pipes in the organ In early 1929, Warner Bros., the famous chambers, the dressing rooms beneath Hollywood studio, announced that they the stage weren’t built out, and the secwould be building six suburban theaters ond-floor offices above the storefronts never materialized. Despite the changes, in the Los Angeles area, including the Warner Bros. San Pedro, decked the Warner Bros. San Pedro. When out in “movie theater opulence,” opened the stock market crashed on a Black to great fanfare with a star-studded Tuesday later that year, the number of celebration on January 20, 1931. theaters was cut in half. Luckily, San The theater survived the Great Pedro still got its theater, along with Depression under the helm of its first Beverly Hills and Huntington Park. manager, Fred C. Crow. Warner Bros. The groundbreaking ceremony took handpicked Crow, a former chiropracplace on June 18, 1930, with 14-yeartor who was active in the Chamber of old Jack Warner, Jr. tossing the first shovelful of dirt. Construction only took Commerce and known for his charm and charisma. When the Warner was eight months, but with the country in the throes of the Great Depression, cuts threatened by low attendance, Crow got creative with marketing: He lowered had to be made — there was no organ
THE EARLY YEARS
admission prices, hosted celebrity appearances, held giveaways, and put on “screeno” nights (bingo in a movie theater); he even went as far as placing a mechanical fortune-telling doll in the lobby, which he personally assured was 100% accurate.
THE WWII ERA
Most movie theaters thrived during World War II. The war effort required long hours by tens of thousands of workers, and San Pedro was one of the cities answering the call loud and clear. All these war workers needed a diversion, so they flocked to theaters like the Warner. Plus, the newsreels that played along with every feature
WARNER GRAND: THROUGH THE YEARS... June 18, 1930 – More than 500 citizens gather on 6th Street for a momentous groundbreaking ceremony for the Warner Bros. San Pedro Theatre. The young Jack Warner, Jr. is there to break ground and deliver his father’s message that the new theater will be “the castle of your dreams.”
the slapstick comedy film, Going Wild with Joe E. Brown.
January 20, 1931 – Opening day brings stars and starlets, Hollywood bigwigs, and thousands of locals to the theater for back-to-back sold-out shows, featuring
1948-52 – The U.S. v. Paramount Pictures – Supreme Court issues the Paramount Consent Decree to break the big studios’ monopoly, requiring them to sell off their
1930s-‘40s – Golden Age of Film, led by the five big producers: Warner Bros., Paramount, RKO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Fox, carries moviegoers through the Great Depression and World War II.
theaters. This marked the end of the Hollywood studio system. In 1952, Warner Bros. spins off theater ownership to a new chain, The Stanley Warner Theaters. 1950s-’70s – With the rise of television, theater attendance is dropping nationwide. In San Pedro, Stanley Warner Theaters sells the Warner to Pacific Theaters. Other local theaters are sold or razed. The glamorous Fox Cabrillo (1923-57) at 7th & Palos Verdes is torn down. The Globe (1913-62) at 6th & Palos Verdes
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were the best way for Americans to see actual footage from the front lines. The Warner Bros. San Pedro also did its part by serving as a “Victory House” — a place where people could purchase war/ victory bonds. There were even special movie showings where tickets would be given away with every victory bond purchased. After WWII, the Paramount Consent Decree of 1948 dealt a major blow to the industry when it required all movie studios to divest themselves of their movie theaters. By 1952, half of all the movie theaters in the City of Los Angeles had closed. The following year, all the Warner Bros. properties were transferred to the Stanley Warner Corporation. San Pedro’s theater was safe, but without the backing of the whole Warner Bros. machine, it began a steady decline.
HARD TIMES FOR MOVIE PALACES
Warner’s biggest competitor, the Fox Cabrillo, met an even worse fate when it was demolished in 1958. The rise of the television era meant that the theaters now had to compete with millions
If you were going to the Warner Brothers Theatre in the 1950s, you might remember the hugely popular Bugs Bunny Club. Courtesy of DiCarlo Bakery on 9th & Gaffey Streets, local kids could collect 10 bread labels, bring them to the theater on the last Saturday of the month to get in for free. DiCarlo Bakery knew a good thing when they saw
of smaller screens. Times and tastes were changing, and in 1968, the Stanley Warner Corporation was purchased by Pacific Theaters. The early 1970s was a precarious time for historic buildings in San Pedro. Many in the downtown area had fallen into extreme disrepair. City leaders drew up the Beacon Street Redevelopment Zone, and an entire district with decades of history was marked for demolition. By 1975, old Beacon Street would be leveled, along with the Globe Theater on 6th and Palos Verdes. The Warner Theatre hit an all-time low when it was sometimes occupied by adult film distributors or boarded up. The late ’70s would also see the name Warner removed from the Warner marquee on 6th Street. Arnulfo Estrada, a Wilmington businessman, purchased the theater from Pacific Theaters in 1978 to show Spanish language films and renamed it Juarez Theater. He repainted the interior lobby in bright colors, recovered the seats in vinyl, and added a mural on the lower lobby ceiling that remains today. Estrada soon handed over control to
it, and they saw that wascally wabbit Bugs Bunny. The bakery knew that the iconic bunny along with the free theater admission promotion would attract families with kids. Of all the A-List actors that emerged from the Warner Studio, Bugs is definitely one of their biggest stars. In the late 1930s, he had a few “minor” parts in early Loonie Tunes/Merrie Melodies cartoons. Finally, he appears in true character in “A Wild Hare” (1940), with his signature phrase, “What’s up, Doc?” WGT
has a phase as an “exotic” film house. It’s razed in 1971 as part of the Beacon Street Redevelopment Project. 1978 – Pacific Theater Group sells WGT to Wilmington businessman Arnulfo Estrada, who screens Spanish-language films and renames the theater, Teatro Juarez. August 27, 1982 – WGT is recognized as Historic-Cultural Monument #251 by the L.A. Cultural Heritage Board under the name Juarez Theatre.
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his sons. They started showing horror movies that appealed to a younger audience but sometimes attracted a dangerous element. Fights occasionally broke out, and one of the Estrada sons was stabbed.
BECOMING THE WARNER GRAND
In 1984, former Mann’s Chinese Theater manager Ray Howell purchased the theater from Estrada. In a 1984 News-Pilot article, he said that he was planning shows for kids and performing arts events to bring back the community. He reopened with Disney’s The Jungle Book. He and his business partner Clay Colbert spent $100,000 upgrading the theater, painting over the colored walls and adding the painted gold filigree details in the stairwell and on the mezzanine lobby walls. Howell’s aim was to open the theater with a regular series of second-run films at affordable prices to compete with the first-run theaters in the area. His first act was to restore the Warner name to the marquee, naming it the Warner Grand Theatre.
"The show at the Warner Grand on June 24, 1989, was a true standout. Following an excessively long mic check for Joey Ramone, the Ramones nearly leveled the Warner Grand with a wall of sound. To this day, that show remains the loudest concert I can ever recall! The crowd was ultra stoked to see local heroes — Firehose, L.A. legends Bad Religion, and the godfathers of punk, [the] Ramones." - Paul Miloe, area resident
When Howell’s business partner Clay left, another Ray — Ray Kaufman — came on board to be theater operations manager. Howell was a noticeably tall man, and the new Ray was not. For a time, “Big Ray” and “Little Ray” started to get things going at the Warner Grand. Soon, they were showing classic movies and stage performances. They worked with local promoters to bring big names like Chaka Khan, magician Doug Henning, and the Ramones and rented the theater for movie shoots with top stars like Patrick Dempsey and John Turturro. Despite these efforts, Howell was having a hard time making ends meet. After seven years with the best intentions, he closed the doors in November of 1989 and put the theater up for sale.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Newspaper ad promoting the new Bugs Bunny Club.
1984 – Ray Howell buys the theater from Estrada and renames it the Warner Grand Theatre to reflect its history and set new sights for the future. 1985-89 – Howell and new associate Ray Kaufman breathe new life into the old movie palace. They rent space to the film industry and work with local producers to bring some big names, sparking the idea that the WGT could be a live music venue, but Howell struggles to make ends meet. November 4, 1989 – After a final midnight viewing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Howell closes the theater.
In 1991, Ray Howell sold the theater to one-hit-wonder musician and owner of the Killer Shrimp restaurants, Lee Michaels. Michaels’ song “Do You Know What I Mean” had filled the airwaves in the summer of 1971. Twenty years later, he was actually living in the Warner Grand. He and his girlfriend would use 1991 – Howell sells the WGT to musician and owner of the Killer Shrimp restaurants, Lee Michaels, who plans to create a dinner theater, but nothing comes of it. Four years later, Michaels considers selling the WGT as a church or a swap meet. 1995 – A group of community businesspeople forms what would become Grand Vision Foundation (GVF), a nonprofit to save the Warner Grand Theatre as an intact historic building. They negotiate a price with Michaels and approach then-Councilman Rudy Svorinich, Jr., who rallies the City of L.A. to buy the theater.
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(L to r): The Beverly Warner, the Warner Grand Theatre’s twin, demolished in 1986; Gary Larson being honored by Grand Vision Foundation in 2016, with Alan Johnson; a March 21, 1995 news clipping from The News-Pilot. (photos: Grand Vision Foundation archives)
the 1,500-seat auditorium as their living room, watching movies from the front row while eating popcorn. Michaels entertained plans to create a dinner theater, but after five years, nothing came of it, and word got out that he needed to sell. Soon, he was considering sales with different buyers who had no use for a theater and wanted to convert the building. He approached local property owner Gary Larson, who had just purchased the Arcade Building directly across the street from the theater, to see if he was interested in buying the Warner Grand.
BIRTH OF A GRAND VISION
Gary Larson felt he was in no position to buy the theater, but as chairman of the San Pedro Revitalization Corporation, he knew how important the Warner Grand was to the future of Downtown San Pedro. “If the Warner Grand started up again as a functioning theater, it would draw people, but on the negative side, if something happened to it, it’d be a big black hole for downtown.” Larson continues, “The fear of the theater
being sold to someone who would do irreparable damage led to the revival of the Friends of the Warner Grand.” The Friends of the Warner Grand was formed back when Ray Howell owned the theater, but it quickly disbanded because it was tough to have a support group for a privately-owned, for-profit company. The first person Larson approached about regrouping was fellow downtown property owner Alan Johnson, co-owner of Jerico Development. They worked together to figure out a possible solution for saving the Warner Grand. It was suggested that the reassembled group rebrand themselves for their new charge. “Noramae Munster came up with the idea that we call ourselves Grand Vision Foundation,” explains Larson. “I thought it was a great name. It’s what we needed to imagine the future of the Warner Grand.” The first part of the “grand vision” was to figure out a way to raise the $1.3 million asking price to buy the theater, but time was running out. Larson was in constant contact with Lee Michaels. There were two parties
January 21, 1996 – City of L.A. becomes the seventh owner of the WGT, purchasing it for $1.2M. March 20, 1996 – GVF incorporates to “preserve and promote the historic Warner Grand Theatre” and becomes the Friends Group to the WGT. September 20, 1996 – Locals gather for the Light Up the Night street festival to see the WGT's restored blade sign and marquee switch on in full color for the first time in 35 years. 24 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I JANUARY 2021
1998-99 – Early GVF and City of L.A. partnerships bring two LA Phil concerts with Music Director EsaPekka Salonen. The WGT is listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places as building #98001633. 1999-2000 – Local resident Susan Wilcox steps in as the first regular producer at the WGT since the City’s purchase. From 2000-10, she presents a foreign film series to audiences
very interested and ready to go into escrow — one to convert the theater into a storefront church and the other ready to gut the auditorium for swap meet space. Larson knew he needed to do something fast. Micheals gave him just 180 days to secure the funds. After exhausting all other avenues, Larson and Johnson approached the newly-elected L.A. City Councilman and lifelong San Pedran, Rudy Svorinich, Jr. Councilman Svorinich had fond memories of the theater and, like Larson and Johnson, understood its economic importance, so he enlisted the help of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to secure the property for the City of L.A. As the story goes, Rudy’s mother Winnie told him he had to save the theater. She and Rudy’s father had gone on their first date at the theater. She decided at the time that since Rudy Sr. had sprung for balcony seats, he was a good catch. Flash forward to January 1996, without an hour to spare, Councilman Svorinich, the City of L.A., Gary Larson, Alan Johnson, and the other members of Grand Vision had made of 500 or more. Liz Schindler-Johnson becomes GVF’s executive director. GVF, with director Sheila Ryle, produces two youth musicals at the Warner Grand. Performances of Grease and City of Angels begin a new era of youth productions on the historic stage. February 26, 2004 – Movie Palace Mystery Day! GVF hosts a youth event at the WGT featuring professional actors in a live-action game of Clue. Kids enjoy a first-class cosplay experience as they explore the historic theater.
their vision a reality — the Warner Grand Theatre was saved. The City of Los Angeles had purchased the property for $1.2 million with the express purpose of it serving as an anchor for the economic revitalization of Downtown San Pedro. Today, the theater is the only one of the three movie palaces built by Warner Bros. in Los Angeles that’s still intact. When the City bought the theater, they assigned their Department of Cultural Affairs to operate it. With help from Grand Vision Foundation, it’s been a working film house and performing arts venue since that time. It is listed as a City of Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument, and it is included on the National Register of Historic Places. But San Pedro’s Warner Grand is hardly a monument. It’s a living and breathing venue, a place for creating new experiences, opportunities, and memories for the current residents of San Pedro, Greater Los Angeles, and beyond. WGT
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Misty Copeland teaches a Master Class at the Warner Grand Theatre, 2016. (photo: Nick Gingold, courtesy San Pedro City Ballet)
THE NEW GENERATION:
THE THEATER'S REBIRTH AS A PERFORMING ARTS VENUE by GVF Staff Writers When Lee Sweet, a City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs employee, first came to the Warner Grand Theatre in 2000 to be its business manager, Ray Kaufman, the program manager, gave him a tour. Lee remembers being surprised at the place’s condition and his small budget, but he could see the potential. He planned to continue showing films while also attracting performing arts events. Around that same time, Susan Wilcox, a San Pedro resident, found out about a documentary being shown at the Warner Grand Theatre. She worked at USC and liked to join friends in Downtown L.A. to see movies. This time, she invited them to San Pedro to see the film and get a look inside the Warner Grand. Susan was “shocked that it was such a good film and yet virtually no one was in the audience.” She was inspired to start her own film series
at the theater. “Here was this incredible venue in my own backyard; I needed to help activate it.” Thus was born the “Foreign Film Featuring” series, which ran for ten years. “The original series was four foreign films with food themes,” Susan continues. “We sold out nearby restaurants for related dinner parties. It was so much fun that we continued with the themes of friendship, family, fun, fearlessness, and so it went. I produced 20 series and more than 100 programs, including sing-a-longs and classics with costume contests. Throughout the decade, we built a loyal Warner Grand audience that went on to attend and support many different events at the theater.” Susan was also playing another role. In addition to running her film series, she and her committee were recruiting other arts groups to help fill the theater’s calendar. They wrote letters to
area producers and were lucky enough to attract the interest of the Golden State Pops Orchestra and the Long Beach Opera. “That’s when the theater started getting some momentum. Grand Vision was just getting its feet wet as a fundraising organization, but we also saw that an audience would come with the right outreach,” remembers Liz Schindler-Johnson, executive director of Grand Vision. But to keep audiences happy, the theater needed urgent repairs. “It was so cold that people had to wear coats while watching a movie, and the springs in the seats would poke into you,” Wilcox remembers. “We tried to raise funds by producing some concerts and summer youth musicals, but that was too sporadic to be effective,” Schindler-Johnson continues. “We realized our role was to go out and find a way to fix the building itself.”
June 11, 2004 – GVF launches the Save Your Seat campaign, inviting community members to adopt seats at the theater to raise funds for essential upgrades.
2007 – The Grand Annex, run by GVF, opens down the block from the WGT at 434 W. 6th Street, turning their offices into a live music listening room. Taran Schindler takes the helm as artistic director a year later.
WGT to present a youth-tailored concert to a packed house of Meet the Music kids.
2005-2006 – Among many Save Your Seat fundraisers, standouts include Grand Chair Affair (April 2, 2005) and the theater’s 75th anniversary (January 20, 2006). 2006 – WGT closes from March to October to have new seats and steel rigging installed. Theater reopens with a performance by the Golden State Pops Orchestra.
2008 – GVF installs a new stage extension at the WGT, making the stage and pit available for larger productions. 2010 – GVF’s Meet the Music gains momentum with a new partner, LA Opera! MTM is an in-school music program for 4th & 5th graders in San Pedro and Wilmington. Each year, the Opera comes to the
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2011 – WGT celebrates its 80th anniversary! GVF throws the Think Thirties bash at the theater with a screening of the film, The Brothers Warner, and a swing-style reception in the mezzanine with dancers and a live big band. 2014 – GVF refurbishes the flood-damaged lower lobby of the WGT. On your next visit, make sure to take a look at the historic photos and posters.
(Read more about that effort on pg. 35.) In the early 2000s, another intrepid group was making its mark on the theater: the San Pedro City Ballet. “The Warner Grand is a magical and meaningful place,” says Cindy Bradley of the San Pedro City Ballet, which she codirects with her husband Patrick. “We started 27 years ago, and we wanted to open up the world of ballet to the kids in the area. The Warner Grand has been an essential piece of making this happen. It has become our home for the annual Nutcracker performance, and it has all the features to give the dancers a professional experience.” The ballet’s biggest star is Misty Copeland. She danced on the Warner Grand stage for the first time in 1996 in a production of the classic ballet Coppélia, a memory she captured in an illustrated children’s book she recently authored called Bunheads.
May 27, 2014 – WGT fire curtain revealed! During a routine rigging inspection, GVF draws new attention to the original asbestos curtain, painted by Armstrong Studios of L.A. To protect and seal the fire-retardant material, the City of L.A. encapsulates the curtain in 2020.
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(L to r): Encore Theatre Group's performance of Oliver!; the Goo Goo Dolls perform on the Warner Grand stage; November 2, 2015: a fire engulfs the building next door to the theater. (photos: Encore Theatre Group, Liz Schindler-Johnson)
Now Misty is a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre and one of only a few African American principal ballet dancers in the world. “Misty is really changing, maybe even saving, ballet,” Cindy muses. “She’s opening doors for other people of color, she tells her story to children around the world, and she came back in 2016 to do a master class at the theater, which helped establish our Dance Education scholarship fund. In 2020, we had six high school graduates from diverse backgrounds who all are now in college. Some were from high risk, low-income families.”
Encore director, Carla Rojo, “and are fortunate to have been embraced by the local community.” A local middle school student, Drake Nash, said he was “inspired to become an actor when I was six years old” by Encore’s production of Shrek. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor books the theater for an annual arts culmination, and each year, graduation ceremonies are held at the theater by the Harbor College Nursing School and others. Four film festivals call the theater home, including the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy’s Wild & Scenic Film MANY HAVE ENTERTAINED Festival, the San Pedro International ON THIS STAGE Film Festival, the Los Angeles Harbor Theatre Manager Lee Sweet has always International Film Festival, and See It, put the presenters first and center stage. End It, an event focusing on ending huWith no event production budget or man trafficking. funds to hire sufficient staff, Lee has Another long-term user of the Warmade the theater tick by offering afford- ner Grand is the Long Beach Opera. able rates and nurturing community This innovative group has premiered presenters, many of whom are youthmany of its shows at the theater, includoriented. Lee has widened the sense ing The Central Park Five by Anthony of ownership and created a big tent of Davis, which won the Pulitzer Prize for producers who return time and again to Music in 2020. present at the theater. The Warner Grand has also hosted Before the pandemic-related closure some top performers over the years, in 2020, some of the theater’s frequent too many to mention. Some highlights producers were Rolling Hills Prep include concerts by jazz artist Diane School for their annual musical, Grupo Reeves, the LA Phil (three times), and Folklorico Sabor de Mexico, a youth shows by the Ramones, Leo Kottke, dance group, and the San Pedro City and Al Hirt, comedians George Carlin Ballet. The Golden State Pops Orchesand Hannibal Burris, spoonbender tra, once a mainstay, may be back in the Uri Geller, and concerts by Band of coming years. Encore Theatre Group, Horses, Dishwalla, Michael McDonald producers of musicals starring local of the Doobie Brothers, Gary Wright youth and adults, has made the the(“Dreamweaver”) backed by members ater their home, helping to bring and of the Stone Temple Pilots, Miguel, maintain a wide audience. “We were Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, the Goo attracted by the theater’s beauty,” says Goo Dolls, and Jackson Browne.
In the 1980s, Madonna drew crowds during a photoshoot by Herb Ritts, and Dennis Rodman was sighted doing an interview at the theater in 2018. Other prominent guests who have graced the stage include actors Tippi Hedren, Michael York, Betty Garrett, Pat Boone, author Ray Bradbury, and Robert Towne, author of the Academy Award-winning screenplay for the film Chinatown. Sweet remembers his favorite event, when the famous primatologist Jane Goodall came to speak in January 2013. “We have never had a bigger audience. People were sitting on the stairs. Betty White was here to introduce her; what a great night.” The Warner Grand Theatre is also a popular filming location and plays a starring role in the films Illusion (Kirk Douglas), What’s Love Got to Do with It (Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne), Pearl Harbor (Ben Affleck), Must Love Dogs (Diane Lane, John Cusack), Win a Date with Tad Hamilton (Kate Bosworth, Nathan Lane), Seabiscuit (Toby McGuire, Jeff Bridges), and The Ghosts of Mississippi (Alec Baldwin). It’s also been the backdrop for many TV shows, including Melrose Place, The OC, Heroes, Party of Five, Monk, and HBO’s Perry Mason.
2015 – A state-of-the-art digital projector is purchased for the WGT. Film distribution is moving quickly away from film formats. The new projector makes it possible for the theater to show current films only available digitally..
2020 – City of L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs secures significant funding for major physical, technical, and electrical upgrades, including a lobby elevator, for the WGT. A new future is at hand for San Pedro’s historic movie palace.
November 2, 2015 – A severe fire erupts in the building next door to the WGT. Firefighters go to great lengths to ensure the theater’s safety, ultimately saving it from any costly damage. 2016 – WGT turns 85! The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy presents the Wild & Scenic Film Festival to a packed
house. GVF brings cake for all! WGT catches the eye of major music promoters. Top acts land on stage, including Band of Horses, Miguel, Goo Goo Dolls, and Chris Cornell. February 9, 2018 – Jackson Browne plays a sold-out show at the WGT to benefit GVF’s Meet the Music program. April 2018 – GVF launches the Love the Lobby campaign to restore the original artwork on the ceiling and walls throughout the WGT’s main lobby to ensure that the dazzling beauty of the Warner Grand will greet visitors for generations to come.
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WHAT IT ALL ADDS UP TO
Over the years, the Warner Grand has faced many threats, but probably the worst of all occurred in the early morning hours of November 2, 2015, as the building next to the theater was engulfed in flames. Schindler-Johnson witnessed the love for the Warner Grand firsthand.
December 18, 2020 – Original chandeliers, restored by Steven Handelman Studios, are installed as this commemorative issue of San Pedro Today goes to press. WGT
As the fire raged, she was called to the scene by then Battalion Chief Ronnie Villanueva, a San Pedro resident whose daughters had acted in both Grand Vision youth musicals in the early 2000s. He gave the instructions to protect the theater. It was the firefighters on the roof, with their backs facing east, shooting water into the fire away from the theater that saved it. Moments like that make us realize what a precious gift it is to still have the Warner Grand Theatre in the San Pedro community — turning 90 this year and going strong. A generation of young people have been raised with the theater in their lives and woven into their education. Someday in the not-too-distant future, there will be another San Pedro High School grad, like Misty Copeland or R&B singer Miguel, who will rise to great heights of fame. And many more young people will find their calling as television executives, lighting designers, and other entertainment industry workers because they were inspired and motivated by the theater. Still, others will find their visits to the theater just made them happier, more well-rounded people. However, the theater impacts each one of us personally; we are lucky to have such a spectacular public building in town that helps young people find their path and brings everyone in the community together. WGT
Lower lobby chandelier, before it was restored.
CAPTAIN’S TREASURE CHEST JEWELRY CONGRATULATES THE WARNER GRAND ON 90 YEARS! WE HAVE MANY FOND MEMORIES. WISHING YOU 90 MORE! CAPTAIN’S TREASURE CHEST JEWELRY • (310) 519-1856 28901 S. Western Ave. Suite #219, Rancho Palos Verdes Located in the Terrace’s 2nd level Open Tues-Fri 10am - 5:30pm | Sat 10am - 5pm
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Pre-Hays Code ads in the News-Pilot, 1931.
(photos: Grand Vision Foundation archives)
HAYS CODE: 'CLEANING UP' HOLLYWOOD by GVF Staff Writers
These days, everyone knows what it means when a movie is “rated G” or “rated R.” This is a system designed by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) that lets the public know what sort of content is in a film. In the early days of the movie industry, filmmakers didn’t have these types of restrictions. And films out of Hollywood in the roaring 1920s and into the ‘30s were definitely not rated G. What changed? In the late ‘20s, the movies got pretty racy. Public outcries led to the Hays Code of 1930, a series of restrictions that the major studios chose to adopt
in order to show a concerted effort to reform Hollywood’s image. The code was named for former U.S. Postmaster William Hays who was recruited by the studios to serve as the president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. Hays came up with a list of “don’ts” that called for the “correct standards of life.” Highlights of the code included: no interracial relationships, no “glamorous safe-cracking,” no disrespect to the American flag, no lustful kissing or indecent dancing, and the infamous rule — separate beds for couples, with one foot remaining on the floor during
bedroom scenes. The Hays code regulated the movie industry from 1934 to 1968 when the more relaxed MPAA rating system was introduced. The Warner Grand Theatre opened during the height of “pre-code” Hollywood. Many of the early films produced by Warner Bros. were flagrant examples of the “lustfulness” that the code would eventually squelch. However, film historians appreciate this period in film history for its over-thetop uncensored appeal. WGT
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Grand Vision Foundation's first projects: restoring the marquee and celebrating with the Light Up the Night event, 1996. (photo: Grand Vision Foundation)
GRAND VISION FOUNDATION:
25 YEARS OF CARE FOR THE WARNER GRAND THEATRE by GVF Staff Writers After saving the Warner Grand Theatre, Grand Vision Foundation embarked on its first major project, restoring the historic marquee and burnedout neon blade sign. Volunteer board members Bob Clark and Stephanie Seitz pulled it all together quickly and smoothly. On September 20, 1996, in front of a crowd of almost 5,000, Grand Vision relit the theater’s marquee at their Light Up the Night celebration. “That night was amazing,” remembers another early board member, Noramae Munster. “At the time, I had an advertising agency on 7th Street, and not much was going on downtown. Light Up the Night made people feel like things were about to happen. It was electrifying.” But how would Grand Vision maintain that energy? The Grand Vision board tried tapping big L.A. foundations for restoration support, and when that didn’t happen, they tried raising money by producing concerts at the theater. “We were a little before our time on that,” says one of the founders, Alan Johnson. Not long before, a newcomer had arrived in town, Liz Schindler. By trade, she was a city planner but also had a background in art. She took note of the historic theater across from her office in
the Brown Bros. Building and wondered what it looked like inside. Finally, she got in. Liz had recently met Alan Johnson, and he took her to see a concert there by the LA Phil led by Esa-Pekka Salonen. The house was full, the music was transcendent, and the theater — gorgeous. “I saw the posters and banners promoting the concert, and the audience was dressed to the nines. I thought San Pedro must be a cultural mecca.” In 1998, she joined Grand Vision’s fledgling board of directors. But the organization was low on funds, and the executive director quit. The group needed someone who knew the ropes of city government, project management, and historic preservation. Liz was a match. She remembers being at the Warner Grand when San Pedro’s “first citizen,” John Olguin, came in with a group of elementary school students. He asked her to give them a tour of the theater. “Their eyes lit up when I pointed out the decor,” says Liz. “Even back then, when the theater was in pretty bad shape, it was still awe-inspiring. At that point, I knew we had to do something big, for the theater, for the whole community, and especially for the area’s
kids.” That experience shaped what Grand Vision was to become under Liz’s leadership. Grand Vision explored its next steps. The theater’s state of disrepair prevented producers from mounting shows there. One improvement came when the City of Los Angeles announced it would install a new heating and air conditioning system. Around that time, the Grand Vision board determined that they would fundraise to restore the sprung seats and replace the old hemp rope stage rigging held together by duct tape and clothespins. Theater Manager Lee Sweet was in complete agreement. He recalls the first day he visited the theater and sized up its physical condition. “I was standing at the top of one of the aisles with my arms folded, looking back and forth like, ‘What is this?’ The seats had that old-timey hadn’t-been-taken-care-of look. The cushions were all pancaked. I was struck by the color palette.” Grand Vision hired a San Franciscobased theater consultant to advise on the tasks ahead. Together, they pored over plans and projected costs. In the best-case scenario, they needed at least half a million dollars to do the work. The number was daunting. If they
started a big push to raise funds, how long would it take? Camilla Townsend, a local educator and Port of L.A. harbor commissioner, heard about Grand Vision’s challenge. She presented the case to the Port, and her perseverance paid off. The Port of L.A. committed $300,000 in seed money. Grand Vision was more than halfway there. On June 11, 2004, Grand Vision launched the Save Your Seat campaign, with a reception under the theater’s marquee. They announced that people could adopt theater seats and
90 YEARS
& still ready for your close-up! Happy Anniversary to the Warner Grand from the San Pedro Bay Historical Society. SanPedroBayHistoricalSociety.com
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 35
be thanked with a personalized brass nameplate affixed to a seat. Then-City Councilwoman, now County Supervisor Janice Hahn adopted the first seats. Save Your Seat brought the community together. Local families, artists, businesses, and organizations joined a common cause that salvaged a beloved icon and reinforced the vision that the theater could become a quality performing arts venue. “Save Your Seat’s success was a wonderful surprise,” Liz recollects. By this point in the story, Liz had married co-Grand Visionary, Alan Johnson. A San Pedro romance! “Alan and some of the other early Grand Vision volunteers — Irene Mendoza, Leslie Valdez, Kathy Cadien, Shirley Kalland, Annette Ciketic and her Esteemed Bakers, who held bake sales in the lobby — they let me know that the San Pedro community would support the project. And they sold many seats themselves.” Irene Mendoza, a founding member of Grand Vision, originally came to the group as Councilman Svorinich’s City liaison. “I remember the enthusiasm that came with Save Your Seat,” she recalls. “With the council office, we knew that the theater could be a catalyst for revitalizing the town — and with Grand Vision, we were putting that vision into action. Memories of the theater inspired so many people to adopt seats.” For three years, Grand Vision powered the campaign, promoting seat “adoptions” at major theater events and holding creative fundraisers around town. Local residents, businesses, civic leaders, and clubs adopted more than 1,000 seats. Standout events were the Grand Chair Affair (2005) and the Warner Grand’s 75th Anniversary (2006). The Grand Chair Affair was a 300-person black-tie dinner held at the theater on an 80 square foot platform on top of the seats. The event featured a live auction of originally designed chairs made by 40 local artists, including Delora Bertsch, Harold Greene, Candace Gawne, Arnee Carofano, Ron Linden, Lauren Kilgore, Olympia Harris, Tom
Phillips, Valerie Bechtol, and Eric W. Johnson. For the 75th anniversary, Grand Vision presented an onstage revue of local and professional dancers and musicians and an original score played by the Golden State Pops Orchestra to celebrate the theater’s many decades. The event was followed by a rowdy reception at the brand new “Grand Vision Event Space” at 434 W. 6th Street.
'SAVE YOUR SEAT' GOES INTO ACTION
Grand Vision had completed the fundraising campaign, but that was just the first half of the job. The next part was to implement the projects they had promised to the community. The organization had a contract with the City of Los Angeles to oversee the restoration with Liz at the helm. “But I couldn’t have done it without Fred Allen.” As the campaign progressed, a new player had emerged. Fred, a resident of San Pedro, was a veteran of professional theater production. “I toured with Glen Campbell, David Bowie, Patrick Stewart, and others,” Fred explains. “Then I came back to Pedro and settled down. I wanted to know who was behind this campaign for the theater, and I met Liz. She welcomed my help, and we have worked very well together ever since.” Fred kept an eye on the stage rigging project while a seat specialist was brought in to determine the original velvet upholstery pattern. The theater seats were shipped out to be overhauled, and Liz focused on an unexpected addition to the project — aisle lighting. Because almost a million dollars was raised, the final project included not only the seats and stage rigging but also a brand-new P.A./cinema sound system, restored projectors, some repainting of the auditorium, and new carpeting. Grand Vision celebrated the campaign’s success in 2007 with a champagne brunch fundraiser aboard the historic California Zephyr Silver Bullet, a restored passenger train on show at the foot of 6th Street. This event capped a campaign that had exceeded expectations.
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GRAND CHAIR AFFAIR, 2005: (clockwise from top left): Ray Kaufman, Irene Mendoza, and Lee Sweet at the Grand Chair Art Gallery opening; artist Dave Meffert with Noramae Munster and Liz Schindler-Johnson; artist Delora Bertsch poses on her chair. (photos: Bob Aisley)
OPENING THE DOORS FOR FUTURE PRODUCTIONS
Save Your Seat’s ambitious restoration project was complete. Theater doors reopened with a Golden State Pops Orchestra concert in the fall of 2006. The San Pedro City Ballet followed the Pops with their classic, The Nutcracker. The theater was back. Tending to the theater’s physical well-being has always been a hallmark of Grand Vision’s work. But it’s only part of the help the organization provides. Since the City of Los Angeles started operating the theater, it’s been run as a rental house. That means each presenter must handle their own marketing, ticket sales, and event production. To help newcomers, Grand Vision reaches out with marketing and technical support. The organization also packages up the Warner Grand’s calendar of rental events into “seasons” and promotes them in printed mailings, e-newsletters, and on their website. After the Save Your Seat campaign, the calendar began to fill in earnest with event producers of all types. In the years since that campaign, Grand Vision has continued to make the theater more user-friendly with ongoing restoration projects. In 2008, they refreshed the faded marble on the ticket booth, replaced the decrepit main curtain, and installed a stage extension, making the orchestra
pit usable for the first time in decades. An angel, Steve Shultz, an owner of Shultz Steel Company, offered invaluable support for this project, and his help will not be forgotten. In 2009-11, when a section of the mezzanine lobby ceiling began to fall off, Grand Vision repaired the plaster and restored the original design. In 2011, the historic lobby benches were repaired by Alan Johnson. In 2012, the exterior’s chevron patterned tile was repaired. The organization took the lead in 2014 to refurbish the flood-damaged lower lobby, repairing an original decorative mural at the foot of the stairs, painting, installing vintage light fixtures over the restroom doors, and adding a historical photo display and Warner Bros. movie posters. A public building always needs a lot of attention. Throughout the decades, Grand Vision has addressed and continued to make both grand and minor repairs, from painting walls and fixing stage lights to buying a 45,000-lumen digital projector in 2015, so the theater could show films in a state-of-the-art format.
LOVE THE LOBBY
Grand Vision recently launched a new campaign, Love the Lobby, to reveal and restore the original artwork on the ceiling and walls throughout the Warner Grand’s main lobby and more. Council-
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 37
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man Joe Buscaino provided a matching grant of $50,000 toward the estimated $350,000 needed for the project. To date, $100,000 has been raised. The project’s scope has expanded to include urgent projects in all three of the theater’s lobbies. Grand Vision is again asking community members to contribute by adopting seats to help bring back the theater’s opening day luster. The first Love the Lobby project is the recently completed refurbishment of the three lower lobby chandeliers. These large, elegant art deco fixtures were in terrible condition, and many parts were broken or missing. They are now reinstalled. “They look fantastic! We wish people could come in to see them right away,” says longtime volunteer and current Grand Vision board member Lucrecia Jacobson.
NEW SEATS: Children enjoying the new seats during a performance by the LA Opera; Inset: A damaged seat, prior to restoration. (photos: Taso Papadakis)
Japanese taiko drumming to adults through another original program called Team Taiko. Today, Schindler-Johnson is excited about the future of both the Grand Vision Foundation and the Warner Grand Theatre. Two big birthdays are soon to be celebrated: the Warner Grand Theatre’s 90th and Grand Vision’s 25th. A big virtual party is planned for January 23, 2021. With the Save Your Seat campaign, Grand Vision met its first mission, which was to bring the theater back to regular use by the community. Over time, Grand Vision has become a wellrespected community arts organization with a wider audience and purpose. Now, with Love the Lobby, the main lobby will regain its dazzle for all who visit in the near future and for the next generations. LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Schindler-Johnson says, “The good Over the years, Grand Vision has news is that we are here for the long grown. With their roots planted firmly haul, and we are strong enough to at the Warner Grand, they also operate weather rough times like the pandemic the Grand Annex, an intimate music and economic crisis we’re in right now. hall three doors down, and provide When the storm clears, we’ll redouble music education for San Pedro and Wilmington elementary school students our restoration efforts at the theater, through their extensive Meet the Music start up the concerts at the Grand Annex and the Warner Grand, and get program. back to the classrooms in-person to Grand Vision also produces live music stages for free events like San Pe- teach music for the kids of the Harbor area. We can’t wait for that to happen!” dro’s annual Dia de los Muertos street festival. And, since 2014, they’ve taught WGT
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 39
Warner Grand Theatre’s main lobby on opening day (left) and now. (photos: Grand Vision Foundation)
GIVING THE WARNER GRAND LOBBIES SOME LOVE by Liz Schindler-Johnson and Taran Schindler The Warner Grand Theatre has been called “an art deco masterpiece.” Its main auditorium and mezzanine lobby have survived, almost untouched. They are stunning examples of the architectural exuberance that defined movie palaces of the early 20th century. Yet, the theater’s main lobby has not fared as well. The lighting in the main lobby is dim, the once-carpeted floor is tiled, the historic fountain is gone, and no photos of it remain. The lobby’s most significant feature, its marvelous painted ceiling (re-imagined by SPF:architects in this rendering), has been replaced with what is now dingy off-white paint. Alan Johnson remembers Ray Howell, the Warner Grand Theatre’s owner in the mid 1980s, telling him that the ceiling had been painted over sometime in the 1970s. When the Warner Grand Theatre first opened, its main lobby’s entire ceiling was decorated with what appears from historic photos to be an ornate rosette pattern. However, there may be more than that to the story. The January 19, 1931 issue of the
San Pedro News-Pilot devoted 12 full pages to every aspect of the Warner Bros. San Pedro Theatre, which would open the following day. One of the articles described the main lobby’s ceiling to be “of beam composition further advancing the Italian influence. … Each beam has been individually decorated by skilled artisans of the highest type of craftsmanship. As a unit, the beams have an independent allegorical theme depicting the theatrical arts from their inception to the ultimate in show business today.” What could this look like? It’s important to note that the content of the promotional articles about the opening of the Warner Bros. San Pedro Theatre was probably provided by Warner Bros. publicists. These articles contain many inaccuracies and exaggerations. For instance, the next paragraph of the article claims that the theater accommodates 2,000. Actually, the total number of seats was originally a little over 1,560. Nevertheless, the only way we will find out if the ceiling actually does feature such an intriguing theatrical mural
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is by restoring it. Grand Vision plans to do just that. Grand Vision’s Love the Lobby restoration is concurrent with the City of L.A.’s multimillion dollar facility 2021 renovation of the theater. Both the City and Grand Vision will be guided by SPF:architects. This architectural rendering made by SPF:architects in 2019 illustrates Grand Vision’s plan to bring back the decorative ceiling and much more. Other proj-
ects in the rendering likely to be done by the City of L.A. include improved lighting, reimagined concession stands, and new carpeting in the original geometric design. Another essential improvement not shown in this image is a new elevator to be installed at the back left of the lobby, which will finally accommodate patrons at all three levels of this historic building.
The theater's main lobby reimagined. (courtesy: SPF:architects)
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 41
THE HIDDEN TREASURES In 2018, Grand Vision hired a professional paint restorer, Evan Wilson of LeGrande Studios, to investigate the main lobby ceiling. Wilson determined that existing conditions would require more than just paint removal and touch up. He reported that the paint layers on top of the original were very adhesive and will require great care to remove without losing the delicate designs themselves. Fortunately, however, he concluded that it is possible to restore and bring back the original colors and look of this Heinsbergen masterpiece. Wilson also pointed out that the ceiling consists of four major
beam structures which intersect 51 “purlins” or smaller beams, and each set has a different art deco design. There are extensive designs waiting to be uncovered. Wilson worked with Grand Vision to decide which areas to explore. He carefully revealed six sections to show to the public. These windows show just a glimpse of the hidden treasure underneath. The mysterious designs of the past are inspiring visitors to adopt seats at the theater to help fund the project. So far, Wilson is still in search of the allegorical theme described in the pre-opening day News-Pilot article. Here are some of his discoveries:
Evan Wilson of LeGrande Studios removes layers of paint to uncover sections of the WGT's original decorative painting on the main lobby ceiling (left), 2018. (photos: Taso Papadakis; Grand Vision Foundation)
RENOWNED DESIGNER AND MURALIST, ANTHONY HEINSBERGEN The ornate designs that dazzle from the Warner Grand Theatre’s ceiling, organ lofts, proscenium, and in the upper lobby are the work of the studio of renowned muralist Anthony Heinsbergen. Born Antoon Heinsbergen, the artist grew up in the Netherlands. He showed an early interest in design and at age 11, he began to apprentice for an artistrestorer. In 1906, Antoon emigrated with his family to the United States, arriving in Los Angeles on his 13th birthday. Once in the U.S., Anthony — or “Tony” — was snapped up by a local decorative painting contractor and also became one of the first students at Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles. By the time he was 15, he
was supervising interior upgrades for wealthy homeowners and in 1922, at age 28, he formed his own business, A.T. Heinsbergen Decorating Company. The company went on to capture many of the most prestigious commissions of the day. Heinsbergen’s murals caught the attention of theater mogul Alexander Pantages. Heinsbergen went on to design 22 Pantages theaters. This working relationship elevated his career and connected him with theater architect B. Marcus Priteca. Heinsbergen and Priteca designed theaters up the west coast and as far afield as Memphis, TN. For Warner Bros., the duo designed the three
suburban Los Angeles sister theaters in Beverly Hills, Huntington Park, and San Pedro. Heinsbergen’s company (which at its high point had a crew of 185) painted spectacular decorations in more than 750 theater, hotels, churches, and commercial and civic buildings around the country. Local notable Los Angeles landmarks include the Hollywood Pantages, Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Biltmore Hotel, the Los Angeles City Hall, and the Wiltern Theatre. Heinsbergen died in 1981. His obituary in the L.A. Times notes that he is remembered for his “delightful mish-mash of byzantine sumptuousness, Art Deco cubism and pure kitsch.”
From my Heart to your Home Wishing Everyone a Happy & Healthy Holiday & a Prosperous 2021!
Anthony Heinsbergen
His son Tony Heinsbergen joined his father’s company full time in 1951. He bought the business after his father retired in the mid-1960s. For more than seven decades, the company operated out of a castlelike building on Beverly Boulevard near La Brea Avenue that Anthony B. Heinsbergen had built in 1927 with used bricks from the old Los Angeles City Hall. WGT
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Warner Grand Theatre’s outdoor second story reimagined. (courtesy: SPF:architects)
PLANNING THE WARNER GRAND’S $10 MILLION RENOVATION: AN INTERVIEW WITH ALISON BECKER interview by Liz Schindler-Johnson
To capture this moment, I caught up with Alison Becker, senior advisor to Councilman Buscaino. He has given her the responsibility of “making the Warner Grand renovation happen.” Her job is to keep the project on track. She leads biweekly meetings with me, as the representative from Grand Vision Foundation, and city employees with relevant roles from at least four city departments, including the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Performing Arts Program which operates and manages the building. That’s how you know a project is important at the City of Los Angeles — when the departments hold regular meetings together.
I asked Alison these questions recently over Zoom:
local resident who likes to attend performances and perform himself, he has a long-standing interest in seeing the theater succeed. It’s very personal to him.
Why did this restoration project get started? Even before he took office, Councilman Joe Buscaino knew that Grand Vision How and why was the had been advocating for architecture firm SPF:a the theater for a long selected? time. He was aware Alison Becker Once we got the funding that the building needed secured in 2019, we issued major improvements, both in terms of a request for proposals to a prequalified preservation and technical functionality. list of architectural firms, which is how He shares the community’s vision the City operates. A call was released for the theater as a hub for cultural a year and a half ago, and we reviewed and artistic events and an anchor the proposals with the DCA and for economic revitalization. As a Grand Vision. Everyone agreed that
Happy 90tH anniversary to tHe Warner Grand!
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SPF:architects was the most qualified. They displayed a sensitivity to historic preservation and had experience restoring the Hollywood Pantages. In the spring of 2019, we selected SPF:architects for the planning phase of the project, which was to draw up a feasibility study with detailed budget information and architectural renderings. The renderings and plans they produced, while some are aspirational, are very inspiring and show the potential of the theater. After this plan was completed, we were able to select them as the project architect.
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What does the entire renovation cost? The entire renovation is over $30 million. Since, to date, we have secured $10 million, we are dividing the project into phases. We will take on the restoration of the auditorium in the next phase.
once construction starts, unknown conditions may be discovered. This could cause costs to increase, and not every project may get done.
What are the main obstacles or concerns you have right now about progress? I don’t see a lot of obstacles, but I know What improvements are included in that while we and the community this first phase of the restoration? We are focusing on the public spaces in feel a sense of urgency, the City takes a long time to do projects of this this first phase. We are working from size. The challenge is to calibrate our a list of improvements by priority that expectations and not become frustrated we asked DCA and Grand Vision to submit. We’re emphasizing the lobbies, about the timeline or the expense. the bathrooms, and improvements to It was never a question of if the the electrical and plumbing systems. theater should be restored, but a One of the most important projects question of how. But as you remember, is a lobby elevator which will serve all Liz, from Redevelopment Agency floors of the building. We also plan to days, the Warner Grand was identified paint the exterior, refresh the marquee, as a driver for the area’s economic restore the lobbies in conjunction with development, and its restoration was Grand Vision Foundation, do some always at the center of the arts district backstage upgrades to increase the plans for Downtown San Pedro. stage’s functionality, and rethink the Our job has been to advance those box office and manager’s office to create plans. We want to stop studying what more efficiencies. We have to keep in mind since the needs to be done and get it done! WGT Warner Grand is a very old building,
Architect’s rendering of reimagined entrance foyer and ticket booth. (courtesy: SPF:architects)
SPF:architects
Zoltan E. Pali
Founded in 1990 by Zoltan E. Pali, FAIA, and his wife, Judit Fekete-Pali, Culver City-based SPF:architects (SPFA) is an award-winning firm known for commercial and residential projects. Among their many projects, they previously led the 2000 renovation of the B. Marcus Pritecadesigned Pantages in Hollywood and the design of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, which combined a new extension and reimagining of a 1933 post office in Beverly Hills.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Zoltan has also worked on the restoration of the Getty Villa, restoration and renovations at the Greek Theatre in Griffith Park, and collaborated with Renzo Piano on the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Museum. SPFA design for the Wallis was honored by the California Preservation Foundation. San Pedro is fortunate to have such a prestigious Los Angeles architectural firm at the helm of the Warner Grand’s renovation. WGT
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One of the theater's newly restored chandeliers. (courtesy: Steven Handelman Studios)
LOWER LOBBY CHANDELIERS: RESTORED! by GVF Staff Writers Another part of Grand Vision’s Love the Lobby campaign, planned in conjunction with the City of Los Angeles’ major renovation of the theater next year, is to make improvements to light fixtures in all three of the theater’s lobbies. Grand Vision got a jump on those improvements with their recent restoration of the three large art deco chandeliers in the lower lobby. These beautiful fixtures were custom built for their purpose and had fallen into noticeable disrepair. The Santa Barbara-based company that restored them, Steven Handelman Studios, produces custom reproductions and repairs historic fixtures. In June 2020, Grand Vision delivered the first chandelier to the studio for Steven Handelman to inspect. When removing the chandelier, “we discovered many ancient cigarette butts that had been stashed in its crevices years ago,” says Liz Schindler-Johnson. Liz continues, “Steven also told me, very interestingly, that the reason these fixtures had broken apart was because they were assembled with zinc, which was only designed to stay together for about 65 years. That’s concerning, but
most of our fixtures are doing pretty well, and they are quite a bit older.” After six months in the shop, the three large chandeliers returned fully and gorgeously restored, just in time for the theater’s 90th birthday. Steven Handelman Studios is that rare company that is dedicated to creating and restoring works primarily by hand, assisted by 3D technology. His employees are immersed in their craft. Their clients include numerous celebrities, colleges, public buildings, private residences, and spectacular theaters like The Granada in Santa Barbara. Based on their knowledge and experience, Steven and his team not only repaired broken elements but informed Grand Vision about missing pieces that they recreated, such as the caps at the bottom of the cylindrical glass shades and the glass bottom of the central section. Grand Vision is grateful to have received such kind attention and excellent work from Steven Handelman Studios. These beautiful chandeliers will brighten everyone’s experience at the Warner Grand Theatre for years to come. WGT JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 53
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luna Salon, 1861 n. Gaffey St., Suite G & H (310) 528-8848
Serving Our Community for Over 40 Years! • Commercial & Residential Real Estate • For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Rosemarie “Bitsy” Lauro • Short Sales Owner/Escrow Officer • FHA & Conventional Refinance • Income/Investment Properties Independently Owned & Operated • Hard Money Loans 864 West 9th Street San Pedro, CA 90731 ∙ (310) 548-1263 www.ranchosp-escrow.com
JANUARY 2021 I SAN PEDRO TODAY I 55
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The Warner Grand Theatre has been part of the McOsker family for more than 60 years. Nella McOsker married Nick Stelzer there in 2016 (pictured); her grandparents met working at the theater in 1955. (photo: McOsker family)
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