Pantages Theatre

Pantages Theatre may refer to:

Pantages Theatre (Minneapolis)

The Pantages Theatre is an historic theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The original building was a Beaux-Arts style twelve-story complex on Hennepin Avenue, designed by Kees & Colburn and operated by Alexander Pantages, a Greek immigrant who opened 500 theatres.

The building was reduced significantly, to two stories, with an Art Moderne facade and a Beaux Arts interior. The Pantages Theatre innovated the mezzanine, and was also the first air conditioned theatre in Minnesota.

In 1945, the Pantages Theatre was renovated after being purchased by Edmond R. Ruben. It was then sold to Ted Mann in 1961; he owned many of the theatres in downtown Minneapolis. The Pantages Theatre closed in 1984, and was renovated and reopened by the City of Minneapolis in 2002. In 2005, the city transferred ownership of its theaters to the Hennepin Theatre Trust.

Since its reopening, the Pantages has been operated by the Historic Theatre Group.

Historic Theatre Group's original partner in booking the Pantages was Clear Channel Entertainment (now Live Nation). Live Nation sold most of its theatrical properties, including its Minneapolis operations, to Key Brand Entertainment in 2008.

Pantages Theatre (Hollywood)

The Hollywood Pantages Theatre, formerly known as RKO Pantages Theatre, is located at Hollywood and Vine (6233 Hollywood Boulevard), in Hollywood. Designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca, it was the last theater built by the vaudeville impresario Alexander Pantages. The palatial Art Deco theater opened on June 4, 1930, as part of the Pantages Theatre Circuit.

History

The Pantages Theatre Circuit had been built on vaudeville, and the new Hollywood theater programmed first-run movies alternating through the day with vaudeville acts for its first two years. But like other theaters during the Great Depression, it was forced to economize and thereafter operated primarily as a movie theater, though live entertainment was presented occasionally.

Alexander Pantages sold the Hollywood landmark in 1932 to Fox West Coast Theaters. In 1949, Howard Hughes acquired the Hollywood Pantages for his RKO Theatre Circuit and moved his personal offices to the building's second floor. From 1949 through 1959, the theatre hosted the American motion picture industry's annual Academy Award Ceremonies. It continued to be a major venue for Road show movies into the 1970s. From 1965, it was operated by Pacific Theatres. The Hollywood Pantages closed as a movie theater in January, 1977, and re-opened the following month with Bubbling Brown Sugar, the first of the many stage productions that have since become its regular fare.