"Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" - Pantages and Vine theatres

The pages about theatre locations used in "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood":
| Cinerama Dome - June 13, 2018 | Vogue, Pussycat and Egyptian - July 13 to July 23 | Grauman's Chinese - July 26 | Excelsior High School - September | Bruin and Fox Westwood Village - October 14 - 15 | Pantages and Vine - October 22 | Van Nuys Drive-In - October 24 | Earl Carroll Theatre - November 2 |

Working on the marquee for the October 22 shoot at the Pantages, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. Thanks to Cliff Scott Carson for his photo. On the marquee it's "3 in the Attic." The film, released in December 1968, is about three girls who discover that they have the same boyfriend. Yvette Mimieux, Judy Pace and Christopher Jones star.

Getting the storefronts ready for the October 22 shoot. Thanks to Alison Martino for the photo on her Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page. It's one of twenty photos in her post showing the work done for the film on the blocks east and west of Vine St.

The afternoon work on the storefronts at the east end of the facade. Photo: Alison Martino - Vintage Los Angeles - October 22, 2018

The Pantages ready for action in the evening. Photo: Bill Counter - October 22, 2018

"3 in the Attic"didn't actually play the Pantages. It opened in that prestige location down the street, the World Theatre, another Pacific operation. On December 31, 1968 the World ran an "All Day Preview" of this "Fabulous New Film." The Pantages at the time was running "Finian's Rainbow." Note the poster for Rod Steiger in "The Sergeant," a film that opened at Pacific's Picwood in December 1968.

 

The east end of the facade. Ignore that poster for "Wicked," obviously not part of the shot. "2001," would have been playing at the Warner Cinerama. It ran 80 weeks at the Warner beginning April 4, 1968. Both the Warner and the Pantages were RKO-Stanley Warner houses that were acquired in 1968 by Pacific Theatres. In the case of the Warner, it was in the middle of the run of "2001." Photo: Bill Counter - October 22, 2018

Another look at the Marquee. "Ice Station Zebra" opened on October 24, 1968 for a 29 week run at the Cinerama Dome, another Pacific Theatres operation. 

A look at the west end of the facade. The poster on the left is for "Sweet Charity," a film that began a 70mm roadshow run at the Pantages on March 28, 1969. Photo: Bill Counter - October 22, 2018

A closer look at the Frolic Room and the other west storefronts. Extras were standing around in front of the tailor shop on the left waiting for another shot. Photo: Bill Counter - October 22, 2018

Brad Pitt at the Frolic Room. Thanks to Mike Gill for his October 22 photo on Twitter. And thanks also to Donavan S. Moye for spotting the post.

A look toward Vine St.  Photo: Bill Counter - October 22, 2018

 

Another shot of cars lined for a take. It's a view that appears in a featurette about the film's cars that appears on the DVD of "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood." 

Another view that appears in the featurette about the vintage cars on the DVD of the film.

Storefronts on the west end of the facade getting restored the morning after the shoot. The manikins on the sidewalk had been used in the space at the left, fixed up as a tailor shop. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018 

The east end of the facade. Some of the props are from the toy store that Tarantino had on the corner. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018 

Posters still up in the Pantages ticket lobby for "3 in the Attic." Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018  

A closer look at the center display case. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018

See the pages about the Pantages Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about the 1930 vintage theatre. It's a design by B. Marcus Priteca, now managed by the Nederlander Organization as a home for Broadway musicals.

Letters going up for "Romeo and Juliet" at the Vine Theatre, just west of Vine St. That Schawarma place in the east storefront will soon become an Orange Julius stand. Thanks to Ovidi D. for his October 22 photo on Twitter.

Looking east from the Vine Theatre. The storefront nearest us was a bit later made into a vintage ice cream shop called "Holly-Maid." Photo: Alison Martino - Vintage Los Angeles - October 22, 2018  

The redone entrance of the Vine Theatre. Photo: Alison Martino - Vintage Los Angeles - October 22, 2018. Thanks, Alison! 

The Vine Theatre ready for the shoot. Note the Orange Julius stand on the right. Thanks to classic film enthusiast Heidi on Twitter for capturing the look in an October 22 photo. And thanks also to Donavan S. Moye for spotting Heidi's post.

Another October 22 look at the Vine. Thanks to Mike Gill for his October 22 photo on Twitter. The identical photo also appears, uncredited, in the feed of Ovidi D. on Twitter.

A look down the block. Thanks to Ovidi D. for his October 22 photo on Twitter. The big ice cream cones are for the "Holly-Maid" ice cream shop.

Extras in place for a shot. It's a photo by Andrew Cooper for Sony that makes an appearance with "The Ultimate Guide to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Locations," a July 2019 article by Daniel Djang on the site Discover Los Angeles.
 

The Vine and its storefronts getting restored the morning after the shoot. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018

Looking east on the busy sidewalk. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018

Signage coming down at the Vine. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018

The temporary Orange Julius stand in the Vine's east storefront. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018

See the Los Angeles Theatres page about the Vine Theatre for more about the venue, an S. Charles Lee design dating from 1940.

The storefronts east of the Vine Theatre on the evening of the shoot. The Déjà Vu strip club was fixed up as "Sexy Vixens." Thanks to Ovidi D. for his October 22 photo on Twitter.

Looking east toward the Déjà Vu the morning after. That tattoo shop was also a creation for the film. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018

The Déjà Vu from across the street. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018

A view west toward the Vine Theatre and a closer look at the Madame Sandra establishment created for the film. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018

The entrance of the Déjà Vu. Photo: Bill Counter - October 23, 2018 

The Déjà Vu, 6315 Hollywood Blvd., had once been an adult theatre called The Cave. And way before that, in more genteel times, it had been Sardi's Restaurant. See the Storefront Porno page on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a bit about the place.



The Vine and the Pantages in the film:

A very quick look at the Vine as Brad Pitt drives by in his Karmann Ghia. He's going home to his little trailer next to the Van Nuys Drive-in. Just before this shot, we see him going down Hollywood Blvd. in the other direction.

A moment later on the drive home.  

The Vine marquee coming on at dusk. It's part of a lovely montage of neon signs coming to life all over town. 

Brad and Leo cruising by the Pantages in the Cadillac.

The "Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood" pages:  
| back to top - Pantages and Vine | Cinerama Dome | Vogue, Pussycat and Egyptian | Grauman's Chinese | Excelsior High School | Bruin and Fox Westwood Village | Van Nuys Drive-In | Earl Carroll Theatre |