"Don't Answer the Phone!"

We get some murky drive-by shots on Hollywood Blvd. in Robert Hammer's film "Don't Answer the Phone!" (Crown International, 1980). In this shot we're looking east across the facade of the Chinese at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. toward Ted Mann's newly-opened Chinese II and III at 6915.

It's a grisly exploitation film with a serial killer and lots of semi-naked women. Featured are James Westmoreland, Ben Frank and Flo Lawrence. The cinematography was by James L. Carter.

 

 

 

A moment later we're closer to the Chinese II and III and there's also a view of the Paramount vertical across the street at 6838 Hollywood Blvd. That theatre went back to being called the El Capitan following a 1990s restoration by Disney and Pacific Theatres. The killer, played by Nicholas Worth, is cruising the Boulevard in search of his next victim. 

 

Kurt Wahlner has identified this footage as being shot during the June 8 to 21 run of the 1979 film "Players" with Ali MacGraw and Dean Paul Martin. He comments: 

 

"While I admit that it is difficult to make out the lettering, but 'Players' had a 'white type on black' ad campaign. I think that what clinched it for me was the poster in the poster case. The big pagoda banner is for 'The Main Event,' which was the next film to play there after 'Players.' 'The Main Event' banner was up even for the film to play before 'Players,' which was 'The Prisoner of Zenda.'

"Additionally, just take a look at the 'Players' one-sheet on IMDb. In the upper right corner, you will see how they treat the 'A Robert Evans Production' This, I believe, is the first grouping of letters on the left side of the marquee, with the smaller letters turning blue. The second grouping would be a longer white: 'An Anthony Harvey Film' followed by a space, then, what I should think one line all the rest of the way: 'Ali MacGraw • Dean Paul Smith • in Players' 

 

"The 'reverse marquee' to the east on the twins is for 'Prisoner of Zenda,' moved over from the big house. Peter Sellers’ name twice in yellow (one blocked by the dragon marquee; there is a blue ampersand between the names, turned green here), then the film title in red/orange. Let’s be charitable and say that it was photographed that last weekend of the 'Players' run on June 22-23. Oh, but wait - it can’t be that. 'Zenda' had been kicked out of the twins by then, and there were no late shows for 'Players' that weekend (the yellow banner draped under the dragon marquees is for late shows). So this shot MUST have been made either Friday, June 8, or Saturday, June 9."

 

The banners across the street were advertising a Walk of Fame ceremony for Aretha Franklin. But it didn't happen during the run of "Players." The event evidently was re-scheduled and happened on August 29. Her star is across the street from the Chinese at 6920 Hollywood Blvd.

See a photo by Raul Vega taken later in the run of "Players" that appears at the end of Ronald Haver's 1980 book "David O. Selznick's Hollywood." Thanks to Kurt Wahlner for locating it. He notes that this one was taken after the first weekend as there are no yellow banners under the marquees advertising late shows. 

 

 

 

The crowd is lined up for a screening of "Alien" at the Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd. The film had a 21 week run beginning May 25.

 

 

 

The killer, in the blue shirt, is walking with a fiend in front of the Sunset Theatre at 1508 N. Western Ave. 

 

 

 

A moment later at the Sunset. It was part of the Pussycat chain. 

 

 

 

A nice telephoto shot from somewhere near Argyle Ave. We get the Paramount way in the distance and on the right it's the vertical of the Pantages at 6233 Hollywood Blvd. If you look closely on the left the red vertical of the Fox Theatre can be seen. It's at 6508 Hollywood Blvd.

 

 

 

Signage of the Cave Theatre, 6315 Hollywood Blvd. It's now a Deja Vu Showgirls location. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Ken C. for noting that the Cave and other interesting street scenes appear in the film.  

 

 

In a continuation of the Cave shot we look across to the facade of the Vine Theatre at 6321 Hollywood Blvd. That's our serial killer behind the three ladies in the shot.

For more information about these film houses see the pages about Grauman's Chinese, the Chinese II and III, the Paramount/El Capitan, the  Egyptian, the Fox Theatre, the Vine Theatre, the Cave Theatre, the Pantages and the Sunset Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site.

 On IMDb: "Don't Answer the Phone!"