Historic Hollywood

to its continuing success is that Disney, under
project manager Ed Collins, had kept the
theater in sterling condition.
Disney then realized the value of historic
theaters and the presentation that only a classic
theater palace could provide. Also the
popularity of the mini-live shows, especially
before Beauty and the Beast (people paid
several dollars more during these engagements
with the live presentations which were a
throwback to the prologues of Sid Grauman),
led to the creation of the Disney Theatrical
Division which produced the record breaking
plays of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion
King. This also triggered Disney’s restoration
of the New Amsterdam theater in New York
City (a $34 million project-the El Capitan
cost about $7 million, with another $4
million spent in 1998 on the rebuilt stage,
pipe organ, and earthquake repairs), partially
funded by the city, whereas the El Capitan was
privately funded.
To add to the redevelopment of Times Square
that the New Amsterdam was providing, Disney
built their flagship Disney Store and this
massive commitment was followed by extensive
improvements and investment by the city
and other property owners to the point of where
the long awaited revival of Times Square
occurred almost overnight, thanks to Disney’s
investment and thanks to the lessons they
learned in Hollywood.
Meanwhile, back in Hollywood, things
went a bit slower. The city’s embarrassment
over opposing the El Capitan’s restoration
did result in their saving the 1922 Grauman’s
Egyptian Theater for the American
Cinematheque, which spent $15 million on
its renovation. It also triggered the $10-million
restoration of the Pantages Theater in 2000
as Disney insisted that the Nederlanders
bring the theater back to its past glory if they
were to get The Lion King, which would run for
over 2 years there. Disney would then buy the
❖
The Hollywood and Highland Center
is at the corner that from 1903 to
1956 was the site of the Hollywood
Hotel. Street performers frequent the
wide sidewalk shown here which faces
the entrance to the subway station,
the Hollywood Metro Rail Red Line,
from downtown Los Angeles to North
Hollywood. A part of the sidewalk
entertainment is the constant buckling
of the terrazzo sidewalk surface as the
subway tunnel below shifts, having
been built just above the nowunderground
Cahuenga River. The
sidewalk in front of the Center is
repaired on a regular basis, usually
once or twice a month.
COURTESY OF HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND/
TRIZEC R&E, INC.
Chapter X ✦ 45