El Capitan Theatre Tours Now Available

Beginning this Friday, October 10, 2014, Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre will offer exclusive tours of the historic Hollywood landmark daily from 8:30am on.

Commenting on the announcement, Lylle Breier, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Special Events for Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, said, "El Capitan guests will now have the opportunity to learn about the history and magic of Hollywood's premiere movie theatre in a fun filled tour. It's a way of adding a whole new dimension of excitement to a day at our legendary theatre."

The El Capitan Theatre offers a 30 minute Disney Movie Palace & Backstage Tour which includes a history of Hollywood and the El Capitan, full access behind-the-scenes of the theatre, including the Sherman Brothers Star Dressing Room, named for the composers of such Disney songs as "A Spoonful of Sugar" and "It's a Small World," an opportunity to take a photo with the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ, and a full viewing of the curtain show. An Express Tour is also offered for those on the go, which includes the history of the theatre, a visit to the Wall of Fame, and a tour of the lobby areas.

For more information, details and options, visit the El Capitan Theatre Box Office or call 1-800-Disney6.

At the El Capitan Theatre, guests can step into Hollywood's glittering past in this grand theatre, which made its debut in 1926. Fully restored to showcase its original lavish architecture and to reflect its glamorous theatrical origins, the El Capitan Theatre boasts a history dating back to Hollywood's inception as the center of the entertainment world. In the early 1920s, when Hollywood Boulevard was still a quiet mix of homes and agricultural businesses, real estate developer Charles Toberman envisioned a thriving theatre district there. Often called "The Father of Hollywood," Toberman played a role in developing over 30 buildings in the heart of Hollywood, including the Roosevelt Hotel and the Hollywood Masonic Temple (now the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, home to ABC's late night talk show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!).

Along with Sid Grauman, Toberman developed three exotically themed theatres -- the Egyptian, the Chinese, and the El Capitan. Local architect, Stiles O. Clements, of Los Angeles based firm Morgan, Walls & Clements, designed the theatre's elaborate cast-concrete Spanish Colonial style exterior. G. Albert Lansburgh, a San Francisco architect known for his design of over 50 theatres and luxury cinema houses on the West Coast, designed the lavish East Indian inspired interior of the theatre.

Stars of the stage attended the opening of the El Capitan Theatre, the largest legitimate theatre in Hollywood, when it debuted on May 3, 1926. They filled the 1,550 seat theater, dubbed "Hollywood's First Home of Spoken Drama", for the premiere of the fresh-from-Broadway play "Charlot's Revue," starring Jack Buchanan, Gertrude Lawrence, and Beatrice Lillie. Well known theater manager and producer, Henry Duffy, operated the El Capitan for a decade, producing over 120 live plays on its stage, including "No, No, Nanette," "Anything Goes," and "Ah, Wilderness." Legendary stars Clark Gable, Buster Keaton, Mary Pickford, Joan Fontaine, Henry Fonda and Will Rogers have graced the El Capitan stage.

In 1941, the El Capitan Theatre was converted from a playhouse to a movie theatre. Searching for a theatre in Hollywood to premiere his controversial film, "Citizen Kane," Orson Welles rented the El Capitan. On May 8, 1941, Welles' first feature film, "Citizen Kane," premiered at the El Capitan Theatre. Shortly thereafter, the theatre closed briefly for a nine month renovation and modernization.

The theatre reopened in March 1942 as the Hollywood Paramount, a new, streamlined "art moderne" first run movie house. For over 35 years, control of the theatre changed hands multiple times and the name of the theatre changed multiple times as well, from Loews Hollywood, to the Hollywood Cinema, to Pacific's Paramount Theatre.

In 1989, the Walt Disney Company joined forces with Pacific Theatres and launched a two year, museum quality restoration of the historic theatre, led by renowned theatre designer Joseph J. Musil. Under the supervision of the National Park Service's Department of the Interior, and with guidance from conservator Martin Weil and architect Ed Fields, the certified national historic site was restored to its former grandeur.

The renovation restored many of the original design details such as the ornate plasterwork found hidden behind walls. Using old pictures of the original theatre, Musil reconstructed missing elements such as the opera boxes in the main auditorium as well as the lobby, recreating the ornate glamour of the El Capitan. The renovation updated materials to support the technical needs of a modern movie theatre, and also included a new marquee sparkling above Hollywood Boulevard. Musil's design achieved his goal to recreate the look and feel of the El Capitan Theatre in 1926.??

The newly restored movie palace, declared a Historic Cultural Monument by the City of Los Angeles, reopened its doors to the public on June 19, 1991 for the world premiere of Walt Disney Pictures' "The Rocketeer." "The Rocketeer" became the first of many Walt Disney Pictures feature films to premiere at the El Capitan Theatre.??

With its grand reopening, the El Capitan was an early participant in Hollywood's revitalization efforts. In 2001, the Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex opened directly across the street. In the heart of this bustling Hollywood entertainment district, the El Capitan Theatre is an exclusive first run theater for Walt Disney Pictures, and hosts live stage shows, world premieres, and other special events that have helped restore showmanship to Hollywood Boulevard.

Today, guests are treated to an unparalleled movie-going experience powered by the most advanced cinema innovations at the El Capitan, the Walt Disney Studio's premiere cinema. Here, audiences can experience the most advanced cinematic technology, such as the completely immersive Dolby ATMOS sound system featuring over 100 speakers, the super-bright Christie Solaria series digital projectors delivering crisp, clean images with perfect color, and ultra-realistic digital 3D powered by RealD. The El Capitan Theatre experience often includes exclusive preshow entertainment, prop and costume exhibits, and many other fun surprises!

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