In 2019 the awards took place on February 24th in Hollywood at the Dolby Theatre, located at the Hollywood & Highland Center. The biggest names in the movie industry walked the famous red carpet along Hollywood Boulevard, but what most people don't know is that the Dolby Theatre is actually inside of shopping mall. That's right, the glitz and glamour of the Oscar ceremony takes place inside of a shopping mall, better known as the Hollywood & Highland Center! For those lucky enough to visit the area, this can be one of the most surprising part of their visit, especially because without the red carpet and the set up for the Oscars, it is hard to imagine the that all the prestige and beauty occurs at this location. We thought it would be fun to explore the history of The Academy Awards and learn where they have taken place throughout the years!
THE ROOSEVELT HOTEL - 1929
The very first Academy Awards occurred in 1929 to honor the best movies of 1927 and 1928. The ceremony took place inside of ballroom of the Roosevelt Hotel, named after President Theodore Roosevelt. The entire ceremony took 15 minutes. Tickets to the event were only $5 and a modest 270 guests attended the show. The Best Picture winner of the very first Academy Awards was Wings, a tale of World War One pilots. The Roosevelt Hotel is located only a block away from the current venue used for the ceremony.
BILTMORE HOTEL & AMBASSADOR HOTEL - 1930 to 1943
Between 1930 and 1943 the Academy Awards alternated between the historic Biltmore and Ambassador Hotels in downtown Los Angeles. The Ambassador Hotel was demolished many years ago but the Biltmore still exists and is one of the most historic hotels in all of Los Angeles.
TCL CHINESE THEATRE - 1944 to 1946
Formerly known as Grauman's Theatre, many people are unaware that the TCL Theatre briefly hosted the Oscar ceremony for these 3 years. The Chinese Theatre opened in 1927 as a movie theater and it was the place in Hollywood at that time where all the big movie premiers occurred. Today the TCL Theatre is an IMAX movie theater, the biggest in the U.S.A. and one of the most visited locations in Los Angeles due to its famous Forecourt to the Stars. This courtyard now has nearly 300 handprints and footprints of hollywood legends such as Marilyn Monroe, Shirley Temple, Al Pacino, Mary Pickford and Harrison Ford.
SHRINE AUDITORIUM - 1947 to 1948
The beautiful Shrine Auditorium was constructed back in 1926 and consisted of one of the largest stages in North America as well as a 3,000-seat freestanding balcony.
After its brief stint hosting the Academy Awards, the location became a popular music venue. In 1956 Elvis had his first ever Los Angeles performance here. Also, in 1984 Michael Jackson shot his famous Pepsi commercial in which his hair caught on fire, causing serious burns on his face and scalp.
ACADEMY AWARD THEATER - 1949
For only one year, the ceremony was moved to the Academy Award Theater and this has probably become one of the least famous of the show's locations. According to the Academy's website, the ceremony was moved from the Shrine Auditorium to the Academy’s own theater “primarily because the major Hollywood studios had withdrawn their financial support in order to address rumors that they had been trying to influence voters.”
PANTAGES THEATRE - 1950 to 1960
In 1950 the ceremony was moved to Hollywood near the famous intersection of Hollywood & Vine to the Pantages Theatre. The theater was designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca and was the last theater built by vaudeville impresario Alexander Pantages. Today, the Pantages Theatre is an iconic building in Hollywood and home to various musicals, shows and performances. If there is a musical to see in town like Phantom of the Opera, Hamilton or Les Miserables, then chances are you will be watching at the Pantages!
SANTA MONICA CIVIC AUDITORIUM - 1961 to 1968
In 1961 the Academy Awards moved to the westside of town for the very first time to the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. This building was designed by architect Welton Becket, who is best know for designing other Los Angeles landmarks such as the Capital Records Building, the Music Center and the Cinerama Dome.
DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION & SHRINE AUDITORIUM - 1969 to 2001
For nearly 35 years, the Academy Awards alternated between the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and the Shrine Auditorium, which was already home to the Oscars back in 1947. The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion first opened in 1964 at at the time had one of the biggest stages in the country. The building is located in downtown Los Angeles in what is known as our "music center" because it is home to the Los Angeles Opera and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
And finally from 2002 to the present day, we have The Dolby Theatre as the permanent host to Hollywood's biggest night! The Academy Awards are not only part of the film industry history but part of the city of Los Angeles history, from Downtown to Hollywood, to Santa Monica, the Oscars remind us of the importance of the movie industry for the city of Angels and the role the industry play on our everyday lives.
We Love LA tours offers private guided tours where you can visit and learn more about these iconic Academy Awards locations. Contact us today to find out more and book a full day or half day private tour of the City of Angels!