Masonic Temple 7 images Created 3 Oct 2019
The Hollywood Masonic Temple on Hollywood Blvd is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by architect John C. Austin, one of Los Angeles’ most significant and prolific architects, whose work includes the Griffith Observatory, Shrine Auditorium, and City Hall. The 3-story building's construction was led by lodge master, Charles E. Toberman, who was responsible for the Hollywood Bowl, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the Roosevelt Hotel and the Max Factor Building. When the new temple opened in 1923, it had a billiard room, pipe organ, ladies parlor, ballroom and lodge rooms. Oliver Hardy, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks, WC Fields, Cecil B. DeMille, DW Griffith, John Wayne, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry were members.
During the Great Depression, the organization was forced to rent the ground floor out to a social club, but after World War II the Masons resumed full use. In 1948, more than 300 people attended the memorial service for DW Griffith. Longtime Mason Harold Lloyd was honored in a ceremony as his name was placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, directly in front of the Masonic Temple in 1969. By the late 1970s, Masonic membership had declined and they were no longer using the building. First sold to singer Rosita LaBello for her Hollywood Opera & Theater Company in 1987, the building was renovated and reopened as the Hollywood Live Entertainment Pavilions, including a cabaret, jazz, and dance club. With the renovation of the El Capitan Theater next door in the early 1990s, Disney began leasing the building for special events and in 1998 purchased the building. Now called the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, Disney restored original fixtures, including backlighted stone filigree, wrought iron torchieres, Batchelder tiles and old post boxes once used by Masonic officers. Beginning in 2008, ABC's late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” originates from a studio in the building.
The 7 photographs in this gallery show Hollywood Masonic buildings between 1915 - 1984.
During the Great Depression, the organization was forced to rent the ground floor out to a social club, but after World War II the Masons resumed full use. In 1948, more than 300 people attended the memorial service for DW Griffith. Longtime Mason Harold Lloyd was honored in a ceremony as his name was placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, directly in front of the Masonic Temple in 1969. By the late 1970s, Masonic membership had declined and they were no longer using the building. First sold to singer Rosita LaBello for her Hollywood Opera & Theater Company in 1987, the building was renovated and reopened as the Hollywood Live Entertainment Pavilions, including a cabaret, jazz, and dance club. With the renovation of the El Capitan Theater next door in the early 1990s, Disney began leasing the building for special events and in 1998 purchased the building. Now called the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, Disney restored original fixtures, including backlighted stone filigree, wrought iron torchieres, Batchelder tiles and old post boxes once used by Masonic officers. Beginning in 2008, ABC's late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” originates from a studio in the building.
The 7 photographs in this gallery show Hollywood Masonic buildings between 1915 - 1984.
