Hollywood Palladium
Hollywood, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The distinctive sign for Hollywood Palladium announces a Sunset Boulevard landmark with quite a musical history. Its tall lettering and unusual top give passing motorists something to notice even when there’s no concert on their calendar. For generations of customers, that familiar name has meant an evening of music, dancing, and a crowd gathering outside.

Opened on October 31, 1940, the ballroom at 6215 Sunset Boulevard welcomed the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with a young Frank Sinatra handling vocals. That’s quite an opening-night lineup in hindsight, though Sinatra’s biggest years were still ahead. The Palladium arrived when a live orchestra and a large dance floor could draw an eager crowd for a night on the town.

Hollywood Palladium as of 7/12/08
Hollywood, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst

Designed by Gordon B. Kaufmann, its Streamline Moderne appearance offered a different kind of spectacle from the ornate movie palaces nearby. As tastes changed, big-band music gave way to rock concerts and later generations of touring performers. Television broadcasts, including The Lawrence Welk Show, carried the ballroom’s entertainment to audiences at home.

UPDATE: The Hollywood Palladium sign was all but gone as of November 24. The sign is now down to the studs and the rotating portion on top of the marquee is gone. Many thanks to Jeff Matsuno for update. 11-10

Hollywood Palladium as of 12/25/09
Hollywood, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst

UPDATE: The sign is not stripped down. They finished redoing the old sign a couple of years ago. The Palladium redid its sign to look like it did when it first opened in 1940. The photos below show what it looked like during and after the remodel. Many thanks to Scott Broadhurst for info. 12-10

UPDATE: A major restoration returned much of the Palladium’s original exterior appearance, and the venue reopened in 2008 with Jay-Z backed by a twelve-piece band. It continues as a Live Nation concert venue, welcoming another generation beneath the familiar name. The music has changed since Sinatra’s opening night, but this old Hollywood ballroom still knows how to draw a crowd. 10-26s