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{{Short description|Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{for-multi|the bowling operator|Hollywood Bowl Group|the college football bowl game|LA Bowl}}
{{Infobox venue
| name             = Hollywood Bowl
| image            = [[File:Hollywood Bowl 2024.jpg|frameless|The Hollywood Bowl in 2024 with the Hollywood Sign in the background]]
| image_caption    = The Hollywood Bowl in 2024 with the [[Hollywood Sign]] in background
| logo_image       = Hollywood Bowl Logo.png
| location         = 2301 North [[Highland Avenue (Los Angeles)|Highland Avenue]]<br />[[Los Angeles]], California
| coordinates      = {{coord|34|06|46|N|118|20|20|W|region:US-CA_type:landmark_dim:900|display=inline,title}}
| pushpin_map      = Los Angeles#California#USA
| type             = Outdoor [[Amphitheater]]
| opened           = July 11, 1922
| renovated        = 2003–2004
| owner            = [[Los Angeles County, California|County of Los Angeles]]
| operator         = County of Los Angeles<br>[[Los Angeles Philharmonic|Los Angeles Philharmonic Association]]
| seating_type     = reserved seating
| seating_capacity = 17,500
| website          = {{Official website|https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/}}
| publictransit    = {{rint|losangeles|lacmta}} [[Los Angeles Metro Rail]]<br />{{rint|losangeles|red}} [[B Line (Los Angeles Metro)|B Line]]<br />at [[Hollywood/Highland station|Hollywood/Highland]]<br />{{rint|losangeles|lacmta}} [[Los Angeles Metro Bus]]<br />Line 224 (both directions)<br />Line 222 (southbound only)
}}

The '''Hollywood Bowl''' is an [[amphitheatre]] and [[Urban park|public park]] in the [[Hollywood Hills]] of [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-16 |title=Hollywood Bowl |url=https://parks.lacounty.gov/hollywood-bowl/ |access-date=2024-09-19 |website=Los Angeles County - Parks & Recreation |language=en-US}}</ref> It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in the [[United States]] by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine in 2018<ref name="RollingStone2018">{{cite magazine |last1 = Staff |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/10-best-live-music-venues-in-america-767070/first-ave-minneapolis-purple-rain-prince-767224/ |title= 10 Best Live Music Venues in America. From big rooms to intimate spaces, here's a selection of some of the country's best live music spots. |date= December 13, 2018|magazine= [[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=December 23, 2018}}</ref> and was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/weekly-list-2023-12-29.htm|title=WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES: 12/21/2023 THROUGH 12/29/2023|publisher=National Park Service|access-date=2024-01-12}}</ref>

The Hollywood Bowl is known for its distinctive [[Shell (theater)|bandshell]], originally a set of concentric [[arch]]es that graced the site from 1929 through 2003, before being replaced with a larger one to begin the 2004 season. The shell is set against the backdrop of the [[Hollywood Hills]] and the [[Hollywood Sign]] to the northeast.

The "bowl" refers to the shape of the concave meadow or [[Dell (landform)|dell]], originally called '''Daisy Dell''', into which the amphitheatre is carved. The Bowl is owned by the [[Los Angeles County, California|County of Los Angeles]] and is the home of the [[Hollywood Bowl Orchestra]], the summer home of the [[Los Angeles Philharmonic]], and the host venue for hundreds of musical events each year.<ref name="Hollywood Bowl History">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/about/bowl/hollywood-bowl-history/#1920s|title=Hollywood Bowl History|website=Hollywood Bowl|language=en|access-date=2019-03-06}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

Located on [[Highland Avenue (Los Angeles)|North Highland Avenue]], it is north of [[Hollywood Boulevard]] and approximately 1 mile (1.6&nbsp;km) from the [[Hollywood/Highland station|Hollywood/Highland]] [[Los Angeles Metro Rail|Metro Rail]] station. It is adjacent to [[Hollywood Freeway|U.S. Route 101]].

==History==

===Siting and opening===
The site of the Hollywood Bowl was chosen in 1919 by William Reed and his son H. Ellis Reed,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/history/la-as-subject/from-daisy-dell-to-the-hollywood-bowl-34638.html | title=From Daisy Dell to the Hollywood Bowl, a Little Musical History for Summer|publisher=Kcet.org|access-date=January 18, 2015| date=June 23, 2011}} {{verify source |date=September 2019 |reason=This ref was deleted Special:Diff/885674119 by a bug in VisualEditor and later restored by a bot from the original cite located at Special:Permalink/885672800 cite #4 – verify the cite is accurate and delete this template. [[User:GreenC bot/Job 18]]}}</ref> who were dispatched to find a suitable location for outdoor performances by the members of the newly formed Theatre Arts Alliance, headed by [[Christine Wetherill Stevenson]]. The Reeds selected a natural theater, a shaded canyon and popular picnic spot known as Daisy Dell in Bolton Canyon, which was chosen for its natural acoustics and its proximity to downtown Hollywood.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/lost-la/from-daisy-dell-to-the-hollywood-bowl-a-little-musical-history-for-summer|title=From Daisy Dell to the Hollywood Bowl, a Little Musical History for Summer|date=June 23, 2011|website=PBS SoCal}}</ref> The Community Park and Art Association, then headed by F. W. Blanchard, was the first organization to begin building the Bowl.

One of the earliest performances at the Bowl was [[Hollywood High School]]'s Performance of Shakespeare's ''Twelfth Night''. The Women's World Peace Concert was held on November 11, 1921. On November 11, 1921, the first [[Sunrise Service]] took place at the bowl, in one of its first major events.<ref name=":0" /> With the building of the first actual stage, consisting of little more than wooden platforms and canvas, The Bowl officially opened on July 11, 1922.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/about/bowl/hollywood-bowl-history/|title=Hollywood Bowl History|website=Hollywood Bowl|language=en|access-date=2019-03-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=PCAD – Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA|url=http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/2558/|access-date=2020-06-10|website=pcad.lib.washington.edu}}</ref>

=== Community function ===
The Bowl began as a community space rather than a privately owned establishment. Proceeds from the early events at the Bowl went to financing the construction of new elements of the bowl such as a stage and seating in 1922 and 1923 respectively. In 1924, a backdrop to the stage was added.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/about/bowl/hollywood-bowl-history/|title=Hollywood Bowl History|website=Hollywood Bowl|language=en|access-date=2019-03-01}}</ref>

During the early years of the Bowl's existence, concert tickets were kept at the lowest available price of 25 cents using the slogan ''popular prices will prevail'', coined by F.W. Blanchard. While serving as the venue for concerts by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Bowl also served as a community space, used for Easter services, the Hollywood Community Chorus, as well as ''Young Artists Nights'' where younger musicians could perform well-known classical music. Children were also invited to perform at community events with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Hollywood Community Chorus, beginning with Sibelius' ''Finlandia'' in 1921.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=Musical metropolis : Los Angeles and the creation of a music culture, 1880–1940|last=H.|first=Marcus, Kenneth|date=2004|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=1403964181|location=New York|oclc=54543818}}</ref>

The Bowl hosted a variety of Native American tribal events,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Swed |first=Mark |date=2022-06-02 |title=Commentary: What the Hollywood Bowl's complicated history reveals about Los Angeles |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-06-02/commentary-hollywood-bowl-2022-history-los-angeles |access-date=2024-04-04 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as international music ensembles.<ref name=":2" /> {{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In 1924, the land was deeded to the County of Los Angeles.<ref name=":1" />{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 2023 |title=National Register of Historic Places Registration Form {{!}} Draft |url=https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/pages/1067/files/CA_Los%20Angeles%20County_Hollywood%20Bowl_DRAFT.pdf |website=California State Parks, Office of Historic Preservation}}</ref>

=== Women in the Bowl ===
Many of the key influential figures in the founding of the Hollywood Bowl were women, most notably the pianist Artie Mason Carter, whose connections with the Los Angeles arts patrons were vital in the early days of the Bowl's existence. [[Christine Wetherill Stevenson]] and Marie Rankin Clarke both donated $21,000 to purchase the land on which the bowl was built. E.J. Wakeman, Leiland Atherton Irish, Harriet Clay Penman, and composers [[Gertrude Ross]] and Carrie Jacobs Bond all contributed to the Bowl through fundraising drives.<ref name=":2"/> [[Josephine P. Everett]] was a financial contributor as well.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Woman and the Villa | url=https://shakespeareclub.org/the-woman-and-the-villa/ }}</ref>

===Band shells===
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2015}}

[[File:1971 HOLLYWOOD BOWL (8214495927) (cropped 2).jpg|thumb|The Hollywood Bowl's 1970s appearance, with the large cardboard tubes]]
[[File:Hollywood Bowl (2106575566).jpg|thumb|right|The Hollywood Bowl's 1980s–2003 appearance, with the acoustic fiberglass spheres]]
Frank Lloyd Wright, Jr. (commonly known as [[Lloyd Wright]]) designed the second and third band shells.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/miranda/la-et-cam-passages-homela-sowden-house-20190109-story.html|title=Lloyd Wright's Sowden House, possible Black Dahlia murder site, becomes a performance stage|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first=Carolina A.|last=Miranda|date=January 9, 2019|access-date=January 10, 2019|quote=It's a feature that makes sense given that Wright also designed one of the original band shells for the Hollywood Bowl.}}</ref> The original 1926 shell, designed by the [[Allied Architects Association]], was considered unacceptable both visually and acoustically. Wright's 1927 shell had a pyramidal shape and a design reminiscent of southwest Indigenous architecture. Its acoustics generally were regarded as the best of any shell in Bowl history. But its appearance was considered too avant-garde, or even ugly, and it was demolished at the end of the season. His 1928 wooden shell had the now-familiar concentric ring motif, covered a 120-degree arc, and was designed to be easily dismantled. Unfortunately it was neglected and ruined by water damage.

For the 1929 season, the Allied Architects built the shell that stood until 2003, using a [[transite]] skin over a metal frame. Its acoustics, though not nearly as good as those of the Lloyd Wright shells, were deemed satisfactory at first, and its clean lines and white, semicircular arches were copied for music shells elsewhere. As the acoustics deteriorated, various measures were used to mitigate the problems, starting in the 1970s with an inner shell made from large cardboard tubes, which were replaced in the early 1980s by large fiberglass spheres (both designed by [[Frank Gehry]]<ref>Isenberg, Barbara. ''Conversations with Frank Gehry''. Knopf, 2009, p. 107.</ref>) that remained until 2003.

These dampened the unfavorable [[acoustics]], but required massive use of electronic amplification to reach the full audience, particularly since the background noise level had risen sharply since the 1920s. The appearance underwent other visual changes as well, including the addition of a broad outer arch (forming a [[proscenium]]) where it had once had only a narrow rim, and a [[reflecting pool]] in front of the stage that lasted from 1953 till 1972.<ref name="History">{{cite web|url=http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/about/history.cfm|title=History|publisher=Hollywood Bowl|access-date=January 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722114340/http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/about/history.cfm|archive-date=July 22, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sculptor [[George Stanley (sculptor)|George Stanley]], designer of the [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] statuette, designed the Muse Fountain which has stood outside the Hollywood Bowl's main entrance since 1940.<ref name="History"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Hollywood Bowl Sculpture – Los Angeles CA|url=https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/hollywood-bowl-sculpture-los-angeles-ca/|website=Living New Deal|access-date=May 15, 2018}}</ref>

[[Image:Hollywood Bowl 2005.jpg|thumb|right|The Hollywood Bowl re-opening night, 2005]]
Shortly after the end of the 2003 summer season, the 1929 shell was replaced with a new, somewhat larger, acoustically improved shell, which had its debut in the 2004 summer season. Preservationists fiercely opposed the demolition for many years, citing the shell's storied history. However, even when it was built, the 1929 shell was (at least acoustically) only the third-best shell in the Bowl's history, behind its two immediate predecessors. By the late 1970s, the Hollywood Bowl became an acoustic liability because of continued hardening of its transite skin. The new shell incorporates design elements of not only the 1929 shell, but of both the Lloyd Wright shells. During the 2004 summer season, the sound steadily improved, as engineers learned to work with its live acoustics.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.acentech.com/studio_a/hollywood.html | title=Hollywood Bowl Acoustics Project|publisher=Acentech|access-date=January 18, 2015}}</ref>

The current sound reinforcement system is a line-array configuration of multiple loudspeaker enclosures hung vertically in a curved manner, with the lower enclosures facing the front sections, and the upper enclosures angled towards the rear sections. It is manufactured by [[L-Acoustics]], and includes state-of-the-art audio processing, allowing each individual loudspeaker enclosure to be "tuned" and directed towards the near-precise location of the listener, regardless of where in the venue they are sitting. This results in the audience in the rear sections hearing the same audio, at the same level, as in the front sections.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.l-acoustics.com/customer-stories/the-hollywood-bowl-los-angeles/|title=L-Acoustics Brings Uncompromising Sound to Events at the Hollywood Bowl|website=L-Acoustics|access-date=2025-06-13}}</ref><ref name="Hurwitz">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/hollywood-bowl-unique-blend-natural-acoustics-and-amplified-sound-366566|title=The Hollywood Bowl: A Unique Blend of Natural Acoustics and Amplified Sound|last=Hurwitz|first=Matt|website=Mix (magazine)|language=en-us|access-date=2019-03-06|date=October 2014}}</ref>

This electronic processing includes sound level, frequency equalization, occasional special effects, and time delay. Sound passes through wire much faster than through air, therefore the sound coming from the speakers must be delayed, allowing the actual sound from the stage to "catch up" so both sources reach the listeners' ears simultaneously. The system is maintained by Rat Sound Systems, the same company that has provided audio for the [[Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival|Coachella Festival]], since its inception.<ref name="Hurwitz"/>{{original research inline|date=May 2015}}

The 2004 shell incorporates the prominent front arch of the 1926 shell, the broad profile of the 1928 shell, and the unadorned white finish (and most of the general lines) of the 1929 shell. In addition, the ring-shaped structure hung within the shell, supporting lights and acoustic clouds, echoes a somewhat similar structure hung within the 1927 shell. During the 2004 season, because the back wall was not yet finished, a white curtain was hung at the back; beginning with the 2005 season, the curtain was removed to reveal a finished back wall. The architectural design for the shell was developed by the Los Angeles-based architectural practice [[Hodgetts + Fung]], with the structural concept developed by the local office of [[Arup Group|Arup]].

At the same time the new shell was being constructed, the bowl received four new video screens and towers. During most concerts, three remotely operated cameras in the shell, and a fourth, manually operated camera among the box seats, provide the audience with close-up views of the musicians.

On November 11, 2025, the Los Angeles Philharmonic named the concert stage after film composer John Williams, the first in the venue's 103-year history to have that honor.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=X |last2=Email |date=2025-11-11 |title=Hollywood Bowl names stage for John Williams, honoring a decades-long partnership |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-11-11/hollywood-bowl-names-stage-for-john-williams-spielberg-lucas-composer |access-date=2025-11-12 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Hollywood Bowl Orchestra(s) ==
The Hollywood Bowl has had several house orchestras. A "Bowl Orchestra" performed in 1925, and a "Hollywood Bowl Orchestra" made a live recording in 1928. Later, the "Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra" made several classical recordings under music director [[Leopold Stokowski]] from 1945 to 1946, and released a number of recordings on the Capitol Records label in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra was re-launched by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association in 1991 under principal conductor [[John Mauceri]], who finished his tenure in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/about/bowl/meet-the-orchestra/|title=Meet the Orchestra|website=Hollywood Bowl|access-date=2019-03-01}}</ref>

===Early conductors===

The first appointed conductor of the Bowl ensemble was [[Emil Oberhoffer]], who served for one year.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}} Oberhoffer was proceeded by [[Alfred Hertz]] for two years.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}} In 1925 [[Fritz Reiner]] migrated to the orchestra from the Cincinnati Symphony. Reiner was supplanted by Sir [[Henry Wood]] several years later.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}. German-born Frederick Stark, who would later become a music librarian at [[Walt Disney Studios (division)|Walt Disney Studios]], occasionally served as conductor.<ref>''Variety Radio Directory''</ref>

== Early ballet and opera ==
Ballet dancer Maud Allen performed during the production of the ''Pathétique'' Symphony by Tschaikowsky under the direction of Alfred Hertz in 1926. Ernest Belcher arranged a ballet scene for ''Bowl Dedication Night,'' and dancers from the Belcher Ballet School performed the ''Beautiful Galatea,'' ''Enchanted Hour,'' and ''Venesive Festival''. In 1932, the Belcher's ballet was performed in Greek Costumes as a dedication to the Olympic-Games Athletes. Alexis and Theodore Kosloff performed the ballet ''Scheherazade'' with dancers from Hollywood and the Klosloff Dancing School. In 1932, Theodore Klosloff performed the ''Flower''. Also in 1932, the ballet ''Chopiniana'' was performed.<ref name=":0"/>

Ballet Dancers Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn performed solo dances under direction of Hertz in 1927. Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn raised their arms to point at the California Stars during the Russian Ballet ''sur le point'' at the Hollywood Bowl. In 1928, Andreas Pavley, a tenor, and Serge Oukrainsky, a ballet dancer, performed at the Hollywood Bowl. Oukrainsky performed in the ballet ''La Fete a Robinson'' alone after Pavley's death. In 1929, [[Norma Gould]] brought her Los Angeles dancers to the bowl to perform during Schubert's ''Unfinished Symphony'' and Tschaikowsky's ''Nut-Cracker Suite''. In August 1930, Michio Ito brought five dancers to the Hollywood Bowl to perform in the Russian Ballet ''Prince Igor''. In 1931, Adolph Bolm performed at the Bowl for Debussy's ''Les Nuages''. He also performed ''The Spirt factory''. This was later called the Mechanical Ballet, composed by Alaxander Mosolov. Dancers [[Elise Reiman]] and Robert Bell also performed in the Mechanical Ballet.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Hollywood Bowl|last=Jones|first=Isabel Morse|publisher=G.S Schirmer, Inc.|year=1936|location=New York, NY Los Angeles, CA|pages=141–148}}</ref>

In 1931, Los Angeles Grand Opera performed segments of ''Marouf''. Early Hollywood Bowl appearances of opera include ''Carmen,'' ''Aida'', and ''Shanewis''. In 1929, a concertized form of the opera ''Carmen'' was performed by Alice Genytle, Paul Althouse and Alexander Kisselburgh. The same cast later performed moments from the opera ''Tannhäuser''. In 1932, ''Samson and Delilah'' was performed by Paul Althouse, local singers, the Belcher Ballet and the Civic Chorus in concert style. In 1927, [[Elsa Alsen]] performed ''Santuzza'' in ''Cavalleria''.<ref name="Jones 1936 158–161">{{Cite book|title=Hollywood Bowl|last=Jones|first=Isabel Morse|publisher=G.S Schirmer, Inc.|year=1936|location=New York, NY Los Angeles, CA|pages=158–161}}</ref>

In 1934, Nina Koshetz performed Carmen and Nelson Eddy sang Escamillo in the opera ''Carmen''. Koshetz also sang the lead in Tschaikowsky's ''Eugene Onegin''. In the 1930s, Verdi's ''Aida'' was performed by Dan Gridley, Clemence Gifford, Eleanor Woodforde and Richard Bonelli with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1935, ''Lohengrin'' was performed, with Jeanette Vreeland performing Elsa and Dan Gridley performing Lonhengrin.<ref name="Jones 1936 158–161"/>

==Performances==
{{more citations needed|date=January 2020}}
The first season at the Hollywood Bowl began on July 11, 1922, with conductor Alfred Hertz and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.<ref name="Hollywood Bowl History"/> {{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

[[File:Hollywood Bowl USGS 2010.jpg|thumb|right|2012 aerial photograph showing the seating of the Hollywood Bowl]]

In 1945, Leopold Stokowski formed the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra, drawing its players from among members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and various film studios orchestras. He made a number of 78 rpm recordings with them for RCA Victor during his two seasons there (1945–46) before returning to New York. The Hollywood Bowl Symphony's name was retained for a series of Capitol LPs made in the 1950s under such conductors as [[Felix Slatkin]] and [[Carmen Dragon]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}}

In 1951, a financial crisis closed the Hollywood Bowl during its summer season. Dorothy Chandler chaired a committee that organized a series of fundraising concerts that was able to reopen it.<ref>{{cite web|title=About the Hollywood Bowl|url=https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/visit/hollywood-bowl-museum/timeline/1950s|website=Hollywood Bowl}}</ref>

The film-and-orchestra concert [[Bugs Bunny on Broadway]], subsequently called "Bugs Bunny at the Symphony," has played the Hollywood Bowl a record 21 times—19 times with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and twice with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, all conducted by [[George Daugherty]]. In September 2003, "Bugs Bunny On Broadway" was the final Los Angeles Philharmonic concert to be performed in the 1929 shell before its demolition started the following day, making way for the new shell.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}

===1920s===
* [[Tsianina Redfeather Blackstone]] sang the role of Shanewis in the opera ''[[Shanewis]]'' in 1926.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-1002248380|title=Blackstone, Tsianina Redfeather |website=Oxford Music|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2248380|access-date=2019-02-28|year=2013|last1=Palmer|first1=A. Dean|last2=Lush|first2=Paige Clark|isbn=978-1-56159-263-0}}</ref>
* Rafaela Díaz performed in 1926 as Lionel in Charles Wakefields Cadman's Indian-themed opera "Shanewis."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-1002284191|title=Díaz [Diaz], Rafaelo |website=Oxford Music|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2284191|access-date=2019-02-28|year=2015|last1=Koegel|first1=John|isbn=978-1-56159-263-0}}</ref>

=== 1930s ===
* Claude Lapham's Japanese-inspired opera ''Sakura'' premieres with 2,000 performers, and an audience of 10,000. The premiere on June 24, 1933, starred [[Miyoshi Sugimachi]] and was a significant moment for Japanese culture in America before World War II. The premiere was followed up by another performance on July 7 that same year.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SPNP19330626.2.88&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1|title=Pilot, San Pedro News|publisher=Pilot|date=June 26, 1933|page=5|access-date=March 15, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.american-music.org/resource/resmgr/docs/past_conference_programs/sam_program_2010.pdf|title=Society for American Music – 36th Annual Conference {{!}} Claude Lapham and Japan: Extravagant Japonisme in Hollywood Bowl|date=March 17–21, 2010|page=30|author=W. Anthony Sheppard|access-date=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
* August 7, 1936: The Hollywood Bowl set an attendance record of 26,410 at a performance by French opera star [[Lily Pons]]{{Citation needed|date=April 2021}}

[[Image:Playboy Jazz Festival 2007.jpg|right|thumb|Playboy Jazz Festival hosted in the Hollywood Bowl 2007]]
[[Image:hollywoodbowlfireworks.jpg|right|thumb|July 4 Fireworks Spectacular at the Hollywood Bowl 2010]]

===1940s===
* Bass baritone George London made his opera début in 1941 singing Dr. Grenvil in [[La Traviata]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000016922|title=London [Burnstein, Burnson], George |website= Grove Music|year=2001 |doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.16922|isbn=978-1-56159-263-0|access-date=2019-02-28|last1=Bernheimer |first1=Martin |editor-first1=Alan |editor-last1=Blyth }}</ref>
* American soprano Florence Quartararo made her début as Leonora in a concert performance of [[Il trovatore]] in 1945.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-5000005501|title=Quartararo, Florence|website=Grove Music|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O005501|access-date=2019-02-28|year=2002|last1=Ellison|first1=Cori|isbn=978-1-56159-263-0}}</ref>

===1950s===
* September 1950: California's official state centennial show, ''The California Story'', ran for five performances. The production, directed by [[Vladimir Rosing]], was immense. A chorus of 200 and hundreds of actors were employed. The shell of the bowl was removed, the stage was enlarged, and the action was expanded to include the surrounding hillsides. [[Lionel Barrymore]] provided the show's dramatic narration.<ref>Ainsworth, Ed., "Narration by Barrymore Highlight of Pageant", ''Los Angeles Times'', September 13, 1950.</ref>
* August 15, 1956: A [[Jazz at the Philharmonic]] program featuring [[Louis Armstrong#The All Stars|Louis Armstrong and His All Stars]], [[Ella Fitzgerald]], [[Art Tatum]], and [[Oscar Peterson]] became the best-attended event of the venue's history.<ref name="Longreads">{{cite web|url=https://blog.longreads.com/2016/11/07/the-story-of-ella-and-louis-60-years-later/|title=The Story of 'Ella and Louis,' 60 Years Later|last1=Maxwell|first1=Tom|date=November 2016|website=Longreads|access-date=November 21, 2016}}</ref>
* American Baritone Mack Harrell performed in the US première of "David" in 1956.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000042150|title=Harrell, Mack|website=Grove Music|doi=10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.42150|access-date=2019-02-28|year=2001|last1=Dyer|first1=Richard|last2=Forbes|first2=Elizabeth|isbn=978-1-56159-263-0}}</ref>

===1960s===
* [[The Beatles]] performed in 1964 and 1965,<ref>{{cite web|title=Rock & Roll|url=http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/philpedia/hollywood-bowl-history/rock-pop.cfm|work=Hollywood Bowl|access-date=October 11, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024170708/http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/philpedia/hollywood-bowl-history/rock-pop.cfm|archive-date=October 24, 2010}}</ref> which resulted in the live album ''[[The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl]]'' that was released in 1977. This recording was re-released in 2016 with the screams of the fans significantly reduced and sound improved with new technology by [[Giles Martin]].<ref>{{Cite web | last1=Boilen | first1=Bob | url=https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2016/08/25/491201322/all-songs-1-the-beatles-are-live-and-sounding-better-than-ever |title = All Songs +1: The Beatles Are Live and Sounding Better Than Ever| website=NPR.org | date=August 25, 2016 }}</ref>
* April 29, 1967: [[The Supremes]] performed as the [[Headliner (performances)|headliners]] for [[KHJ (AM)]] 2nd Annual Appreciation Concert. Their performance is notable as it was the first time [[Cindy Birdsong]] stood in for an absent [[Florence Ballard]].{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
* July 5, 1968: L.A. rock band [[The Doors]] performed at the Hollywood Bowl, with [[Steppenwolf (band)|Steppenwolf]] and [[The Chambers Brothers]] as their opening acts. Recordings from this show were released in 1987 as the live album ''[[Live at the Hollywood Bowl (The Doors album)|Live at the Hollywood Bowl]]''.
* September 14, 1968: The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at the Hollywood Bowl. This concert was recorded and eventually released as part of the 50th anniversary box set of ''[[Electric Ladyland]]''.

===1970s===
* August 22, 1971: [[The Jackson 5]] performed at this venue on their Second National Tour
* June 17, 1972: [[Ron "Pigpen" McKernan]] played his last show with the [[Grateful Dead]].{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
* July 29, 1973: ''The World of Sid & Marty Krofft'', a one-performance-only live show was filmed here and aired as a television special ''[[The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl]]''. The show featured performances by [[Johnny Whitaker]], [[Jack Wild]] with ''[[H.R. Pufnstuf]]'' characters and [[The Brady Bunch|The Brady Bunch Kids]].
* September 7, 1973: [[Elton John]] played a concert here that was filmed for inclusion in the [[Bryan Forbes]] documentary film ''Elton John and Bernie Taupin Say Goodbye Norma Jean and Other Things''.
* 1979: the inaugural [[Playboy Jazz Festival]] was held. It has taken place at the Hollywood Bowl ever since.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playboyjazzfestival.com/|title=Home Page|publisher=Playboy Jazz Festival|access-date=January 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715092938/http://www.playboyjazzfestival.com/|archive-date=2011-07-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* Pink Floyd played the venue in 1972.

===1980s===
* 1980: The [[Monty Python]] comedy troupe performs. A filmed performance is released as ''[[Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl]]''.

===1990s===
* July 2–4, 1991: The newly formed Hollywood Bowl Orchestra made their debut performance with [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] concerts on conducted by [[John Mauceri]]. The program included works by [[Aaron Copland]], [[Leonard Bernstein]], [[John Williams]], [[George Gershwin]] & [[Jerome Kern]], among others.
* On August 25, 1991, Miles Davis performed what would be his final appearance at the Bowl.{{cn|date=June 2025}}

===2000s===
* July 1, 2002: [[The Who]] performed their first concert after the death of [[John Entwistle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thewholive.net/concert/index.php?GroupID=1&id=637&Jahr=2002|title=The Who: Los Angeles, CA, Mon, 01 July 2002|publisher=Thewholive.net|access-date=January 18, 2015}}</ref>
* October 1 and 2, 2007: [[Dave Matthews Band]] performs [[34 (song)|#34]] with lyrics for the first time since 1993, in honor of frontman [[Dave Matthews]]' wife's 34th birthday.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DMBAlmanac.com² |url=https://dmbalmanac.com//TourShowSet.aspx?id=453056502 |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=dmbalmanac.com}}</ref>

===2010s===
* November 8, 2013: [[Avicii]] performed at the Hollywood Bowl, becoming the first [[Electronic dance music|EDM]] artist to headline the venue.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}
* September 25–26, 2015: [[Kanye West]] performed his fourth studio album, [[808s & Heartbreak|''808s & Heartbreak'']] (2008), in full for the first time ever.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Trammell |first=Matthew |date=September 26, 2015 |title=Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak Live Show Is Proof Fam' Can't Kill Him |url=https://www.thefader.com/2015/09/26/kanye-west-808s-and-heartbreak-hollywood-bowl-live-review |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723230752/https://www.thefader.com/2015/09/26/kanye-west-808s-and-heartbreak-hollywood-bowl-live-review |archive-date=2019-07-23 |access-date=2025-10-01 |work=[[The Fader]] |language=en}}</ref>
* October 2 and 4, 2015: [[Van Halen]] performed at the Hollywood Bowl to conclude their 2015 Tour. These would be the last concerts guitarist [[Eddie Van Halen]] would perform live before his death on October 6, 2020.
* July 1, 2016: [[Garrison Keillor]] recorded his final episode of ''[[A Prairie Home Companion]]'' from the Hollywood Bowl which was later released as a Live CD.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-garrison-keillor-rehearsal-20160628-snap-htmlstory.html|title=Garrison Keillor reflects at the Hollywood Bowl, rehearsing for final show: 'I just want it to be good'|last=Vankin|first=Deborah|date=July 1, 2016|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=July 3, 2016}}</ref>
* October 14 and 15, 2016: [[Kygo]] performed during his Cloud Nine Tour. The concerts were filmed in the documentary: "Kygo: Live at the Hollywood Bowl".
* September 21, 22, 25, 2017: [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] completed their 40th Anniversary World Tour; final shows of Petty's career before his death on October 2.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/watch-tom-petty-play-american-girl-at-his-final-concert-200401/|title=Watch Tom Petty Play 'American Girl' at His Final Concert|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=October 3, 2017 |access-date=2022-05-14}}</ref>
* October 12, 2017, [[Depeche Mode]] played the first of 4 consecutive sold out nights at the Hollywood Bowl, as part of their [[Global Spirit Tour]], becoming the first band to ever sell out 4 consecutive nights at the venue.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
* October 27, 2017: [[Linkin Park]] held a [[Linkin Park and Friends: Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington|tribute concert]] for [[Chester Bennington]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Linkin Park & Friends – Celebrate Life in Honor of Chester Bennington|url=https://linkinpark.com/news/news/449113/linkin-park-friends-celebrate-life-in-honor-of-che|website=Linkin Park|access-date=September 18, 2017|date=September 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170919163524/https://linkinpark.com/news/news/449113/linkin-park-friends-celebrate-life-in-honor-of-che|archive-date=September 19, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* May 12, 2018: The Iranian singer [[Googoosh]] along with the singers and songwriters [[Hassan Shamaizadeh]] and [[Martik Kanian]] performed their Memory Makers Tour. Googoosh became the first Iranian artist to headline at the Hollywood Bowl.<ref>{{cite web|title=Googoosh at the Hollywood Bowl|url=https://farhang.org/2018/iranian-legend-googoosh-at-the-hollywood-bowl|website=farhang.org|access-date=May 13, 2018|date=May 12, 2018}}</ref>

===2020s===
* May 13, 2020: Due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in California|COVID-19 pandemic]], the entire season of film screenings and concerts was cancelled for the first time.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hollywood Bowl season canceled for the first time in 98 years. So long, L.A. summer|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-05-13/hollywood-bowl-cancels-2020-season-summer-coronavirus|date=May 13, 2020|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first= Jessica |last=Gelt|access-date=2020-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=The Hollywood Bowl domino effect: Layoffs and furloughs follow season cancellation|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-05-13/hollywood-bowl-cancels-season-layoffs-furloughs-coronavirus|date=May 13, 2020|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|first= Jessica |last=Gelt|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-14}}</ref>
* 2021: [[Billie Eilish]] held a no-audience concert in support of her second album, ''[[Happier Than Ever]]'', for a [[concert film]] titled ''Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles'' that released on [[Disney+]] on September 3.<ref>{{cite web|title=Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles Movie Review|url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/happier-than-ever-a-love-letter-to-los-angeles|website=farhang.org|access-date=September 7, 2021|date=September 4, 2021}}</ref>
* October 8, 2021: [[Burna Boy]] made his debut at the bowl as a part of his 2021 Space Drift arena tour. He became the first African artist to headline a concert at the Bowl{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}
* May 4, 2022: [[Dave Chappelle]] performed as part of the [[Netflix Is A Joke]] Festival and was attacked on stage by an armed audience member. Chappelle was uninjured and the suspect was arrested by the LAPD. The performance tied Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows for a comedian at the venue.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Gregory |first1=John |last2=staff |first2=ABC7 com |date=May 4, 2022 |title=Dave Chappelle attacked: Video shows moment suspect tackles comedian at Hollywood Bowl |url=https://abc7.com/dave-chappelle-attacked-tackled-hollywood-bowl/11817178/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=ABC7 Los Angeles |language=en}}</ref>
* July 16, 2023: [[Sparks (band)|Sparks]] concluded the North American leg of the tour in support of their album ''[[The Girl is Crying in Her Latte]]'', their first performance at the venue, with opening act [[They Might Be Giants]]. The performance was a landmark in the history of the band, representing the culmination of a late-career surge in popularity due to the documentary ''[[The Sparks Brothers]]'' by filmmaker [[Edgar Wright]], who was in attendance at the Bowl.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Sparks Concert Review: Mael Brothers Make It to Hollywood Bowl After 50 Years, Find the Town Is Finally Big Enough|url=https://variety.com/2023/music/concert-reviews/sparks-hollywood-bowl-concert-review-tour-1235672529/|date=July 18, 2023|newspaper=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|first= Chris |last=Willman|access-date=2023-10-23}}</ref>
* November 15 and 17, 2023: [[Mariah Carey]] performed two sold-out shows as part of her 2023 holiday tour [[Merry Christmas One and All!]].<ref name="Horowitz">{{cite magazine|last=Horowitz|first=Steven J.|date=October 2, 2023|title=Mariah Carey Announces "Merry Christmas One and All" 2023 Tour|url=https://variety.com/2023/music/news/mariah-carey-merry-christmas-one-and-all-tour-dates-1235742184/|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=October 4, 2023}}</ref>

==Hollywood Bowl Museum==
The Hollywood Bowl Museum is located at the bottom of Peppertree Lane. It was formerly known as the Tea Room which opened in 1984.<ref name="Hollywood Bowl Museum">{{Cite web|url=https://www.laphil.com/about/our-venues/hollywood-bowl-museum/|title=Hollywood Bowl Museum|website=LA Phil|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> In 1996, it was rebuilt as the [[Edmund D. Edelman]] Hollywood Bowl Museum.<ref name="Museum">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/about/bowl/hollywood-bowl-museum/|title=Museum|website=Hollywood Bowl|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> It features many historical exhibits including: Summer Nights: Jazz at the Bowl, Hollywood Bowl: Music For Everyone, Postcards from the Bowl, Beatles at the Bowl, Concert Programs and Live from the Bowl. These exhibits feature vintage photographs, vintage sound equipment, newspaper clippings, postcards, live video recordings, and live audio recordings.<ref name="Museum"/>

The Hollywood Bowl Museum also features memorabilia and artifacts about the history of the Hollywood Bowl and performances. The museum includes the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame, whose honorees include [[John Williams]], [[Reba McEntire]], [[Garth Brooks]], [[Stevie Wonder]], [[Brian Wilson]], [[Henry Mancini]], [[Sarah Chang]], [[Bernadette Peters]], [[George Harrison]], [[Frank Sinatra]] and more.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hollywood Bowl Museum|url=http://www.hollywoodbowl.com/visit/hollywood-bowl-museum|publisher=Hollywood Bowl|access-date=November 24, 2014}}</ref> The Hollywood Bowl Museum offers free admission, free self-guided tour options, free guided tour options and educational programs. The educational program, Music Mobile, is a volunteer program and offers musical instrument lessons to students twice a year.<ref name="Hollywood Bowl Museum"/> If the Hollywood Bowl Museum is closed visitors can walk through "The Bowl Walk" which features historical photographs of the Hollywood Bowl.<ref name="Hollywood Bowl Museum"/>

== Hollywood Bowl green initiatives ==
[[File:Hollywood Bowl from Promenade 3 Elevator.jpg|thumb|The view of the Hollywood Bowl and its band shell during a performance in 2024. The Backyard, one of the Hollywood Bowl's two restaurants, is in the foreground.]]
The Hollywood Bowl is the first amphitheater in California to be certified as an [[Audubon Society]] Cooperative Sanctuary.<ref name="Hollywood Bowl Green Initiatives">{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/hollywood-bowl-green-initiatives/|title=Hollywood Bowl Green Initiatives|website=Hollywood Bowl|language=en|access-date=2019-02-28}}</ref> Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and Los Angeles County are partners with the Hollywood Bowl and encourage recycling. The Hollywood Bowl has many recycling bins located throughout the venue. The Hollywood Bowl has also partnered with [[Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority]] (formerly Southern California Rapid Transit District) since 1953 and provides the public with [[Environmentally friendly|green alternatives]] to driving, including shuttle buses. ''Know Before You Go'' is provided as a detailed guide offering public transport information and free bike parking options. The Hollywood Bowl has waterless urinals and flush-reducing toilets to preserve water as well as a satellite-based irrigation system to control water use. This irrigation system also provides water based on the needs of animal life. The Hollywood Bowl has stainless steel grates and water filters to keep its irrigation system clean.<ref name="Hollywood Bowl Green Initiatives"/>

In 2024, the Hollywood Bowl reduced on-site parking and introduced a rideshare parking lot. Parking fees were increased and more shuttles offered.<ref name="Hollywood Bowl Green Initiatives"/>

== In popular culture ==
The Vinewood Bowl, which appears in the 2013 video game ''[[Grand Theft Auto V]]'', is heavily inspired by the Hollywood Bowl.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://gamerant.com/grand-theft-auto-v-locations-real-life/|title= GTA 5 Locations That Are Based On Real-Life|first1=Ritwik|last1=Mitra|first2=Ben|last2=Painter|date=May 19, 2024|work=Game Rant}}</ref>

Many films and television shows have been filmed in the Hollywood Bowl, including ''[[Jazz Mad]]'', ''[[A Star Is Born (1937 film)|A Star Is Born]]'', [[Hollywood Hotel (film)|''Hollywood Hotel'']], ''[[Anchors Aweigh (film)|Anchors Aweigh]]'', ''[[Hollywood or Bust]]'', ''[[Columbo]]'', ''[[Some Kind of Wonderful (film)|Some Kind of Wonderful]]'' and more.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.laphil.com/about/watch-and-listen/the-hollywood-bowl-plays-itself-a-history-of-film-music-at-the-bowl |title= The Hollywood Bowl Plays Itself: A History of Film Music at the Bowl |publisher=Los Angeles Philharmonic |access-date=June 24, 2024}}</ref>

Several [[Looney Tunes]] episodes, including ''[[Long Haired Hare]]'', ''[[Rabbit of Seville]]'', ''[[Baton Bunny]]'', and ''[[Tom and Jerry in the Hollywood Bowl]]'', feature the Hollywood Bowl.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.awn.com/news/bugs-bunny-symphony-celebrates-25th-anniversary |title= 'Bugs Bunny at the Symphony' Celebrates 25th Anniversary |first=Wolfe|last=Jennifer |publisher=Animation World Network |date=May 6, 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Greater Los Angeles}}
* [[Live at the Hollywood Bowl (disambiguation)]]
* [[List of contemporary amphitheatres]]
* [[List of Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monuments in Hollywood]]
* [[Hatch Memorial Shell]]
* [[National Bowl]]
* [[Waikiki Shell]]
* [[Exhibition Place#Bandshell|CNE Bandshell]]
* [[Korean Music Festival]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite video | people=[[John Rubinstein]] |year=2002 |title=The Hollywood Bowl – Music Under the Stars |url=http://thebowlstore.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=34&products_id=169 |medium=Documentary |publisher=Video Artists International, Inc.}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Hollywood_Bowl|Hollywood Bowl}}
* {{Official website|https://www.hollywoodbowl.com}}
* [http://supak.com/fj/default.htm The Story of a Hollywood Bowl Soundman] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071124030651/http://supak.com/fj/default.htm |date=November 24, 2007 }}
* [https://criticalkaraoke.libsyn.com/the-hollywood-bowl-a-day-in-the-life-for-july-11-2016 "A Day in the Life"] brief podcast about music at the venue.

{{Greater Hollywood}}
{{Geographic location
|Center    = Hollywood Bowl
|North     = [[Toluca Lake, Los Angeles|Toluca Lake]] & [[Universal City, California|Universal City]]
|Northeast = [[Burbank, California|Burbank]]
|East      = ''[[U.S. Route 101 in California#Los Angeles to Ventura|US&nbsp;101]] & [[Cahuenga Pass]]'' & [[Hollywood Hills]] & ''[[Griffith Park]]''
|Southeast = [[East Hollywood, Los Angeles|East Hollywood]]
|South     = [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]]
|Southwest = [[West Hollywood, California|West Hollywood]]
|West      = [[Hollywood Hills]] & ''[[Runyon Canyon Park]]''
|Northwest = [[Studio City, California|Studio City]]
}}

{{Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards}}
{{Music venues of California}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Hollywood Bowl| ]]
[[Category:Amphitheaters in California]]
[[Category:Band shells]]
[[Category:Concrete shell structures]]
[[Category:Culture of Hollywood, Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Landmarks in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Music venues in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Event venues established in 1922]]
[[Category:Hollywood Hills]]
[[Category:Museums in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Media museums in California]]
[[Category:Santa Monica Mountains]]
[[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:1922 establishments in California]]