Hollywood Bowl

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Lore & Background

The site was chosen in 1919 by William Reed and his son H. Ellis Reed, who selected a natural theater known as Daisy Dell in Bolton Canyon for its natural acoustics and proximity to downtown Hollywood. The Community Park and Art Association, headed by F. W. Blanchard, began building the Bowl. One of the earliest performances was Hollywood High School's performance of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The Bowl officially opened on July 11, 1922, with little more than wooden platforms and canvas. The land was deeded to the County of Los Angeles in 1924. The Bowl began as a community space, with proceeds from early events financing construction of the stage and seating. Concert tickets were kept at 25 cents using the slogan 'popular prices will prevail,' coined by F.W. Blanchard.

In Their Own Story

The Bowl's distinctive bandshell has evolved over decades. The original 1926 shell was replaced by Lloyd Wright's 1927 pyramidal shell, which had the best acoustics in Bowl history but was considered too avant-garde and demolished. His 1928 wooden shell introduced the concentric ring motif but was ruined by water damage. The 1929 shell, built by the Allied Architects with a transite skin over a metal frame, stood until 2003. Its acoustics deteriorated, leading to mitigation measures including Frank Gehry's large fiberglass spheres in the early 1980s. The current shell debuted in the 2004 season, incorporating design elements from the 1929 shell and both Lloyd Wright shells. 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.

Reader's Guide

The Hollywood Bowl is located on North Highland Avenue, north of Hollywood Boulevard and approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from the Hollywood/Highland Metro Rail station, adjacent to U.S. Route 101. The 'bowl' refers to the shape of the concave meadow originally called Daisy Dell. The venue is the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and hosts hundreds of musical events each year. The current sound reinforcement system is a line-array configuration by L-Acoustics, maintained by Rat Sound Systems, the same company that has provided audio for the Coachella Festival since its inception. The 2004 shell incorporates the prominent front arch of the 1926 shell, the broad profile of the 1928 shell, and the unadorned white finish of the 1929 shell. The bowl received four new video screens and towers during the construction of the new shell.

Did You Know?

• The Hollywood Bowl was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2023.
• The site was originally a popular picnic spot called Daisy Dell in Bolton Canyon.
• The first appointed conductor of the Bowl ensemble was Emil Oberhoffer, who served for one year.
• Sculptor George Stanley, designer of the Oscar statuette, designed the Muse Fountain which has stood outside the Hollywood Bowl's main entrance since 1940.
• The 1927 Lloyd Wright shell had a pyramidal shape and design reminiscent of southwest Indigenous architecture, and its acoustics were generally regarded as the best of any shell in Bowl history.