Griffith observatory: Hollywood’s celestial theater.

Hollywood has always been about seeing and being seen and Griffith Observatory, perched on Mount Hollywood overlooking the Los Angeles metropolis, is the perfect stage set for a cosmic drama. In this article, the authors show how the Observatory’s form and function are uniquely Southern California p...

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Published in:Early Popular Visual Culture Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 227 - 247
Main Authors: Leslie, Stuart W., Margolis, Emily A.
Format: Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd May2017
Subjects:
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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          Leslie, Stuart W.
          Margolis, Emily A.
        affil: Department of History of Science and Technology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
      su:
        Observatory domes
        Planetariums
        Astronomy
        Celebrities
        Griffith, Griffith J.
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          Observatory domes
          Planetariums
          Astronomy
          Celebrities
          Griffith, Griffith J.
      keyword:
        Hollywood
        Los Angeles
        Mount Wilson
        Observatory
        planetarium
        public astronomy
      ab: Hollywood has always been about seeing and being seen and Griffith Observatory, perched on Mount Hollywood overlooking the Los Angeles metropolis, is the perfect stage set for a cosmic drama. In this article, the authors show how the Observatory’s form and function are uniquely Southern California productions. Since Griffith J. Griffith bequeathed funds for a public observatory in 1919, the astronomical community at the California Institute of Technology and the Mount Wilson Observatory have informed the selection of instrumentation, programming, and exhibitions at Griffith Observatory. Meanwhile, thanks to the Observatory’s studio connections, it has always been able to call upon the skills of some of Hollywood’s best artists, model makers, and scriptwriters to translate the latest astronomical discoveries into spectacular audiovisual experiences. In turn, the Observatory has featured prominently in hundreds of programs on radio, television, and film, becoming a celebrity in its own right. Aerospace contractors have kept the Observatory connected to the practical applications of astronomy. Displaying artifacts from Lockheed, Rocketdyne, and NASA, no other planetarium offered a better front row seat on the space race. The union of the astronomy, Hollywood, and aerospace communities under the vision of strong Observatory leadership continues to bring Los Angelenos and visitors from around the world closer to the heavens.
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