With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
The Wild History Behind The Venue Boxers, Wrestlers and Punks Called Home
The Grand Olympic Auditorium hosted many of L.A.'s biggest boxing matches, wrestling bouts and punk shows for decades, and a new feature-length documentary plans to capture the wild history of the former sports venue. If the Olympic Auditorium Project reaches the Kickstarter goal of $60,000 by June 5th, the filmmakers aim to share the stories of the fighters, musicians, insiders and fans.
Built in 1924 on the corner of 18th St. and Grand Ave. in downtown L.A., the Grand Olympic Auditorium hosted weight-lifting, boxing and wrestling matches for the 1932 Olympic games. For the next several decades, the storied venue hosted boxing legends from Joe Louis to Oscar De La Hoya, wrestling greats from Gorgeous George to Andre the Giant, and musicians from Ten Years After to the Black Flag. The auditorium was also long home to the roller derby matches of the Los Angeles T-Birds and was where Rage Against the Machine played their final show in 2000 (before reuniting in 2007).
Fans in the packed crowds of the Olympic over the years were often as notable as the fighters and performers, and included everyone from Mickey Cohen to Mae West, Joan Didion to Clint Eastwood.
Those of us who missed out on the glory days of the Olympic would likely recognize the historic auditorium from movies such as Rocky and Million Dollar Baby, as well as music video like Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" and Janet Jackson's "Control".
Sponsored message
The team behind the awesome-sounding project to highlight the venue's history has already interviewed some of the key figures from the Olympic's history, including Dick Enberg, Rowdy Roddy Piper and Ed Ruscha.
The building is currently occupied by the Glory Church of Jesus Christ, a Korean-American Christian church.
If reached, the Kickstarter funding will help secure additional interviews, shoot b-roll, license music, and finance editing and post-production. Major donors to the campaign will be invited to attend a special dinner at Neal Fraser's Redbird and a BBQ dinner hosted by former pro-wrestler and stuntman Gene LeBell, in addition to other perks.
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
