Church of the Blessed Sacrament
In 1921, Father Daniel Stack, pastor of Blessed Sacrament, bought a large tract of land on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood for $75,000 to build a new church and school. The school was built first, opening in 1923 with 173 children. The groundbreaking ceremony of the new Church of the Blessed Sacrament, delayed due to economic issues, was held March 13, 1927. Thomas Franklin Power’s design for the church adapted the Basilican form of the Italian Renaissance style. The roof, however, was made of tile instead of the flat roof typical of Roman churches. The new church was dedicated in June 1928. With its 223-foot chimes tower, ornate exterior and seating for 1,400 people, Blessed Sacrament quickly became a Hollywood landmark and the home parish for many of Hollywood’s elite including Bing Crosby, Irene Dunne, John Ford, Ricardo Montalban and Loretta Young.
Hollywood, Los Angeles County
Photographers: John Bare, Andrew Schmidt