PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Stephen DeBro, director of the film 18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story.
A conversation with Stephen DeBro, director of 18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story, which was chosen as the closing film of this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. This documentary tells the story of the iconic combat sports and entertainment Los Angeles venue, The Olympic Auditorium, now defunct. In this interview, DeBro talks about the importance of documenting story and preserving memories, the birth of his fascination with The Olympic Auditorium, future plans for the project to continue after the film and more.
18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story: The Olympic Auditorium opened in 1925, a massive, state-of-the-art arena built to match the ambitions of a city on the come. The Olympic was a wild, indestructible palace of violent entertainment for eight decades, and Aileen Eaton managed the mayhem for the better part of its existence. Taking over in the midst of World War II, Eaton thrived in the hyper masculine world of boxing and wrestling, building and influencing stars like Gorgeous George and Muhammad Ali, facing off against Mickey Cohen and the mob, and navigating the Olympic through changing times and tastes. When she retired in 1980, the Olympic became the largest punk rock venue in the U.S. and the launchpad for live music giant Goldenvoice. 18th & Grand dynamically recasts the L.A. story, featuring diverse, unforgettable voices, a forgotten heroine, and the battles that shaped a city.