Post by Doghouse6 on May 22, 2019 22:09:54 GMT
Some of the neighborhood theaters of my youth:
The Encino Theater on Ventura Blvd in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the site of my earliest movie-going memory: a re-release of The Greatest Show On Earth around '57 or '58.
Sherman Oaks's La Reina, just down the road from the Encino. The marquee and facade have been preserved, but it was converted to a bookstore and has since become a spa.
Fox Van Nuys Theater, where I saw my first Alfred Hitchcock picture on the big screen: North By Northwest.
Van Nuys Drive-In, where Mom and Dad would take us bundled into our jammies, and we'd usually fall asleep in the back seat before the double feature was over.
Panorama Theater, where all the early James Bond films would play when they went into wide release. As you can see, it's no longer a theater. At least, not for movies.
Americana Theater, which - unlike the Panorama - was actually in Panorama City about a mile south. Made the mistake of dropping acid and seeing Bullitt here when I was 16; it was those blood red curtains that freaked me out. There was a tacky 4-screen multiplex adjunct in 1970; no curtains on the screens, and if the film in the theater next door was loud, you could hear it through the wall.
Reseda Theater, at left in the postcard above. Into the 1970s, third-run double features for $.50. And the roof leaked: when it rained, the interior cinderblock walls became damp.
Only photo I could find of the Airport Theater (so named for its proximity to the Van Nuys Airport) located in what's now called North Hills. It's visible a little to the left of Batman's head. Railroad tracks ran directly behind it and, well, you can just imagine. Saw Harper here when the place was brand new (missed some of the dialogue, though; those were busy tracks).
The Encino Theater on Ventura Blvd in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, the site of my earliest movie-going memory: a re-release of The Greatest Show On Earth around '57 or '58.
Sherman Oaks's La Reina, just down the road from the Encino. The marquee and facade have been preserved, but it was converted to a bookstore and has since become a spa.
Fox Van Nuys Theater, where I saw my first Alfred Hitchcock picture on the big screen: North By Northwest.
Van Nuys Drive-In, where Mom and Dad would take us bundled into our jammies, and we'd usually fall asleep in the back seat before the double feature was over.
Panorama Theater, where all the early James Bond films would play when they went into wide release. As you can see, it's no longer a theater. At least, not for movies.
Americana Theater, which - unlike the Panorama - was actually in Panorama City about a mile south. Made the mistake of dropping acid and seeing Bullitt here when I was 16; it was those blood red curtains that freaked me out. There was a tacky 4-screen multiplex adjunct in 1970; no curtains on the screens, and if the film in the theater next door was loud, you could hear it through the wall.
Reseda Theater, at left in the postcard above. Into the 1970s, third-run double features for $.50. And the roof leaked: when it rained, the interior cinderblock walls became damp.
Only photo I could find of the Airport Theater (so named for its proximity to the Van Nuys Airport) located in what's now called North Hills. It's visible a little to the left of Batman's head. Railroad tracks ran directly behind it and, well, you can just imagine. Saw Harper here when the place was brand new (missed some of the dialogue, though; those were busy tracks).