According to their website, the Esquire became Canters in 1953. http://cantersdeli.com/
Also, they don’t give their location as Hollywood, but L.A. They proudly proclaim, “always open in the heart of Los Angeles.”
During the 90s, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films occasionally screened at the Four Star. One weekend we gathered there to see The Crow 2, but the studio made a mistake and sent us the original Crow instead. As it turns out, they did us a favor, because I later learned that the sequel is terrible, but what was memorable about the whole experience was this: if you remember The Crow, it’s raining for much of the film. And at that time, the Four Star’s roof was in terrible shape, and it was raining outside. For the entire movie, we could hear water pouring down somewhere behind the screen as an accompaniment to the movie’s soundtrack.
A few days ago I noticed homeless people starting to nest around the theater ticket booth and entrance, and more of the neon is out. Then someone tagged the front doors and poster displays. Now there’s a fence blocking off the entire entrance. Fortunately, they didn’t drill the posts into the decorative tile.
As you walk into the Crest in Sacramento, there are two California Gold Rush bronze panels, one on either side. One of them is identical to the panel in the Village lobby.
Omega Man — Charlton Heston drives up to the Olympic Theater downtown, with the Tower Theater in the background. He is shown inside a theater watching “Woodstock” — I assume this is also at the Olympic.
Daredevil — used the exteriors of the Olympic in flashbacks as the location of Matt’s father’s fight.
Charlie’s Angels and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle — both filmed at the Los Angeles. In the first movie, the disco where Cameron Diaz has her dream dance sequence was in the lobby. The finale of the second movie took place on the stage.
Linda, I may have attended a few screenings while you were working there. My earliest memory of the Wyandotte is going with my family to Flipper’s New Adventure (1964). And even though I was just a little kid, I realized that there was something special about that place. I really liked the Chief Wyandotte busts, although at that time I didn’t know who he was.
Later, my dad would drop my brother and I off and when I could manage it, I would stick around and watch the movie twice. This place helped instill in me a love not only for movies, but for movie theaters.
I saw Zodiac at the National, and that’s weird: watching people in a movie watching a movie in the theater you’re in. I don’t remember the first movie I saw there, but I do remember an advance screening of Wyatt Earp. The audio when a steam train was rolling into town really impressed me.
I’ve been photographing theaters as a hobby for several years now, and for the most part I’m not interested in anything built after the 60s. The National is a rare exception. Probably because it’s very similar to the main theater in the town where I grew up. 70s architecture, golden curtains, big screen and big sound. That was indelibly printed on my psyche as what a movie experience was all about.
In those last months, I saw Ultraviolet and 3:10 To Yuma. And I also took my camera in to get some shots of that great lobby upstairs. I’ve had employees complain before when I’ve started taking pictures inside their theaters, but in this case I was pretty sure that no one would bother me, and they didn’t.
I think you’re right about the Rocky Horror showings, but wrong about The Last Resort part (I checked my VHS copy). Now that I think about it, I seem to remember that The Key West Picture Show played during the day, but at night they played alternative/cult-type movies. It was my first exposure to repertory programming. I saw A Boy And His Dog there, if memory serves.
What’s weird is that I shot a lot of film while living there, but didn’t take a single picture of any of the movie theaters.
I added a listing for the Islander. Then I remembered the Picture Show, which as I remember it, was a storefront converted to a theater for all day showings of “The Key West Picture Show,” a very good 40 minute documentary/travelogue on the island. Do you recall that at all?
Robt, wasn’t it the Monroe that showed Deep Throat/Devil in Miss Jones every night? I was there in the late 70s as well, and don’t remember the Strand being open as a movie house at that time.
The main places you could see regular movies was at that shopping center along Roosevelt Blvd, at the Islander Drive-In on Stock Island, and if you were military (I was), then on base.
I’m not really sure how to feel about all this. Yes, the facade was saved. But we lost the theater. In the final analysis, I’d have to say that the community gets screwed. Little by little, Santa Monica is becoming a place where interesting buildings are filled with boring businesses (or the buildings get knocked down so someone can build a second-rate replacement — the Boathouse anyone?). Maybe it would be better to knock it down, so we don’t have to hang out heads in shame when visitors come here and get glimpses of the cool stuff we used to have…
Went to the Landmarks Commission hearing last night, but after two and a half hours, they were still talking about the ficus trees on 2nd and 4th streets. At that point I left. I don’t know how long those meetings usually run, so the matter might have gotten pushed to their next date.
According to their website, the Esquire became Canters in 1953.
http://cantersdeli.com/
Also, they don’t give their location as Hollywood, but L.A. They proudly proclaim, “always open in the heart of Los Angeles.”
The Oscars have always been about Hollywood recognizing its own — it is not and has never been an objective measure of the films' artistic worth.
Most of these free-standing ticket booths look like Zeus’s helmet or something, but the Million Dollar Theater booth looks like Elvis’s haircut.
Interesting. How often do you see a marquee that doesn’t have space for the title of the current feature?
During the 90s, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films occasionally screened at the Four Star. One weekend we gathered there to see The Crow 2, but the studio made a mistake and sent us the original Crow instead. As it turns out, they did us a favor, because I later learned that the sequel is terrible, but what was memorable about the whole experience was this: if you remember The Crow, it’s raining for much of the film. And at that time, the Four Star’s roof was in terrible shape, and it was raining outside. For the entire movie, we could hear water pouring down somewhere behind the screen as an accompaniment to the movie’s soundtrack.
A few days ago I noticed homeless people starting to nest around the theater ticket booth and entrance, and more of the neon is out. Then someone tagged the front doors and poster displays. Now there’s a fence blocking off the entire entrance. Fortunately, they didn’t drill the posts into the decorative tile.
American Cinematheque in L.A. (both locations) also appear to be doing well.
Thanks, William.
Do you know how many different panels they made? Just curious…
I just got the same number for theater…
“The keyword is "background”. What is the photo showing in the “foreground”?"
Maybe they were resurfacing Santa Monica Blvd…
My first guess was excavating SM Place Mall, but it’s years too early, and at the wrong end of the street!
As you walk into the Crest in Sacramento, there are two California Gold Rush bronze panels, one on either side. One of them is identical to the panel in the Village lobby.
Hey Shoeshoe,
Are you saying that Stan’s had a big donut on the roof like Randy’s in Inglewood?
Ah, that clears that up. Things are never as simple as they seem around here!
I drove through Albuquerque last year with this theater on a list of places to photograph. Somehow I missed it.
Ken, don’t you mean “before” it had been renamed El Rey?
Lots of lofts opening up in that area, lots of people moving in. So apparently, yes.
A few more:
Omega Man — Charlton Heston drives up to the Olympic Theater downtown, with the Tower Theater in the background. He is shown inside a theater watching “Woodstock” — I assume this is also at the Olympic.
Daredevil — used the exteriors of the Olympic in flashbacks as the location of Matt’s father’s fight.
Charlie’s Angels and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle — both filmed at the Los Angeles. In the first movie, the disco where Cameron Diaz has her dream dance sequence was in the lobby. The finale of the second movie took place on the stage.
Linda, I may have attended a few screenings while you were working there. My earliest memory of the Wyandotte is going with my family to Flipper’s New Adventure (1964). And even though I was just a little kid, I realized that there was something special about that place. I really liked the Chief Wyandotte busts, although at that time I didn’t know who he was.
Later, my dad would drop my brother and I off and when I could manage it, I would stick around and watch the movie twice. This place helped instill in me a love not only for movies, but for movie theaters.
I saw Zodiac at the National, and that’s weird: watching people in a movie watching a movie in the theater you’re in. I don’t remember the first movie I saw there, but I do remember an advance screening of Wyatt Earp. The audio when a steam train was rolling into town really impressed me.
I’ve been photographing theaters as a hobby for several years now, and for the most part I’m not interested in anything built after the 60s. The National is a rare exception. Probably because it’s very similar to the main theater in the town where I grew up. 70s architecture, golden curtains, big screen and big sound. That was indelibly printed on my psyche as what a movie experience was all about.
In those last months, I saw Ultraviolet and 3:10 To Yuma. And I also took my camera in to get some shots of that great lobby upstairs. I’ve had employees complain before when I’ve started taking pictures inside their theaters, but in this case I was pretty sure that no one would bother me, and they didn’t.
I think you’re right about the Rocky Horror showings, but wrong about The Last Resort part (I checked my VHS copy). Now that I think about it, I seem to remember that The Key West Picture Show played during the day, but at night they played alternative/cult-type movies. It was my first exposure to repertory programming. I saw A Boy And His Dog there, if memory serves.
What’s weird is that I shot a lot of film while living there, but didn’t take a single picture of any of the movie theaters.
I added a listing for the Islander. Then I remembered the Picture Show, which as I remember it, was a storefront converted to a theater for all day showings of “The Key West Picture Show,” a very good 40 minute documentary/travelogue on the island. Do you recall that at all?
Robt, wasn’t it the Monroe that showed Deep Throat/Devil in Miss Jones every night? I was there in the late 70s as well, and don’t remember the Strand being open as a movie house at that time.
The main places you could see regular movies was at that shopping center along Roosevelt Blvd, at the Islander Drive-In on Stock Island, and if you were military (I was), then on base.
I’m not really sure how to feel about all this. Yes, the facade was saved. But we lost the theater. In the final analysis, I’d have to say that the community gets screwed. Little by little, Santa Monica is becoming a place where interesting buildings are filled with boring businesses (or the buildings get knocked down so someone can build a second-rate replacement — the Boathouse anyone?). Maybe it would be better to knock it down, so we don’t have to hang out heads in shame when visitors come here and get glimpses of the cool stuff we used to have…
Went to the Landmarks Commission hearing last night, but after two and a half hours, they were still talking about the ficus trees on 2nd and 4th streets. At that point I left. I don’t know how long those meetings usually run, so the matter might have gotten pushed to their next date.
The building has been stripped bare, and they’re planning on using it for retail, so it’s not really a theater any more.
Nushboy, yes, I’m thinking of attending.