Picwood Theatre

Yes, Damon, correct as William stated. I worked at the Picwood Theatre with William (/wave William) and I also lived in the corner house on Midvale behind the open theatre parking lot. The Sensurround effects could be heard even outside the theatre itself. Sensurround was not your average movie-going experience at all, and it was something ~ that Pacific was able to offer what was the latest thing, at the time.

Interesting news update, they are going to be showing Earthquake in SUNSURROUND at the Egyptian (or Aero i can’t remember) sometime in Jan 2009 I believe. It’s either Jan or Feb.. can’t remember, their doing a whole disaster series. The original inventor of Sensurround will be coming in as well (as he did at LACMA few years ago) I just wish they’d show some of the others like Rollercoaster, Midway and Battlestar Galactica but they never do. Strange to think that the last film to show in Sensurround was “Zoot Suit” of all things, what could that have possibly been enhancing….the fight scenes?

William; regarding your very first Jan 4, 2002 post all the way at the very top of the thread,
you say neighborhood people remember the SENSURROUND rumble when films like Earthquake and Midway played there in the mid 70’s? Meaning neighboring residents in their homes (or apts) could hear it? Thats amazing

The business that movie did at the Picwood was not the reason it was closed and razed soon after. Pacific Theatre’s had sold the property a few years earlier and the lease was up to closed to build the next step for the shopping mall’s plans.

Here is an architect’s sketch from the UCLA collection:
http://tinyurl.com/4w8kkl

Here is a September 1969 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/4cy5or

In reference to the initial comment on this page, the bridge connecting the east and west portions of the Westside Pavilion crossed Westwood Blvd, not Pico. The bridge was parallel to Pico. (I know, I know, but I can’t help myself.) : )

Dan: I assume that Scott’s was the burger place on the south west corner of pico & westwood, which later was a bank (much later). I was born in ‘64 and have vague recollections of walking up my block and through the parking lot to that restaurant on the corner and seeing the Lone Ranger and Tonto on their horses in a sectioned off area next to the restaurant. Strangely enough, I now live near Overland & Palms. They’ve widened the street and are putting in extra street signals. My house was just two up from the the Southern Pacific tracks and the train would shake our house as it passed by, sometimes several times though out the night or early morning. You probably remember the twin theatres next to May Co and that circular caged statue in the courtway? I understand there was a Kittyland at the May Co. sight before May co was built?

Too bad there are not any really good pictures of the Picwood. I used to see films all the time at this theatre as a child because it was an easy bus trip for me. During the mid-70’s they showed alot of Universal films and I did see “Midway” and “Earthquake” both in Sensurround there.

The Picwood was the center of the surrounding Pico/Westwood business district. To catch a movie, grab a hamburger at Scott’s next door and then walk across Pico to Smith’s Sporting Goods to check out all the cool stuff, what a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. In my day, the early 60’s, it was safe enough to ride my bike from Overland and Palms to the Picwood without a second thought. The other theatre on Pico that was torn down to build the Santa Monica Freeway was the Bundy. Remember seeing Forbidden Planet there several times. Picwood, Bundy, Palms, Meralta, Loyola, the Paradise, the Studio Drive-In, the Centella drive-In and the Olympic Drive-In. All gone, but the memories of happy days at they shows live on in the memories of my generation.

My bad, I forgot about the drive-in.

I remember seeing Midway in Sense-O-round at The Picwick. It was a nice theatre.

The only hit I got on Goggle for Chess & Games Unlimited was this website. I lived and breathed that store for 10 years, before we shut it down on December 31, 1983. The lines from the Picwood would go across the front of our store. We had no complaints, great advertising. I spent a lot of time at the bowling alley (milkshakes) and at the Picwood. I always paid if I saw a full movie, but I got to see a lot of 10 minute slices of the movies for free. Yes, there was a lot of changes in personnel at Pickwood. I want to thank all of you for your memories. I found out a lot of Pickwood history which I would have never dreamed possible. Next time I’m in the area I’m going to the Apple Pan for
a hamburger AND an apple pie alamode !!!!