Golden Gate Theatre

The area between the main theater building and the street was recently paved and turned into a parking lot. It is a Christmas tree lot every year. Yet, the main theater building still stands, boarded up. Does this have protected status?

This theatre maybe returning as a Performing Arts Center Theatre. More news to follow soon.

There is a for sale sign on the property. Looks like mega bucks would be needed to make this a usable venue again.

The person who had the Golden Gate built was Harry M. Sugarman.It was built approx in 1925-26. Mr.Sugarman was an actor in Hollywood in the early twenties.He owned a chain of movie theaters under the name West Coast Junior Theatres. He also attended Los Angeles High School in 1916. It's sad to see its present condition. As a kid in the early 70's the Golden Gate was my movie theatre.It was beautiful inside and out and it had a wonderful balcony.

As the others know, but others may not, this theatre was located on the south/west corner of Atlantic Avenue and Whittier Boulevard. To the right of the marque is an opening, and inside of that was a very nice foyer, when I went there, there was a red carpet on each side of the foyer, and running north/south, under canopies. Truly a very nice theatre.

I was just looking at another theatre I frequented before finding the Golden Gate. That theatre is the Fox Florence Theatre on Florence Avenue just east of Hooper Avenue. While reading the description it hit me how much the Fox Florence and the Golden Gate had in common. The front, then the courtyard, balcony, etc. I wonder if it was the same ARCHITECT, or at least using the same design. The Fox Florence Architect was S. Charles Lee, according to the description. Those of you who actually went to the Golden Gate and or Fox Florence, go to their listings and compare that with your memories. I think they were VERY much alike.

When the Golden Gate Theatre opened it had a Wurlitzer Theatre organ (opus#1873)style 210, in was installed on 4/26/1928.

The address of the Golden Gate Theatre was 5176 Whittier Blvd.

I lived In East LA and my families business was there. In the last 40's 50's and early 60's I lived in that theatre. I worked there and I loved it. It had beautiful lighting. The consession bar was a hugh clam shell. The first film I ever saw there was "So Dear To My Heart" and the last was "A Raisen in the Sun" In front of the theater in the courtyard was a wonderful drug store and apartments on top. My friends lived there. The Center was down the street along with the United Artist and Boulevard but the Golden Gate was the one we wanted to go to. I went back recently to see it. Just the theatre was there and not the Courtyard. It was sad but it brought back wonderful memories.

The design of this theatre is similar to the Fox Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara. Both combine a courtyard entrance with what amounts to a small shopping center. Both are Spanish Colonial Revival, but the Golden Gate Theatre is Churrigueresque in its sources. The The building turns the corner via and an eight sided tower surmounted by a lantern. The entrance to the theatre was one of the finest examples of the Churrigueresque to be found in Southern California. The Golden Gate Theatre seated 1345 people.

Two years after my earlier post, the theater still sits. It's still up for sale.

Growing up, I lived near Atlantic and Olympic and have many wonderful memories of days at the Golden Gate. What a classic, beautiful theater!! I would often just go and watch whatever was playing. I remember one afternoon when my mother gave me some money for the movies and I went there by miself and, as a 10 year-old, watched "Psycho"!! I also loved the set-up, where you would purchase the ticket at the booth at the sidewalk on Whittier Blvd., then walk down the covered courtyard, past the shops before entering the theater. On hot summer afternoons, there was no better place to be. Too bad it has not been restored. I would also love to see other photos of the place in its glory days.

The 1927 Golden Gate Theatre, one of Los Angeles' most significant neighborhood movie palaces, is in escrow for purchase by a private development firm. The new owner, the Charles Company, intends to remove most of the theater's interior features to accommodate retail use, most likely a Walgreens Drug Store. The 1,454-seat theater, at the prime corner of Whittier and Atlantic Boulevards in unincorporated East Los Angeles, has sat vacant for over a decade and has been repeatedly threatened with demolition. The theater, in the Spanish Churrigueresque style, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The theater was built by developer Peter Snyder, known as the "Father of the East Side" and its architects were William and Clifford Balch, who were also involved in the design of the El Rey Theatre on Wilshire Blvd. and the Fox Theatre in Pomona. The Vega Building, the historic retail building that once wrapped around the theater, suffered damage from the Whittier Earthquake and was demolished in the early 1990s. The Conservancy will be working with the new buyer, as well as County Supervisor Gloria Molina's office, to seek retention of the theater's historic interior features, such as the proscenium, lobby, clamshell-shaped concession stand, and mezzanine level, while encouraging a positive reuse of this long-vacant historic property.

It is quiet sad to know that one of the last remaining historical
monuments in East Los Angeles is going to be used for a walgreens.
I think what should happen is like many other cities have done through community economic development is to fully restore buildings that have community value in order for the community to embrace thier community history. Im curious to know what the name of the conservancy is ? Personally I never got to experince the beauty of the theatre but the many stories shared by my family exemplify the personal value that it has on the community. If someone knows the name of the group working to restore the theatre it would be great.

Paul must be referring to the Los Angeles Conservancy - the largest 'local' historic preservation group in the United States. A very powerful group in LA that can on many occasions make or break big development schemes based on its own endorsements or objections.

I was born and raised in Belvedere, East Los Angeles, in 1953 at the Santa Marta Hospital, formerly located on Humphreys Ave near Brooklyn Ave (now Cesar Chavez Blvd).

I remember going to the Golden Gate Theater to see the first James Bond movie,Gold Finger. There was something special about the Golden Gate Theater that clearly set it apart from either the Center or Boulevard Theaters.I also clearly remember Stan's Drive Inn Restaurant, kitty corner to the Golden Gate where the waitresses would come to the window of your car to take you order, what service. The Greyhound Bus Station was just across the street on Atlantic Blvd.

Other great memories include riding the Ford & Kern Bus for just ten cents and riding the "R Car" street car that ran from downtown Los Angeles to Whittier Blvd across from the Calvary Cementary. The "P Car" traveled on First Street over the L.A. River to downtown onto Broadway & First out to Pico Blvd. When we were downtown no self respecting person would be caught wearing a tee shirt and jeans. You wouldn't be caught dead downtown L.A. or any other large city in the U.S. without wearing your best clothes.

You couldn't visit downtown L.A. without stopping at either Clifton's Cafeteria, the Grand Central Market, Angel's Flight, the L.A. City Hall(formerly one of the highest building in L.A.) as well as Olvera Street, China Town & Philippe Restaraunt for a great French dip sandwich.

Talking about old Theaters my mom and grandparents use to catch movies at the Strand Theater which was adjacent to the "R Car" street car turn around. Now sadly enough a converted garment factory.

My mom worked on Whittier Boulevard at W.T. Grants, the Kress Store as well as a fine womens clothing store called Dotty Dean's close to the See's Candy store. Some of the finest clothing stores could be found just down the street from the Golden Gate Theater up till the late 1960's.

The Moon Light sales & the Christmas decorations on the Boulevard were really something special for everyone in the community. Does anyone remember the Pontiac dealership in the area of Whittier Blvd & Clela.

Yes I remember the Golden Gate and so much more

Please excuse any and all typos.

Anthony

Anthony,

I really enjoyed reading your comments.

I was born in ELA in 1970, I was born at the Los Angeles Community Hospital. We lived on Eastman and Whittier Blvd. I remember my grandmother telling me about the Chicano riots, I remember the cruising on Whittier Boulevard in the 70s and 80s. I remember the stores on Whittier Blvd; Stones Furniture, Western Auto, Wenger (still exists) and so on.

I grew up going to the Boulevard and Golden Gate theatres. I heard there use to be a theatre around Fetterly and Whittier.

In regards to Downtown, my grandfather was a pachuco.

Anthony,

Yes, I remember the Pontiac Dealer. I used to walk up from where I lived at 1234 1/2 S. Clela to catch the bus at Whittier and Clela. I also remember Stan's drive-in. Just down the stree fro the Golden Gate there was a barber shop where I'd go to get a haircut, where I had my first "hot foam" trimming of the sideburns. It was next to the bowling alley. I took my first swimming lessons at the "plunge" across from St. Alphonse's Catholic church on Atlantic. Yeah, it is an area that I fondly remember, including the Christmas decorations each year on Whittier Blvd. Do you remember El Metate restaurant on Atlantic?

We also would take the bus and streetcar to downtown and eat at Cliftons. What a magical place for a kid!

It's great to hear from others who can share the East Los Angeles, Belvedere experiance. Before our society became mall crazy there was the Boulevard, were the finest mens, womens and childrens, variety, furniture stores in the L.A. area which extended from Whittier & Ford to Atantic & Whittier Blvd.

Another bit of local history includes the former Los Angeles County East Los Angeles Sheriffs station located on Ford Blvd and Whittier Blvd. This facility had both a juvenile/adult temporary detention facility. There was a coroners office and possibly a court house. This non assuming building was last used as a church.

What predates the Golden Gate, Whittier Blvd and the Calvary Cematary is the El Camino Real which stretched from Guatemala to beyond San Francisco. I always wondered what that green colored bell hanging on that steel bell holder was as a kid.

castanedapi@aol.com

In 1960-61 I lived on Luis Place just a couple of blocks from the Golden Gate Theater. I was 13 at the time and I remember going to see movies there at least once a week. I have spent many a night there. This was, indeed, a truly magnificent theater! Around 1961-62 we moved to Montebello, but I still continued to frequent the Golden Gate. I now live in Santa Barbara, but just before the Whittier earthquate, (my timing may be off here) my wife and a friend of ours happened to be back in East LA and the theater was already shut down. However, the main entrace was open and we simply walked in. I wouldn't normally do this, but it was too tempting. Once inside, we were met by some attendant who took pity on us and let us roam the theatre on our own. We went all over. the curtain to the procenium was open, leaving the screen fully exposed and I remember noticing not only how large the screen was, but how it's size was so appropriate in relation to the dimentions of the house. It was a wonderful experience and a bit sad to see the this great movie house abandoned. My only regret was not having a camera with me!

The first movie I ever saw there was "The Rat Race," followed by movies like "Psycho," "Elmer Gantry," "Birdman of Alkataraz," a reissue of "On the Waterfront," and "The Wild One" and so many more. Funny that I don't recall the last film I ever saw there.
Apologies for going on and on, but stumbling on to this site compelled me to write this.

Thanks JohnF
That's how we find out about many of these wonderful theatres. From people who just stumble across this site. Thanks for your shared memories of this theatre.

William

I saw "Jaws" there, with Spanish Subtitles. I was 11. I went to the Boulevard more often, because they showed 3 movies for $1.

Thank you for sharing your Golden Gate theatre and East Los Angeles experiance. I thought no one else was interested in old theatres such as the Golden Gate theatre. I just attended two back-to-back family reunions in Bakersfield & Alhambra California.

I was pleasently surprised to learn that my cousin, Christina was a ticket cashier at the Boulevard Theatre, just west of The Golden Gate. I shared how special it was as a child to buy a ticket and seeing the ticket dispensed from beneath the highly polished ticket counter by the cashier.

Several years ago, I was at an antique fair in Alameda (Oakland area)California, when out of the blue, there was one of the old theatre change machines for $100 dollars; darn I should of bought it...(sound familiar). I was told the coin machine was from the old Alameda Theatre.

The coin dispenser was the one that returned the customers change that rolled down a slide into a round coin receptacle holder.

Funny, how I really admired the theatre ushers and cashiers. The theatre ushers were dressed in black dress pants, black dress shoes, white shirts, black ties and red jackets. To think that we (customers)were actually escorted to our seats by the theatre usher with a flash light is unthinkable in this day and age.

Theatre ushers were respected and not to be taken lightly. I know from personal experiance, my buddy and I were promptly escorted out of the Boulevard Theatre in East Los Angeles in the very mid 60's for whispering to one another despite a previous warning by the usher. I took a huge financial loss of around $1.25.

I think back to those days and remember a time when you would never seeing anyone talking on there cell phones (they didn't exist), kids running up and down the aisles, people with their feet up on the seats (unthinkable)or other rude behavior.

My boys are amazed about the "old days", when you could buy a theatre ticket for $1.00, watch two movies, a cartoon and have someone playing an organ.

I worked as a gas station attendant in East Los Angeles, for the Hudson Oil Company, formerly located on 3rd Street and Humphreys Ave in the mid 1960's, the gas was around 14-15 cents a gallon.

Even though it was a less expensive gas station (we didn't sell tires, or performed other services such as oil change) compared to Shell, Chevron stations. I still pumped your gas, checked your hood, which included the radiator, battery, oil and transmission fluids. I would also clean "all" your windows and tire pressure as part of our service.

I rarely recieved any tips since management discouraged the practice of being tipped by the customer. To think that you should tip someone, and I do for selling you a cup of "regular" coffee at a Starbucks just blows me away.

You would never, ever, see a women (out of respect), an elderly person pumping their own gas. No way, no how. I'm 51 years of age and remember paying ten cents to ride the bus or street car and using a public phone for only a dime. Boy am I old or what! (smile)My dad would by a cup of coffee for only a dime (no not vanilla nut!)just regular coffee.

Thanks for the memories.

Anthony

[email]castanedapi@aol.com

Scaffolding surrounds what's left of this building. I fear demolition has begun.

my mother and my younger brother would walk from broklyn down to whitier blvd for saturday shopping. I vividly remember the Buster Brown shoe store because that was where mom had to buy our shoes for some reason, but my favorate always was the sidewalk preacher on the corner preaching the coming of christ at the top of his lungs. I remember seeing a promotional poster of The Exorsist which for some strange reason explained the preacher on the corner. My favorate weekend was 1977 when I finally nagged my mother enough to take us to see Star Wars. Im thirty 33 years old now and live in Lebanon tn. I often drive down through the square of historic Lebanon Tn where there on the corner is an old theater rundown and waiting for somebody to resurect a bit of the past. Im told somebody is leasing this theater for a posible restoration which is a wonderful thing. Its a shame sombody didnt restore The Golden gate theater, this theater takes me back to Blvd nights, crusing, Suspiria, and not too long ago Victory Chapel church. Which brings me back to that street corner preacher, preaching hope when it seemed there was none.

i love east l.a

I too remember the Golden state Theater, along with the Boulevard theater and the Alameda theater. I am 29 years old and remember going with my friends at at age 10 to watch the goonies. I also remember going with my parents and I sure got a kick, when the cartoons would come on. I also rember how looking for parking was tough. I remember the balcony was closed off but my friends and I would sneak up. Does any one remember Pupn Taco on the corner of Goodrich and Whittier Blvd? it is now a Taco Bell.

I hope they restore the building. A few weeks ago a drove by and saw security guards and thought oh no its demolition time, so I stopped and asked they said no they were not there to tear it down,they were there to film a movie scene.

Boy it would be great to see the Golden State restored! I bet it can be a major attraction if restored right and used appropriately maybe for movie premier. lets role out the red carpet once more. Does any one know who I can write to for information concerning the Golden State Theater.

hello people,well im still overwellemed on how many of us, are now intristed in our past history, of east los angeles,i myself was raised in east l.a maravilla,im 32yrs old and still remember,all the good old times i had as little kid, Boulevard,was the first movies,were i got to see my .1st. bruce lee movie,i even seen E.T,there...Alameda,was the spanish movies,i also got to sneak up to the upper level seating,it was always off limits,but you know living in east l.a and being a little kid' we explored,hahahahaha..well i'm telling you something some us would'nt have known,..damb... those were the good old days,..now the Golden Gate,well i myself was attended it many times,now it hurts see'ing it look the way it sits today,,i went by there yesterday,i guess they are going to start restoring the place,which its all good, i dont live in east l.a,anymore but all my familly still lives there, i go by there all the time,,,oh and yes, i do' remember PAP.N.TACO,, THE CHILI BEAN BOWL was the best.......GORF... i love east l.a.........

After reading many of the wonderful stories of the Golden Gate
theatre it is trajic to know the following. Many of you including myself a local city planner and resident of ELA the historic theatre will be turned into a walgreens drugstore. It is ubaurd at what is going on in our community. Where is the social reponsiblity in our city officials. I know for a fact that if this was San Marino or
Pasadena the Golden Gate theatre would be redevelpoment for the community to embrace instead multi-million dollar developers are going to remake the golden gate theatre a drug store. This is a slap in the face in the community all for the sake of making money and not to protect the social fabric that makes ELA what it is. I urge you to please call Gloria Molinas office and the LA conservancy to protest this development. The following is a taken from the LA conservancy website.
Ron Garcia

GOLDEN GATE THEATRE

The 1927 Golden Gate Theatre, one of Los Angeles' most significant neighborhood movie palaces, is in escrow for purchase by a private development firm. The new owner, the Charles Company, intends to remove most of the theater's interior features to accommodate retail use, most likely a Walgreens Drug Store. The 1,454-seat theater, at the prime corner of Whittier and Atlantic Boulevards in unincorporated East Los Angeles, has sat vacant for over a decade and has been repeatedly threatened with demolition. The theater, in the Spanish Churrigueresque style, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The theater was built by developer Peter Snyder, known as the "Father of the East Side" and its architects were William and Clifford Balch, who were also involved in the design of the El Rey Theatre on Wilshire Blvd. and the Fox Theatre in Pomona. The Vega Building, the historic retail building that once wrapped around the theater, suffered damage from the Whittier Earthquake and was demolished in the early 1990s. The Conservancy will be working with the new buyer, as well as County Supervisor Gloria Molina's office, to seek retention of the theater's historic interior features, such as the proscenium, lobby, clamshell-shaped concession stand, and mezzanine level, while encouraging a positive reuse of this long-vacant historic property.

Boy oh boy do I remember this Theatre and of course The Center and The Boulevard. What painful memories they bring back of my childhood! Unfortunately, The Whittier Blvd I remember lost it's charm long ago with the passing of the fine clothing stores and Great Theatres that dotted this historic strip. The Golden Gate Theatre, I recall, was unique and beautiful. As a kid, it almost reminded me of a Castle with it's long corridor that came in from the street where the ticket booth stood and led back inside the courtyard to the theatres' front doors and beautifully crafted front facade. It also had a charming building wrapping around the main theatre with shops in the bottom and apartments on top. At the southwest corner of Atlantic and Whittier stood its magnificent landmark tower. Incidently, the guy who used to produce Thee Midnighters, Eddie Torrez, had an apartment and office up there. The long corridor had movie posters on the side walls, I recall, and there were two corridors-one on the Atlantic Blvd side and one in front of the theatre on Whittier Blvd. I also remember the lobby which had a 1920's art noveau shell concession stand and in the restroom they had vending machines that dispensed toys and trinkets. The theatre also had a spectacular balcony seating area and a huge screen. It was sad to see it partly demolished and abandoned. The last true majestic link to Whittier Blvd glory days were cut with it's closure. Also gone are the fine stores that ran up and down the boulevard. Does anyone remember Curlie's Men's store where they displayed their fine Mens suits and overcoats in an enclosed walkway? I still vividly recall Grant's, Kress, Woolworth, Al's Army & Navy, Thrifty Drug Store with a cafeteria in the back that served the best pie a la mode, Toy Villa near the Golden Gate that seemed to always have what I couldn't afford, The Record Inn, Johnson's Market, Western Auto, Buster Brown's, Melody Shops and Lerner's where my Mom used to shop. Also, across from The Boulevard Theatre had this bakery that I can still remember the sweet scent till this day. I am not sure if the bakery is still there anymore. The Boulevard Theatre would only cost me 49 cents to get in. It was a bargain for two movies and cartoons. The utility companies also were located on or near the Blvd. The Gas Company was on the corner of Whittier and Mcdonnell and the Light Company was off of Whittier on Ferris Ave. Memories of that famed roadway take me back to 1970 when I was just 9 years old and flashbacks to the front marquee of the Golden Gate Theatre which was showing "The Family Jewels" and "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World". It was truly a classic place. Now, Seeing the old Boulevard in its current state reinforces my idea that the Boulevard distinctive charm and grace is gone forever.

we as people should take action in try'ing to protest and save our history,whittier is'nt the same anymore'weve lost much or our history'as well as many kid's life's there'many gang's have developed around our area,i myself was also running around being stupid!!!i'm 32 yrs old and have grown up,i have a family and love my children verry much'even the i have moved out,i still love east l.a,all my childhood years were spent there so it is verry hard for me to not to try to do something not to try to save our history,like they said if we were in a rich area,golded gate would be restored and saved,,,now it is us east siders to stand up for our history,and what we can to keep our old golden gate theather..i'll call{ gloria molina}on monday.....GORF.......

I really enjoyed elopez comments dated Wed, Nov. 24th, because I along with family shopped at the same stores that are now gone. Everyone remembers the Western Auto Store across from the Boulevard Theatre, and down the street from Stones furniture by Pep Boy's. I wish someone could tell me how old, the ice house located on Ford Blvd & Whittier Blvd. Incidently, I think the Southern California Edison office was located on Kern Ave by Whittier.

You know were you could buy a hamburger at the old Monk Uddle (?) hamburger stand by the alley near W.T. Grants or by the S.H. Kress Store,where you could catch either the Kern or Ford Bus for only a dime in the 1950's. There used to be an old taxi cab company across the street from the Monk Uddle.

Both the Ford & Kern buses ended up at First & Rowen where you could ride the P Car (old street car)and later the No.26 bus into downtown L.A. all the way to the west side on Pico & Rimpau.

The other end of the Kern Bus line was on Whittier Blvd, across from the old Strand Theatre, now a garment factory across the street from the Calvary Cemetery.

From there you could ride the old R Car to downtown L.A. I believe the R Car was later replaced by the Rapid Transit District (RTD) No 72 bus. The R Car was the old street car that made a round turn at the end of the line to head back to downtown L.A.

My mom use to pay 5 cents to ride the Kern/Ford Bus in the late 30's, early 1940's. My mom worked at Home Decoraters, The Kress, W.T. Grants, and later at Dotty Dean's, a very classy womens store next to Lerner Shops. I would sometimes get a root bear soda & a hot dog at the Grant's cafeteria when my mom was working the fountain.

Boy I'm I old or what? One of my neighbor, Richard here in Fremont, Calif. was born in East L.A. in the 1940's and his mother was also born in East L.A. in the early 1920's.

If you think this is isn't a small world another neighbor, Daniel,(younger than you know who!) attended Garfield H.S. and his mother owned several bridal shops in the area one on Ford & Whittier Blvd.

It seems to me that the answer to all our concerns about saving the Golden Gate and other old East Los Angeles icons is to have a East Los Angeles, Belvedere, Historical Museum.

Is that a great idea or what? If such a museum now exists, someone please enlighten me as to this fact.

It would be something to visit a museum where you could travel back in time and experiance the sights and sounds of East Los Angeles experiance. Just remember this my fellow freinds, before the Golden Gate Theatre or Whittier Blvd, there was the El Camino Real (The Kings Highway)now Whittier Blvd. That's why you see the old green colored bells on the road.

This highway was built by the Spaniards that spanned the distance from Guatemala thru Mexico, and into Alta California, extending to San Francisco, San Rafael.

You know what's amazing is that you can still actually see parts of the old road (Old Coast Highway) starting in the area of Hwy 101 in Camarillo, just to the right of the highway all the way to San Francisco.

My father was born in Guadalupe, California in 1925. My dad would share stories of traveling on the Old Coast Highway in a Model A or T Ford into Los Angeles in the 1920's. My paternal grandfather, Pedro,and my great grandmother settled into the Central Coast area, of California, Santa Maria-Guadalupe in the early teens(1900's).

My maternal grandfather, Jose Hernandez, was born in a area now known as Norwalk, Ca. in 1912. What's truly amazing is that my younger sons former preschool teachers family last name is Dominquez. The Dominquez family is one of the earliest settlers in the Los Angeles area dating back some time in the 1700,s (or so). These original families were given vast title to land by the Spain and later Mexico.

Incidently, the earliset members of the Dominquez family and other notable persons are buried at the Calvary Cementary. Across the street on Whittier Blvd (El Camino Real) is the old Jewish cemetery
known as the Home of Peace where one of the Three Stooges (Curly) is buried. Yuk Yuk Yuk (smile).

Getting back to the Golden Gate, I am an antique post card collecter and I have one of the earlist black & white post card taken in the area of Whittier Blvd & Clela (just west of the Golden Gate), circa 1920's. For you older people(smile), you know where the old Pontiac Dealer was located.

Does anybody remember the old Chevrolet dealer which was across the street from the Atlantic pool and St. Alfonso's Church. My granfather bought a 1958 Chev. Impala there right out of the show room floor.

I also have a post card of Garfield High School, circa, 1920's or 30's. My other classic post cards are of Los Angeles, Compton, Highland Park, San Pedro and Long Beach, the Pike, at the turn of the century, early 1900's.

I am so greatful to all of you for sharing your memories.
It's a wonderful life, Living one day at a time.

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas to all.

Thanks for the memories! Keep on sharing.
castanedapi@aol.com

I was born in E.L.A. in 1956, my parents lived on Record & Whittier at that time. The first movie I really remember going to see without my parents was The Nutty Professor starring Jerry Lewis at The Boulevard I went with my older brother.For a kid use to watching movies on a small B&W TV at home, seeing all those colors on that big screen blew me away! I also remember a time at The Golden Gate Theater I believe it was after a Frakenstein movie all the horror movie characters started to line up on stage in front of the screen. The Mummy,Frankenstein,The Werewolf etc. there must have been about 20 of them,with Frakenstein in the center.There was a pause and then an explosion like a cherry bomb.just then all the creatures started off the stage and up the aisles towards the audience. All the yelling,screaming and kids jumping over seats trying to get out is something i'll never forget,it was a great time. I lived on Kern Ave. in the early 60's . I remember my dad coming home from work at U.S. Rubber which became Uniroyal and now The Citidal.He put in about twenty five years there until they moved out of state.Looking out the front window on Kern Ave. you could look across that big parking that went from Kern Ave. to Ferris Ave. just past Johnson's Market I had a lot of playing time in that parking lot. Does anyone remember that cheerful old guy that sold peanuts on the Boulevard, he wore an apron & a torn up straw hat with a mexican dollar bill taped to the front. I seen him mostly in front of Buster Brown's. What good memories.I met my first and only girlfriend at Griffith Jr. H.S. in '71 she's now my wife. What more can you ask for.Thanks to elopez & born in East L.A. you guys really got me thinking so I had to put my 2 cents in. I agree that The Golden Gate Theater should be saved, East L.A. was a great place to grow up and can still be. Saving & restoring The Golden Gate Theater would be a great start. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

While I certainly agree with Mr. Garcia's sentiments I must disagree with his assessment that if this theater were located in Pasadena it would be redeveloped. The City of Pasadena is notorious for their indifference to saving historic theaters. So many are gone and were it not for the efforts of the Friends of the Raymond that gorgeous theater would be gone as well. A Walgreen's? We have more drug stores than gas stations already.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, man with no name. To Kern Ave. E.L.A., I recalled seeing the movie "Thirteen Ghosts" at the Center Theatre sometime in the 1960's, man was that high tech for those days or what! We even wore special glasses to see the special effects. Two feature movies & a cartoon for .50-.75 cents.

I recall the older gentleman who used to sell peanuts or in Spanish, "cacahuates"; he used to chant the words, "cacahuatitos, bien salatitos". This old guy was always flirting with the women both young and old.

If you e-mail me at castanedapi@aol.com I provide you with a funny story (In Spanish) of an older co-worker of my mother, who finally had it with this particular street vendors comments, and decided to give him a piece of her mind.

This guy was just one of E.L.A.'s many colorful characters. I somehow don't remember street vendors in East L.A. in the 1950's....Thank God.

Flash back, does anybody remember the old CHP office located on Goodrich near Whittier Blvd? I recently met a family member who's husband was assigned out of this office in the 1950's, way before the CHP moved to there office east of Garfield Ave by the Pomona Fwy.

I was recently in East Los Angeles and drove down Whittier Blvd. In the 1960's I used to ride my mini bike down the blvd. (right up the middle of the road) to avoid being stopped by the CHP or the L.A. Co Sheriff's. I had the displeasure of telling it to the judge on a couple of occasions in juvenile traffic court.

I bought this mini bike at a lawn-mower shop on Whittier Blvd, just east of the famous K-Mart with all the Blue Light Specials.

Thanks for the memories of E.L.A.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays to all.

I loved the Golden Gate also but I even though less refined, The Center to me was the coolest of Whittier Blvd theaters. What was cool about the Center was the they had a lunch counter in addition to the snack bar and it served burgers and fries and the public outside of the theater could also eat fom the lunch counter as it was two-way into the theater and out on Whittier Blvd. Never saw anything like it. Of course ny biggest thrill was The Three Stooges appeared live to introduce their movie, The Three Stooges Meet Hercules. They actually walked from back of the theater down the ailse to the stage to introduce themselves. I got to shake Moe's hand. To us little kids it may as well have been the Beatles! After going to any of the boulevard shows, me and my cousin would go to the White Front Department store on Olympic. My cousin got his first job at the Johnson's market. I also remember seeing 13 Ghosts at the center with those cool 3-D glasses.

JDuran,

Thanks for sharing this additional piece of information on the history of one of five Whittier Boulevard Theatres",(located between Atlantic & Downey Road. We can't forget the Strand Theatre.

Can you provide some additional details about the lunch counter such as was it to the left or right side of the Center Theater if you were facing the theatre.

On one of my last visits to Whittier Blvd I stopped at the Center Theatre (now a low end retail store). I could faintly make out the floor entrance which once had an elaborate, multi-colored pattern, design which was typical for theatres once upon a time and not so long ago.


Thanks for the memories.

ELA, if you stood outside the theater the lunch counter was to the left of the ticket stand. I also recall playing pinball in a small bowling alley near the Golden Gate. It all seems like a dream now.

JDuran,I seem to remember a bowling alley in the area. Are you old enough/young enough (smile!) to recall the Vic Tenny's Gym located just east of the Golden Gate (Atlantic Blvd). Can you recall the Stan's Drive kiddy-corner to the Golden Gate? What year did you graduate from high school?

I believe the bowling alley was called - "Whittier-Atlantic Bowling Alley".

Where was the Center Theatre? Between what streets?

The Center Theatre was located between Ford Blvd and Duncan Ave's. How about the other questions I asked you?

Sorry, I was born in 1970.

Does anyone remember "Lucky Lanes" on Atlantic and Pomona Blvd? Caddy-corner from Pep Boys(still there today)?

Paul

The Center Theatre was located at either 4760 or 4762 Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles.

Born, I remember the Vic Tanny's and Stan's. I graduated from Montebello High 1970. Paul, I remember the bowling alley on Pomona and Atlantic but I thought it was called Triangle Bowl. Not really sure. There was also a car wash, Gardunos and I think a National Lumber store there near the bowling alley and Kaiser clinic.

If I recall, The Center was located across the street facing The Kress Department store. It was located between Kern Ave. and Fetterly Ave. Remnants of the old place are hardly visible today. Last time I visited the site there was an optometrist office on the right side of where The Center Theatre entrance used to be.

slight correction to above reference, it was either The Kress or Grant's Department store The Center Theatre faced. This boggles the mind. It all seems so long ago.

Greeting good people,

I seem to recall W.T. Grant's being directly across the street from the Center Theatre. I should remember, since my mom worked there in the early 1960's. My mom worked the morning shift and worked the food counter. She would make coffee for all the local store owners and employees who would need there coffee in the morning.

Does anyone recall the See's Candy store next to W.T. Grants. I use to buy my dress shoes at Flag Brothers, next to W.T. Grants. Funny, I can't seem to remember where I bought my first pair of "Beatle boots"; I certain it wasn't at Buster Browns (smile!!!). Al's Army & Navy, always seemed to have the best bargains on Levis and work clothes.

What was the name of the barber shop on Kern Ave, just south of Whittier Blvd on the west side of the street? The barber was Chicano who always played jazz music for his customers.

Speaking of the area of Atlantic Blvd & Pomona Blvd, does anyone remember the first E.L.A. "head shop" on Atantic right next to the Pomona Fwy? There used to be a Builders Emporium Store, just east of the bowling alley, close to the East L.A. Sheriffs Dept. What the heck ever happened to the Foster Freeze on Beverly Blvd close to Atlantic.

We used to buy our milk and eggs from the Reliance(?) Diary on Atlantic Blvd next to Beverly Blvd. It was one of those ever so popular drive-thru places.

Shopping at Atlantic Square was considered to be upscale from the Blvd. J.C. Pennys had the best high neck tee-shirts in the planet in the 1960's!

Merry Christmas!

Born in East L.A.

well paul you were right,the bowling alley next to the builders emporiom was called [lucky lanes]yup we use to go bowlling there all of our history is mostly gone now, so we as people neen to stand up to protest and save our history,,,,like our GOLDEN GATE,,, MERRY CHRISTMAS......GORF.......

THE BARBER ON KERN BLV,THE NAME IS ART'S HAIR STUDIO HE'S STILL THERE.....GORF....

gorfster,

Is this the same barber from around 1964-1965?

its the son now

That's amazing! Do you remember the day (not so long ago)) when no man or women would be seen having there haircut along side one another. Boy how times have changed for the better. Isn't it great to have your hair cut at a super cuts type place with no one male/female territorial issues taking place. In the early 1970's I had a women take strong offense to me holding the door open for her. Oh well, just got to roll with the changes.

Born, and JDuran,

I graduated Montebello class of '68, and yes, I do remember the "head shop" on Atlantic! I also vividly remember the bowling alleys mentioned, the one on Whittier and the one near Pomona. There was also an "Utter-McKinley" morturary kind of where Atlantic and Beverly intersected, near the car wash. For years we lived a couple of blocks away from Atlantic and Olympic, then later moved to Monterey Park, a few blocks away from Atlantic Square. Back then those neighborhoods seemed so far away from each other, but they really are relatively close. I remember when they were constructing the Pomona Freeway, my buddies and I would get big pieces of
cardboard and "surf" down the mounds of dirt.

But as for theaters, between the Golden Gate and the Garmar in Montebello, I don't recall any others in that area.

The other day I drove down to Whittier Blvd, after many years away, and I could hardly recognize the place I once knew. So, I decided to park my car off a side street to stroll around and take a closer look. I walked along Whittier Blvd the same very same path I took while growing up in East L.A. To my horror, instead of being sentimental about being in my old stomping grounds I was in culture shock. I have to admit I felt like I was somewhere in a third world country. The place seemed so foreign to me. I have visited the Tijuana main shopping district on a few occasions and Whittier Blvd today mirrors it. It is evident that the new generation of immigrants have transformed every aspect of the area to reflect the environment of their origins. District politicians and area Supervisors have turned a blind eye or encouraged Whittier Blvd social and physical decline instead of fighting for it's preservation apparently to appease its new residents. It is sad because gone are the distinct American cultural icons I remember growing up i.e. those lunch counters and hot dog/hamburger stands, coffeshops, the five & dime stores, department stores, drug stores, professional businesses, and the handsome shows like the Grand Golden Gate Theatre that once called this famous boulevard home. On the day of my visit, these places were almost unrecognizable remnants that were either condemned, in bad decay or hidden behind overdeveloped storefronts that all seemed alike to me. The many shops along the Boulevard were overdeveloped tightly packed one next to the other. The storefronts were cloned storage unit designs with a roll top security grate front entryway. It was hard to tell where the doorway was. It was just an open space between the sidewalk and the inside to the store. I noticed, also, that many of the shops were Spanish named. Any effort that was made, by some shopkeepers, to write in English were marred with mistakes and miswording. It really didn't matter though becuase much of the advertising was done in Spanish. I was trying to find at least one store I could recognize, from my youth, with its traditional frontdoors and wide glass panels featuring mannequins adorned with the latest fashions or merchandise neatly displayed behind the windows inviting customers in. Sadly, I could find none. The merchandise, from many of the stores on the boulevard, were laid out like fruit in a farmer's market and being sold like at a auction. I noticed so many pushy employees out front trying to hustle their wares in Spanish. It made me feel very uncomfortable. The times sure have changed. Long gone are the days of service with respect and a smile. Back then, any employee rude to customers would be immediately reprimanded or worse fired. It seemed like those pushy employees were more concerned about a quick sale rather than offering good decent customer service. I decided I had and seen enough so I went back to my car and I drove west on the Boulevard toward the Long Beach Freeway. Off to my side, my eyes caught these skinny solitary steel beam towers that were grey in color placed on every other corner which I hadn't noticed while I was walking. I guess everything seemed to overwhelm me while I was on foot so they were obscured and the fact that they were grey blended into with the color of the sidewalk. Finally, before I reached Ford Boulevard was this huge hideous drab grey steel half soccer ball netted arch structure over Whittier Blvd. If this was a monument of some kind it really looked out of place but so did everything else on this boulevard including those grey skinny steel beams and row upon row of delapidated plain storefronts. Funny thing though the only thing that seemed to match was the color grey. Everything seemed grey and drab. The street I once loved as a kid is only a cherished memory now. The Whittier Blvd of yesterday is a thing of the past yet so much of East LA is too. The K-Mart Shopping Center is overdeveloped too and almost entirely unrecognizable of its former self. Gone too is the classic Army recruiting station near Goodrich & Whittier, as is the Goodrich Tire Company and most of the three great moviehouses on Whittier Blvd. Unfortunately, even streetnames are fair game without regard to preservation. In my personal view, the renaming of Brooklyn Ave was a mistake. The street name was a classic one and familiar to generations of residents. They could have honored Cesar Chavez by renaming Belvedere Third St. Civic Center after him instead of forever erasing Brooklyn Ave from the map. Anyways, Nothing fits like it used to on the day of my visit to Whittier Blvd. It was like scattered puzzle pieces trying to figure out what went where. It is a pity. I truly do not understand why the classic American landscape that was once Whittier Blvd. was not preserved and shared alongside shops that reflect the culture of foreign lands

Dave, I remember you. I was a sophomore in the band when you were a senior with Robert Ulrich as the band teacher and also knew about Randy Donaldson a friend of mine who I currently see at the casinos, David Kauffman and Sandy Rubay! You probably did not know who I was at the time but us new kids knew all about the seniors.

JDuran,

Wow, small world. What's your full name? Male or female? I'm trying to remember you. I still have my 1968 yearbook. Give my gegards to Randy Donaldson, I'd like to reconnect with him. Also, say hi to Kauffman, I saw him at the 30-year reunion. Yeah, being in band was fun, and I thought Mr. Ulrich was a good guy. In fact, the current and long-time band director at Montebello is a guy from my class, Larry Covellone. When he and I were 16, we saw the Beatles at Dodger Stadium!!

David Grissanti, are you related to Yvonne Grisanti (is she your sister?)? I graduated from Montebello in '66. I didn't know Yvonne well but she wrote for the Derrick Diary and I was in the drama department; she gave me a "glowing" review for the yearly Drama Night. It meant a lot to me at the time. In fact I still have the clipping, which includes her picture.
If you are related, I hope she's well.
My entry regarding the Golden Gate Theater is up above and starts with "In 1960-61 I lived on Luis Place..."
Luis Place, by the way, was close to where you lived. It was a small street one block up from Whitier Blvd. and behind the Anthony Loya Studio.
John Ferry

Mr. Davila, I glad to know that I wasn't the only E.L.A. cardboard, dirt rider. I did the exact same thing in the area of Sunol Drive and 3rd St. I along with family and friends would hang out in all the vacant, condemned houses and explore all the time.

There must have been so many families that were forced to sell their homes to make way for "progress", called the Pomona Fwy. I'm sure we drove the construction companies crazy when we would move or take the long wooden stakes that the surveyors had placed for the freeway. These wooden stakes made great swords for battle. In the area of 3rd & Humphrey's Ave we would have serious rock fights with other kids for hours.

This must have been my effort to oppose the distruction of our community to make way for "progress". It's funny how the Long Beach Fwy never went beyond Valley Blvd in the north. Then again, the predominiately white communties of Alhambra, South Pasadena would not have allowed that to happen. Sadly, the Whittier Blvd area went into a rapid decline shortly after the East Los Angeles Demonsrations/riots in the late 60's, 70's. The large white population in the area left for safer ground towards further east and or Orange County; sociologists use the term, "white flight"

I don't like the changes that have occurred in the past 30-40 years, but no one can take away all the good memories I have of growing up in East Los Angeles. Just think of all the families who can share the East L.A. experiance.

Thanks for the memories, Happy New Year to all you good people.

Theatres in East Los Angeles you may have known and / or loved:

Alameda Theatre / United Artists Theatre
Bonito Theatre
Boulevard Theatre / New Boulevard
Brooklyn Theatre
The Center Theatre
Crystal Theatre
Garden Theatre
Jewel Theatre
Joy Theatre
Keystone Theatre
Meralta Theatre
Monterey Theatre
National Theatre
Royale Theatre
Swickard's Strand Theatre / The Strand Theatre
Unique Theatre
Vern Theatre
Victoria Theatre

I understand that the Bonito Theatre was on Ford Blvd & Brooklyn Ave (presently Cesar Chavez Ave)I believe the old theatre building still stands on the east side of Ford Blvd. I saw "High Hopes", with Frank Sinatra, at the Unique Theatre (area of First & Rowen) in the early 1960's. I understand that the First Street Store, was intially half it's present size, (if it's still standing) the area of the men's/boy's department was a former E.L.A., Belvedere theatre. Does anyone know the name of that theatre?

The Wabash Theatre was another Boyle Heights area theatre located at Wabash & Evergreen, close to Manuel's Tepeyac Mexican Restaraunt (known for their famous king sized burritos). Other Boyle Heights theatres included the Brooklyn Theatre located at 2524 Brooklyn Ave, in the area of N. Fickett. The National Theatre was located at 2229 Brooklyn Ave. The Joy Theatre was formally located at 2014 E. First Street.

For more information about the area of Boyle Heights, Brooklyn & Soto contact the Southern California Jewish Historical Society to purchase a video called, Meet Me at Brooklyn & Soto. This is an incredible historical video about the history of early East Los Angeles and the contributions by the Jewish community to our California history.

Max Factor was formerly a barber in Boyle Heights before he became a make up artist for the Hollywood stars. Golds Gym was started by a family that owned a wrecking yard on Ford Blvd, many years ago. During World War 2, the Jewish community purchased two B-17's, one was named the Spirit of City Terrace, and the other, The Spirit of Boyle Heights, both were purchased by the community towards the war effort. My grandfather was a driver for the Chicago Meat Packing Company that delivered Kosher meats to the famous deli's such as Kanter's in the area of Brooklyn & Soto and hotels in the greater Los Angeles area.

Thanks for the memories. Born in East L.A.

JohnF,
I think I know where Luis Place is. When I was a kid, we would go either there or a street near there to buy illegal firecrackers from a woman whose living room was full of boxes of them! Funny you should mention Anthony Loya Studios. Juas last week I was visiting my mother in Palm Springs, along with my wife, daughters and their husbands. My mother gave each of my daughters a protrait of me and my sister taken at Anthony Loya's in around 1954!

Yes, Yvonne is my sister. She graduated from Montebello in 1966 and wrote for the Derrick Diary. She died tragically in 1990 and we miss her terribly. I really appreciate your words about her. In her adult years she was a magazine editor and a writer. I still have some copies of the Derrick Diary with her articles. I'll have to dig them up and see if I have the one with your review!

David Grisanti

David Grisanti,

I am very sad to learn that your sister died in 1990. Even though I didn't know her well I do remember her at Montebello. And because over the years while occasionally browsing through my "archive" I would run into her Derrick Diary article and her picture, she has always been in some way a part of my life. So I am sad at your loss and, in my own way, my loss.

If you can't find the article I have, I'll be happy to email you an attachment of it if you give me your email address. Mine is jpf9000@aol.com

How funny about Anthony Loya Studio!
Best,
John Ferry

How excited I am to see how many wonderful people share the same memories and dreams I have from that magical palace called the Golden Gate theater, I was born in Brooklyn New York in 1958 my parents moved out to California in 1964 my sister Yvette, and I were raised in East Los Angeles we lived at 749 South Sadler, it was a property that had 3 small homes and a garage/appartment in back owned by my grand parents. When I was a kid the fist movie my parents took me to see at the Golden Gate was Gold finger and every 007 movie after that. I moved back to New York in 1982 but the most memorable movie that I saw in that magical palace was the re-released THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, even though I saw many movies there, the reason this movie was so perfect was because of the theater's interior, plush red velvet curtains and seats, and it's Roman like columns if I remember correctly.

My name is Bryant Cordova I went to Schurr High School from 1974-1977 I now reside in Florida, am 45yrs old now but in reading all the above testimonies, and even though I was not raised in LA until the mid-60's I somehow feel close to all of you even though you all don't know me but we share almost the same memories. Here is a funny memory that I personally have of the Golden Gate, my Grandfather always took me all over New York by subway, and I remember when we moved to ELA one day my grandfather and I walk from Sadler to the Golden Gate and I saw the corner of the plaza across the street and it reminded me of the subway entrance in Brooklyn and I yelled out saying LETS GO ON THE SUBWAY TO DOWNTOWN!! and that was the day I learned that LA had no subways, (well at least not then) well needless to say I cried, but East LA and it's great people embraced my family and I, we made many friends there I remember growing up with Johnny Krantz Jr. Joe Cruse, Ronny Martinez, Dean Cooper, Danny Sardinia, and many others up the street.

Yes I still think about the old magical movie palace called the GOLDEN GATE, how I wish the old theater could come back. I believe the generation of today can take all their modern technology of today and pour it into a movie house like the GOLDEN GATE and with it's big screen, and they would experience an AWESOME move night just like we all did the first time we walked through it's doors.

Dear Rich Wojcik,

Yes, I remember Pete Richey. I think he lived on Fernfield or Gleason in Monterey Park. Sorry to hear about what happened to him though. He was dealing drugs in the late '60's, so I am not surprised about what happened. There but for the grace of God. . . .

Did you know a guy named Mike Velasco? He lived on Fernfield, near Wilcox. He lives up here near Seattle and he graduated from MHS in '67 I think.

Yeah, the Garmar and Golden Gate were great theaters, especially the Golden Gate. They just aren't built like that anymore.

DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW WHERE I CAN GET THE FLOOR PLANS FOR THE GOLDEN GATE THEATRE??????? I NEED TO KNOW FOR A PROJECT. I AM IN 7TH GRADE AND WE NEED TO BUILD A MODEL OF A THEATRE AND I CHOSE "THE GOLDEN GATE THEATRE" SO IF U DO PLEASE REPLY ASAP! THANKS A LOT.

A building is going up on the lot just to the right of the theater. It doesn't look like a standard Walgreen's. There was previously some scaffolding and a huge dumpster on the Atlantic side of the theater that is gone now and the same side now sports graffiti that wasn't there before. I wonder if this theater is about to come down?

Here is a picture, courtesy of the LA Library:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015321.jpg

One more:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015322.jpg

Ken's second pic reveals the theater at one time had 2 marquees, the older one on Atlantic and a newer one on Whittier. In the later pic both had been replaced. All of that is gone and the whole corner is a vacant lot with only the actual theater building (barely visible above it all in the back) still standing.

For the past few weeks the exit doors leading from the balcony level have been left open to the elements. With the new graffiti that is on the building on that level I wonder if someone has moved in?

The photo at the top of the page is by William Reagh:

http://helios.library.ca.gov/soca/reagh/1990-0662.jpg

Here is a little bit about what I think is this theater before it was built:

(Feb. 9, 1927)
LA Times

This week will mark the beginning of building operations on the theater project on Whittier Boulevard in Golden Gate Square. The theater proper will seat about 1500 persons, it is declared and will contain thirteen stores. There will also be several apartment units. It is planned as a legitimate playhouse, but will be equipped for motion pictures as well.

WHOA...this gorgeous theatre is still standing. I'm glad they haven't torn it down and built a walmart. Does anyone have any links or pictures of the Golden Gate theatre's interior? Please share them with me, I had the misfortune of being born in the 80s and never got to go inside.

Sure. Go to www.lapl.org and click on browse the photo collection. Type in Golden Gate Theatre, and you will find four photos of the theater...

I had lunch today at a restaurant directly behind this theater. Out of pure kindness, I will not reveal the name of this dubious establishment, the food of which leaves much to be desired. restaurant. The theater is still standing, but has not been converted into a Walgreens, Blockbuster, Starbucks or Photomat. The front entrance is covered with graffiti. It doesn't look like anyone plans to use this building in the near or distant future.

Does anyone remember the Monkey Oodle hamburger stand behind W.T.Grants next to the bus stop on Kern ave? The best hamburgers!Or the lunch counter at W.T.Grants,great hot dogs.there also use to be a hamburger stand at n/e corner of whittier and atlantic blvd, I dont recall the name, it was back in the early 1960s.

Mr.Davila regarding your post written 12/22/04,a very well written piece and I agree with totally.I know its a late response but I just came across this website and it brought a lot of memories.I agree with your position about the Brooklyn ave name change to Ceasar Chavez blvd,they should have never changed it.You can thank Gloria Molina for that.I also remember the head shop,bongs, rolling papers and the L.a. free press.

There are two ways to look at the name change. It's good that some people make an effort to keep continuity between the former Jewish population and the current Hispanic one. Brooklyn Avenue was obviously a nod to the NY ex-patriate roots. However, you could argue that the street name should be a reflection of the community. How many people living in East LA today have any connections to Brooklyn, or speak Yiddish for that matter?

found this link of what the mta or metro could be planing for the site check it out

http://www.scag.ca.gov/livable/download/pdf/whittier.pdf

The link above appears to be 10 years old. Anyway, the building itself is beginning to remind me of the UA in Detroit. It has been open to the elements and vandals for some months now with the balcony exit door on the Atlantic side wide open. You can see a piece of the balcony from the street. The building has a new coat of paint in the form of ever growing graffiti and one can only imagine who resides inside and what it must now look like. It has become a major eyesore.

To Ken mc,
Most people in East L.a. dont care if a street name is a relection of the community.They hated the name because they were not consulted or were allowed to vote on it.Its about tradition and history.With your argument you could say for example, the people of Santa Barbara have no connection to the street names,which a majority are in spanish and most of people that live in there are not.

Thanks for the response, Fez. I was actually arguing both sides, which is what they teach us in law school to avoid taking any responsibility when other people disagree with us.

The Metro station that was originally planned there was moved to the corner of Atlantic and 3rd St.

To any residents of E.L.A./Boyle Heights for the last twenty years or more, Cesar Chavez
Av. will always be Brooklyn Av. Having said that, i was born, raised in and will always relate to my Boyle Heights roots. Lincoln Hospital was my birthplace in 1954. We lived on Gleason Av. near Lorena. I remember street looking out at the fourth street bridge from our front steps, seeing the first 747 fly overhead, street football games, the Mercado on First Street under construction and shaking Bobby Kennedy's hand as he drove by it during his 1968 campaign. That was a rush. I remember walking to Our Lady of Talpa through all the alleys in my neighborhood. Seeing the narrow column of black smoke from the Evergreen Cememtary Cremetorium. Later years would find me waxing my 64' Chevy under a shady tree in that cemetary. i recall shopping up and down first street , taking the bus a few blocks with my mother to The First Street Store. Walking into Lee Mars Mens Clothing Store, where i later attempted to get a job that never materialized. The Unique theatre , where my grandmother would take me to see Spanish Language movies. Back Then i never understood one word. It wasn't until high school (Salesian) that i began to learn. Then having a Tom's Burger for lunch. The warm summer nights would find us at the corner of indiana and Third Street where my dad would buy a huge bucket of raspadas with extra juice that we would take back to eat on our front lawn and stay there till one or two in the morning. Ha! try doing that now. I remember waiting for my dad to get home on Fridays so we could go to either Thrifty's at Atlantic Square for all you can eat fish dinner or to the Triangle Bowl , yes, it was later called Lucky Lanes, where i would have one of huge burgers on a sesame seed bun and these huge fries and a coke. I was the luckiest kid in the world. Who needed an Ipod. Before the 60 fwy. there was a restaurant on Atlantic with a pig on it's sign, wish i remembered the name. the best blue cheese dressing on a cold crispy salad. i remember Two Guys dept. store and Atlantic Savings , where my aunt worked. She and my cousins lived on Amalia St. Largo's Mitote Restaurant , maybe still standing, where my Sunday dinner consisted of Chorizo and eggs. The best brownies at the Jewish Bakery near Soto and Brooklyn. The RTD turnaround at Rowan and Brooklyn. El Tepeyac, the bonfires at Evergreen Playground, buying 45's at the Mercado record store, gettin my hair cut by Dan's Barber shop on Third street, where he once proclaimed That FM radiio would be the wave of the future, and buying firecrackers from a robed woman on Concord Av. Certainly i remember the cold nights at the Golden Gate Theatre where my mom wrap a blanket around me on our walk to and from the theatre after a late night movie where the whole time, i was obsessed with the majestic and scary architecture of it's interior. ...Whew! sorry i was in a zone. thanks for the memories...

I had no idea that Two Guys had stores in California. There was one in Atlantic City when I was a kid.

WoW Ralvarez! That was beautiful. Beatiful doesnt even cut it...

Here are two interior photos from the LA Library:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015324.jpg
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015323.jpg

thanks, ken mc for the great pictures. my faint memory of the that haunting interior became clear and defined once again as if it were yesterday. i can still hear the classical music playing while waiting for the movie to start.

What a great design: unique and elegant but not overstated. Too bad it has ended up as it has. Any indication as to how much of the auditorium is intact?

Most people that I've asked remember the Two Guys store on Whittier Blvd. just east of Goodrich Ave., but they don't remember that when that building first went up it was Unimart. Just thought I'd add that. Is there any pictures out there of East L.A. in the 50's or 60's?

Here is a photo from the 1920s - no theater, or at least no marquee. Interesting:
http://tinyurl.com/qc2ul

This is a 1930 photo. The theater is up and running:
http://tinyurl.com/hvmyk

Wow... Thanks for the pictures
I am glad I came across many great comments. I have lived in East Los Angeles all my life (28). The area has changed so much even in a short time. It is a shame that people here are not caring for the area as much as I am. I had never heard such history the area has. I just have questions regarding a courthouse, coroner’s office and so on near Ford and Whittier Bl. Where was it actually located at? Do you have any information regarding Ford Boulevard Elementary School?
Anyone know any information regarding the church on the corner of, Fetterly and Olympic Bl? I came across a man that told me it was once an opera house. It is now San Francisco Church; this man attends church just to reminisce when his wife used to sing there.

-B

Very nice pictures ken mc. I believe members have tried to contact me through this web site & I am having trouble getting back to you, so here's my email. my65sub@aol.com Thank you for sharing.

the court house and/or coroner must have existed before the 710 fwy because i have never seen or heard of either. i have live in the area since mid fifties. i may be wrong or your location may be wrong. (unlikely) Now my interest is peaked. i will investigate.

Thank You :) My dear neighbor that just passed away this year had lived here since way before the 710 fwy was built. She never mentioned anything about a court house and so on. It is nice to hear many people still interested what history East L.A. has. I hope one day the Golden Gate Theater opens for the public once again :)

I was born in Los Angeles in 1944 and my family moved to ELA when I was a baby. We lived on Record Street, just below Union Pacific, until 1952 when we moved to Downey Rd. I attended Eastman St. school through 6 grade. Is there anyone out there who went to Eastman? I have fond memories of the Golden Gate and the other theatres in ELA. I saw "Gone With The Wind" there in 1954. I saw many movies at the Boulevard Theatre. I remember seeing "From Here To Eternity" in 1953. My friends and I often caught the bus for a dime and went to the Montebello Plunge. My brothers and I all learned to swim in that pool. We left ELA in 1956 and moved to Montebello for 2 years and then on to La Puente. That was the route that many people took back in the mid-fifties, moving out to the suberbs where it was more affordable. I have gone back to the old neighborhood several times over the years to have a look, but it is depressing. Too many changes, and not for the better. I am glad that I grew up in the fifties and have the memories that I do. I have lived in many different places and am happy where I am now, but my heart will always be in East LA.
Beverly W.

I was born in EastLA in 1966 i remember growing up and going to the movies at the GoldenGate Theater on the corner of atlantic and whitter blvd it was a cool place to go see a movie i remember when we didn't have any money we would sneek in through a hole in the back of the building it would be very dark inside, then in 1987
Pastor Mike and Donna Neville moved there church congragation from
maywood ca to the Golden Gate Theater and the churche's name was
Praise Chapel Christian Fellowship I remember when i walked inside
the building i felt the power of God in the movie theater I was a
Gang Member from the Winter Gardens Gang that night i gave my life to Jesus Christ and i was never the same again nd alot of people were
getting saved and born again. The golden gate Theater was not only a
movie theater it was a place of worship were God moved in a very powerfull way the theater is very special to me because my life was
tranformed and not only me i have friends who got saved and are now pastoring churches all over the country who ever knew that this was going to happen. Everytime someone ask me where my life was changed
i tell them in the Golden Gate Theater under pastor Mike Neville...
so no forget that there was a powerfull christian called Praise Chapel in East Los Angeles because of that im am now a pastor
in Kansas City , Missouri its called Praise Chapel South K.C
what a blessing i never saw this for my life but now God is using
me to help other people that need to find their place with God.
that movie theater was meant for something good real good and I thank
God that im one the very few that could say my church was the Golden
Gate Theater God bless you. Pastor George Verdugo Jr

unfortunately, Beverly W. you will find that some of those suburbs areas like la puente are in probably worse shape than boyle heights was back in those early days. that is a big shame in itself. a reason to continue the "flight" that occured back in the 60's to even farther locations. recently it seems that the push to bring boyle heights back to LIFE again is underway with new homes being built near downtown and also the reconditioning of old buildings, with the creation of lofts and condos in that area. the cycle is beginning. i will always remember the way it was.

A 1930 picture of Whittier Boulevard showing the Golden Gate Theatre. You can also see, farther down the street, a Van De Kamp's Bakery with its windmill.

That's the same photo that ken mc posted on Sept. 1st 2006.

Add the Terrace Theater to the list of long-gone movie palaces of East Los Angeles. The theater was located in City Terrace on City Terrace Drive. The theater was informally known as "the Show" to the citizens of City Terrace, and it was a special place to anyone fortunate enough, and old enough, to have attended a Saturday matinee. I remember the students of City Terrace Elementary School meeting every Saturday in the first three rows of the theater (no one sat with their parents). The price of admission was 25 cents for two features, and the theater boasted a balcony and a glass enclosed room for mothers with babies or small children. I remember watching all of the Three Stooges Meet...(Snow White, Hercules, etc.) movies. Does anyone else remember "the Show?" Can anyone offer more information about the B-17 Spirit of City Terrace?

For a recent pic (11/21/06) go to www.lasnapshot.com

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982

Golden Gate Theater (added 1982 - Building - #82002192)
Also known as Golden Gate Theater/Vega Building
5170-5188 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles
Historic Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Architect, builder, or engineer: Vega Corp., Balch Brothers
Architectural Style: Art Deco, Other
Area of Significance: Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation
Period of Significance: 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949
Owner: Private
Historic Function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic, Recreation And Culture
Historic Sub-function: Business, Multiple Dwelling, Professional, Specialty Store, Theater
Current Function: Commerce/Trade, Domestic, Recreation And Culture
Current Sub-function: Business, Multiple Dwelling, Professional, Specialty Store, Theater

His name was the first strike (from the LA Times, 11/30/29):

Walter H. Tinklepaugh was named yesterday in a complaint charging robbery of the Golden Gate theater at Whittier and Atlantic Boulevards. Mr. Tinklepaugh was identified by Helen Weddle, cahier, as the man who robbed her on September 3 and 11th inst., of $102 ad $23, respectively.

Here is the lineup on 6/26/35. Well worth a couple of simoleons:

Held Over: Joe E. Brown

Will Rogers - "Doubting Thomas"

Baer-Braddock Fight Film

I took a batch of photos yesterday, which I will post later. Very sad to see the building deteriorating. If nothing is ever going to be done with that, it should be razed.

Looking at the photo I posted on 9/1/06, it appears that the outer buildings were constructed first and used as shops. They then built the theater on the inside and added the two marquees. If anyone disagrees, let me know.

Excerpt from an LA Times article dated 2/9/27:

This week will mark the beginning of building operations on the theater project on Whittier Boulevard in Golden Gate Square. The theater proper will seat about 1500 persons, and will contain thirteen stores. There will also be several apartment units. It is planned as a legitimate playhouse, but will be equipped for motion pictures as well.

Here are some photos I took in June 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/2p5wph
http://tinyurl.com/3b6amm
http://tinyurl.com/2oodbx
http://tinyurl.com/2uulg7
http://tinyurl.com/2m2smu
http://tinyurl.com/33tjum
http://tinyurl.com/2vjhlg
http://tinyurl.com/2k3773
http://tinyurl.com/2nkuo7
http://tinyurl.com/2svxxd
http://tinyurl.com/2odf8c

truly some amazing detailed photos of what was once the flagship theatre of that area. thank you ken for jarring my memory.

I just noticed the status at the top of the page. Status should be closed.Glad the photos brought back some memories. I can't help wondering what the inside looks like, though. Too bad the Conservancy doesn't extend its program to East LA.

Here is an undated architect's sketch from the LAPL:
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics50/00044623.jpg

The Conservancy does extend to East LA....here's a link about it, but I don't know how current it is:

http://laconservancy.org/issues/issues_list.php4#golden

This is another recent photo of the Golden Gate Theater.

I guess a Walgreens is a "positive re-use", depending on how much is left after the renovation. Better than demolition, anyway.

Not much better than demolition, but still better.

Well in some conversions to Walgreen type stores. They put false ceilings in and use some of the auditorium area from their warehouse use. There are many former theatres that have been turned into this type of use here in New York and New Jersey. Most of the times the interior features are just covered over.

It seems kind of large for a drug store, though.

It was a 1300 seat theater. I've seen similar size theaters converted to drugstores. As an example, the Oasis Theater in Queens, NY had 1300 seats and is currently a CVS.

Your wrong there. They use the front half of the theatre for warehouse storage for the store. And they wall off from there and use and re-configure the rest of the lobby areas. A 1500 seat or so size is the right size for a Walgreen/CVS/Thifty type of drug. The upper parts of the auditorium is covered over with false ceiling tiles. The old Warner Lincoln Theatre in Union City, New Jersey is retail now and only former theatres in NY.

Whos wrong? I'm saying that a 1300 seat theater is Not too large to convert for use as a drugstore. I used the Oasis as a quick example, I can find others when I have more time.

The former RKO Capitol Theatre in Union City, New Jersey was converted into a Rite Aid drug store. It seated 2129 people with balcony.

Lost, Your right you finished your post while I was still typing mine. My post was for ken mc the one you were posting also for.

Okay. Sorry for the mixup William. :)

How could I be right or wrong? I was surmising, not asserting that the GG was too big for a drug store. I object.

Overruled.

It all depends on how they handle the warehouse part of the building. The ones that I've seen in NYC / NJ are not very good towards featuring the theatre. But when you look at how the Studio City or the Loma theatres as book stores they have come out nice for a store. The former Fox Pasadena theatre (Gap store) across from the old UA plex in Pasadena. The only way you knew it was a theatre before other than living in Pasadena for a long time, was the rear sign on the building. By saying the GG was too big for a drug store, I'm saying the GG is the perfect size for one of those conversions. I just hope they use the theatre's interior features then false ceilings that I have seen in the conversions.

Here is a 1965 ad from the Valley News:
http://tinyurl.com/2kalje

Who are you all to think you should choose what should or shouldn't go into to a property that you have nothing to do with. Someone has invested a lot of money into a piece of real estate that has been an eye sore for 20 years since it was condemned after the 1987 quake. It’s been sitting there because everyone thinks they should have a say in what it should be. At one time with the Vega building it was a historical beauty, but without it it’s a eye sore. I grew up in that theater and ate at Jim's weekly, but when someone’s lively hood was determined by the conservatory, it's a shame. Take out what you think should be preserved, put it into a museum and make the building into something the community can use and enjoy looking at.

Anyone is free to their opinion on this site. I didn't read anyone saying they had a 'right' to choose what ultimately happens with this property. They are simply stating their opinion, just like you, which they do have every right. By the way, what's the conservatory....a green house or a music school?

You got me I can't spell. Conservancy. It's just frustrating to think that someone can't do what they want with their own personal property. It happens over and over again and we live in America. It makes one leery to invest in real estate in LA. This property was registered historical without the owner permission in 1982 then in 1987 the quake condemned it and now here it sits. The owner had to sale it for nothing because they couldn't afford to keep it due to the bureaucratic BS.

Maybe this mess will be a warning for people who have no concern or thought for buildings that were built when beauty mattered, not just utilitarian nonsense. I, for one, see examples every day of success stories that deal with compromise and intelligent reuse of buildings. If it weren't for the Conservancy we wouldn't have the Central Library, Bullocks Wilshire, Vibiana's Cathedral...the list goes on and on. Anyone can take a look around and see that there are acres upon acres of empty flat parking lots around Los Angeles just waiting for new construction. Of course, some people are going to get burned but people die eventually and hopefully buildings don't have to all the time. Future generations deserve to see what we see now.

Here is a 1956 photo from the LA Library:
http://tinyurl.com/3248mk

The "A" feature of the bill was "D Day 6th of June". (opened May 29th. 1956)

The B film is "The Toy Tiger".

He can date that one also. I need a rest.

:)

"The Toy Tiger" was released around July 1956. So the picture might date around July-Aug of that year.

Wow! I'm 40 years old now, and reading all these lovely memories has made more nostalgic for my childhood than ever before. I loved Anthony's discription, and yes, I did get to go to Clifton's. My mom worked in a restaurant in downtown and she'd take me there to eat instead. This is when I used to be able to take a bus from Duncan and Whittier Blvd. at 7 years old all the way to downtown without a fear in my body. *sigh* We lived at the Hotel Ashmun right on the corner of Duncan and Whittier Blvd., right around 1974 or 1975, my mom worked at the ticket booth for The Boulevard, and I used to sit at the window of the hotel just watching all the "cruising" in those days, mesmerized by how sharp all the ladies looked, and how the men (or boys) would be so calm and cool and collected trying to win their girl. The Golden Gate theatre became my favorite later in the late in early 80's, when my friends and I could go in the balcony and giggle without bothering anyone. The very last movie I saw there (with my friends who attended my slumber party) was Friday the 13th. This was a nice memory. Thank you for this everyone!
Lisa

I am a local historian and former resident of the E.L.A.,Whittier Boulevard neighborhood.
I am planning a multi-media historical compilation on this famous street for possible future public presentation and publication. The approximate area of focus is Whittier Blvd. from Evergreen Cemetery to Atlantic Boulevard and the adjoining neighborhoods.
I am currently compiling first hand accounts, narratives, anecdotes and memories related to experiences from individuals who have lived, worked or visited this area from as early an era as possible, up until no later than 1980s. Also, anyone having possession or access to photographs, film, recordings or any media related to this strip of Whittier Blvd. from this time period, is also sought for this project. Any amount of input is helpful.
All information and assistance will be greatly appreciated. Please contact.
Al Guerrero
P.O. Box 29697
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 666-2377
alguerrero@earthlink.net
May 2008

What great memories reading this site. I was born in ELA in 1941 and lived on McBride Avenue at 3rd Street until 1951 when we moved to Whittier. I went to St. Alphonsus from first to 5th grades, starting out at Humphries Elementary School. I used to walk to the Strand, the Boulevard, the Center, the Royal, the United Artist and of course the beautiful Golden Gate where I loved Mighty Mouse cartoons and the serials (Red Ryder with Bobby Blake playing Little Beaver). It used to cost 9 cents to get into most of the theaters. The Center used to have contests for kids on Saturdays on the stage before the movie. We used to always shop on Whittier Blvd. I used to go to the Unique on 1st Street, too. My dad went to Garfield High School and after the war (WWII) worked at Royal Tire (now The Ciadel Outlets) before he started work at Fred C. Nelles in Whittier. I love to reminisce and if any of my old school buddies at St. Alphonsus are still around, please write.

Here is a 1984 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/d7uwcj

Here is a 1983 photo showing the two marquees:
http://tinyurl.com/cwgdwg

The Vega building that fronted the theater was demolished in 1992, following the 1987 Whittier earthquake, according to this LA Times excerpt from May 1993:

The county Regional Planning Commission recently approved plans for renovating the old Golden Gate Theater, clearing the way for contractors to draw up architectural plans for a restaurant and offices on the lot. El Gallo Giro will build a restaurant at Whittier and Atlantic boulevards, where the old Vega Building once stood. The building will have a tower resembling the one that highlighted the Vega Building, as well as skylights.

Work is expected to begin in late May or early June, said Michael Rose, project manager and director of construction for El Gallo Giro Corp., which has a 45-year lease on the site. He expects renovations and construction on the $2-million project to be complete by Christmas. "We hired an architect who was involved in the City Hall (renovation) to preserve the historical integrity of the project, which are the facade and a number of interior aspects," Rose said. "We sat down with community leaders because we were interested in community input, especially with this site."

The Vega Building served as an arcade to the theater until the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake rendered it uninhabitable. The building was demolished in December to make way for construction. The vaulted floor of the theater, which has an ornate gold-leaf interior and was built in 1927, will be leveled to allow for community use such as meetings, weddings and quinceaneras celebrations, Rose said.

The company will also restore the courtyard between the two buildings and convert the theater lobby into offices, which will become El Gallo Giro's corporate headquarters, Rose said. Carrie Sutkin, planning deputy for Supervisor Gloria Molina, said residents were especially concerned about improving the appearance of that lot, which was boarded up since the earthquake.

"Everyone wanted to save the theater and they wanted to restore Whittier Boulevard because it's been so blighted," Sutkin said.

Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ct6ueu

Does anybody remember seeing Ritchie Vallens and Kathy Young, along with others perform there at the 1958 Midnight holloween show???

Another 1984 photo is here.

That's the east side marquee of the theatre.

Ken, your post from April 11th 2009. The year is 1956. The films are "D Day 6th of June" and "Toy Tiger". You posted the picture back on Feb. 14th, 2008.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/05/eastside-theater.html

Future of 1927-era East L.A. theater in question
8:00 AM | May 14, 2009


Preservationists and developers are wrangling over the future of an abandoned theater in East Los Angeles that is historically significant and represents a Spanish-baroque style rarely found in the city.

Activists, developers and local business people presented two starkly different visions Wednesday of what could be done with the abandoned Golden Gate Theater near Whittier and Atlantic boulevards.

At a hearing before the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission, some advocated converting the building into a CVS pharmacy, complete with alcohol sales and a drive-through pharmacy window. Others want to return the theater, built in 1927, to its original purpose.

The theater's entrance replicates the portal of the University of Salamanca in Spain and is built in the Churrigueresque style, a Spanish baroque form of architecture. The theater is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“We don’t want to see the building torn down or changed,” resident Mark Martinez told the commission. "It would be a shame if they did this to this building."

Martinez, who lives near the theater, attended the hearing in downtown Los Angeles to protest the proposed pharmacy.

Officials with the Charles Company, which owns the property, said they would not demolish the building and they would preserve its architectural elements if they were allowed to use it for commercial purposes.

“We specialize in very challenging sites,” said Sarah Magaña-Withers, a spokeswoman for the Charles Company.

The Golden Gate Theater has been “vacant for more than 20 years,” she said, and a CVS could help revitalize the area.

County staff members were directed to conduct more research into the matter and include more information in an environmental impact report on the pharmacy proposal. Anita Gutierrez, a regional planning assistant, said staff would present a final report to the commission Aug. 19, when the panel could vote on whether to approve or deny the pharmacy project.

-- Ari B. Bloomekatz

Photos:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef01156f91f83f970c-pi
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef01156f91f897970c-pi

If a CVS can "help revitalize the area", it must be a rather strange place indeed, no disrespect intended to CVS, or Walgreens. The explosion of chain pharmacies in this era is rather reminiscent of the cinema building craze of the 1920's and doubtless future generations will look back at it in wonder. I have nver been to East LA, but have much enjoyed the posts.

I read that LA Times story today, a couple of days late. I was logging on to the site about ten minutes ago when we had a pretty good earthquake. A strong jolt that lasted about ten seconds.

Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/nklrn8

Well, the planning commission will decide on October 21st whether to approve or deny the CVS going into the theater. Basically the Charles Company want to build a box within the theater stating they will not threaten the theater's architectural features. If the Planning Commission approves the CVS, the Vega building which once wrapped around the theater will never be rebuilt. East Los Angeles deserves their theater back and needs a cultural landmark to revitalize the area. A drugstore will do the opposite. We need as many people as possible to show up on October 21st to voice their opinion. The location: 320 West Temple Street, rm 150, LA, at 9 am
Los Angeles, California 90012320 West Temple Street, 13th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90012320 West Temple Street, 13th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90012320 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, California 90012

Want to help save the GG? Have personal history with this gem that you'd like to share? Want to see any changes made to the building be reversible?

Write your support for the sensitive adaptive re-use of the Golden Gate ASAP. The Planning Commission is meeting TOMORROW.

Address your email to: csera@planning.lacounty.gov, molina@bos.lacounty.gov, and info@lahtf.org

They are meeting gin about the Golden Gate Theater so there is still time to get letter written. The Commission is not very happy to alter the interior of the theater BUT would rather do that then see it sit empty for more years to come. We at the LAHTF hope the owner will get a renter in there that will turn in back into a theater again not a CSV. More info http://laeastside.com/2009/05/save-the-site-of-the-golden-gate-theater/comment-page-1/#comment-21871

Please write to info@lahtf.org and we will take your letters to the Planning Commission personally on Nov. 4th.

My father worked there as a teenager so I grow up with many stories about the place but never got to go myself. It was a church by the time I was around then empty for to many years.