Sunset Theatre

I worked as relief projectionist at Sunset when it was called Sunset Pussycat chain.

At that time they ran X rated films in 35MM. with century projectors.

I worked there from July of 1980 to September of 1987.

I took 2 old cement film splicers from the projection booth there.

When I moved to the city of Seattle Washington in May of 1990.

I still have them.

From Big Jim Childs

That's nothing Mr. Childs. I took 2 old cinemascope lens from the Wardman Pussycat and I still have them. Dennis

I remember Jim Childs used to leave the booth when the film was running at the Sunset Pussycat and walk across the street to McDonalds for a burger and fries. One time an usher came running over and out of breath and told Jim Childs that some thing was wrong with the film. Jim went back and up to the booth and looked out the port. The film was out of frame. Now Jim was at McDonalds for about 25 minutes so the film had to be out of frame at least 25 minutes or longer because the usher ran all over the neighborhood looking for Mr. Childs. Everyone in the theatre had to watch a film out of frame for at least 25 minutes. That was probably the longest in cinema history that anyone watched a film out of frame. They set a new world's record of watching a film out of frame in a theatre.

In its pre-Pussy days, this theater was The Sunset. A friend of mine who is the nephew of the Sunset's owner tells me that he saw Bob Hope there. I'm told that Marlon Brando and Bobby Kennedy also came to see the "art" films. It went Pussy Cat in late 1962/early 1963.

This theatre has been demolished.

It was annihilated sometime on or about the second week of October 2003.

It is unclear where the seats, concession stand or anything else from the interior went.

All that remains currently is a wreckage-strewn empty lot.

During the days of the swing jobs as a projectionist. I remember one that had the projectionist work the Sunset 2 days a week and then work 2 days at the World and one day at the Pantages.
The local 150 Business Agent Ralph Kemp worked that job.

If anyone has any way of contacting the former management, I would be exceedingly grateful for the information.

My father was part owner of this Theater (Pussycat days) I am looking for one of the old Marques.. you know the oval w/ the ms. Pussycat silouette. Please..if you have any information of where one of these old marques are... I would be grateful.

Tim David
510 east durant Ave.
Aspen, Colorado 81611

970.309.3991

tbdavid@msn.com

I show the address for the Sunset Theatre as 1508 North Western, Hollywood, Ca.

The 1966 film Mondo Bizarro(SWV DVD) has footage of the Sunset(old marquee) and some of its lobby(with art paintings of nudes)--This would have been filmed shortly after Vince Miranda took over the theater. (The Sunset and the Lyric in Huntington Park were the first two he operated under the Pussycat banner--Miranda later bought Pussycat from its founders Dave Friedman and Dan Sonney.)

I NEED HELP !!!
I am in desperate need of pictures or any sort of memorabilia that any one of you would be so kind as to send me a copy of via email or fax. I am finishing up my research paper on the Whittier Village Cinemas and the history of the Pussycat Theater.

Please please please, help a soon to be college grad if you have the time.

thank you for your consideration,

Susie Balpuesta
Whittier, California
sueb1017@ucla.edu
(562) 686-5990

P.S. I will acknowlege all helpful comments, shared memorabilia etc in my research paper

Here's a link:

http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=20098

I'm watching the Deep Throat documentary. It was first shown here at the Pussycat. Interesting it was the Sunset before because on the screen they showed the marquee as the Sunset and then the Pussycat.

Here is a 1979 photo from the LA Library:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059975.jpg

Here is a 1969 ad for the Sunset as well as some other Pussycat theaters:
http://tinyurl.com/yfagrr

I went to this place once, in February of 2002. There appeared to be a monitor walking up and down the aisles to see to it that no funny business took place among the patrons (or perhaps he was an overtly curious customer). There was one couple there, but it was mostly single men. It was very run down, but you could see how it was once a nice theater. They were video projecting at the time, and when one tape ended the guy forgot to start the next one. One of the customers got out of his seat and told him the movie ended. I think there was just one guy working there, who appeared to have a very bad skin condition, and possibly a monitor.

The location is now a Walgreen's and low-income housing.

The Sunset was advertised in the LA Times on 2/11/50. Features were "Sciuscia" (Shoe Shine), a de Sica film, and "Take One False Step", with William Powell and Shelley Winters. Admission was 54 cents.

Here is a July 1960 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/2uy849

Here is a November 1950 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/33dkfo

from my memory it had a fire in the late 90s,early 00s.me and a friend use to catch the bus to his job at the mann on hollywood and we would walk past the sunset alot.i wasnt too impressed.

An ad for the Sunset can be seen on the right of this October 1946 LA Times page:
http://tinyurl.com/3og75z

Here is a January 1947 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/46kxvs

Well, those days are gone.

A contributor has suggested that this 1994 photo, identified only as being on Western Avenue, is the Sunset. Any feedback would be welcome.
http://tinyurl.com/25jhk7

Here is another late-70s view from the LAPL:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059968.jpg

Not sure Ken mc what that photo is of - not the Sunset. It was still open in 2002 when I went there.

Here is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/dgkuzg

Here is an August 1947 ad. The Cold War is on its way, but not just yet.
http://tinyurl.com/m9gzg2