Boulevard Theater

This theatre still operates as a church (the organist told me it had been so for the last few years). It seems to have the original seats (aged leather, flips up and down and that's it). Inexplicably, where "Boulevard" should be spelled out on the marquee outside, it displays the phrase "HUGGY BEAR"(!).

Additionally, my notes indicate that Albert C. Martin was the architect (1925).

In the above post about Albert C. Martin being the architect is for the Boulevard Theatre (1925) in Los Angeles. Not the Boulevard Theatre (1937) in East Los Angeles.

True, Huggy Bear is still visible. It used to be the place of the Huggy Bear Show by radio station KRLA. I went there in the 70s. It was like American Bandstand.

DOes anyone remember, was it the Boulevard or the Center where the Beatles' "A Hard Day's Night" was first shown in East LA?

I may be senile but I thought it was "Huggy Boy" not "Huggy Bear" who was on KRLA.

You are correct Manwithnoname it's Huggy Boy. We stand corrected.

What ever happened to Huggy Boy? I use to listen to him while I was going to Highschool and college. He was one of the best DJ's that could be heard on KRLA. He wasn't one of those people to put others down to build up his esteem. I wish all the DJ's were like him

Last I heard, Huggy Boy was living in Pico Rivera. A freind of mines, who toured with Eddie Davis Productions-known for his Easide Revue concerts of the 60's and 70's whose many artists performing on that circuit were heard on KRLA, knows Huggy personally. He told me a while back he fell in the shower and had to retire from his gig from K-RTH radio due to the injury. It's unfortunate that he did. However, what I miss is his radio broadcasts from his KRLA days and KRLA in general. That was a classic radio channel. It was definately one of a kind which the likes it seems will never be duplicated again. Huggy was one of the icons of that station. He offered a unique blend of humor and historical analysis of the 50's and 60's music scene. I could often depend on him for playing my favorite oldies. I grew up with Huggy and KRLA. I was and still am an avid fan and a loyal follower. In the early 70's he had a oldies dance show on television channel 56. I remember that show and the songs he used to play on it that I would often find myself singing or dancing along to. It was broadcast from a dance hall near the corner of Slauson and Telegraph near the 5 freeway not far from the old Holiday Inn on Telegraph. He also had a local label in the late 50's and early 60's called Caddy Records which Johnny Flamingo and the Dots had signed under. There was one other AM radio station in the late 70's called X-PRS that played music that Huggy and Art Laboe was known for and that I used to enjoy listening to. The other stations at the time were usually soul and R & B or Classic Rock like KHJ or KDAY AM radio. It's absolutely boggles the mind that a popular radio station like KRLA used to be is no more. Just like the Golden Gate, Boulevard and Center theatres I remember so fondly growing up in East L.A. are gone. What a shame they were not preserved for generations to enjoy.

The Boulevard still stands. KDAY is back on the air, too - 93.5 on your FM dial, out of Redondo Beach(!).

The Boulevard still stands but it has been out of commission for some years now and is in decay. It looks closed down. The remnants of the Fabulous Golden Gate Theatre still partially stands but it is indefinitely closed. These theatres, unfortunately, are run down or partially demolished and it is sad that they have not been repaired or preserved and brought back to its original unique movie house state to provide the community with double features it once did and of course the cartoons. Now, generations to come will no longer be afforded the opportunity to experience a visit to these classic theatres. The Golden Gate and Boulevard Theatres are places I fondly remember growing up in East L.A. To see them now is just a shame that they no longer in operation. Yes, KDAY is back, however, it is hardly comparable to KRLA glory days. Particularly missing are those east side favorite oldies from long ago. KDAY is great for the hip hop scene. I prefer those vintage songs that take me back to those Whittier Blvd cruising days.

Thanks for the information about Huggy Boy. I use to listen to his broadcasts while growing up in Highschool and college.I wish all the DJs were just like him. If I were to start a career as a disc jockey he would the guy I would pattern myself after. He didn't have the I am the world's greatest personality on the air like Howard Stern or Rush Limbaugh. He seemed rather personable on the air. Hopefully if he was hurt in the bathroom he was able to make somewhat of a quick recovery. It is ashame that all the AM stations are going to talk radio. If there were any radio stations that played oldies, it is the same old music again which has turned me against Oldies Music. If anybody should see him tell him he really made a difference.

Huggy Boy was living in an apartment complex just north of the Luckys/Albertsons grocery store (now closed) on Passons Bl. He was in ill health as of last year.

In Pico Rivera I forgot to add.

Here is a photo of the former Boulevard Theater.

Does anyone remember the trolley that went in front of the Boulevard Theatre?

I just heard on the channel 13 news a few minutes ago....the great Huggy Boy has past away. Damn, that's sad. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I was about 20 years old at the L.A. County Fair where KRLA was broadcasting from. He put my date and me on the air and joked with us while on the air because my date wanted to have him play "Tonight is the night" by Betty Wright. He said.."so tonights the night?

His passing is the end of one of the great, old time L.A. icons.

Ay te watcho Huggy...!

I Would like to thank all of you who remembered my uncle huggy. he was very funny.he was cared for by his lovly wife sandy and his 15 year old son who looks very much like him. This year has been very hard on all of us in dec. we lost our grandmother"his mother inlaw" then in jan. we lost my cousin at the age of 24 "his stepson". I'll always remember when i was a little girl going to the radio station and running around with my cousin and watching him work. You couldnt tell he was sick since he had such a great personality. who knows maybe his son will follow his dj footsteps. We are all going to miss his crazy jokes

thanks again
Jenny-jenny (niece)

I just found out that Dick Hugg, "Huggy Boy" passed on Wed August 30. 2006. I can't tell you how truly sad I am. Dick Hugg was the genius of Rock & Roll on the west coast. He is the one man that every teenager, black or white listened to. Broadcasting from Dolphins of Hollywood to the strains of Joe Hustons "All Night Long" he passed that excitement to all his audience.
Unfortunately, Dick Hugg never got the recognition he truly deserved for what he had accomplished on the west coast. This summer while visiting the Rock & Roll Hall of fame in Cleveland Ohio, I was shocked that not one mention was made of him anyplace in the museum. Alan Freed, an equally important disk jockey from the east coast even had a studio named in his honor. In a small corner of the museum, different jocks were remembered such as the west coasts Hunter Hancock but Hugg was ignored. I tell you, those of us that grew up on the west coast will never forget Hugg and we all still love him. Could someone PLEASE have if in their heart to do a tribute to him? I think that only fair considering that the West Coast was by far the most loyal fand of Rythem and Blues and Rock & Roll and it was Hugg that made it happen.

Frederick J Roth
Thousand Oaks, CA

i'm was sadden to hear of the passin of one of the great ones of radio huggie boy,unlike the host of today full of their ego,he was humble and caring and trully loved the latin people.
you gave us great memories and happiness and we carry you in our heart, so long.
jenny (niece) i would like to get in touch with you if possible,can you email me at wildcinema@comcast.net,thank you.


alexander hugo alvarez
fort lauderdale, fl

Someone must have been listening to you Fred Roth, because a tribute to Huggy Boy was held at the “Lakewood Hop” nightclub in Lakewood, CA on Sunday Nov. 12th. It was a great tribute to Dick Hugg, and his many fans were movin and a grooven to the Rock and Roll acts of so many great entertainers that performed “all night long”. As Dick Hugg and his wife Sandy did, we ended up in Long Beach but many people in attendance were from LA and our old home in the San Gabriel Valley where KRLA came thru loud and clear with Huggy Boy’s humor, wit, and soulful record spins. We will miss Huggy Boy but his character and personality will not be forgotten. Our thanks to the promoters, emcees, and fantastic entertainers; it was a fine tribute to a great DJ.

Dickie McLean
Long Beach, CA

LA Times on 1/22/50 gives the address as 4949 Whittier Boulevard.

Another blurb on 5/4/41 has 4549, so I believe that's the correct address.

The 4549 Whittier Blvd. address is the right address.

The Huggy Boy sign is still there. I took some photos which I will post later.

Those with sharp eyes will see the Boulevard about middle left in this 1979 photo from the LAPL:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057089.jpg

Here are a couple of photos from June 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/2n9foy
http://tinyurl.com/2pvxc4

Here is another photo of the former Boulevard Theater building.

This 1930 LA Times ad shows the Red Mill at 4549 Whittier. A different ad I saw a while ago put the Red Mill at 5215, at the time I added it as a new theater. I don't know which is correct:
http://tinyurl.com/yu686m

Does anyone no what happen to the huggy boy dance shows of the 70s i was on there. like to see them if anyone nos how i can get them . I was rased in ELA. and new eddie torres. let me in a lot of dances when i had very lil money and my buddys. very nice man. the dances kept me off the streets at night. loved the kenndy hall and the montebello ballroom. if anyone knows thanks..

well the movie "a hard days night " played at the Golden Gate theater. the front cover of thee midniters album was also the Golden Gate.Promoter Eddie Torres of the 70's lived on the top of the golden gate and had a little office up there. the Center theater catered to the B classics like "the Twosome Gruesome" "the corpse grinders","night of the living dead" and more! I remember they had a nurse to take your blood pressure in the theater when they showed these movies lol!yeah my buddy smoot aka "Whiteowl" and myself Christopher aka "Casper" used to mow lawns in the nieghborhood so we could go to these places! And cruise up and down the boulevard!

ya well . I had a hard days and nights in the town i live in. was asking if anyone new of the tv shows that huggy boy & eddie Torres had going on in the 70s the dances on tv chanl 52 or 56 if anyone nos thanks,,, a nurse to take your blood pressure in the theater when they showed these movies?? dont rember that but can use it now lol..christopher c thanks anyhow??P.S. ill keep looking for them tv dance shows let me no if anyone has seen them i was the ownly white boy on there.. love to show my kids and grandkids. and the kids of today need things like huggy boy & Eddie Torres did for us thanks to them GOD BLESS THE KIDS OF TODAY.

I grew up just off Whittier Bl. & Kern Ave. and remember going to all these great theaters in the 60's & 70's.
I am currently involved in a historical project to document the memories, stories and anecdotes
of those who lived and worked and enjoyed the theaters, shops & restaurants near this strip of Whittier Blvd. between Ford Bl. & Atlantic Ave. from as far back as the 40's to the 80's. If anyone
is interested in sharing their recollections for this project please contact me. I also seek any photos,
& any materials related to this area from this period. Thanks in advance.
alguerrero@earthlink.net

had the greatest mini concerts, thee Midniters, Canibal and the Headhunters,and a list of others! hey remember the carnivals they used to have on Goodrich and Whittier back in the late 60's early 70's? when they were through we used to tear down the rides and get paid! almost got electricuted and fall off the ferris wheel taking it down! And last but not least I remeber Food Giant Market right next doo always had somthing for the kid's Billy Barty throwing mini frisbees and little Oscar giving away Winnie Whistles lol!!! christopher-casper-ceballos ps:dont get me started about the cruising down whittier Blvd,thats your next lesson in history!

my buddie and i used to sweep and mop the Montebello ballroom and come saturday night we would get the royal treatment free entry and beer, what more can a 16 yr. old ask for lol and the girls wow so many like the precious Marvelettes etc. Eddie torres had the best entertainment for us. in the previous note above im refering to Johnson's market on whittier blvd. Remember Kurley's clothing store,if you had a shirt from there you were a pimp! and across the street was Henry's shoes for the Suedes!the Kennedy Hall also had the greatest dances back in the late 60's and early 70's right on Atlantic. any questions feel free to ask!

Hey casper its (Whiteowl) you can ask me anything Bro.

hey christopher c and town i live in, I loved hearing about the ELA music scene in your comments (including stuff about eddie torres and montebello ballroom). I would love to hear more from a fan's perspective as I am writing about youth music culture in LA - my email is mides@umich.edu

Christopher C & the town I live in,
you guys are like living history books with stories that will keep the spirit of old ELA
alive,hopefully forever. Thanks for every word you write down. It's like music to my ears.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Al G.
alguerrero@earthlink.net

From the LA Times, dated May 11, 1953:

Two bandits yesterday robbed the Boulevard Theater at 4549 Whittier Boulevard, of $270 and fled on foot. Cashier Elsie Lovato, 21, told police that the men asked for two tickets and then produced guns.

No ever answered the earlier question of how to get copies of Huggy's TV Shows produced by Eddie? Anyone know where to find Eddie cause he would sure know. I also read that channel 22 KWHY was running the show at one time also. I am particularly interested in the Dec 24, 1973 show and the Dec 31, 1973 shows as I as on those 2 shows and it has an inteview of me by Huggy about how I meet my 1st wife which was on Huggys Show Dec 24th 1973... I sure would like to shows that to my kids and grandchildren today.. Sure would be great if some of the show could be uploaded to You Tube or another similar site.

Ya you tell em tony, be there too at a lot of dance shows got my friends in to.it was on tv i think eddie is still around some where realy nice guy had my own club about 20 girls and guys we show up for all the dances from E.l.A, to El monte to hollywood exc. i had my first car then was 16 yrs old 56 chevy o what a night id pick up my buddys and weed have a ball and i got my friend a job at the montebello ball room new the owner lil old lady even give us a free beer lol .. Smoot better noing as Whiteowl E.L.A. PS love to see them Shows lmao. the better days thanks to huggyboy and eddie...

The Montebello Ballroom and The Kennady hall With Rosie and the Orginals the Midnighters AND MORE - best dress contest lol... GIRLS AND GUYS CLUBS MOST MEMBERS WIN A TRUPHY THAT WAS FUN.. bye Eddie torres. PS I got 2nd Pls. The girls from Presciousmarblets got first bye a toss of a coin darn .. So i Cruzed the blvd..

Location should be changed to East Los Angeles. Teatro Boulevard should be added as an AKA. Here is a 1984 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/ddm64v

Here is a 1983 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/c9yelu

As ken mc pointed out the location should change to East Los Angeles area to go along with the other theatres nearby on Whittier Bloulevard. And the added aka Teatro Boulevard.

When was "Boulevard" changed to 'Huggy Boy"?

There is or was another "Huggy Boy" sign I think somewhere also on Whittier Blvd. Anyone know where exactly?