Americana Theater

TO BIGDGIB: I think I remember you making the recordings for my dad. Not by your name, but by who he thought had the best voice Its been 40 years, wow. Wish I had your e-mail addresswould like to talk to ya.

Thanks a million Rivest266! Wonderful article and pictures. Great reading the comments. Originally come from Panorama City. These were never as “chic” as Panorama Theater—remembering the “crying room”. But they had the best films then. Before that it was Uncle Ben’s fair on a dirt lot except at Christmas with the live reindeer.

Swell post, Michael. Fittingly, my first exposure to the Americana was in the summer of ‘75, while on a family drive up Van Nuys Blvd. Seeing the long lines of people waiting to catch “Jaws,” I had no idea that two years later this would become one of my favorite exploitation venues, well worth the commute from West L.A. The first double bill I saw here was the terrific pairing of Cronenberg’s “Rabid” and “They Came from Within.” (The beckoning one-sheets outside included “End of the World,” “Hollywood Meatcleaver Massacre” and “Mansion of the Doomed”!) Next came the Nazi-zombie classic, “Shock Waves.” That Christmas vacation I sat in one of the smaller screens with an enthusiastic crowd for “The Choirboys” and “Death Wish.” Holiday entertainment at its finest! In the years that followed my eyeballs were fried by fare like “The Evil” and “Piranha,” “Humanoids from the Deep” and “The Brood,” Laura Gemser in “Women’s Prison Massacre” with “Armed Response,” and Fulci’s “Zombie.” Non-grindhouse viewings included the Irwin Allen clunker “When Time Ran Out” with James Caan’s “Hide in Plain Sight,” and Eastwood’s “Honkytonk Man.” My last visit was in 1989, for William Lustig’s “Hit List.” By then the theatre had really devolved into a depressing state; that afternoon the lobby was dimly lit, the popcorn machine looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in days (weeks?) and there were very few folks in the complex. Sadly, the Americana’s days of packed houses and blockbusters were long gone, and it was a shame to see a favorite psychotronic screening room go out on a low note.

Thanks Joe.

I remember Stanley Livingston and he was a great, great guy. Always wore a tie. I grew up blocks away from the Americana. I remember Phil Ahn’s Moongate next door because that’s where my Bar Mitzvah reception was at. Hell, that was like 1968. I once snuck into the Americana to see “What Do You Say to a Naked Lady” only to find my Schwinn 10 Speed bike stolen. This was a great theater.

ha i remember seeing Selena there.

I was assistant manager and manager in the mid 70’s. When I started there as an usher I had been hired by Asst. Manager Ernie Lyle and Stan was the manager. They taught me the art of the theatre business. The Americana did have five screens, but the big theatre was split into two thus becoming the Americana Six Cinemas (I did the recordings for years). Unfortunately, the screens were so small that it was like watching a “postage stamp.” The theatres were shut down and replaced with bigger screens. I helped Dennis Livingston open the Peppertree theatres. Before that he would sometimes be the projectionist at the Americana. I did the Marquee at the Peppertree out front by the street. Daring times since there was no railing and the Marquee was about 40 feet high and only a narrow platform to stand on. Quite a challenge! Stan and his wife Dolly loved to take trips to Vegas. I believe they actually moved there eventually.

It still had five screens in September 1974.

I started as an usher at the Americana in 1964 when it opened with Michael Shirar as manager. The phone recording was, “you have reached the Americana Theatre, the Valley’s newest and most unique motion picture show case.” Yes, Morrie Gilruth was the projectionist and didn’t work matinees as posted above because he would come in right after to work the second shift as it paid overtime! I also dated his daughter Sandy. I went to assistant manager under Bob Cartier and Del Lesser and then manager in 1965 before going to the Embassy Theatre at 331 Western Ave. in L.A. I became friends with Phil Ahn, owner of the Moongate next door and hired his sister’s daughter as cashier. On one ocassion we “film tagged” with the Panorama Theatre and ole Morrie sure knew what he was doing. Then there was the bowling alley and the Red Barn across the street – those were the days. I wouldn’t go by there now…

MY NAME IS DENNIS LIVINGSTON II. MY GRANDFATHER STANLEY LIVINGSTON WAS THE MANAGER OF THE AMERICANA FOR MANY YEARS. HE WAS A VERY KIND GENTLEMAN AND HAD A LOT OF GREAT FRIENDS. HE SOON LEFT THE AMERICANA TO BECOME JOINT OWNERS WITH MY FATHER AT THE PEPPERTREE 3 CINEMAS. IF YOU KNEW MY GRANDFATHER OR FATHER AND SHARE ANY MEMORIES WITH THEM I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

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Part of the Robert Lippert chain of theatres, the-sometime Americana 5 Cinemas was located at 8700 Van Nuys Boulevard, Panorama City 91402.