Fox Van Nuys Theatre
6417 Van Nuys Boulevard,
Van Nuys,
CA
91401
6417 Van Nuys Boulevard,
Van Nuys,
CA
91401
11 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 71 of 71 comments
Aloha Everyone,
Fox Theater and all of Van Nuys Blvd from Valley Vista to Pacoima is quite familiar to me. Went to Kester, Van Nuys Jr High, and Van Nuys High. Saw many a film at the old Fox, and the other theaters in the area (Sepulveda Drive In, Van Nuys Drive In, La Reina Theater)
Cruising on Wednesday nights…..til it all came to an end.
Moved to the Valley in 55 and went to Sequoia Jr, Reseda High, and college at SFVSC (now CSUN). Hung out at Van Nuys Bobs and used it as a staging spot for all of our street racing. Used to race off Chase St. by the airport and also the West Vally hangiang at a place called the Surfburger. Remember the car lot across the street from Bobs Van Nuys (Andy Andrews) . He used to sponsor Dick Landy when Dick was racing a yellow 62 Ford 406. Andrews lot was full of hot rods and customs… I raced (and Landy tuned) a 63 Ply 426 whn Landy had a shop and dyno down off of Sepulveda and Magnolia. Later sold it (mistake) and bought a 65 GTO from Pontiac dealer on Van Nuys Blvd. Many $$s later it was the fastest street driven GTO in the Valley. Cruised Van Nuys from the early 60’s to around 66 when I moved to Ventura County… Many fond memories of the old days. Anybody remember Picketts Corvette, Ken Sperlings Corvette, the days when Galpin Ford would sell you a Thunderbolt for $5250 ? My dad owned the Union Gas station across the street from the Van Nuys GM plant and the Flying A gas station at Laurel Canyon and Chandler.
CPHS1966 wrote:
: : stumbled onto this website while trying to find a photo of The Big Donut,
: : which I remember to have been in Van Nuys, somewhere near Victory
: : maybe?
: : Memories are flooding back! Thanks, Larry the Duck!
You are quite Welcome there CPHS1966 …
There was one “BiG DoNut” in Van Nuys on the Southwest corner of Kester Avenue and Sherman Way. When I was attending Fulton Jr. High in the late 50s the “BiG DoNut"t was one of my favorite haunts. The other "BiG DoNut” in “The Valley” was located in North Hollywood on the Northwest corner of Laurel Canyon Blvd. and Magnolia Blvd. For some interesting info on who started the “Big Donut” drive-in chain in addition to the Pup n' Taco chain go to the following link and scroll down (there’s a picture there also):
http://www.rogerwendell.com/pnt.html
Here’s a great photo of the second original “BiG DoNut” renamed Randy’s Donuts on 805 W. Mancester Blvd. at La Cienega Blvd. in Inglewood just east of Los Angeles International airport.
http://www.redhedpictures.com/LArandysdonuts.jpg
To my knowledge there are only three of these structures left in Southern California. Randy’s, Kindle’s Donuts, (the first Wendell’s BiG DoNut) on South Normandie Avenue and West Century Boulevard in LA and Donut King: 2214 West El Segundo Boulevard, Gardena.
Hope this helps with those memories.
.
I stumbled onto this website while trying to find a photo of The Big Donut, which I remember to have been in Van Nuys, somewhere near Victory maybe?
I lived in the valley from the mid-50s until 1969 and have been near Cincinnati ever since. Cruising Bob’s in Van Nuys was something we did between ‘64 and '66 and I’m sure my brother did it in the years prior. And there’s no doubt that we spent many a Saturday afternoon at the Fox watching matinee movies. There was another theatre in Sepulveda we used to go to, as well.
I attended Cohasset St School, Langdon Ave Elem., Hughes Jr. High
and then Canoga Park High. When CSUN was SFVSC, I knew it well.
Memories are flooding back! Thanks, Larry the Duck!
I lived on 1392 Calvert St. from 52 to 61. We went to Van Nuys Elem., Van Nuys Jr High, Madison Jr. High and Van Nuys High. My sister and I are trying to find out where and when cruising on Van Nuys Blvd. started. I worked at Suttons Drug store in 1963. My sister worked at Bob’s Big Boy. We all went to Coffee Dan’s after school. I saw “Them” at either the"Fox" or the “Capri/Rivoli”. This site is great!
Larry,
Hadn’t seen any of these photos. I know the area with the power house very well, my dentist’s office is directly across the street from it. The firehouse is there and there is a DWP building right next to it. Not sure if it’s the same or a new one. Didn’t know about the name Diaz St. That’s a real nugget! Thank you.
Gerry:
Be it that you’re a big history nut: You may have already stumbled on to the following site.
These photos are from http://digital-library.csun.edu
Here’s a photo from your neighborhood from the old old days.
< http://tinyurl.com/4lrdk >
The TinyUrl link will give you a view of the River Power House, built in 1917. Originally, the building was located in Studio City on Coldwater Canyon (originally Diaz Street) at the Los Angeles River. It was on the property that is now the firehouse and the rear parking lot of the Sportsman Lodge.
GM Motors Plant 1948
< http://tinyurl.com/6ke3a >
This is what the San Fernando Valley was like right after I was born in 1946. This view is looking northeast. Van Nuys Blvd. runs diagonally in the lower-left 1/3 of the photo with the railroad tracks from left to right just below the plant. Panorama City and Arleta are just above the plant – with Pacoima, the City of San Fernando and Sylmar off in the distance against the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
And just so as to stay on topic… The Sunland Drive In Theater; circa 1950
< http://tinyurl.com/5uh2v >
…
Larry,
Thanks for the response. As I said, I worked at the Green Sheet from ‘75-77 in the Composing Room. Worked mostly graveyard shift (in printing it’s called the 'lobster’ shift). I remember the bowling alley. Didn’t grow up in Van Nuys; in fact, born and raised in Chicago. However, been in So.Cal. 35 years, plus 2 ½ years in the military, so I’ve lived more than half my life here. In addition, I married a native who was born at Hollywood Presbyterian Hosp. and raised in Encino. When she grew up there, it was mostly farms. Our kids were born here also. Lived in the same house here in Studio City for 29 years. I’m am a big history nut so I love hearing stories about So.Cal. history.
Well Gerry… I am glad that I was able to help jog your memory. Did you grow up in Van Nuys and/or reside in the Valley?
That’s why I said “off” Van Nuys Blvd. I couldn’t remember the name Friar St. I worked at the Green Sheet in 1975-77.
Well actually the old Green Sheet and then the Daily News was located on Friar Street. Right across the street from the old Friar Lanes Bowling Alley.
No Green Sheet (now Daily News) off Van Nuys Blvd. It’s in Woodland Hills.
Today there isn’t much left on Van Nuys Blvd. that would remind you of the days of cruising. Beginning at the north — heading south… No Chi Chi’s Pizza. No Broadway Store. No Mike’s Pizza. No GM Plant. No Nick’s Fine Food’s at Blythe. No Chandler Lumber. No Earl Schieb’s. No Oscar’s Drive-in. No Safeway at Sherman Way. No Thrifty’s at Vanowen. No See’s Candies at Victory. No Wilhoyt’s Super Service at Oxnard. No Pontiac dealer at Hatteras. No Bigboy. No June Ellen’s.
Today there is nothing left of the building that will remind you that it was a theatre, cept the flooring in front of the theatre.
The Fox Van Nuys Theatre was built in 1924, by a Mr. Burnis R. Shacklett, owner of Shacklett’s Valley Furniture Store. He converted part of his furniture store into the theatre’s lobby, and the auditorium was constructed behind the existing shops.
-Southwest Bulder and Contractor, May 30th, 1924.
I spent most of my childhood in Van Nuys-we lived on Calvert St.-and I remember sometimes walking by the Fox Theatre on the way to school(Van Nuys Elementary). This was in the early Seventies. I never saw a movie there(but our parents did take us to the Van Nuys and Reseda Drive-Ins)but I recall two things about the Fox. First I remember when the movie “MASH” came out at the Fox(1970?)and the strange(to a six year old)movie poster outside the theatre. Next, I recall a year or so later when “The Godfather” was playing at the Fox and my parents went to go see it leaving me and my brothers with my grandparents who were visiting us at the time. I guess I remember the latter memory because my parents hardly ever went out without us and it was a big thing when they did, but don’t know why the other memory of the movie poster stuck with me all these years. Shame the Fox is gone, but the Van Nuys we all pretty much knew is gone now:( I didn’t know Cupids was gone or the Chris ‘n Pitts:(
I was born in Van Nuys in 1946 on a small ranch on the South side of Roscoe Blvd. at Kester Ave. directly east of the old Van Nuys Drive-in that was built in 1948.
After the old Fox Theater in Van Nuys closed it’s doors, the western wear outfit by the name of “King’s Western Wear” was located there for many years. King’s has since moved to a new location on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City.
The Fox location is still a Latino swap-meet style business. Moviemanforever mentioned Cupid’s Hot Dogs in this thread. Unfortunately Cupids is no longer in business. The business closed and there is a small strip mini-mall at that location now. Same for the old Chris & Pitts Bar-B-Que on Victory Blvd. and Fulton.
Someone mentioned cruising. I met my wife while cruising Van Nuys Blvd. and we have been together now over 35 years. The days of Oscar’s drive-thru, The A&W, Brunswick Bowl, June Ellen Donuts and Bob’s Big Boy-Van Nuys are a distant memory. Although one can still get carhop service at the Toluca Bob’s Big Boy on Riverside Drive just west of Pass Avenue. And, the Panorama Bowling alley is still in operation. The old Panorama walk-in theater at Van Nuys Blvd. and Nordoff Street presents Latin films but the front of the theater has changed very little since it’s opening. Chi’s Chi’s Pizza is no longer there either and Mike’s Pizza on Van Nuys south of Roscoe closed right after the owner Paul Green passed away. My first job was working for Paul Green and his brother Harold as a back kitchen setup cook and front kitchen Friday/Saturday cook.
In closing — I really love this site. Thanks to who/whomever set it up and keeps it going.
I saw “War of The Worlds” there along with many other sci-fi’s. It was a great place. Very sad the way it ended up.
The Fox Van Nuys is located at 6417 Van Nuys Blvd.
The year was 1990 with The Exorcist III. Not “Omen 4”.
Today this Fox has been gutted and is being used as a swapmeet type store. During it’s later years it ran Spanish films, but tried a comeback as a third run house. The last time I was in there was with the movie “Omen 4”. It closed maybe a year later. This theatre lost it’s original marquee in the mid 60’s remodel. National General replaced it with a prototype flat marquee.