I remember this theater. I saw Easy Rider there – I was under 17 but the Park would let younger folks in – I was probably 16 when I saw it. In earlier days I saw a lot of movies there – it was a cheap second run theater then. I haven’t been by there for along time – last time I was by there it was showing Mexican films only.
Hmmmm, interesting. I grew up in a housing tract in Gardena called Hollypark, which is close to where Century Drive-in was. Hollypark is between Crenshaw and Van Ness, and El Segundo and Rosecrans. My parents bought their house there new in 1955. We lived there until 1965, at which time we moved to Torrance. We used to go to three or four different Drive-ins when we lived in Hollypark – Century, Vermont, Roadium, and sometimes Centinela. We didn’t go to Century as often as the others because of the airplane noise. I saw “101 Dalmations” there – I was pretty young, but I remember it pretty well. It started to rain during the opening credits – we thought we were going to have to leave. It died down and we were able to watch the whole movie. I do remember the airplane noise, but I was so thrilled to be there that I didn’t care.
Ed, are you saying that the Rolling Hills Theatre was the only SRO theatre in the southbay in 1962, or the only Theatre?
It was definately not the only Threatre in South Bay in 1962 – there were at least two in Downtown Torrance, which is clearly part of South Bay. One of them ended up as a Pussy Cat Theatre eventually – the other a live play house – both are gone now.
Wasn’t that the one that had the huge painting of the Mayflower and sister ships on it? In the middle of a really rough looking sea? That picture used to scare me when I was a kid.
I saw 101 Dalmations there when I was a squirt. I do remember my parents complaining about the noise.
I remember this theater. I saw Easy Rider there – I was under 17 but the Park would let younger folks in – I was probably 16 when I saw it. In earlier days I saw a lot of movies there – it was a cheap second run theater then. I haven’t been by there for along time – last time I was by there it was showing Mexican films only.
Hmmmm, interesting. I grew up in a housing tract in Gardena called Hollypark, which is close to where Century Drive-in was. Hollypark is between Crenshaw and Van Ness, and El Segundo and Rosecrans. My parents bought their house there new in 1955. We lived there until 1965, at which time we moved to Torrance. We used to go to three or four different Drive-ins when we lived in Hollypark – Century, Vermont, Roadium, and sometimes Centinela. We didn’t go to Century as often as the others because of the airplane noise. I saw “101 Dalmations” there – I was pretty young, but I remember it pretty well. It started to rain during the opening credits – we thought we were going to have to leave. It died down and we were able to watch the whole movie. I do remember the airplane noise, but I was so thrilled to be there that I didn’t care.
Ed, are you saying that the Rolling Hills Theatre was the only SRO theatre in the southbay in 1962, or the only Theatre?
It was definately not the only Threatre in South Bay in 1962 – there were at least two in Downtown Torrance, which is clearly part of South Bay. One of them ended up as a Pussy Cat Theatre eventually – the other a live play house – both are gone now.
Wasn’t that the one that had the huge painting of the Mayflower and sister ships on it? In the middle of a really rough looking sea? That picture used to scare me when I was a kid.
I saw 101 Dalmations there when I was a squirt. I do remember my parents complaining about the noise.