From what I’ve learned from people who lived in the bell area in the 40s & 50s is that the bell was knowed as the cowboy or western’s theatre. It’s where they went on Saturday’s & Sunday’s to watch B western movies that featured stars like Tim McCoy, Bob Steel, Gene Autry and a young John Wayne and other stars of the era. Just east of bell is the city of bell gardens that in the 40s & 50s was the home of live country music. It was the gathering place for country & western singers because it was very much accepted there. Many bell gardens people loved going to the bell theatre because for 25 or 35 cents they could watch movies all day long.My sister when there as a young girl but can’t remember just when the bell closed it’s doors. I just when through a telephone book from 1952 and the bell is listed. How I wish I could go there tonight, It’s now a parking lot! How’s the Joni Mitchell song go.
Sounds like Rick Albright and myselft might have crossed paths at one time or another. We went to the same theaters in the Southeast area of Los Angeles that’s for sure. I was going to add the Allen myselft but Rick beat me to it. I remember the Allen well as a young man. A friend told me that his Church used the theatre for there services on Sunday mornings in the early 50s while there Church was being built on Tweedy Bl. The first time I went to the Allen was l960 and saw Midnight Lace with Doris Day. Later on in the mid 60s Fail Safe with Henry Fonda and the early 70s Vanishing Point. It was in that era that the theatre started to fall on hard times. It became dirty. I remember at that time all seats were $1.00. For that price I took a date there many times. I worked for many years in South Gate and was always going by the Allen and never had to look in the paper to see what was playing. My wife grew up in South Gate and went there many times as well.
The building has not been demolished. If you drive down Ford in E.L.A. you can see by the shell that this was a theatre at one time. It showed spanish films.
Sorry about this one William. I started going to the theatres in Huntington Park in l952. The Lyric was never a part of the Fox chain of movie houses. I remember the Lyric as being some what of a run down house showing re-released films on the bubble bill. High Noon & Shane l956 just before both films went to t.v. I remember the Lyric haveing of all things, wood floors. I didn’t like going there at all. just to small of a theatre. Same for the New Park on Pacific Blvd.
I went to his theatre many times in the 50s & 60s. I also went to the New Park and the Warner, They were just down the street from one another. I remember the California closeing for a short time to install CinemaScope for “The Robe” in l953. The last time I went there was on New Years Eve l964. “Fate Is The Hunter” and “Good-bye Charle” This was a grand theatre.Huntington Park in the 50s & 60s was the place to go and see first run moies. I’m sorry to see what it has become.David Swain
Looking for info about the Monterey Mall theatres. Are they going to tear it down or rebuild?
Dave Swain
This has to be the smallest marquee I’ve ever saw. Are you sure 700 people can get in there. It looks like a very small building.
From what I’ve learned from people who lived in the bell area in the 40s & 50s is that the bell was knowed as the cowboy or western’s theatre. It’s where they went on Saturday’s & Sunday’s to watch B western movies that featured stars like Tim McCoy, Bob Steel, Gene Autry and a young John Wayne and other stars of the era. Just east of bell is the city of bell gardens that in the 40s & 50s was the home of live country music. It was the gathering place for country & western singers because it was very much accepted there. Many bell gardens people loved going to the bell theatre because for 25 or 35 cents they could watch movies all day long.My sister when there as a young girl but can’t remember just when the bell closed it’s doors. I just when through a telephone book from 1952 and the bell is listed. How I wish I could go there tonight, It’s now a parking lot! How’s the Joni Mitchell song go.
The Towne theatre was built in 1939-1940 after many problims with building permits.
Sounds like Rick Albright and myselft might have crossed paths at one time or another. We went to the same theaters in the Southeast area of Los Angeles that’s for sure. I was going to add the Allen myselft but Rick beat me to it. I remember the Allen well as a young man. A friend told me that his Church used the theatre for there services on Sunday mornings in the early 50s while there Church was being built on Tweedy Bl. The first time I went to the Allen was l960 and saw Midnight Lace with Doris Day. Later on in the mid 60s Fail Safe with Henry Fonda and the early 70s Vanishing Point. It was in that era that the theatre started to fall on hard times. It became dirty. I remember at that time all seats were $1.00. For that price I took a date there many times. I worked for many years in South Gate and was always going by the Allen and never had to look in the paper to see what was playing. My wife grew up in South Gate and went there many times as well.
There is now information about the Meralta, not Meralto that was on Downey ave in the city of Downey. It was also call New Meralta.
The building has not been demolished. If you drive down Ford in E.L.A. you can see by the shell that this was a theatre at one time. It showed spanish films.
Sorry about this one William. I started going to the theatres in Huntington Park in l952. The Lyric was never a part of the Fox chain of movie houses. I remember the Lyric as being some what of a run down house showing re-released films on the bubble bill. High Noon & Shane l956 just before both films went to t.v. I remember the Lyric haveing of all things, wood floors. I didn’t like going there at all. just to small of a theatre. Same for the New Park on Pacific Blvd.
I went to his theatre many times in the 50s & 60s. I also went to the New Park and the Warner, They were just down the street from one another. I remember the California closeing for a short time to install CinemaScope for “The Robe” in l953. The last time I went there was on New Years Eve l964. “Fate Is The Hunter” and “Good-bye Charle” This was a grand theatre.Huntington Park in the 50s & 60s was the place to go and see first run moies. I’m sorry to see what it has become.David Swain