The Mason theatre was another theatre on Broadway with two balconies. The seating capacity was 1650. It was demolished in 1955 to make way for the State Building on Broadway and 1st St.
I remember Jim Childs used to leave the booth when the film was running at the Sunset Pussycat and walk across the street to McDonalds for a burger and fries. One time an usher came running over and out of breath and told Jim Childs that some thing was wrong with the film. Jim went back and up to the booth and looked out the port. The film was out of frame. Now Jim was at McDonalds for about 25 minutes so the film had to be out of frame at least 25 minutes or longer because the usher ran all over the neighborhood looking for Mr. Childs. Everyone in the theatre had to watch a film out of frame for at least 25 minutes. That was probably the longest in cinema history that anyone watched a film out of frame. They set a new world’s record of watching a film out of frame in a theatre.
I was a projectionist there along with L.B. (Burt) Daniels in the early to mid 80’s. Our paychecks were from Mann theatres and films we ran always opened with the Mann logo. I got laid off when the theatre went from a day and night theatre to strictly a night theatre in October 1984.
Actually the theatre had stadium style seating, not really a balcony. A wall was put up where the lower level met the start of the slope going up in the back area where the seats were taken out. One rainy day in 1974 as I was working as a projectionist there (no choice I was sent there by my union) the assistant manager asked me if she should turn on the marquee lights as it was company policy to run the lights on dark days. I said it’s not a good idea because the rain (very heavy that day) might cause a short and start a fire. She turned on the lights anyway fearing she might be fired. Less than an hour later a burning smell filled the air and I looked out through the opening and saw smoke coming from the marquee. I stopped the show and turned up the house lights and called the manager to evacuate the theatre because the marquee is on fire.
I worked at the Pan Pacific theatre in the mid 70s as a projectionist. One film I remembered running there in 1975 was The Sunshine Boys. The theatre was on Beverly Blvd. just east of CBS Television City. A U.S. post office now sits on the site.
I used to go there as a kid in the 60s. They ran kiddie matinees on weekends. I saw many Disney and beach party films there. There was a small balcony that seated about 200.
We used to call the manager Mr. K because his last name was hard to pronounce. This was the theatre where I first learned projection in late 1973. The late Ed Blahay the projectionist taught me everything I had to know to pass the projection license test and get my license (yes there was such a thing back then). They were showing “A Touch of Class” and “Breezy”.
The Mason had three seating levels, the main auditorium, a balcony on the mezzanine level, and a balcony above that. The inside was rather plain looking. Demolished in 1955 to be replaced with a state building.
I worked there as a local 150 union projectionist for the first six months of 1985. We ran Dune (70mm) , Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom, 2010 and others. This was the smallest theatre I ever worked in that ran 70mm using the cheaply built Norelco DP-75 with all those plastic pieces. Seated 175 with a screen measuring 15x30.
The Mason theatre was another theatre on Broadway with two balconies. The seating capacity was 1650. It was demolished in 1955 to make way for the State Building on Broadway and 1st St.
Too bad it’s located in a seedy area of Downtown. I haven’t been Downtown in 20 years and I wouldn’t think about going down there today.
This was the grandest of all the Loew’s theatres. The mezzanine level leading to the huge balcony was more ornate than the long narrow lobby.
I remember Jim Childs used to leave the booth when the film was running at the Sunset Pussycat and walk across the street to McDonalds for a burger and fries. One time an usher came running over and out of breath and told Jim Childs that some thing was wrong with the film. Jim went back and up to the booth and looked out the port. The film was out of frame. Now Jim was at McDonalds for about 25 minutes so the film had to be out of frame at least 25 minutes or longer because the usher ran all over the neighborhood looking for Mr. Childs. Everyone in the theatre had to watch a film out of frame for at least 25 minutes. That was probably the longest in cinema history that anyone watched a film out of frame. They set a new world’s record of watching a film out of frame in a theatre.
I saw Disney’s Sword in the Stone in 1966 at the Towne and in 1969 it was Where Eagles Dare and Von Ryan’s Express.
I was a projectionist there along with L.B. (Burt) Daniels in the early to mid 80’s. Our paychecks were from Mann theatres and films we ran always opened with the Mann logo. I got laid off when the theatre went from a day and night theatre to strictly a night theatre in October 1984.
The Vogue is closed down. I’ve seen fake movie titles on it’s marquee. It may be turned into a swap meet or cheap souvenir shop.
Actually Culver City never had a Carthay Circle theatre. There was one in Los Angeles on San Vicente that had many world premiere’s.
That’s nothing Mr. Childs. I took 2 old cinemascope lens from the Wardman Pussycat and I still have them. Dennis
Actually the theatre had stadium style seating, not really a balcony. A wall was put up where the lower level met the start of the slope going up in the back area where the seats were taken out. One rainy day in 1974 as I was working as a projectionist there (no choice I was sent there by my union) the assistant manager asked me if she should turn on the marquee lights as it was company policy to run the lights on dark days. I said it’s not a good idea because the rain (very heavy that day) might cause a short and start a fire. She turned on the lights anyway fearing she might be fired. Less than an hour later a burning smell filled the air and I looked out through the opening and saw smoke coming from the marquee. I stopped the show and turned up the house lights and called the manager to evacuate the theatre because the marquee is on fire.
The murders happened in Feb. 1973. The feature film was Disney’s Worlds Greatest Athlete. The bodies were taken out on coroner’s wheeled gurneys
The murders happened in Feb. 1973. The feature film was Disney’s Worlds Greatest Athlete. The bodies were taken out on coroner’s wheeled gurneys
I worked at the Pan Pacific theatre in the mid 70s as a projectionist. One film I remembered running there in 1975 was The Sunshine Boys. The theatre was on Beverly Blvd. just east of CBS Television City. A U.S. post office now sits on the site.
I used to go there as a kid in the 60s. They ran kiddie matinees on weekends. I saw many Disney and beach party films there. There was a small balcony that seated about 200.
This was the biggest movie theatre in Downtown L.B. After it closed down some bums broke in to sleep inside and made a mess out of the whole place.
We used to call the manager Mr. K because his last name was hard to pronounce. This was the theatre where I first learned projection in late 1973. The late Ed Blahay the projectionist taught me everything I had to know to pass the projection license test and get my license (yes there was such a thing back then). They were showing “A Touch of Class” and “Breezy”.
The Melrose theatre building has not been demolished. It is now a Ukranian community center.
Location was at 6316 San Vicente near Carillo Avenue, Los Angeles CA.
The Palace has reopened and presented a 36 hour sci-fi marathon over a recent weekend this November. Over a thousand attended.
The Mason had three seating levels, the main auditorium, a balcony on the mezzanine level, and a balcony above that. The inside was rather plain looking. Demolished in 1955 to be replaced with a state building.
I worked there as a local 150 union projectionist for the first six months of 1985. We ran Dune (70mm) , Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom, 2010 and others. This was the smallest theatre I ever worked in that ran 70mm using the cheaply built Norelco DP-75 with all those plastic pieces. Seated 175 with a screen measuring 15x30.