My father managed the Alhambra and Gold Cinemas during the 1960s and 1970s after managing the Temple Theater (Las Tunas Dr & Rosemead Blvd) for 12 years. I worked at the Alhambra and Gold Cinemas from 1972 to 1978. Before the Annex was remodeled and reopened as the Gold Cinema in, I believe, 1968, it was used to warehouse thousands of old movie posters and displays which all got thrown away during the remodel. Before the remodel, there was a very large old organ, covered in chicken wire, at the front of the Alhambra Theater up against the old vaudeville stage. This organ was removed during the remodel as well as the hay-filled loge seats at the rear of the auditorium. I spent many Saturdays, before the theater opened to the public, searching through the loge seats finding money that fell out of people’s pockets. I also spent many days and nights exploring this place including the old dressing rooms in the basement. One of these rooms was padlocked where Mr. Edwards stored all obsolete admission tickets. These included tickets when admission ticket prices rose and for theaters that were closed. I was given permission to go in and take strips of tickets but was overwhelmed. I really miss the old Alhambra Theater. As a previous post mentioned, the Whittier Narrow earthquake was its demise. The water-filled air circulating unit on top of the building, nicknamed “Big Bertha,” crashed through the ceiling and took out the screen and first 5 rows of seats. This happened several hours after the initial quake. It eventually took months to completely tear down the building as it was taken down brick by brick.
My father managed the Alhambra and Gold Cinemas during the 1960s and 1970s after managing the Temple Theater (Las Tunas Dr & Rosemead Blvd) for 12 years. I worked at the Alhambra and Gold Cinemas from 1972 to 1978. Before the Annex was remodeled and reopened as the Gold Cinema in, I believe, 1968, it was used to warehouse thousands of old movie posters and displays which all got thrown away during the remodel. Before the remodel, there was a very large old organ, covered in chicken wire, at the front of the Alhambra Theater up against the old vaudeville stage. This organ was removed during the remodel as well as the hay-filled loge seats at the rear of the auditorium. I spent many Saturdays, before the theater opened to the public, searching through the loge seats finding money that fell out of people’s pockets. I also spent many days and nights exploring this place including the old dressing rooms in the basement. One of these rooms was padlocked where Mr. Edwards stored all obsolete admission tickets. These included tickets when admission ticket prices rose and for theaters that were closed. I was given permission to go in and take strips of tickets but was overwhelmed. I really miss the old Alhambra Theater. As a previous post mentioned, the Whittier Narrow earthquake was its demise. The water-filled air circulating unit on top of the building, nicknamed “Big Bertha,” crashed through the ceiling and took out the screen and first 5 rows of seats. This happened several hours after the initial quake. It eventually took months to completely tear down the building as it was taken down brick by brick.