Ok, here is the “official scoop”. My dad owned the theatre through the late 1970’s-early 1980’s. I always thought of it as the “final era”, as it wasnt the “heyday” of the theatre, but definately a second run movie house. (the rock and roll movies and concerts, as well as re-runs of Star Wars) Back then, (amazing to anyone under 40)there were no movie theatres in the San Fernando Valley with more than one screen, until the Topanga (at Victory and Topanga) opened a second/third screen. That was the beginning of the end for small theatres like the Baronet. Eveything became multiplex corporate cinemas.
Several subsequent owners did re-name it, and the photos posted are of the same place. The address discrepancy is this: right next to the theatre was the restaurant “Two Guys from Italy”. I worked there as well for years. When the theatre closed, the restaurant did shortly thereafter. The wall was torn down, and it became one big location, as Savinar luggage.
I will never forget being a teenager, loving all of the dumpy little single screen theatres in the Valley, such as the Art Theatre (Ventura at Topanga), the Valley Circle (Valley Circle Blvd) the Holiday (Topanga) and of course the Baronet. It should be listed as such, as no one would really know or appreciate the subsequent names.
For years and years, since its opening, it was the Baronet Theatre. The address was 6937 Topanga.
My father owned the Baronet in the late 70’s—early 80’s. We had a lot of fun. For a long time, we ran nothing but rock concert movies—Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same” played over and over. Lots of pot smoke was part of the experience.
The theatre had two tiny bathrooms, which would never be up to code now. Still, it was a popular date location, with cheap prices, and Two Guys from Italy restaurant right next door.
Ok, here is the “official scoop”. My dad owned the theatre through the late 1970’s-early 1980’s. I always thought of it as the “final era”, as it wasnt the “heyday” of the theatre, but definately a second run movie house. (the rock and roll movies and concerts, as well as re-runs of Star Wars) Back then, (amazing to anyone under 40)there were no movie theatres in the San Fernando Valley with more than one screen, until the Topanga (at Victory and Topanga) opened a second/third screen. That was the beginning of the end for small theatres like the Baronet. Eveything became multiplex corporate cinemas.
Several subsequent owners did re-name it, and the photos posted are of the same place. The address discrepancy is this: right next to the theatre was the restaurant “Two Guys from Italy”. I worked there as well for years. When the theatre closed, the restaurant did shortly thereafter. The wall was torn down, and it became one big location, as Savinar luggage.
I will never forget being a teenager, loving all of the dumpy little single screen theatres in the Valley, such as the Art Theatre (Ventura at Topanga), the Valley Circle (Valley Circle Blvd) the Holiday (Topanga) and of course the Baronet. It should be listed as such, as no one would really know or appreciate the subsequent names.
For years and years, since its opening, it was the Baronet Theatre. The address was 6937 Topanga.
My father owned the Baronet in the late 70’s—early 80’s. We had a lot of fun. For a long time, we ran nothing but rock concert movies—Led Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same” played over and over. Lots of pot smoke was part of the experience.
The theatre had two tiny bathrooms, which would never be up to code now. Still, it was a popular date location, with cheap prices, and Two Guys from Italy restaurant right next door.