The comment by the projectionist is mostly correct.
It was opened around 1940 or 1941.It was built by Joe De Bell. It was on north side of Pico just west of Fairfax.
thus the name PICFAIR.
There was a sound proof crying room upstairs where mothers could take their crying children and watch the movie.
The first ushers were Jimmy Lang & Alan Mc Farlane and they wore uniforms.
The customer who made the biggest stir at the theatre was the boxer Billy Conn shortly after he almost beat Joe Louis, He was brought there by Robert Taylor & Barbara Stanwyck, who were ignored by the customers who flocked around Billy Conn.
There was a coin operated popcorn machine in the lobby,the price for a bag was 10 cents.
There was a sweet shop next door that also sold sandwiches and was operated by Norman & Rose Stengel, she was the sister of Nina Mohi.
The cashier was Nina Mohi was wife of Ben Mohi she was also my mother.
The theatre when opened was owned and operated solely by Ben Mohi, an individual who was also the manager and it was sold to Arkoff & Nicholson in the mid forties.
I should know the above facts as Ben Mohi was my father and I spent a great deal of time in the theatre.
The comment by the projectionist is mostly correct. It was opened around 1940 or 1941.It was built by Joe De Bell. It was on north side of Pico just west of Fairfax. thus the name PICFAIR. There was a sound proof crying room upstairs where mothers could take their crying children and watch the movie. The first ushers were Jimmy Lang & Alan Mc Farlane and they wore uniforms. The customer who made the biggest stir at the theatre was the boxer Billy Conn shortly after he almost beat Joe Louis, He was brought there by Robert Taylor & Barbara Stanwyck, who were ignored by the customers who flocked around Billy Conn. There was a coin operated popcorn machine in the lobby,the price for a bag was 10 cents. There was a sweet shop next door that also sold sandwiches and was operated by Norman & Rose Stengel, she was the sister of Nina Mohi. The cashier was Nina Mohi was wife of Ben Mohi she was also my mother. The theatre when opened was owned and operated solely by Ben Mohi, an individual who was also the manager and it was sold to Arkoff & Nicholson in the mid forties.
I should know the above facts as Ben Mohi was my father and I spent a great deal of time in the theatre.
Gary Mohi