I moved to Norwalk in 1952. Attended many shows at the old Norwalk. Lots of nice memories there. Worked a couple days, for free of course, one summer on the inside. I don’t remember exactly what we did, but I do remember the sticky shreds of fiberglass from the back of the screen sticking into me and my clothes. A friend was aquainted with the manager is why we were there, but his name also slips my memory. I think the Porn place everyone is thinking of was at Pioneer and Firestone near the Sheriff station, next door to the Club 11, a local bar.
Mike Proffitt
I attended the Mayfair in the late 40’s and very early 50’s. It was second only to the Manchester in elegance at that time. Located at the south end of the Broadway shopping district.
Mike Proffitt
I can’t add much to what is already posted, but I DID attend some stage shows with my father in the late 40’s. We rode the Broadway Streetcar from South Los Angeles to Downtown. I can vividly remember Sammy Davis Jr. and his father doing a song and dance number on that beautiful stage.
I also attended movies at the Norwalk in the early 50’s as did my parents. One summer I worked for a manager helping to clean and such meager duties. I wish I could remember his name. It was a nice neighborhood theater. After 1958 I don’t know much about it except it was sad to see it being demolished.
The Esquire was purchase in the late early 90’s by the First Baptist Church of Bolivar. It hosts youth church several times a week and still has the marquee in the front and the ticket office in the front. I’ve never been inside but am told it is just like it was when it was a movie house. How nice to see an old theater still being used.
The Manchester was closed for a short time after WW2, but when it reopened it was very lavish. As young boys (8-12) we would ride our bikes there on Saturday afternoons and watch such films as “Fort Ticonderoga” and “Wax Museum” , both of which were in 3D. There was a bicycle rack alongside the building and it was always full. Sad to hear that it turned to a seedy theater later in it’s life. We would always set in the balcony when it was open.
The address is probably correct for the old Castle. She was located at the northeast corner of Manchester and San Pedro streets. I attended movies there 1946-1948 approximately. The theater then closed and became a church and was active as such up until 1966 that I know of. The Castle was not as lavish as those over on the Broadway shopping district; Manchester and Mayfair theaters, but I saw many first run movies there and of course Superman and Lash Larue series that were so popular at that time. It is sad to see that one of my boyhood memories has probably been demolished.
I moved to Norwalk in 1952. Attended many shows at the old Norwalk. Lots of nice memories there. Worked a couple days, for free of course, one summer on the inside. I don’t remember exactly what we did, but I do remember the sticky shreds of fiberglass from the back of the screen sticking into me and my clothes. A friend was aquainted with the manager is why we were there, but his name also slips my memory. I think the Porn place everyone is thinking of was at Pioneer and Firestone near the Sheriff station, next door to the Club 11, a local bar.
Mike Proffitt
I attended the Mayfair in the late 40’s and very early 50’s. It was second only to the Manchester in elegance at that time. Located at the south end of the Broadway shopping district.
Mike Proffitt
I can’t add much to what is already posted, but I DID attend some stage shows with my father in the late 40’s. We rode the Broadway Streetcar from South Los Angeles to Downtown. I can vividly remember Sammy Davis Jr. and his father doing a song and dance number on that beautiful stage.
I also attended movies at the Norwalk in the early 50’s as did my parents. One summer I worked for a manager helping to clean and such meager duties. I wish I could remember his name. It was a nice neighborhood theater. After 1958 I don’t know much about it except it was sad to see it being demolished.
The Esquire was purchase in the late early 90’s by the First Baptist Church of Bolivar. It hosts youth church several times a week and still has the marquee in the front and the ticket office in the front. I’ve never been inside but am told it is just like it was when it was a movie house. How nice to see an old theater still being used.
The Manchester was closed for a short time after WW2, but when it reopened it was very lavish. As young boys (8-12) we would ride our bikes there on Saturday afternoons and watch such films as “Fort Ticonderoga” and “Wax Museum” , both of which were in 3D. There was a bicycle rack alongside the building and it was always full. Sad to hear that it turned to a seedy theater later in it’s life. We would always set in the balcony when it was open.
The address is probably correct for the old Castle. She was located at the northeast corner of Manchester and San Pedro streets. I attended movies there 1946-1948 approximately. The theater then closed and became a church and was active as such up until 1966 that I know of. The Castle was not as lavish as those over on the Broadway shopping district; Manchester and Mayfair theaters, but I saw many first run movies there and of course Superman and Lash Larue series that were so popular at that time. It is sad to see that one of my boyhood memories has probably been demolished.