I worked as a relief projectionist once at the then UA THEATRE. The movie was the the first run engagement of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. with Reserved seats yet! at the 8pm show there were only 7 people in the audience.
The Drive-Ins opening film was the roadshow version of Mutiny On The Bounty starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard. Both shows were sold out that night. Meaning 2400 cars showed up.
Back in the 70’s I went in this building when it was a Thrift store. I always thought it looked like it might have been a theatre at one time even thiough it was completely stripped and was very plain by then. It was in the 80’s that it burned down and was replaced with a strip mall. At that time I got a picture of the building where you can clearly make out the word Paramount on the rubble.
Funny no one has pointed out that the theatres name was originally the NEWS-VIEW and when they discontinued showing newsreels they droped the S from the name. I know this for a fact as I have a photo with it as the News-View.
The actual address of this Drive-In was 1501 East 6th Street. From a map quest image … What appears to be the Snack Bar and Projection Booth are still there.
If one looks closely at the above picture you can tell the image by the marquee is Jennifer Jones in Song Of Bernadette. So this premere and photo are from 1943.
In the 1970s I was a projectionist and worked at this theatre for two weeks while the regular projectionist was on vacation. I remember being very impressed with the then very modern style of the theatre. The lobby and outside were huge. Yesterday I passed by and the front of it is indeed a Washington Mutual Bank. The theatre Auditorium is still there but is now part of the LA School district.
The one thing that is odd is that most references (even the newspaper AD-LINK-ABOVE) says it was at La Brea near Rodeo when in fact it was and is at the corner of La Brea & Colliseum St. I guess Rodeo is a better known Street.
I also worked at this theatre back in the 1970s a couple of times but don’t recall what the interrior of the theatre looks like. Does anyone have any interior shots?
Actualy there is a new 70mm print of Mad World that played at the Cinerama Dome in all it’s Original Ultra Panavision glory about a year ago. It was introduced by Mrs Stanley Kramer. Too bad they wern’t able to show that print as it was stunning and even had the 6 track stereo mix. plus the police call intermission. As many of the people who are still alive came to the showing… it was a great evening of fun. I even managed to get an autograph from one of my favorite people… Stan Freberg.
I was just wondering why there are so few actual photos of the interior of this theatre? I have only seen about 4 shots and none of the lobby. there seems to be quite a few drawings but very few actual pictures. This is a real shame considering the magnitude of this the greatest of all movie palaces. If anyone has any shots they would share please feel free to send them to
Does anyone out there have any high quality pictures of the S. Charles Lee front of the theatre? that would be the late 50’s early 60’s. I’d love to see what the boxoffice looked like as well as clear shots of the marquee.
I was working as the projectionist at the Fox showing the Paul Simon film “One Trick Pony” the night that John Lennon was shot. I came down from the booth to get a soda when someone told me the news. At first I thought it was a bad joke but unfortunatly it wasn’t.
Anyway I remember that it was a fairly small theatre and the screen wasn’t very large… but it did have the then new, Dolby Stereo system and even 70mm projctors.
The Century DI with its Cinerama screen can be seen in The Brady Bunch Episode #100 titled “Peter and the Wolf” when Peter and Greg take two girls to the drive in.
posted by theaterdude on Feb 21, 2005 at 2:59pm
sorry to disapoint you… but I rented this episode of the Brady Bunch and it is NOT the Century… . . however it is a so cal drive in… . the Gilmore.
I worked there as a projectionist at one time and they were one of a handfull of Drive Ins that had Stereophonic speakers for the car.
This theatre is also where in the early 60s Steve Allen did his TV show that was opposite The Johnny Carson TONIGHT SHOW. I still remember him watching people on the street and pointing his camera across the street at the Dance studio.
I love the marquee that I have seen in photos. but most of the shots online are very small… does anyone have a high quality day shot of the marquee where you can see the detail?
www.geocities.com/jackg46/Ebay/TOWER-SR.jpg Here is a link to a picture of the Tower Theatre. I am not sure how long the link will be active but its a great picture. by the way… this is an S. Charles Lee theatre.
Unfortunatly it is too bad that the TOWER is gone. But in fact the building that houses the Barnes and Noble is the former Rosenbergs that was next to the theatre. Only the facade and the lobby were on 4th street the actual theatre was at the back of 3rd Street. This is the theatre were I had my very first job ever… I handed up letters to change the marquee and for this got free admission to the movies there.
I worked as a relief projectionist once at the then UA THEATRE. The movie was the the first run engagement of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. with Reserved seats yet! at the 8pm show there were only 7 people in the audience.
The Drive-Ins opening film was the roadshow version of Mutiny On The Bounty starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard. Both shows were sold out that night. Meaning 2400 cars showed up.
What time is this happening I’d like to go
Back in the 70’s I went in this building when it was a Thrift store. I always thought it looked like it might have been a theatre at one time even thiough it was completely stripped and was very plain by then. It was in the 80’s that it burned down and was replaced with a strip mall. At that time I got a picture of the building where you can clearly make out the word Paramount on the rubble.
Matt Spero
Funny no one has pointed out that the theatres name was originally the NEWS-VIEW and when they discontinued showing newsreels they droped the S from the name. I know this for a fact as I have a photo with it as the News-View.
The actual address of this Drive-In was 1501 East 6th Street. From a map quest image … What appears to be the Snack Bar and Projection Booth are still there.
Matt Spero
If one looks closely at the above picture you can tell the image by the marquee is Jennifer Jones in Song Of Bernadette. So this premere and photo are from 1943.
Matt Spero
In the 1970s I was a projectionist and worked at this theatre for two weeks while the regular projectionist was on vacation. I remember being very impressed with the then very modern style of the theatre. The lobby and outside were huge. Yesterday I passed by and the front of it is indeed a Washington Mutual Bank. The theatre Auditorium is still there but is now part of the LA School district.
The one thing that is odd is that most references (even the newspaper AD-LINK-ABOVE) says it was at La Brea near Rodeo when in fact it was and is at the corner of La Brea & Colliseum St. I guess Rodeo is a better known Street.
Matt Spero
Does Anyone have a picture of this theatre with the marquee still up?
Matt Spero
I also worked at this theatre back in the 1970s a couple of times but don’t recall what the interrior of the theatre looks like. Does anyone have any interior shots?
Matt Spero
Actualy there is a new 70mm print of Mad World that played at the Cinerama Dome in all it’s Original Ultra Panavision glory about a year ago. It was introduced by Mrs Stanley Kramer. Too bad they wern’t able to show that print as it was stunning and even had the 6 track stereo mix. plus the police call intermission. As many of the people who are still alive came to the showing… it was a great evening of fun. I even managed to get an autograph from one of my favorite people… Stan Freberg.
Matt Spero
I was just wondering why there are so few actual photos of the interior of this theatre? I have only seen about 4 shots and none of the lobby. there seems to be quite a few drawings but very few actual pictures. This is a real shame considering the magnitude of this the greatest of all movie palaces. If anyone has any shots they would share please feel free to send them to
Matt Spero
Does anyone have any pics of this theatre?
Matt Spero
Anyone on here have any photos to share? I know I went to this theatre as a kid but can’t recall the interior. my e mail is
Anyone have any interior shots of the finished theatre to share?
Does anyone out there have any high quality pictures of the S. Charles Lee front of the theatre? that would be the late 50’s early 60’s. I’d love to see what the boxoffice looked like as well as clear shots of the marquee.
Matt Spero
I was working as the projectionist at the Fox showing the Paul Simon film “One Trick Pony” the night that John Lennon was shot. I came down from the booth to get a soda when someone told me the news. At first I thought it was a bad joke but unfortunatly it wasn’t.
Anyway I remember that it was a fairly small theatre and the screen wasn’t very large… but it did have the then new, Dolby Stereo system and even 70mm projctors.
Matt Spero
The Century DI with its Cinerama screen can be seen in The Brady Bunch Episode #100 titled “Peter and the Wolf” when Peter and Greg take two girls to the drive in.
posted by theaterdude on Feb 21, 2005 at 2:59pm
sorry to disapoint you… but I rented this episode of the Brady Bunch and it is NOT the Century… . . however it is a so cal drive in… . the Gilmore.
I worked there as a projectionist at one time and they were one of a handfull of Drive Ins that had Stereophonic speakers for the car.
Matt Spero
This theatre is also where in the early 60s Steve Allen did his TV show that was opposite The Johnny Carson TONIGHT SHOW. I still remember him watching people on the street and pointing his camera across the street at the Dance studio.
I love the marquee that I have seen in photos. but most of the shots online are very small… does anyone have a high quality day shot of the marquee where you can see the detail?
I once worked here showing the film Shampoo
the last listings on the FOX OAKLAND web site is in 2003. Does anyone know what is happening with the theatre these days of 2006?
www.geocities.com/jackg46/Ebay/TOWER-SR.jpg Here is a link to a picture of the Tower Theatre. I am not sure how long the link will be active but its a great picture. by the way… this is an S. Charles Lee theatre.
I am given to beleve that some of the “Your Show of Shows originated from the Center…does anyone know for sure?
Unfortunatly it is too bad that the TOWER is gone. But in fact the building that houses the Barnes and Noble is the former Rosenbergs that was next to the theatre. Only the facade and the lobby were on 4th street the actual theatre was at the back of 3rd Street. This is the theatre were I had my very first job ever… I handed up letters to change the marquee and for this got free admission to the movies there.