I was only at the Carthay one time and watched Around The World in Eighty days. We drove down one afternoon from Santa Barbara. Being about ten years old it was a fantastic never to be forgotten experience. Let me tell you, I had never enjoyed a film as much as that one in Todd AO. It was a mid-week matinee and there were only a hand full of people in the house. As mentioned in a previous comment the building was striking in the way that it was set back from the street. Analogous to standing back from a painting to admire it.
Those mounts anchored the screen. The backside of the screen faced Hollister Ave and had a beautiful neon sign image of a four prop airplane. That was the first thing to go, then the screen came down a few years later. It was a wonderful place to be. I enjoyed many films there over the years. It is a shame that it has been demolished. The City of Santa Barbara owns the land and is negotiating to build offices or retail buildings on the site.
I was only at the Carthay one time and watched Around The World in Eighty days. We drove down one afternoon from Santa Barbara. Being about ten years old it was a fantastic never to be forgotten experience. Let me tell you, I had never enjoyed a film as much as that one in Todd AO. It was a mid-week matinee and there were only a hand full of people in the house. As mentioned in a previous comment the building was striking in the way that it was set back from the street. Analogous to standing back from a painting to admire it.
Those mounts anchored the screen. The backside of the screen faced Hollister Ave and had a beautiful neon sign image of a four prop airplane. That was the first thing to go, then the screen came down a few years later. It was a wonderful place to be. I enjoyed many films there over the years. It is a shame that it has been demolished. The City of Santa Barbara owns the land and is negotiating to build offices or retail buildings on the site.