In back of the screen on the next property was the DeCarlo Bakery. I remember the smell of fresh bread late into the evening. When my dad had a Poker Night back in 1972 with his friends my mom took me and my 2 younger brothers to the San Pedro. She told us to pick out a movie. We choose “The Corpse Grinders”. My mom had some concerns but took us anyway. Needless to say we did not stay for the second feature. Good times!
Swedish Corner Smorgasbord owned by Kurt Elming. My very first job back in the early 70’s. Great meatballs! That little shopping center was my world growing up. So much has changed I almost dread going there these days. Far from being quaint. “Drdan” remembers it as well. For a kid that place had everything. But to me the Theater was the jewel in the crown.
It’s on the opposite (East) side of the Rolling Hills Plaza. The building has a sloped roof and is connected to another building now (Najiya market) on Pacific Coast Hwy.
Outdoorsman, thank you for sharing this. Whenever I visit that shopping center and see the old theater building it still haunts me to this day. I’ll have to go in there next time I’m at Trader Joe’s and pay it a visit. I was reminded of the theater just the other day while watching Skaterdater. You can find it on Google search under videos. When one of the kids does a head stand on his skateboard, you can see the theater in back of him. Aside from what happened there I still have great memories of the theater back in the 60’s.
Clancy’s was the best. I can still taste those burgers. My first date was there with Debbie Meyers (mom drove us). I’m pretty sure, in order from the corner, was a gas station (Chevron?), Clancy’s, United Artist theater, a go-cart track with a Super Slide, a miniature golf course, batting cages and an Orange Julius. After that, I’m pretty sure, was an open field and a couple of car lots. After that, before you hit the small residential area before Hawthorne, was fields with crops. Oh, and a motel/restaurant named “Half Way House” around there. Throw in a Christmas tree lot and the occasional rodeo and it was a happening place!
Same here, a couple of times a month was how I spent my Saturday afternoons at the theater. I found a very nice copy of ‘Skaterdater’ by following the link below. The seller, Scott, dosn’t list it but you can email him through ebay. For some reason it will not work on my older DVD player but it works great on newer ones and on the computer. Enjoy! (http://www.antigravitypress.com/wordpress/?p=293)
I do remember clearly those Saturday double bill matinees in the 60’s. Some times they would have dance contests between movies. Mostly surf tunes and the audience voted via cheers. I do remember a clown/magic show one time. The clown had long shoes that he used to run across the tops of the seats chasing a kid or two. Funny stuff. I remember being short on cash so I asked the snack bar girl if she had anything for free. She responded by saying “kisses”. I was too young to know exactly what she meant… but now I do! The men’s restroom had a vending machine on the wall that sold goofy little things. I loved buying the plastic skeletons with the suction cup hanging from his head. I grew up in that area of Torrance and my parents still live on Dalemead Street. We ate at the ‘Parasol’ restaurant almost every Friday night. ‘Stellino’s Deli’ was catty-corner from the ‘Rolling Hills Plaza’ and next to Stellino’s was a ‘Lucky’s’ supermarket. The Rolling Hills theater was featured in the short film “Skaterdater” along with other South Bay landmarks. You can clearly see the theater in a couple of shots. Seems like every kid had a skateboard at the time and the theater parking lot was the place to ride them. It was a wonderful time to grow up. Shame it ended like it did for the theater. I can still remember the smell of the place and the fun my brothers and I had there. But I also remember that horrible day and it haunts me.
Sorry, that was the short version of Skaterdater. Oh well, enjoy!
Here is a screen capture from the short film “Skaterdater” that shows the theater.
View link
And the movie Skaterdater.
View link
In back of the screen on the next property was the DeCarlo Bakery. I remember the smell of fresh bread late into the evening. When my dad had a Poker Night back in 1972 with his friends my mom took me and my 2 younger brothers to the San Pedro. She told us to pick out a movie. We choose “The Corpse Grinders”. My mom had some concerns but took us anyway. Needless to say we did not stay for the second feature. Good times!
So many midnight movies. I remember the nurse on duty for those with weak hearts.
Swedish Corner Smorgasbord owned by Kurt Elming. My very first job back in the early 70’s. Great meatballs! That little shopping center was my world growing up. So much has changed I almost dread going there these days. Far from being quaint. “Drdan” remembers it as well. For a kid that place had everything. But to me the Theater was the jewel in the crown.
It’s on the opposite (East) side of the Rolling Hills Plaza. The building has a sloped roof and is connected to another building now (Najiya market) on Pacific Coast Hwy.
Outdoorsman, thank you for sharing this. Whenever I visit that shopping center and see the old theater building it still haunts me to this day. I’ll have to go in there next time I’m at Trader Joe’s and pay it a visit. I was reminded of the theater just the other day while watching Skaterdater. You can find it on Google search under videos. When one of the kids does a head stand on his skateboard, you can see the theater in back of him. Aside from what happened there I still have great memories of the theater back in the 60’s.
Clancy’s was the best. I can still taste those burgers. My first date was there with Debbie Meyers (mom drove us). I’m pretty sure, in order from the corner, was a gas station (Chevron?), Clancy’s, United Artist theater, a go-cart track with a Super Slide, a miniature golf course, batting cages and an Orange Julius. After that, I’m pretty sure, was an open field and a couple of car lots. After that, before you hit the small residential area before Hawthorne, was fields with crops. Oh, and a motel/restaurant named “Half Way House” around there. Throw in a Christmas tree lot and the occasional rodeo and it was a happening place!
Same here, a couple of times a month was how I spent my Saturday afternoons at the theater. I found a very nice copy of ‘Skaterdater’ by following the link below. The seller, Scott, dosn’t list it but you can email him through ebay. For some reason it will not work on my older DVD player but it works great on newer ones and on the computer. Enjoy! (http://www.antigravitypress.com/wordpress/?p=293)
A couple of shots of Rolling Hills Theater can be seen here (http://www.barefooters.org/scrapbook/iotw0006.html). This was around 1964/65.
I do remember clearly those Saturday double bill matinees in the 60’s. Some times they would have dance contests between movies. Mostly surf tunes and the audience voted via cheers. I do remember a clown/magic show one time. The clown had long shoes that he used to run across the tops of the seats chasing a kid or two. Funny stuff. I remember being short on cash so I asked the snack bar girl if she had anything for free. She responded by saying “kisses”. I was too young to know exactly what she meant… but now I do! The men’s restroom had a vending machine on the wall that sold goofy little things. I loved buying the plastic skeletons with the suction cup hanging from his head. I grew up in that area of Torrance and my parents still live on Dalemead Street. We ate at the ‘Parasol’ restaurant almost every Friday night. ‘Stellino’s Deli’ was catty-corner from the ‘Rolling Hills Plaza’ and next to Stellino’s was a ‘Lucky’s’ supermarket. The Rolling Hills theater was featured in the short film “Skaterdater” along with other South Bay landmarks. You can clearly see the theater in a couple of shots. Seems like every kid had a skateboard at the time and the theater parking lot was the place to ride them. It was a wonderful time to grow up. Shame it ended like it did for the theater. I can still remember the smell of the place and the fun my brothers and I had there. But I also remember that horrible day and it haunts me.