The Claremont was a forerunner of an arthouse as early as the ‘50s (and possibly even earlier). It played foreign films, art films, even Disney’s original “Shaggy Dog” — and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (on a first-run basis). It played Burton Holmes’ travelogues, the British “Carry On” movies, Peter Sellers' early movies (before he went Hollywood) … and the long, long (and badly made) musical “South Pacific.” I saw them all there as a kid.
The Eastland opened in 1961, with the John Wayne movie, “The Comancheros.” I went to junior high and high school with the daughter of the theater’s owner. It was a terrific theater — Doris Day romantic comedies played there, as did movies direct from roadshows in Beverly Hills and Hollywood. “The Sound of Music” and “Doctor Zhivago” seemed like they kept coming back to the Eastland. I even saw “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” there. When it opened, the admission price was slightly higher than that at the musty old Covina Theatre (which showed “Dr. No” and Jerry Lewis' “The Nutty Professor” on a double feature, I vividly remember). I am very sorry to read of the demise of the Eastland, but I am not surprised. Perhaps my favorite movie there: “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.” Since I left West Covina (at age 17, in 1969), I’ve been a movie critic, film historian and entertainment editor — all in New York City. But I owe a lot to what I saw as a kid in West Covina.
The Claremont was a forerunner of an arthouse as early as the ‘50s (and possibly even earlier). It played foreign films, art films, even Disney’s original “Shaggy Dog” — and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (on a first-run basis). It played Burton Holmes’ travelogues, the British “Carry On” movies, Peter Sellers' early movies (before he went Hollywood) … and the long, long (and badly made) musical “South Pacific.” I saw them all there as a kid.
Woody Allen’s first breakout movie played there — 1969’s Take the Money and Run. It was always a triplex
The Capri opened some time in the early ‘60s — Dr. Strangelove played there
The Eastland opened in 1961, with the John Wayne movie, “The Comancheros.” I went to junior high and high school with the daughter of the theater’s owner. It was a terrific theater — Doris Day romantic comedies played there, as did movies direct from roadshows in Beverly Hills and Hollywood. “The Sound of Music” and “Doctor Zhivago” seemed like they kept coming back to the Eastland. I even saw “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” there. When it opened, the admission price was slightly higher than that at the musty old Covina Theatre (which showed “Dr. No” and Jerry Lewis' “The Nutty Professor” on a double feature, I vividly remember). I am very sorry to read of the demise of the Eastland, but I am not surprised. Perhaps my favorite movie there: “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.” Since I left West Covina (at age 17, in 1969), I’ve been a movie critic, film historian and entertainment editor — all in New York City. But I owe a lot to what I saw as a kid in West Covina.