You’re certainly right about “I’m No Angel” opening in 1933. I wonder what the first film to open at the Orpheum was, and when it opened? The Orpheum history shows that construction on the theater began in 1927. Was it completed in 1929, or later?
I’m still hoping to learn something about the plaster work done by my great-grandfather, Duncan MacDonald (see Jul 16, 2008 posting).
Quoting below from a paragraph in the book Camelback:Sacred Mountain of Phoenix by Gary Driggs (Arizona Historical Foundation, July 1998)
“In Phoenix (c.1910) Duncan MacDonald established a plastering business and did some of the most beautiful plaster work in Arizona. He did the fabulous plaster work inside the Orpheum Theater which opened in 1929 with Clark Gable and Mae West appearing in person for the opening which featured their movie, ‘I’m No Angel’.”
Duncan MacDonald is my great-grandfather. Does anyone know what the “fabulous plaster work” Driggs is referring to? I would love to see it.
I started going over some previous posts and noticed Julia April 28, 2007 said that the Garmar was owned by Al Olander. That is the name my neighbor gave me as owner of the Vogue.
Then, Joe, I looked again at the two photos of Whittier Blvd. that you posted 5/7/08 and saw something interesting. In the 1935 photo on the right/center edge of the photo there is a two story, possibly brick building with what looks like OLANDER in white letters at the top of the building. Could that be the Cameo? Mr. Olander may have been the cinema mogul of Montebello! I’m going to show the photos to my neighbor and see if it jogs her memory any more.
Joe, I’m sure that’s the Vogue. It had a central box office booth in the front center. I talked to a neighbor of mine that lived in Montebello from the late 1920s to 1958. She said that the Vogue was built in the early 1940s and that it was owned by a family named Olander (not sure of the spelling). She worked there for a while in her teens. She also said that there was another old theatre called the CAMEO further east on Whittier, maybe near 5th street, but on the south side of the street.
Regarding the Vogue Theatre, it was located at the top (north)of the “T” intersection of Whittier Blvd. & South 7th Street. Conlin Bros. Sporting Goods was at the corner of Montebello Blvd.& Whittier Blvd. then one or two small shops and then the Vogue. The theatre closed, remodeled, and was reopened as Montebello Travel Agency in 1971 or 1972. I was at the ribbon cutting. The Montebello Chamber of Commerce or the Montebello News archives would be sources for the exact address.
Wow, what a lot of great memories have been shared! The Garmar features I best remember are Psycho, The Birds, Blue Hawaii (Elvis) and The Parent Trap (Hayley Mills). The matinee games and prizes were great. Later, some of my high school friends worked in the Garmar Box Office. I remember four places adjacent to Montebello Jr. High. Across the street from Currie’s was the E&G Cafe, and across from Zesto’s was Pizza Town. The Jr. High was orginally the high school and it had a big lawn and huge trees in front of the wonderful old brick building. My grandfather went there 1925-1929. It’s too bad they had to tear it down. I’m sorry the Garmar is gone, too. Hi Larry C.
You’re certainly right about “I’m No Angel” opening in 1933. I wonder what the first film to open at the Orpheum was, and when it opened? The Orpheum history shows that construction on the theater began in 1927. Was it completed in 1929, or later?
I’m still hoping to learn something about the plaster work done by my great-grandfather, Duncan MacDonald (see Jul 16, 2008 posting).
Quoting below from a paragraph in the book Camelback:Sacred Mountain of Phoenix by Gary Driggs (Arizona Historical Foundation, July 1998)
“In Phoenix (c.1910) Duncan MacDonald established a plastering business and did some of the most beautiful plaster work in Arizona. He did the fabulous plaster work inside the Orpheum Theater which opened in 1929 with Clark Gable and Mae West appearing in person for the opening which featured their movie, ‘I’m No Angel’.”
Duncan MacDonald is my great-grandfather. Does anyone know what the “fabulous plaster work” Driggs is referring to? I would love to see it.
I started going over some previous posts and noticed Julia April 28, 2007 said that the Garmar was owned by Al Olander. That is the name my neighbor gave me as owner of the Vogue.
Then, Joe, I looked again at the two photos of Whittier Blvd. that you posted 5/7/08 and saw something interesting. In the 1935 photo on the right/center edge of the photo there is a two story, possibly brick building with what looks like OLANDER in white letters at the top of the building. Could that be the Cameo? Mr. Olander may have been the cinema mogul of Montebello! I’m going to show the photos to my neighbor and see if it jogs her memory any more.
Joe, I’m sure that’s the Vogue. It had a central box office booth in the front center. I talked to a neighbor of mine that lived in Montebello from the late 1920s to 1958. She said that the Vogue was built in the early 1940s and that it was owned by a family named Olander (not sure of the spelling). She worked there for a while in her teens. She also said that there was another old theatre called the CAMEO further east on Whittier, maybe near 5th street, but on the south side of the street.
Regarding the Vogue Theatre, it was located at the top (north)of the “T” intersection of Whittier Blvd. & South 7th Street. Conlin Bros. Sporting Goods was at the corner of Montebello Blvd.& Whittier Blvd. then one or two small shops and then the Vogue. The theatre closed, remodeled, and was reopened as Montebello Travel Agency in 1971 or 1972. I was at the ribbon cutting. The Montebello Chamber of Commerce or the Montebello News archives would be sources for the exact address.
Wow, what a lot of great memories have been shared! The Garmar features I best remember are Psycho, The Birds, Blue Hawaii (Elvis) and The Parent Trap (Hayley Mills). The matinee games and prizes were great. Later, some of my high school friends worked in the Garmar Box Office. I remember four places adjacent to Montebello Jr. High. Across the street from Currie’s was the E&G Cafe, and across from Zesto’s was Pizza Town. The Jr. High was orginally the high school and it had a big lawn and huge trees in front of the wonderful old brick building. My grandfather went there 1925-1929. It’s too bad they had to tear it down. I’m sorry the Garmar is gone, too. Hi Larry C.