GCC Sherman Oaks 1 & 2
4500 Van Nuys Boulevard,
Sherman Oaks,
CA
91403
4500 Van Nuys Boulevard,
Sherman Oaks,
CA
91403
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 37 comments
Was this RIGHT on the corner of Van Nuys and Milbank, where Best Buy is now, or was it a little further in where Gelson’s stands today? I’m trying to square the actual location with my memory!
June 16th, 1976 grand opening ad posted.
March 17th, 1978 grand opening ad for cinemas III IV V in photo section.
Nice photos Ken Roe.
Where are you Stolberg?
Kurt Messerschmidt
added a few more images from the emptied twin. 8 in total.
View link
I WORKED FOR GCC IN AUGUSTA,GEORGIA . THE COMPANY WAS REALLY A HARD WORKING PLACE FOR AN ASSISTANT MANAGER ON A SALARY. WITH KID SHOWS AND MIDNIGHT SHOWS WE FIGURED WE WORKED ABOUT 80 HOURS A WEEK or 1.25 an hour IN THE EARLY 80’s. THAT IS NOT EVEN WRITING ABOUT THE REGULAR FEATURES THAT ALWAYS SEEM TO HAVE TO START AT 10 pm.
Dave; Here are your links, thanks for sharing them
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hm, sorry about those links…
A few more, pre-demolition:
<a rel=“nofollow” href=“http://www.flickr.com/photos/davethewetsprocket/3876568016/sizes/o/” >one</a>
<a rel=“nofollow” href=“http://www.flickr.com/photos/davethewetsprocket/3875777905/sizes/o/” >two</a>
<a rel=“nofollow” href=“http://www.flickr.com/photos/davethewetsprocket/3876568630/sizes/o/” >three</a>
I’ve got maybe a dozen other shots of the place as it was being gutted for salvage. I was the last manager out, spent many nights those last few months going through and boxing up operations notes from over the years. Technically, the theatre site is now parking- the Best Buy occupies the old theatre parking lot.
I went to High School in Van Nuys and, after getting a driver’s license, used to come here quite frequently after school on Fridays. Biggest flick I saw here was “Backdraft” – sound and picture were top notch!
I remember this theater often being quite crowded. Maybe because of this I did not frequent it and only saw a few films here even though I have lived in or near the San Fernando Valley for most of my life. A Best Buy, with a small parking structure behind the store, now occupies the site.
Oh, and the best popcorn! I don’t know what it was (perhaps hot butter, and not room temperature-get me sick topping that they serve in theaters now), but my friends and I could never get enough. When we weren’t sneaking milk and cookies into a showing of “Tapeheads” on the 3-4-5 side.
I have such great memories of the GCC Sherman Oaks. It was my favorite theater. I saw too many films there to count, but remember being there for the opening of “Lost Boys” when the film reel snapped, and having to return to see it, with a pass, at a later time. I remember the crowded nights (like the opening of “Jurassic Park” where it seemed like everyone in the neighborhood showed up) to the near empty shows (like the opening of “The Waterboy”). It’s where I learned to truly love films. And it was great to sneak away on a weekday afternoon for a matinee or two. If you worked there, I want to thank you, because I always was greeted with a smile, and felt very welcome. It was like being invited over to a friend’s house. It’s so sad to see the theater gone.
I met my husband at the GCC Sherman Oaks back in the Neal, Pat, George, Kara, Jeff, Pam, Steve, Danny, Darren, etc. days. It was the best first job I could have had and taught me a lot. I still tell people stories of throwing a customer’s change in the lobby after he rudely ordered Hot Tamales, my husband threatening to shove a broomstick up a customer’s @, and Neal literally throwing me out on my @ after poor customer service…imagine that! He taught me about letting things go and how to treat people for 4 years. Believe it or not, it stuck with me and I actually know how to treat people now. Those were great times full of laughter and fun. It was more like a family and a place you wanted to be. Thanks for the great memories Sherman Oaks!
I miss the days of GCC and remember the Sherman Oaks theatre very well. I trained there before working at the South Bay theatres. I use to work at the GCC Montclair Cinemas for 12 years before going over to Paramount Pictures. I think working for Neal Stoldberg during the UA and GCC days was the best learning experience I had.
Scott: GCC lovefest happening at the recently added Overlake I & II:
/theaters/20931/
Oh, Scott! If only you could have been with me seeing Return of the Jedi as a kid in 1983 on the glorious shadowboxed screen in the corrugated-walled auditorium of the Villa Plaza I-II-III. Settling down in the white and red adjustable chairs. Waiting for the blue lights to dim and 20th Century Fox Logo to appear. Ah, the memories!
Does anybody have pictures of ANY of the GCCs in Southern California? Sadly, my love for GCC started too late. :(
Anyone have any photos of the Sherman Oaks?
I worked for GCC Sherman Oaks and Neal Stolberg from late 1983 to 1991. Some of my best times were spent then.
I was on the construction/remodel of Sherman Oaks 1-2 and remember the day the windows needed to be removed. The construction company, Magnum, originally wanted to keep the windows but found out they couldn’t cut them again since they were tempered. So they decided to break them out. I remember a 6 foot wrecking bar being thrown like a spear at the south facing window. The bar bounced off! After a fews attempts they learned to hit the window on the very bottom at the frame, which shattered the window completely.
I don’t remember Neal with a gun, though.
Neal e-mAIL
Neal was a Great DM when I worked for the chain. And he ran a Good District, I never saw the problems that other chains had with him running the places. And Sherman Oaks was a fun place to work along with Beverly Connection, Avco, Fallbrook, Santa Anita and South Bay.
I saw four films when it was the GCC chain. Titanic, James Bond: Tomorrow Never Dies, There’s Something About Mary, Good Will Hunting, and As Good As I Gets. Nice place and the sound was GREAT!
John Tarantino —
How can I get a hold of you?
Neal