Picwood Theatre
10872 W. Pico Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90064
10872 W. Pico Boulevard,
Los Angeles,
CA
90064
22 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 251 comments
December 24th, 1948 grand opening ad. in photo section.
Lawsuit in 1948 http://latimes.newspapers.com/clip/6175272/picwood_theatre_opening/
Extracted from 70mm in Los Angeles, here is a list of the 70mm presentations held at the Picwood, most of which were re-release, subsequent run or moveover bookings. (Sorry, I don’t have the duration data for most of these. But if anyone wants that info, it shouldn’t be that difficult for you to research now that you’re armed with the relevant titles and start dates.)
1975-01-22 … Gone With the Wind
1980-08-01 … The Black Hole / Sleeping Beauty
1980-08-15 … Fame (7 weeks)
1980-11-21 … Divine Madness
1980-12-17 … The Empire Strikes Back
1980-12-19 … Apocalypse Now (26 weeks)
1981-02-13 … The Jazz Singer (7 weeks)
1981-04-03 … Fame
1981-07-03 … Alien / Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1981-07-24 … Wolfen
1981-09-04 … Superman II
1981-12-16 … Zoot Suit (2 weeks)
1981-12-30 … Zoot Suit / The Jazz Singer (1 week)
1982-01-08 … Apocalypse Now
1982-02-05 … Sharky’s Machine
1982-04-02 … Quest for Fire
1982-06-11 … Raiders of the Lost Ark (5 weeks)
1982-07-16 … E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (22 weeks)
1982-12-17 … The Dark Crystal
1983-05-06 … Rocky III
1984-04-04 … The Right Stuff
1984-12-14 … Dune
1985-05-31 … Amadeus (3 weeks)
1985-06-21 … Lifeforce
1985-07-19 … Amadeus
A great deal of my childhood was spent at the Pickwood. In 1967, when we lived in Westwood, I went to the kiddie matinee every Saturday at noon, where they had double-features. We used to go to Pickwood Bowl before, bowl, and have breakfast. Must have gone there for more than a year every Saturday. It was a great Westside tradition. I later saw many other movies there, including “Daddy’s Gone a Hunting”, “Rachel Rachel”, “All the Right Moves”, ect.
When the Picwood opened it had a tropical type of interior in the auditorium. It was remodeled in and around 1966-7. After the remodel the Picwood seated 950 seats.
Hi Steve, Those were the days at that theatre. Boy we had a fun crew running the theatre. Good to hear from you.
Hey, Steve Tinner here, I know I’m many years too late to actively post but just wanted to say Hi to crew from the days of ET, Qwest for Fire(I still have some promo material), Evil Under the Sun; circa 1980’s… Bill, Lisa, Bob, anyone else out there?
worked in the there in the 1950 was one of the greatest i worked in they had lots of first time showings like bell book and candles
@Coate: sorry, I was agreeing with you and confirming according to the best of my recollection…thought you might like concurrance from someone who was actually there for the entire run.
BobSe: Why are you repeating me??? Just two comments before you I had stated the Picwood showed “E.T.” after the Cinerama Dome and that it ran 22 weeks. If you were agreeing with me, then say so. Otherwise, please pay attention.
The 1980’s was the last true decade that had outstanding projection in theatres, run by true projectionists. They ran the theatres without automations to run curtains and lights.
Funny how I clearly remembered seeing “E.T.” at the Picwood but had forgotten the Dome. I’ve always been pretty good at remembering where I saw certain films, especially in a unique place like the Dome, so the impact of this one must have been pretty significant to have wiped that part out.
Boy, do I miss the long runs of great films.
The Picwood ran “E.T.” on a limited release after it left its exclusive engagement at The Cinerama Dome. We ran it until we opened “The Dark Crystal”. IMDB tells us the it opened on December 17, 1982. Anyone any good at math? If the dates are correct, Picwood ran “E.T.” for 22 weeks.
BobSe, you ran such a great show that I remember bringing you caviar! Picwood had such classy people :–)
FWIW…The Picwood’s run of “E.T.” began July 16, 1982, which was the film’s sixth week of release. The Cinerama Dome played it as a Los Angeles (city and county) exclusive for its first five weeks of release. The Picwood’s engagement ran, I believe, for 22 weeks.
sweet…that’s great to hear from someone after all these years
Yes, it would have been within the first 2-3 weeks. That’s great to hear, and it was a VERY good one!
@ChasSmith: if you were there in the first month I probably ran the show. The other projectionist was let go the day before it opened so I was working 14 hour days. Hope it was a good one.
Sadly, the only film I know I saw at the Picwood was “E.T.” It was my second time to see it (don’t remember where else it opened) and I remember so clearly waiting out in front (probably in a line) on a beautiful sunny afternoon with friends who were seeing it their first time. Love the photos here, and I’m sorry I didn’t get there for other films.
William (aka Bill). That is correct. The booth was pretty much a mess when I got there. The first feature I ran there was Wolfen in 70mm Dolby. I was there until summer 1985. Clark stayed until the theater closed. I went over to Cineplex Brentwood Twin just a few months before the Pic was raised.
BobSe, You won the bid after Autley Musslewhite and Ozzie Pence left. Then you Paul Marks ran it. And after Marks Clark Wood. Before Picwood you was over at SRO’s Paramount Theatre.
Thank you…
Hi BobSe, You ran a good show Bob. It was nice have you in that booth.
@MarcS: we played The Dark Crystal right after “E.T.”. Both were 70mm Dolby presentations and we went back to 35mm for almost a year after Crystal closed. The only gospel film we ran was “Gospel”, which ran for about 2 months. Tom Campion was the manager at the time and Clark W and I ran the booth.
Picwood was a Great Theatre to work in those days. Marc you still have those tapes. :)