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Pictured below is a promotional foldout postcard, sent to a San Bernadino theatre operator in 1907, from the Miles Brothers Exchange. The Miles Brothers Exchange was an industry defining business model that both revolutionized film distribution and made full time movie theatres possible. In the early 1900′s there was an exploding interest in motion pictures, but exhibitors [...]

In recognition of Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre (currently run by the American Cinematheque) turning eighty-eight this Monday, I thought I would share a few pages from the opening night souvenir album. While never having achieved the noteriety of Sid Grauman’s later endeavor (the world famous Grauman’s Chinese), the Egyptian was a groundbreaking masterpiece in it’s own right, ushering in an [...]

Today’s photo captured a rare moment in the Star Vu Drive-In’s history; a night when the ill-fated venture was actually open for business. .   Lasting only one summer, Costa Mesa’s Star Vu was a well intended attempt to bring the magic of drive-in movie going back to Orange County. Utilizing an inflatable screen and temporary set up, the [...]

On October 1, 1919, the Garden Theatre opened in La Habra, originally operating as both a vaudeville and motion picture venue. The theatre was later renamed the “La Habra” and managed to last until the mid 1950′s, when Lippert Theatres announced that they would be opening their own “La Habra Theatre” in town. The former Garden [...]

Walking past Costa Mesa’s bustling Orange County Performing Arts Center this evening, I took a shortcut which unintentionally brought me to a site of cinema loss and waste.   This grass covered clearing was once a movie going Mecca for Orange County, the South Coast Plaza Theatre. Some two decades removed from the “Westwood of [...]

Today’s picture captures the Orange Drive-In’s snack bar and staff (circa late 1940′s?). As with most drive-ins, the Orange operated a cafeteria style snack bar, with patrons passing along a stationed service line, before checking out at the register; another, larger, stand was built when the venue added a second screen in the late 60′s. A [...]

  And you thought “big sound” was a modern innovation. .   . Pictured above are two Bell Laboratories technicians, showing off one of the sixteen horned speakers that was utilized during a series stereophonic sound demonstrations held in the late 1930′s. Initially used to showcase musical performances, the technology was adapted to motion pictures [...]

Today’s photo is of the RMS Queen Mary’s cinema (circa 1936). At the time of the ship’s launch, the movie theatre was promoted as being “talkie” equipped and featuring a “giant screen”, for the “leisurely pleasure” of first class passengers. While the theatre’s sound quality remains a matter of conjecture, the “giant screen” claim looks [...]

The young man pictured below is Lyndon “Lynn” Aufdenkamp (circa 1916). In addition to having been a prominent figure in Laguna Beach’s early twentieth century development, Mr. Aufdenkamp was also the  city’s first cinema operator and the namesake for all of the movie theatres which have operated in Laguna Beach over the past ninety five years. .   Laguna’s [...]

This week marks the 95th anniversary of Santa Ana’s West End Theatre. In addition to being Orange County’s second oldest remaining theatre structure (the Yost being the oldest), the West End was the first county venue built expressly for use as a cinema. Prior to the West End’s construction, Orange County cinema venues were comprised [...]