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This week marks the tenth anniversary of Regal’s Foothill Ranch 22. While the theatre has never quite lived up to business expectations, the site does have a rather colorful back story. Back in 1993, the Foothill Ranch Development Company announced plans to build a retail and entertainment center, on a fifteen acre parcel, beside the […]

One likely doesn’t think of concessions, when the, long defunct, Pussycat adult theatre chain is brought up. However, as with it’s mainstream counterparts, there were concession stands in use at Pussycat venues and they even had branded merchandise. While I’m sure there was some activity at the stand, especially during the “porno chic” era, I can’t imagine there were […]

This week’s random photo is of the, generically named, “Drive-In”, that once sat on the corner of Pico and Westwood Blvd., in Los Angeles (now the site of the Westside Pavilion shopping center). Opened as L.A.’s first drive in, on September 9, 1934, the Drive-In claimed to possess the world’s largest screen (40′ X 50′).  .   Of […]

These days, the Mann Theatres chain exists as a mismanaged handful of leases, in search of new operators. Yet, in the not so distant past, Mann was a major player in the exhibition industry; for a time, the nation’s largest independent chain. . Mann’s story begins with the chain’s namesake, Ted Mann. Born on April 15, 1916, Mann first […]

In keeping with the recent announcement that Mann is selling off theatres, including Grauman’s Chinese, here is a picture from the last time the Chinese changed hands. .   The picture comes from a 1970-1971 souvenir brochure National General Theatres released; although the photo was likely taken a few years earlier. Then part of Gene […]

Thirty five years ago, Orange County braced itself for “the beginning of the most exciting development in entertainment since sound was introduced to motion pictures.” What was this groundbreaking event? The grand opening of United Artists’ Westminister Mall 4. .   In what might be the most exaggerated statement in county cinema history, United Artists actually introduced their Westminster […]

Fifty four years ago this week, Orange County welcomed it’s fifth ozoner with the grand opening of the Anaheim Drive-In. Once billed as “Orange County’s most luxurious super drive-in theatre”, the venue had a thirty-five year run, before closing in the spring of 1990. The Anaheim Drive-In also had a rather unique after life, being the site […]

Back in 1939, inventor Aston Moore proposed a new popcorn container for moviegoers, which added the convenience of a built in napkin dispenser. Similar to a cereal box, the cardboard container was lined with a wax paper bag for the popcorn; the napkin was housed below the bag and accessed via a small slit in the box. There is no evidence […]

This month marks the sixtieth anniversary of Costa Mesa’s Paulo Drive-In. Opened on July, 8, 1949, with the features “Streets of Laredo” and “Across the River”, the venue was Orange County’s third drive-in. Originally an independent, the drive-in was picked up by Pacific Theatres in the Fall of 1952. The Paulo lasted until February of 1976, when the site was demolished […]

Back in the winter of 1925, the nation was captivated by the story of the “Serum Race to Nome”; in which antitoxin was rushed to the isolated town of Nenana, Alaska, via train and dog sled, to combat an outbreak of diphtheria. While involving 20 mushers and 150 dogs, fame ultimately fell on Gunnar Kaasen and […]