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A novel anniversary, as Disneyland’s Main Street Cinema opened on this week, back in 1955. Some might argue that this is more of a theme park attraction than true cinema, but, when one gets down to it, the Main Street Cinema is actually a throwback to the storefront nickelodeons of movie going’s founding years.   […]

As mentioned in an earlier post, restrooms are likely the least documented feature of cinemas. Despite this long standing decorum fueled omission, here are two pictures of what might be the most famous cinema restroom in existence; the men’s room of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.              Nothing fancy or truly unique to be seen, […]

Pictured below is an advertisement which ran somewhat regularly in “Popular Mechanics” throughout 1907. Capturing the novice, “do it yourself”, attitude, which drove the early years of film exhibition, the ad promotes one of the many outfits that offered “start your own motion picture business” packages. Companies like Amusement Supply and the Miles Brothers (profiled […]

This week marks the 70th anniversary of Orange County’s first drive-in, the aptly branded Orange Drive-In. Opened on June 18, 1941, the Orange enjoyed a fifty-three year run as a cinema, was the launching pad for Robert Schuller’s ministry, and hosted a popular weekend swap meet for nearly thirty years. Today, the location is little […]

Today’s pictures capture the VIP ribbon cutting (for theatres it’s film) of two spring openings from the past.   May 1997 opening of the AMC Fullerton expansion to twenty screens. .   May 2003 opening of the Krikorian Buena Park Metroplex 18. .   The Fullerton VIP night was a standard AMC corporate affair; involving dry speeches […]

Today’s picture is of Huntington Beach’s Surf Cinema (circa early 70’s). Opened as Scott’s Theatre, in 1925, the venue was later renamed the Roxie and settled in to it’s most recognizable incarnation, the Surf, on June 5, 1941. Owned by a revolving door of notable Orange County cinema operators, including Santa Ana’s Walker family, the […]

The area of Orange, running beside Interstate 5, has long been known for a string of popular cinemas. From the Orange Drive-In, to the Cinedome Theatres, and to the present day AMC Block 30, this short stretch of real estate has been home to movie going hotspots for seventy years. Yet, amid these period titans, there […]

On this week, back in 1997, Orange County bid farewell to it’s final formal drive-in, with the closure of Westminister’s Hi-Way 39. .   Epitomizing drive-in culture, with near year round fair weather and an auto based social dynamic, the county was once home to twelve highly popular outdoor cinemas. Sadly, mirroring the genre’s decline elsewhere, all of Orange County’s ozoners eventually […]

There are some theatres which fail to leave a notable mark on history due to a lack of long term financial success and/or poor location. Others quickly fade from the collective memory as a result of the sub par offerings they once provided. Then, there stands the unavoidable veil of time, which grows ever more thick with […]

Corporate mascots have long been utilized as a marketing tool, to aid in creating a brand identity and accessible “face” for, otherwise, sterile business entities. While theatre operators have never managed to establish a mascot persona as recognizable as Ronald McDonald or the Geico Gecko, many have certainly attempted to place a colorful character at the helm […]