"Hot Rod Gang"

 

The Monica Theatre, 7734 Santa Monica Blvd., is seen in "Hot Rod Gang" (American International, 1958). In fact we go by it several times in the first few minutes of the film as we race up and down Santa Monica Blvd. Thanks to Bret Mannon for spotting the theatre. 

 

The film, directed by Lew Landers, is about a kid who joins a rock band to earn money to support his drag racing habit. It stars John Ashley, Jody Fair and Gene Vincent. The cinematography was by Floyd Crosby.

 

We quickly meet up with another couple of guys and race on opposite sides of the street with one set of wheels on the curb. In this view north on Virgil toward Sunset Blvd. we get a bit of the Vista Theatre over on the right. 

 

Another shot a moment later with more showing of the Vista, 4473 Sunset Dr. 

 

Back on Santa Monica Blvd. with another view of the Monica. 

 

About 27 minutes in John Ashley and Jody Fair take a hurried drive up Vermont Ave. giving us a glimpse of the marquee of the Los Feliz Theatre, 1822 N. Vermont Ave. 

 

That's about all we get of the Los Feliz as the film cuts to a dissolve into a party scene but the marquee and the vertical sign are seen over on on the right.

For more data and photos of these movie houses head to the pages about the Monica/Pussycat/Studs Theatre, the Vista Theatre and the Los Feliz Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site.

On IMDb: "Hot Rod Gang."  The full film can be seen on YouTube: version 1 | version 2 - a bit sharper |

A poster that appears with the film's listing on IMDb.