"Wild Guitar"

Arch Hall Jr. comes to Hollywood with his guitar aiming to become a star in Ray Dennis Steckler's "Wild Guitar" (Fairway International, 1962). We see several theatres as he wanders the streets including this view of the Pantages with "11 Academy Nominations" on the marquee. The film was "Judgment at Nuremburg." 

 

 

Crossing the street in front of the Egyptian while they were running "Sweet Bird of Youth" with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. The film was a March 1962 release. A moment later his suitcase opens, spilling all his possessions.  

 

 

Of course we visit the Chinese. 

 

 

They were playing "West Side Story." 

 

 

Trying out some footprints.  

 

 

He meets Nancy Czar in a coffee shop and instantly falls in love. She takes him to a local TV studio where we see a dance number.  There's been some discussion about this being filmed at the Ivar but that seems unlikely. 

 

Also featured in the film are Arch Hall Sr., Marie Denn, Robert Crumb, Virginia Broderick, Carolyn Brandt and Lloyd Williams. The cinematography was by Joseph V. Mascelli. 

 

 

 Backstage at the TV studio where they're trying to figure out what to do when an act doesn't show. 

 

 

Another shot backstage when Nancy says, "Hey, my friend could go on." Our guy with the guitar is over on the right. He goes on and is impressive (surprise!). He starts getting work but his new managers want him to focus on that and not see Nancy. 

 

 

The back of this studio.  

 

 

On the road with bigger venues. Here he comes out after a show. We're at the California Theatre in Burbank.  

 

 

Nancy hasn't heard from him because the managers told him she doesn't want to see him anymore. Not true at all. She's been coming to his shows and he sees her outside. They reunite.    

 

 

 

Another show, another TV studio. 

 

 

  

The back of this second studio.  

 

 

  

A happy ending with the couple on Hollywood Blvd. That's the Vogue Theatre on the left and a bit of the Egyptian's marquee in the upper right.  

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Pantages, Grauman's Chinese, Egyptian, Vogue and Burbank's California Theatre for the history of these showplaces and many, many photos. 

 On IMDb: "Wild Guitar"   The full film is available on YouTube. 

| alphabetical list by film title | list by theatre name or geographic area |

| Los Angeles Theatres | L.A. Theatres on Facebook |   

"White Heat"

We get a view up Weddington St. in North Hollywood toward the back of the El Portal Theatre on Lankershim in Raoul Walsh's film "White Heat" (Warner Bros., 1949). The film stars James Cagney, Virginia Mayo and Edmond O'Brien. Margaret Wycherly, playing Cagney's Ma, is driving the car and trying to lose the cops who are on her tail.

Cagney, Mayo and Wycherly decide to duck in to the San Val Drive-In in Burbank to evade the cops on another chase later in the film. On the marquee it's "South of St. Louis" and "Siren of Atlantis."

Pulling up to the boxoffice. 

 

 

A nice view over the cashier's shoulder. Thanks to Joe Pinney for providing this shot.  

 

 

Pulling into a space. It's another shot Joe Pinney located.

Parked and watching the show. Cagney sneaks off leaving the two ladies to be picked up by the cops. Cinema Treasures contributor Oobleckboy notes that what we actually see on the San Val screen are shots from the 1949 film 'Task Force."

A shot of the filming at the San Val from the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

For more about the theatres see the San Val Drive-In and El Portal Theatre pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site.

On IMDb: "White Heat"

"Grease"

The drive-in scene in Randall Kleiser's "Grease" (Paramount, 1978) was shot at the Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank.

John Travolta trying to get friendly with Olivia Newton-John as they watch a trailer for a Dean Martin / Jerry Lewis film. After he takes it too far she leaves as he says "You can't walk out of a drive-in!"

John on the swings singing "Sandy" with a Filmack hot dog trailer on the screen. "Stranded at the drive-in, branded a fool..." Also starring in the film are Stockard Channing, Eve Arden and Sid Caesar. 

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "Grease"

"Pushover"

The exterior of the Magnolia Theatre on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank gets a nice part in "Pushover" (Columbia, 1954) with Fred MacMurray, Kim Novak, Philip Carey and Dorothy Malone. Richard Quine directed. Thanks to Escott O. Norton for providing the screen shots.

A closer look at the guy changing the marquee.  

A fine view of the entrance and the theatre's Skouras-style boxoffice. 

A closer look at Kim Novak coming out of the movie. Thanks, Escott!

See the page about the Magnolia Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about this 1940 vintage movie house.

On IMDb: "Pushover" 

"He's a Cockeyed Wonder"

The first appearance of Burbank's Pickwick Drive-In in the movies is Peter Godfrey's "He's a Cockeyed Wonder" (Columbia, 1950) starring Mickey Rooney and Terry Moore. Jack Tillmany comments:

"On the marquee is the Columbia feature 'Fuller Brush Girl' with Lucille Ball and Eddie Albert, and 'A Girl’s Best Friend,' a non-existent film, which is apparently the second feature, and the one in progress. A uniformed female usher greets the driver, takes his money, and gets his ticket from the nearby cashier, in a glass-enclosed booth; then a uniformed male usher, with flashlight, directs the car to an available parking spot, and places the speaker on the car window. We get to see a bit of 'A Girl’s Best Friend' with Richard Quine and Lola Albright as the uncredited couple, in the usual situation, in the front seat of a convertible, before trouble in the theatre breaks out."

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "He's a Cockeyed Wonder"

"Blue Thunder"

We get a drug deal in front of the Fox Westwood Village Theatre spotted from a police helicopter by Daniel Stern and Roy Scheider in John Badham's "Blue Thunder" (Columbia, 1983). On the marquee it's "Mommie Dearest." The film also stars Malcolm McDowell, Warren Oates and Candy Clark in a tale of a new police helicopter being developed for sinister uses.

See the page about the Fox Westwood Village on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about this historic venue.

Before Daniel Stern gets killed by guys working for the Feds he stashes an incriminating tape in a dumpster at the Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank. Scheider has sent his girl friend, Candy Clark, there to retrieve the tape. In this shot he's checking on her progress from the air.

A closer look at the screen tower. Note the side extensions for a CinemaScope expansion. 

Candy Clark rooting through the dumpster. The police will be arriving soon for a chase as she tries to get the tape to a TV station. Thanks to Ron Strong for noting the presence of the Pickwick in the film on his Bijou Memories page about the theatre.

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "Blue Thunder"

"St. Ives"

 

A fine view across the parking lot at 6th and Hill from J. Lee Thompson's crime drama "St. Ives" (Warner Bros, 1976). The lot used to be the site of the Metropolitan/Paramount Theatre. Across the park it's the Biltmore Hotel and, a bit right of center at 5th and Olive, the Philharmonic Auditorium Building. 

 

The film stars Charles Bronson, Jacqueline Bisset, John Houseman, Harris Yulin, Harry Guardino, Maximilian Schell and Dana Elcar. The cinematography was by Lucien Ballard.  

 

Looking into Lindley Place, the alley north of the Los Angeles Theatre. 

 

 

Bronson at the newsstand with the Philharmonic Auditorium seen in the upper left. It would be demolished in 1985. The newsdealer is also Bronson's bookie.

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Metropolitan/Paramount Theatre, the Philharmonic Auditorium and the Los Angeles Theatre. 

 

 

 

The Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank makes an appearance late in the movie.

 

It's the site of a payoff operation that gets badly bungled. One party is driving in.

 

 

A look at some of that "Action Packed" western drama on the screen. 

 

 

 

Another shot from a bit farther back. 

 

Party number two arrives and we get a view of the projection building, decorated in the Pacific Theatres yellow and blue. Two more vehicles are involved with various individuals observing. Jacqueline turns out to be dangerous and two corrupt cops get killed. 

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "St. Ives"

"Christine"

The Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank is seen in John Carpenter's "Christine" (Columbia, 1983). The film, based on a Stephen King novel about a malevolent car, features Keith Gordon, Alexandra Paul, John Stockwell, Harry Dean Stanton, Robert Prosky and Kelly Preston. The cinematography was by Donald M. Morgan. 

 

Another angle on the car. Keith is trying to make it with Alexandra.

 

At the snackbar. "I can't do it. Not in that car." She says he spends more time with the car than with her. 

 

 The car tries to do her in.

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "Christine"

"The Kiss of the Tarantula"

Burbank's Pickwick Drive-In makes an appearance in Chris Munger's film "The Kiss of the Tarantula" (Cinema-Vu, 1976) starring Ernesto Macias and Suzanna Ling.

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "The Kiss of the Tarantula"

"Night Moves"

We get a brief view of the Cornell Theatre in Arthur Penn's "Night Moves" (Warner Bros., 1975).  The theatre was located at 1212 N. San Fernando Blvd. in Burbank. Gene Hackman is headed over to the Magnolia Theatre to see what his wife, played by Jennifer Warren, is up to.

Hackman approaches the Magnolia, 4403 Magnolia Blvd., to spy on his wife -- out on her movie date with a "friend."

 The couple leaving the theatre.

A look at the Magnolia's marquee from the film. See the pages about the Cornell Theatre and the Magnolia Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more on these two San Fernando Valley venues. The Cornell's site has been turned into a strip mall but the Magnolia survives as a recording studio. 

On IMDb: "Night Moves"