Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Hal Roach Studios - Now and Then & Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle's PlantationCafe - Now & Then


Here we have the Hal Roach movie studio, known as the "Laugh Factory to the World".  The Little Rascals, Harold Lloyd and Laurel & Hardy, among others, created movie classics here.  Opened in 1919, it survived until 1963, when the studio buildings were razed.  Above photo and below from internet.




In a small park, near the corner of Washington Boulevard and National, a plaque marks the site of the studio. (Goodrich/2014)



Here us what the site looks like today.  The aforementioned plaque can be seen toward the left-center of the frame. (Goodrich/August 2014)


In the view above, which was taken years ago (Culver City Now website), the railroad track, which was used to haul cameras, sets, costumes, etc. from one part of the studio to another, can be seen.  Hal Roach's office stood to the right of these tracks.  In the photo below, take a look at a 2014 view of this site...the tracks are gone and we now have overpasses easily visible.


August 2014 view of this site (Goodrich/2014)







Internet photo: Fatty Arbuckle's Plantation Cafe - located in the 11700 block of Washington Boulevard in Culver City, CA.  This establishment was amazingly successful and Roscoe performed himself here often after the Rappe scandal.  Celebrities were here every night until the Depression caused the Plantation Cafe to close in 1929


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This is what the Plantation Cafe site looks like today...(Goodrich/2014)

Friday, August 15, 2014


This theater, unbelievably, opened in 1908 in Owego, NY.  My father went to serialized westerns as a kid at this theater and my grandfather served as a projectionist!  It survived the transition from film to digital projection and is still thrilling audiences in upstate NY! (F. Goodrich/2012)

Current 2014 site of the Cinedome Theaters - oh, how things change! (Goodrich/2014)


Here are the former Cinedome Theaters in Orange, CA.  These theaters featured all the latest technologies when they opened in 1969 - 70mm wide-screen projection, 6 track stereophonic sound and curved screens.  In 1992, the year we arrived in CA, they were enlarged to 11 screens and I saw many movies here.  This was one of my favorite theaters.  It closed in 1999 and was demolished the following year. (Source: internet)

The Cinedome Theaters in Orange, CA


This is the former Charles Theater (courtesy of Cinema Treasures) located at 185 Cambridge St. in Boston, MA.  This theater was famous for premiering many 70mm premieres including all three "Star Wars" films.  I remember driving  from Storrs, CT to Boston to see "Revenge of the Jedi" - in 70mm wide-screen with 6 track Dolby Stereophonic Sound!  After the theater was demolished, the property was used for the enlargement of a hospital.