The First Picture Show - A Forgotten Tale of the Rancho La Puente
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- Опубліковано 11 лют 2025
- Living in the San Gabriel Valley and Whittier area, we have had many walk-in movie theatres over the decades. Many of which are now gone, and few remain. The Star Theatre in La Puente has been a landmark for generations... But it's days may be numbered. Learn why this seemingly down and out theatre is actually a treasure hidden in plain sight, and also learn about the multiple theatres that existed in the surrounding areas. Dim the lights, fire up the projector and peer into the magic of our valley's first walk-in movie theatres.
Thanks! I saw "Hard Day's Night" here in 1964. I was seven years old.
Thank you for the memories :) Another regret... That I didn't take one photo of the Star Theatre while I lived there. Who can predict what an 8 yr kid will cherish in his golden years? I remember seeing Laurel & Hardy & The Three Stooges, Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin and so many double features for $0.25. And I had to walk about 2 miles to get the The Star Theatre. And then the times when the line would wrap around the building. I wish I could remember which movies brought in that many movie goers.
How,intresting I rember in LA Puente on corner of main I tink Glendora Av, A pharmacy and fountain dunks,malts,shakes u trmber that,
The Star was built in the early 50's - I went to it as a kid...
I grew up in La Puente right around the corner from the Star and I’m sad to inform everyone that they demolished it today.
i lived on main street
@@davediamond7228
I lived on Hambledon Ave, right across the street from the Alta Dena Dairy. As a kid, I'd ride my bike over the hill, on Salais, it turned into Main St on the other side of Azusa Ave.
Through the neighborhood, through downtown Puente and over to the Star Theater.
Spent a lot of Saturdays there, watching movies.
Thank you Marty your the best, The Brown Family of 10 on Molinar from aprox 1968 to 1979 i am the youngest of the eight siblings and cherish those years gone past
Thank you so much. I lived in La Puente all my life and The Star theater always baffled me and I had no way of knowing the history or anything about it until now.
Would this happen to be David Mendoza on Ballista st.?
Michael Brown Calle Ballista /Fairgrove
I get so happy whenever I get a notification that a new video was uploaded. I enjoy your videos very much. Thank you
This is why we keep making videos.
@@forgottensocal it's been took down
@@Michael-xl8dz We know. We were hoping that this video would have helped save the old building... we hoped that perhaps this video would have reached city council members, and helped them see what a true gem they had.
Star theatre is officially gone ... I was there the day the bulldozers knocked everything down ... not only did they knock the building down but the memories inside it ... first kisses , first dates , first movie experiences.... I sat there in my truck and watched decades of good times disappear for good ... for those who remember the star theater you can say we enjoyed a life full of memories and good times. Hopefully in my next lifetime I can enjoy the past more than the future.
I almost started crying when i seen the old theater .being demolition ed . part of my child hood in the 70z great memories . my mom use to take us there . we seen easy rider . best time of my child hood . my mom was a go go danser at the cats meo . in Baldwin park . great times . best memories . of my life .
Thank you
Like others have said, I love seeing a new video. I have watched every video and they each offer me (a resident of the SGV for over 35 years) new information about the area. Thank you!
As always, excellent, well done. Helps to keep a past alive, maybe barely but still there.
Another truly great documentary. Thank you !
I'm sorry that the Star theater was not saved. It was an adult theater when my husband and I moved to LA Puente. After it was shut down I had hoped that it would be refurbished and be a family theater again. Too bad that there weren't enough people who could have done something.
Sadly, people don't care about their history.
I wished they refurbished ):
were going to miss that star
I absolutely love these Forgotten Tales! Beautiful work, as always.
nice, love all the information you provided. I drive by almost everyday and wonder about this awesome building. thank you.
thanks for the amazing work.
I see this abandoned building everyday and never thought what it was till now. I walk by there everyday when I go to school and go home. It's sad that its abandon.
Sad but true
man crazy that i lived in all these areas
Long live the late night science fiction double feature picture show!
I"m from the area finally I learned the history of the Star theater all I knew about it was that it showed adult films at one time.
So cool yeah my father mother and all 8 of us kids we cleaned theater to earn money to buy clothes for school worked at least 3 or 4 theater in the summer vacation had alot of fun times soda popcorn did it for 40 years in Inglewood west Covina long Beach I can still remember wanting to sleep at night like normal people always worried about my dad going to work when it was raining real hard no matter what seen the movies for free found alot of stuff money
in the 90s I was a projectionist for the Eastland, Westcove and Fox in West Covina & Covina.
Oh,you hav many good stories
I always knew there was a lot of history in this area but you have finally put a factual story behind it all. Before that I just heard people mention things but they didn't provide much detail I love your show and look forward to the next ones.
I love your video just a word for thought if there will be a video on the los Angeles red car aka the Pacific electric that used to go through El Monte Baldwin park and Covina not many people know about that and there s landmark still there
Great work
This is wonderful. I'm a SGV kid. Eastland, Covina, Capri, Wescove...my movie hangouts.
I have some very sad news to share, the la puente star theater was torn down about a month ago. I think the star was not destroyed but I don't know who has it now
the new apartments in it's place dont look right being there..
the first time i went to the star was in 1961...seen the blob and a Vincent price movie ... then 5 or 6 years later i walked past it everyday to and from la Puente high, which was a half a block away...i dont think it ever played first run movies and horror movies seemed the standard fair ...
in the seventies when it turned to porn, there was a sandal...seems hookers where setting up shop in vans in the parking lot ...
now apartments sit in it's place...across the street are still law offices ..but before that, it was a military recruitment center....and across from that is still the women's club building ..they just celebrated their 100th year
Thank you for making all these great videos! S Charles Lee designed so many great theaters, and i recently learned that he designed a large Spanish house up on Skyline Drive in 1938. I remember growing up in the Heights we heard lots of folklore about that house, i expect that none of it is true. Any idea who Lee designed that house for?
I’ve lived in the heights all my life as well, and I can think of 2 houses on skyline that fit that description:
One is the “Hensel House” on the corner of Skyline and Descending dr. Someone that has lived here for much longer than I has said that it once belonged to the owner/founder/something of Mattel co., also saying that the kids living there would ride little racing go-karts around the house and the hills. Not sure of how true this one is.
The second would be on the corner of Skyline and Turnbull Canyon rd and a bit more is known about it. Known as “The Singing Kettle”, it’s rumored to have been a private restaurant/tea-house or bed and breakfast for celebrities of the time to be able to dine without being bothered. I do believe this to be more of a well known fact.
Any additions or corrections are welcome, I’m super curious as well.
the el monte theatre is still there but its a shoe store. and you forgot rosemead 4 theatre.
I was born in 70 and "the Star" was a porn theater for a LONG time. Im glad it has a better history than that.
Where (is) was the Theater located at?
La Puente, CA
1st street and workman
my dad always complained about the "acoustics" - poor sound at the Star...
No IMDb page for this doc?
RIP The Star Theater
There are plans to demolish it soon. I would love to try and stop it. I grew up in this city and would hate to see such an iconic building go.
City council voted to demolish the theater. They will replace the site with over price condos that's doesn't benefit the community.
👍
The Vogue and GarMar.
They tore it down :(
So my city has an old theater
Great work Forgotten Tales. all we are known for in LA Puente is gang activity.
I been to Main Street before
The city voted to tear it down and is now going to be replaced with condos :/.
.. it's gone already.
Tunnels along la river runoffs for sheriffs and FBI /secience magnetic programs
first