5th Avenue Theatre (Closed)
Inglewood, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The 5th Avenue Theatre gave Manchester Boulevard a neighborhood movie-house landmark, with a projecting marquee that was still worth a look long after the films ended. Seen here with its theatre identity intact, the entrance recalls the days when checking what was playing meant looking up from the sidewalk. The lettering and canopy kept advertising the building’s past even when there were no tickets to buy. 04-06

Opened in 1939 at 2541 W. Manchester Boulevard, the theatre originally operated under Southside Theatres and later became associated with the Fox circuit. It belonged to a generation of neighborhood cinemas that made an afternoon matinee or an evening picture a convenient local outing.

5th Avenue Theatre
Inglewood, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Over the years, changing programs and operators brought different audiences through the entrance. Like many single-screen houses, the 5th Avenue eventually reached the end of its moviegoing run. The building remained, however, leaving an opportunity for another use behind the familiar frontage.

UPDATE: The former theatre became the Historic Saint Paul Baptist Church, which also closed. Its 5th Avenue lettering was removed, and the exterior received a different look for its new role. The movie-house welcome pictured here is gone, but the building survived to serve another neighborhood gathering. Another marquee lost its name, while the old auditorium found a reason to keep its doors open. 10-26

Topanga Theatre (Demolished)
Woodland Hills, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Topanga Theatre made a memorable impression along Topanga Canyon Boulevard with its name spelled out in bright red lettering. In its later years, discounted movies gave Valley customers another reason to stop beneath the familiar marquee. It was an affordable way to catch a picture after its first run, with the old theatre supplying some character along with the bargain. 04-06

Opened on October 26, 1965, the Stanley-Warner Topanga began as a large single-screen house equipped for 70mm presentations. Its opening attraction was The Bedford Incident, introducing audiences to a modern theatre built for the big-screen experience.

Topanga Theatre (Demolished)
Woodland Hills, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Pacific Theatres later took over, and the auditorium was divided as multiple screens became the preferred way to compete. The Topanga eventually shifted to second-run programming in 1998. For customers more interested in an inexpensive afternoon at the movies than the latest opening weekend, it still had something to offer.

UPDATE: The Topanga closed in early 2000 and briefly housed a furniture store before demolition in September 2007. The building and its familiar signage disappeared, ending hopes of another moviegoing chapter at 6360 Topanga Canyon Boulevard. These photographs bring back a Valley stop where the bright red theatre name once helped turn a drive down the boulevard into an evening out. 10-26

Garmar Theatre (Demolished)
Montebello, CA
Courtesy Timothy G. Shubin

The Garmar Theatre in Montebello was the sort of place where parents could drop off the kids for a double feature and return a few hours later. A ticket bought an afternoon’s entertainment, while the marquee along Whittier Boulevard announced the next reason to come back. Memories of the nearby Electric Planet arcade add another familiar stop to the neighborhood’s entertainment history. The theatre closed in the early 1980s and was later demolished. 08-06

Opened on March 29, 1950, the Garmar stood at 2325 W. Whittier Boulevard. Its unusual name came from owner Al Olander’s sons, Gary and Mark—a family connection tucked into a name generations of local moviegoers would remember. S. Charles Lee designed the theatre using a Quonset-style auditorium, giving Montebello a large single-screen house with nearly 1,000 seats. Out front, the marquee supplied the roadside welcome. Inside, everyone settled in for the same program, with no hallway of numbered screens to navigate.

Garmar Theatre 1949
Montebello, CA
Courtesy Timothy G. Shubin

For many customers, the Garmar’s history comes down to particular afternoons and evenings: a childhood matinee, a favorite double bill, or a movie that seemed even better with a noisy audience. One former patron recalled seeing Enter the Dragon here shortly after Bruce Lee’s death, turning an ordinary theatre visit into a lasting memory. Those personal connections explain why the Garmar name still comes up long after the building disappeared.

UPDATE: Theatre histories place the Garmar’s closure in July 1981 and its demolition later that year. A shopping development replaced the movie house, ending its run after roughly three decades. The auditorium and familiar marquee are gone, but photographs bring back a Montebello stop where a few hours, a movie ticket, and some popcorn could take care of the afternoon. 10-26

Garmar Theatre seating area Montebello, CA Courtesy Timothy G. Shubin	Garmar Theatre crying room Montebello, CA Courtesy Timothy G. Shubin