Memories of a Lost Boulevard Series, A Tribute to Whittier Boulevard
Whittier Boulevard Movie Theaters, Part 2.
THE GARMAR THEATER
2325 Whittier Blvd., Montebello, CA
As I was speaking to someone the other day about this lost Montebello movie house, A long time resident who was standing within earshot came up and sighed; “The Garmar! I loved that Show! If you couldn’t afford the Golden Gate, you couldn’t afford the Garmar!
The Garmar was indeed, the “ritziest†of the Whittier Boulevard “Shows†(as we called them). For sheer luxurious comfort, perfect sightlines and cool comfortable temperatures, this was the “Tops”. You always found ample, conveniently adjacent parking, moderate and civilized crowds and top-notch projection values, and of course, the glass walled “Crying Room†for your movie viewing convenience.
This was the kind of place a young man could bring his best girl to on a date before he manhandled her on the ride home.
Opened in the spring of 1950, the original owner, Al Olander, had two sons, Gary and Mark for whom he named the theater after. The Garmar was built in the postwar popular “Quonset Hut “design with the exterior front trimmed in copper and stainless steel and adorned with coral and sea green neon forming an arch over the double sided marquee. I remember that all the doors in the lobby were done in a neat redwood paneling.
I saw many movies there in my time, but there is one very special and historic personal movie-going milestone I experienced within those pastel shaded walls of the Garmar auditorium. It was the Summer of 1973 and the anticipation for the premier of ENTER THE DRAGON starring the great Bruce Lee, was unimaginable. Watching a Bruce Lee film in those days was a spiritual, visceral and mind-blowing experience. Never before had we been witness to the so many poetically graceful yet uncannily powerful ways to kick somebody’s ass. Countless younger siblings found themselves on the receiving end of flying Kung-Fu kicks and homemade Nunchukus, thanks to the awesome inspiration of those Bruce Lee films.
On this particular night of the “Enter The Dragon†premier at the Garmar, it had been advertised all week that “Free Bruce Lee Posters†were to be given to the opening night audience (while supplies last!). This drove the frenzy of the day to a fever pitch. I recall sitting in the theater that night, as we watched and savored every frame of the movie in a stupefied state from the opening credits and those exotic opening notes of Lalo Schifrin’s thrilling score. The rising thrills and passions within us were hardly containable as finally, the last credits rolled. We had never witnessed anything so slick and so satisfyingly action-packed in this genre. The enormous sadness and sense of loss we Bruce Lee fans had experienced only a month before with the news of his untimely death had now become a glorious celebration of his immortal legacy on film. As we filed out of the auditorium, my brothers and I suddenly spied the theater’s ushers standing in the lobby holding armfuls of black & white posters of our hero, Bruce Lee, in an action pose from the movie. Instantly, the masses descended upon those helpless uniformed geeks and grabbed at the prized swag. As I made my way to one of the poster handlers, I noticed him roll his eyes and breathe heavily through his mouth for a moment out of sheer overwhelmed panic. Suddenly, his arms went limp, allowing the stack of posters to fall. And fall they did, magically into my hands. That night I went home, the proud new owner of 44 Bruce Lee posters, and one of the most special movie going moments of my life had been born that glorious night, at Montebello’s Garmar Theater.
The theater was closed down around 1980 and couple of years later they began building the Garmar Plaza mini-mall on that site. (Just like one day they’ll eventually tear down “Manuel’s El Tepeyac Café†and put up “The El Tepeyac Plaza and Artist Loftsâ€.) Here’s the former Garmar Theater site today…..
The far corner of the mall housed a Video Arcade in the 80’s called the “Electric Planetâ€, my brothers and I dropped many a quarter there as I discovered the elusive “Secret†to perpetual winnings on “Galagaâ€.
The neighboring area has some interesting tidbits that I can’t resist including in this story. Across the street you’ll find the spot where “Roadhouse Records†stood in the 80’s. The owner had an amazing selection of import vinyl, and most Eastside DJs were known to get their latest grooves at Roadhouse. Yes, that is where I bought my 12†of “Too Shy†by Kajagoogoo
A little further down on Whittier Boulevard sits a hard-to-spot former famous “Roadside Attractionâ€, The “Tamale Buildingâ€. I’m happy to report that it still stands today. Currie’s Ice Cream Parlor, of the “Mile High Cones” was also nearby, later known as the “Krazy Kone” (or the “Nieve con Sangre” as my family called that outdoor sign.)
Near the Garmar were a few great eateries as well. One that still survives is GARDUNO’S, a long time favorite for Tacos & Burgers, usually swamped by Montebello High School students on School days. Another local favorite was Marcel & Jeanne’s French Restaurant, closed for years and recently demolished.
There was another movie house nearby in Montebello called the Vogue located in what is now Montebello Travel. Unfortunately it operated and was closed down way before my time. (Click on the image to view)
And yes, it’s true that Quentin Tarantino’s mom once brought him to the Garmar, although he has not revealed whether she had to take him into the crying room.
Here’s what was showing at the Garmar as listed in the L.A. Times in October of 1969.
fantastic! thanks, Al.
it’s kind of amazing to put the shot of the theater next to the shot of the “plaza” how it is now and see the contrast–the magic of a movie house with some style, next to the sterile, dead, lifeless space that has come to define our experience now. and those mini-stripmall signs with all the stacked-grid banners, it’s weird and depressing how you see it replicated from the freeways in the larger shopping centers with bigger box stores but the same aesthetic (Home Depot or Kohl’s signs instead of WIC Center, Applebee’s instead of Little Caesars), and you also see it replicated online with all the jumbled up logo banner ads.
contrast this dull(ing) lack of imagination that saturates everything now, with the funky font of “GARMAR” on top of the theater—in neon, even!
That’s an awesome frontage there. The illustration is even more awesome.
This post is great! I love learning about the history of my neighborhood, about which I know so little. Thanks very much for filling me (and others) in and I hope you’ll keep it up!
I am loving the history! The pictures are great,So was the crying room for mothers with children or people that cried at sad films? lol
Sorry to say the theater turned into those strip-malls which are hideous most of the time,at least they kept the name.
I love the Tamale building I was always fascinated with that type or architecture,it’s pretty funny how now that tamale is a random beauty salon how odd is that, but like you say it still stands today so that is great.
Thanks for the amazing stories and photos in your theatre series. I bought a book of LA theatres in the Images of America Series but they dont cover any theaters on the eastside. I always wondered about the place on whittier and atlantic and was also fascinated by the story of the garmar. I would love to see more stories of any of the other old theatres I see and dont see on Whittier Blvd. And thanks for the rest of the neighborhood info you include. like the tamale building.
Robert, It’s my pleasure. While doing my research, I was shocked to find how little
historical documentation there actually is pertaining to this particular strip of Whittier Blvd. and it’s theater history. It’s a bloody shame that their was no extensive preservation or recording of the area done in these past 50 years. Even the new, fancy “Chicano Resource Center” at the ELA Civic Center has painfully limited material available. Many other online resources are very limited as well. You almost have to look under the ELA Chicano Riots/Moratorium 1968-70 materials out there to find anything relevant to this area/era. I guess most people who grew up here never realized that it would all be virtually gone one day, and all we’d have left is the memories.
Thanks to all you readers who have written such positive responses!
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great story what history… i live 2 streets behind garmar plaza, my family moved to montebello in 1985….ive moved and lived elsewhere and now have been back for like 10 years.
The Montebello AMC 10 theatres will probably close in 2009-2010 as soon as the AMC -Atlantic Times Square (12 or 14 screens) in Monterey Park opens, its on Atlantic near Hellman and the 10 fwy.
Only new retail planned is a Smart and Final and possible Pinkberry at Whittier blvd and Montebello blvd.
Yes indeed the theater was one place of many movies that me my brother and sister with my grandmother Betty Montes would attend on weekends I remember Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Lady And The Tramp, The Love Bug etc. Those were the days enjoyed the intermission,s gave me the jitters the aroma of “pop corn” the comfort of being there was so nice. Herman Montes
I do miss The Garmar, I remember The Warriors, Saturday Night Fever, Love At First Bite and many Disney movies there, the thing I hated was I was too young to see the R rated movies and sometimes popular movies played for a month.
I loved The Electric Planet, I spent many quarters there, one interesting fact about it is it was owned by Robert Blake, yes, that RB, I would talk to the guy that fixed the games, thought he was kidding, but on the out of service signs was owner Robert Blake. Later it was sold to chinese people or something who stopped playing the MTV and the nacho cheese turned to rubber, then the game industry went bust.
I remember a computer game magazine in the day did an article with pics of the Electric Planet, wish I knew which one and what issue.
I grew up in Pico (now part of Pico Rivera) in the l950’s. When we went to the “show” it was Garmar, The Vogue, the Wardman, the Roxy or the Whittier. I have fond memories of Saturday afternoon matinees at the Garmar; double features complete with serials, cartoons, games and lots of us screaming kids. I had forgotten all about the crying room. Those were the days. Thanks for reminding us of our history.
Steve K
Steve K., Thanks for your comments. it’s comments like yours that are my reason for doing this series.
The Vogue Theatre was also owned by Sam Olander. He later built a cafe on the east side of the theatre called JoAnn Susan.
I also recall that Gary and Mark were Grandchildren of the Olanders
I used to live a few blocks from the Garmar,Hereford drive and Concourse.I also seem to remember to Garmar used to have birthday cake on Saturday afternoon,if it was your birthday.I go back to the sixties and remember watching Psycho(and scared —-less),Muscle beach party with Frankie Avalon,The Great Escape etc.
I remember going to the Garmar Theatre to see Walt Disney’s Jungle Book, and The Love Bug, in the Love Bug (did you notice the shots of the pomona fwy area in Monterey Park, you can see it!!) Vince
Oh,the Garmar Theater,what wonderful memories. The last movie I remember seeing there was Disney’s ‘The Shaggy Dog” with Tommy Kirk;we lived on Herbert Street off of Whittier Blvd.(East LA)in the late 50’s.I was the eldest of my 2 brothers and 3 boy cousins (I was in charge),we’d get dropped off and spend have the day there with a double feature of course…those were the days(when it was safe).Thanks for the trip down ‘memory lane’.P.S.My adult children laughed when I told them about the ‘crying room’…very cutting edge stuff for back in those days.
I lived in Montebello from 1950-1956 (age 7-13) and one day last week had an opportunity to visit my old house on Madison Ave. and speak to people from the same (!) family that bought the house from my family all those years ago. Now living in London, I have so many pleasant memories from the Garmar, including my very anxious pseudo first-dates with a certain 11-yr old girl. Enquiries of several people in the local businesses on Whittier Blvd produced nothing but blank stares. It is so good to see your website. I had begun to think I was dreaming as the Garmar seemed to vanish into thin air. City Councils should resist people’s tendency to pull down classics like this!!! What has replaced it is just a parking lot/shopping area like a zillion others across California. Every time I come back to L.A., I get the feeling that City Planning has gone very wrong over the past 50 years. It’s a sea of concrete.
Mike, London
I also lived on Madison, Madison and Vail, lived there from 70-00, when the landlord sold the house they put it on the map… well the sex offenders map.
Fantastic walk down memory lane.
I grew up on Hay Street just north of Beverly and made my way down to the Garmar every Saturday afternoon for the matinee (double features always) from the mid-1960’s to the mid-1970’s (at that point attending the Friday or Saturday evening shows). The Garmar was integral in stoking my love for film which ultimately led me to a career in the film business. It’s extremely sad to have seen this wonderful single screen cinema go the way of the dinosaur. But great memories. I remember seeing a ton of movies there from the original PLANET OF THE APES (saw it twice in the same day) and the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (part of a triple bill with BARON BLOOD and NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS) to one of the seminal double features of the early 1970’s (FIVE FINGERS OF DEATH and WILD BUNCH)which introduced U.S. audiences to martial arts even before the king of kung fu, Bruce Lee, made his appearance in ENTER THE DRAGON.
All in all, really appreciated the article and good to know this bit of history is here to prompt a walk down memory lane. If anyone else has anymore visuals or anecdotes about this great theater would love to see and hear them.
The GARMAR!
I remember in the summers my brother and I would go collect pop bottles for the deposit at Balcoms and Luigi’s then head over to the Garmar for $.75 movies.
Even if we already saw the movie we would go back again or go to the Plunge.
Thanks for the memories.
i spent a good portion of my childhood in the ’70s at the garmar. remember seeing the love bug, freaky friday, candleshoe, pinnochio, laser blast and many others there with my older cousins, who were all in junior high and, thus, big enough to take us down there from my grandmother’s house for matinee shows. i pretty much lay the blame for my movie obsession at the feet of that theatre.
also remember the electric planet. from the mid-70s to the mid-80s my father ran eastland youth center, which was across the street from where the garmar was, right next door to roadhouse. whenever we had the chance to go with my father to work, we’d either go to roadhouse and buy punk records (louie always hooked us up with deep discounts on “boston not l.a.,” “flex your head,” ss decontrol’s “get it away” and tons of others) and/or the latest issue of flipside, or go over to electric planet and play videogames. EP was the first place i ever saw MTV, and i remember the hot dogs they sold were this funky gray color….
Tarantino planned to name the french cinema in Inglourious Basterds “Le Garmar”, but his decorator “fucked up” and put “Le Gamaar” instead. See this interview for further information : http://www.cahiersducinema.com/article1880.html
I grew up going to the Garmar in the ’50’s and ’60’s. I remember my mother taking me there in 1961 to a “sneak preview” movie, which was not revealed until it started. It was “The Great Imposter” with Tony Curtis. I also used to go to the Saturday matinees, with the Crazy Races. When I was 14 or 15 I went with my first real girlfriend and others to see “Ride the Wild Surf”, and having my first make-out session during the film! Went a lot in high school (MHS) and saw a couple girl-fights in the front of the theater. It was a great venue, as was the Golden Gate. They don’t make them like that anymore.
I just watched Inglourious Basterds last week. How interesting that Tarantino actually mentions the Garmar and Montebello in the interview! Wow, it is NOT forgotten!
Thanks for the photos and memories!
I remember getting to see Bruce Lee movies in the basement of the historic Lincoln Heights library. The librarian would lead us down the stairs, sit us down, shush us and get the movie projector rolling and then soon we’d be seeing Bruce kick Chuck’s ass(although he put up a great fight.) For a kid in Lincoln Heights in the 70’s and into the early 80’s, our easiest to get to movie destination would of course be taking the number 12 RTD bus down Broadway and catching movies at historic theatres such as the State,the Tower and the Palace. I remember my dad taking it upon himself to show me the harsh and brutal realities of life by going to see “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia” at a much too early age. I remember my brother and I catching a late showing of King Kong in 1976 and having to walk all the way back to the heights because it seemed that the buses no longer ran after ten. I’ll always remember watching Saturday Night Fever at the State with my moms after shopping at J.J. Newberry’s and picking up some comics at 317 Pages. As a teen I remember we headed to the Palace in its dying days to catch a quadruple feature of Bachelor Party/Purple Rain/Sleepaway Camp and Ghostbusters. I’ll always remember the multitude of black kids from South Central singing and dancing along to the Ghostbusters theme and the sounds of disgust emanating from all of us when we discovered that the she was actually a he at the end of Sleepaway Camp. I always remember going to a very small theatre near 3rd and Broadway and watching some risque pictures there and I’ll never forget that when the lights went on I turned to look at the audience, expecting to see a bunch of maniacos but instead seeing abuelas and abuelos(as well as some kids) taking in the tale of a brothel. Highland theater would be the place to catch R rated fare like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Private Lessons, no id, no fake beard required.
We lived at Olympic and Garfield and The Garmar was our theater in the 70’s. My mom and aunt packed all of us kids and big bags of home-popped popcorn into the theater for the release of the original Star Wars. I’ll never forget it.
I think the picture of the ‘crying room was actually the ‘smoking room’. Use to live behind that theater in the ’50’s.
I also used to live directly behind the theater in 1960-61, in the apartments on 2236 Northside Drive.
I was born and raised in Montebello. The Garmar was my theater and was down the street from my family’s fast food place—Garduno’s. Why do they tear down our treasures while we stand there and look? We’ve still got our memories. I saw many movies there including Gidget (it got me to try surfing).
Ron, just a answer to a question I have had for many years that you might help me out with.
Is the Garduno restraunt and family from Montebello related to the Garduno family and restraunt chain in New Mexico?
Thanks,
Ron,
During high school I nearly single-handedly kept Garduno’s afloat financially!! A couple of years ago I went there for lunch for the first time in about 30 years (I now live near Seattle) and remembered why I kept going there. Still great food!
I also saw Gidget at the Garmar, as well as GIdget Goes Hawaiian.
Dave/Don~~~As a member of the Garduno Family I always got such a kick out of folks making a big deal about Garduno’s. I know it’s my family and all of that stuff and the food was real good but to me it was also a place to meet and greet. I used to cruise in there with my T-Bird on a Friday or Saturday night with my “New Breed” Car club plaque displayed and find out where all of the parties were happening within a 5-mile radius.
And yes Don—-we are related to the folks in New Mexico. We went fast food—-they went 5 star restaurant.
Hey folks—-it’s always good to hear from Montebello people. I’m here at UCLA and on my floor is someone who was raised in Montebello and ate regularily at Garduno’s.
Oh—the good old days~~~~we still have our memories even if some of our colors are fading~~~~~
Does anyone remember Crawford’s Market? It was on the north west side of Whittier and Montebello Blvd, not far from the Vogue theater. One night, in around the mid-late ’50’s, they had a drawing for a brand new Cadillac. Seemed like everyone in whole town was there. The woman who won it was completely overwhelmed. She put her face on Mr. Crawford’s chest and hugged him in front of all those people!
Yes, I absolutely remember Crawford’s Market. In fact, I think I remember being at the Cadillac drawing. I also remember my dad taking me there to meet 2 of the LA Rams, Quarterback Bill Wade and Lineman Les Richter who were there for a promotion of some sort. I still have the autographed photos somewhere.
Yes! “Crawford’s” was one of the last of the old time markets, the one in Montebello, up to the late 70’s was also known for some killer sub sandwiches, I used to go there as a kid and remember looking at the logo, and also going to (The)”Boys” Market in Montebello also! I can just imagine what it was like in the 50’s!!!
Hope this isn’t getting too far out of the jurisdiction, but does anyone remember the World gas station in 50’s and 60’s? It was on the south west corner of Maple Ave. and Beverly Blvd. It had a huge marquee with a map of the world on it. Must have been one of the very first self-serve. A friend of mine lived behind it and use to hang out there. He told me the tanker truck would pour all the fuel into one big tank so all grades of gas would be the same. So he said. Sometimes, during ‘gas wars’, it would get down to eighteen cents a gallon for regular. After making a purchase the attendant would let us drain the hoses. They had reclaimed oil for fifteen cents a quart. My car at that time used a lot of oil so I kept a case of it in the trunk. It also had some vending machines, one of them for cigarettes at twenty five cents a pack. Speaking of that, the Garmar photo of the “crying room” was definitely the “smoking room”. Notice the ‘old time’ cigarette machine in the photo. As you face the screen, the “crying room” was on the right hand side of the seating section. Anyway, folks, those were the days!
Warren Clark, M.H.S. class of ’64 now residing in Columbus, OH.
Just want to add, this is one of the most pleasant sites to enjoy!
Hey, what about the other “shows” on Whittier, farther west. The Golden Gate, United Artists ( next to the Young China Cafe), the Center (with the Orange Julius right next to it, the Boulevard. So fun, everybody would walk to the movies.
Gas wars!! Can you imagine that happening now?? The lowest I saw it was nineteen cents a gallon.
The Golden Gate was one of a kind. I used to go there when I was 10 years old and living in East LA, near Olympic and Atlantic. It was magical, even when I went by myself and saw “Psycho”.
Dave, M.H. S. class of ’68.
I too remember the Garmar well. (never knew it was named after the owner’s sons until now though). I grew up in Pico Rivera and my brothers and I would be dropped off by our parents to see movies such as Million Dollar Duck, World’s Greatest Althlete, all the Herbie movies, etc. Good time time from a much simpler time. With I could re-live some of those…
The Garmar again. Yes, saw “The Wild One” with Marlon Brando when I was around six years old. Thought it was the ‘coolest’ thing ever….The girl: “What are you rebelling against?”….Brando: “Whataya got?” Also, “Houdini” with Tony Curtis was awesome. The Garmar was a great and beautiful theater to be missed by many. Used to work there when the manager was the late Mr. Anderson.
I grew up in Pico Rivera from 1955-1972, and regularly went to the Roxy, Wardman, Whittwood, Whittier, Garmar–and others–names I have forgotten. The Wardman was my favorite–although my first real “make-out” experience was at the Whittier (Whittier blvd & Painter?). My mother sent me to the Wardman by myself when I was 9-10 years old, 1961-62, on the bus from PR–she gave me a dollar, if memory serves me right. It was a big adventure! It seems to me, and I might be remembering it wrong–it cost $.25 going up on the bus, $.25 for my ticket, $.15 for popcorn, .$10 for soda, and $.25 for my ticket home. I walked from the bus station to the Wardman, and back after the movie. The bus dropped me off about 3 blocks from my house –near Rex Road and Citronell Street. I remember seeing Hayley Mills in the “Parent Trap.” I would sometimes go to the Wardman with my sisters, Carol, and Linda–they paid me 10 cents each to sit by myself, so they could sit with a boyfriend–my payoff included not telling my dad!
I moved to Montebello around the time the Garmar opened in 1950. I was then 5 years old. From the time I was about 8 years old, my brother and I, who was a year younger, spent our Saturday afternoons at the Garmar. At that time for $0.25 or $0.35 you could see two full length feature films and no less than 2 to 3 serials, including my favorites, Commando Cody and Flash Gordon. There were also western serials and other action-adventure serials. They also had a special event called “Crazy Races”, where each kid was given a ticket as he or she entered the theater and the ticket had a one or two digit number on it. Before the main features started, the projectionist rolled an episode of Crazy Races and a number of the kids would win a prize if their number came up as the winner. These were great childhood memories that I shall never forget. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
This is all good stuff. . .Garduno’s, Crawfords, the Plunge, the Vogue and of course the Garmar. I remember $.25 admission; could never afford to buy popcorn(couldn’t find enough bottles to take in to the stores). The Garmar in the 50s had girls with flashlights who would escort you to your seats and also decouple people “making out”. The cadillac give away at Crawfords was when they opened the new Crawfords; it was a major event in Montebello and went on for several nights; this was the first modern supermarket in town.
Hey Marty, I remember you from Montebello High. I am David Grisanti from the class of ’68.
This site brings back so many memories, mostly good ones!
I remember the garmar my sister use to work there in the 50 60s I remember the birthday club every Satuday we would get cake. I also remember going there with my friends when I was at MHS
What memories…. I loved The Garmar. Does anyone remember how good the hot BBQ spareribs and chicken were at Crawfords? To this day whenever I’m in the neighborhood I have to stop at Gardunos to get a green chili burrito.
Richard- I don’t remember the ribs or chicken, but a friend told me they also had excellent submarine sandwiches. Good Memories from good times!!, Garduno’s recently went thru an ownership change, and things are a litle different but still good. Remember back in the late 60’s and early 70’s before nachos hit the burger stands they made something called “strips”, they would cover in cheddar cheese and a mild sauce?? Who remembers “Sexto’s Sandwiches” on Whittier Blvd just west of the “B Bag Taco House” on the same side of the street. Across from where the infamous Royal Knight Motel was located.
WHAT ABOUT BROOKDALE’S ICE CREAM IN CRAWFORDS.
I remember when the Garmar opened in 1950. it was at the Garmar that my friends, Tommy Sanchez, Li’l Raul Martinez and I went to see “The Glenn Miller Story” when it first came out. I lived in the Simons Brickyard part of Montebello.
Thanks for the memories.