A Walk Through Montrose in 1929 – Part 5

We continue our trip back in time with a walk through Montrose in 1929. But first I want to talk about a big change in my weekly column. Starting next week, I’ll be writing this column only every other week. The reasons I’m cutting down are many, including some elder care my wife and I are involved in. But bottom line, I’ve been writing this column every week for 16 years. It’s time to step back a little.

Taking my place every other week will be Craig Durst. Craig is a local historian in Sunland-Tujunga and will be featuring history tales from that neighborhood. Craig is a local hero in Tujunga for his tireless work on the Verdugo Hills Cemetery. Craig, with the help of community volunteers, has restored and improved that long abandoned cemetery. He’s a dedicated historian, a great guy, a really interesting person and a good friend of mine.

But let’s travel back to 1929 Montrose where we are strolling down Honolulu Avenue. Last week we were standing on the sidewalk in front of the Montrose Hotel (now Andersen’s Pets). We had looked across the street to the north side and seen the Pontiac car dealership (where the Black Cow is now), along with Abe’s Shoe Shine. We turn our attention back to the south side and take a few steps west.

There in front of us is the Montrose Theater! It looks very different than the theater most people remember. (Our beloved Montrose Theater burned down in 1987. It was where the parking lot for Andersen’s Pets is today.) The small theater has a Mission Revival façade, with a tiled partial roof and a faux-Mission front. A large blade sign with electric lights spelled out “Montrose Theater” and there’s a small marquee over a wide entryway. On the marquee is Hoot Gibson in “Points West” (a silent western movie). Arched doors and windows on either side of the theater’s entry house tiny shops. On one side is Verdugo Photo Studio and the other side is the Montrose Candy Shop.

It’s still early and the afternoon shows haven’t started but the doors are unlocked. Let’s go inside the theater and check it out.

The lobby is small so we proceed to the theater portion. It’s gorgeous inside! The walls are intricately painted with elaborate blue and orange designs. The seats are tiny by today’s standards. Two aisles lead to the front where an orange curtain covers the movie screen. Below the screen is a small stage and we can see a man rehearsing a juggling act, one of the vaudeville acts that came with movies back then. In front of the stage is an organ to accompany the silent movies and an organist is placing sheet music on it for the upcoming show.

We turn back and head out to the sidewalk where we see the theater’s usher sweeping the sidewalk in front. We stop and ask him how things are going with the theater. He says that they are getting sound equipment soon for the new “talkies” that are just coming out. We then say we noticed there’s no snack counter inside. The usher seems confused at that and tells us that if the customers want snacks, they buy them at the candy shop and bring them in with them. (Selling candy and popcorn in theaters didn’t become a thing until the 1930s.)

Well, okay. Then let’s check out the Montrose Candy Shop and see what’s available. We enter the tiny shop attached to the theater and look at the assortment of candy on shelves along the wall. Besides the bulk candies in glass containers, we see some prepackaged candies that we recognize: Milk Duds, Bit o’ Honey, Good n’ Plenty, Baby Ruth, Double Bubble Gum, Raisinets, Oh Henry bars. Everything is priced at 5 and 10 cents.

We exit the candy shop, back to the sidewalk to continue our westward stroll down Honolulu Avenue in 1929.