Valley Guild Theatre

5161 Lankershim Boulevard,
Los Angeles, CA 91601

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rivest266
rivest266 on October 19, 2019 at 3:26 pm

Opened with “Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot”

rivest266
rivest266 on October 19, 2019 at 3:19 pm

Major correction: Opened on April 19th, 1955, not February 1st, 1945.

Guild theatre openingGuild theatre opening Tue, Apr 19, 1955 – 17 · () · Newspapers.com

The 1945 opening refers to the Guild theatre in Hollywood.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on June 23, 2017 at 10:11 pm

1954 photo as the Valley added courtesy of Kenneth McIntyre.

ChasSmith
ChasSmith on July 13, 2015 at 12:51 pm

Just caught a quick passing shot of this in one of the first season episodes of ADAM-12, with “Reflections in a Golden Eye” showing on the marquee. I think there was a Bob’s Big Boy across the street.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on March 11, 2014 at 12:15 pm

I added a 1967 photo courtesy of the Decaying Hollywood Mansions Facebook page.

MagicLantern
MagicLantern on June 18, 2010 at 5:42 pm

There’s a giant high-rise on the site now.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on December 22, 2008 at 10:11 pm

Here is part of an LA Times article dated 4/19/55:

In typical filmland style, Fox West Coast Theaters tonight will open the newly remodeled Valley Guild Theater in North Hollywood.

Refurbished at a cost of $35,000, the deluxe showcase, located at Lankershim & Magnolia, will feature many of the latest engineering techniques, including the newly developed “eye-intensity” curved screen, adapted for conventional pictures as well as Cinemascope.

Jacques Tati’s “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday” and “The Little Kidnappers” wil be the opening program.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on June 7, 2007 at 10:58 pm

This letter to the LA Times was written by a Mr. R.A. Simon on 7/24/77. It does not appear that Mr. Simon was a patron of the Pussycat Theater:

“This is part of a letter written to Councilman Joel Wachs. Certain tragic circumstances have come to my notice that the old El Portal Theater is being sold and is to be razed shortly and the Guild Theater is to be to become a porno house.

It would appear that the filth-peddlers, being forced out of Hollywood proper, are spreading their disease to the suburbs. Since the only other theater in North Hollywood (the old Lankershim Theater) is also porno, perhaps the City Council should consider making this a “red-light district” and bring to the residents the crime, pimping and prostitution that go hand-in-hand.

It seems to me that the theater owners are determined to sell to any get-rich-quick artist who doesn’t give a damn for the residents."

moviebear1
moviebear1 on March 25, 2006 at 9:49 pm

I once worked here showing the film Shampoo

MagicLantern
MagicLantern on September 22, 2004 at 3:32 pm

This theatre is located at 5161 Lankershim Boulevard (at Magnolia).

tigerpause
tigerpause on May 5, 2004 at 11:35 am

William

Thank you for the reply.

Michael

William
William on May 4, 2004 at 7:40 pm

The Guild/Valley Theatre was located were Lankershim Blvd. and Magnolia Blvd. meet in North Hollywood.

William
William on May 4, 2004 at 7:36 pm

You might check the Los Angeles Public Library (Main Branch) for microfilm for the newspapers Los Angeles Times, Valley Times and Herald Examiner.
The last major chain to run the Valley/Guild Theatre was National General Theatres which was later sold to Mann Theatres. Before ending up as a Pussycat Theatre.

tigerpause
tigerpause on May 4, 2004 at 7:25 pm

I remember going to the Valley Theatre many times in the 1950’s. As children we would sometimes argue over which was the better theatre – the El Portal or the Valley. I remeber that the El Portal was a bigger theatre and it had a majestic chandeler on the ceiling.

Where do I go to find microfilm copies of newspaper listings of the movies that played at the Valley? I think I saw Lady and the Tramp there when it first came out and we complained that it cost 50 cents to see a Disney Movie when it normally only cost 25 cents to see a movie. Maybe it might have been at the El Portal.

Michael

William
William on January 14, 2003 at 12:14 pm

The Guild theatre spent it’s last few years as a Pussycat Theatre.

William
William on February 28, 2002 at 4:32 pm

This theatre opened as the Valley theatre in 1938. The architect was S. Charles Lee. The theatre was renamed in the 60’s. The theatre was razed and replaced by a Hewlett- Packard building in the mid 70’s.