Fox Theater in Anaheim

Fox Theater, Anaheim, CA

A few OCThen readers remembering going to the old Fox Theater in Anaheim...

Johnny - Those of us who grew up in Anaheim will remember the Fox Theater on the north side of downtown Lincoln. I spent many hours there from the early 1960s until it closed in the 1970s. I saw some of the best movies, and loved the art deco architecture, even though I didn't know what to call it as a kid. Before the city developers ruined downtown Anaheim, it was always great to walk or ride bikes to the Fox Theater for matinees on Saturday! 

Cox Pilot - The Fox was where I first saw Bambe in the early '40's. We live just off Lincoln on East street, and my Mother and I would walk to the movies, and then she would do her shopping down town. Dad took the only car to work (a '29 Chev 2-door.) We finally moved to Santa Ana in 1947. 

Anonymous - Johnny, I remember the Fox Theater on Lincoln Ave in Anaheim very well. I grew up on Ball Road between Harbor and Anaheim Blvd (originally called Los Angeles Street). The house is a chiroprator's office the last I saw and it is across the side street from Oasis, a rehab/treatment center (sometimes used on the Intervention TV program). The Rose family used to live there. We had orange groves across the street and at the end of the tract on the Harbor side where we would play alot of the time. Ball Road was just a two lane street at that time and the Helms Bakery truck would come through the neighborhood, and milk was delivered in glass bottles to your front door. We moved to different areas of Anaheim through the years and my high school years were Lincoln and State College area, where somebody mentioned the Boston Store and Grant's. My mom worked at Grant's in the late 60's, early 70's. But it is my early childhood, growing up a block from Disneyland, that I remember the most fondly. Things have really changed since then.

I used to visit the Fox Theater in San Diego, in the North Park community along University Ave during the early 1970s. Us kids would come in for the matinee and watch Little Rascals, Lone Ranger, and the old black & white Popeye cartoons. Kids would run around, yell and scream, and the floor would get littered with popcorn and spilled sodas, and it only cost us $0.25 to get in.

What were your memories?

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German Style Homes in Orange County

Lori, who moved to Orange County in the mid-1990s, asks about German style architecture throughout the county...

Hi Steve,

Found your website while researching a type of home architecture/design that has me wondering about something ever since I moved to OC in the mid 90s. Maybe you have some ideas...

I have roots in Bavaria. My dad was born and raised in the southern part of Germany right at the base of the Alps. I have noticed that many, many homes in OC have what looks to me like a "chalet" type of design. "A" shaped frames attached to the front of houses, with scalloping around the edges (that seems to simulate snow) and window shutters that remind me so much of Swiss/Bavarian stlye chalets that were built specifically to keep snow from piling onto roofs. The OC homes look like little versions of those types of buildings.

My curiosity is this: Were these homes designed with the chalet look in mind, and if so why? I'm not even sure what era they come from but if I had to guess it would be maybe 50s or 60s? The only remotely possible reason that I can think of (since seeing chalets in sunny southern Ca. seems odd) is that it had something to do with Disneyland and the Matterhorn Bobsleds ride. Perhaps when Disney opened the ride it caused an interest in all things Swiss? And from there the developers perhaps started building subdivisions with that type of design?

I'd love to hear what you think. I've googled here and there and just can't seem to find anything specific.

Thank you!
Lori

P.S. I think I'll start taking photos of the homes so that I can show people what I'm talking about...

She mentions Disneyland, which if course is in Anaheim, and Anaheim of course was originally a German settlement.

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Helicopters Flying From Disneyland

OCThen reader Marc offers up memories of watching Los Angeles Airways fly their helicopters to and from Disneyland...

Okay, here's an obscure one for ya:

I moved to Anaheim in 1967. We lived off of Wilhelmina, near Sycamore and East Street. On weekends we would go to the Disneyland Hotel and watch helicopters taking off from a large, paved heliport across from the Hotel. Does anybody remember this?

The helicopters were from Los Angeles Airways and they were silver. They were Sikorsky S-61 models I believe. They used to provide service from/to Disneyland Hotel from the Los Angeles area.

There were two or three serious crashes in the late 60's and they went out of business and bulldozed the heliport. It became parking for Disneyland hotel and today is under the outdoor parking net to the gargantuan new parking structures that serve Disneyland. Great memories watching those helicopters come and go. It seemed so exotic to us kids then.

Photo courtesy of AirlineSafety.com

Another OCThen reader, CoxPilot, offers up a memory of his own...

I took one of the L.A. Airways flights from Disneyland to L.A.X. in 1960. In those days the helo took off from the Disneyland parkinglot, just next to the employees entrance. They used the old piston driven Sikorsky H-34 machines then. I think they upgraded the following year when they moved the landing pad over to the hotel.

Another reader, George Anstadt recalls the same...

I remember there use to be a helicopter shuttle from Disney Hotel to LAX. It was a big chopper that held about 30 people. That was a fun ride before the big plane ride which as a kid made the event more special.
George Anstadt

Finally, Buck Kharma weighs in...

Who remembers the horrific helecopter crash in the Downey area? The helicopter left Disneyland and went down killing all on board. My aunt worked at Wonder Bowl in Downey, and the crash site was near there, as I walked over and surveyed the wreckage. The crash was in LA County, but departed from Orange County, 1968 or 1969, I still have the news story, somewhere.

You can read more about Los Angeles Airways and the crash of Flight 417 here...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Airways_Flight_417

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Disneyland Hotel Murder in 1969

An anonymous OCThen reader recalls hearing about a murder that took place at the Disneyland Hotel in 1969 and wanted to know if any has more info on it...

Does anyone remember a murder in July of 1969 at the Disneyland Hotel? A man was found dead inside his room. I just read about it in a book but cannot find any information of this case anywhere. I'm guessing Disneyland did a good job of "erasing" all reference of it for their public relations image. But it wasn't that long ago, maybe some of you might remember hearing/reading about this in the news?

Perhaps if Anonymous could provide the name of the book, and any other details it provides, it might put some Googlers to work.

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Mississippi Moonshine in Anaheim

OCThen reader Jim T asks about an old friend named "Mississippi Joe" who worked at the Mississippi Moonshine in Anaheim...

I'm tyring to locate an old friend of mine nicknamed "Mississippi Joe" that worked as a bartender at the Mississippi Moonshine on Katella Ave. in Anaheim, CA back in the mid to late 80's. If you know his whereabouts, please contact me at jamest4us@yahoo.com. I used to play pool and chess with Joe and he was quite a character. Later he worked at a bar called Cheers West that was located in the Hotel 6 in Anaheim.

I believe the Mississippi Moonshine was between Harbor and Clementine, next to the Super 8 Motel. Now it's the Anaheim Gardenwalk parking structure.

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The Bean Hut of Anaheim

The Bean Hut was a drive-in fast-food joint located in Anaheim on Anaheim Boulevard. During the 1950s and 1960s, it was the place for local youth to hang out and be seen, kinda like Mel's Drive In on the Happy Days sitcom.

This place was before my time, but had heard other people talk about it. It's a dentist office now.

A couple of OCThen readers submitted some brief mention of it...

Anonymous said...

60's, the Bean Hut in Anaheim or the Rhythm Room in Fullerton, anyone remember?

MicketyMick said...

Man I miss the Bean Hut! North end of Anaheim Blvd. I think it's a dentist's office now :(

Lots of great eating places like Belisle's shut down leaving us with only chain restaurants. Speaking of which, I'm happy to say that a NEW Farrell's is being built in Mission Viejo, and should be open at the end of October 2009. As much as I shouldn't have ice cream, I am SO going.

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Banzai Mini Cycle Park in Anaheim

Anonymous remembers the Banzai Mini Cycle Park ...

Anyone remember Banzai Mini Cycle Park? It was across Walnut from Angel Stadium where a fire training facility is now. Right next to the Santa Ana River. They only allowed bikes of 100 cc's or less if I remember right. I had a Suzuki 90 at the time so I spent some time over there.

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The Wild Wild Wet in Anaheim

Anonymous asks if anyone remembers going to Wild Wild Wet...

Does anyone remember "WILD WILD WET" the waterpark that used to be off of the 5 freeway in Anaheim? It was located at the site where the BANCO POPULAR building now stands. It was next to the Sheraton Hotel.

This would have been in the 1970s and early 1980s. It was a concrete water slide in Anaheim, right off the I-5. I never went there, but I remember seeing the ads, and the television commercials for it. My wife went there once.

Also, another reader, "Daveondemand", submits a memory of going to a water park, but can't recall the name of the park. I believe he's also remembering Wild Wild Wet...

I recall a small waterslide park located just North of Ball road and what used to be Manchester (now Disneyland drive or something like that). Does anyone remember what it was called or seen any pictures of it? Currently, there is a Banco Popular building where I think it used to be along with that expressway that leads directly from the 5 fwy into the "Disneyland Resort Megastructure" I remember going to this water park in the early 80's and wiping out really bad. It felt like I swallowed half of the pool...There were so many other entertaining things to do in that general area i.e the mini golf place across the street from Disneyland on Harbor (next to what used to be Melodyland"), and the "slic Track" go-karts off the 5 freeway next to the Corvette Mike's original location between Ball and Lincoln...ahhh the memories

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Chicago and Beach Boys Concert, Anaheim, 1975

Lisa W remembers the Chicago and Beach Boys concert in 1975 at Angel Stadium...

Does anyone remember the Chicago and Beach Boys concert in 1975 at Angel Stadium? My dad gave my boyfriend and I tickets to it. It was amazing!! The stadium was full, and we were in the upper stands, and everyone up there started jumping up and down, and security told us to stop because they were afraid the stands would fall, they were swaying!!

We waited in line all day because none of the seats were reserved so it was first come first serve.

I grew up in Tustin, does anyone remember the matinees on Saturdays at Tustin Theatre?

The Tiller Day parade?
Bonfires at the beach?
Marywood High School and the guys streaking across the courtyard?

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Mr. T's of Anaheim

Anonymous remembers going to Mr. T's of Anaheim, a restaurant that's no longer there...

I remember growing up in East Anaheim in the 70's and 80's right off of State College and Ball. The big restatraunt across from Carls Jr. would change names every 2-3 years. But the best memory was going to Mr. T's right off the corner os State College and Ball. It was a blast to the past, i actually worked there for a summer in 11th grade flipping burgers. I remember going there to play pinball almost daily, then saving enough money for a cheeseburger and fries. Mr T's was cool is it stll there??I have been gone from Anaheim since about 1991, i went back in 2000 for my best friends wedding, it has changed so much since the 70's and 80's.

Interestingly, another reader provided some info on Mr. T's, saying that's it changed to something else...

I LIVE OFF OF SUNKIST IN ANAHEIM, MR. T'S IS LONG GONE, NOW IT'S CALLED VAQUEROS (MEXICAN RESTAURANT)MATTER OF FACT IT JUST CHANGED NAMES AGAIN RECENTLY.

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Garden Grove & Anaheim in the 1960 & 70s

Gary offers the follow tidbit of his memories living in OC...

Graduated Magnolia High in '72. Lived at Katella/Brookhurst starting in '58 Across from the Shopping Bag grocery store. A&W on Ball Rd. OC Plaza at Chapman/Brookhurst Helen Grace had amazing sundaes. Zodys, Thriftys, Blue Chip redemption store, hitch-hiking to the beach. So many good memories of growing up, but Anaheim is a pit now. The houses used to be immaculate and well trimmed. So sad. Linbrook Bowl is still there.

He says "Anaheim is a pit now". I moved into Orange County in 1978, and back then I thought Anaheim was a pit. But I guess it's just a matter of perspectives. Where I lived in Santa Ana, the neighborhood was a pit. But, it's still a part of my youth, which is something you always hold on to.

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Random Memories of Orange County

OCThen reader, Brian W, shares his memories of Orange County...

My dad, Brad Worley,just passed away in Tustin last month. I live in DC now, but damn I have a lot of OC memories.

Remember:

The Alligator Farm

Lion country Safari

Original Sam's pizza in Orange (in the sixtys it used to be my maternal grandfather, Lee Fugere's, deli and butcher shop) My mom said the everly brothers used to buy meat there.

The Green Garden chinese restaurant a few doors down from Original Sam's (near Main/C.H.O.C.)

The California Surf soccer team that played at Anaheim Stadium?

The Southern California Sun football team?

Anaheim Stadium when the Big a was the scoreboard?

Anaheim stadium when the Rams moved in.

Anyone ever have an Anaheim Rams bumper sticker.

Remember the Cinedome theatres near the Santa Ana river?

Tewinkle park BEFORE all the fancy landscaping, when there was just a big dirt hill that kids rode their Big Wheels down?

Brian W

OMG, yes I do remember the California Surf soccer team, I actually attended one of their games at Anaheim Stadium, and I want to say they played the Seattle Sounders that day.

And of course I remember the Cinedome. I would take my wife-to-be in those days, and there would hardly anyone there. We'd find a place away from other people, and just make out all movie long. Had there been any more people seated, we'd have probably been thrown out for indecency!

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Growing up in Anaheim in the 1950s

Anonymous writes about memories of growing up in Anaheim during the 1950s, making mention of orange blossoms...

The best memories are the ones of growing up. Or if not, they should be. I have so many fond memories of growing up in Anaheim. I left in 1994 and when I went back down for a visit, it just wasn't the same. Everything I remember as a kid, is gone. Even my old house where I grew up, is so different. When my parents first moved there in the 50s it was overgrown with orange trees. We had 2 in our backyard and I can remember as a child smelling orange blossoms wafting through the window on a warm summer night. Now when I smell my own orange tree during the summer, lots of memories come flooding back. It was nothing for us as kids to hop on our bikes and peddle down to TG&Y for candy and pop. Coming back proved more challenging as we struggled to stay on our bikes while eating candy at the same time! Nowdays kids don't seem to have the freedom to go off on their own, as we did. Times have changed, not all for the better. I long for a simpler time. Like it was back as a kid growing up in the OC. Playing ding dong ditch-it, roller skating continously around the block, waiting for the ice cream truck during the summer, eating at A & W burger and having mom take us to Knotts Berry Farm to go on the burro rides. Ahh, the memories. I miss them and I miss Anaheim like it used to be.

The last house we lived at in San Diego, along with another house we lived at in Santa Ana, had orange trees, and yes I loved the scent of the orange blossoms. Today, when I ride my motorcycle through the orange groves of Temecula, or through the groves in Pauma Valley, the smell is so intoxicating. I'm not sure someone driving in a car with the windows rolled up would even notice.

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Armstrong's Restaurant, Anaheim

OCThen reader Gary Lycan asks if anyone remembers Armstrong's, a restaurnat in Anaheim...

Does anyone remember Armstrongs, a neighborhood corner restaurant on Lincoln in Anaheim. Our family used to go there and have delicious barbecue beef sandwiches and potato salad before heading over to the Broadway Anaheim shopping center - usually on Friday nights to walk around and do some shopping. It's been replaced by a Mexican restaurant, it probably closed years and years ago, but I would love to hear from anyone with memories of it.

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Memories of Anaheim in the 1960s

OCThen reader Amber submits her memories of growing up in Anaheim, probably in the 1960s, based on the $4.95 it took to get into Disneyland...

I grew up in Anaheim.. I remember dad getting take pizza from Costello's, down around Walnut ? and Cerritos.. then it was changed to Mama Cozza's... I remember hearing they had cockroaches all over and they just baked them into the pizza.

I remember "..don't cook tonight, call Chicken Delight.. we deliver.." and White Front Pharmacy in Garden Grove.. I remember the Skate Rink off the 22/Haster, skating to the theme song from Grease.

Till I moved to Dana Point, I STILL drove up to Ball /Euclid to see my childhood and adulthood DDS, Dr. Cornelius.. he had a daughter and I never knew her, but she went to school at Ball and Loara HS.

I remember the OBON festival every Summer during my Birthday and I'm finally going to the one here in Denver...

Remember Disneyland on my BD every year with my friends.. I VIVIDLY remember us complaining it cost us $4.95 to get in! I remember hoarding E tickets and going home for dinner and coming back later on till they closed. I remember the GE Carosel of Progress.. my fav thing other than Pirates of the Carribean.. in 2006 we went to DisneyWorld and didn't like it.. way too big . BUT, the GE show was there and I videotapped the entire thing! Only one other person was in there with us.. they totally updated it and I HATED that.

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Shakey's Pizza and Pipe Organ

An anonymous OCThen reader asks if anyone remembers the Shakey's Pizza Parlor near Disneyland that had a pipe organ and a "nickelodeon guy"...

I'd sure like to find out anything pertaining to shakey" pizza parlor, particullarly the one near disneyland.. they had an amazing pipe organ and a nickelodeon guy, who I think was referred to as "mr nicelodeon" who played it all from the same console..

If you know anything, don't be shy to post a comment...

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Walt Disney Elementary School - Anaheim, CA

OCThen reader, "hwdlaura" asks if anyone else attended Walt Disney Elementary School in Anaheim...

Any alumni of Walt Disney Elementary in Anaheim out there? My sister and I both went there in the 60s. I went back a few years ago and took some photos of the wonderful Disney artwork in the cafeteria. I remember sitting on the cafeteria floor on parent/teacher conference days watching Disney movies. Herman the janitor, and Earl D Butler, principal. Delphine the crossing guard. My first grade teacher was Fay Schimming and my sixth grade teacher was Brenda Zanzee.

There are actually several "Walt Disney Elementary" schools across the country, including two others in California (Burbank, and San Ramon). You'd think that this one in Anaheim would have been the first, but it wasn't.


A website called, "Started by a Mouse", says that the Anaheim school was the third to be blessed with Walt's namesake (link)...

The third Walt Disney Elementary was naturally in Anaheim, where Walt surprised the school officials and students by declaring it a school holiday, and inviting all of the students to come to Disneyland for the day.

But another website, Mouseplanet, says that the school in Marcine, MO (Walt's boyhood home), was the third (link).

Maybe someone at the school district knows.

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Postcards From Anaheim

If you're one of those rare breeds that loves old postcards of Anaheim motels, you're in luck. There's a book just for you.

"Postcards from Anaheim" celebrates the five years of the blog, "Synthetrix - Photos of the Forgotten", and devotes itself to vintage Anaheim motel postcards. It contains 96 pages of the Googie glory that once surrounded the Disneyland theme park.

Here's a blurb from the author, "Synthetrix"...

Greetings Orange County lovers!

Some of you might have visted my website "Photos Of The Forgotten" and seen all the great old postcard images of all the motels and hotels that once surrounded the magic kingdom. In honor of the site's 5 th anniversay this year, I have created a 94 page book of all these images. If you ever vistied Disneyland between 1955 and 1985, you'll see a lot of familiar places, like the famous INN OF TOMORROW, THE SPACE AGE, EDEN ROC, and many, many more. This book is also popular with folks who lived in or grew up in Anaheim or there abouts. Check out the link below for info on how to order. It's available in either soft or hard covered editions. I hope you'll enjoy it.

Buy the book online here...
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/96560

If you're looking for photos of other Orange County cities, or SoCal cities, check out Synthetrix's blog for more photos...
http://synthetrix.blogspot.com/

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Anaheim in the 1960's

Dick Gerber sends us his memories of living in Anaheim during the 1960's, and mentions his favorite eateries, the people he knew, and the places he shopped...

Greetings!

When I got out of the military in 1960, I ended up in a tiny town named Anaheim. I met my bride to be at the California Bldg. at Center and Los Angeles Streets. We too went to the Bean Hut, Carl's, The Clock, Harmony Park and Oscars at Harbor and Katella. We ate a lot at Chung Kings on Center Street because it was cheap. We also went to the Roberts Room on Euclid when we had any money. Otherwsie it was the Kit Kat on Center Street accoss the street from the Kramer Building. They were right next to Ritz Cleaners and across the street from the Murray dance studio.

Downtown, we went to Leos' Cafe where you could always find Anaheim Police Trike Motor Officer, Joe Miranda getting a cup of free coffee. That is, if he wasn't at one of the Winchell's Doughnuts getting free coffee! Movies at the Garden or Fox, and great hamburgers at Armstrong's on W. Center Street

15 cent Hamburgers from the Burger Chef on State College, and then to the Anaheim Drive Inn. $1.50 a car load. That got you three movies if you were lucky.

First car from Casey Beckman Pontiac on Los Angels Street. Jerry Lamar promoted to Detective, APD Juvenile, and worked for Sgt. Heaton who later hit the Irish Sweepstakes. Our first apartment was on North Lemon Street not far from La Palma Park, and then on Mills Drive. Owned a house on Clementine back in the late 60's. Jerry Lamar bought a new home on the west side in about 1962 and still lives there! He did retire sometime ago from APD.

Great hardware store downtown along with the SQR department store. The old Valencia Hotel was managed by Emile Schab. Another hotel was the old Pickwick, which was also the Greyhound bus station if I recall right. The Pancake House on Lincoln was a favorite, and still is from what I hear. East Anaheim was the new Anaheim, and my wife's folks bought a home there brand new in 1958. Her Aunt and Uncle bought one on the next street over and now my youngest son, 38, owns it.

I really miss the "old Anaheim" from those days. While there are small pockets where memories flood back, it's a changed town for me. It seems like only yesterday that Stillwell's Studebaker was right around the corner from Leo's on Los Angeles Street. I collected bricks from several blgs as there were being torn down because of Keith Murdock's vast plan for a new Anaheim. Speaking of Keith, that just reminded me of old Calvin Pebley and Jerry Sneegas, former councilmen.

Dick Gerber

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The Hamburger House - Anaheim

Joanne, who reads OCThen from across the pond in England, wants to know if anyone can share some memories of eating at The Hamburger House, a favorite place of hers when she used to vacation in Anaheim...

Hello Steve,

I am actually from the United Kingdom, and did not ever live in Orange County, but I did holiday in Anaheim 3 times a year from 1972 - early 1980's, my father worked for TWA at the time in London. I have very very fond memories of Anaheim and the surrounding area, particularly my birthday meal each year which took place at The Hamburger House which I think may have been on the corner of Harbour & Katella. I believe that it has now gone, but just wondered if anyone else remembers this little restaurant, it was the first place that I ever tasted canteloupe melon, pancakes etc, we did not eat these things in the UK back in the 70s.

Very best wishes

Joanne from Hampshire, England

Click on "Post a Comment" below, if you'd like to share your memories of this place.

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