Los Angeles, California recent comments:

La Reina theatre (closed) The art deco Sherman Oaks movie house, opened in 1938, was designed by famed cinema architect S. Charles Lee. A technical innovation -- adding acoustic panels and plaster to the rear wall to minimize sound distortion -- made the La Reina noteworthy. It was renovated in 1988 into shops. Lee designed many of Los Angeles' most memorable theatres, and in the Valley did the Reseda (1948), the Burbank (1948), the Encino (1939), the Rivoli (1939), the Valley (1938) and the Tujunga (1937).

Established in the 50's by Catholic families from Our Lady of Peace parish in Sepulveda, CA. Msyr Paul E. Stroup first church father.

General Motors The GM assembly plant on Van Nuys Boulevard at the Southern Pacific railroad tracks opened in 1948 and provided steady work for two generations of Van Nuys auto workers. The site is now a shopping center called The Plant.

Fun Factory (Closed) Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy both lived in the Valley and the movie comedy duo would try out material in their theater at 14155 Magnolia Street in Van Nuys. The Fun Factory was torn down in 1962 to make room for expansion of Magnolia Estates, a development by bandleader Horace Heidt that features replicas of famous waterfalls, including Niagara Falls.

Field Photo Farm (closed, on this site) Drinking establishment, social club and horse ranch for friends of director John Ford, owned by Ford. It was at 18201 Calvert Street in Reseda from the end of World War II into the 1960s. Ford and his actors friends routinely visited and invited wheelchair bound paraplegic WW2 veterans recovering at nearby Birmingham Army Hospital (now- Van Nuys Birmangham High School) and cast & crew of the Brando film, 'The Men'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ford

Carnation research laboratory (Closed, on this site) Brick complex at 8015 Van Nuys Boulevard in Panorama City opened in 1953 as a test lab for devising products such as powdered milk and non-dairy creamer. It has been razed for a public school.

In the Valley's postwar car culture Bob's Big Boy reigned supreme. Bob's was the busiest cruising spot on Van Nuys Boulevard and a date night destination for generations of teenagers. The last original Bob's drive-in is on Riverside Drive at the border between Burbank and Toluca Lake. They ruled Van Nuys Boulevard on Wednesday nights -- Club Night -- from the 1940s into the 1980s and most high schools had at least one. Some of them: Valley Hi-Los, Road Runners, Associated Mopars, Royal GTOs, Valley Vegas, Vandits, Chancellors, Associated Vans, Street Racers, Igniters, Poor Boys, Judgements, Lobos, Lost Angels. Cruising on Van Nuys Boulevard was a ritual of local youth culture in at least five decades until a police crackdown ended the tradition in the 1980s. On Wednesday Club Night and on weekends, "the Boulevard" was jammed with cruisers and sidewalk gawkers, stretching from Sherman Way south almost to Ventura Boulevard at its peak. The point was to look and be looked at, to hook up for dates, and to flaunt your style. Cruising was "an expression of democracy…in a three-mile tunnel of high octane exhaust fumes,’’ Charles T. Powers wrote in the L.A. Times.

In the Valley's postwar car culture Bob's Big Boy reigned supreme. Bob's was the busiest cruising spot on Van Nuys Boulevard and a date night destination for generations of teenagers. The last original Bob's drive-in is on Riverside Drive at the border between Burbank and Toluca Lake. They ruled Van Nuys Boulevard on Wednesday nights -- Club Night -- from the 1940s into the 1980s and most high schools had at least one. Some of them: Valley Hi-Los, Road Runners, Associated Mopars, Royal GTOs, Valley Vegas, Vandits, Chancellors, Associated Vans, Street Racers, Igniters, Poor Boys, Judgements, Lobos, Lost Angels. Cruising on Van Nuys Boulevard was a ritual of local youth culture in at least five decades until a police crackdown ended the tradition in the 1980s. On Wednesday Club Night and on weekends, "the Boulevard" was jammed with cruisers and sidewalk gawkers, stretching from Sherman Way south almost to Ventura Boulevard at its peak. The point was to look and be looked at, to hook up for dates, and to flaunt your style. Cruising was "an expression of democracy…in a three-mile tunnel of high octane exhaust fumes,’’ Charles T. Powers wrote in the L.A. Times.

I believe the actually reads "Tom Cruise Couch Jumping. Free Admission."

Angelyne for governor!

I love hearing the stories from way back. :D

DERP

All right Hamilton.

Sepulveda, CA- BOB's Big Boy Restaurant and car hop drive-up (Closed) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Boy_(restaurant) BOB'S "Big Boy" Restaurant and car hop drive-up was started in 1936 by Bob Wian, in partnership with Arnold Peterson in Glendale, California, USA. Marriott Corporation bought the chain in 1967. One of the larger franchise operators, Elias Brothers, purchased the chain from Marriott in 1987, moving the headquarters of the company to Warren, Michigan, and operating it until declaring bankruptcy in 2000. LINK: http://www.bigboy.com/

Former Van Nys, CA- BOB's Big Boy Restaurant and car hop drive-up location (Closed) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Boy_(restaurant) Home of the famous Wednesdays "Cruising Night"- BOB'S "Big Boy" Restaurant and car hop drive-up was started in 1936 by Bob Wian, in partnership with Arnold Peterson in Glendale, California, USA. Marriott Corporation bought the chain in 1967. One of the larger franchise operators, Elias Brothers, purchased the chain from Marriott in 1987, moving the headquarters of the company to Warren, Michigan, and operating it until declaring bankruptcy in 2000. LINK: http://www.bigboy.com/

This film theater was featured in scenes in the film "Boogie Nights" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boogie_Nights

it's edie britt/williams/dash's house

Lisa is current owner of Villa Blanca, a restaurant in Beverly Hills. She is also a current star of Bravo TV's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"

There was a link to the Kanner designed gas station nearby, I deleted it.