The Old "New Madrid" Theatre

Hi Gang,
It seems to me someone of you brought up the subject of movie theatres in our neighborhood. But I looked back through the SouthBerendo group messages and I don't find the message I was looking for. I think someone mentioned the "Fifth Avenue" on Manchester. Anyway, in the mix of things a site that keeps track of old movie theatres came to light (http://cinematreasures.org). I used it to find a reference to the "Madrid" theatre. It used to be on Vermont north of Manchester (about 82nd st) on the east side.

I remember going to the Madrid to see Walt Disney’s “Pinocchio” in the late 1940s with my parents. I can still see Jiminy Cricket on that screen in my minds eye. He was singing “When you wish upon a star”. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKh6XxYbbIc) Later when I was allowed to go to the show without adult supervision, I saw numerous Abbot and Costello flicks at the Madrid. I remember being so happy about the prospect of going to the show, I couldn’t contain my joy. Now, we have so many ways to see films it's not as much fun. But try that cinematreasures site. I think you'll have some fun searching around for the old theatres and seeing what otheres have to say about them.

Johnny

The Old Garner House

After: The Garner House - 2012

On the corner of 112th and Budlong

I passed through the old neighborhood on the way to meet some friends.I just took a couple of pictures. Hope they show here.  Grandma’s house is a mess. Check out the security fence on the Woodcrest playground. I saw the low rider car on Figueroa. - Alex Magdaleno

Before:  The Garner House - ca 1949

With Russell's LaSalle car in front

This photo was provided by Alex Magdaleno when we were rounding up pictures of our old cars for the Berendo list.  Russell's car was taken in front of the Garner house around 1949 when it was in much better shape. - Johnny

Eddie Magdaleno and friends near Berendo and 112th  abt 1924

I stopped at the house on the far right in this picture and gave them a copy. It is still there. With a little of my poor Spanish and their poor English I got across to them that is was taken about 1924. - Alex M.

Where are you Dennis Hobson?

Stuff from Dennis Hobson's wallet about 1960

 More stuff from Dennis' wallet

A few months ago I was looking at some old things in my Mom's house and I came across a wallet.  At first I thought it had been my Dad's.  After looking inside, I discovered that it belonged to Dennis Hobson whose family had lived a couple doors south of us on Berendo.   I think Dennis must have visited my folks after they moved to Palmdale and accidently left his wallet at their house.  There are things in the wallet that are dated 1960 which fits with when my folks moved.  There was no money in the wallet but there was a learner's driving permit and a Washington High student body card with Dennis' picture on it.  As you can see from the photos there are some old business card from places near our homes back then.  I remember buying things at "Sun Auto", "Southwest Stationers" and most frequently, "Chunking Inn".   Dennis, if you ever run across this post, your wallet is in safe hands if you should ever want to claim it.  - Johnny Dumas

1940s Gals Working on Aircraft

I recently mentioned that my dad Juan Dumas and Eddy Magdaleno worked
at U.S. Rubber during WWII. Well, along that same vane,
here is a photo of 1940s women working on military aircraft at Douglas
Aircraft in Long Beach. While its not directly related to our Berendo
of the 40s it does give a little flavor of the time. I don't remember
any of our mothers or older sisters or aunts working in the defense
plants, some of you may recall some gals answering the call to duty.
If you click on the title above the photo you'll see many more fine photos of
similar situations. Mike Dumas sent this link for our viewing pleasure. I hope you enjoy them.

When our dads worked for U.S. Rubber

Dave took this picture with his Iphone camera. The picture is in a memory box with many other memorabilia that my folks were given by friends and relatives on their 50th wedding anniversary. I think this picture of an article in the "Synthetic Rubber Beacon" was given to my folks by Eddie and Lamora Magdaleno as a reminder of when Eddie and my dad worked together at U.S. Rubber. This was an issue of the company newsletter for U.S. Rubber published around 1944. My dad, John Dumas, Sr., and Eddie Magdaleno went to work for the company at the same time. I think they mostly worked the swing shift or the graveyard shift. I remember my dad brought home a big hunk of synthetic rubber to show us. Eddie is mentioned in the article as having particular attributes that made him suitable for the job he was given. I don't recall what my dad did at U.S. Rubber.

Our Dads had to work for a company that produced materiel for or in some way supported the war effort (WWII). The draft board had gotten to the point where they were drafting men who had 3 children or more into the Army. My dad had 4 children and Eddie had 3 children. Working for U.S. Rubber was a way for our dads to serve the country without being in one of the services. My dad quit U.S. Rubber after about a year and started his own garment factory in downtown L.A. The factory produced uniform clothing for the armed services thereby qualifying his company as supporting the war effort and keeping him out of the draft. After the war the factory produced women's coats.

19 cent hamburger joint

Hamburger Handout featured $.19 Burgers at the corner or Centinela and Sepulveda in Culver City. (Posted by Steve Chenier)