So Cal Attractions 1: Old Town Music Hall

Vacationers embarking on cruises from Southern California have the opportunity to extend their vacations by exploring the area before or after their cruises. Many visit Hollywood, Disneyland or Sea World, but there are many more great attractions.

 

As a travel agent based in the South Bay of Los Angeles who grew up in Orange County and lived fifteen years in San Diego, I have had the pleasure of visiting lots of great places, but even I have not seen them all. This morning, I was thinking about what I've done over the past few days and realized I should start sharing them. After all, California is an exciting vacation destination for people in Ohio, New York or Sweden. And for people who live in Southern California but stay on the same beaten path, perhaps I can reveal some hidden gems that will make life more interesting until they book their next great vacation to far off worlds with me.

 

One of these secret gems is the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, a short and relatively easy drive or taxi ride from either Long Beach or San Pedro. It's on the way to LAX, if you have a plane to catch. This is like movie theaters were before my time. Small and quaint, there are the obligatory drapes and antiques, including a collection of RCA Victor dogs with a questioning look to hearing “His master's voice.” On Sunday, I went to the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo to watch Humphrey Bogart slap Peter Lorre (and he liked it) in "The Maltese Falcon."

 

The stage in front of the screen included three keyboards. A baby grand piano's keys moved without a pianist, filling the theater with old tunes as we waited for the show to begin. Next to it was a large, old organ with the keyboard curiously tilted for the audience to see. At the appointed show time of 2:30, an older gentleman entered and used a remote control to turn off the player piano. He sat down at the Wurlitzer keyboard, and the curtains behind the stage opened to reveal pipes, bells, tambourines, drums and whistles painted in fluorescent paints, all extensions of the Wurlitzer. The organist played several old songs without breaking between them, and then lyrics to a sing-a-long had audience members chiming in. 

Then, they showed previews of coming attractions, followed by a silent Laurel and Hardy movie, all accompanied by the Wurlitzer. At that point, there was an intermission to allow the audience to buy snacks and drinks, all of which were $1 each, except the "Maltese Macaroons," which were $1.50, and the double sized popcorn at $2. 

It was fun watching this with my youngest daughter and her college aged friends, who let me tag along. They liked Bogie and recognized Peter Lorre from the many cartoon characters based on his mannerisms and voice. Amy said she liked some of the fashions.

The Old Town Music Hall has an eclectic calendar of events, but "Casablanca is coming up August 21, 22 and 23.  This is the kind of place you probably would say we need more to preserve, so why not check out one of the shows? It's a chance to see old Hollywood the way it was intended to be seen: on the sivler screen.  You can learn more at::

 

http://www.otmh.org/