Society Events | Culver City Historical Society

October 20 General Meeting and Program

By Clare Denk in Announcements, Articles, Culver City History, Meetings, Society Events September 21, 2021 0 Comment

Hollywood’s Trains & Trolleys presented by Marc Wanamaker
Rotunda Room, Veterans Memorial Building, 7PM

1929 promotion of Paramount’s sound films. World’s first fleet of Sound Trains. (Marc Wanamaker)

Have you started traveling again? Hop on board and travel, Hollywood-style, with film historian and author Marc Wanamaker as he shares stories from his and the late Josef Lesser’s new book Hollywood’s Trains & Trolleys. Learn about how the development of the transportation system in Southern California intertwined with the motion picture industry, starting over 100 years ago. Special focus will be given to the Culver City area.

Marc is always entertaining and a great storyteller. This program will not disappoint! There will be a book signing after the presentation. The book would make a great holiday gift for train and Hollywood enthusiasts alike.

Following COVID guidelines, masks are required inside Veterans Memorial Building.

Pre-registration is required via Eventbrite. The public is invited to this free program.

April 28 General Meeting and Program

By Clare Denk in Announcements, Articles, Culver City History, Meetings, Society Events April 14, 2021 0 Comment

The Culver Theatre: From The Red Stallion to Kirk Douglas | Virtual Program

Culver Theatre, 1947 (Image courtesy of Marc Wanamaker)

Do you miss going to the movies? Go back in time as we revisit the Culver Theatre which still stands today! The Culver Theatre opened on August 13, 1947 with the film The Red Stallion. It was designed in the “Skouras style,” an over-the-top baroque style named after its inspiration Charles Skouras, head of Fox West Coast Theatres. In the 1970s, Mann Theatres split the Culver into three theatres. In 1989, it was closed and later gutted after the 1994 Northridge earthquake. In 2004, Center Theatre Group restored, repurposed, and reopened it as the Kirk Douglas Theatre.

Clare Denk, interim vice president of programs for the society, will discuss its history from its opening day to its closing and subsequent deterioration during the 1990s. Eric Sims, associate general manager of Center Theatre Group, will discuss its restoration as well as share a couple of entertaining stories about Kirk Douglas and shed light on current filming projects taking place within the theatre during the pandemic.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN US virtually for this program at 7pm on Wednesday, April 28.

The April 15, 2020 General Meeting and Program Has Been Cancelled

By Hope Parrish in Announcements, Meetings, Society Events April 1, 2020 0 Comment

As we continue to monitor and adjust to the changing environment in our city and broader world, we are erring on the side of caution and minding the current city-wide recommendations for large gatherings.

Unfortunately, we are cancelling our next General Meeting and Program on Wednesday, April 15.

We are working on a program of the Culver City airports and Petrelli’s Airport Café, and look forward to presenting this fantastic program in July. Stay tuned!

Stay safe, stay healthy, and be there for each other in these confusing times. More than we value history, we value you. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

January 15 Installation of Officers

By Hope Parrish in Announcements, Culver City History, Meetings, Society Events January 7, 2020 0 Comment

January 15, 2020 Annual Meeting and Installation of Officers

The Historical Society’s Winter General Membership Meeting will be an Installation of Officers for 2020-2022, including dinner catered by Holy Cow, on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, from 7:00 to 8:30pm in the Rotunda Room of Veterans Memorial Building at 4117 Overland Avenue, Culver City. This will be the installation of Hope Parrish’s second term as President as well as a thank-you to the outgoing Board and Committee chairs. The board slate is as follows:

Hope M. Parrish, President
Michelle Bernardin, Immediate Past President
Emelie Gerard, VP Development
TBD, VP Programs
Tami Eskridge, VP Museum/Archives
Caroline Wispe-Burns, Treasurer
TBD, Secretary

The Installing Officer will be City of Culver City Vice Mayor, Goran Eriksson.

Seating is limited and reservations must be made in advance. The price is $30 per person. Tickets can be purchased online through our web store.

For additional information, email info@CulverCityHistoricalSociety.org.

October 16 General Meeting and Program

By Ryan Vincent in Announcements, Culver City History, Meetings, Society Events October 3, 2019 0 Comment

The Animation History of MGM

The MGM Cartoon Department brought the world Tom & Jerry, Droopy, Barney Bear and many more characters loved the world over.

Legends of hand-drawn animation including Hanna and Barbara, Tex Avery, and Chuck Jones were responsible for hours of animated shorts, some of which were filmed in 3-strip Technicolor, some produced in CinemaScope, and some won the Academy Award for Best Animated Shorts.

Jerry Beck

On Wednesday, October 16 at 7 p.m. animation historian Jerry Beck will give a talk and video presentation on the animation history of MGM, including a tribute to beloved painter, inker, and Society member Martha Sigall.

Jerry Beck is a writer, animation producer, college professor, and author of more than 15 books on animation history. He is a former studio executive with Nickelodeon Movies and Disney, and has written for The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. He has curated cartoon home video compilations and has lent his expertise to dozens of special feature documentaries and audio commentaries. Beck is currently on the faculty of Cal Arts, teaching animation history.

Historical Society members and the general public are invited to enjoy this FREE program in the Multipurpose in Veterans Memorial Building, located at 4117 Overland Avenue. The entrance to the ARC and Multipurpose Room is from the back parking lot.