Comments from tarantex

Showing 26 - 47 of 47 comments

tarantex
tarantex commented about Stonestown Twin on Aug 18, 2007 at 1:19 pm

no they still operate the Vogue! They will dump this one as soon the high rent lease is up with the Mall. I believe that is 2010.

tarantex
tarantex commented about Grand Lake Theatre on Aug 17, 2007 at 2:31 pm

To All; Allen, is a great movie theatre operater! you all should know that aging palaces are not cheap to keep up. he does maintain
this theatre . as far as the comments about lighting up the tower marquee, the PG&E to light this is exuberant! not to mention if the neon has to be replaced from running all the time . So to all of the negative comments that are said , I want to say Allen is a Great theatre owner! and he does pay attention to the up keep of his theatres. It takes a lot of concession sales to run any theatre. not to mention what the film companies take from you! Allen keep up the good work! my friend!

tarantex
tarantex commented about Park Theatre on Aug 4, 2007 at 4:41 pm

the park was a nice single screen, I managed it for west Side Valley theatres, for two years when you ran the Park you also had too run the Guild, so if both Theatres were busy it was hell running back and forth , after time they had the projectionist running back and forth when they installed platters the Park had an old timer there when it was Carbon Arc his name was Lee he wore cowboy hat and boots
he was roy coopers best friend i called him a SPY. Harvey Anderson was the Manger before me At that time Roy cooper had the Belmont Bel Art ,Altos, Seavue Twin Pacifica,Fine Arts PaloAlto,Manor.San mateo,Grand, Strand, SF,Vacaville,Hacienda Sunnyvale,Hanford, Visalia,Oaks 3 , cupertino, Varsity .Cinema 1 &2 Davis,, rather large circuit for small company

tarantex
tarantex commented about St. Francis Theatre & Baronet Theatre on Aug 4, 2007 at 4:29 pm

Larry is right, thia was leased by ABC THEATRES sold to Plitt and then Cineplex. I managed the St Francis Theatres from 1979, thru 1982 for Plitt Theatres, then they sold the lease to Harry Ho,
The theatre was a rat trap in the 80’s cock roaches from the sewers on Market street all the time would come in thru the toliets in the restrooms, Plitt remodeled in the late 70’s put drapes on the walls and made it look better , the basement connected to the five stores and they had seperate PGE meters that were in the theatre basement
which i had to read and bill the tenants monthly. the orignial theatre when it was a single screen there were no signs of that when i went thru the building it was gutted and twined.The clientlle was mostly black we played against the Fox warfield for the Karate films since we had 2 screens we generally got first run, Downtown always played first run with the Avenues,if the warfield got the film the moved it over to the Crest witch was there dump next door, I use to walk thru the Warfield everyday to get to the parking lot were i parked behind the Warfield. after the St Francis was sold I managed the Northpoint and then went to work in the office at Mann’s San Francisco office until the Fashion Island was built and then I opened that , I trained with Jim Scherlock at the Warfield and then was filling in at Manns Dublin six and then the Town and Country with Tannehill. until the sixplex in San Mateo opened.

tarantex
tarantex commented about Laurel Theatre on Jul 30, 2007 at 2:03 am

Michael. e-mail me direct , Raylene would love to hear from you Peter passed away 4 years ago heartattack

tarantex
tarantex commented about Laurel Theatre on Jul 28, 2007 at 10:46 pm

Larry e-mail direct mom passed away in 2003 of Cancer .

tarantex
tarantex commented about Laurel Theatre on Jul 28, 2007 at 4:26 pm

larry goldsmith? my moms friend? Ferol…didn’t you Manage the Fox Skyline….e-mail me if you get this!

tarantex
tarantex commented about Serramonte Plaza Twin on Jul 14, 2007 at 6:45 pm

I was the District Manager for this theatre when Cineplex Odeon bought Plitt Theatres this was a dump until Cineplex completely remodeled and put the neon in the lobbies and marble flooring. It was a Top Grossing theatre for Cineplex, We had always played all of Paramounts and Columbia Pictures, so the theatres were busy year round. what a shame all of the dollars spent on this theatre only to be torn down, just the the Hilltops in Richmond, the Northpoint, SF and the St Francis Twin downtown, also the Capri in Concord. that was the District I covered

tarantex
tarantex commented about Century 21 on Jul 3, 2007 at 3:20 am

hey does anyone know if Bill Tannehill, still the Manager, Marl and Bill the best two in the World, there children grew up in the Theatre Business

tarantex
tarantex commented about Coronet Theatre on Jul 2, 2007 at 11:21 pm

I cant believe the theatre is gone!, I was the Asst. Manager there in 1971, my first management job, I was being groomed by Al Levin, I thought many of days I would never make it the Man was tough, But he was a good Manager. The Theatre was kept up in great shape. i remember, I was starting at the Tale end og Funny Lady. The theatre was still grossing 15,000 a week when it moved tho The Alexandria
I was on and off there for over 15 years. I was promoted to Manager and moved to San Bruno UA TANFORAN 4, but i always was Al’s Favorite when a block buster came Like STAR WARS they would have me run the Theatre with Al Levin, I would never forget the 24 opening night with lines doubling around the corner, who would have thought
it was going to be that big,,George Lucas liked the Coronet but he mixed all of his sound and did his print test at the Northpoint were I ended up after Larry Levin came in the picture,this man knew nothing about theatre operations, big dissapointment when Jim Gallagher retired, Bob Naify, Marshall Naify. and Arnold Childhouse made a mistake by hiring this idiot. But I watched this man distroy and empire of Gallager’s hard work, It was sad no monies were spent to maintain the theatres, and the started to show the wear under his management. But the Coronet was the flagship and was booked well even if there any product out there. I remember we Played Singing in the Rain for 4 weeks to FULL HOUSES, I remember when the janitors were on strike we had to clean the theatre and mop before we went home I remember when no contract was reached with Henry Meyers and the projectionest Union and we became the booth operators and Managers and Janitors, Working for the Naifys was a pleasure. So you didnt mind doing those jobs.Yes the days of having Claire at the Alexandria answering all the phones for the Alex, Col, Coronet Metro, Vogue, stonestown.Balboa, SHE USED TO SAY GOOD AFTERNOON/EVENING “SAN FRANCISCO THEATRES” which theatre please what an art for that when all of the theatres had a hit she worked 15 hours a day seven days a week in this cubby hole upstairs at the Alexandria with a peg board phone system from the 1930’s, Bud Tapper used to complain he had to pay her out of his budget. Al Bud and I used to meet next to the Coronet at Z’s Buffet and they would get hammered between shows, Those were the days>>!!

tarantex
tarantex commented about Del Mar Theatre on Jul 2, 2007 at 10:55 pm

I remember visiting all of UA theatres when Jim GalLager Jr. was the District Manager for the Santa Cruz areas , they were nice old theatres but in need of dollars for repair. Does anyone know where Jim Jr. Is??

tarantex
tarantex commented about Rialto Theater on Jun 20, 2007 at 1:07 am

Jack, wonderful story, I have had the same experience as you did only in larger theatres mainly FOX theatres mostly history in California.

tarantex
tarantex commented about Burbank Cinema on Jun 18, 2007 at 2:14 pm

that has to be the funniest thing i have ever seen writtin on here
‘SHIITE MUSLIMS" who wrote this your so funny!

tarantex
tarantex commented about Millbrae Theatre on Jun 18, 2007 at 1:53 pm

I managed the Millbare when it was a single screen what a beautiful
theatre the wood paneling all around the lobby two sets of double doors as you entered, the Box office to the side as you entered the marquee room was behind the box office the managers office was hugh it had high ceilings, itwas a Grand single screen. i remember always
keeping the neon lighted nothing was burned out when i was there , the United artists decided to triplex it so I moved back to the UA TANFORAN 4 until the triplex was complete i was at the Mall Cinemas before I went to Millbrae, When it was triplexed they did a good job the Lobby stayed the same the only thing was I had all the Lobby neon
replaced so it would be brighter, almost lost my job over it but the Naify’s were the best to work for, My boss Jim Gallager was the tops in my book. he gave me full run of managing there theatres i was there floating Manager , I was to clean up theatres that were in need
of a change in Management to bring the revenues and condition of poorly run theatres. sadly enough after cleaning up many lcations after I left one the next Manager ruined again. Running a Single screen was the most enjoyable experience I ever had when you sold out
and lines around the corner for the next performance it was great, the best thing was you had an hour to re coup, and then start all over again. with 20 screens you never have time to breathe. I did run an 18 plex Universal in LA , that was an experience , Again the Company I worked for was very good to there Managers [Cineplex-Odeon}
we also had the Plaza Twin and Northpoint two theatres I over saw for them and the St Francis Theatre downtown.

tarantex
tarantex commented about Baywood Theater on Jun 16, 2007 at 8:48 pm

i remember this theatre is was a THRIFTY store for the longest time I was by there the other day Its now vacant, but you can tell that it was a large movie theatre in its day , the tarazzo is party still
in front!

tarantex
tarantex commented about San Mateo Theatre on Jun 16, 2007 at 8:45 pm

I use to change the marquee when San Carlos Cinemas leased it from Mann Theatres, The theatre was so run down from when mann theatres ran it the upstairs balcony was closed off the upstairs lobby which in itsday circled around that was boarded up and used to store all kinds of theatre crap, i remember when Beverly and scrappy ran it for mann it was the philtist dump, Bev use to live in the Janitors Closet and they would drink the night away at the Ben Franks, when i was changing the marquee all seats were a $ 1.oo what a fun time that was

tarantex
tarantex commented about Burlingame Drive-In on Jun 16, 2007 at 8:24 pm

I remember when it was called the Peninsula and Burlingame Drive in, it was a twin from the start, I use to manage that drive along with the Redwood and the last one was the Moffet in mt. View, running a drive in was fun, I took a short time away from the Syufy’s and worked for United Artists ran the drive in in Belmont called the Starlight it was torn down for Coca Cola built a plant there since then they torn that down now it an office park and Public storage

tarantex
tarantex commented about Stanford Theatre on May 24, 2007 at 9:54 pm

My Mother, Ferol Tarantino managed this theatre from 1971 thru when Mann theatres sold in the early 80’s, It was a nice theatre then, it played mainly Black films to rough patrons, every once in a while at the time It was National General Theatres it wa booked with all Disney Films, i remember when “DUMBO” was released the theatre was sold out every day, that was the first time they ever used the upstairs balcony. otherwise it was locked so you could get in it I use to hide in the grills on the sides of the walls , It had a great grand piano back stage never was used the organ was already removed,I have the inventory that FOX WEST COAST THEATRES had for the theatre , It was originally called the FOX stanford, if i new how to download the black and white 8 x 10 photos of the theatre I would, I have the orignal photos from the opening of the theatre I also have the doormans box, it is very art deco. If David Packard would like the photos and the doorman’s box, go ahead and contact me i would be happy to give them to him. I am a fan of movie palaces, i grew up in the theatre business, I worked with my Mom at all of the theatres that Ted Mann closed and sold on the Peninsula, The Fox Burlingame, San Mateo Theatre 3rd ave, the Carlos Theatre on San carlos Ave, the Fox Redwood city, Fox Skyline, in San Bruno, the Laurel Theatre, San carlos,Manor Theatre 25th ave San Mateo, Millbrae in Millbrae, State Theatre SSF, Serra theatre Daly City, Now those were the days..

tarantex
tarantex commented about GCC Sherman Oaks 1 & 2 on May 14, 2007 at 12:26 pm

Neal e-mAIL

tarantex
tarantex commented about GCC Sherman Oaks 1 & 2 on Mar 23, 2007 at 5:41 pm

Where is Neil Stoleberg Now, I was the Manager of UA north hollywood
theatres when he was at UA Warner Center. ? Neil was the best Manager
UA had in Southern California, Also it was a sad day when Roy Evans UA Vice President of UA ’s Souhtern Division, Where are those idiot's
Stacy and LEE Joesylns? there were the worst theatre operators in Southern California, I know Neil was the DM, for GCC did he move over to AMC?

tarantex
tarantex commented about Cinerama Hollywood on Mar 23, 2007 at 3:51 pm

Does anyone know where the Manager of the dome is Jim Sutton?

tarantex
tarantex commented about Northpoint Theatre on Mar 15, 2007 at 6:02 pm

I wanted to say its not the same without this theatre, I was the Manager in 1978 thru 1981 when Plitt owned it and Managed the St Francis Twin also. At the time the Northpoint was a dog no bookings so saving salaries they had me run both Theatres, Prior to that I was at the Coronet with Al Levin from 1968 to 1978 I was the trouble
shooter for United Artits,I was lucky to manage the Single Screen Millbrae after they remoldeled it and I was the first Manager to run a mulitplex theatre the Tanforan Four Plex. I was lucky to join the now defunk Cineplex Odeon Chain and came back to the Northpoint in 1989. for some packed runs Last temptation and Lawerence of Araibia
George Lucas and Steven Speilberg were at the Northpoint doing sound
tests films previews. all the time , I have to say cineplex was a great company in they spent money keeping there Theatres in great repair, I was there in the renovation of the Plaza twin in daly City
what a great theatre, when the new cineplex made it over with marble on the floors nice seating carpets and purple interiors, the signage alone was 100,000 Now all of that Grand Movie Theatres are Gone . It sadding to see the Coronet closed Northpoint closed, I remember I use to go to the Alexandria and go upstairs to this room where they
had a lady named Clair answering ALL of the phones for The San francisco, UA theatres. i use to help her when the Metro, Coronet, Coliseum, Vogue, Stonestown,Alexandria All had hit first run movies
going on her phone lines would be lite up all night and day, she used a punch and pull system from the early nineteen thirties where u plug in the point to access the call.. those were the days no phones in theatres to answer no recordings just a live Operator with showtimes for those theatres… Memories..I truely miss..John Tarantino