movieman457: I appreciate your information. I worked as a part-time usher for MN Amusement at the STATE a few years around 1957. I got 70 cents an hour and usually had 13 hours a week. Congress raised the minimum wage to $1.05 about 1958. One of the full-time ushers, Ron, bought a 53 BUICK and married the popcorn girl.
Floyd Nutting was our manager. He had me trained to repair seat cushions. I got 35 cents each. If I hustled I could do four an hour. I also set the marquee which in those days changed twice a week: an A picture Thur-Sun and then a B picture the rest of the week.
We had “South Pacific” and Godzilla" and a few 3D flicks. It was my first job in show business.
I heard the story of how Bob Hope came to be the MC for the grand opening. In the Vaudeville Era, great entertainers would play the houses in Seattle and Spokane. Travel expenses were high and players often skipped town without paying their hotel bills. The sheriff met them the next trip. Yakima heard of this and offered free room and board if they played the CAPITOL. A minister and his wife provided lodging.
This caught on and Yakima hosted many fine shows while the players earned some travel money. When Bob Hope got the call he remembered Yakima and was happy to do the honors.
movieman457: I appreciate your information. I worked as a part-time usher for MN Amusement at the STATE a few years around 1957. I got 70 cents an hour and usually had 13 hours a week. Congress raised the minimum wage to $1.05 about 1958. One of the full-time ushers, Ron, bought a 53 BUICK and married the popcorn girl.
Floyd Nutting was our manager. He had me trained to repair seat cushions. I got 35 cents each. If I hustled I could do four an hour. I also set the marquee which in those days changed twice a week: an A picture Thur-Sun and then a B picture the rest of the week.
We had “South Pacific” and Godzilla" and a few 3D flicks.
It was my first job in show business.
I heard the story of how Bob Hope came to be the MC for the grand opening. In the Vaudeville Era, great entertainers would play the houses in Seattle and Spokane. Travel expenses were high and players often skipped town without paying their hotel bills. The sheriff met them the next trip. Yakima heard of this and offered free room and board if they played the CAPITOL. A minister and his wife provided lodging.
This caught on and Yakima hosted many fine shows while the players earned some travel money. When Bob Hope got the call he remembered Yakima and was happy to do the honors.