I sold tickets and popcorn at the Valley Art 1977-78 during its transition from independent to Parallax Theater Systems. Our format was three double features per week plus Friday and Saturday midnight shows. The theater seated 450 and the one screen was mounted on a real theater stage. Bill Grieg was the projectionist and lived nearby; if it was broke, Bill fixed it. I heard he passed away in 1987. Jan Ogsbury was the Manager. The lobby was often a gathering place for locals (architects, street people, students, etc.) who would stop by for coffee and chat about Mill Ave and the neighborhood. We were even visited by a movie star! ;–) (A tall fellow came in one day, claiming, among other things, to have run into a film crew while on vacation in the South America. Two weeks later, Werner Herzog’s Aguirre the Wrath of God came to the theater and, true enough, our visitor, Tempe resident Edward Roland appeared in the movie with a speaking part!)
I sold tickets and popcorn at the Valley Art 1977-78 during its transition from independent to Parallax Theater Systems. Our format was three double features per week plus Friday and Saturday midnight shows. The theater seated 450 and the one screen was mounted on a real theater stage. Bill Grieg was the projectionist and lived nearby; if it was broke, Bill fixed it. I heard he passed away in 1987. Jan Ogsbury was the Manager. The lobby was often a gathering place for locals (architects, street people, students, etc.) who would stop by for coffee and chat about Mill Ave and the neighborhood. We were even visited by a movie star! ;–) (A tall fellow came in one day, claiming, among other things, to have run into a film crew while on vacation in the South America. Two weeks later, Werner Herzog’s Aguirre the Wrath of God came to the theater and, true enough, our visitor, Tempe resident Edward Roland appeared in the movie with a speaking part!)