I am so sorry to hear about Peggy. I would come up from Georgia often and she always took time to talk theatre. I will pass her passing on to friends who also enjoyed her Drive in.I hope they will keep her Dream alive.
My goof,Ray Hutto knows alot about Augusta,Georgia theatres but i don’t think Hendersonville . Ray Rogers was my source on The HENDERSONVILLE OUTDOOR CINEMA. Too many pages,Got my Rays mixed up.
More on the Four Seasons with a interview with the last real theatre manager there,Ray Rogers.
Mike: the theatre had different look inside at the time.
Ray: Yes, it was of Austrian waterfall screen curtains and full stereo sound,a far cry from the Carolina in town.
Mike; What the booth?
Ray: Mike, it was impressive the first time i took over. So much room. We had Film Systems Consoles Christie projector heads. I got so good in the booth often i would be in Asheville fixing problems in those theatres. We had full Kintek sound. The booth also had wall mounted film transport systems. and like so many theatres we had interlock on all 4 houses.
Mike: I know all theatre guys have a story,What’s yours?
Ray:{laughing} I remember a customer came out and said you have a hole in wall somewhere! I can hear the wind whistling around. He didn’t realize it was the sound effectsof the movie he was hearing and not the weather outside. That is a good sound system.
Mike: I have to agree.haven’t read that yet on CT, Special Needs?
Ray: I was proud to hire Special needs employees. and out theatre was equipped in the cinemas for such folks.
Mike:Not alot managers managed that theatre,Must have a great place for a guy to stay for awhile,
Ray: Mike,you are right,not many at all, Keith was the first.David White was an Assistant to help Keith Black. Ed Webb came in and i was brought in mainly because of my Booth experience and managing at the CAROLINA 1 and 2 {on CT}, Litchfield was the chain.
Mike: Different chains took over?
Ray: Yes, United Artists,and several off shoots,then REGAL and finally Epic who simply walked away like the above post MIKEOAKLANDPARK wrote.
Mike: Keeping it clean? a problem?
Ray: No, Both the interior and exterior walls were painted making maintance easy. {Scored concrete blocks}
Mike: Some debate on opening day.
Ray; It opened Feb.14 1985 with good weather,for here. I held the “fort” down from 1985 to 2006. Heck, that is probably a theatre manager record.
I would also like to add unlike new theatres and like you I hate saying “cinemas” so much ours had lots of leg room and Our seats were offset just right so you could always see the screen. We were using neon way before alot of theatres today.
Mike: Anything else I know our CT readers always want more.
Ray ; Just a pity to see “her” there now, Dark.
Mike: Ray, That is the cry of so many readers,thanks for the time.
The IMPERIAL would also show ESCAPE and CONQUEST in the ape series,the final one and weakest of the series,BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES would play at DANIEL VILLAGE.
So Georgia Theatres opened the APE movies and closed them.In between ABC THEATRES played them. They would all turn up at THE WEIS DRIVE IN for an all nite “GO APE”.
I will look it over. I loved HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS and managed to save a ad from the movie.If you would like i can mail out West. I saw it at NATIONAL HILLS home to ALL my Christopher Lee Draculas.I just recently a few weeks ago put my three movies off vhs to dvd. I have the Super 8 movies somewhere.
Hard to believe,We are getting the 1966 movie ,DISNEY MOVIE, LT. ROBIN CRUSOE with Dick Van Dyke. This is 1974. Well, later on when i would move out to COLUMBIA 1 and 2 they booked the 1969 movie MAROONED in COLUMBIA 1 where it died fast.And it was not a bad movie it had been on TV several times.
I guess since Augusta is a nice size city the Clover-Leaf was not in Augusta,Georgia,North Augusta,S.C. Its all Augusta pretty much here now anyways especially with THE MASTERS.
WE had planned to make a longer film with sound LAST BANK TO ROB we had a script,but it never got made.It must have been a task to edit it with a sound track.I did save the script and a few months ago made a copy for one of the guys that helped in all three movies,It was quite fun.Our last two were pretty violent .We were using live ammo for some shots.Shotguns.
In one scene i get shot by a guy saving his girl.WE took the buckshot out and put babypowder in it. WEll,the blast was so big it shot a wad of cardboard we were using in the shell RIGHT INTO MY PANTS!!!! I thought i was ruined for life.It hurt. But we went on.
I came in one afternoon to see if any of the managers wanted to eat lunch. They were having their weekly meeting with Mr.Tinney. Jack Jordan.Manager of the Imperial holds a black and white 8 by 10 still and sees me.“Mike,I know if anyone knows this cowboy’s name it is you."
I look at it for less than 2 seconds and said,"Neville Brand.”
Clifford, Boy are you so right. Unlike you i didn’t care for any of the STAR WARS movies.MOst of the STAR WARS crowd would walk out on the first 21 minutes of 2001.
Sometimes I would pick Karen up from work at Sondy’s pizza and just go back to the theatre after hours and spend time together sitting in the office or up in the booth watching Mr.Adams color TV. Those were the days.She even talked me into going to the HILLTOP drive in to see STAR WARS a movie i could have cared less about. I don’t think we watched much of the movie.
I did see FOUL PLAY there when the cinemas opened.I was working at Plitt Theatres,Don’t recall if i got in free or not.Took my girlfriend Karen A. to it.WE usually had deal worked out where managers got in free. Except WEIS CINEMAS,i think they were jealous because they were such a shoebox opration.
While on the subject of Clint Eastwood,his strangest movie of all time TIGHTROPE played in Cinema 1 ,but i was long gone. I did go back to see SUDDEN IMPACT there and got my friend,Chuck Dray,projectionist,to clip out a frame when Clint was doing his"make my day" speech and i had it blown up on a poster board i still have today. Guess i am a big Eastwood fan.
I remember,funny how these thing pop up, that one time after a afternoon show I was walking up the aisle in Cinema 1 and spotted a wallet! Man, I looked at it and inside there must have been a couple of hundreds of dollars. I guess everyone gets an Honesty test. I called the folks they lived over in Aiken, S.C. and they were glad it was going in the safe.
Next day they got it. Being a employee of GCC i am sure in our HUGE policy book rewards are not permitted. They never offered.I often wondered if i would have accepted a reward.Knowing me, probably not.
Believe it or not, I got In the IATSE Local 629 Stagehands once taking off my suit and tie,but even before then i know we gave you guys hell alot . It was always a comfort to know we had trained men that actually cared about picture and sound and not like today when they flip them on and leave the booth. Plus,you guys always had clean restrooms!
I am so sorry to hear about Peggy. I would come up from Georgia often and she always took time to talk theatre. I will pass her passing on to friends who also enjoyed her Drive in.I hope they will keep her Dream alive.
My goof,Ray Hutto knows alot about Augusta,Georgia theatres but i don’t think Hendersonville . Ray Rogers was my source on The HENDERSONVILLE OUTDOOR CINEMA. Too many pages,Got my Rays mixed up.
Chuck According to my cousin there you are right.OutDoor Cinema must sounded fancier. All the same.
You can reach Ray for more Western North Carolina theatre stories at Ray Rogers He will be glad to tell about Drive ins also in that area.
More on the Four Seasons with a interview with the last real theatre manager there,Ray Rogers.
Mike: the theatre had different look inside at the time.
Ray: Yes, it was of Austrian waterfall screen curtains and full stereo sound,a far cry from the Carolina in town.
Mike; What the booth?
Ray: Mike, it was impressive the first time i took over. So much room. We had Film Systems Consoles Christie projector heads. I got so good in the booth often i would be in Asheville fixing problems in those theatres. We had full Kintek sound. The booth also had wall mounted film transport systems. and like so many theatres we had interlock on all 4 houses.
Mike: I know all theatre guys have a story,What’s yours?
Ray:{laughing} I remember a customer came out and said you have a hole in wall somewhere! I can hear the wind whistling around. He didn’t realize it was the sound effectsof the movie he was hearing and not the weather outside. That is a good sound system.
Mike: I have to agree.haven’t read that yet on CT, Special Needs?
Ray: I was proud to hire Special needs employees. and out theatre was equipped in the cinemas for such folks.
Mike:Not alot managers managed that theatre,Must have a great place for a guy to stay for awhile,
Ray: Mike,you are right,not many at all, Keith was the first.David White was an Assistant to help Keith Black. Ed Webb came in and i was brought in mainly because of my Booth experience and managing at the CAROLINA 1 and 2 {on CT}, Litchfield was the chain.
Mike: Different chains took over?
Ray: Yes, United Artists,and several off shoots,then REGAL and finally Epic who simply walked away like the above post MIKEOAKLANDPARK wrote.
Mike: Keeping it clean? a problem?
Ray: No, Both the interior and exterior walls were painted making maintance easy. {Scored concrete blocks}
Mike: Some debate on opening day.
Ray; It opened Feb.14 1985 with good weather,for here. I held the “fort” down from 1985 to 2006. Heck, that is probably a theatre manager record.
I would also like to add unlike new theatres and like you I hate saying “cinemas” so much ours had lots of leg room and Our seats were offset just right so you could always see the screen. We were using neon way before alot of theatres today.
Mike: Anything else I know our CT readers always want more.
Ray ; Just a pity to see “her” there now, Dark.
Mike: Ray, That is the cry of so many readers,thanks for the time.
The IMPERIAL would also show ESCAPE and CONQUEST in the ape series,the final one and weakest of the series,BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES would play at DANIEL VILLAGE.
So Georgia Theatres opened the APE movies and closed them.In between ABC THEATRES played them. They would all turn up at THE WEIS DRIVE IN for an all nite “GO APE”.
I wish the HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS was on dvd, I have the vhs version.
I know you liked THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS. It is on dvd.
I will look it over. I loved HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS and managed to save a ad from the movie.If you would like i can mail out West. I saw it at NATIONAL HILLS home to ALL my Christopher Lee Draculas.I just recently a few weeks ago put my three movies off vhs to dvd. I have the Super 8 movies somewhere.
Hard to believe,We are getting the 1966 movie ,DISNEY MOVIE, LT. ROBIN CRUSOE with Dick Van Dyke. This is 1974. Well, later on when i would move out to COLUMBIA 1 and 2 they booked the 1969 movie MAROONED in COLUMBIA 1 where it died fast.And it was not a bad movie it had been on TV several times.
I guess since Augusta is a nice size city the Clover-Leaf was not in Augusta,Georgia,North Augusta,S.C. Its all Augusta pretty much here now anyways especially with THE MASTERS.
Most of all the area Aiken Drive-ins are now on CT thanks to Bill Barkley for taking the time.
Jerry Lewis sold out way before the mid 80’s.Did it keep the name? I wouldn’t think so if another chain bought it.
It was open and run by the Zeiler Brothers. This from 1956.
WE had planned to make a longer film with sound LAST BANK TO ROB we had a script,but it never got made.It must have been a task to edit it with a sound track.I did save the script and a few months ago made a copy for one of the guys that helped in all three movies,It was quite fun.Our last two were pretty violent .We were using live ammo for some shots.Shotguns.
In one scene i get shot by a guy saving his girl.WE took the buckshot out and put babypowder in it. WEll,the blast was so big it shot a wad of cardboard we were using in the shell RIGHT INTO MY PANTS!!!! I thought i was ruined for life.It hurt. But we went on.
That is show business.
I came in one afternoon to see if any of the managers wanted to eat lunch. They were having their weekly meeting with Mr.Tinney. Jack Jordan.Manager of the Imperial holds a black and white 8 by 10 still and sees me.“Mike,I know if anyone knows this cowboy’s name it is you."
I look at it for less than 2 seconds and said,"Neville Brand.”
Can’t make this up.
BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES opens at the IMPERIAL. The first APE film opened across the street at the Miller.1970
Clifford, Boy are you so right. Unlike you i didn’t care for any of the STAR WARS movies.MOst of the STAR WARS crowd would walk out on the first 21 minutes of 2001.
For the record,Karen was not the VALENTINO waitress mentioned above. Karen was sweeter.
Sometimes I would pick Karen up from work at Sondy’s pizza and just go back to the theatre after hours and spend time together sitting in the office or up in the booth watching Mr.Adams color TV. Those were the days.She even talked me into going to the HILLTOP drive in to see STAR WARS a movie i could have cared less about. I don’t think we watched much of the movie.
I did see FOUL PLAY there when the cinemas opened.I was working at Plitt Theatres,Don’t recall if i got in free or not.Took my girlfriend Karen A. to it.WE usually had deal worked out where managers got in free. Except WEIS CINEMAS,i think they were jealous because they were such a shoebox opration.
While on the subject of Clint Eastwood,his strangest movie of all time TIGHTROPE played in Cinema 1 ,but i was long gone. I did go back to see SUDDEN IMPACT there and got my friend,Chuck Dray,projectionist,to clip out a frame when Clint was doing his"make my day" speech and i had it blown up on a poster board i still have today. Guess i am a big Eastwood fan.
Dan E.Welcome to cinema treasures hope to read alot more from you on old theatres.
I remember,funny how these thing pop up, that one time after a afternoon show I was walking up the aisle in Cinema 1 and spotted a wallet! Man, I looked at it and inside there must have been a couple of hundreds of dollars. I guess everyone gets an Honesty test. I called the folks they lived over in Aiken, S.C. and they were glad it was going in the safe.
Next day they got it. Being a employee of GCC i am sure in our HUGE policy book rewards are not permitted. They never offered.I often wondered if i would have accepted a reward.Knowing me, probably not.
Honkytonk Man.My mistake.Almost as bad as Clint’s for making that movie.
Believe it or not, I got In the IATSE Local 629 Stagehands once taking off my suit and tie,but even before then i know we gave you guys hell alot . It was always a comfort to know we had trained men that actually cared about picture and sound and not like today when they flip them on and leave the booth. Plus,you guys always had clean restrooms!