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!
Hey, my cousin asked if you put FOUR SEASONS CINEMAS on ? I guess since you have been down you have not been able to do it. Also Hendersonville Outdoor Cinemas? I know you are busy with Tampa Theatres,so i will let Ray know.
He even printed out a history on Four Seasons. I guess he is computer dumb like me. Happy New year. Hope you liked the gift.
Albany ,Georgia was the city. While we are talking about banning movies Augusta Police Chief,James Beck, stated he would raid the IMPERIAL THEATRE there if it showed A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Being an ABC theatre and wanting no bad press it was pulled only to play later when it was released as a R rated movie,
I was never a projectionist,but in management and jgrow i can honestly say having a trained man in the booth during my days made life easier. I got in on the tail end of carbon arcs and the beginning of platters. I don’t know how many unionoperators realized their days were numbered. By the time i quit GCC, they were wanting the operators to start the last feature and leave the booth and a manager would cut everything off.
I am glad i quit when i did. Theatre business is gone down hill since i started as a doorman by in 1974.
Yeah, I could have shot alot of film at the IMPERIAL without sound they would still been great. Our plots were pretty simple and we used the overture from Jesus Christ Superstar for all three movies it seem to work quite well with all the action.
Oh,being a assistant manager one night a few buddies and i went in Columbia Square 2 and i set up our Super 8 projector and played my three movies on the SCREEN and surprizingly it wasn’t too bad of a picture.
I am glad i can honestly say to people i have had my films on the Silver Screen. Oh, I put your pics in the mail monday morning.
Bob, one other place where two Drive-ins were side by side and not a twin was in Augusta,Georgia where the FOREST HILLS and BON-AIR DRIVE INS were side by side.{both on CT]
I made 3 super 8 movies THE FUNKY VAMPIRE, TWO ON THE RUN and TRRROR. I wish like heck i would have taken that camera to work with me at NATIONAL HILLS and shot about 200 feet of now Priceless memories.
THE SUNSET DRIVE IN held 250 cars in 1956 and was owned by The Tullis Brothers. THe other Drive in that town was the STAR LITE DRIVE IN and it was much larger holding 538 cars and was owned by T.M.Morris.
Ray, I hope you will soon post pictures of Southside. Ifound one of you and me in your booth there,don’t know why i didn’t take more. Maybe i did and have not found them.
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!
People expect so much from your stories,Nick.
Hey, my cousin asked if you put FOUR SEASONS CINEMAS on ? I guess since you have been down you have not been able to do it. Also Hendersonville Outdoor Cinemas? I know you are busy with Tampa Theatres,so i will let Ray know.
He even printed out a history on Four Seasons. I guess he is computer dumb like me. Happy New year. Hope you liked the gift.
In 1956 it parked 450 cars and was owned by Coop Theatre Service Corp.
Albany ,Georgia was the city. While we are talking about banning movies Augusta Police Chief,James Beck, stated he would raid the IMPERIAL THEATRE there if it showed A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Being an ABC theatre and wanting no bad press it was pulled only to play later when it was released as a R rated movie,
I was never a projectionist,but in management and jgrow i can honestly say having a trained man in the booth during my days made life easier. I got in on the tail end of carbon arcs and the beginning of platters. I don’t know how many unionoperators realized their days were numbered. By the time i quit GCC, they were wanting the operators to start the last feature and leave the booth and a manager would cut everything off.
I am glad i quit when i did. Theatre business is gone down hill since i started as a doorman by in 1974.
Yeah, I could have shot alot of film at the IMPERIAL without sound they would still been great. Our plots were pretty simple and we used the overture from Jesus Christ Superstar for all three movies it seem to work quite well with all the action.
Oh,being a assistant manager one night a few buddies and i went in Columbia Square 2 and i set up our Super 8 projector and played my three movies on the SCREEN and surprizingly it wasn’t too bad of a picture.
I am glad i can honestly say to people i have had my films on the Silver Screen. Oh, I put your pics in the mail monday morning.
Bob, one other place where two Drive-ins were side by side and not a twin was in Augusta,Georgia where the FOREST HILLS and BON-AIR DRIVE INS were side by side.{both on CT]
Where have you gone Nick Di maggio Heaven holds a place for those who like old theatres. Corny, Iknow.
I made 3 super 8 movies THE FUNKY VAMPIRE, TWO ON THE RUN and TRRROR. I wish like heck i would have taken that camera to work with me at NATIONAL HILLS and shot about 200 feet of now Priceless memories.
In 1956 it parked 175 cars and was owned by A.C. Saunders.
Well, it is listed now rody. THE BROOKSIDE DRIVE IN WAS owned by Al Suchman and parked 730 cars in 1956.
IT was owned in 1956 by SKY-VUE DRIVE-IN THEATRES,INC. And it parked as mentioned above 575 cars.
THE SUNSET DRIVE IN held 250 cars in 1956 and was owned by The Tullis Brothers. THe other Drive in that town was the STAR LITE DRIVE IN and it was much larger holding 538 cars and was owned by T.M.Morris.
Ray, I hope you will soon post pictures of Southside. Ifound one of you and me in your booth there,don’t know why i didn’t take more. Maybe i did and have not found them.
Ray, I was amazed how small the marquee was compared to the Miller and Imperial. Thanks for sending the pictures.
God Bless STAGEHANDS. Mike Local 629 iatse.
Your Computer must be broke down.I can’t believe you have been off this long with all these Tampa drive-ins added.