Underock1
Senior Member
- Location
- Suburban NJ
I'm talking late '30s, early 40's. They had a main feature, a "B" movie, a cartoon, a newsreel, and the latest episode of a serial. The place was packed with kids and total bedlam. Everyone knew each other. You bought candy with an eye to its throwability, as well as to its taste. "Good and Plenty" were killers. The kids in the front rows spent half the movie facing the rear.
Our theater was at the bottom of a hill, and the first five rows flooded out in a heavy rain. You had to sit with your feet up, while the occasional paper boat came floating under.
There were door prizes, and contests. Whistle with your mouth full of crackers, recite poems, "Ooee Gooee Was a Worm". Costume parades.
They also had a great series called 'Whacky Races". It had a set of stereotypical comic characters. Fat guy, skinny guy, dumb guy, etc. They had foot races, ( fall across a stream, and everyone ran across your back ),horse races, ( Don't have the fire horse.) boat races, ( outboard motor on a bath tub in a pinch) etc. You got a number at the door and a prize if your guy won.
They had ushers and usherettes walking around with flashlights. They would throw you out for misbehaving. They actually made you leave, if you had already seen the whole show. No sitting through a second time. Fun times, a long time ago.
Our theater was at the bottom of a hill, and the first five rows flooded out in a heavy rain. You had to sit with your feet up, while the occasional paper boat came floating under.
There were door prizes, and contests. Whistle with your mouth full of crackers, recite poems, "Ooee Gooee Was a Worm". Costume parades.
They also had a great series called 'Whacky Races". It had a set of stereotypical comic characters. Fat guy, skinny guy, dumb guy, etc. They had foot races, ( fall across a stream, and everyone ran across your back ),horse races, ( Don't have the fire horse.) boat races, ( outboard motor on a bath tub in a pinch) etc. You got a number at the door and a prize if your guy won.
They had ushers and usherettes walking around with flashlights. They would throw you out for misbehaving. They actually made you leave, if you had already seen the whole show. No sitting through a second time. Fun times, a long time ago.
