Gone But Not Forgotten in San Antonio! - Part I (Laredo: vacations, Mexican)

[GWhopper]

Originally Posted by gy2020

I am going to date myself. I grew up in San Antonio all my life with a few years in Austin, Houston and St. Louis. I started out on the southside off S. Presa and my favorite theatre has always been the Hi-Ho Theatre on S. Presa. It opened in 1947 and closed in 1955. I remember going to the theatre on Saturday mornings at 10 am and staying until 6 pm. I saw serials, newsreels, a double feature and lots of cartoons. A day well spent.
At night we would listen to a radio show called "So You Wanta Be a Cop!" It was a fore runner to a lot of reality cop shows. A newsman road with a cop on Friday nights and reported on beer joints, picking up prostitutes, etc. Fun Night. and of course there was Amos and Andy on the radio and later on television. Life of Riley, 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye. My first job I worked as abag boy for Handy Andy at 35 cents an hour.
Later I went to Woodlawn theatre on Northside, saw a lot of good flicks, learned to bowl at Woodlawn Bowling Alley, next to the Woodlawn Theatre. used take a date to Coolcrest, went to drive-in (food) on Bandera Rd and met a carhop named Cherokee.

Don Strange ( Strange party house) was a friend and graduated two years ahead of me from Jefferson H.S. We both went to Grace Presbyterian Church a couple of blocks away.

I met Big John Hamilton in the late 70's. A mutual friend introduced us. I worked to bring a Playboy Playmate to SA for Western Day for MDA. She was Hope Olsen, Miss October of 1976. A couple of years after that a friend of mine helped me the Centennial of the Shooting of Jack Harris. He used to run SA back in the 1870s and 1880s. Ben Thompson killed Jack the evening of July 11, 1882. so we had to celebrate at the Melodrama Theatre at Hemisfair Saturday and Sunday, July 10 and July 11, 1982. It's been over 26 years, good memories.

A lot more, save till later.

Can't wait to hear "A lot More"!!!

I want to know how many of us are googling "Hope Olsen" after this post. I know I shamelessly am.

[GWhopper]

Primo and I went hiking out to the backside of Elm Creek this weekend, out by the railroad tracks that cross Salado Creek between Huebner and Lockhill-Selma, looking for any more remaining structures of the Algo Differente. We found a few.

(I would like to point out that neither Primo's girlfriend nor my wife would agree to accompany us on this journey. My wife made some cryptic comment about "getting shanked by railroad hobo's". I didn't think she knew what "shanked" meant)

Oddly, she sounded kind of hopeful.

[Primo]

Originally Posted by Macgrad89

Primo gets a rep point for the Find of the Day! The map is from the grand opening of CPM in March of 1968.

Dunderbak's was at North Star in the bend where Lids, Great American Cookie, etc. are now (next to Mervyn's). The Frontier was at CPM until the mid or late 80s as I remember my folks taking us there for burgers and I was in middle school.
Macgrad89

I thought I remembered at Mr. Dunderbak's being at Central park Mall? Does anyone else remember one? Or am I crazy.

[munerider]

I LOVE (ed?) Browns...owners retired...think maybe the kids are still trying it, last I heard...but it isn't the same...not even close. If they don't give damn, neither do I!

Burgandy Woods..think it was a little closer in than Starcrest. But right about there and Harry Wurzbach exit was ALL the disco joints back in the day...now some are strip joints.

[linskie]

Originally Posted by SAMusicGrinder

What are everyone's all-time favorite music venues in SA?

One of my favorites was what used to be an old supermarket on West Ave (I think) called The Rock Saloon. This was in the early 80's. It was mostly cover bands on a state-wide circuit. The group would always be from out-of-town,
as if it made them more special. There didn't seem to be any local bands that played in-town, unless they were playing somewhere else billed as "Such-and-Such direct from San Antonio!" Anyway this joint had plenty of room to dance and hang out.

[1313]

Originally Posted by linskie

One of my favorites was what used to be an old supermarket on West Ave (I think) called The Rock Saloon. This was in the early 80's. It was mostly cover bands on a state-wide circuit. The group would always be from out-of-town,
as if it made them more special. There didn't seem to be any local bands that played in-town, unless they were playing somewhere else billed as "Such-and-Such direct from San Antonio!" Anyway this joint had plenty of room to dance and hang out.

The Rock Saloon used to be a Piggly Wiggly!! I used to go there with my grandparents as a kid. I remember I bought a "The Rookies" police playset there and I still have the "official police ID card".

[gy2020]

Hanging (http://www.2020testsite.com/Hanging.html - broken link) Go to this site to see a picture of Big John Hamilton and actor Glen Corbett hanging Judge Bustemonte as a leadup to theJack Harris Centennial, July 11, 1982.
Big John Hamilton (http://www.2020testsite.com/Big_John__Hamilton.html - broken link)
Go to the above site to see Big John Hamilton and KTSA radio personality Bruce Hathaway at the Western Day for MDA in May, 1978.
Jack Harris (http://www.2020testsite.com/Jack_Harris.html - broken link)
Go to the above site to see the wake of Jack Harris.
Hope Olsen (http://www.2020testsite.com/Hope_Olsen.html - broken link)
Go to the above site to see Hope Olsen and my younger mug at the Western Day for MDA.

This post was in response to those who might googling Hope Olsen. Save you time.

[gy2020]

Two friends of mine had stores in the ninties. Ron Sodders, of New Braunfels, had a rock shop in CPM and the other friend ran a store with newspapers and magazines, photos of movie stars. This guy started out with a kiosk in the center of the mall and then management talked him into leasing a store. They made him a good deal. GPM was the actual owner of the mall.

[gy2020]

I stand corrected. Sam Jaffe was the owner of Central Park Mall. GPM owned both office towers and the department store next to them and of course Sears owned its store. The friend that had the magazine and photo store called his store, Memories.

[Crystal B]

I was involved in that Melodrama Theatre reenactment of the shooting of Jack Harris. I rode in the buggy that accompanied the coffin to Jack's (real) grave in City Cemetery No. 1, and sobbed at the ceremony commemorating his death. In fact, I even helped GY2020 write a novel based on Jack's life -- but we never finished it. Jack's dog Skeezicks had been at his funeral, so I named my pup Skeezicks in his honor.