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I wrote this in 2006 after seeing a stinkeroo of a movie, and paying big bucks for admission, popcorn, and drinks. The theatre was dirty, unmanned, and the movie was played way too loud. A Movie Man’s Lament. ——– by outafocus
Back some time, more than a century ago,
Edison came up with what we now call a picture show.
He worked and he worked to make still pictures move
And started a NEW art that would never hang in the Louvre
He filmed people doing things like kissing and walking,
and the people were thrilled though they never heard talking
These moving pictures were miraculous to behold,
and people loved the nickelodeons, so daring and bold
Then some enterprising showmen got into the act,
and said we’ll tell stories on film, both fiction and fact!
So instead of 5 minute vignettes came a mighty creation,
the first BIG movie called “Birth Of A Nation”.
From then on movies churned out of old Hollywood,
and the industry got bigger than even Edison thought it could!
They made lavish musicals with big massive props,
and made wonderful comedies, with “The Keystone Kops”.
Theaters were building in towns all around,
and FINALLY someone said “I think movies need sound”!
So they found a BIG star, they couldn’t use a “ringer”,
and starred Al Jolson in WB’s “The Jazz Singer”.
From that day on, movies were never the same,
They made wonderful productions, and films of acclaim.
In 1939 movie quality peaked, and everyone would attend,
movies like “The Grapes Of Wrath, and "Gone With The Wind"
Then World War II raised it’s ugly head,
and the studios made war training films, instead.
Lots of stars went to war, like Stewart and Gable,
and every brave GI had a pinup of beautiful Betty Grable.
A few fair films were made at this time,
that dealt with hooligans, murderers and all sorts of crime.
Then "Casablanca” hit the big silver screen,
and many thought it was the best film they’d ever seen
By war’s end the people were ready and clamoring,
for something light hearted and much more enamoring
MGM came out with musicals, lavish and lithe,
20th Fox introduced us to lovely Ann Blythe
Columbia’s short subjects gave us the Stooges three,
Universal’s “Kettles” made us laugh with glee
Then TV hit movie attendance with a mighty fist,
The studios had to develop something with a new twist.
20th Fox said super wide screens are the way to go,
and brought CinemaScope into the movie show.
Others thought 3-D would bring people in,
but though it did work, the glasses were annoying as sin.
Some great films came out, but attendance was low
Things were grim for the old movie show,
Then all of a sudden, the 60s came in,
and movies finally overcame TV’s loud din
People said “Let’s leave the couch, we need to go out”,
Movies were the best entertainment value, of that there’s no doubt.
So theaters started popping up, both big and small,
and an idea came up to put one in a mall!
That idea took off, and we forgot the TV hex,
Then someone got the idea for the modern multiplex.
Twin theaters were born, then three screens and four,
Now there are places called Cinemas Galore!
They now have stadium seating and digital sound,
high prices, bad service, and no charm I’ve found.
The movies were once a magical thing,
The people all gasped when they heard Jolson sing.
They cried when Bogie left Ingrid at the plane,
and were thrilled to see Gene Kelly Singin' In The Rain
Movie Palaces are gone, REAL movie stars gone too,
Nowadays special effects, and noise is supposed to enchant you.
Theaters now are shoeboxes with loud digital noise,
There are few adult stars now, just some talentless girls and boys.
I miss the days when theaters were big, and had only one screen,
These days it’s quaint to have only eighteen!
I miss the way movies used to be,
when acting and storyline is what entertained me.
Wednesday was Enchiladas rice and beans on the S.A.I.S.D. school lunch menu. I do not know how they did it but the food was very ,very good, except for the sauerkraut(?) on Mondays, the smell would be so bad from that stuff.
To this day I really still don't like cooked cabbage now, Albert . Due to that smell you mentioned.
I can recall it still, too, to this day. I am getting better about it now, however.
This has taken many years however.
Paka your recollections seem a familiar read to me. Except I never wore a pair of pants under my skirt thankyou, I might have, if I felt so inclined but I never did feel the inclination wear a skirt.
But I remember the girls doing so.
With all due respect--Just kidding.
The drills you wrote of at school I can remember very well too but a little differently. We were required to take canned goods and water rations , each student, to elementary school for survival and learn to get under the desk and hide on a signal (the three bells you wrote of)in case of the nuclear attack of San Antonio's southside. I was in the 5th or 6th grade, I do not remember exactly.
Well - it was a mostly innocent childhood back then I guess. Of course they never told us why we were supposed to hide underneath our desks, that is I do not remember them ever saying, "Kids, Practice hiding under your desk in case of a Nuclear attack".
I do not remember ever questioning this practice. We just did what we were told to do back then.
Like when Mrs. Finley informed me "You are going to be in the talent show this year."
I did not think of saying, no, I would rather not. We just did what we were told as kids back then.
Don't know if hiding under a desk or closing the venetian blinds would have saved us from an Atom bomb or not. I would suggest not. Maybe.
I can recall the Saturday matinees at 99 cents too.
Summers were the best of times though, out of school and carefree...
I went barefooted by choice. All summer long. The asphalt street surface would be scalding hot
on bare feet..hard to bear but I did it anyway.
I had forgotten so much but these posts have picked my brain, Bud's Beer Barrel, who could have remembered
that place without a nudge, but now I do remember it, wasn't there a wooden barrel on the top of the building?
Hey Huck how goes it.Yes I do recall a barrel on top right in the middle.Then around the corner on W.W.White Rd.was my dads hang out ,LEON'S ICE HOUSE,then further up was SMITTY'S Bar and grill do you recall those two.I can still hear my mom calling to speak to my dad,but of course they would all say "HE'S NOT HERE",mom hanging up saying "WAIT till yourFather get's home I have his dinner waiting in this frying pan,for sure he's gonna get it".Anybody know of HI-SLOPE ICE house?At the end of CLARK st was a baseball diamond where I fisrt signed up for LITTLE LEAGUE and would play for C&S SPORTING GOODS,but we moved to the North side and played for Joe Strauss where the pond is now at USAA.Oh,and I still have the handbook on those drills they handed out in 5th grade in case of a NUCLEAR attackHide under your desk,YEA RIGHT !They had no idea of what it would do.
Last edited by albert soliz; 01-26-2013 at 10:58 PM..
Love those movie ads from the paper, mud. The Arts theatre advertised there was the Uptown. It had a few name changes before it became St. Anne's Parish Hall.
I never missed Captain Gus. I always pictured his never seen crew: Hungry, Zombie, Hector and Neppy the whale. I was always entering the Wishing Well club, but was never chosen. I remember he would choose someone from in town, and from out of town. Whenever he chose someone from Yoakum he would always say gleefully that this kid is from "Yoakum, Zombie, Yoakum"! I don't know if the good captain (Joe Alston) was from Yoakum, or Zombie was, but he always made a big deal over kids from Yoakum.
Your right,all the winners seems like,came from Victoria,Cuero,Gonzales,and Pipe Creek.Every now and a winner from S.A..Do you recall the every now and again sub.that wore all white,sunglasses and a sailor hat,not Mortimer or any of the other cast members?His name was CAPT.EDDIE,.He worked at Ch.4 for while as a stage hand.Once ,he was dropping dry leaves over Loretta Lynn as she sang a song as one of the guest performers.Then went to work for KENS.I only this because I new his daughter in High School.
I went barefooted by choice. All summer long. The asphalt street surface would be scalding hot
on bare feet..hard to bear but I did it anyway.
I had forgotten so much but these posts have picked my brain, Bud's Beer Barrel, who could have remembered
that place without a nudge, but now I do remember it, wasn't there a wooden barrel on the top of the building?
Oh, me too!!! My big toe us to split on the bottom of both because of going barefoot on the hot asphalt all the time...and what about drinking water out of your garden hose, cause you did not DARE ask to go inside or you would be forced to take a nap!!! LOL
Skating all summer with your metal skates with the skate key to tighten it on your shoes (about the ONLY time I would put on shoes) and walking to the Pool on Kelly AFB to swim...we walked to and from to spend our days there "hanging out" with everyone. If it was not free, you did not even THINK of asking to get to go....or you had "earned" the money if it was something you got to do.
I do remember our folks ALWAYS had the 15 cents it would cost for our to go to the movies on base, but again, you walked there and back...guess it gave them some "free time" to enjoy with the kids out of their hair from 7-9:30.
Can you even IMAGINE letting our grandbabies "ride the bus downtown" to shop these days???? HECK no, but my girlfriends and I would do that at age 12 and go to SoloServe and the old Manhattan to get their 3pm just out of the oven Nepoloen pasteries!!! We thought we were the IT because we could buy 4 pr of 2nd stockings at Solo Serve for $1!!!! LOL That and fishnet stockings....CRAZY.
Summer nights were magical...laughing, singing, hanging out on the corner, playing all kinds of games until what seemed like forever.
Remember the old TV news..."It's 10pm, do you know where your children are?" questions??? We were like , "What EVER do they ask that for".....WHO is not home, showered, in their PJ's and waiting for the weather with Jim Dawson where he would have his little hand drawn cartoon to see and then wait for "Project Terror" to come on???? LOL Funny how many of us that grew up here mirror each others childhood memories...regardless of the side of town you grew up on, we were all so very innocent and happy without a care in the world. I NEVER remember, not even once, having been scared or worried about anything. Life WAS magical!!! What I would give for our grandbabies to be enjoying such a beautiful, wonderful carefree life these days....
here's a good one - passed for white at the rigsby
blood lust at the Texas
nurses at the Laurel. leave the kiddies at home
and school of love at the josephine. shocking......
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I know how you love the squeezebox and the organ.
so you more than likely caught Terry Allen and son Bukka last night at Sam's......
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Passing for white at the Rigsby....That's a good one! LOL!
Yeah ..How'd i miss that Bardot thing at the Josephine?
I could have been to harsh on the Squeezebox .. Maybe it's just a matter of having the talent to play one. As kids my brother and I appeared to be lacking ...hard as we tried.
Who'd a figured I'd grow to like a dang banjo so much..
Nice photos! Sams huh?
And being a "Street Patrol" member and getting to wear that webtype white belt that went around your waist and up and over your shoulder with the NICE big metal badge!! I SO remember the day I got to be Captain!!! My padge was "red" (I think??!?!) while everyone else had the all silver or the Sgt badge (green???) You got out of school 15 minutes EARLY so you could take your crossing poll and be there to ensure the kids got to cross the street safely...SUCH POWER!!! Also got to come to school "late" as long as you were there by 2nd bell, because of your DUTIES to ensure that the crossings were manned and everyone got to school safely.
About our ONLY splurge (I mean we were POOR) was on Wed, maybe 1 time per month, we got to get the "5 for $1 Burger Chef bag of burgers....we would get 2 for our family of 6 and that was HUGE!!! NO fries, you DARE not even think of asking...no soda either....just the 2 bags of little burgers that you would walk up and get and drag home to eat there....I don't think I ever even SAW a drive thru except for when we went to Colorado to see our Aunt and Uncle and they took us all to the A&W...which we thought was THE place...because they got the large, gallon of rootbeer to bring home and enjoy!!!
What I think is funny now, is that as kids back then, the RARE soda you got was a REAL treat!!! We NEVER had soda in the house, and when we did get those bottle caps for the free movies it was because you went down to the soda machine at the Gulf or Texaco station at the corner and "fished bottle caps" from the little place on the front of the ice chest where you would open your drink!!! LOl
How about the monthly Civil Defense air raid siren test? Select San Antonio Fire Stations had air raid sirens located on elevated towers and I recall the test was conducted one day out of the month, like the first Wednesday or Friday of the month at 10:00 am. I recall it being monthly and looking forward to it, just not the date/time. These tests seemed to completely cease sometime between 1986-1988. A quick visual of some of the SAFD station reveals that the air raid sirens have been removed.
And being a "Street Patrol" member and getting to wear that webtype white belt that went around your waist and up and over your shoulder with the NICE big metal badge!! I SO remember the day I got to be Captain!!! My padge was "red" (I think??!?!) while everyone else had the all silver or the Sgt badge (green???) You got out of school 15 minutes EARLY so you could take your crossing poll and be there to ensure the kids got to cross the street safely...SUCH POWER!!! Also got to come to school "late" as long as you were there by 2nd bell, because of your DUTIES to ensure that the crossings were manned and everyone got to school safely.
About our ONLY splurge (I mean we were POOR) was on Wed, maybe 1 time per month, we got to get the "5 for $1 Burger Chef bag of burgers....we would get 2 for our family of 6 and that was HUGE!!! NO fries, you DARE not even think of asking...no soda either....just the 2 bags of little burgers that you would walk up and get and drag home to eat there....I don't think I ever even SAW a drive thru except for when we went to Colorado to see our Aunt and Uncle and they took us all to the A&W...which we thought was THE place...because they got the large, gallon of rootbeer to bring home and enjoy!!!
What I think is funny now, is that as kids back then, the RARE soda you got was a REAL treat!!! We NEVER had soda in the house, and when we did get those bottle caps for the free movies it was because you went down to the soda machine at the Gulf or Texaco station at the corner and "fished bottle caps" from the little place on the front of the ice chest where you would open your drink!!! LOl
The private's badges were silver, the segeant's were green, the lietenant's were red, and the Captain was blue. You beat me, Paka. I just made it to lieutenant.
Back in 1964, RC Cola had a contest with their bottle caps. Under the cork gasket on the cap was a picture of a president. If you got all 36 presidents, you got a case of RC or Nehi. My friends and I went to RC machines all over the area, and fished caps out with a magnet. All of the preidents were easy to find EXCEPT current president Lyndon Johnson. We had a million of most of them, but the LBJ caps were elusive. We found only three, but that got us 3 cases (24 bottles) of RC and Nehi.
Speaking of 1960s sodas, does anyone remember Pommac? It was bottled by Dr. Pepper, and was nasty. When the Handy Andy at West Ave. and Basse opened, we went to the grand opening, and they had a Dr. Pepper machine. They had Pommac in the machine. I blew my only dime on that drink, took one swallow, and put the bottle in the rack. My mom was mad at me for wasting a dime, and wasting the drink.
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Thanks on the Rigsby detail too. Fifth of Seven for $2.89.
