One addendum…I went back to Roseland in the 1970’s…the State had become a church. Beautiful Roseland with it’s great business area had deteriorated into a terrible slum.
Doug Bruton
I always looked upon the State theater as the primier theater in Roseland. It ran the great first run movies and I remember going to see Pinoccio there in 1943. The other thing I remember about the State besides it’s grandeur, were the great kids shows and prizes they would give out on Saturday mornings. It cost a little more to get in than the Roseland and the Parkway, but it seemed to be worth it. I also remember going to the State on Saturday morning…for 25 cents or a bunch of bottle caps…then going to the 111th street YMCA for a free swim and then saving a nickle for a White Castle hamburger from the White Castle behind the YMCA…what a day!
Doug Bruton Denison, Texas
I am not sure if this is the same theater that I went to as a young boy in the 1940’s…if it is, it was only a few blocks from the Normal Theater. The main thing I remember about the Ridge, was at age 8, going to see King Kong…walking home in the dark and thinking some monster was waiting behind every tree to eat me.
It is a shame all of those great movie houses are closed…
Doug Bruton Denison, Texas
The Roseland, Parkway and State were the theaters I frequented the most as a young boy in the 1940’s. The thing I remember most about the Parkway, was a neighbor of mine worked there as an Usher..his name was Ronnie Stromberg…Ronnie would let all of his friends in for free, but because I was younger, he would not let mein free. However, Ronnie got caught and fired…I was secretly glad. After he left, I could use the old, I am going in to get my non-existant brother.
So sad that these theaters have left the scene and that the kids of this era will never know the thrill of going to Saturday matinees, 5 cent popcorn and drinks…
Doug Bruton Denison, Texas
Ahhh, what memories. The Roseland theater is the first theater I can remember going to as a kid. The first movie that I watched was Boots & Saddles starring Gene Autry and the first serial was the Phantom starring Tom Tyler…from the first movie I was hooked and I got my money from finding pop bottles, milk bottles and getting the deposit on them, or selling newspapers to the salvage yard. For a dime, I could stay in there all day. I was there during the war years 1941-45 and I remember a neon sign over the exit door that read buy bonds. I went back to Roseland to see the old theater and it was very sad to see the condition of the theater and the once really beautiful business area. It brought tears to my eyes. Gone were the State, Parkway, Ridge, Normal and Verdi theaters….but they really left some wonderful memories.
Doug Bruton Denison, Texas
One addendum…I went back to Roseland in the 1970’s…the State had become a church. Beautiful Roseland with it’s great business area had deteriorated into a terrible slum.
Doug Bruton
I always looked upon the State theater as the primier theater in Roseland. It ran the great first run movies and I remember going to see Pinoccio there in 1943. The other thing I remember about the State besides it’s grandeur, were the great kids shows and prizes they would give out on Saturday mornings. It cost a little more to get in than the Roseland and the Parkway, but it seemed to be worth it. I also remember going to the State on Saturday morning…for 25 cents or a bunch of bottle caps…then going to the 111th street YMCA for a free swim and then saving a nickle for a White Castle hamburger from the White Castle behind the YMCA…what a day!
Doug Bruton Denison, Texas
I am not sure if this is the same theater that I went to as a young boy in the 1940’s…if it is, it was only a few blocks from the Normal Theater. The main thing I remember about the Ridge, was at age 8, going to see King Kong…walking home in the dark and thinking some monster was waiting behind every tree to eat me.
It is a shame all of those great movie houses are closed…
Doug Bruton Denison, Texas
The Roseland, Parkway and State were the theaters I frequented the most as a young boy in the 1940’s. The thing I remember most about the Parkway, was a neighbor of mine worked there as an Usher..his name was Ronnie Stromberg…Ronnie would let all of his friends in for free, but because I was younger, he would not let mein free. However, Ronnie got caught and fired…I was secretly glad. After he left, I could use the old, I am going in to get my non-existant brother.
So sad that these theaters have left the scene and that the kids of this era will never know the thrill of going to Saturday matinees, 5 cent popcorn and drinks…
Doug Bruton Denison, Texas
Ahhh, what memories. The Roseland theater is the first theater I can remember going to as a kid. The first movie that I watched was Boots & Saddles starring Gene Autry and the first serial was the Phantom starring Tom Tyler…from the first movie I was hooked and I got my money from finding pop bottles, milk bottles and getting the deposit on them, or selling newspapers to the salvage yard. For a dime, I could stay in there all day. I was there during the war years 1941-45 and I remember a neon sign over the exit door that read buy bonds. I went back to Roseland to see the old theater and it was very sad to see the condition of the theater and the once really beautiful business area. It brought tears to my eyes. Gone were the State, Parkway, Ridge, Normal and Verdi theaters….but they really left some wonderful memories.
Doug Bruton Denison, Texas