Hi Hoppy, We had something funny that happened with a 16mm print at the theatre that I managed in NY—(Bleecker Street Cinema)
In the middle of ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS, customers came to the lobby, and said that something funny was going on with the sound. When I went into the theatre, there was an all male bar scene, with Cary Grant & other men— but Jean Arthur’s voice was on the soundtrack!
It turned out that the 2nd reel had reel 3’s sound. I turned off the projector, and asked the 20 or so people in the audience if they wanted a refund; or skip the bad reel. Then someone said: “Why don’t you just run the reel without sound— I know this movie really well, and I can fill in the story as it’s playing.” The other people in the audience agreed.
It was a unique experience, listening to a story being told, while the film played silently.
We were all sad when we switched back to sound with the next reel.
We got a lot of compliments as people left after the show, and didn’t get asked for a single refund!
Hi William: These are the people that I worked with in Post-production/
Bel-Air circuit/ studio screenings:
WB: Lillian, Heidi, Theresa
Paramount: Miriam Seipman, Gina Francis
Did you work with any of them?
I’m from New York, do you work in the film industry there?
the showtimes were odd: instead of 7:00 or 7:15, 7:30; etc.
the Oriental’s showtimes were always 7:14, or 7:23; etc.
in the late ‘70s it was a cheap place to see old movies.
Sinclair, did you know Tommy’s print was a nitrate print when you ran it? Are you ok?
RE: Tiffany’s direct line of sight: 3D movies weren’t the only benefit…
the Rocky Horror audience spelled out J-A-N-E-T with marquee letters held aloft in the projector’s beam, to create the name spelled out in shadows along the bottom of the screen, in time with the opening song.
took my kids to the Silent Movie Theatre while they were growing up in the ‘90s. Keaton, Chaplin, Robin Hood— wonderful movie experiences for the next generation.
Hi Hoppy, I loved the FOX Venice. I brought my whole Tiffany ‘Rocky Horror’ staff there in the late ‘70s for an all day Beatle movie marathon. The Landmark staff were friends of ours, and treated us like royalty— lots of free popcorn & punch, and the use of the crying room at the back of the theatre.
Now, I occasionally shop at the little stores there, and dream of the past…
Hi Lisa, I was managing the Tiffany around the same time that you were managing the Picwood.
I agree, working every single holiday for years was not fun!
Then I got a job with FILMEX (LA Film Exposition) and then worked in distribution at Goldwyn 1982 – 1995. Then MGM.
I worked a lot with Patricia at the home office of Pacific Theatres. Did you work with Patricia?
Hey, can I get a job as a movie checker? After managing theatres for so many years, I’ve seen all kinds of scams that exhibitors try to run, so I think I’d be good at it!
That’s true, going full circle, but it makes sense…
for a few more years after that, then out of exhibition in general. Now, I am a VP at a company that audits and checks movie exhibitors, using ‘movie checkers.’ Full circle…
Hi William, ok, you were not at the Picwood when I was there.
How long did you work for Laemmle? I worked at the Monica during the AFI LA Film Festival, we had all night movie marathons there. That was FUN!
I worked in distribution at Goldwyn 1982 – 1995, and dealt a lot with the Laemmle home office staff. Did you know Greg Gardiner? (otherwise known as “the other Greg!”)
RE: MGM projectionist: I can’t remember Bill’s last name—
but it was something easy (Bill Cooke?;)not the name you wrote. What a great guy…
I programmed the employee screenings, and if I was running a few minutes late, he’d hold the show just for me!
As for Rick— probably every Laemmle person has a Rick story!
Hoppy, You’re right, I was not happy as a projectionist: I love to talk!
Even though I earned far less money as a movie theatre manager, I loved it.
The Tiffany was non-union when I worked there. NY was ALL union.
At MGM there was a projectionist named Bill that I worked with.
I worked with Rick Pollard at the LA Film Festivals.
I worked briefly as a projectionist at Samuel Goldwyn, running dailies.
It’s a lot of work running separate picture & sound!
Lisa & William: what year/years did you run the Picwood? I worked (only 2 weeks for the Film Festival) at the Picwood in 1984. The staff was very welcoming!
Hoppy, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I only co-managed the Picwood for 2 weeks in 1984.
I don’t know anything about the neighborhood. I see by your comments that you’re a projectionist—me too! I was New York City’s 3rd woman projectionist in 1974. Then I switched to managing movie theatres:
Bleecker Street Cinema (Greenwich Village, NY) 1976 – 1977;
Tiffany Theatre (Sunset Strip, LA) 1978 – 1980
Then I worked at FILMEX (LA Film Exposition)
Then Samuel Goldwyn/ MGM
Sinclair: When Edd Byrnes (Kookie) of the TV show 77 Sunset Strip came to the Tiffany in the late ‘70s I asked him about shooting the recurring show opening using the Tiffany lobby door. He looked around, and said “yeah!” At the time, Dino’s was named 'Chez Denis.'
I was manager 1978 – 1980. When did you work there?
I left New York and the Bleecker Street Cinema in 1977, and my first job in California was manager of the Tiffany Theatre. My first day was a late August Friday, with art films in the evening; and Rocky Horror at midnight and 2AM. I’d been feeling not great, but I put it down to nerves starting a new job.
Right at midnight, just as they were about to open the doors to the Rocky Horror crowd, I fainted in the middle of the lobby! It turns out that I had the flu, and some people from the Tiffany staff [bless you Jim Bennett and Mary Whiteley] took me to the ER.
They thought Rocky Horror was too much for me— but I returned 2
days later, and managed the Tiffany til spring, 1980.
Rocky Horror was my life…
I used to go to the Bleecker in the ‘70s. In 1976 a Bleecker box office woman named Bobbie wanted to take the summer off, but return to the theatre in the fall. I was looking for a summer job, so I worked the Bleeker box office that summer. I loved it— the eclectic movies; the variety of people.
Hilly, the manager from Memphis, was happy to have help with the papaerwork, so I learned everything that I could about the running of the theatre: box office reports, distributor reports, film shipping.
In the fall, I sadly gave the job back to Bobbie— there were no other box office openings. But there was a manager opening!
I had done a good job apprenticing over the summer, and was given the job.
I managed the Bleecker til I moved to California in Oct. 1977.
-Meryl
Hi! I worked at the Picwood (summer 1984} during the LA Film Exposition (FILMEX.) I was the theatre manager for FILMEX and worked with the wonderful & fun staff of the Picwood. We had a blast!
Talking Heads concert film STOP MAKING SENSE had its LA premiere at the Picwood during the festival, and David Byrne & Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads were there. -Meryl
Hoppy, I love your pictures, too! -Meryl
Hi Hoppy, We had something funny that happened with a 16mm print at the theatre that I managed in NY—(Bleecker Street Cinema)
In the middle of ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS, customers came to the lobby, and said that something funny was going on with the sound. When I went into the theatre, there was an all male bar scene, with Cary Grant & other men— but Jean Arthur’s voice was on the soundtrack!
It turned out that the 2nd reel had reel 3’s sound. I turned off the projector, and asked the 20 or so people in the audience if they wanted a refund; or skip the bad reel. Then someone said: “Why don’t you just run the reel without sound— I know this movie really well, and I can fill in the story as it’s playing.” The other people in the audience agreed.
It was a unique experience, listening to a story being told, while the film played silently.
We were all sad when we switched back to sound with the next reel.
We got a lot of compliments as people left after the show, and didn’t get asked for a single refund!
…and what puts you in better holiday spirits than SCARFACE and HELL’S ANGELS for a Christmas double feature?
[Tiffany, Christmas week, 1979]
Hi Hoppy, I’m sorry about your dad.
-Meryl
Hi William: These are the people that I worked with in Post-production/
Bel-Air circuit/ studio screenings:
WB: Lillian, Heidi, Theresa
Paramount: Miriam Seipman, Gina Francis
Did you work with any of them?
I’m from New York, do you work in the film industry there?
the showtimes were odd: instead of 7:00 or 7:15, 7:30; etc.
the Oriental’s showtimes were always 7:14, or 7:23; etc.
in the late ‘70s it was a cheap place to see old movies.
Sinclair, did you know Tommy’s print was a nitrate print when you ran it? Are you ok?
RE: Tiffany’s direct line of sight: 3D movies weren’t the only benefit…
the Rocky Horror audience spelled out J-A-N-E-T with marquee letters held aloft in the projector’s beam, to create the name spelled out in shadows along the bottom of the screen, in time with the opening song.
took my kids to the Silent Movie Theatre while they were growing up in the ‘90s. Keaton, Chaplin, Robin Hood— wonderful movie experiences for the next generation.
the 8th St. Playhouse, my first job as a projectionist: spring, 1974.
double bill: Paper Moon & A Touch of Class.
Hi Hoppy, I loved the FOX Venice. I brought my whole Tiffany ‘Rocky Horror’ staff there in the late ‘70s for an all day Beatle movie marathon. The Landmark staff were friends of ours, and treated us like royalty— lots of free popcorn & punch, and the use of the crying room at the back of the theatre.
Now, I occasionally shop at the little stores there, and dream of the past…
Lisa, I ‘cut & pasted’ your comments so that I could properly respond; but now I see that I didn’t erase the whole thing!
Hi Lisa, I was managing the Tiffany around the same time that you were managing the Picwood.
I agree, working every single holiday for years was not fun!
Then I got a job with FILMEX (LA Film Exposition) and then worked in distribution at Goldwyn 1982 – 1995. Then MGM.
I worked a lot with Patricia at the home office of Pacific Theatres. Did you work with Patricia?
Hey, can I get a job as a movie checker? After managing theatres for so many years, I’ve seen all kinds of scams that exhibitors try to run, so I think I’d be good at it!
That’s true, going full circle, but it makes sense…
for a few more years after that, then out of exhibition in general. Now, I am a VP at a company that audits and checks movie exhibitors, using ‘movie checkers.’ Full circle…
Hi William, ok, you were not at the Picwood when I was there.
How long did you work for Laemmle? I worked at the Monica during the AFI LA Film Festival, we had all night movie marathons there. That was FUN!
I worked in distribution at Goldwyn 1982 – 1995, and dealt a lot with the Laemmle home office staff. Did you know Greg Gardiner? (otherwise known as “the other Greg!”)
RE: MGM projectionist: I can’t remember Bill’s last name—
but it was something easy (Bill Cooke?;)not the name you wrote. What a great guy…
I programmed the employee screenings, and if I was running a few minutes late, he’d hold the show just for me!
As for Rick— probably every Laemmle person has a Rick story!
Hoppy, You’re right, I was not happy as a projectionist: I love to talk!
Even though I earned far less money as a movie theatre manager, I loved it.
The Tiffany was non-union when I worked there. NY was ALL union.
At MGM there was a projectionist named Bill that I worked with.
I worked with Rick Pollard at the LA Film Festivals.
I worked briefly as a projectionist at Samuel Goldwyn, running dailies.
It’s a lot of work running separate picture & sound!
Lisa & William: what year/years did you run the Picwood? I worked (only 2 weeks for the Film Festival) at the Picwood in 1984. The staff was very welcoming!
Hoppy, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I only co-managed the Picwood for 2 weeks in 1984.
I don’t know anything about the neighborhood. I see by your comments that you’re a projectionist—me too! I was New York City’s 3rd woman projectionist in 1974. Then I switched to managing movie theatres:
Bleecker Street Cinema (Greenwich Village, NY) 1976 – 1977;
Tiffany Theatre (Sunset Strip, LA) 1978 – 1980
Then I worked at FILMEX (LA Film Exposition)
Then Samuel Goldwyn/ MGM
Sinclair: When Edd Byrnes (Kookie) of the TV show 77 Sunset Strip came to the Tiffany in the late ‘70s I asked him about shooting the recurring show opening using the Tiffany lobby door. He looked around, and said “yeah!” At the time, Dino’s was named 'Chez Denis.'
I was manager 1978 – 1980. When did you work there?
I left New York and the Bleecker Street Cinema in 1977, and my first job in California was manager of the Tiffany Theatre. My first day was a late August Friday, with art films in the evening; and Rocky Horror at midnight and 2AM. I’d been feeling not great, but I put it down to nerves starting a new job.
Right at midnight, just as they were about to open the doors to the Rocky Horror crowd, I fainted in the middle of the lobby! It turns out that I had the flu, and some people from the Tiffany staff [bless you Jim Bennett and Mary Whiteley] took me to the ER.
They thought Rocky Horror was too much for me— but I returned 2
days later, and managed the Tiffany til spring, 1980.
Rocky Horror was my life…
I used to go to the Bleecker in the ‘70s. In 1976 a Bleecker box office woman named Bobbie wanted to take the summer off, but return to the theatre in the fall. I was looking for a summer job, so I worked the Bleeker box office that summer. I loved it— the eclectic movies; the variety of people.
Hilly, the manager from Memphis, was happy to have help with the papaerwork, so I learned everything that I could about the running of the theatre: box office reports, distributor reports, film shipping.
In the fall, I sadly gave the job back to Bobbie— there were no other box office openings. But there was a manager opening!
I had done a good job apprenticing over the summer, and was given the job.
I managed the Bleecker til I moved to California in Oct. 1977.
-Meryl
I worked at the Bleeker in the ‘70s and went to the Quad on my days off!
Hi! I worked at the Picwood (summer 1984} during the LA Film Exposition (FILMEX.) I was the theatre manager for FILMEX and worked with the wonderful & fun staff of the Picwood. We had a blast!
Talking Heads concert film STOP MAKING SENSE had its LA premiere at the Picwood during the festival, and David Byrne & Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads were there. -Meryl