Comments from kencmcintyre

Here is an article about the long-time projectionist dated 2/28/54:

Gene Sherman Notes Another Milestone In Theater Career

“The Robe,” the new CinemaScope production to be shown at the Marlow for a full week beginning Wednesday, will be one of many milestones passed by Gene Sherman, the theater projectionist. Sherman has been projectionist at the Marlow for the past 20 years of the 47-year career. He began as a trouper in a stock company operated by Lulu Sutton, daughter of Montana’s famous Uncle Dick Sutton, who built the Empress theaters in Helena and Butte, the Broadway (now the Montana) in Butte, and other theaters, and who presented scores of shows when no other producer would venture into the backwoods that was then Montana.

In the winter of 1907-1908 Sherman deserted the stage for the projection booth, and from there he has seen such innovations as a one reel version of the opera “Carmen” (1908), the first movie made in California; D. W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” (1915), the forerunner of the feature picture as we have come to know it, and “Lights of New York” (1928), the first all-talking picture. His earliest work was with the Vitagraph company and later for General Programs, produced by Lubin-Selig-Essanay. He has been a Fox Intermountain Amusement projectionist for 28 yearsâ€"eight years in Lewistown and 20 years in Helena. Looking at the plans for CinemaScope, and working on them, he asks, “What next?” A faithful patron suggests noiseless popcorn.

There was a full page ad in the 6-28-52 edition of the Humboldt Standard celebrating George Mann week for his 35 years in Eureka. Full staff lists are given for the Eureka, State, Rialto, Midway Drive-In, Fortuna and Arcata. I won’t copy all the names here, but if someone is looking for an usher or candy girl around that time, let me know and I will look it up.

Here is an older photo from the LAPL:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028662.jpg

Sorry about that:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028703.jpg

Art and commerce:
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics18/00028714.jpg

Here is a 1973 ad from the Valley News. The theater would have been across the street, more or less, from the Canoga:

PROJECTIONIST. Will train. Minimum 13 yrs. old. Contact:
Mr. L. Lindell, mgr., First Run Theatre. 21605 Sherman Way. C.P. 9:30
a.m. No phone calls.

True crime, October 1950:

Des Plaines theater safe with $200 taken

Sometime between midnight Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday, October 22, burglars entered the Des Plaines theater manager’s office and removed a small safe containing $200 cash, tickets and valuable papers. They then dragged or carried the safe to the first exit door on the east wall of the theater and left the building. The safe was transported to a waiting automobile in the parking lot to the rear and east of the building in which the burglars fled the scene.

Close call in September 1952:

$400,000 Loss At Fortuna As Fire Razes Business Block

Fortunans today looked over the smoldering embers of the most disastrous blaze in the history of the Eel River Valley community, a fire that last night burned almost an entire block of business houses and caused an estimated $100,000 damages. But for assistance from every fire department in the radius of thirty miles, including equipment from Loleta, Ferndale, Scotia, Eureka, Arcata and Humboldt District No. 1, the flames could easily have wiped out most of the Fortuna business district. Biggest loss was the Fortuna Construction Company owned by Robert and James Loudon. Other business houses destroyed was the Wyckoff Plumbing Company, the Stewart and Cloney public accountants firm owned by Arthur Stewart and Frank Cloney and the Harbers Insurance Company offices operated by Otto and Gerald Harbers. Loss in buildings amounted to an estimated $100,000. Loss of stock in buildings was put at $300,000.

The Fortuna Theater, in the same block, was saved from the flames by brilliant work. A crew worked continually on the roof of the theater. About 100 patrons of the theater filed out in an orderly manner at the first alarm. The front of the theater and walls were scorched. The theater is built with concrete walls.

Re “Vixen”, as discussed above:
http://tinyurl.com/2wgfu9

$2? I can’t even buy popcorn for $2 in Los Angeles.

Trouble in 1970:
http://tinyurl.com/23qzf8

Same problem as above in 1957:

Exhibitors Obtain Court Permission to Show Film

Movie exhibitors have obtained court permission to continue showing the film “Fire Under Her Skin,” which has been labeled obscene by Los Angeles police. Superior Judge Kurt Kauffman issued an order temporarily restraining Police Chief William Parker from interfering with exhibition of the French picture pending a hearing on Dec. 12.

In a petition for injunction, Mayfair Pictures, distributors of the film, complained that police raided the Vagabond Theater on November 29 and confiscated the print. At that time, two theater executives, Sydney Linden and Roger Quijada, were charged with violating the city’s ordinance against showing obscene and indecent movies. In an affidavit filed with the suit, Mayfair president Robert Rosener admitted that the film “is not a great work of art.” “But it is not obscene,” he said. “It deals with sex but no more than any number of other foreign motion pictures that have been shown every day in every state of the Union.”