Sorry to hear the Valley Art closed. Many good memories.
Note to jhammond, above. The “ two guys who I think were brothers who didn’t work at the theater, but who would always stop by to chat before we opened.” Yes, they were brothers, and had, I think, an architectural office in the neighborhood. Mill Ave was a village then (1977-78)… Check the photos section for a post of the MAMA poster from the time. Also, the Yankee fan was also a big haagen dazs fan, but you wouldn’t know it from her petite size. She was authentic New York, for sure.
In 1978, we also had a kerfuffle with a “blue” trailer reel. Poor Jan had some ‘splainin’ to do that day, but, again, no apparent damage.
Best regards to all who may read this and have memories of the Valley Art. Please share.
I sold tickets and popcorn at the Valley Art 1977-78 during its transition from independent to Parallax Theater Systems. Our format was three double features per week plus Friday and Saturday midnight shows. The theater seated 450 and the one screen was mounted on a real theater stage. Bill Grieg was the projectionist and lived nearby; if it was broke, Bill fixed it. I heard he passed away in 1987. Jan Ogsbury was the Manager. The lobby was often a gathering place for locals (architects, street people, students, etc.) who would stop by for coffee and chat about Mill Ave and the neighborhood. We were even visited by a movie star! ;–) (A tall fellow came in one day, claiming, among other things, to have run into a film crew while on vacation in the South America. Two weeks later, Werner Herzog’s Aguirre the Wrath of God came to the theater and, true enough, our visitor, Tempe resident Edward Roland appeared in the movie with a speaking part!)
Sorry to hear the Valley Art closed. Many good memories.
Note to jhammond, above. The “ two guys who I think were brothers who didn’t work at the theater, but who would always stop by to chat before we opened.” Yes, they were brothers, and had, I think, an architectural office in the neighborhood. Mill Ave was a village then (1977-78)… Check the photos section for a post of the MAMA poster from the time. Also, the Yankee fan was also a big haagen dazs fan, but you wouldn’t know it from her petite size. She was authentic New York, for sure.
In 1978, we also had a kerfuffle with a “blue” trailer reel. Poor Jan had some ‘splainin’ to do that day, but, again, no apparent damage.
Best regards to all who may read this and have memories of the Valley Art. Please share.
I sold tickets and popcorn at the Valley Art 1977-78 during its transition from independent to Parallax Theater Systems. Our format was three double features per week plus Friday and Saturday midnight shows. The theater seated 450 and the one screen was mounted on a real theater stage. Bill Grieg was the projectionist and lived nearby; if it was broke, Bill fixed it. I heard he passed away in 1987. Jan Ogsbury was the Manager. The lobby was often a gathering place for locals (architects, street people, students, etc.) who would stop by for coffee and chat about Mill Ave and the neighborhood. We were even visited by a movie star! ;–) (A tall fellow came in one day, claiming, among other things, to have run into a film crew while on vacation in the South America. Two weeks later, Werner Herzog’s Aguirre the Wrath of God came to the theater and, true enough, our visitor, Tempe resident Edward Roland appeared in the movie with a speaking part!)