Comments from jtfiederer

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jtfiederer
jtfiederer on Aug 9, 2005 at 8:26 pm

The Continental was run by the Laemmle chain. I worked there as a cashier briefly in 1983. It played mostly foreign films, and we got to see quite a few celebrities attend movies there. One funny memory I have of the place was when probably the first hip hop/breakdancing movie, “Wild Style” premiered there. All kinds of breakers showed up thinking we would let them in for free if they showed us some of their moves.

Most of the employees that I worked with transferred to the new Laemmle theatre when it opened up in downtown La, the Grande 4-Plex. I don’t remember how long the Continental stayed open after that.

jtfiederer
jtfiederer commented about World Theatre on Aug 9, 2005 at 7:10 pm

I worked at the World Theatre during 1982-1983, at different times as doorman, usher, snackbar worker or cashier. The manager at the time was Diana and the Assistant Managers I worked with were Renee and Lafayette. It was a crazy place, especially wild on Friday and Saturday nights. They had off-duty LAPD officers working on those nights to “keep the peace”. On several occasions they had to Mace someone in the restroom, and the fumes would spread into the lobby affecting unlucky customers passing by.

I often replaced my official nametag with the names of musical performers or celebrities like David Bowie, Bruce Lee or Bob Marley. Customers at the door would often do a double take when they read my tag.

We would even get the occasional actor that would bring some friends along to see them in their latest film. Alan Hale Jr., “Skipper” from the “Gilligan’s Island” came fairly regularily to Saturday morning matinees. I once let Pat Boone come in after we had closed so that he could buy a tub of popcorn.

I even married one of the snack bar girls!