My future wife and I went to the 54 Drive In many times in high school and college. The only problem was that the B-52 bombers from McConnel AFB coming back from missions flew over the theater and drowned out the sound for as long as 30 minutes at a time.
The Tower closed around 1957-8 and was turned into a flower shop. The son of a local Wichita insurance agency owner opened it as “Priestly Flower Shop.”
I worked off and on as an usher and ticket-taker at the Tower in 1953-1955 while in high school. On Saturday, we had a morning kids show, followed by the regular shows from 1:00 PM until 11:00 PM. On occasion we also had a midnight show.
In the 1950s there was an usher’s dressing room down front at the left side of the screen. It could be reached from a tunnel that went under the theater from the front to the back. The uniforms were cleaned weekly and very smart
I was an usher at the Crest, 1953-1955. When a patron, like a doctor, wanted to be paged if they had a call, they filled out a little card and we noted where they were sitting. If they got a call we went and got them (usuall a good tip followed). The Crest showed a couple of 3D movies while I was working there. Because, they had to use both projectors for 3D, they had an intermission to change the film.
I worked at the Crest Theater while in highschool, 1952-1955. The manager was Mr. Hunt. The Crest was a Sullivan theater. I made fifty cents and hour. Wow!
My future wife and I went to the 54 Drive In many times in high school and college. The only problem was that the B-52 bombers from McConnel AFB coming back from missions flew over the theater and drowned out the sound for as long as 30 minutes at a time.
The Tower closed around 1957-8 and was turned into a flower shop. The son of a local Wichita insurance agency owner opened it as “Priestly Flower Shop.”
I worked off and on as an usher and ticket-taker at the Tower in 1953-1955 while in high school. On Saturday, we had a morning kids show, followed by the regular shows from 1:00 PM until 11:00 PM. On occasion we also had a midnight show.
In the 1950s there was an usher’s dressing room down front at the left side of the screen. It could be reached from a tunnel that went under the theater from the front to the back. The uniforms were cleaned weekly and very smart
I was an usher at the Crest, 1953-1955. When a patron, like a doctor, wanted to be paged if they had a call, they filled out a little card and we noted where they were sitting. If they got a call we went and got them (usuall a good tip followed). The Crest showed a couple of 3D movies while I was working there. Because, they had to use both projectors for 3D, they had an intermission to change the film.
I worked at the Crest Theater while in highschool, 1952-1955. The manager was Mr. Hunt. The Crest was a Sullivan theater. I made fifty cents and hour. Wow!