I worked here while I was in college around 1986/88. I was a projectionist, but not in the union. I remember once we had a problem with a projector breaking the film (Moving w/ Richard Pryor). I replaced a sprocket/gear and it worked with a minimal stoppage. It stopped us from having to give refunds. Later that week, while arriving for my shift, one of the other projectionists, who was president of the local union, told me never to do that again. He said it would negatively affect their leverage at the negotiation table if a non-union college student was able to do so many jobs, as they were very specialized. I remember another projectionist there receiving a movie in the cans and I asked her if I could splice it together, with trailers, and put it on the platter. She said that she wasn’t allowed to do that. She was only allowed by the union to start/stop movies. Someone else (not me) would put it together. I don’t remember much about my time there, since it was only a part time job while going to college. This was one of my last theater jobs.
I worked here in 1982. I worked at the concession stand. I also helped the projectionist hook up the wiring for the new speakers they were putting in. I was 15 or 16 at the time. I got this position because I had also worked at the Garden Hills Cinema, which was also owned by André Pieterse. I remember that the popcorn here was some of the best I’ve ever tasted. It was magnificent theatre in the grandest tradition.
I worked here in 1981 as a 15 year old. I ran the concession stand seven days a week, and was paid in cash every Friday out of the cash drawer. We didn’t have a register at the concession stand so I had to do all the math in my head, which I’m sure helped me in my schooling. My mom worked for a video distribution company that had an office in the basement of a mansion owned by André Pieterse, a former VP at MGM, who was part owner of the Garden Hills Cinema. Mr. Pieterse had bought the mansion from Isaac Hayes. Mr. Pieterse offered me the concession job, and it was too much money for a 15-year old to refuse. This would be my first theatre job, but not my last. This is where I got the bug.
I remember there was a French guy named Greg, who ran the box office and was part-owner. The projectionist was ‘Smitty’ (don’t remember his name).
I had a great time at our one-screen theatre and small staff. I remember seeing Das Boot here, which was shown in German with English subtitles (much better than being dubbed).
One time Mr. Pieterse thought I was stealing from the concession stand because he thought the per-capita sales average should be higher. He sent me to work for a while at the Columbia Theatre downtown, which he also owned, and had his college-age daughter (and her boyfriend) come in and run the concession stand at the Garden Hills Cinema. After a few weeks, he brought me back and apologized. They had made even less per capita than me. I remember talking to him at first up by the box office (Greg was nearby listening) about it, and I had said “you pay me too much to steal.” Later Greg told me that he had to really hold in his laughter because he knew I wasn’t being paid much. Even though it seemed like a lot to me. I think I was getting about $150 a week for 7 days of work.
In the 9th grade, I wrote my first ever short story for an English class. I named it ‘Smitty’s Shadow’. It was a fictional account of the projectionist Smitty closing up the cinema and seeing a shadow. He goes all around looking for the intruder, when it ends up being his own shadow. Working there was a great experience as my first real full-time job, and opening my world up to the operations of a movie theatre.
I worked here on-and-off between 1984 and 1988. I was a projectionist here, after being trained at a different Storey theatre. I see one of my manager’s, Mr. Sweeney, has commented on here. Good to see you, Mr. Sweeney. I also remember Betty fondly. She was a very nice lady. She also worked at another Storey theatre with me before coming to Shannon 7.
Some of the movies I remember showing here include Purple Rain, Dead Poet’s Society, Breakfast Club, Fletch, and War of the Roses, which had a cartoon at the beginning. That was the first time I ever saw the Simpsons.
I worked here from 1983-1988 (on-and-off after 1985). I started off as an usher at age 16, and ever did only a little work in the concession stand. I was quickly trained as a projectionist by Tony and Charles, who were also very young at that time. The projection room floor was painted gray, but there were spots where the paint was thinner and you could vaguely discern some red letters underneath. The story I was told is that they used to have union projectionists there, but eventually cancelled their contract and trained other workers to run the projectors. When that happened, the angry former projectionists came into the building one night, grabbed all the films off the platters, brought them down to the projector at theatre #1, dumped them out the projectionist’s window and piled them up behind the screen. I was told that it took some time to find them.
My manager’s name was Mike Wilson (if I remember correctly). One time he had placed a cigarette butt on the floor in the lobby, which I picked up with my broom and dust pan. He came over to me and said that he had placed it there and watched as various workers went past without picking it up. I have never forgotten that lesson, and always remember to do my work as if someone is watching me. He said he had a pilot’s license, and I think that made him very much an ‘attention to detail’ person. He once told me about the importance of paying attention to detail because, as a pilot, he had people’s lives in his hands. He said I should do my work with the projection equipment the same way, even though it wasn’t life-and-death. Another lesson I never forgot, which served me well later in my 4-years active duty in Army Intelligence.
I loved my time here. Mostly because of the people, and I love movies.
I remember that, because we got the movies in cans days prior to the first showing, we would sometimes have a ‘midnight showing’ for employees and their friends. This was especially true if it was a big blockbuster. I remember sitting in the theatre after closing, watching the movie while the employees put ice in a mop bucket with beer cans, which would be rolled up and down the row as people picked up their feet so folks could grab a beer. Of course, we had all the popcorn and coke we wanted, as long as we didn’t use the company drink cups or popcorn buckets (those were counted).
I once met President Jimmy Carter when he and his wife came by to see “Greystoke the Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes”. I remember seeing the secret service cars parked out front. After the show, he was standing in the lobby waiting for Rosalynn to come out of the ladies room, and I walked over to chat with him. I asked him how he liked the movie. He said fine. I said, “Yeah, that guy does a great job acting like an ape.” Nice guy.
I was there when they added the two theatres on top. The stories mentioned by others are true. The roof constantly leaked, and during that winter, it got very cold (wind chill below 0 at times). Even the lobby was open in some places, so the temperature in the lobby was about as cold as outside. At one point they brought in these big portable kerosene jet heaters (like 150,000 BTU units), and the ushers would take turns warming our hands at the heater while the other would tear tickets or clean up the lobby. I’m really surprised they stayed open during that time.
I also remember around the time we were playing “Breakin’” and “Beat Street” we had a kind of perfect storm, which led to some of the crime issues mentioned in other comments. Just before that time there was a shooting at the local Krystal on Old National Hwy, which had been a hangout for rowdy high school ‘gangs’. The police started patrolling the Krystal a lot more after that. So, they were looking for a new hangout spot. “Breakin” and “Beat Street” brought large crowds of young folks, and our theater parking lot became the preferred spot for hanging out. With all the car break-ins going on, the ushers were offered a bit extra pay if they would go up on the roof and watch out for criminal activity. If they saw anything they were advised to tell the off-duty College Park Police officers who were hired as security. I remember Mr. Wilson had a bullet proof vest for when he took the cash deposit to the bank (accompanied by the security officers).
Among the crazy times, I have a lot of great memories of all my coworkers. There were even a few marriages that came out of that group. Good friends, good times.
I worked here while I was in college around 1986/88. I was a projectionist, but not in the union. I remember once we had a problem with a projector breaking the film (Moving w/ Richard Pryor). I replaced a sprocket/gear and it worked with a minimal stoppage. It stopped us from having to give refunds. Later that week, while arriving for my shift, one of the other projectionists, who was president of the local union, told me never to do that again. He said it would negatively affect their leverage at the negotiation table if a non-union college student was able to do so many jobs, as they were very specialized. I remember another projectionist there receiving a movie in the cans and I asked her if I could splice it together, with trailers, and put it on the platter. She said that she wasn’t allowed to do that. She was only allowed by the union to start/stop movies. Someone else (not me) would put it together. I don’t remember much about my time there, since it was only a part time job while going to college. This was one of my last theater jobs.
I worked here in 1982. I worked at the concession stand. I also helped the projectionist hook up the wiring for the new speakers they were putting in. I was 15 or 16 at the time. I got this position because I had also worked at the Garden Hills Cinema, which was also owned by André Pieterse. I remember that the popcorn here was some of the best I’ve ever tasted. It was magnificent theatre in the grandest tradition.
I worked here in 1981 as a 15 year old. I ran the concession stand seven days a week, and was paid in cash every Friday out of the cash drawer. We didn’t have a register at the concession stand so I had to do all the math in my head, which I’m sure helped me in my schooling. My mom worked for a video distribution company that had an office in the basement of a mansion owned by André Pieterse, a former VP at MGM, who was part owner of the Garden Hills Cinema. Mr. Pieterse had bought the mansion from Isaac Hayes. Mr. Pieterse offered me the concession job, and it was too much money for a 15-year old to refuse. This would be my first theatre job, but not my last. This is where I got the bug. I remember there was a French guy named Greg, who ran the box office and was part-owner. The projectionist was ‘Smitty’ (don’t remember his name).
I had a great time at our one-screen theatre and small staff. I remember seeing Das Boot here, which was shown in German with English subtitles (much better than being dubbed). One time Mr. Pieterse thought I was stealing from the concession stand because he thought the per-capita sales average should be higher. He sent me to work for a while at the Columbia Theatre downtown, which he also owned, and had his college-age daughter (and her boyfriend) come in and run the concession stand at the Garden Hills Cinema. After a few weeks, he brought me back and apologized. They had made even less per capita than me. I remember talking to him at first up by the box office (Greg was nearby listening) about it, and I had said “you pay me too much to steal.” Later Greg told me that he had to really hold in his laughter because he knew I wasn’t being paid much. Even though it seemed like a lot to me. I think I was getting about $150 a week for 7 days of work.
In the 9th grade, I wrote my first ever short story for an English class. I named it ‘Smitty’s Shadow’. It was a fictional account of the projectionist Smitty closing up the cinema and seeing a shadow. He goes all around looking for the intruder, when it ends up being his own shadow. Working there was a great experience as my first real full-time job, and opening my world up to the operations of a movie theatre.
I worked here on-and-off between 1984 and 1988. I was a projectionist here, after being trained at a different Storey theatre. I see one of my manager’s, Mr. Sweeney, has commented on here. Good to see you, Mr. Sweeney. I also remember Betty fondly. She was a very nice lady. She also worked at another Storey theatre with me before coming to Shannon 7.
Some of the movies I remember showing here include Purple Rain, Dead Poet’s Society, Breakfast Club, Fletch, and War of the Roses, which had a cartoon at the beginning. That was the first time I ever saw the Simpsons.
I worked here from 1983-1988 (on-and-off after 1985). I started off as an usher at age 16, and ever did only a little work in the concession stand. I was quickly trained as a projectionist by Tony and Charles, who were also very young at that time. The projection room floor was painted gray, but there were spots where the paint was thinner and you could vaguely discern some red letters underneath. The story I was told is that they used to have union projectionists there, but eventually cancelled their contract and trained other workers to run the projectors. When that happened, the angry former projectionists came into the building one night, grabbed all the films off the platters, brought them down to the projector at theatre #1, dumped them out the projectionist’s window and piled them up behind the screen. I was told that it took some time to find them.
My manager’s name was Mike Wilson (if I remember correctly). One time he had placed a cigarette butt on the floor in the lobby, which I picked up with my broom and dust pan. He came over to me and said that he had placed it there and watched as various workers went past without picking it up. I have never forgotten that lesson, and always remember to do my work as if someone is watching me. He said he had a pilot’s license, and I think that made him very much an ‘attention to detail’ person. He once told me about the importance of paying attention to detail because, as a pilot, he had people’s lives in his hands. He said I should do my work with the projection equipment the same way, even though it wasn’t life-and-death. Another lesson I never forgot, which served me well later in my 4-years active duty in Army Intelligence.
I loved my time here. Mostly because of the people, and I love movies.
I remember that, because we got the movies in cans days prior to the first showing, we would sometimes have a ‘midnight showing’ for employees and their friends. This was especially true if it was a big blockbuster. I remember sitting in the theatre after closing, watching the movie while the employees put ice in a mop bucket with beer cans, which would be rolled up and down the row as people picked up their feet so folks could grab a beer. Of course, we had all the popcorn and coke we wanted, as long as we didn’t use the company drink cups or popcorn buckets (those were counted).
I once met President Jimmy Carter when he and his wife came by to see “Greystoke the Legend of Tarzan Lord of the Apes”. I remember seeing the secret service cars parked out front. After the show, he was standing in the lobby waiting for Rosalynn to come out of the ladies room, and I walked over to chat with him. I asked him how he liked the movie. He said fine. I said, “Yeah, that guy does a great job acting like an ape.” Nice guy.
I was there when they added the two theatres on top. The stories mentioned by others are true. The roof constantly leaked, and during that winter, it got very cold (wind chill below 0 at times). Even the lobby was open in some places, so the temperature in the lobby was about as cold as outside. At one point they brought in these big portable kerosene jet heaters (like 150,000 BTU units), and the ushers would take turns warming our hands at the heater while the other would tear tickets or clean up the lobby. I’m really surprised they stayed open during that time.
I also remember around the time we were playing “Breakin’” and “Beat Street” we had a kind of perfect storm, which led to some of the crime issues mentioned in other comments. Just before that time there was a shooting at the local Krystal on Old National Hwy, which had been a hangout for rowdy high school ‘gangs’. The police started patrolling the Krystal a lot more after that. So, they were looking for a new hangout spot. “Breakin” and “Beat Street” brought large crowds of young folks, and our theater parking lot became the preferred spot for hanging out. With all the car break-ins going on, the ushers were offered a bit extra pay if they would go up on the roof and watch out for criminal activity. If they saw anything they were advised to tell the off-duty College Park Police officers who were hired as security. I remember Mr. Wilson had a bullet proof vest for when he took the cash deposit to the bank (accompanied by the security officers).
Among the crazy times, I have a lot of great memories of all my coworkers. There were even a few marriages that came out of that group. Good friends, good times.