As a teenager, I served many an evening as the tuxedoed doorman of the Parkway Theater. When Brigitte Bardot starring in “The Girl in the Bikini” opened, I watched theater of another sort play out as Monsignor Delaney of nearby Sts. Peter & Paul Church intercepted surprised parishioners enroute to the ticket box!
When I was there the traditional candy and popcorn laden concession stand was still to come. I do recall a problematic solitary soda vending machine by the stairway door to the office and projectionist booth. More times than not It would forget to drop the cup requiring the disappointed patron to seek a refund from the cashier.
Interestingly, well before the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through Barnes and Noble, Mary the Matron at the Parkway was serving demi cups of complementary coffee to early arrives in the modern styled lower lounge. Fifty years ago it was the kind of touch which made the smartly styled Parkway Theater in Fleetwood a special place.
Looking back, it was a wonderful time to own a movie house or two and work at one. Hits like A Summer Place, North by Northwest, The Train, and so many more sent ticket lines flowing over the Fleetwood parkway bridge on warm summer evenings. Throwing the doors open at the end of so many great films and watching faces of exiting patrons seemed evidence enough that some kind of profound collective experience had taken place in our tiny theater.
When Val became manager, I recall special “art” film screenings. One night “Day of the Painter” was screened. It had been shot by the water in New Rochelle or thereabout. It later won an Academy Award in the Short Subject category.
Mention of the Parkway owners sons, brothers Fred and Bobby, was a reminder of Fred’s friendly and outgoing way. Fred was the car guy of the duo. Always drove something interesting. With what has happened to small picture houses he probably wishes he held onto every single one of those cars!
As a teenager, I served many an evening as the tuxedoed doorman of the Parkway Theater. When Brigitte Bardot starring in “The Girl in the Bikini” opened, I watched theater of another sort play out as Monsignor Delaney of nearby Sts. Peter & Paul Church intercepted surprised parishioners enroute to the ticket box!
When I was there the traditional candy and popcorn laden concession stand was still to come. I do recall a problematic solitary soda vending machine by the stairway door to the office and projectionist booth. More times than not It would forget to drop the cup requiring the disappointed patron to seek a refund from the cashier.
Interestingly, well before the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted through Barnes and Noble, Mary the Matron at the Parkway was serving demi cups of complementary coffee to early arrives in the modern styled lower lounge. Fifty years ago it was the kind of touch which made the smartly styled Parkway Theater in Fleetwood a special place.
Looking back, it was a wonderful time to own a movie house or two and work at one. Hits like A Summer Place, North by Northwest, The Train, and so many more sent ticket lines flowing over the Fleetwood parkway bridge on warm summer evenings. Throwing the doors open at the end of so many great films and watching faces of exiting patrons seemed evidence enough that some kind of profound collective experience had taken place in our tiny theater.
When Val became manager, I recall special “art” film screenings. One night “Day of the Painter” was screened. It had been shot by the water in New Rochelle or thereabout. It later won an Academy Award in the Short Subject category.
Mention of the Parkway owners sons, brothers Fred and Bobby, was a reminder of Fred’s friendly and outgoing way. Fred was the car guy of the duo. Always drove something interesting. With what has happened to small picture houses he probably wishes he held onto every single one of those cars!