Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply, really busy. Yes, I have a lot of great memories of the Arcadia. Here’s one story. The soda machine, (the cup type where it was mixed while filling the cup), and cigarette machine were recessed into the wall. One slow week night when I was running the Theater by myself and working behind the Candy Counter, a little kid was messing around with the Soda Machine. I watched him while he got down onto his knees and was looking underneath the machine. He then got onto his belly and started crawling under it. Pretty soon he was gone. I got up and went over to the machine, looked under it, and called out to the boy. He said back to me that there was a room behind the Soda Machine. So I got a flashlight and looked under it and sure enough, there was a room back there. I figured that many people had probably dropped their change and it rolled under there. So I gave the little kid my flashlight and told him to pick-up all of the change and that we would split it. He crawled out with two pockets full of change. Can’t remember how much it was, but back in the early 70s it was quite a bit. I then asked him to go down and take a look underneath the cigarette machine. Sure enough there was a room behind it too. So I got him to crawl under it and pick up the change. That one night I made more money than I did working there an entire week. I later found out that those two rooms used to be where they displayed the Posters of coming attractions. No one else who worked there ever knew those hidden rooms where there.
Hi, I used to work at the Texas and Arcadia Theaters in Temple, Texas back in 1972. My Boss was Tillman Bond. The Theater was run by ABC Interstates Theaters. I still have some of the old Arcadia Theater Tickets dated back in 1972.
I have many fond memories of working there. I also have a picture of me in my suite while working at the Theater, (yes, we had to wear suits back then).
I have been all through the Theater from the tunnels under the Theater, (yes, there were tunnels under the Theater that lead to other buildings downtown), to the top of the roof. I loved that place.
I was an Usher. I took tickets and during the week I also worked the Candy Counter. On the weekends we had a “Candy Girl” who worked the Candy Counter. I have many great stories of the Arcadia.
I sure would like to chat with anyone who worked there or who even just used to go to the movies there. A couple of the guys who I worked with were Steve Schooler at the Texas Theater and Mike Worley at the Arcadia Theater. I’ve often wondered what ever happened to Tillmon Bond my Boss?
I also used to close the Theater every night. I would have to go to the back of the Theater, go down a metal spiral staircase to turn
off the air condition unit. There was only one light bulb down there and it was pretty spooky. There were old dressing rooms down there from when they did live performances back in the 20s and 30s.
That’s also where the tunnels were.
I think it’s pretty neat that they are restoring the Arcadia. I was back there about 8 years ago and drove by it. I now live in Arizona. If they were to ever reopen it I would make a trip just to go see a movie there. I also graduated from Temple High School in 1975.
Anyway, if anyone wants to chat let me know.
Sorry it’s taken me so long to reply, really busy. Yes, I have a lot of great memories of the Arcadia. Here’s one story. The soda machine, (the cup type where it was mixed while filling the cup), and cigarette machine were recessed into the wall. One slow week night when I was running the Theater by myself and working behind the Candy Counter, a little kid was messing around with the Soda Machine. I watched him while he got down onto his knees and was looking underneath the machine. He then got onto his belly and started crawling under it. Pretty soon he was gone. I got up and went over to the machine, looked under it, and called out to the boy. He said back to me that there was a room behind the Soda Machine. So I got a flashlight and looked under it and sure enough, there was a room back there. I figured that many people had probably dropped their change and it rolled under there. So I gave the little kid my flashlight and told him to pick-up all of the change and that we would split it. He crawled out with two pockets full of change. Can’t remember how much it was, but back in the early 70s it was quite a bit. I then asked him to go down and take a look underneath the cigarette machine. Sure enough there was a room behind it too. So I got him to crawl under it and pick up the change. That one night I made more money than I did working there an entire week. I later found out that those two rooms used to be where they displayed the Posters of coming attractions. No one else who worked there ever knew those hidden rooms where there.
Hi Mike,
Did you work at the Arcadia Theater in Temple, Texas? Yes, my jacket was red, but we had to buy our own. Not everyone’s jackets were red though.
You can email me at:
Robert Chapman
You can email me at:
Robert Chapman
Hi, I used to work at the Texas and Arcadia Theaters in Temple, Texas back in 1972. My Boss was Tillman Bond. The Theater was run by ABC Interstates Theaters. I still have some of the old Arcadia Theater Tickets dated back in 1972.
I have many fond memories of working there. I also have a picture of me in my suite while working at the Theater, (yes, we had to wear suits back then).
I have been all through the Theater from the tunnels under the Theater, (yes, there were tunnels under the Theater that lead to other buildings downtown), to the top of the roof. I loved that place.
I was an Usher. I took tickets and during the week I also worked the Candy Counter. On the weekends we had a “Candy Girl” who worked the Candy Counter. I have many great stories of the Arcadia.
I sure would like to chat with anyone who worked there or who even just used to go to the movies there. A couple of the guys who I worked with were Steve Schooler at the Texas Theater and Mike Worley at the Arcadia Theater. I’ve often wondered what ever happened to Tillmon Bond my Boss?
I also used to close the Theater every night. I would have to go to the back of the Theater, go down a metal spiral staircase to turn
off the air condition unit. There was only one light bulb down there and it was pretty spooky. There were old dressing rooms down there from when they did live performances back in the 20s and 30s.
That’s also where the tunnels were.
I think it’s pretty neat that they are restoring the Arcadia. I was back there about 8 years ago and drove by it. I now live in Arizona. If they were to ever reopen it I would make a trip just to go see a movie there. I also graduated from Temple High School in 1975.
Anyway, if anyone wants to chat let me know.