My father, Kenneth C. Shaffer was manager of this theater from about 1940 until about 1951.
During WWII, the managers’ of the Academy theater and the Genesee theater** were drafted into military service. My dad was 4-F and ineligible because he had lost one kidney as a teen.
So the Publix management made him the manager of all three theaters until the other two managers returned from the war. Dad went back to only managing the Rialto at that time, [probably with a pay decrease].}
*These two theaters along with the Rialto, were the three theaters owned by national chain Publix, in Waukegan, Ill. The only other theater was the independent Times Theater (second run movies).
**The Genesee Theater is now a National Historical Landmark. It was the grandest of grand theaters in the Midwest, probably only rivaled by theaters in Chicago in the day.
My father, Kenneth C. Shaffer was manager of this theater from about 1940 until about 1951.
During WWII, the managers’ of the Academy theater and the Genesee theater** were drafted into military service. My dad was 4-F and ineligible because he had lost one kidney as a teen. So the Publix management made him the manager of all three theaters until the other two managers returned from the war. Dad went back to only managing the Rialto at that time, [probably with a pay decrease].}
*These two theaters along with the Rialto, were the three theaters owned by national chain Publix, in Waukegan, Ill. The only other theater was the independent Times Theater (second run movies). **The Genesee Theater is now a National Historical Landmark. It was the grandest of grand theaters in the Midwest, probably only rivaled by theaters in Chicago in the day.