The Big Screen!

   Today makes another of those "bizarre
holidays" no one seems to know about.
    It's "Movie Theater Day!"
    I practically grew up in movie
theaters!
    My Dad was a projectionist. During
most of my growing up years he worked
at the Capitol Theater in Hazleton during
the day and at one of our three regional
Drive In Theaters during summer nights!
    Double features were not unusual
back then so it wasn't unusual for me to
see 4 movies a day and, occasionally,
more when the Drive Ins ran a special
night with three or more "Monster"
features.
     My personal record, for many years,
was my 13 viewings of "Where The Boys
Are." That, of course, was over several
weeks.
     I had a crush on the lead actress,
Dolores Hart. She must have found out
because she gave up movies and became
a Nun.
     It would have been easy for me to
observe Movie Theater Day when I was
a kid.
     There were 7 theaters in my hometown
in those days. Only one of those is still
around. But there's one Multiplex just outside
of town that has three more screens that I
had theaters!
     I still go to the movies often. I was just
there yesterday. But I miss the old
"neighborhood theaters."
     For the price of admission, anywhere
from 13 to 25 cents when I was a kid, you
got one or two features, a cartoon, a news
reel and, often, a weekly serial.
     You didn't get any commercials except
for the coming attractions.
      And the only little light that cut through
the darkness came from the Usher's flashlight
as he helped someone to their seats or checked
to make sure your feet weren't on them!
      Of course I favored the Capitol where my
Dad worked. I got in there for free! And I got
to take a friend or two!
      We even had "Stadium seating." Except,
back then, we called it a Balcony.
       Prices have climbed a bit over all those
years. I could have seen about a dozen movies
for what it cost to buy popcorn today.
      Still, you can't beat seeing a good movie
on a big screen!
       Hope you remember to silence your
cellphone and that all your NEWS is good!