On some Saturday afternoons, back in my olden days, I went to the matinee movie with my sisters. Our mother or father would drop us off at the State Theater on Lee Highway. Usually, we walked backed home because our parents didn't know how long we would be. There may have been a pay phone nearby to call for a ride. But it was generally easier to just walk home. I have no idea how far the walk was but it had to be at least a mile or more.
Going to a movie back then was different than today. First of all, it was cheap entertainment. Our parents could easily afford to give us pocket money for the tickets and candy. Although I don't remember the price of the movie ticket and candy, I pretty sure that the total price was less than a dollar for each of us. We never worried too much if we missed the beginning of a movie because back then you could stay in the theater after the end of the movie to see it all over again if you wanted. So for about twenty five cents, you could stay in the theater and watch your favorite movie over and over.
The State Theater, like all theaters back then, had a one ticket booth that opened to the street. You had to wait in a single line on the sidewalk. After purchasing your ticket, you went into the lobby, bought candy and then found your seat in the one theater. There was no such thing as multi-screen theaters. The candy bar was fairly simple with a selection popular candy and popcorn.
There was usually a newsreel and always a cartoon or two before the actual movie started. I don't think that there were very many previews of upcoming movies. It was a lot different than going to a movie today at multi screen theaters with huge snack bars, stadium seating and having ten or fifteen minutes of advertisements and previews before the actual movie starts.
I remember being given a quarter after the Saturday chores were done, which would pay for the 10-cent movie admission with money left over for candy. Quite often the movies were double features, and there were shorts that were cliff-hangers to bring you back the next week. The movie theater closer to home than the State theater was the Lee theater
ReplyDeleteI remember being left off at the theater with my brother and sister as well. Also remember my father and I shared a love for the movies like Mothra, Godzilla, space envasion stuff and sometimes we went just the two of us.
ReplyDeleteWe used to go to the drive-in movies on a relatively regular basis. Seems like we took a jug of A&W root beer and maybe bought popcorn. We'd always make up a bed in the back of the station wagon, and crawled back there when we got tired. I'm pretty sure I stayed awake for Spartacus, but that's the only movie I remember viewing to the end.
Imagine drive-ins were far less popular in your part of the country as you actually had seasonal weather.
Linda, I knew admission to the movies was cheap. But I couldn't remember the exact amount. Thanks for your better memory.
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