Still more lazy thoughts from this one…

Tales from the (Movie) Theater: Surprise! (Part 7)

After being promoted by attrition to lead projectionist at the Huntington Park Warner Theater, following an all too short stint of a few months showing movies, I attempted to settle into a semblance of routine. The summer of 1976, though, threw that totally out of proportion with its arrival as I completed of my college spring semester. The result of which gave me more time to work.

TMT: Returning to the Scene

Within weeks of heading to Century City one night for a movie, only to find Huey helicopters blitzing the avenue on their way up to the Nakatomi Plaza building, I’d begun the last romance of my life. Unbeknownst to me, mind you, but that’s quite okay. At this point, months into it, I found I rather enjoyed being swept up.

Tales from the (Movie) Theater: Transitions (Part 6)

My Wednesdays were never, ever, the same from this moment forward. Primarily because, for those of us old enough to remember, that mid-point of the week was once the traditional day when movies opened, were released into theaters, back then. And preparing for the weekly changes was what I had to learn. It came with the new lead role I’d inherit.

Tales from the (Movie) Theater: Amateur Night (Part 4)

Before I arrived, the owner realized the demographics of the area were changing during the 70s, and that more and more of his clientele were Latino patrons. He was also competing for their dollars with the two other movie theaters along the Pacific boulevard shopping strip: the California and the Park (the other, the Lyric Theatre, went after, ahem, a different market).

Tales from the (Movie) Theater: Projecting (Part 3)

I was taught on what is known as a Two Reel System — the older carbon arc variety. No splicing of film together to make it one large, easy to project unit. Nope…didn’t happen. The Warner’s projection booth had three, count them three, Simplex carbon arc projectors. Museum pieces, really. Only two were used at any time. The third kept as cold backup for when one of others totally arrested on you, which could happen given the age of these antiques.