Wednesday, May 18, 2016

The Moving Picture Show

In case you missed it, yesterday's post about the Picture Show prompted this comment from Bobby Rondthaler:

"Philip, you bring back great memories of going to the movies on Ocracoke on hot summer nights. The windows were open to catch any breeze that passed by, but there were no screens. This meant lots of mosquitoes. The solution to both the heat and the mosquitoes was to use one of those old-time paddle-shaped fans, cardboard on a wooden handle, advertising some funeral home on the mainland. That was nightlife on Ocracoke."

Bobby's comment reminded me of one night at the Wahab Village theater. Ocracoke never received current movies; they were always months, or even years, old, but we enjoyed them nevertheless. Also, the theater had only one projector [see my comment at 10:43 for a correction]. Since feature length movies came on multiple reels, that meant having an intermission while the projectionist changed reels. On that particular night we were watching a science fiction movie. During the intermission we bought candy and soft drinks, and waited impatiently to find out what would transpire next. When the lights went out and we looked up at the screen we saw cowboys on horseback thundering across the prairie. You should have heard the uproar from the teenagers!

We all got our quarters back, but we were not happy.

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is Allie (Teenie) Scott's 1968 story of Simon Garrish, Jr. and the US Life-Saving horse, Sambo. You can read it by clicking here: www.villagecraftsmen.com/news042116.htm

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:12 AM

    Teenagers without Knives luckily

    No doubt that was the lead story in the weekly newspaper. Reeling Teenagers fueled by sugary soft drinks and buttery popcorn cause near riot as the Movie house screens wrong flick.

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  2. Anonymous4:18 PM

    Fire on British Cemetery Road -- remember that Post? Did the investigation determine the start of the fire ??? the source of ignition to an E M P T Y house??????? I am sure this was IMportant enough to INvestigate????!!!! Teenager and Popcorn to teenagers and Knives caused a walk down memory lane LOL and I found the Fire OBCR post. Do Tell PH Do Tell xxooo

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    Replies
    1. I only know rumors about the investigation and results. I think there was a determination made, but to my knowledge, no charges were filed.

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  3. I just got a call from Bill Gaskill, one of the projectionists at the Wahab Village Theater. He tells me there were two projectors, not one. He thinks there were intermissions between reels just so they could sell candy and soft drinks.

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