As the assistant manager during 1952/53, I still have many fond memories:
The searchlights and limousines on the occasion of the World Premiere of “The World in His Arms,” during which Ann Blyth, the leading lady, appeared on stage.
Opening the door for employees at 11:30 AM, opening the boxoffice at 11:45AM, the movies starting at noon, driving home to Lake City for my hour-long dinner break, changing into a tux rented from Nifty Costumes for the evening hours, closing the boxffice and concession stand at 10PM and reconciling the cash and ticket sales, and finally waking a few patrons before closing the doors at 1 AM. Six days a week!
The spacious office suite on the second floor with picture window views up both Fifth and Westlake Avenues. And the living-room size walk-in safe, where shelves of rolled coins were kept (but rarely used) as a reserve for all Seattle Hamrick theatres during weekends and holidays when banks were closed. And the fourth floor offices of the John Hamrick theatre chain (which included the Liberty on First VAvenue, the Music Hall on Olive Way, the Music Box and Blue Mouse on Fifth Avenue, the Venetian on East Pine at 14th (?), and a theater in remote Enumclaw.
The occasions when a wayward arm on a “trackless trolley” westbound on Stewart Street would swing under the marquee and wipe out dozens of light bulbs with a machine-gun sound which always brought screams of terror!
The union contract which required the presence backstage of two stagehands during all operating hours, even though they had nothing to do for eleven hours between opening and closing the curtains once a day (and for which their pay was significantly greater than mine!).
The palatial backstage dressing rooms, particularly the two suites on the fourth floor reserved for the top stars; these were never used during my tour of duty, but were kept in perfect condition.
When our advertisement for “cashiers and usherettes” resulted in nearly a thousand applicants lined up almost ccompletely around the block.
As the assistant manager during 1952/53, I still have many fond memories:
The searchlights and limousines on the occasion of the World Premiere of “The World in His Arms,” during which Ann Blyth, the leading lady, appeared on stage.
Opening the door for employees at 11:30 AM, opening the boxoffice at 11:45AM, the movies starting at noon, driving home to Lake City for my hour-long dinner break, changing into a tux rented from Nifty Costumes for the evening hours, closing the boxffice and concession stand at 10PM and reconciling the cash and ticket sales, and finally waking a few patrons before closing the doors at 1 AM. Six days a week!
The spacious office suite on the second floor with picture window views up both Fifth and Westlake Avenues. And the living-room size walk-in safe, where shelves of rolled coins were kept (but rarely used) as a reserve for all Seattle Hamrick theatres during weekends and holidays when banks were closed. And the fourth floor offices of the John Hamrick theatre chain (which included the Liberty on First VAvenue, the Music Hall on Olive Way, the Music Box and Blue Mouse on Fifth Avenue, the Venetian on East Pine at 14th (?), and a theater in remote Enumclaw.
The occasions when a wayward arm on a “trackless trolley” westbound on Stewart Street would swing under the marquee and wipe out dozens of light bulbs with a machine-gun sound which always brought screams of terror!
The union contract which required the presence backstage of two stagehands during all operating hours, even though they had nothing to do for eleven hours between opening and closing the curtains once a day (and for which their pay was significantly greater than mine!).
The palatial backstage dressing rooms, particularly the two suites on the fourth floor reserved for the top stars; these were never used during my tour of duty, but were kept in perfect condition.
When our advertisement for “cashiers and usherettes” resulted in nearly a thousand applicants lined up almost ccompletely around the block.