In 1972 I worked at the Ventura Theatre. At that time my paychecks were coming from Western Theatres. I sat in the little box out front and sold tickets. The concession stand was right inside the front door and to the left. The girls wore navy blue dresses with red stripes around the necks and two from hem to neck. The were of industrial polyester and were micro mini in length. Most of the workers were high school age kids, me included. We went through a number of managers. On Saturdays, after chores were done, we would explore the area behind the screen,a large stage area. A circular iron staircase led up to two levels with individual dressing rooms. Lots of odd junk was there. Mirrors, old theatre seats, boxes, rats.. lots of rats. The door to the old Organ loft, which then contained a huge speaker with a giant plastic flower arrangement on it, was covered in metal. I remember it fascinated me. I tried finding history information then. The only thing I found and this is a fuzzy memory at best, is that Shelly Winters played there as a child, when it was a Burlesque theatre, I believe touring with her family act. At some point, attendance was never very high, the theatre was bought by Playboy Theatres. Even so, it remained their family theatre (they had the Mayfair down the street and around the corner as their x rated theatre). After seeing one of my paychecks with the Playboy Theatre logo on it, my father made me quit the job.
In 1972 I worked at the Ventura Theatre. At that time my paychecks were coming from Western Theatres. I sat in the little box out front and sold tickets. The concession stand was right inside the front door and to the left. The girls wore navy blue dresses with red stripes around the necks and two from hem to neck. The were of industrial polyester and were micro mini in length. Most of the workers were high school age kids, me included. We went through a number of managers. On Saturdays, after chores were done, we would explore the area behind the screen,a large stage area. A circular iron staircase led up to two levels with individual dressing rooms. Lots of odd junk was there. Mirrors, old theatre seats, boxes, rats.. lots of rats. The door to the old Organ loft, which then contained a huge speaker with a giant plastic flower arrangement on it, was covered in metal. I remember it fascinated me. I tried finding history information then. The only thing I found and this is a fuzzy memory at best, is that Shelly Winters played there as a child, when it was a Burlesque theatre, I believe touring with her family act. At some point, attendance was never very high, the theatre was bought by Playboy Theatres. Even so, it remained their family theatre (they had the Mayfair down the street and around the corner as their x rated theatre). After seeing one of my paychecks with the Playboy Theatre logo on it, my father made me quit the job.