An article in the Hollywood trade papers sparked my memory of the Kingsway. I worked as an usher between 1956-58. It was my first movie industry job. We had lockers and changing rooms in the old vaudville dressing rooms. We wore uniforms of maroon and blue with gold trim, bow ties, plastic collars and shirt fronts. On Friday and Saturday nights, I was assigned to the front of the theatre to “bark”. I would announce in my strongest voice to all of Kings Highway and Coney Island Avenue, the time of the next show and what seats remained available. In the winter, I would wear this incredible navy blue wool cape. It was the time of “Roadshow Engagements”. I would be working the balcony and loge during a matinee performance of “Guys and Dolls”, learning the lyrics and if the house was fairly empty, singing and dancing along. I haven’t been back to the neighborhood for over Fifteen years and felt a twinge of sadness and nostalgia to learn that the old house was gone and with it some of my personal history.
bdwyphil
An article in the Hollywood trade papers sparked my memory of the Kingsway. I worked as an usher between 1956-58. It was my first movie industry job. We had lockers and changing rooms in the old vaudville dressing rooms. We wore uniforms of maroon and blue with gold trim, bow ties, plastic collars and shirt fronts. On Friday and Saturday nights, I was assigned to the front of the theatre to “bark”. I would announce in my strongest voice to all of Kings Highway and Coney Island Avenue, the time of the next show and what seats remained available. In the winter, I would wear this incredible navy blue wool cape. It was the time of “Roadshow Engagements”. I would be working the balcony and loge during a matinee performance of “Guys and Dolls”, learning the lyrics and if the house was fairly empty, singing and dancing along. I haven’t been back to the neighborhood for over Fifteen years and felt a twinge of sadness and nostalgia to learn that the old house was gone and with it some of my personal history.
bdwyphil