It is with sadness that I recently noted the passing of Dennis J. Mahaney, former manager at General Cinema Corporation, and my first boss at my first job at the South Shore Cinema in Braintree. Dennis passed away on February 13, 2020 at the age of 76. The obituary can be found at https://www.everettfuneral.com/obituary/Dennis-Mahaney. Dennis’s many contributions to this website are incalculable, and we can all be thankful for his keen interest and involvement. Cinema Treasures would not be what it is without him.
In those days, graphical ads like this for movie theaters could consume multiple pages of the local newspaper, and they were always fun to browse! Having been on the original usher staff at the Braintree Cinema, I was there working on the evening of November 16, 1966 and recall seeing Jackie Vernon dressed in a long leather coat. During the intervening years, I’ve never forgotten the theme music to “The Liquidator”. Stationed inside the theater as the movie began, it was literally burned into my memory throughout the movie’s run.
Hi Dennis: I apologize for getting your first name wrong! I guess that’s what 50 years will do to one’s memory. Hey, at least I got your last name right. :) Anyway, thanks so much for sharing the photos with us. Seeing the South Shore Cinema as it was back then, has been an unexpected treat.
I was no stranger to the Boston Cinerama. My Dad had a business across the street at 611 Washington St. for over 50 years. I was lucky to have seen several films there during the 1960’s.
Jeesh! Beer and wine in a movie theater. What could possibly go wrong? AMC apparently has been proposing this in it’s theaters across the country with mixed success. Can you imagine the possibilities of bringing beer to your seats? Drunk patrons becoming belligerent and loud, or spilling their beer on another patron as they maneuver to their seats. Bad idea! You want to consume alcohol, go to a bar. You want to consume alcohol and watch a movie, rent a DVD and stay home!
Growing up in Braintree, I remember seeing the movie Psycho at the theater with my mother in 1960. I also remember getting my first, and thankfully only, bloody nose there trying to mediate a fight between two brothers I had gone to the movies with. In later years, I used to get my hair cut at Bob’s Barber Shop located in the same building after the theater had closed.
I recently came upon this website and just had to comment. I have very special memories of the original South Shore Plaza Cinema. It not only was my very first job while in high school, but I helped open the theater as a member of the first team of ushers in the fall of 1966! I can remember following the theater’s assistant manager (Gerald Mahaney?) out to his car where he had all the paperwork I needed to complete. The inside of the theater wasn’t even completed yet. As I recall, the manager’s name was Larry Gleason. I also worked for Izzy Strier during his tenure as the manager there in 1967. I can remember him letting me use his 1965 or 66 Mustang fastback to run an errand to another cinema for him. Now that was trust, letting a 17 year old kid drive your car! I still have fond memories of the odor of the freshly made popcorn we made there. Of course, I had to “test” it to ensure it was just right. I want to thank a previous poster, Bob Schlapowitz, for the photo of the lobby. Wow, does that bring back some great memories! It’s like finding the Holy Grail of my youth. I now wish I saved my original uniform: Orange suit jacket, black tuxedo pants, white shirt, and black bow tie. Thanks for the opportunity to contribute, and for the wonderful memories!
It is with sadness that I recently noted the passing of Dennis J. Mahaney, former manager at General Cinema Corporation, and my first boss at my first job at the South Shore Cinema in Braintree. Dennis passed away on February 13, 2020 at the age of 76. The obituary can be found at https://www.everettfuneral.com/obituary/Dennis-Mahaney. Dennis’s many contributions to this website are incalculable, and we can all be thankful for his keen interest and involvement. Cinema Treasures would not be what it is without him.
In those days, graphical ads like this for movie theaters could consume multiple pages of the local newspaper, and they were always fun to browse! Having been on the original usher staff at the Braintree Cinema, I was there working on the evening of November 16, 1966 and recall seeing Jackie Vernon dressed in a long leather coat. During the intervening years, I’ve never forgotten the theme music to “The Liquidator”. Stationed inside the theater as the movie began, it was literally burned into my memory throughout the movie’s run.
If memory serves, Cinema 1 originally had a seating capacity of 1200 with four aisles, and Cinema 2 had a capacity of 800 with two aisles.
Hi Dennis: I apologize for getting your first name wrong! I guess that’s what 50 years will do to one’s memory. Hey, at least I got your last name right. :) Anyway, thanks so much for sharing the photos with us. Seeing the South Shore Cinema as it was back then, has been an unexpected treat.
Best Regards,
Bob Edler
I was no stranger to the Boston Cinerama. My Dad had a business across the street at 611 Washington St. for over 50 years. I was lucky to have seen several films there during the 1960’s.
Jeesh! Beer and wine in a movie theater. What could possibly go wrong? AMC apparently has been proposing this in it’s theaters across the country with mixed success. Can you imagine the possibilities of bringing beer to your seats? Drunk patrons becoming belligerent and loud, or spilling their beer on another patron as they maneuver to their seats. Bad idea! You want to consume alcohol, go to a bar. You want to consume alcohol and watch a movie, rent a DVD and stay home!
Growing up in Braintree, I remember seeing the movie Psycho at the theater with my mother in 1960. I also remember getting my first, and thankfully only, bloody nose there trying to mediate a fight between two brothers I had gone to the movies with. In later years, I used to get my hair cut at Bob’s Barber Shop located in the same building after the theater had closed.
I recently came upon this website and just had to comment. I have very special memories of the original South Shore Plaza Cinema. It not only was my very first job while in high school, but I helped open the theater as a member of the first team of ushers in the fall of 1966! I can remember following the theater’s assistant manager (Gerald Mahaney?) out to his car where he had all the paperwork I needed to complete. The inside of the theater wasn’t even completed yet. As I recall, the manager’s name was Larry Gleason. I also worked for Izzy Strier during his tenure as the manager there in 1967. I can remember him letting me use his 1965 or 66 Mustang fastback to run an errand to another cinema for him. Now that was trust, letting a 17 year old kid drive your car! I still have fond memories of the odor of the freshly made popcorn we made there. Of course, I had to “test” it to ensure it was just right. I want to thank a previous poster, Bob Schlapowitz, for the photo of the lobby. Wow, does that bring back some great memories! It’s like finding the Holy Grail of my youth. I now wish I saved my original uniform: Orange suit jacket, black tuxedo pants, white shirt, and black bow tie. Thanks for the opportunity to contribute, and for the wonderful memories!