Let’s see, flow of consciousness — the Orpheum was the first movie theater I ever remember going to, usually tagging along holding my big sisters hand. I definitely remember seeing “War of the Worlds†at the Orpheum. The main entrance to the theater was under the marquee on Water Street after which you proceeded up a long flight of stairs (heading due west). The stairs were about 12 to 15 feet wide with a landing half way up. Once you arrived at the top of the stairs, you were greeted by the ticket takers. If you proceeded straight ahead through a set of doors you would enter the main seating area. If you turned right (north) and walked down a hall about 20ft to 30ft you came to the most important part of the building — the concession & popcorn stand.
The interior of the main theater was very ornate, sorry but that’s the best I can recall after some 50 years. It had box seats on either side of the screen and a balcony that was mostly closed. Another peculiarity was that the rest rooms were accessible directly from the interior seating area of the building, ladies on the south side, men’s on the north side. This caused people to bunch up right outside the doors to the rest rooms waiting for a key scene to end before entering, but at least you didn’t lose 10 minutes out of the movie walking the long halls of today’s mega theaters.
The Royal Theater was located on South Water Street in the south end of New Bedford, a short walk just two or three blocks from the Orpheum Theater (which still stands un occupied today). The area was one of the most vibrant shopping areas in the city in the 1950s and as such had a great deal of pedestrian traffic. The Royal was the original “Discount Theater†in the city usually featuring reruns, on a par with the local drive-ins of the time. The Royal was anything but, it was very small, dark and dingy with only two isles. My mother always hating me going there, telling me it was infested with rats. (never saw one)
Let’s see, flow of consciousness — the Orpheum was the first movie theater I ever remember going to, usually tagging along holding my big sisters hand. I definitely remember seeing “War of the Worlds†at the Orpheum. The main entrance to the theater was under the marquee on Water Street after which you proceeded up a long flight of stairs (heading due west). The stairs were about 12 to 15 feet wide with a landing half way up. Once you arrived at the top of the stairs, you were greeted by the ticket takers. If you proceeded straight ahead through a set of doors you would enter the main seating area. If you turned right (north) and walked down a hall about 20ft to 30ft you came to the most important part of the building — the concession & popcorn stand.
The interior of the main theater was very ornate, sorry but that’s the best I can recall after some 50 years. It had box seats on either side of the screen and a balcony that was mostly closed. Another peculiarity was that the rest rooms were accessible directly from the interior seating area of the building, ladies on the south side, men’s on the north side. This caused people to bunch up right outside the doors to the rest rooms waiting for a key scene to end before entering, but at least you didn’t lose 10 minutes out of the movie walking the long halls of today’s mega theaters.
The Royal Theater was located on South Water Street in the south end of New Bedford, a short walk just two or three blocks from the Orpheum Theater (which still stands un occupied today). The area was one of the most vibrant shopping areas in the city in the 1950s and as such had a great deal of pedestrian traffic. The Royal was the original “Discount Theater†in the city usually featuring reruns, on a par with the local drive-ins of the time. The Royal was anything but, it was very small, dark and dingy with only two isles. My mother always hating me going there, telling me it was infested with rats. (never saw one)