BTW, I was living in Manteno in January 1951 when the hardware store fire happened. I was only five and a half at the time, so I don’t remember that fire. BUT I certainly went to the Darb Theater a whole lot of times when I was five, six and seven, so I don’t see how the Darb could have been affected.
Don’t think I can tell you much about the Darb that you don’t already know. The interior was wine curtains and gilt wood carvings. It had an organ, but I don’t know that I ever heard it played. In the early 50s, a kid could get into the Saturday matinee for ten cents. They did the usual, continuous showings: Cartoon-Feature 1-News Reel-Feature 2—and back to the Cartoon, again. For the Saturday matinee, there was usually a Serial. Generally, a silent cowboy film. Nobody ever tried to get to a movie at the start, you just walked in, sat down, and stayed until you saw something you’d already seen. (“‘Scuse me. This is where I came in. 'Scuse me.) Miss that place.
BTW, I was living in Manteno in January 1951 when the hardware store fire happened. I was only five and a half at the time, so I don’t remember that fire. BUT I certainly went to the Darb Theater a whole lot of times when I was five, six and seven, so I don’t see how the Darb could have been affected.
Jack Clark
Idyllwild, CA
Don’t think I can tell you much about the Darb that you don’t already know. The interior was wine curtains and gilt wood carvings. It had an organ, but I don’t know that I ever heard it played. In the early 50s, a kid could get into the Saturday matinee for ten cents. They did the usual, continuous showings: Cartoon-Feature 1-News Reel-Feature 2—and back to the Cartoon, again. For the Saturday matinee, there was usually a Serial. Generally, a silent cowboy film. Nobody ever tried to get to a movie at the start, you just walked in, sat down, and stayed until you saw something you’d already seen. (“‘Scuse me. This is where I came in. 'Scuse me.) Miss that place.
Jack Clark
Idyllwild, CA
formerly from Manteno, IL