Comments from james44

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james44
james44 commented about Varsity Theater on Nov 5, 2015 at 6:19 am

A long time ago, after the final showings on Friday and Saturday nights, many moviegoers would then head for either Cooley’s Cupboard or the Coffee Room.

james44
james44 commented about Varsity Theater on Jul 17, 2012 at 11:52 pm

The YouTube is now my second Varsity Theater. Because of the YouTube, there are now perhaps millions of younger people who are eagerly rediscovering the Golden Age. Thus, it would seem that the Varsity Theater could be reopened, showing only Golden Age motion pictures. Sample list:

Casablanca, Funny Face, You Were Never Lovelier, The Red Shoes.

james44
james44 commented about Varsity Theater on Mar 14, 2010 at 2:43 pm

Tribute from The Golden Age:

The Varsity Theater wasn’t made for Hollywood. Hollywood was made for the Varsity Theater.

james44
james44 commented about Valencia Theater on Apr 21, 2007 at 2:50 am

Now retired, I went to the Valencia theater innumerable times during the forties, fifties, and sixties. Once, the lobby was packed when they showed “This Gun for Hire”, which made superstars overnight of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. Later, during the war years (WW2), every blonde in America wore their hair covering one eye for awhile, as shown in “The Major and the Minor”.

On two occasions, they had to turn the house lights on for awhile, while the audience was frightened and screaming: during the final scene of “Dorian Gray”, and the final scene of “Psycho.”

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Ann-Margret visited the Valencia theater while growing up in Wilmette. I also wouldn’t be at all surprised if Don Rumsfeld also attended the Valencia theater while he was growing up in Winnetka. In those days, you could get there easily on Saturdays on the North Shore Line.

On Saturdays, they used to show serials at the Valencia theater, such as the one about a sinister man, operating out of a cave in the Himalayas, maybe in Afghanistan, who was going to take over the world. His name was Osam.. (oops), his name was Fu Manchu.