One night a couple of scruffy young guys (accompanied by one of their girlfriends) ambled in and asked if they could show their newly finished animated film at the theater. So we ran their print of this short film called “Cosmic Cartoon”. All that I remember about the film was that it “borrowed” (i.e. stole) heavily from the drawings of Winsor McCay’s “Little Nemo in Slumberland”. One of the creators was an artist named Ladd who had done most of the actual graphic work. The other guy came across as being a very aggressive hustler who had probably been instrumental in raising the money to make it. His name was Steven Lisberger. Years later, they formed a company called Lisberger-Ladd. I have no idea whatever happened to Ladd, but some time later, after I arrived in Hollywood, Disney Studios was releasing a major motion picture directed by none other than Steven Lisberger. It was a summer “tentpole” event film called “TRON.”
-John Semper
(Welles Cinema “alumnus” circa 1973-1978)
P.S. I would love to hear from John Rossi, Leslie Miller, Jimmy Robi, Mary Galloway, Bill Gitt or anybody else who worked at the Welles during that era who remembers me!
Regarding EricH’s last post, you’re right, again, EricH! It’s weird to realize that my memory gets foggy when it comes to many of these films. “Cabaret” did indeed open at the Gary. I remember because I managed that theater for a time while it was playing there. But I also remember it playing in Cheri 2 for a while, too.
If I can’t remember the details about the films too well, at least I most vividly remember the people – i.e. the staff and customers.
My first time working at the Gary as a manager was for the film “Shaft”. I remember THAT vividly because a pregnant woman fainted at my feet and threw up on my new, shiny black shoes.
But THAT’S a story I should probably post on a section devoted to the Gary…
Most, if not all, of the “roadshow” pictures started out as assigned seat and eventually became general admission in the same theater. “Oliver” was one of them.
I had completely forgotten that “Funny Lady” played there. My mistake.
There were many “roadshow” pictures that played at the Cheri Theater complex, largely due to the fact that it really was such a showplace (at the time) for the entire Sack Theater chain.
“Oliver” was one I remember. And I believe “Cabaret” was also.
“Funny Lady” came much later and it wasn’t as big a deal as when “Funny Girl” opened in all three theaters, so I had forgotten all about it.
I came of age at the Cheri Theater complex and I have very fond, vivid memories of working there. I started working at the Cheri Theaters in 1968 as a ticket-taker. I was fifteen, and legally they shouldn’t have even hired me. I had lied about my age, but I turned sixteen a few weeks later. Over the next seven or eight years I worked there on and off, mostly during school summer vacation and weekends, eventually working my up to becoming a manager.
The Cheri Theater Complex was the first three-theater complex in Boston at that time. Part of the challenge of working there was crowd-control. The complex frequently hosted sellout crowds in all three theaters, especially on weekend nights. But when it had been designed, nobody had given any thought to where patrons would line up, so keeping all of those long, weaving lines in some semblance of order was a huge task. I remember many nights of standing outside, often in cold weather, shouting directions into a megaphone.
We had a very funny manager at one time named Rick Garcia. He had nicknamed himself “Theater Rick”, which was what we called him. One winter night, “Theater Rick” grabbed the megaphone out of my hands and started talking to an imaginary “suicide jumper” on top of the building across Dalton street, urging him not to jump. Rick basically did an entire comedy routine. People in line were totally mystified. I doubled over with laughter.
The Cheri complex was the flagship theater of Ben Sack’s cinemas at that time because it was the newest and prettiest, so our theaters got all of the big premieres, with lots of stars. One of the most memorable was the world premiere of “Alice’s Restaurant”. I worked as a ticket-taker at the door for Cheri 2 that night, which was where they screened the movie. I met Claire Bloom, Liza Minelli (in town shooting “Tell Me That You Love Me Junie Moon” directed by Otto Preminger), director Arthur Penn, producer Hillard Elkins (at that time Claire Bloom’s husband) and the cast of the film, including the real Alice (Brock) and Arlo Guthrie.
But nothing was bigger than the Boston premiere of “Funny Girl”. To correct the statement that ErikH made above, “Funny Girl” had its Boston premiere in all three Cheri Theaters, and all three theaters originally had it as a “roadshow” event, with reserved seating. It was reduced to a lower status much later in its run.
Also to correct 70MMLover’s statement above, “Funny Girl’s” intermission happened after the number “Don’t Rain on My Parade” – NOT after “How Lucky Can You Get.” I know this because I frequently worked as an usher, and we ushers used to sell juice drinks right inside the theater as soon as the curtain closed. So I saw that pre-intermission musical number about a zillion times.
One afternoon, late in “Funny Girl’s” run at the complex, when it was down to playing in only one theater (Cheri 2), an elderly, slight women and her male companion quietly sauntered out of the theater, through the spacious lobby, up the long stairway and out the door. Having been alerted by my co-worker, Eileen Riordan, to watch out for her, I can now lay claim to having been smiled at by the legendary Judy Garland, who had been escorted there by Garson Kanin (Garland frequently came to Boston for medical treatment back in those days).
Another celebrity whom I met in the same lobby at a different time was Miles Davis. I actually did gather up enough courage to talk to him. I had recently seen him perform in New York on a double bill with Laura Nyro.
By the way, to answer Ian M. Judge’s posted query above, the correct pronunciation of the word “Cheri” (at least as far as the staff was concerned) was “sheREE” with the accent on the “REE”.
So many memories, so little space.
If any of my fellow Cheri co-workers are reading this, shout out and let me know you’re here. If you knew me well enough, you can guess my real name by my handle.
People and events I remember about the Welles #1:
One night a couple of scruffy young guys (accompanied by one of their girlfriends) ambled in and asked if they could show their newly finished animated film at the theater. So we ran their print of this short film called “Cosmic Cartoon”. All that I remember about the film was that it “borrowed” (i.e. stole) heavily from the drawings of Winsor McCay’s “Little Nemo in Slumberland”. One of the creators was an artist named Ladd who had done most of the actual graphic work. The other guy came across as being a very aggressive hustler who had probably been instrumental in raising the money to make it. His name was Steven Lisberger. Years later, they formed a company called Lisberger-Ladd. I have no idea whatever happened to Ladd, but some time later, after I arrived in Hollywood, Disney Studios was releasing a major motion picture directed by none other than Steven Lisberger. It was a summer “tentpole” event film called “TRON.”
-John Semper
(Welles Cinema “alumnus” circa 1973-1978)
P.S. I would love to hear from John Rossi, Leslie Miller, Jimmy Robi, Mary Galloway, Bill Gitt or anybody else who worked at the Welles during that era who remembers me!
Regarding EricH’s last post, you’re right, again, EricH! It’s weird to realize that my memory gets foggy when it comes to many of these films. “Cabaret” did indeed open at the Gary. I remember because I managed that theater for a time while it was playing there. But I also remember it playing in Cheri 2 for a while, too.
If I can’t remember the details about the films too well, at least I most vividly remember the people – i.e. the staff and customers.
My first time working at the Gary as a manager was for the film “Shaft”. I remember THAT vividly because a pregnant woman fainted at my feet and threw up on my new, shiny black shoes.
But THAT’S a story I should probably post on a section devoted to the Gary…
Most, if not all, of the “roadshow” pictures started out as assigned seat and eventually became general admission in the same theater. “Oliver” was one of them.
Sorry, EricH, for misunderstanding your posting.
I had completely forgotten that “Funny Lady” played there. My mistake.
There were many “roadshow” pictures that played at the Cheri Theater complex, largely due to the fact that it really was such a showplace (at the time) for the entire Sack Theater chain.
“Oliver” was one I remember. And I believe “Cabaret” was also.
“Funny Lady” came much later and it wasn’t as big a deal as when “Funny Girl” opened in all three theaters, so I had forgotten all about it.
I came of age at the Cheri Theater complex and I have very fond, vivid memories of working there. I started working at the Cheri Theaters in 1968 as a ticket-taker. I was fifteen, and legally they shouldn’t have even hired me. I had lied about my age, but I turned sixteen a few weeks later. Over the next seven or eight years I worked there on and off, mostly during school summer vacation and weekends, eventually working my up to becoming a manager.
The Cheri Theater Complex was the first three-theater complex in Boston at that time. Part of the challenge of working there was crowd-control. The complex frequently hosted sellout crowds in all three theaters, especially on weekend nights. But when it had been designed, nobody had given any thought to where patrons would line up, so keeping all of those long, weaving lines in some semblance of order was a huge task. I remember many nights of standing outside, often in cold weather, shouting directions into a megaphone.
We had a very funny manager at one time named Rick Garcia. He had nicknamed himself “Theater Rick”, which was what we called him. One winter night, “Theater Rick” grabbed the megaphone out of my hands and started talking to an imaginary “suicide jumper” on top of the building across Dalton street, urging him not to jump. Rick basically did an entire comedy routine. People in line were totally mystified. I doubled over with laughter.
The Cheri complex was the flagship theater of Ben Sack’s cinemas at that time because it was the newest and prettiest, so our theaters got all of the big premieres, with lots of stars. One of the most memorable was the world premiere of “Alice’s Restaurant”. I worked as a ticket-taker at the door for Cheri 2 that night, which was where they screened the movie. I met Claire Bloom, Liza Minelli (in town shooting “Tell Me That You Love Me Junie Moon” directed by Otto Preminger), director Arthur Penn, producer Hillard Elkins (at that time Claire Bloom’s husband) and the cast of the film, including the real Alice (Brock) and Arlo Guthrie.
But nothing was bigger than the Boston premiere of “Funny Girl”. To correct the statement that ErikH made above, “Funny Girl” had its Boston premiere in all three Cheri Theaters, and all three theaters originally had it as a “roadshow” event, with reserved seating. It was reduced to a lower status much later in its run.
Also to correct 70MMLover’s statement above, “Funny Girl’s” intermission happened after the number “Don’t Rain on My Parade” – NOT after “How Lucky Can You Get.” I know this because I frequently worked as an usher, and we ushers used to sell juice drinks right inside the theater as soon as the curtain closed. So I saw that pre-intermission musical number about a zillion times.
One afternoon, late in “Funny Girl’s” run at the complex, when it was down to playing in only one theater (Cheri 2), an elderly, slight women and her male companion quietly sauntered out of the theater, through the spacious lobby, up the long stairway and out the door. Having been alerted by my co-worker, Eileen Riordan, to watch out for her, I can now lay claim to having been smiled at by the legendary Judy Garland, who had been escorted there by Garson Kanin (Garland frequently came to Boston for medical treatment back in those days).
Another celebrity whom I met in the same lobby at a different time was Miles Davis. I actually did gather up enough courage to talk to him. I had recently seen him perform in New York on a double bill with Laura Nyro.
By the way, to answer Ian M. Judge’s posted query above, the correct pronunciation of the word “Cheri” (at least as far as the staff was concerned) was “sheREE” with the accent on the “REE”.
So many memories, so little space.
If any of my fellow Cheri co-workers are reading this, shout out and let me know you’re here. If you knew me well enough, you can guess my real name by my handle.