Comments from JohnCochranIII

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JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Oct 13, 2014 at 9:31 pm

Am talking with Mom and she has advice for anyone looking for Commonwealth’s retirement info. Phone Number is (800) 624-5155. Good luck because it is a pain! This is now handled by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (USA) PO Box 55446 Boston, MA 02205-5446. Hope that helps!

Olin Remert, Jr is living in Topeka and was a projectionist. Ron Fechner (Sp?) still lives in Manhattan and owns several rental properties.

Mom wanted me to relay does anyone know where or in what state the following people are in:

  1. Leon Hufnagle
  2. Phil Blakey
  3. Bruce Young.

I have pictures of several King of the Sun and Show-a-Rama get togethers.

JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Oct 9, 2014 at 3:24 pm

Sorry for the spelling and grammar on the last two Posts. Cannot figure out how to get in and EDIT the Postings! That is what I get for typing quickly before going to work.

JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Oct 9, 2014 at 3:12 pm

Dave: I will relay and to Mom and Post her thoughts her later on today. Seem to remember that we were in Manhattan visiting my Grandmother when the West Loop opened and Dad couldn’t stay away because he REALLY wanted to see the new theatre!

JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Oct 9, 2014 at 3:09 pm

I was a kid when Air port came out but I’ll tell you it made an impression as well. I have two boys (John—11 and Chris—-8) and they KNOW whenever we get our first heavy snow here in Colorado that Dad’s tradition goes into full force. The first big snow ALWAYS brings a showing of Airport at this house!

It was a great time growing up in Commonwealth Theatres as a kid. I remember all sorts of crazy stunts Father did for publicity: Shooting up an old car for Bonnie and Clyde, suspending from the ceiling a broken canoe with dummy hanging out of it for Deliverance, HUGE Promos for Star Wars and the Empire Strikes Back, and having the entire Fire Department out front for Towering Inferno. Great stuff.

We moved to Fort Collins for Dad’s last years in Commonwealth. I moved to Greeley for college and worked at the Greeley Mall Twin and Wilshire as Assistant Manager at each location. Course all those theatres are closed/gone. Mike Smaha was City Manager and he did good work in those days making the theatres do quite well.

JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Oct 9, 2014 at 4:02 am

My Mom is wanting to know if anyone has heard from Charlie Tryon?

If Mr. Poessiger reads this she wanted to me to also deliver a ‘Hello’ from her.

JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Oct 9, 2014 at 1:36 am

Thanks for the memories. I, too, have fond ones of Aggieville, the parades, bonfires, and KSU Pep Band.

I’m talking with my Mother right now and she is curious as to your name? She still lives in Manhattan and would love to know more…

JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Apr 13, 2012 at 3:44 pm

It is quite pleasant to read all this. Mr. Barrett: I am quite familiar with your story and was regaled by Father regarding a number of things you describe in your Post above. A very pleasant trip down memory lane. I return to Columbia about every 6 months to see my best friend and take care of my Grandparent’s graves.

JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Dec 31, 2011 at 1:41 am

I’ll ask my Mother and see if she knows. She lives in Manhattan, KS.

JohnCochranIII
JohnCochranIII commented about Commonwealth Amusement Company/Corporation on Dec 28, 2011 at 6:26 pm

Hello All.

My Father, John Cochran, worked for Commonwealth Theatres for nearly 30 years. I was raised in the Theatres and have the fondest memories of locations in Clinton, Waynesville (where the Theatre flooded every spring and the Drive-In was next to a Mafia Cat House), Grand Island, and Fort Collins. Dad was King of the Sun in the 70s (I have his plaque and picture with Sean Connery!) and it has been nice to read about a lot of the names mentioned above.

Father died November 10th of this year and my Mother asked if I could find a site where Commonwealth people kept track of each other. Seems like this is the place. We hope you are well. If you have any questions or thoughts, I will periodically check-in here and look.