During the time I was married and living near this theatre, it was a favorite place to go—whether taking my daughter to see a kids' show as she was growing up or just waiting to see something for more mature audiences with my ex-wife. We would deliberately put-off going to see first-run movies until they came to the “dollar”-movie houses (which the Plaza was at that time) just in case something that interested us might show there and we could once again partake of the “full-screen, one auditorium” experience that was even then becoming passe'. I remember the last feature shown there was “The Mask” in the early-90’s.
I worked here most of the summer of 1965. That year, the Palace was the site of the premiere of the new Beatles movie “Help!”. Never saw so many pretty girls in one place in one summer before in all my life during the 2-3 weeks it ran (it was held over)—even though the screams got a little loud sometimes and I sorta got tired of the movie itself after seeing it about 100 times..!!(LOL..!!) As part of its promotion, they also had live bands playing in the foyer just outside the entrance to the theatre and I worked the door enough to just finally quit trying to answer the phone when people called in for showtimes and ticket-prices, etc.—you just couldn’t hear anyone..!! :)
My first job was here in the summer of 1964 (I was 14 and turned 15 that August). I also worked there briefly during part of my senior year in high-school (1967). My father was actually the manager here when I was a baby, but when he and my mother divorced (around 1952) he moved on to the job he held until he retired with another firm.Because the man who took my dad’s place was a family-friend and kept the position for many years, I used to NEVER pay admission here when I was growing up, and through my teenage years made a lot of use of the two “Cry Rooms” on either side of the balcony when there was just one screen and I was with a pretty girl—(LOL..!!). One of the unique things about the trailers that were shown before each feature was that they always included one for KLIF 1190—the McClendon radio-station in Dallas (this was a McClendon theatre), and on Saturdays when the auditorium was often packed with kids who monitored rock-and-roll religiously, there was a contest during that one trailer of “cheers” vs. “boos” that got pretty loud. You see, White Rock—the area of Dallas where the Casa Linda was located—was the home of KBOX 1480, the rival station in town to KLIF. For awhile, it was more popular with kids in the 60’s, whether they were in high-school or just “teeny-boppers” then. Gradually, KLIF began to gain more popularity until finally, in January of 1967, KBOX went “country”, and Dallas had to wait another few years (until the establishment of KVIL) to have more than one choice for rock-and-roll. Ahhh—what a blast from the past..!! Like the Simon & Garfunkel song says, “Preserve your memories—they’re all that’s left you.” I’m so thankful I have mine.
During the time I was married and living near this theatre, it was a favorite place to go—whether taking my daughter to see a kids' show as she was growing up or just waiting to see something for more mature audiences with my ex-wife. We would deliberately put-off going to see first-run movies until they came to the “dollar”-movie houses (which the Plaza was at that time) just in case something that interested us might show there and we could once again partake of the “full-screen, one auditorium” experience that was even then becoming passe'. I remember the last feature shown there was “The Mask” in the early-90’s.
I worked here most of the summer of 1965. That year, the Palace was the site of the premiere of the new Beatles movie “Help!”. Never saw so many pretty girls in one place in one summer before in all my life during the 2-3 weeks it ran (it was held over)—even though the screams got a little loud sometimes and I sorta got tired of the movie itself after seeing it about 100 times..!!(LOL..!!) As part of its promotion, they also had live bands playing in the foyer just outside the entrance to the theatre and I worked the door enough to just finally quit trying to answer the phone when people called in for showtimes and ticket-prices, etc.—you just couldn’t hear anyone..!! :)
My first job was here in the summer of 1964 (I was 14 and turned 15 that August). I also worked there briefly during part of my senior year in high-school (1967). My father was actually the manager here when I was a baby, but when he and my mother divorced (around 1952) he moved on to the job he held until he retired with another firm.Because the man who took my dad’s place was a family-friend and kept the position for many years, I used to NEVER pay admission here when I was growing up, and through my teenage years made a lot of use of the two “Cry Rooms” on either side of the balcony when there was just one screen and I was with a pretty girl—(LOL..!!). One of the unique things about the trailers that were shown before each feature was that they always included one for KLIF 1190—the McClendon radio-station in Dallas (this was a McClendon theatre), and on Saturdays when the auditorium was often packed with kids who monitored rock-and-roll religiously, there was a contest during that one trailer of “cheers” vs. “boos” that got pretty loud. You see, White Rock—the area of Dallas where the Casa Linda was located—was the home of KBOX 1480, the rival station in town to KLIF. For awhile, it was more popular with kids in the 60’s, whether they were in high-school or just “teeny-boppers” then. Gradually, KLIF began to gain more popularity until finally, in January of 1967, KBOX went “country”, and Dallas had to wait another few years (until the establishment of KVIL) to have more than one choice for rock-and-roll. Ahhh—what a blast from the past..!! Like the Simon & Garfunkel song says, “Preserve your memories—they’re all that’s left you.” I’m so thankful I have mine.