I changed the marquee at the Academy Theatre in the early 70’s. One title I misspelled late at night that caused the manager to phone me to come pack and correct was for a movie called “The Public Eye.” I innocently spelled the second word and put “The Pubic Eye.” My uncle, Arlo Nalder, was part owner of the Yum Burger across the street. As a child, I remember seeing a movie I didn’t understand there called “A Letter to Three Wives.” I saw the movie recently and remembered sitting in the Academy trying find some meaning to all the talk about love and marriage…
I worked at the Alcazar from 1952-1957 changing the marquee and as doorman. I started at .75 an hour as doorman and split $6 three ways for a year changing the marquee. Eventually I endured the departure of my friends and got the whole $6 a week for learning how to spell correctly actors names and titles (correctly). I remember my most difficult title word was “Pharaohs” for the movie “The Land of the Pharaohs.” Most difficult name was Barbara Stanwyck. I was so dedicated to the job that I started changing the California Theatre in Huntington Park also. It paid $10 a week. I got free passes for my friends too. Sometimes I’d charge them a cheaper price than the ticket… Mr. Rankin was the projectionist and I’d have to bring down the out going film in big cans. The theatre manager would have us paint the theatre lobby occasionally and change the posters. The posters had to be sent back after use, but I had to keep my favorite movie posters, “East of Eden” and “Rebel Without a Cause.” I continued changing marquees all over L.A. until 2007. I worked at the Universal CityWalk Cinemas from 1987 to 2007 and was being paid $330 weekly. Among all the other employments I had at the same time, I made more money changing marquees, than acting, directing, teaching, TV cue-cards, chicken truck driving, and modeling… I even have an old Alcazar check that was never cashed for $6.
I changed the marquee at the Academy Theatre in the early 70’s. One title I misspelled late at night that caused the manager to phone me to come pack and correct was for a movie called “The Public Eye.” I innocently spelled the second word and put “The Pubic Eye.” My uncle, Arlo Nalder, was part owner of the Yum Burger across the street. As a child, I remember seeing a movie I didn’t understand there called “A Letter to Three Wives.” I saw the movie recently and remembered sitting in the Academy trying find some meaning to all the talk about love and marriage…
I worked at the Alcazar from 1952-1957 changing the marquee and as doorman. I started at .75 an hour as doorman and split $6 three ways for a year changing the marquee. Eventually I endured the departure of my friends and got the whole $6 a week for learning how to spell correctly actors names and titles (correctly). I remember my most difficult title word was “Pharaohs” for the movie “The Land of the Pharaohs.” Most difficult name was Barbara Stanwyck. I was so dedicated to the job that I started changing the California Theatre in Huntington Park also. It paid $10 a week. I got free passes for my friends too. Sometimes I’d charge them a cheaper price than the ticket… Mr. Rankin was the projectionist and I’d have to bring down the out going film in big cans. The theatre manager would have us paint the theatre lobby occasionally and change the posters. The posters had to be sent back after use, but I had to keep my favorite movie posters, “East of Eden” and “Rebel Without a Cause.” I continued changing marquees all over L.A. until 2007. I worked at the Universal CityWalk Cinemas from 1987 to 2007 and was being paid $330 weekly. Among all the other employments I had at the same time, I made more money changing marquees, than acting, directing, teaching, TV cue-cards, chicken truck driving, and modeling… I even have an old Alcazar check that was never cashed for $6.