This place was owned by the same family that owned the Elm Theater in West Hartford. I worked at this drive-in occasionally as their relief projectionist.
It took a helluva bright bulb to get through that night air and onto the screen clearly! We’d broadcast sound in AM stereo since most of the window-hanging speakers had died. The gals in the concession stand would always bring me a bucket of french fries when they knew I was working. (Good to have friends in the right places, eh?) On weekend nights we’d have to contend with the baseball field directly behind the place since they had tons of lighting for night games. It would wreak havoc with our screens and we battled constantly.
Still, this place was virtually a license to print cash on a Friday or Saturday nights in the summer. We’d have to turn away cars because the place was filled for every show. How many theaters can say that?
Seeing Roger Katz’s images brought back a flood of emotions. Like Shelly, I too worked at the Elm theater. I was their relief projectionist from 1989 to 2000 when I moved to the west coast. Although I’d heard the theater had closed, I couldn’t bring myself to see it whenever I came back to CT.
I remember helping Shelly (and many others) with the cast metal letters for the marquee. I remember fidgeting with all five of those platters to keep a movie on-screen. I remember the anger and disgust of our ‘regular’ patrons when ticket prices were raised above 99¢ too! Mostly I remember the good friends I made over those years. It really was a fun place to work.
I have nothing [specific] against Walgreen’s. I’m not opposed to progress either. It just saddens me that it’s at the expense of a piece of history like the Elm Theater.
This place was owned by the same family that owned the Elm Theater in West Hartford. I worked at this drive-in occasionally as their relief projectionist.
It took a helluva bright bulb to get through that night air and onto the screen clearly! We’d broadcast sound in AM stereo since most of the window-hanging speakers had died. The gals in the concession stand would always bring me a bucket of french fries when they knew I was working. (Good to have friends in the right places, eh?) On weekend nights we’d have to contend with the baseball field directly behind the place since they had tons of lighting for night games. It would wreak havoc with our screens and we battled constantly.
Still, this place was virtually a license to print cash on a Friday or Saturday nights in the summer. We’d have to turn away cars because the place was filled for every show. How many theaters can say that?
Seeing Roger Katz’s images brought back a flood of emotions. Like Shelly, I too worked at the Elm theater. I was their relief projectionist from 1989 to 2000 when I moved to the west coast. Although I’d heard the theater had closed, I couldn’t bring myself to see it whenever I came back to CT.
I remember helping Shelly (and many others) with the cast metal letters for the marquee. I remember fidgeting with all five of those platters to keep a movie on-screen. I remember the anger and disgust of our ‘regular’ patrons when ticket prices were raised above 99¢ too! Mostly I remember the good friends I made over those years. It really was a fun place to work.
I have nothing [specific] against Walgreen’s. I’m not opposed to progress either. It just saddens me that it’s at the expense of a piece of history like the Elm Theater.