I remember this theatre as the Wendy circa the mid 1950s, when I was 5-7 years old. This was the only theatre within walking distance of our house, and I remember that they had kiddie matinees on Saturday afternoons complete with a bicycle giveaway contest to the holder of a lucky ticket number.
I will never forget the night we heard the sirens screeching loudly and relentlessly, and my mother went out and discovered that the Wendy was on fire. I was just devastated…even at 7 years old, I sorta knew the Wendy would never be rebuilt. After all, indoor theatres were obsolete and were quickly being replaced by drive-ins. (This was 1958, June IIRC.)
Ironically, one of the last movies — perhaps the last — I saw at the Wendy was “Bambi,” with its heartbreaking forest fire scene. And though I didn’t actually see the fire as it was going on, and I wasn’t a really gifted junior artist, I drew a picture of the Wendy and surrounding stores in flames, probably inspired by “Bambi.”
The Lenox was around the corner from my grandmother’s house, and my sister and I saw quite a few kiddie matinees there, often of the 50s sci-fi variety, e.g., “The Fly,” “The Blob,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” etc.
Acme Markets, which had a store next door to the Lenox, expanded into the theatre’s space shortly after it closed.
I remember this theatre as the Wendy circa the mid 1950s, when I was 5-7 years old. This was the only theatre within walking distance of our house, and I remember that they had kiddie matinees on Saturday afternoons complete with a bicycle giveaway contest to the holder of a lucky ticket number.
I will never forget the night we heard the sirens screeching loudly and relentlessly, and my mother went out and discovered that the Wendy was on fire. I was just devastated…even at 7 years old, I sorta knew the Wendy would never be rebuilt. After all, indoor theatres were obsolete and were quickly being replaced by drive-ins. (This was 1958, June IIRC.)
Ironically, one of the last movies — perhaps the last — I saw at the Wendy was “Bambi,” with its heartbreaking forest fire scene. And though I didn’t actually see the fire as it was going on, and I wasn’t a really gifted junior artist, I drew a picture of the Wendy and surrounding stores in flames, probably inspired by “Bambi.”
The Lenox was around the corner from my grandmother’s house, and my sister and I saw quite a few kiddie matinees there, often of the 50s sci-fi variety, e.g., “The Fly,” “The Blob,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” etc.
Acme Markets, which had a store next door to the Lenox, expanded into the theatre’s space shortly after it closed.