We used to hang out there a lot in the mid-80s. We usually sat around in the back of a coworker’s pick up truck and drank beer, and we ignored some true drive in classic films: Nightmare on Elm Street, Basket Case, The Last Dragon…
If I could go back in time to 1985, one of the first things I would do is spend an evening at the ol' 66.
I worked at South County Cinema, and it was a sure bet that at least two or three times a month somebody would come in and be spitting mad because we were showing different movies than the paper listed, the times were wrong, and the tickets weren’t a dollar. We always politely directed them a mile down Lemay to the South City…
I loved South City. Going to a flick there was a unique experience, because for some reason people who’ve only paid a dollar to see a movie don’t realize they’re not supposed to stand up for 5 or 6 minutes at a time, yell to their friends on the other side of the auditorium, or generally behave…
Lotta Lemon. Softball games. Denise’s red VW convertible. Dan McCann’s undeniable physical resemblance to Hagar the Horrible. Doward sleeping on a cot in the projection room. Those god-awful Bissell carpet sweepers. When Doug made me go with him to a party at Buffy From Sunset Hills’s house and when we got there with a trunk full of booze there were 3 guys sitting around watching TV. Those parties at the old 66 Drive In on Watson road. The time Maggie and Greg didn’t show up to play soccer at 11pm at the old Soccerhaus, so 3 employees who will remain nameless broke into the theater and called them from the pay phone in the lobby. When Ron Watermon got in trouble for telling Roxanne’s little brother he was the manager.
Memories… Lotta Lemon flavored Memories… of the way it were…
South County Cinema. I worked there from 8/84 to 8/87 (showing when I started: “Revenge Of The Nerds” and “Body Double”).
I grew up in that neighborhood, and used to go to movies there all the time (first one I remember- “The Million Dollar Duck”).
South County Cinema was originally a one-screener, but in the late 70s was divided into 2 screens.
Oddly enough, General Cinemas had another theater that was 100% identical in design- Northland Cinema, in North St. Louis County.
As late as 1985 the theater was still drawing pretty big crowds. Around that time, Wehrenberg opened a new multi-screen complex just a few miles down Lemay Ferry Rd., which began to sap audience from South County Cinema.
Finally, in 1987, General Cinemas decided to open an 8 screen theater across the street, the “Lindbergh 8”. The new cinema did poor business for a few years, before becoming a “bargain house” with 2 dollar tickets and second run shows. The South County Cinema closed in 1988.
The management, from 1984 on:
1983-1985: Maggie Wild (assistant managers Greg Aubuchon, Jeff Ziele) 1985-1987: Dan McCann (assistant managers Jeff Ziele, Dennis Jauer, Doug Clemons) 1987: Dave McCann (Dan’s brother) (assistant managers Doug Clemons, Chris Hogan) 1987-1988: Dennis Barlow (assistant manager Dave Toole)
On a personal note, I gotta say, I was real sad to see the South County Cinema close. I know it was just an ugly, generic box, but I grew up going to the movies there, and had a lot of fun working there.
We used to hang out there a lot in the mid-80s. We usually sat around in the back of a coworker’s pick up truck and drank beer, and we ignored some true drive in classic films: Nightmare on Elm Street, Basket Case, The Last Dragon…
If I could go back in time to 1985, one of the first things I would do is spend an evening at the ol' 66.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQQzrYr3nuI
Lotta Lemon Classic- check your e-mail!
Actually, the Mark Twain was open through at least 1985… The last film I saw there was A View to a Kill, in June of ‘85…
I worked at South County Cinema, and it was a sure bet that at least two or three times a month somebody would come in and be spitting mad because we were showing different movies than the paper listed, the times were wrong, and the tickets weren’t a dollar. We always politely directed them a mile down Lemay to the South City…
I loved South City. Going to a flick there was a unique experience, because for some reason people who’ve only paid a dollar to see a movie don’t realize they’re not supposed to stand up for 5 or 6 minutes at a time, yell to their friends on the other side of the auditorium, or generally behave…
Lotta Lemon. Softball games. Denise’s red VW convertible. Dan McCann’s undeniable physical resemblance to Hagar the Horrible. Doward sleeping on a cot in the projection room. Those god-awful Bissell carpet sweepers. When Doug made me go with him to a party at Buffy From Sunset Hills’s house and when we got there with a trunk full of booze there were 3 guys sitting around watching TV. Those parties at the old 66 Drive In on Watson road. The time Maggie and Greg didn’t show up to play soccer at 11pm at the old Soccerhaus, so 3 employees who will remain nameless broke into the theater and called them from the pay phone in the lobby. When Ron Watermon got in trouble for telling Roxanne’s little brother he was the manager.
Memories… Lotta Lemon flavored Memories… of the way it were…
South County Cinema. I worked there from 8/84 to 8/87 (showing when I started: “Revenge Of The Nerds” and “Body Double”).
I grew up in that neighborhood, and used to go to movies there all the time (first one I remember- “The Million Dollar Duck”).
South County Cinema was originally a one-screener, but in the late 70s was divided into 2 screens.
Oddly enough, General Cinemas had another theater that was 100% identical in design- Northland Cinema, in North St. Louis County.
As late as 1985 the theater was still drawing pretty big crowds. Around that time, Wehrenberg opened a new multi-screen complex just a few miles down Lemay Ferry Rd., which began to sap audience from South County Cinema.
Finally, in 1987, General Cinemas decided to open an 8 screen theater across the street, the “Lindbergh 8”. The new cinema did poor business for a few years, before becoming a “bargain house” with 2 dollar tickets and second run shows. The South County Cinema closed in 1988.
The management, from 1984 on:
1983-1985: Maggie Wild (assistant managers Greg Aubuchon, Jeff Ziele) 1985-1987: Dan McCann (assistant managers Jeff Ziele, Dennis Jauer, Doug Clemons) 1987: Dave McCann (Dan’s brother) (assistant managers Doug Clemons, Chris Hogan) 1987-1988: Dennis Barlow (assistant manager Dave Toole)
On a personal note, I gotta say, I was real sad to see the South County Cinema close. I know it was just an ugly, generic box, but I grew up going to the movies there, and had a lot of fun working there.
I love this web site!