Monday, June 14, 2021

On Area Movie Screens – June 13, 1971

It’s always interesting to see what was playing on area movie screens fifty years ago (back when we still had area movie screens). Unfortunately, the cultural changes that were taking place meant that there was very little for families to choose from on the Journal movie page of June 13, 1971.

Oh, there was still family entertainment, courtesy of Walt Disney Productions. Both Amherst Theatre and Liberty Theatre (in Vermilion) were showing The Barefoot Executive starring Kurt Russell and a chimpanzee. (I wonder if Alan Hopewell saw that one at Boy’s Town?) But the rest of the movies on the page reflected the changing tastes of the moviegoing public. 

Not surprisingly, the local drive-in theaters were showing biker and horror flicks. Bury Me An Angel and Angels Die Hard were at both the Carlisle and the Lorain Drive-ins. Night of Bloody Horror and Night of the Living Dead were at the Tower Drive-in.

It was a mixed bag at the other theaters. Avon Lake Theater went for horror, with Hawkeye Pierce himself (Alan Alda) starring in The Mephisto Waltz. Midway Mall Cinema (it hadn’t been twinned yet) was showing The Andromeda Strain. And Ohio Theater in Downtown Lorain was showing the documentary Woodstock.

Otherwise, the rest of the movies were of the smutty variety. VL Cinema was showing I Am Curious Tahiti and The Golden Box; over at Palace Theater (say it ain’t so) was the X-rated movie Threesome; and lastly, the Tivoli was featuring the popular, X-rated 3-D classic, The Stewardesses.

Now I know why we saw most of our movies at Amherst Theatre.

Hilariously, on the same page as all of the aforementioned films was the ad for the 13th Annual Vacation Movies for kids! The Ohio, the Palace and the Tivoli were the participating theaters showing ten P.T.A. - P.T.U. approved movies. (I wrote about these summer movies back here, featuring some of my older brother Ken's funny memories.)

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On that same newspaper page is evidence that times have changed in Lorain County since then.

All three of the Pizza Hut locations in Lorain, Vermilion and Sheffield Lake would eventually close, although today Lorain and Vermilion have carry-out only stores. It’s just not the same for me; the best thing about Pizza Hut pizza was being able to go there to eat it.

Similarly, Tudy’s is gone, as well as the Arby’s at Route 57 and Griswold Road.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree about Pizza Hut.They are pretty much just another version of a fast food chain.Garbage.If I get a pizza nowadays it's always from a Mom and Pop type business.Elisios,Selentis or Giovanni's will only do now.Doughboys used to be good,but they changed the recipe and now it's as greasy as a can of 30 weight motor oil.And here's a little bit of useless trivia.Does any one still remember what Arbys used to stand for?I do.Americas Roast Beef Yes Sir.Bet the Generation Z kids that work at any current Arbys today can't even tell you that.

Harold Moss said...

I grew up in Vermilion in the 1970's and as a teenager in the late 70's I worked as a waiter at the Vermilion Pizza Hut. I wasn't old enough to legally serve beer, so a co-worker would have to deliver it to the table for me. It was hard work being a waiter, but it gave me an appreciation for waiters and waitresses so that I always tip generously today. I also liked it because I always had a little cash in my pocket from my tips. Many good times and good memories were made at the Vermilion Pizza Hut.

Dan Brady said...

Hi Harold, thanks for leaving the nice reminisce about working at Pizza Hut in Vermilion. It’s too bad that the dining-in option has been phased out in so many cities. Being able to eat in made it a good place to take a date before a movie. Even into the 1990s, I remember that we particularly liked the priazzo and got it many times at the Sheffield Lake outlet.

-Alan D Hopewell said...

Actually, sahib, BT hadn't shown that one yet, although they did inflict THE COMPUTER WORE TENNIS SHOES and FOLLOW ME, BOYS on us.
At about that time,IIRC, I was living with the hippies in Veterans Park in Omaha, just prior to getting busted, dropped from Boys Town, and being shipped home on 28 June.
The first movie I saw when I got back was WILLARD, showing at the Tivoli; I remember seeing ads for it while I was still in Nebraska.The Tivoli seemed to show more horror/sci-fi than the other theaters,plus they had that cool ice cream bar machine. Next to the Dreamland, I think I miss the Tivoli the most.

Dan Brady said...

Ha! We saw both of those Disney flicks at Amherst Theatre! We used to watch “My Three Sons” so I guess it was natural to go see “Follow Me Boys.” The movie theme song is still rattling around in my noggin.

-Alan D Hopewell said...

We saw THE OMEGA MAN,WILLIE WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, and CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES at the Amherst Theater.

Harrison Baumbaugh said...

Worked at Tivoli in high school days ,53-55,saw the changes in movie theaters to 3-d ,wide screen and cinemascope.Great films in those times . Made about 12.00 a week ,at 35cents an hour and all the popcorn i could eat.Thats when a buck bought a lunch....about the end of the great studio films with Bogart,Davis,and Crawford....Goodtimes for all.......Harrison

Anonymous said...

I saw your high school picture in the 1952 and 1953 Lorain High Scimitars.Said class of 55-A.You were a dapper looking young man.I looked in a "54 Scimitar and couldn't locate you.Did you move away and not graduate from LHS?

Harrison Baumbaugh said...

HI Anonymous,
Thanks for the compliment,dont hear dapper much anymore,I guess its pretty accurate description.LOL...Cant say why no picture in 54 Scimitar,had chicken pox that year and maybe missed the photo opp.....I did graduate from LHS 1955a class......