What was going on in Lorain 96 Years Ago Today?

Ninety-six years ago today, there was a lot going on in Lorain and the world, as seen on the front page of the Lorain Times-Herald of August 15, 1927.

Front and center is an architectural rendering of Lorain's newest theater. As noted in the caption, "Design of the new $500,000 theater and business block for which excavation is now in process on the east side of Broadway at Sixth-st. The building, being built by the Midwest Properties company to be leased to the Varieties Amusement company, both of Cleveland, is expected to be ready for a January 1 opening.

"Most modern in construction and design, the main auditorium will hold 2500 persons. A lobby running back from the entrance on Broadway to a large foyer will necessitate an L-shaped plan of building."

Although the article doesn't mention the name, the new movie house was the Palace Theatre. Here's a recent Google Maps view for a comparison with the rendering.

(This blog post featured a souvenir program from the Grand Opening of the Palace on April 19, 1928.)

Judge Gary

Of course, the huge headline on the Times-Herald page overshadows everything else, and it was big news: the death of Elbert Henry Gary, the founder of U. S. Steel. He was known as "Judge Gary" because he had served two terms as a county judge in DuPage County, Illinois. (Click here to read more about him on a Wiki page.)

Two articles seem to indicate that Lorain was becoming a hotbed for crimes stretching beyond its city limits. In one, "nationwide operations of a blackmail gang with headquarters in Lorain" were uncovered and two suspects arrested accused of extorting money from the proprietor of the Thomas hotel. In the other article, it is noted that "Two gangs of gunmen and 'stick-up men' whom police say, "ate and slept" in Lorain and laid their plans here, had been captured by Cleveland police Monday after a series of holdups in that city."

On a happier note, two sisters that had been separated for decades were reunited. "Long years of almost hopeless search were rewarded at Kelly's Island Saturday when Mrs. John Schieferstein, 843 W. 11th-st, clasped in her arms her sister who was parted from her more than 30 years ago," said the article.

"Living only a few miles apart all these years little did Mrs. Schieferstein think that Mrs. George Kneaur of Kelly's Island was her sister."

How did they get separated? "The two sisters were brought to Ohio in 1898 from a New York orphanage for adoption," noted the article. One sister was adopted by a Lorain couple, and the other by a couple on Kelly's Island. 

Father Reichlin, the priest from Mrs. Schieferstein's church in Lorain is the one who made it happen during a trip to Kelly's to see if he could find the sister. Strangely enough, George Kneaur had made his first communion with him in Kelly's Island years earlier, and the good Father managed to put it all together for a happy ending.

In other news: a jail break down in Circleville, Ohio (home of the popular annual Pumpkin Festival); the burning of a B & O boxcar in the railroad yards in Lorain, possibly as a protest committed by Sacco-Vanzetti sympathizers.

(Click here to read about the still-controversial case of Sacco and Vanzetti, two Italian-American immigrants/anarchists who were convicted of robbery and murder, and subsequently executed on August 23, 1927.)

****

You might be wondering why I had this particular front page. I happened to find it while looking through old newspapers on microfilm dating from around the time of my late mother's birth back in early September 1927.

“The Alamo” Plays the Palace – April 1961

My favorite TV network GRIT has been showing John Wayne’s epic production The Alamo lately, so it’s a good time for this post. The blockbuster feature arrived at the Palace Theater in Lorain exactly sixty years ago this month. 

Here’s the teaser ad that ran in the Journal on April 5, 1961 on the eve of its first showing.

And here’s the Journal ad from April 6, 1961. Looks like the artwork was cropped a bit this time to get the prices in.

As an article in the Journal on April 8, 1961 noted, “The exciting battle between Davy Crockett’s brave band of fighters against the numerous Mexican forces commanded by Gen. Santa Anna is the main event in “The Alamo,” playing at the Palace.

“Starring John Wayne as Davy Crockett, Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie (younger brother to the man who designed the knife) and Laurence Harvey as William Travis, who established the first line of defense against the Mexicans, the film also includes Frankie Avalon and Pat Wayne in its cast.

“Production of the film, totaling $12 million, including the construction of a full-size replica of the original building of the Alamo at a cost of $1,500,000.

“The set has been a tourist attraction in the Brackettville, Tex. area since the end of the filming.

"The film is produced and directed by Wayne, who has been planning to bring the story to the screen for 14 years.

“The actual battle centered around the Alamo mission, where for 13 days 185 volunteers fought off over 7,000 Mexicans who were well trained and armed battle veterans.

“The Alamo is reported to be the most expensive film ever produced in the United States.”

In this smaller Journal ad from April 8, 1961, it looks like Davy Crockett has lost his trademarked coonskin cap in all the chaos.

The film was popular enough in Lorain to be held over. Here’s the Journal ad from April 13, 1961.

Anyways, Pilgrim, this is one of the many John Wayne movies that I own a copy of on DVD. 

It was a souvenir gift from the Texas Bradys, who made the pilgrimage to Alamo Village in Brackettville when it was still open as a tourist attraction.

What was playing at the Palace on March 13, 1969?

March 4, 1969 Lorain Journal movie ad

So what was playing at the Palace Theater in Lorain on March 13, 1969?

None other than a travelogue entitled Alaskan Safari (1968). It boasted scenes of “hunting and fishing amidst most magnificent scenery ever filmed,” including hunts for moose, Dahl sheep, grizzly bears, brown bears and polar bears. Other highlights included scenes of Bald Eagles, and Eskimos searching for food (presumably in the wild).

The movie was so popular with Lorain audiences that it was held over for a week or two. (The movie is well-remembered and positively reviewed on the TCM website.)

Why is this interesting to me? Because it brought back a pleasant memory of something I'd long forgotten: a sleepover at the house of a friend at that time. He only lived a block away from me, but it was a real novelty to stay overnight at a friend’s house back then. And part of the fun (besides trying some of the pickles that were curing in a huge crock in his garage) was that his father took us to see Alaskan Safari at the Palace.

Alaskan Safari was released on video back in the mid-1980s but doesn't seem to have made it onto DVD. Based on the favorable comments left on the TCM website by people who remember the movie from its original run, perhaps it should.

Hey, what happened to the hunter in this ad?

New Year’s Eve 1935 at the Palace

Everybody celebrates New Year’s Eve a little bit differently. Some people like to party; some like to just enjoy a dinner out; and many just stay home.

Another option is to take in a movie, and if you were heading out to the Warner Palace theater in Lorain on New Year’s Eve 1935, the playbill also included a stage show.

The ad above, which ran in the Lorain Journal on New Year’s Eve, advertises “6 Big Acts” including Hank Miller and His Ozark Mountain Boys.

And the movie? It was To Beat the Band, starring comedian Hugh Herbert and Helen Broderick.

****

As you no doubt noticed, the Palace ad contains an illustration of a performer in blackface, which is now considered racially insensitive but was still going strong in the 1930s. You can read more about it here.

Palace Theater Souvenir Program Article – Dec. 2, 1963

In December 1963, the Palace Theater in Lorain was putting the finishing touches on a six-month rebuilding of its famous organ, in preparation for the upcoming Mary Lee Tucker Christmas Show.

The publicity for the organ’s rebirth reminded a Lorain resident that he had a souvenir program for the opening of the Palace Theater on April 19, 1928.

Read all about it in the article below, which appeared in the Journal on December 2, 1963.

****

Palace Organ Renovation
Brings Back Memories

The story about the rejuvenation of the Palace Theater organ brought back memories to Joseph Muzik, 1113 Fifth St.

He went back to his old records and came up with the souvenir program for the opening of the Palace Theater April 19, 1928.

The organ, after six months of rebuilding and “tuning up,” will make its second debut Wednesday night at the Mary Lee Tucker Christmas Show at the Palace.

Muzik is a veteran and active member of the Lorain City Club, which is collaborating with The Journal’s Mary Lee Tucker organization in producing the show.

The souvenir program, with a colorful cover and a full quota of congratulatory ads, announces the opening of the $500,000 theater, “A Temple of Amusement Dedicated to the Future Progress of Lorain,” and lists the attractions.

Muzik’s memory is pretty good.

He said that when he read The Journal story, giving the title of the opening film as “Something Always Happens,” he knew that it wasn’t quite right.

Reference to the official program showed the title of the picture was “Something’s Always Bound to Happen.”

Vaudeville attractions were:

Stanley Dale, in “Half There;” Ned Norworth and Wanda Nash, an act drawn from the big Broadway musicals, and the Arthur and Brown Revue.

Syd Sampliner and the Palace Theater orchestra, and Larry Jean Fisher and the organ, completed the program.

Among advertisers who have since disappeared from the scene were the Paris Candy Kitchen, Honecker’s Pharmacy, the New Lorain Hotel, Rathwell’s Garage, Craft’s Central Drug Store, and the A. B. Sauer Music Co.

****

Strangely enough, although Muzik’s memory was good, (remembering what the Palace souvenir program had listed as the opening movie's title), it sure looks like the Journal did indeed get the film name right in its 1963 story.

A quick search on the internet shows that the movie apparently was titled, Something Always Happens.

Five Big Happenings of Horror – October 23, 1968

Here’s yet another one of those ads for traveling horror shows, in which a live stage show was combined with scary movies for an evening of terror at a local movie theater.

In this case, the venue was Lorain’s Palace Theater. The ad ran in the Lorain Journal on October 23, 1968. The first day of the two-day spooktacular event took place today – 50 years ago – on October 26, 1968.

Dracula was the headliner. As the ad notes, “See Dracula change into a bat and fly into the audience among you!" Also appearing that night was the Frankenstein Monster, ‘alive’ and direct from Hollywood.

Let’s see, that makes two of the five Happenings of Horror. I guess the other three were the 3 Scream Pictures.

Anyway, I love the typography and graphics in the ad. They combine to convey a feeling of general mayhem, especially with the curvaceous bodies strewn about.

If this ads looks just a teensy bit familiar, that’s because I posted a similar ad from 1957 back here. Dracula was the headliner that night as well. But instead of the Frankenstein Monster, James Dean (or at least the materialization of him) was the co-star.

Friday the 13th Jinx Show at the Palace – January 1967

Over the years, the Palace Theater in Lorain used a variety of creative gimmicks to sell tickets.

Some of these gimmicks included a 1957 show featuring a ‘live’ appearance by the late James Dean, a 1957 show by Dr. Silkini & Company and the Frankenstein monster, a 1960 live stage appearance by the Three Stooges, and a 1964 ‘back to school’ cartoon carnival.

Well, here’s another creative effort. Above is the ad for the Friday the 13th Jinx Show, which took place on January 13, 1967 – 50 years ago today. The ad ran in the Journal the day before.

To be honest, though, I’m not sure what the hubbub was about. Despite the great illustration and ominous tone of the ads (“AT THIS SHOW anything can happen… AND PROBABLY WILL!), it seems like it was all just a cute setup to present a 1962 movie called Tales of Terror.

Poster courtesy of cathode13.blogspot.com

Here’s the terrifying trailer.

Apparently, the Jinx tie-in was that one of the Edgar Allan Poe stories that made up the movie was “The Black Cat.” Here’s a jolly frame from the film.

Courtesy of catsonfilm.net

Anyway, all of the ads for the Jinx Show featured the same black cat artwork, so I don’t think there was any advertised stage show to accompany the on-screen mayhem.

What was playing at the Palace on Sept. 26, 1946?

Seventy years ago today, Lorain’s Palace Theater offered none other than the Marx Brothers – Groucho, Chico and Harpo – starring in A Night in Casablanca. 

It was the comedy team's swan song, the last real Marx Brothers movie, and a pretty good one at that.

The above ad ran in the Lorain Journal on September 25, 1946.

The movie ads are kinda funny, with the middle-aged Brothers leering at Lois Collier, although it has nothing to do with the plot. It was just part of their "girl-hungry” shtick, which would probably be seen as politically incorrect today.

Here’s an amusing clip of the Brothers in action from the movie. Chico and Harpo are trying to “protect” hotel manager Groucho by making sure his dinner isn’t poisoned – by eating it for him, among other things.

I like the line in the movie ad about the film: “THE BIG LAUGH LORAIN NEEDS.” Lorain could use a few laughs now, too!

What was playing at the Palace on Thanksgiving 1937?

Many people enjoy going to the movies as part of a holiday celebration.

This is nothing new, as shown in the above ad which ran on Thanksgiving eve in the Lorain Journal on Wednesday, November 24, 1937. It promotes the Palace’s Gala Holiday Show.

But as you can see from the foreboding graphic in the ad, warm and fuzzy holiday fare was not exactly in store for movie patrons.

Seeing as the theater was the Warner Brothers Palace, perhaps it’s probably not a surprise that the main feature was a crime drama: Alcatraz Island (1937). It’s the story of a man railroaded into Alcatraz prison who ends up framed for the murder of another inmate. John Litel stars as “Gat” Brady (no relation).

Courtesy gcaptain.com

The second half of the double feature was a little bit lighter: Swing It, Sailor (1938). I’m not sure how it could be playing in Lorain in 1937 when all the online movie websites say it was released in 1938.

The movie features a real grab bag of lesser-known actors: Wallace Ford, Ray Mayer, Isabel Jewell and Mary Treen. Wallace Ford is always great, and later appeared in a lot of really good westerns. But the only other cast member that I’ve ever heard of is Tom Kennedy, who played a lot of policemen in comedy shorts, with comedians such as Laurel & Hardy. In fact, he was even in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World – in which he played a whistle-blowing traffic cop near the end of the movie.

Anyway, the whole movie is on YouTube, so if want to find out if it is indeed a “comedy riot,” here’s your chance. Give it a click below.

I wonder what nameless “cartoon” was shown with the double feature?

Palace Cartoon Show – July 12, 1957

Today is Bugs Bunny's 75th Birthday, so it's a good time to post this ad featuring great artwork of "that Oscar-winning rabbit." The ad is for an upcoming special children's matinee at the Palace theater in Lorain, and ran in the Lorain Journal on July 12, 1957 – 58 years ago this month.

It's nice to be reminded that there was a time when all it took to make children happy in the summer was Bugs Bunny cartoons, Three Stooges and Little Rascal movie shorts and an Abbott & Costello feature film.

While Baby Boomers grew up on a steady diet of the above, I'm sure today's children either have never heard of them, or know them only from crummy revivals (like the Three Stooges movie of a few years ago or the wretched, unfunny talkfest called The Looney Tunes Show.

And more's the pity.

Leo DeLyon Plays the (Lorain, Ohio) Palace – December 1954

Although the Morning Journal's current Mary Lee Tucker Clothe-a-Child program depends on cash donations to purchase warm winter clothing for school-age children, its original source of income (when the program first started in the 1920 and well into the 1950s) was a gala Christmas benefit show. It was usually at the Palace Theater and featured local bands (such as Jimmy Dulio and his band).

The emcees for these shows were often up-and-coming performers (like Bob McFadden) who went on to have great careers.

Recently I was digging around on microfilm and discovered that one of my favorite Hanna-Barbera voice artists – Leo DeLyon – hosted the show back in December 1954 at an early stage in his career. (Do you remember which animated TV characters he voiced? If you don't, I'll reveal it shortly.)

Anyway, it was announced on the front of the Lorain Journal of November 18, 1954 that Leo DeLyon would be hosting the show (below). (Note that on the same page the infamous Dr. Sam Sheppard murder trial was underway.)

Here is the text of the article about Leo DeLyon (below). It provides a nice biography of him at that stage of his career.   

****

Comic, Pianist, Singer

Versatile Leo DeLyon Will Spark Yule Show

That Versatile Gentleman Leo DeLyon, comic, pianist and singer, is coming to town. He will bring a fresh, sensational type of humor to his Lorain audience when he serves as master of ceremonies for the annual Mary Lee Tucker Christmas benefit show.

Three Hour Show

Announcement of his acceptance for the sparkling three hour vaudeville show sponsored by the City Club was made today by Gus Athanasoff, show director.

The show, a one night stand, is scheduled for 8 p. m. Dec. 8 in Palace theater.

Foremost trade observers have tabbed DeLyon for immediate success. His first New York engagement resulted in a wave of press notices that pushed all other amusement news in the background.

His voice, remarkably versatile in tone and depth, performs the almost unbelievable trick of going from deep basso to extreme soprano in a few notes.

Nine Different Voices

He has sung in nine different voices and can do an entire opera from start to finish. He seldom sticks to the straight and narrow, however, with the result of his efforts coming out as pure, hilarious comedy.

Sitting at the piano, DeLyon can look like a concert musician, a ragtime honky tonker, or like the zany character he really is.

Once he starts playing, it's every man for himself and may the walls hold together. He gets more laughs per line than any other comedian in the business.

New Jersey Native

Born in Paterson, N.J., 23 years ago, DeLyon displayed a remarkable talent for music. In 1942 he began his professional career with a small band in the Borscht Circuit of New York State.

Though he played piano in the group for 12 weeks, it was not until the final day the leader found DeLyon could not read music.

It seemed unbelievable that a thorough and talented keyboard stylist like DeLyon had faked his way through the summer. While admitting that DeLyon was adequate, the maestro convinced him that piano lessons could make the future brighter.

Winner of an Arthur Godfrey Talent Scout radio show, DeLyon in one of the fastest Broadway hit appearances in history went from the Strand theater to the Roxy theater, then to the Carnival.

Capacity Crown In London

At the Carnival he was instrumental in helping establish that club as one of the foremost in Gotham. He also played the New Yorker, in New York City and in such other locations as the Oriental theater in Chicago.

Nor has he limited his activities to this side of the Atlantic. He played to packed audiences in the Paladium in London and the Empire in Glascow.

He is kept busy playing theaters, night clubs and TV guest appearances and is readying a new format for his own show on TV that is expected to go on very soon.

Appearing with DeLyon on the benefit show will be the best of local talent selected through auditions. Second of three auditions for talent will be Sunday at 1 p. m. in Sons of Italy hall, 15th at Reid.

More than 20 acts appeared for the first audition held last Sunday. Final chance for talent to try out for a spot on the show will be Nov. 28, also at 1 p. m. in Sons of Italy hall. 

Tickets on Sale Saturday

Funds raised through the show will be used to spread Christmas happiness to young and old throughout Lorain county. They will provide gifts and entertainment for county home and children's home residents as well as patients in rest homes, hospitals and Pleasant View sanatorium.

Tickets for the show, all reserved seats, will go on sale Saturday, selling for $1.50 each or $1.25 each in blocks of 10.

Orders are being taken at The Journal office for patron tickets selling at $2.50 each.

****

The Mary Lee Tucker Christmas benefit show was a smash, with a packed audience of close to 2,000 at the Palace Theater. The nationally known vocal quartet, The Crew Cuts, came on near the end of the two and a half hour show. Jimmy Dulio's 13 man band performed, as well as the Tracey Twins.

Leo DeLyon held the whole show together with his emceeing. As the Journal noted the next day, "DeLyon, a master of versatility, highlighted his offerings with a deal that involved simultaneous whistling of one tune and humming of another. He demonstrated a wide vocal range and ability to imitate all manner of sounds, human and otherwise; he tickled the ivories, and he pretty well managed to keep his listeners in a happy frame of mind with his fast change of pace comedy routine."

Do you remember which Hanna-Barbera characters he provided the voices for? If you're a big Top Cat fan like me, then I'm sure you'll remember both of the cool cats on the show that he voiced: Spook (the beatnik cat with the necktie) and Brain (the dumb one wearing a T-shirt).

Happily, Mr. DeLyon is still with us today. Here is a link to his Facebook page.

What was playing at the Palace on Feb. 3, 1957?

Why, it was none other than Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in Dance With Me, Henry (1956), the very last feature film they made together as a team before they broke up. It opened at the Palace in Lorain on February 3, 1957 – fifty seven years ago today – as part of a double feature with Emergency Hospital (1956).

Dance With Me, Henry was a fairly sentimental affair. Costello plays the owner of a small kiddie amusement park, and Abbott plays his partner. The duo gets mixed up with some gangsters due to Abbott's gambling debts, and this jeopardizes Costello's custody of two orphan children. Of course, the movie has a happy ending, and it's a pleasant swan song for the popular team.

The title of the film – "Dance With Me, Henry" – was originally a rhythm and blues hit that later was a pop hit, spending three weeks at the top of the Most Played In Juke Boxes chart in 1955. The tune had nothing to do with the film, except for the fact that Costello's character was named Lou Henry.

I'm not sure why the movie ad unflatteringly shows Costello as a human balloon, as there are no corresponding comic hijinks in the film.

Here's a movie poster that gives you a better look at what's going on.

Here's another movie poster, this time without the "Costello as a balloon" theme.

As long as I'm at it, here's the movie poster for Emergency Hospital, the other half of the double feature which, like Dance With Me, Henry, was released by United Artists.

I hate to say it, but I was never a big Abbott & Costello fan – Laurel & Hardy were more my speed. (However, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) is a favorite of mine.)

I was actually exposed to the Abbott & Costello TV cartoons (made by Hanna-Barbera) before I ever saw one of their films. It was strange finding out that Bud Abbott voiced his own animated character!

As for their actual movies, I always thought that the characters that Bud Abbott played were needlessly mean and cruel to the hapless Costello. Abbott did get his comeuppance once in a while though, and he does in a few scenes in Dance With Me, Henry.

How good a movie was Dance With Me, Henry? Well, you can watch it right now, since someone kindly uploaded a good copy of it to YouTube. Hey, Abbott!

What was playing at the Palace on Aug 1, 1960?

After the special appearance of the Three Stooges at the Palace Theater on July 31, 1960, it was back to business as usual for the Lorain movie house.

And what was playing on August 1? None other than the Bowery Boys in Spook Chasers.

In a way it was kind of appropriate for the Bowery Boys to follow the Stooges, as they were both popular comedy teams that had somehow lasted longer than anyone could have imagined.

Much like the Three Stooges, who were forced to hire a new 'third stooge' to keep the act going, the Bowery Boys had to replace Leo Gorcey, who had retired from the movies. The Boys made seven more movies with Stanley Clements as "Duke Coveleske," the leader of the gang, but it was Huntz Hall who had become the star of the series by then.

Here's the trailer for Spook Chasers.

I like the way all of the Bowery Boys films used the "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here" theme song in their movie credits and trailers. It's a nice way to tie them all together through the years despite all the cast changes.

Also on the Palace bill with the Bowery Boys was a Ma and Pa Kettle comedy, Ma and Paul Kettle at Waikiki (1955). Hawaii would become a state on August 21, 1959 so the movie was actually fairly topical.

Here's the trailer from the movie, featuring Marjorie Main as Ma.

Hearing Marjorie Main's voice reminds me that it was her that June Foray was imitating on all of those Fractured Fairy Tales cartoons on Rocky and Bullwinkle.

I wonder if the popular Ma and Pa Kettle comedies paved the way for the success of The Beverly Hillbillies on TV?

James Dean – "Live" – I mean, "Dead" – at the Palace!

Here's another one of those Lorain Palace Theater ads promoting the pairing of a live stage show with some scary movies to create a memorable evening of entertainment for teenagers in the late 1950s.

This ad appeared in the Lorain Journal on Feb. 8, 1957 – fifty-six years ago this month.

It's kind of similar to the Dr. Silkini show that I wrote about in October last year, but this one has an unusual twist: instead of the Frankenstein monster being revived "in person," this show advertised "the materialization of James Dean." The iconic American film actor had died about a year and a half earlier in an automobile accident.

A few other websites and blogs (here and here) mention similar scary shows with the James Dean gimmick. Apparently, the materialization consisted of an illuminated photograph of the actor's face during a blackout!

Note that perennial Lorain favorites The Bowery Boys were also on the bill, featured in the film Ghost Chasers. (Hey! That was playing at the Palace back here too!)

Remember Kreskin's ESP Game?

I was driving downtown over the weekend and noticed that Kreskin is appearing at the Palace on October 27. That's kind of cool that the Palace booked the famed magician and mentalist for an event right around Halloween.

Image courtesy of The Strong website

Right away it brought back memories of a childhood game we had: Kreskin's ESP. For some reason, my siblings and I had a lot of creepy games such as Ka-Bala, Green Ghost, and, of course, our Ouija board (shudder) – so the Kreskin game fit right in.

The Kreskin's ESP game was supposed to help you determine if you had E.S.P. But after looking at the various components of the game on this website, I remembered why we didn't play it too much. It was too confusing!

But we did enjoy swinging the pendulum back and forth while saying, "You are getting sleeeeeepy...." Then we probably lost interest and reached for the Monopoly board.

Anyway, here is the link to Kreskin's official website. And here's the link to the Lorain Palace Theater's site as well in case you're interested in information about the event.

Back-to-School Show at the Palace – Sept 2, 1964

Remember the summer movie series for kids in Lorain?

Well, here's a Lorain Palace Theater ad for a back-to-school show aimed at kids that ran in the Lorain Journal on Sept. 2, 1964. In the good old days, kids didn't start school until after Labor Day.

Not only did the moviegoing kids get to see six cartoons (which I assume included classic Tom and Jerrys) and a feature, but they also received a nifty pencil box filled with school supplies. All for 40 cents!

It's funny thinking how in the 1960s school supplies used to consist mainly of pencils, paste, scissors, a ruler, maybe a protractor, etc. Now in 2012 (depending on their grade level) elementary school kids in Sheffield Lake also have to bring Kleenex, wipes, hand sanitizers, head phones, and paper towels. (Here's the actual list). Avon Lake's list is even longer, including such things as USB flash drives.

Yessir, times change.

But getting back to that Palace promotion. It seems the feature film was ahead of its time. Interestingly, it was a 1960 Japanese anime film about a monkey, and one of the earliest of that type of film released in this county according to this Wiki entry. To make the film more appealing to audiences for its U.S. release, a soundtrack was prepared featuring the voices of Jonathan Winters, Arnold Stang and Sterling Holloway (the original voice of Winnie-the-Pooh) as well as the singing voice of Frankie Avalon.

Nevertheless the ad is a throwback to simpler times, when kids had a longer summer, and all it took was a cartoon marathon to make them happy.

****

Hey, Dennis Lamont just informed me that part of Alakazam the Great is on YouTube. It's a random assortment of clips, but you get a pretty good idea of what those Lorain kids sat through 48 years ago at the Palace.

Sterling Holloway is the narrator, Arnold Stang is the mustachioed Lulipopol, and I believe Jonathan Winters is the pig character.

What Was Playing at the Palace on May 29, 1951?

What was playing at the Palace sixty years ago this week?

Here's the answer: a great double feature of Ghost Chasers featuring the Bowery Boys and Tarzan's Peril, the latest in the ape-man's adventure series. (You might remember that I'm a big Bowery Boys fan, which I first mentioned back here.)

As opposed to the usual comedy plot in which a ghost is revealed to be a villain in disguise who is attempting to scare off the protagonists, Ghost Chasers featured a real ghost that only Sach (Huntz Hall) can see.

****

Whenever I'm looking at old Lorain Journals on microfilm, I'm always amazed at the number of Bowery Boys features in the Lorain movie listings of the 1940's and 1950's. The Boys must have been pretty popular in working-class Lorain.

I remember as a kid watching them on Sunday mornings on one of the local UHF channels. Consequently my brothers and I would imitate Sach by turning up the brim of our baseball caps and running around saying, "Hey, Chief!"

Anyway, to visit the website of the Lorain Palace Theatre, click here.