With the Oscars coming up, this is a perfect time to think about my previous movie going.

I must have been 8 or 9 years of age when I discovered the Oliver Theatre. I would have accompanied someone, maybe one of my sisters. It was right around the time I learned to ride a bicycle but Wally thought I was too young to ride into town by myself so I would have to catch a ride with him or Auntie Kay.

There were no movie nights during the week because of school and in the summer there were other commitments in the evening. That left the Saturday matinee.
The Goughs were the owners. My first memory of Mrs.Gough was how stern she looked which immediately struck fear and respect into my heart.

Of course I had a lot of fears because there were always town boys in the theatre. At least the Goughs didn’t allow the boys to hang around outside of the theatre so any intimidation would have to done inside the building.

Once the ticket was purchased I’d go find a seat usually close to the aisle and half way down to the front.

One of the movies I remember was Ol Yeller. That one was a tear jerker! I don’t recall what the movie was about but I know I cried a bucket.
I saw Bambi, that was sad too.

There were westerns with Glenn Ford and John Wayne; musicals such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, South Pacific and The King and I; action movies such as Moses and The Ten Commandments.
The 007 movies started coming when I was a little older and was riding my bike to the shows.
On one memorable Saturday, I had gone early to get a good seat at the back of the theatre. The seats started filling up; six town boys took the remaining five seats in the back. The sixth boy wanted to sit with his friends and wanted me to move. I wouldn’t, he offered me a treat, I still said no. No amount of badgering would move me; he found a different seat.
The show started. First there was the news in black and white. Next came the cartoon, then the previews, and finally the movie.

Sometime during the performance I saw that boy go to the concession, I thought that was a good idea so I got up and joined him, forgetting that I had just vacated my contentious seat. He got his treats and left, I got my treats and discovered that my seat was taken by that boy. Instead of locating a different seat, I went and sat on the boy’s lap. Of course he objected and we started causing a fuss.

Mrs. Gough came and ushered both of us out into the lobby and inquired as to what was happening. We both told her and she ejected us. Out on the street we blamed one another but went our separate ways. I didn’t feel too badly because I wasn’t the only one kicked out.

That was a quick end to my movie day but there would be another one. I got on my bicycle and went home.

email: ruralreportwithlairdsmith@gmail.com