MY DAYS AT THE STRAND THEATER
IN
LEPANTO, ARKANSAS
BY
BOB HOLLAND
At that time there were very few televisions in use, and hardly any in that part of the country. In fact, television was just beginning to appear in the mid-south. It was still a very young industry.
I was working daytime at the hardware store, and nights at the theater. I have a lot of fond memories of the many movies I saw and the people I met during those years. Of course, I was able to see many of the top movies of the day.
Many people would attend the Strand one night, and the Cotton Boll the next night. That was all the entertainment that was available.
I remember showing the "Wizard of Oz," and the local school let some of the classes out to see our special afternoon showing of that film.
On Saturdays the house would fill to capacity, at least twice and sometimes three times that day. The Saturday schedule would almost always include previews of coming attractions, a comedy, a serial, and then the main movie of the day.
I remember that the serial "Dick Tracy" which was 15 episodes, one each week, starring Ralph Byrd, was perhaps the most popular serial of that time.
When we ran "Gone with the Wind", it was a 4 hour movie which consisted of 13 reels. Movies would be released in 20 minute reels at that time. To have a movie with 13 reels meant you had a very long movie. The house would be filled to capacity, and the worst word in the film everyone talked about was the line from Gable, "Frankly, madam, I don't give a damn." How times have changed!
As an old film buff, I wish they still made movies the way they use too. Don't you?
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