We didn't really have much for entertainment in the 40's and 50's. At least we didn't where I lived in Denning Arkansas. No i pods, smart phones, email, digital games, color TV, really no nothing but good clean fun of our own making. But Saturday night was our big night because our Parents took us to Ozark and we went to the 'show'. We didn't call it the movie it was simply going to the show. The show house was on the corner next to the Okla. Tire and Supply and on the next corner was Davis Barber Shop. But it was on across the street at the Five and Dime where we flocked to before the show where we'd explore all the bright colorful goodies laid out for our dancing eyes. I loved that store which seemed like my version of fairyland. One problem was a clerk stayed on your bumper like glue. If you didn't watch your step you might step on her. I wasn't about to steal anything but I guess she didn't know that. What a contrast to clerks now. I can't ever find one when I need help. We might have a dime and that was the most we'd have but the prospects were abundant. What I usually wound up with was a little blue bottle of cologne called Midnight in Paris. Now I'm sure that stuff smelled awful but I thought I was 'walkin in high cotton' for sure. I'd slosh that odorous stuff on not ignoring one spot of revealed skin. I wonder now if the people sitting close to me in the theater didn't have to hold their noses and maybe even their breaths. Next Saturday I might get some other exciting thing to amuse me for the week ahead but the thing I most remember is that cologne.
Before the movie started we could get a bag of popcorn in the lobby if we had money. No big refreshment center. Heck no, Just that great popcorn that I don't think can be bested yet. It was delicious and even if I didn't get any I loved watching it made in that colorful box like machine and I knew someone would share theirs with me.
The show cost a dime till your nose came even with a line on the ticket booth. I remember when my nose came to that line I was totally aggravated about it. I can't remember if it was fifteen cents or a quarter when my nose touched that dad blamed thing but I knew that my five and dime habits would have to change. I don't really know if it was me being more mature or no money but my whole routine changed about then.
We didn't have indoor plumbing at home but that theater had a tiny little Bathroom, just one for everyone the way I remember it but there couldda' been a girls and a boys. I never failed to go in there a couple of times whether I needed to or not. Just a little cubby hole but fancy to me.
The stars of that first era when I was probably about 8 were Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, Gene Autry, Gabby Hayes, and Frog Millhouse, Rex Allen, and Johnny Mack Brown to name a few. Those were the shoot'em'ups' and our heroes of the time. As I got older it was Elvis that I remember the best, his movies and his Music. One Movie that does stick in my mind is Pollyanna.
You'd be hard pressed now to get a child at any age to be happy with those good clean movies of my time. TV was the same way. We got two channels and they went off the air after the 10:00 news.
Some of the songs of that time that I remember best was Just Out Of Reach by Solomon Burke, all the do-wop songs, the heart throb songs, Fats Domino, and of course Elvis.
Entertainment has changed so much that it's not entertaining to me any more. I watch just the simple old 30 minute shows that portray more of my childhood antics. As for music I'm very selective. I love Southern Gospel best of all but I listen to a radio station on TV called Malt Shop Memories, the good old music of the 50's. That's Entertainment!
Tags: Shows Songs Stars Cowboy
