Editor’s note:
Every small southern town must have a “picture show,” at least most did and do. Cleveland, Mississippi, did and does. In fact, at one time, our small Delta town had several theaters. But the theater that saw most of us through several decades was the Ellis.
The old Ellis building is presently being readied (that means fund-raising) for renovation to create an arts complex. As a part of the publicity, Ye Editor was asked to write a story about Ellis Theater memories -- so she sent out a call for help.
And did the help roll in. So many former Clevelanders had memories to share. Don’t omit a page of these comments. (Links are below.) The remarks are great fun, whether readers grew up in Cleveland, Mississippi, or not. Enjoy!
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OK, the following is pretty tame. Guess there's nothing here to embarrass me.
I remember:
THE BLOB 1958, so I guess I was about 12. I remember sitting right in the middle of the theater, with a group of friends, the gang – girls and boys, watching that movie and hiding my eyes the whole time. I also wouldn't put my feet on the floor. That was one scary movie.
LOVE ME TENDER 1956. I saw it 7 times and saved the ticket stubs for my Elvis Presley scrapbook. I think I saw it with Judy Johnston and Mary Street Toler, and we later went on to perfect our Elvis impersonator act. We took this show on the road (Camp Skyline Ranch, then WMCT's Pride of the Southland). We won first prize on Pride of the Southland. I did love Elvis. I was about 11 then.
I remember the smells of the bathroom, those little room deodorizers that were green or maybe pink, and hung inside the toilets.
Walking to the Saturday matinee, which was $.25, after Mrs.Hart's dance class on Saturday morning.
Also remember Sunday afternoon shows with the girls. When we were in Jr. High School, our mothers would call Bonnie Fitzgerald to see if the movie had been approved by the Legion of Decency, a Catholic organization that censored movies, in the pre-PG and PG-13 era!
Good luck with the project. My most vivid memory in the early 60's is that it cost less than 50 cents. Try getting in on that today.
I have many fond memories of the Ellis "picture show.” I remember the news reels and the short clips before the movie, which were always continued, so I rarely saw more than one episode because I lived about five miles from town on Moody Kennedy's farm and seldom could make it to the movies two Saturdays in a row. It was always a special treat on John Deere Day to go to the Ellis and see cartoons. I remember once seeing an Indian, live on stage, throwing knives at a woman. But the one thing that sticks out most in my mind about the Ellis is the Saturday June Smith (a black friend of mine who also lived on Kennedy's farm) and I walked all the way there to see a Tarzan movie and they would not let us sit together. June had to sit up in the balcony and they would not let me sit up there with him. The movie cost me a quarter and cost June fifteen cents. We were only nine or ten years old at the time and had our parents’ permission to walk all the way to Cleveland and back, even though it would be close to midnight before we were back home.
Back when one of the first ELVIS movies came out they had a life size cardboard cutout of "The Man" with his guitar in the lobby.
Thomas Harris, our local celebrity author (“Silence of the Lambs,” etc.), thought that Elvis cried out for "liberation," and he did so, disappearing scott free into the night. Since Tom lived with his aunt (our English teacher, Mrs. Eleanor Garrett) he obviously couldn't take the prize there, so he entrusted it to me.
Unfortunately, my dad Percy didn't think this was such a good idea either and forced me to repatriate Elvis the next day. Not, however, before our cleaning lady walked into my darkened room and mistook the man with a guitar for a man with a gun. I think Pop had to give her a raise after that.
Gosh, I remember the serials on Saturday afternoon that left you hanging until the next week. I remember that you could get in for a quarter, and for another quarter you could buy a Coke, popcorn, and Milk Duds. I remember a lot of great dates there (remember the balcony?)! And I remember the first time my mother actually let me go to a Sunday matinee – she thought we might all be going to the devil. Also, Rufus Walt's old Gulf station next door to the Ellis will be an annex to the arts center. Mayor Martin King and Wayne “Hambone” Cole have been instrumental in bringing this and many other things about. Those of you who haven't seen downtown Cleveland in a while are in for a treat. The depot has been totally revamped and a train museum is to be built across the road next to the bayou soon. The old rail line is now a beautiful walking trail with antique lighting, water fountains, benches, etc, along with gorgeous landscaping and trees.
The “picture show” memories came pouring in!
Click these links to read all the comments:
ELLIS THEATER MEMORIES – I -- Bettye
ELLIS MEMORIES – II -- Ann, KDD, Jim G., Paula, Don and Jim T.
ELLIS MEMORIES – III -- Gusty, Harvey, Buddy, Noel, Delia and Ken
ELLIS MEMORIES – IV -- Kathy, Lonnye Sue, Mick, Pat, Pam, Nancy, Tom, Eileen and Kent
ELLIS MEMORIES – V -- Clista, Eddie, Linda, Andy, Rosebud, George, Marynell and Lamar
For more movie theater stories at USADS, visit these pages:
Hail to the Chief Drive In Movie by Lonnye Sue Sims Pearson
Moorhead Picture Show by Jim Harrison
The Delta Theater by Tom Givens
Want to leave your comments about the movie theaters of days gone by?Please visit our Message Board
or write Ye Editor at bethjacks@hotmail.com.
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