Movie memories: An Usher at the Capitol Theatre in the 1950s, by Jean Connor

Jean Connor remembers ushering at the Capitol Theatre in the '50's.
\r\nDate: 1949

We moved from the corner of Edmonton to 110 St. in 1949. It was close enough for me to take my little sisters downtown to the movies. We would take the Trolley across the High level bridge [where years before my Father-in-law Father had worked on] and down Jasper Ave. to the Capital Theater for the Saturday morning serial movies. There were Superman, Tarzan and other Super heroes and sometimes awards where given by the AMA to children for a good deed they had done. For $.25 cents each we could go on the Trolley, get in the movie and have popcorn.


The manager of the Capital Theater was Mr. Weber our neighbor on 110 St. One Saturday I took my sisters to a regular movie and stayed to see it the second time. Of coarse we were late in going home. Our Mum got worried and phoned Mr. Weber at the theater to see if we were there. Mr. Weber looked out at the crowd and saw us. He told Mum not to worry we were still there watching the movie for the second time.


When I was 15 I lied about my age and asked Mr. Weber if I could have a job as an usherette in the big Capital Theater. We wore a navy Sailor suite with the bell-bottom pants and a big collar on the shirt. We used a flashlight to show people to their seats when they came late to the movies. One of the movies was Moby Dick and it was held over for six weeks. Now that was boring since we had to stand in the door of the theater and watch for people miss behaving. I still enjoy this movie even if I hated it after the first 3 week of seeing over and over.


The Plaza Theater on White Ave. near the Mill Creek Bridge was a popular place to go in the 50's. Students from the schools around there all went on Friday nights. My first date was there. He went in a head of me and left me to pay my own way in. I only had $.20 and had to borrow a nickel. Those were the days.