Saturday and Sunday at the Movies, Part1

Televisions and computers are our main entertainment today.  Practically every family has a tv or computer.  This was not the case for the senior citizen generation of today. Come, see what it was like in the 1950's....

We attended the movie theater practically every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, unless we were sick or grounded for bad behavior at home .Speaking of bad behavior.  Sassing parents or elders was not allowed.  Designated grounding consisted of priviledges being taken away from you like:  no movies, not playing outside for a couple days.  Lord help us if the school sent a note home for "bad behavior", not only did you have truancy (staying after school for punshment) you got extra demerits at home for the school bad behavior. Parents always reminded us to "mind the teacher and do what she tells you".  In some homes if you were late for supper more than once you got offered only a bowl of cereal to eat.  Our folks meant business, they didn't have time to cater to you unless you were sick.

Even back in the fifties women were very busy.  They did not have the household conveniences we have today.  So, even though very few mothers worked outside the home, they spent many hours completing their daily household chores.

Come Saturday morning....If your chores were not done, you could not plan on going to the movies. If no chores were accomplished, you stayed home, hearing the dreaded sentence, "Maybe next week you will remember to have your chores done."

With all tasks completed you were on your way to two hours or more of an escape into a world of the weekly Chapter (or series) which continued every Saturday.  Some theaters even had a Kiddie Talent Show which was on radio the same time it ran live at the theater.  The audience participated in voting for the person with the most talent.  So, in this order was:  The Kiddie Show, 17 Cartoons (with all your favorite looney tune characters), and finally the double feature. 

We brought our lunches with us and maybe some change to buy candy. There always seemed to be a lot of candy wrappers on the floor where eveyone sat.

Around 5:00 P.M. the show ended, we left the theater and headed for home.