Remembering Tuolumne…..

By Joseph Celentano, TCMM Historical Research Committee

This month we have Part II of guest writer, Erline (Spinetto) Heldstab, who was born and raised in Tuolumne. She was a guest speaker at the TCMM History Session in May, 2003.

Growing Up Times, Part II of II

My second recollection is "working" at the theatre as an usher. I use "working" rather loosely as it was not work and was not a paid job.

I started ushering as a substitute during my sophomore year in high school and when an opening came along I was ready to step in full time. This way my parents didn't have to come up with the fifty cents for me. In time another girl "retired" and I got the elite position of ushering the upstairs. This is where the adults and the teenagers sat.

The enjoyable time for me was to arrive when the firemen did and visit with them for about 15 to 20 minutes before show time. John Ronteen was usually in the ticket booth. The firemen took turns working inside the door taking tickets and overseeing the theatre. Two men were stationed (one on each side) as you came into the theatre. Bud Crandall, Bobby Bettanini, Paul Grazioli, Roy Ingalls, Bob Ingalls and Walt Dungan were a few. Upstairs in the projection room was usually Wally Fiske and "Saunch" Guidici and on occasion Dave Wilcoxson. William Naismith was in charge of the moneybox.

When I first entered the theatre, I would go directly upstairs to the projection room and get my flashlight. This was for use after the lights were off for the beginning of the movie. When the main feature started, then we could sit down and enjoy the movie.

We had movies on Wednesday and the weekend. Saturday and Sunday the same movie. Usually, the young people went on Saturday night and the older folks on Sunday. The movie consisted of the news, cartoon, travel log or short subject, previews and the main feature. And concessions were either bought across the street at Tilley's Fountain or brought from home. There was no concession stand in the theatre and so there was no popcorn!

Johnny the Barber paid for his seat in the loges a year at a time. He attended the movie every Sunday night and sat in the same seat. His seat was the first one in the first row. The loges were quite nice. They were maroon leather and rather large. Bob Chambers came to the movie every Wednesday and Saturday and sat upstairs on the right side…same seat. He was known to be the first one out of the theatre after the movie…he started moving before the lights came on.

We had the premier showing of "Silver City" staring Yvonne DeCarlo, Edmond O'Brien and Barry Fitzgerald that had been filmed here in Tuolumne in 1951. Sonora had such a time about us having the premier that the movie company had the showing in both locations. We had Christmas movies and the firemen passed out bags with an orange, nuts and hard candy as you left the theatre. A few times a special showing of a Disney movie had a Saturday afternoon showing. At one showing of "Alice in Wonderland”, some of the children were so scared with the Wicked Witch that the theatre was loud with crying.

After I graduated from high school, I retired from ushering. This was one of the highlights remembering this time of my growing up. [Erline Heldstab]

We wish to thank Erline for sharing with us her personal memories of "Remembering Tuolumne". We solicit articles from all members of the community, so if you have an interesting story relating to your own personal experiences of "Remembering Tuolumne", contact Joe Celentano at (209) 928-3516 and leave a message.