A Ritz Cracker
treeve

A Ritz Cracker

23rd January 1940
Counterfoil ticket to
Gone with the Wind
@ treeve. My brother and I looked at the Ritz building the other night and we were trying to work out what the three bricked up little windows were at the far end. I did wonder if was where you queued to pay your entrance fee years ago when it was a cinema?
 
The long wide pavement was for an orderly queue, a uniformed (with tall hat) dooman paraded up and down. The entrance is where it is now. Straight through the glass doors (open them first), a carpet that required a compass to navigate the deep pile. Glass sheet and lights of the era, vertical lines to emphasize panels and the 'optimim route. The ticket kiosk was at the far end of th efoyer, opposite the glass doors. The girl had wonderful long hair (June Lavers?), the uniform was plush and layered. There were two double doors to the left of the foyer, that opened out into the back of the auditorium, with a walkway between the two aisles. There was a high partition behind the back seats. You were ushered to your seats by a smiling girl with a powerful torch, and if anyone was noisy, they were reprimanded, if persistent, they were removed. At the lower end, in line with the proscenium arch were double doors which led to the toilets, I guess those windows must have been for them. In the interval, a girl would walk down the aisle, with an illuminated tray, selling ice cream lollies. A sensible break, not like the mad rush to the feeding trough nowadays.
 
Thank you treeve. The three filled in windows we found are at the Chirgwin Court end of the building. They look like ticket purchase windows (similar to sporting venues) as you see them on film and TV footage now and again.
 

Media information

Category
The Ritz Penzance
Added by
treeve
Date added
View count
1,627
Comment count
5
Rating
0.00 star(s) 0 ratings

Share this media

Top Bottom