Thanks to Tiffany we will be getting updates to keep this current.. Thanks Tiffany!!
This is from our gal .Tiffany MacLaren in Almonte– Thank you!!HI LindaI hope you are well! I noticed you shared a post with an article about Movies in Almonte so I thought you might in interested in this list. The Evil Twin was on Lifetime this weekend and can be watched on YouTube for free also. Pretty cheesy but lots of fun local sightings.Often the titles are only working titles and change before they are released (I imagine there is a lot of duplication) so the titles in my list could be wrong. I update when I get new information
Photo and files from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum This is Bridge Street in Carleton Place – the west side, between College and Emily. No date, but c.1950. The occasion was an Orange Day parade, and landmarks include a barber shop, Chinese Laundry, the Roxy Theatre, and Carleton Lunch Bar. J. Gordon Lancaster is marching in the front row, second from left.
Author’s Note
This property at 68-74 Bridge Street housed a theatre that was known as the Star, Roxy, the O’Brien, and the Odeon. In 1919, the name of the theatre was the Star Theatre and they ran three features a week and the Kids Matinee was a dime and adults a quarter. At one time the theatre was operated by a committee of town businessmen who hired the projectionists: Sam Ventura and Louie Reuben, the ushers: Sam Saunders the caretakers, and even Marguerite Saunders who sold the tickets.
In 1951, the theatre was the Roxy and the cost for adults was 40 cents, students 30 cents, and children 15 cents. The 1940’s and 1950’s was the heyday of the film industry and they used to have an manager of amateur night. Peter Pan and Heidi were some of the films that showed at the Roxy and Dick Maloney a popular comedian of the time also made an appearance at the Roxy.
In the 1930s, there was also a Chinese restaurant and laundry operated by Kelly’s as well as Rosenberg’s jewellery was also on this site too. The theatre building came down in 1970s when McDermid bought the site along with the Chinese Laundry and also the small brick building which had been a restaurant at one time but was later Howard Dowdall’s Barber Shop. The restaurant was called Giffin’s. Here are some comments:
At one point the clapboard of the new building was brown but in 2006 it became green. There is presently a dentist and offices ( CP Rental) at 68-74 Bridge Street. The original buildings were replaced in the 1970s when McDiarmid bought the site.
In the days of silent films Laura Burrows who lived on William Street was the piano player at the front of the stage and she provided the sound effects. Later the theatre was sold to Mrs. Jenkinson and her son Warren operated it. At time Smiley Gravelle was the projectionist and Rossie Moore Doyle sold the tickets.
Roxy Theatre: by Larry Clark
Saturday Matinees were something to look forward to and necessarily prepared for, as we gathered empty beer/ soda bottles during the week. There were usually plenty of the former scattered along the shoulders/ditches of the highways. It was only a matter of jumping on your bike (when it didn’t have a flat tire or in need of other repair-something we had to take care of ourselves) to range along the county roads or best-if Dad was making a delivery, would ride along spotting for bottles. Six bottles would take care of the ticket (10 cents plus 2 cents tax) but there was always a drink (5 cents) and popcorn (5 cents) to be taken into account, so the search continued until our goal was met. One particular Saturday, Clark (Briscoe) and I were walking down Napoleon St; ostensibly to go to the Roxy, discussing the fact that we were one penny short on the admission and what the remedy would be. As we approached Lake Ave, we spied a Gentleman walking towards us and our discussion centred on the fact that he might have a penny and who was going to ask him for it? The matter was resolved as I was the older (by a few months). I asked and we did get a penny; received with thanks.
Until the movie started, the atmosphere in the house could be and usually was, quite raucous-the ushers (barely older than us) would strive to keep order. Apples, oranges, articles of clothing would be tossed about and as the movie started or shortly thereafter, the empty popcorn boxes (folded to be more aerodynamic) would be tossed into the air towards the projection better to make an impression on the scene displayed. Towards the front (screen), the seating included a small alcove (L) where one could be out of sight of the ushers, sit on a shelf along this back wall and hurl away but only if something were thrown at you as was the case of someone just missing me with an orange ( a desirable, expensive missile). I threw it back, missing him but it splattered against a seatback, showering a couple of girls. They ran off to get the ushers as I ran to re-seat myself and the lights dimmed to start the entertainment.
Perhaps not on this occasion but at one time when we were in the process of exiting the theatre, a patron of our age taunted Clark into starting a fight with me (something kids in those days did as a part of growing up-might be called “bullying” today). He swung, missed and I connected with his eye and the ensuing commotion ended that. It was a bit of a hiccup in our friendship but we got over it.
Older and penniless we would have a method of sneaking into the second show in the evening. Prior to the first show ending, people would be lined up on one side of the lobby waiting for the end of the movie. A rope down the middle would have provided separation from those exiting. We would enter go into the washroom and wait until we heard the clatter of those exiting; join that crowd and press our way thru the crowd, in the opposite direction into the theatre. As far as I know no one was ever caught but eventually we grew to large to be able to do it without being noticed (or they knew it was happening and just ignored the fact). Another method (I can’t recall using it) was to have someone pay for a ticket, enter, proceed to the back of the stage and open the back door to let the others in.
This is Farah Merani -the beauty with the long dark hair wearing the red pants – in the Hallmark movie The Magical Christmas Ornament. Farah is the daughter of Esmail and Mina who have a business in Carleton Place. Esmail and his son Karim are both pharmacists and the owners of the Carleton Place Stittsville Richmond and Greenbank IDA stores.
It was a few years ago, but the movie is part of the Hallmark Christmas movie line up. I knew about it but I have never seen the movie. I was researching the movies filmed in Almonte and Carleton Place for my sisters and randomly came across this still with Farah in it. She is an actress and has been in plays, television commercials and lives in Toronto.
Esmail and Aziz had always brought all of their children in to the Carleton Place IDA to work when they were young. Those kids worked all of the positions in the store and they were not treated with any special privileges and did everything. They stocked shelves and price ticketed merchandise and worked at the front cash wherever they were needed.. They are a wonderful family and very modest and unassuming. Farah had come home that year for Christmas and Esmail was joking around that throughout the entire Christmas holiday week the movie was played non stop. Lol. Over and over and over.
In response to: “Larry Goldstein was a huge part of some our local kids lifestyle in the 1930s. Larry dealt in scrap metal and paper in a big way. On Saturday morning some of the Carleton Place kids would collect piles of newspapers and pieces of iron as much as two American Flyer wagons would hold”. From-Larry Goldstein and The Roxy Theatre of Carleton Place
Memories by Ray Paquette
The Roxy Theatre was under the management of Bob Jack in my youth but the price of admission for the Saturday matinee remained at fifteen cents. The quarter that I was given as an allowance would gain me entrance to the movie (a cartoon short, a serial and a “B” Western) and leave ten cents to be spent on popcorn at the “show” or a comic book at *Mac Williams Drugstore on the way home.
Perhaps a correction is in order. I seem to recall it was Bill Irwin, not Irvine (corrected, thanks Ray) who owned the Playfair Bowling Alley, initially at the corner or Bridge and Mill streets (two lanes I believe) and later at the current location across from the Post Office. Mr. Irwin sold the bowling alley to Laurie Melrose and went into the real estate business.
My grandmother Hindalea (Hindy) is Larry’s third child and also third daughter. Larry married Betty Claman in 1934 and they had 5 children. Larry passed away in 2002. This article made my grandmother very happy and we would love to keep it on record for our family.
What in Sam Hill is wrong with that boy? He’s Peck’s Bad Boy, and he will go to the dogs!”
My Grandmother Mary Louise Deller Knight threw this phrase around once in awhile and I had no idea in Sam Hill what she was talking about until today. I spotted the social note in the Ottawa Journal and after 65 years it clicked what Mary Louise was saying. Peck’s Bad Boy was nothing but a bad kid.
“Henry “Hennery” Peck, popularly known as Peck’s Bad Boy, is a fictional character created by George Wilbur Peck (1840–1916). First appearing in the 1883 novel Peck’s Bad Boy and His Pa, the Bad Boy has appeared in numerous print, stage, and film adaptations. The character is portrayed as a mischievous prankster, and the phrase “Peck’s bad boy” has entered the language to refer to anyone whose mischievous or bad behaviour leads to annoyance or embarrassment. Described as “a vicious little swaggerer” and “no more than a callous brute” Hennery’s antics were more mean-spirited than earlier boyhood characters like Huckleberry Finn and modern criticism views the violence and racism in the original stories as objectionable or politically incorrect”. (Wikipedia)
Peck’s Bad Boy was played by George M. Cohan in an 1891 stage adaptation of the stories and then was played in a 1921 silent film by Jackie Coogan (who the same year co-starred with Charlie Chaplin in The Kid and later was Uncle Fester on the TV sitcom The Addams Family) and in a 1934 ‘talkie’ by a later child star, Jackie Cooper. Peck’s Bad Boy was also the name of a popular jazz band of the 1920s. (see video below)
Much of the humor of Peck’s Bad Boy was probably questioned as per the Carleton Place social ad above. For example, in one of the stories, Henry’s Pa (who, by the way, is often pictured as a drunkard in the newspaper stories) attends a rabidly puritanical church service and finds his handkerchief soaked in rum and stuffed with playing cards. In the movie, the family attends a church service, and Henry has loaded his father’s lumbago pad with ants which become active right in the middle of the service. Of course, when he pulls out his handkerchief to wipe his brow, playing cards (which Henry had placed there) fly all over the pew. Of course we shouldn’t rule out *two lads from St. Andrew’s Church in Carleton Place, or the *boys climbing Boulton’s Mill as not being “Peck’s Bad Boys” too! So maybe Carleton Place shouldn’t have been so indifferent in the viewing of that film in 1909- as boys will be boys. Other very typical situations include Henry letting a man-eating lion out of his cage at the circus, having his friend pose as a woman to blackmail money from his father for the circus, and hiding the inventor’s plans in Jack Martin’s pocket. The stories had a multitude of situations from which to draw such as substituting pieces of rubber tubing for his father’s noodles, lining his father’s hat with Limburger cheese, and convincing his Pa that he’s crazy when he sees green and blue poodles the poodles were actually being used for an advertising gimmick. It’s a wonder Jackie wasn’t starred in a series of these Peck’s Bad Boy movies– and a shame, too!
Former O’Brien Theatre, now the home of the HUB, Almonte, Ont.
The building was also used by Royal Bank before they moved to new Shopping Centre on edge of town. The old theatre has been renovated with offices on second floor and the HUB at the front on first floor.
Millstone News-At the right is a story about the arrest of the manager of the O’Brien Theatre in town, after he claimed to have been attacked and robbed after leaving the theatre with the night’s receipts. The police weren’t buying that story, apparently.
“Seeds of Love” is a Canadian film being made for the Hallmark Channel. Although this is a low-budget production, it generates income for many local service industries. Aside from our lead actresses Ashley Williams and Marilu Henner, all of the actors, producers, and crew members are Canadian.”
In 1910 The Starland Theatre in Carleton Place was showing moving pictures from the Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Film Company. I am not quite sure, and maybe someone can help me with this, but maybe the Starland changed their name to the Star Theatre????
The Man from Brodney came out in 1923 and Let Not Man Put Asunder was a 1924 American silent drama film- so I am thinking this might be one and the same theatre that was located in the empty parking lot across from the Town Hall.
There is a story that in that same time frame, a well- known Carleton Place C.P.R. man called Ambrose Breen and his wife visited the Star Theatre one evening. During a scene in one of the films Breen attended depicted a man and a woman embracing with a overly amorous kiss thrown in on the side.
Well Mr. Breen was having nothing of the such, and like a bolt from the blue the audience was startled to hear the following coming out of old Ambrose over and over until the passionate scene ended.
” Cut out the rough stuff or we’ll go home!”
Other things I have heard in a movie theatre
Paranormal Activity 3: “If this is set in the 80s why didn’t they just call it Ghostbusters?”
During The Last Song, at the scene where Miley Cyrus says to Liam Hemsworth on the dock at his place, “I have something to tell you…” Some guy at the back of the theatre whispered just loud enough to carry throughout the silent crowd, “I’m Hannah Montana.”
During Star Trek: Generations, there’s the crazy Enterprise crashing scene. I remember as soon as the wreckage came to rest, someone yelled out, “RIKER! YOU’RE FIRED!”
At the very end of The Dark Knight Rises, some guy in the theater I was in yelled out, “OH, SO BRUCE WAYNE WAS BATMAN!?”
Sat watching Les Mis and during Who am I?/The Trial, Hugh Jackman is belting out “Who am I?” and someone near me whispers “Wolverine?”.
Watching ‘Cabin in the Woods’ and right before Chris Hemsworth falls to his death,someone yells out “Thor, Nooooo !”.
During Paranormal Activity 2, the woman in the film said “WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!” Some man in front of me said “A BIG MAC AND LARGE FRIES!”
“Grammy, you aren’t allowed to talk during the movie!” -(Me to my Grandmother at the opening of The Sound of Music)
This is what we need in Carleton Place. A Sound of Music Sing a Long!
For over a year or maybe even two, a good friend in Arizona has been a caring friend for a woman named Dottie. Dottie has been in a senior’s hospice, and I have been following her health for a long time even though I didn’t know her. I had seen pictures of her and heard so much about her I felt like I knew her personally.
Sadly, Dottie died a few months ago, and I felt the same way as if my neighbour had died. Today, I asked my friend when her ashes were going to be scattered, and wondered if there would be anyone there– as in reality she had no family left.
To my surprise this is what she told me:
“Dottie’s former neighbor, myself, her hospice nurse & pastor will be there. That will be it because Dottie had no family. However, a woman discovered her on IMDB and would love to attend if she weren’t so ill.
“Dottie was actually Dorothy Ann Seese, a child star with the potential of Shirley Temple, but her parents yanked her movie career after she starred in the Five Little Peppers series of 4 or 5 movies in the late 30’s and early 40’s. The woman that found her is a huge Peppers fan and owns all the movies. Dottie was the last of the Peppers. I have some pictures of her, thanks to her of Dottie when she was 5 & 6 playing Phronzie. Too bad royalties weren’t available then. She died penniless”.
I stopped typing and almost fell out of my chair as I had watched those movies as a child and felt so bad. If had not been for the kindness of my very dedicated friend visiting her she would have died alone after giving so much joy to others.
In later years Dorothy Ann Seese obtained a liberal arts degree from UCLA in 1955 and became a business systems analyst for fifteen years. She then switched to the legal field and worked the next 25 years as a legal secretary, legal assistant and paralegal. In 1997 she became disabled from a spinal injury, retired, and lived in Sun City, Arizona.
In memory of Dottie-Dorothy Ann Seese– The last of The Five Little Peppers.
Watching “Five Little Peppers” right now, for the first time ever. There is a marathon on TCM. That’s what brought me here. May Dottie rest in peace.
James
Thanks for posting that she had passed, I know it was a few years ago, but again I just started watching again.
You are doing a great, great service to this woman and her family that pass on or are still alive. THANK YOU.
Anne Siels
I was working at Ventana Winds in Youngtown, AZ., as a Certified Caregiver helping to take care of her in December 2015. Early Friday morning, Dec. 11, two other caregivers and I were with her when she took her last breathes. We were glad that someone could be with her in her last moments as we knew she had no family. The only picture she had in her room was of her at her desk as a paralegal in the 1970’s.
Louis Gonzales
The recent marathon on TCM led me here and I just wanted to say thank you for this beautifully written remembrance of her. I’m shocked that she doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page given the level of talent that I just saw. Would you happen to know if she has a memorial marker of remembrance present near her ashes? If not, I would most definitely be willing to pay for one. Once again, thank you so much and may God bless you!
David
I watched that marathon as well. I am pretty sure she was the cutest little girl ever in the history of the world. I loved watching the adults interact with her – they just smiled. little moments where you can sense there isn’t very much acting going on, just big smiles of affection for a little tiny precocious girl.
COMPLETE FILMOGRAPHY WITH SYNOPSIS
CAST (feature film)
1.
The Long Gray Line (1955) as
An Irish immigrant becomes one of West Point””s most beloved officers.
2.
The Virginian (1946) as Jane Woods
Best friends become enemies when one signs on with a rustler.
Blondie in Society (1941) as Little girl
Dagwood brings home a pedigreed Great Dane which an important company client wants and which Blondie enters in the big dog show. A highlight of this film is the canine burping display.
6.
Out West with the Peppers (1940) as Phronsie Pepper
A working class family moves West in search of better fortune.
7.
Five Little Peppers in Trouble (1940) as Phronsie Pepper
Five siblings face boarding school when their working mother can””t hold a job and care for them.
8.
Five Little Peppers at Home (1940) as Phronsie Pepper
Five siblings enlist a crusty old businessman to help save their mother from bankruptcy.
9.
The Doctor Takes A Wife (1940) as Girl
A man-hating author and a woman-hating doctor have to pretend they’re married.
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew (1939) as Phronsie Pepper
A case of measles gets a working class family mixed up with a blustering businessman””s clan.
Update: Dottie was laid rest January, 2015. It was a sparse attendance, and the church secretary, plus the pastor of course was in attendance. It was a cold, overcast day and rather gloomy, but Pastor Blau gave Dottie a very good send-off. Her ashes were placed and it was all over in 15 minutes. May she rest in peace!
Okay let’s get this straight, I am not a Star Wars fan, a trekkie, or anything related to the sky past my vision. But, I do understand how being a fan of something gets personal– but this my friends is a tad ridiculous.
Movie-goers at the ArcLight Theatre in Hollywood screamed in anger when the film The Force Awakens was stopped midway and restarted 15 to 20 minutes later. ArcLight studios ruins Star Wars for fans? Listen guys- a couple still pictures, and the entire shebang is ruined? Holy crap!
This in fact would only happen in the first world, and I am sure someone sitting in a theatre in Bombay would not have the same reaction. Now, I might be a little ticked off if that happened to me in a movie, but I guess the reaction of those folks put the ‘fan’ in fanatical. Or, was it all just a social experiment?
I say the sheep fleecing continues big time in movies, books and God only knows what else. People get more upset about movies and sports than they do over constant government corruption. Think about it … Roswell, Area 51, the so-called Moon Landing, the “new” Coke – and now this. This wasn’t a fluke – “The Force Awakens”? Be afraid – be very afraid!
Bigger question–how would you like to sit behind the moron with the big white Mickey Mouse head in the video? I’d dump my 32oz Coke on him getting up. The biggest issue? Listen, kids drugs and iPhones do not mix–stop filming vertically on your iPhones. Is it really that hard to not film things sideways?
lindaseccaspina 
My grandmother Hindalea (Hindy) is Larry’s third child and also third daughter. Larry married Betty Claman in 1934 and they had 5 children. Larry passed away in 2002. This article made my grandmother very happy and we would love to keep it on record for our family.
Thanks
Carly
Related reading:
*Before and After in Carleton Place — Mac Williams and The Good Food Co