joey m
132 posts
Oct 22, 2013
9:25 AM
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I remember going to these three when I was a kid. Mom and Dad gave me fifty cents to go to the movies and buy some candy or ice cream but they didnt want us going to these theaters because they were so sleezy. They wanted us to go to the RKO's or Lowes or The Victory!!
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olds88
148 posts
Oct 22, 2013
11:22 AM
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Your parents were smart.A nickel vs a half dollar was tempting though.My guess is a lot of strange thing went on in those places.
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joey m
133 posts
Oct 22, 2013
2:15 PM
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WE were only about 9 or 10 years old and I think it was 15 cents to get in. Mostly went to the Columbia to watch the westerns and the serials.
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Syxpack
146 posts
Oct 23, 2013
9:02 AM
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There was one other sleazy theater downtown when I was a child called the "Ideal". I remember going there just one time and brushing bugs off of my legs the entire time. I was about 8 years old and went with the kids next door who were older. After I came home and told my mom, she took me outside and checked me out and I was never allowed to go there again. When I was older and would pass that place, I would just cringe. I was told that's where all the winos hung out. If I remember correctly, the Ideal was on the north side of 4th St. between Main and Jefferson St. across from the RKO State which was a little bit higher class, but just a little bit. There were some beautiful theaters downtown also, such as Keiths, Lowes, Victory, and the Strand. Mostly, my mom would let us go to the "Grand" Theater which was in what is now known as the Oregon District. It was on the north side of 5th St., just around the corner from Wayne Ave. My Uncle Louis had a little notions store across from the Grand Theatre called "The Golden Rule" and down the street toward downtown, was our Skateland which was on the second floor of a building I believe was on the corner of Fifth and Pine. Sometimes on Saturday, we would go skating and then take in a movie at the Grand, go across the street to Uncle Lou's store and he would take us home as we lived in the neighborhood (Commercial Street) where the Dayton Post Office now stands. Uncle Lou later moved "The Golden Rule" store a few blocks east to the corner of E. 5th and Plum St.
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Butchl1977
35 posts
Oct 25, 2013
7:13 PM
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Ah yes: I remember the Realto; where the bats cut your hair and the rats shined your shoes.LOL
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Syxpack
147 posts
Oct 26, 2013
3:09 PM
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I think it was spelled with an "i" as in Rialto. Does anyone know where it was located? Was it on Jefferson Street across from the Ohio?
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Marck1957
182 posts
Oct 27, 2013
7:39 AM
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I think it was at the north-east corner of Sixth and Jefferson.
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Mark1984
128 posts
Oct 27, 2013
6:16 PM
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There is another former theater I haven't seen mentioned in posts on the subject. It was The Federation on Xenia Ave in the East end. I'm in my mid 40s. But the its been gone as long as I can recall. Anyone here have any memories of it when it was still in business? The building is still there. Its obvious it was a theater. The box office is still out front.
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Syxpack
148 posts
Oct 27, 2013
8:18 PM
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Yes Mark, I well remember the Federation. When I was a child during the '30's and lived on Hulbert St. (I lived a lot of places in the East end of Dayton during the "Great Depression") My older brothers and I spent many of our Saturday afternoons there. All the kids in the neighborhood were there. I only remember kids being there on Saturday afternoon. It cost a nickel and if we were lucky enough to find a milk or pop bottle to cash in, we could get some popcorn next door at The Corn Crib. On the Saturday before Christmas, they would give out huge candy canes to each kid. Our Dr. Abe Kuhr had his office above the Federation. I don't remember when it closed, but it was still open in the '50's when my children went there. I saw my first movie there "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" Also I saw "The Wizard of Oz" for the first time at another east end theater, the Alhambra on East Third Street. At the movies during my childhood, there were always 2 features, plus a cartoon, a serial, such as "Flash Gordon" and the "Pathe News" (which I hated, but there was no TV and that was how people got to see the world news, such as what was the latest goings-on with WWII.) Moms could have relief from their kids all afternoon.lol
Last Edited by Syxpack on Oct 27, 2013 8:34 PM
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joey m
136 posts
Oct 28, 2013
8:48 AM
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Syxpack Rialto was across from the Columbia which wason Jefferson and the Ohio was on Jefferson one block south on east side. Oh yea Butch1977 I havent heard that in a long time but we always said the bats combed your hair and the rats shined your shoes , and that was far from the truth!
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Syxpack
149 posts
Oct 28, 2013
5:03 PM
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Thanks Joey. Was the Columbia on the west side of Jefferson between 3rd and 4th and the Ohio one block south on the east side of Jefferson between 4th and 5th? There were so many movie houses in that small area, that I can't get them all situated in my mind. At one time or other, I was in every one of them, even the Playhouse and the Mayfair. I don't have the slightest idea of where the Playhouse was located. I just remember how excited I was when my mom told me we were going to the Playhouse. I thought we were going to a real playhouse, not a movie.
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joey m
138 posts
Oct 29, 2013
11:04 AM
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Syxpack you are correct on the locations of the theaters. And you mentioned the Mayfair. My cousin and another friend used to sneak in there all the time and I know we werent any older than 11 or 12. But when I started high school at Chaminade I just remember if you had the dollar to pay and could reach the window at the ticket booth you were in. "GREAT MEMORIES"
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rdebross
86 posts
Oct 29, 2013
6:13 PM
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Mark and Syxpack... the Federation operated as a second run movie house well into the 1960's and possibly later. In the late 1950.s a quarter would get you in to see a double or even a triple feature on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. I remember seeing a lot of westerns and monster/horror movies. One Satureday I went to a triple feature of vampire movies. The next morning I had to deliver the Sunday Dayton Daily News in the pre-dawn darkness. I was sure that Count Dracula was sure to get me in every dark place along my paper route. As a student at St. Mary school across the street we were expected to go to Stations of the Cross on Sunday afternoon during Lent to spiritually prepare ourselves for Easter. The double feature at the Fed was a more enjoyable alternative though. My buds and I would walk across the street from the nuns house on Xenia Ave. thinking the good sisters were probably spying out their front window to see who was taking the evil road to perdition.
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Syxpack
151 posts
Oct 29, 2013
7:45 PM
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rdebross, loved the story as we lived for years on Church Street and I'm very familiar with the area. Also it brought back the memory of my youngest son who had an early morning paper route delivering the Journal Herald. He had to deliver to such places as the Bargain Barn on Linden Avenue. I found him standing on our corner crying and I had to put him in our car and help him. I don't know what spooked him, but I was not a happy mom that morning. He was about 12 or 13 years old.
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RCOONa
2 posts
Jan 14, 2014
6:49 AM
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In the early 60's, I worked at Lowe's theater as an usher after school and weekends for fifty cents per hour. My take home was usually $ 20/week. Carl Rogers was the manager.
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Hankster65
103 posts
Jan 21, 2014
9:26 AM
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You can see a picture of the Ohio Theater in DHBO's images from the 1960's section: http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/albums/album_image/7405730/6177833.htm
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Butchl1977
40 posts
Jan 21, 2014
7:21 PM
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I use to go to the Mc'cook on Keeowee all the time.
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Dee
10 posts
Apr 17, 2014
1:14 PM
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Used to go to St. Paul theater in East Dayton with my sister while mom and dad where at Herbert's on the other side of the street.
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