luv my dayton
35 posts
Jun 10, 2012
10:52 AM
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Oakwood celebrated its 100th birthday in 2008. For this occassion the city produced a book to be distributed free to every household in the city. I managed to get my hands on one a few years later at a flea market and it was full of history, pictures of the old, the new with brief explanations. One picture was of the Far Hills Theatre.It came into being in 1937. Due to unruly patrons which would have been my generation, I know as I was there and probably part of it, it was sold in 1957. At some point in time it became an 'adult'movie house which brought about police raids and protests. It then returned to feature films. In the 70's major road work and street changes took place which made it hard to hold a business. Am sure with each change of venue for the movie house came a new name. I was there when the old man we called Papa John would rant in his foreign dialect and race up and down the isles. He had a home behind the movie house on Shantz. Felt bad years later for what I and many others put him through. This memory has been brought to you by a major brat from the 50"s.
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blue J
8 posts
Jun 11, 2012
2:16 AM
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I don't imagine there could have been more than one movie theater on Far Hills in Oakwood, so it must be the same place that I used to go with my cousins in the summer time and see matinees- all of the features were aimed at younger kids, at that time...this would have been between about 1981 and '83, that we were doing that. Thanks for the history- I had no idea it was there since the '30s (I was born in 1973).
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Sharon35
1 post
Aug 31, 2012
7:59 AM
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I agree with luv my dayton. We all hated Pappa John and made his life miserable. I too look back and he had every reason to be nasty. We sure had many fun Saturday afternoons at the Far Hills Theater. Old memories are the best!
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luv my dayton
118 posts
Aug 31, 2012
6:29 PM
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Sharon, imagine the old man has been dead for years and actually got a tug at the heart strings when I drove by his old home. It was actually a ranch double and he and wife lived in one half. I still can see him walking across Schantz to the theatre where he knew everyday was going to be a bigger headach than the one before. What a way to make a living.If my parents had heard of our behavior I would have been torn limb from limb and then after that they would have really hurt me!!!!
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Sharon35
11 posts
Sep 01, 2012
9:01 AM
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Luv My Dayton...Being a female, I actually didn't cause problems but the neighborhood boys did. Being a kid, I sided with the boys. After all we knew more than the impatient adults.
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gris66
92 posts
Jan 29, 2013
9:10 AM
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I remember going to that movie theater one time in the late 1960s or early 1970s to see an independent action film called Billy Jack. I think Billy Jack was a peacenik but used some form of martial arts to get a point across.
Last Edited by on Jan 29, 2013 9:11 AM
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PaulH
138 posts
Jan 29, 2013
9:30 PM
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Billy Jack was a former Green Beret who was defending local Indians.
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olds88
48 posts
Feb 03, 2013
12:39 PM
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Friday night was big date night every one tried to out do the other and it was a wild scene.Looking back on it why would anyone put up with all that. Papas phone at the movie house would wring all night cusing him out and he would talk about your mother. What a great life.I knew kids that would call every day.Thank goodness there were no cell phones.I believe he owned the whole building including Gallagers and drumund and sloan groceries
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