Memories: 1967 Long Beach California

This blog picture shows the Long Beach California State Theater in 1972 (source unk.) where I worked in 1967. I started out in concessions and went to work in the box office nearly a month of being there. I, eventually, impressed my night manager, praising my efficiency, because I was not only fast, with the nightly box office reports, but accurate as well. I often started them while the box office was slow; all I knew is that I just wanted to get home faster. ☺

Long Beach is a Navy port and I cannot begin to tell you how many Navy guys came up to that box office window and asked the same thing - over and over - can I buy a child's ticket for my child? One man would stoop low so he looked small. At first, I just laughed. Eventually, I would just shake my head and say: no but you can purchase two military discount tickets. Jeez!!! 

I had moved from San Diego to Long Beach to stay with my sister and this was my first job. The best thing, since I had no car, it was in walking distance to our apartment. The theater was also near the Pike Amusement Park with the wood roller coaster that went out into the ocean. I never road it. Maybe instinct told me to stay off of it. That wood was too freaky for me. But I did enjoy the beach and the park. 

Months later, I left the theater to work at a pawn shop just a little further up the street. That's when I learned that pawn shops take advantage of people. Could be why I made a lot more money there than the theater. They sure made enough of it off of another's bad luck. The good thing was that I was still in walking distance to my apartment. I'm still amazed, when I think about that, that I walked about six, long blocks at night going home from both jobs. I know that would be impossible today but I never felt unsafe back then. 

Lastly, one of my highlights, while working there, was watching the Queen Mary dock in Long Beach on December 9, 1967. It was truly exciting to watch. Soon afterwards, I moved from there to Missouri. I was only there for a few months and moved back to Tampa in February 1968, where my family had relocated from San Diego. I've been living in this area ever since. 

Here's more information about State Street Theater and surrounding area w/pictures. https://sites.google.com/site/losangelesmoviepalaces/state

Video of the Queen Mary arriving in Long Beach. https://youtu.be/SsK6MsNeNS4

Thanks for walking down memory lane with me. ☺