Culture Shock

Culture shock is disturbing and especially at the young age of nine. One Friday night our family went to a movie at THE theater 'overtown'. [For some reason 'Southsiders' went 'overtown' to the business district - those living in the north, east and west sides went 'downtown'.] THE theater was not like the neighborhood theater where Mrs Hennessey played fast 'chase music' on the piano while Tom Mix galloped after the bad guys wearing the black hats. She changed tunes to keep up with the action on the screen including background for the film dialog on the screen. I think her repertoire was "Moonlight and Roses" and "William Tell Overture".

Screen picture: Tom Mix astride Tony his horse; a posse in the background.
Screen dialog: "Which way did they go ?"
Screen picture: Posse pointing to the left
Screen dialog: "They went thataway"
Screen picture: Tom Mix astride Tony his horse
Screen dialog: "Go get them, Posse, I'm going this way."
Screen picture: Tom Mix riding off to the right; posse to the left.


The theater overtown had an organist who played the background music on a golden pipe organ.It was fun because I could practice my reading as the dialogue flashed on the screen and at the same time hear the organ music rumbling or moaning in the background..

The main show ended; curtains slid over the screen; up houselights; the organist gave a brief recital; took a bow; houselights dimmed. The curtains parted ; music oozed from the screen accompanying an actor strolling across it. Facing the audience, he smiled and then spoke - honestly! I kid you not - he spoke out loud! His words are still etched in whatever remaining (and working) part of my brain is responsible for trivia storage.

"Hello, I'm Conrad Nagel and I will soon be coming to you on this screen in this theeayter, in talk and sound. I'm looking forward to seeing you here."

That was the most scary thing I had ever seen up to this point. Worse than a personal interview with Miss Stone, the school principal.

The curtains closed, UP houselights and I sat in a semi-tilted theater seat
--still shaking like the proverbial leaf. It was like having a front row seat at the dawn of creation.