Photo from Donald Sykes

Photo from Donald Sykes

I was requested to write about THE DAWSON PICTURE SHOW, but.....my family moved from Dawson in 1939 and, therefore, have little knowledge beyond that point. Many of you will remember....and...would appreciate your adding whatever to what I have written

And...remember...the 125th Anniversary of the founding of Dawson....May 27. See you there...

CARL MATTHEWS


THE DAWSON PICTURE SHOW…

My first recollection of The Dawson Picture Show was sitting in my Mother’s lap as the black and white screen unfolded some exciting story, but …….without sound. A player piano sat to the right of the screen and broke the silence.

I had not yet learned to read and remember so well my Mother’s reading the dialog, etc. to me….very softly…. so as no to disturb those seated nearby. The Dawson Picture Show was owned by W A Connor who had come to Dawson to be Agent in charge of the Dawson Depot for the Cotton Belt Railroad. W A Connor, born Illinois, was an enterprising individual who, not only operated The Dawson Picture Show, but, also, owned Connor Dry Goods. He was, as well, Dawson Post Master, appointed to that position by President Herbert Hoover. Mr. Connor was one of the few Republicans in the strong Democratic political climate of Dawson.

There was a single projector and there was always “Intermission Time” at the end of one reel and the beginning of the next. The initial reel had to be unrolled and removed. When the new reel was loaded…the movie would continue.

“Intermission” permitted a time of socialization with whoever happened to be sitting nearby. Minutes of the Dawson Study Club mention that the members had sold sandwiches, cookies, etc. at the Picture Show as a means of raising funds. This fun raising activity may have occurred during these intermissions.

There was no air conditioning, but, as I recall….there was a large fan that blew outside air into the building.

Later, Mr Connor “modernized” and installed two new projectors….still projecting black and white films only. The operator of the projectors would have both reels loaded when the movie began. As the end of the first reel approached, the operator would switch on the new reel. Sometimes the switch was so perfect that the viewers were not aware that the reels had been changed.

The Dawson Picture Show was segregated. A separate entry permitted black people to access a small balcony adjacent to the projection room. The balcony was commonly referred to as…The Buzzard Roost.

Movies….in the twenties and thirties….were often viewed by many local preachers as places of sin….especially if movies were shown on Sunday.

The Saturday movies usually had a Western Theme….with Bob Steele, Tom Mix, Ken Maynard, Tim McCoy….all of whom became heroes in the minds of small boys in the community. And….there was a “Serial” that always ended with suspense and demanded that the viewer return the following Saturday to find out what happened.

The Saturday Movie was always a form of “Baby Sitting.” Kids under twelve were charged five cents admission. Those under six were admitted without charge. My Mother, enterprising Lady that she always was, would give me a nickel….dress both my sister in the cute little dresses that she made…and send us off to the movie for three hours of peace and quiet. Once, the three of us has walked to town and I was preparing to present my nickel for admission when my Mother showed up. She rapidly grabbed one of my sisters….moved to a corner…and, quickly, pulled on the bloomers which matched her dress. Mother had found the matching bloomers after we had left for the movies.

When the Great Depression reached Dawson, businesses began to close…one by one. People could not use their precious nickels and dimes for admission to The Pictures Show….and….Mr Connor was forced to close the establishment.

The Dawson Oil Mill had reopened, veterans of WWI had received bonuses…times appeared to be getting better. Sparton Duke had grown up in Dawson, but had lived in Dallas after he had graduated from High School. He was a natural born salesman. Sparton came up with the idea of re-opening The Dawson Picture Show….and giving it a new name…THE RITZ.

His Grandfather, Felix Matthews, had weathered The Great Depression and emerged with some cash. Sparton had an idea…..Felix Matthews had come case….and THE RITZ became a reality.

Everyone……well, perhaps, not the preachers…..were elated. Dawson would, again….boast a Movie House.

At some point, and many older residents of Dawson will remember, one of the older boys of Dawson decided to create some excitement at the movie. He went to Lawler’s Grocery and purchased a paper sack of red pepper. Then he proceeded to the back alley behind the movie where a huge fan blew outside air into the theater and forced the humid, stale air out the front doors. The bag of red pepper was emptied into the fan and immediately filled the interior of the theater. People began to scream….babies began to cry….viewers left their seats and emptied on to Main Street.

There were threats of law suits, etc, but the incident was quickly hushed. Local gossip suggested that the father of the young man involved had paid money to several of the victims to avert a law suit.

Sparton Duke had arranged with movie distributors in Dallas to supply the films to be shown and monthly schedules were created. The schedules were printed on legal size card stock…..giving the day of the week, the day of the month…and….the name of the movie to be shown. The schedules were distributed several days prior to the beginning of each month. Sparton would fill his car with several boys from the community and deliver schedules to every house in town…to Purdon…and to all rural homes in a five mile radius. Boys who helped deliver the schedules were admitted free for all movies on that schedule.

Sparton came up with “Bank Nite” as a means to increase attendance. All tickets bore two numbers. One number was placed in a huge metal drum, the other kept by the purchaser. Bank Nite was on Tuesday night and people came to watch the movie….and…hope that they would win the ten dollars given away each week.

When no valid number was drawn, the ten dollars was carried over until the following week….and the prize became…TWENTY DOLLARS. Several times the amount grew to one hundred dollars and the place was packed. One man who lived on the Blackland won the one hundred dollars, but, it appeared that sufficient funds were not available to pay. THE RITZ closed soon afterward.

Sparton Duke, also, had a “Hollywood film maker” come to Dawson and make a “movie” using an All Dawson Cast. The “Star” was a young man who lived on a farm east of Dawson. His name…Dude Peeler. There were other members of the cast, but their names are forgotten.

The “Film Maker” had a huge hand cranked camera and came to the Dawson School to present a program about movie making in Hollywood. Students were invited to participate in the making of the movie for scenes shot after school. The side walk in front of the two Drug Stores was crowded with students as Dude Peeler and others performed their roles on the street below. Everyone wanted to be seen in the movie which was to be shown the following Saturday. An extra admission ticket was required to view the home town movie….and, of course, everyone wanted to see how they looked in “The Movies.”

Later, Sparton Duke imported a “real live Hollywood cowboy.” The hoopla about the coming of this “celebrity” of dubious experience in Hollywood went on for weeks prior to his arrival. One day he arrives wearing high topped cowboy boots, cowboy pants, cowboy shirt….and topped with a large black cowboy hat. A hand tooled belt supported hand tooled holsters for the two .45s he carried. He, also, presented a program at school….relating his experiences in Hollywood as a “Star” in cowboy movies. He demonstrated the “fast draw” technique with his .45s….complete with spinning the weapons on his fingers prior to returning them to the holsters.

My twelve year old mind viewed him as a “grungy” looking guy who needed a shave and a bath. Besides, I had never seen him in any cowboy movie…and I had surely seen my share over the years.

Sparton made another brief effort to open THE RITZ….but closed within a few months.

Mr Connor re-opened the theater at some point afterwards. The new movies were a real hit…..but the addition of a commercial popcorn machine was the real draw. The popcorn at the Dawson Movie…rivaled the hamburgers at The Green Hut. And….a large sackfull…was a nickel.

Still later, Mrs. Anderson married Clyde Lawrence, and the two began operation of the movie house.

My family moved from Dawson to Hubbard in the summer of 1939 and enlisted in the U S Marine Corps two years later. Once, after moving to Hubbard, I was visiting Sam Akers and we attended a movie at The Dawson Picture Show. We had no money, but a Dawson man owed my Father some money. I went to his house and suggested that he pay some on his bill. His response was that he only had thirty-five cents and I told him I would take it.

The Dawson Picture Show was, apparently, operating until near the end and, possibly, after, the ending of WWII.

One former resident of Dawson mentioned that Raymond Etter had operated The Dawson Picture Show before and following the end of WWII.


Carl W Matthews
POB 600441
Dallas TX 75360-0441
 

THE DAWSON PICTURE SHOW…

My first recollection of The Dawson Picture Show was sitting in my Mother’s lap as the black and white screen unfolded some exciting story, but …….without sound. A player piano sat to the right of the screen and broke the silence.

I had not yet learned to read and remember so well my Mother’s reading the dialog, etc. to me….very softly…. so as no to disturb those seated nearby. The Dawson Picture Show was owned by W A Connor who had come to Dawson to be Agent in charge of the Dawson Depot for the Cotton Belt Railroad. W A Connor, born Illinois, was an enterprising individual who, not only operated The Dawson Picture Show, but, also, owned Connor Dry Goods. He was, as well, Dawson Post Master, appointed to that position by President Herbert Hoover. Mr. Connor was one of the few Republicans in the strong Democratic political climate of Dawson.

There was a single projector and there was always “Intermission Time” at the end of one reel and the beginning of the next. The initial reel had to be unrolled and removed. When the new reel was loaded…the movie would continue.

********************

MARGARET BERRY

Dean of Women Emeritus, University of Texas, Austin

“My best memories of the Show are on Saturdays, when we one of the Westerns and a short that ended in some cliff-hanger. Because there was no sound, a group of us…..usually kids from our street….would sit together, and Ralph Akers would be the reader so the little kids would know what was being said. He would have to read loudly enough for kids on two or three rows…huddled together…could hear. This was in the 1920s and early 1930s.”

********************

“Intermission” permitted a time of socialization with whoever happened to be sitting nearby. Minutes of the Dawson Study Club mention that the members had sold sandwiches, cookies, etc. at the Picture Show as a means of raising funds. This fun raising activity may have occurred during these intermissions.

There was no air conditioning, but, as I recall….there was a large fan that blew outside air into the building.

Later, Mr Connor “modernized” and installed two new projectors….still projecting black and white films only. The operator of the projectors would have both reels loaded when the movie began. As the end of the first reel approached, the operator would switch on the new reel. Sometimes the switch was so perfect that the viewers were not aware that the reels had been changed.

The Dawson Picture Show was segregated. A separate entry permitted black people to access a small balcony adjacent to the projection room. The balcony was commonly referred to as…The Buzzard Roost.

Movies….in the twenties and thirties….were often viewed by many local preachers as places of sin….especially if movies were shown on Sunday.

The Saturday movies usually had a Western Theme….with Bob Steele, Tom Mix, Ken Maynard, Tim McCoy….all of whom became heroes in the minds of small boys in the community. And….there was a “Serial” that always ended with suspense and demanded that the viewer return the following Saturday to find out what happened.

The Saturday Movie was always a form of “Baby Sitting.” Kids under twelve were charged five cents admission. Those under six were admitted without charge. My Mother, enterprising Lady that she always was, would give me a nickel….dress both my sister in the cute little dresses that she made…and send us off to the movie for three hours of peace and quiet. Once, the three of us has walked to town and I was preparing to present my nickel for admission when my Mother showed up. She rapidly grabbed one of my sisters….moved to a corner…and, quickly, pulled on the bloomers which matched her dress. Mother had found the matching bloomers after we had left for the movies.\


**************************


BARBARD HEARN DUNN

who lives in Ohio wrote:

I lived in Dawson with my Grandfather and aunt, Mose Warden Roberts and Valley “Poochie” Roberts, the year I was in the eighty grade, which would have been 1949-1950. Saturdays featured cowboy pictures (Rex Allen was just becoming popular) and serials….usually cowboy, but, occasionally, the “The Perils of Pauline.” But there was one thing I remember above all about it….never without a feeling of shame. The first time I stepped up to the window to buy a ticket I was asked my age. I was 13. It was early September. My birthday is October 17. Knowing that the price o a ticket went up at age 13, but being too conscientious to tall a bold-face lie, I answered, “I’ll be 13 in October.” It was not a lie…I WOULD be 13 in October…for 16 days.

But, as Huck Finn said, “You can’t lie to God…I found that out.” Try as I might I never really convinced myself I had done right. God has forgiven me, so I have forgiven myself, but I have never forgotten the lesson I learned that day.

“To purposely leave the wrong impression is the same as telling a lie.”

So…..I thank The Dawson Picture Show! And till have wonderful memories of vicarious horse races through the sagebrush in pursuit of the bad guys.


*************************

When the Great Depression reached Dawson, businesses began to close…one by one. People could not use their precious nickels and dimes for admission to The Pictures Show….and….Mr Connor was forced to close the establishment.

The Dawson Oil Mill had reopened, veterans of WWI had received bonuses…times appeared to be getting better. Sparton Duke had grown up in Dawson, but had lived in Dallas after he had graduated from High School. He was a natural born salesman. Sparton came up with the idea of re-opening The Dawson Picture Show….and giving it a new name…THE RITZ.

His Grandfather, Felix Matthews, had weathered The Great Depression and emerged with some cash. Sparton had an idea…..Felix Matthews had come case….and THE RITZ became a reality.

Everyone……well, perhaps, not the preachers…..were elated. Dawson would, again….boast a Movie House.

At some point, and many older residents of Dawson will remember, one of the older boys of Dawson decided to create some excitement at the movie. He went to Lawler’s Grocery and purchased a paper sack of red pepper. Then he proceeded to the back alley behind the movie where a huge fan blew outside air into the theater and forced the humid, stale air out the front doors. The bag of red pepper was emptied into the fan and immediately filled the interior of the theater. People began to scream….babies began to cry….viewers left their seats and emptied on to Main Street.

There were threats of law suits, etc, but the incident was quickly hushed. Local gossip suggested that the father of the young man involved had paid money to several of the victims to avert a law suit.

Sparton Duke had arranged with movie distributors in Dallas to supply the films to be shown and monthly schedules were created. The schedules were printed on legal size card stock…..giving the day of the week, the day of the month…and….the name of the movie to be shown. The schedules were distributed several days prior to the beginning of each month. Sparton would fill his car with several boys from the community and deliver schedules to every house in town…to Purdon…and to all rural homes in a five mile radius. Boys who helped deliver the schedules were admitted free for all movies on that schedule.

Sparton came up with “Bank Nite” as a means to increase attendance. All tickets bore two numbers. One number was placed in a huge metal drum, the other kept by the purchaser. Bank Nite was on Tuesday night and people came to watch the movie….and…hope that they would win the ten dollars given away each week.

When no valid number was drawn, the ten dollars was carried over until the following week….and the prize became…TWENTY DOLLARS. Several times the amount grew to one hundred dollars and the place was packed. One man who lived on the Blackland won the one hundred dollars, but, it appeared that sufficient funds were not available to pay. THE RITZ closed soon afterward.

Sparton Duke, also, had a “Hollywood film maker” come to Dawson and make a “movie” using an All Dawson Cast. The “Star” was a young man who lived on a farm east of Dawson. His name…Dude Peeler. There were other members of the cast, but their names are forgotten.

The “Film Maker” had a huge hand cranked camera and came to the Dawson School to present a program about movie making in Hollywood. Students were invited to participate in the making of the movie for scenes shot after school. The side walk in front of the two Drug Stores was crowded with students as Dude Peeler and others performed their roles on the street below. Everyone wanted to be seen in the movie which was to be shown the following Saturday. An extra admission ticket was required to view the home town movie….and, of course, everyone wanted to see how they looked in “The Movies.”

Later, Sparton Duke imported a “real live Hollywood cowboy.” The hoopla about the coming of this “celebrity” of dubious experience in Hollywood went on for weeks prior to his arrival. One day he arrives wearing high topped cowboy boots, cowboy pants, cowboy shirt….and topped with a large black cowboy hat. A hand tooled belt supported hand tooled holsters for the two .45s he carried. He, also, presented a program at school….relating his experiences in Hollywood as a “Star” in cowboy movies. He demonstrated the “fast draw” technique with his .45s….complete with spinning the weapons on his fingers prior to returning them to the holsters.

My twelve year old mind viewed him as a “grungy” looking guy who needed a shave and a bath. Besides, I had never seen him in any cowboy movie…and I had surely seen my share over the years.

Sparton made another brief effort to open THE RITZ….but closed within a few months.

Mr Connor re-opened the theater at some point afterwards. The new movies were a real hit…..but the addition of a commercial popcorn machine was the real draw. The popcorn at the Dawson Movie…rivaled the hamburgers at The Green Hut. And….a large sackfull…was a nickel.

Still later, Mrs. Anderson married Clyde Lawrence, and the two began operation of the movie house.

My family moved from Dawson to Hubbard in the summer of 1939 and enlisted in the U S Marine Corps two years later. Once, after moving to Hubbard, I was visiting Sam Akers and we attended a movie at The Dawson Picture Show. We had no money, but a Dawson man owed my Father some money. I went to his house and suggested that he pay some on his bill. His response was that he only had thirty-five cents and I told him I would take it.

The Dawson Picture Show was, apparently, operating until near the end and, possibly, after, the ending of WWII.

One former resident of Dawson mentioned that Raymond Etter had operated The Dawson Picture Show before and following the end of WWII.