Collection: Books and Periodicals > Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins

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Title: Volume 052-4 - October 1998 Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Collection Name: Nevada County Historical Society Bulletins # of Pages: 8 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2014-03-05 08:10:40 OCR Software Version #: tesseract 5.4.1 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 04:06:00 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:06:00

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

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NCHS Bulletin October 1998 fountain. Before pausing for a quick drink, I observed my reflection hurry across the frosted etched mirror above. The carpet sloped up to the main seating area, which had a low wall with a decorative wrought-iron railing on top that served to separate the balcony seats from the main seating area. I headed upstairs, forsaking the lower theater seats which, according to us, were fit only for moms and little kids. The first few rows of seats (called “loges’’) were the most luxurious, covered with crushed velvet and lit by twinkling yellow lights. I continued all the way up to the leatherette seats where I would sit underneath the yellow ray of the projection booth until such time as I could sneak down to the loges. I glanced up at the enormous lights on the lavishly decorated ceiling. Tendrils of gold filigree embellished the ruby red lights which were set in a series of concentric circles. Most striking of all were the huge hand-painted murals on each side wall depicting delicately formed angels, clothed in wispy white. These heavenly hosts frolicked on puffy clouds with numerous smiling cherubs. Throughout the length and height of the enormous interior walls these angels cavorted on a sky blue background. To the left of the screen was the giant green neon “Lomaugh’s Jeweler’ clock counting down the time until the film would appear. Suddenly the lights dimmed to a smoky red as the curtains parted with a soft whooshing sound. The waiting was over. I settled back in my seat, propped my feet up on the top of the seat in front, as the first of the double sci-fi flicks started: “Queen Of Outer Space” starring Zsa Zsa Gabor. The credits flashed in the stars as a spooky soprano voice followed. Photos by Bedford Lampkin A rocket had gone off course and crash landed on Venus. There was life there. And what life! Gorgeous babes in short skirts and spike heels. Wolf whistles echoed. I munched more Bonomo sour balls and root beer barrels. We lo all cheered when both the Beta Disintegrator ray and the ugly radiation-scarred queen were destroyed. Intermission was announced on the screen as “Let’s all go to the lobby” played. By now my friends and I were out of money for more candy, so we yakked until quieted by the usher with his long bright flashlight. Next up was part four of the serial, “Commando Cody vs. the Moonmen.” Our hero was dressed in a leather jacket, welder’s helmet and backpack rocket (this was years before The Rocketeer). He also piloted a regular rocket, which landed on a remarkable earth-type moon—the only rocket ship I’ve ever seen with skids. Two cartoons came next: Tweety and Sylvester, followed by Pluto, who had great trouble with a bumblebee and bubble gum. A short newsreel, “The Space Race,” showed the new Russian satellite, Sputnik, orbiting the earth while our rocket blew up on the ground. The second movie, “The Blob,” starred a teen-aged Steve McQueen fighting a gelatinous gooey mass that ate everything. Some of us had our hands over our eyes as we watched the blob munch a whole diner full of people. When the army finally froze it and dumped it on the North Pole, I heard a worried kid ask his mom, “what about Santa?” We were sorry to finally leave, but as sure as the angels#™, watched from the walls, we’d be back for more great adventures next Saturday afternoon. [Author’s note: Construction began on the Del Oro Theater in late 1941. Because of a shortage of building materials during World War II, the theater was not completed until 1946. The Art Deco style theater was designed by architect O. A. Delchmann. The original mural painted on the rear of the building (titled “Grass Valley, Heart of the Gold Country”) was completed in 1970. In the 1970s the Del Oro was converted into a three-screen theater and the mural was repainted. The angels on the inside walls remain. ]