Picturing the Past 136: Love Bug at the Capri

Posted Tuesday, November 22, 2011, at 3:47 PM

The Capri Theater in 1969, looking much the same 42 years ago as it does now. (T-G file photo)

Actually the car was just a regular Beetle with some stripes and flowers added, not the real movie car, but here's the Capri Theater in 1969 when "The Love Bug" was showing.

The theater looks almost the same today. This was about, I think, a year or two after the name change from the Princess. (Anyone remember the exact year?)

Remember when they had children's matinees every Saturday?

Depot Street was a little busier then. Note Fred's Dollar Store, which later became just Fred's on Madison Street, and Lewis & Clifford Furniture, one of the line of several ownerships of that store over the years.

Picturing the Past is featured regularly in this blog. Reader contributions are welcome.

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I have a few pictures of this myself. I think the name change was 1968. The Grand Opening ads after the 1960's remodel were for the Capri Theatre. You might be able to find a more exact date by perusing old TG copies from that period to see when the name change occured in the ads. I know Sound of Music was the grand opening film but was not the same year as the film's release. How 'bout some love for the 41. Any pictures of the Drive-in?

-- Posted by cortnerkin on Wed, Nov 23, 2011, at 4:56 AM

For those who like the high resolution version...

http://www.t-g.com/photos/15/81/17/15811...

-- Posted by Chad O on Wed, Nov 23, 2011, at 8:48 AM

The matinees were great and cheap entertainment in comparison to today's choices. We would go to Foster's Tea Room for a burger and then go to The Princess theatre to watch the show. My how time flys.

-- Posted by decorate1956 on Wed, Nov 23, 2011, at 1:26 PM

i loved that movie!!

-- Posted by 4fabfelines on Wed, Nov 23, 2011, at 7:44 PM

The very first movie I remember going to see at the "new" rocking chair theater was The Ghost & Mr. Chicken starring Don Knotts.

-- Posted by Tim Lokey on Thu, Nov 24, 2011, at 10:17 PM

David, according to the late Clyde Jacobs, the name change occurred in 1968 after the theater was purchased by Fred Massey from J.C. Tune. A TG clipping I have states that the year was 1969 but Clyde Jacobs wrote a correction in the margin saying the year was 1968.

-- Posted by cortnerkin on Tue, Dec 6, 2011, at 7:32 PM

David Melson

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David Melson is a copy editor and staff writer for the Times-Gazette.

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