Remember our "fast food" Drive In? - Kenny P. Does...

Some younger people may not believe that back in the 50s we went to a Drive In restaurant where we could enjoy from the comfort of our car: a coke, a burger, some fries or just meet friends. The waitress would come to your car on roller skates and hook a tray onto your cranked down window.

It looked something like this. 

Here's a video about a place in USA that still does this.

http://www.detnews.com/section/videonetwork?bctid=558135520001

In Willowdale, we had a Drive In on the East side of Yonge Street, and I think it was just North of Steeles, but I could not recall it's name.


One of our pals from those days explains it this way:

 Just watched the Video. Really neat. I remember the roller skates at the Willcox and the waitress would put a card under your windshield to show your order had been taken.

Windshield washers were a brand new thing at that time. The waitress name was Erma and I was good friends with her so I gave her a little spritz with the washer when she put the card under my wiper. It scared her more than getting her wet and she was not amused, not super angry but not amused. My order was a very long time coming that night and the joke was never repeated. It was called the Willcox not because of the lake but the owner's name was Bob Willcox. I'm  sure it was called the Wilcox Drive In. Later it was called the Golden Star.

 - Kenny Pittam

Well, I thought this was so important, I played around with addresses on Yonge Street using Google Maps and it turns out that 7121 Yonge St., Thornhill, Ontario is for a place called The Golden Star, just as Kenny said...

But I don't see any chicks coming out of there on roller skates. Do you? Maybe this is not in their job description any more.

what musicians in the 1950's and 60's - J.Dowson

This is what musicians in the 1950's and 60's did to earn money between jobs...

It was better than working at Eaton's or what Lenny Wright did working in the "cage" at a Domion security trades'. Wally Dean a fiddle player in a country band use to be a dealer when the Big Card Games came to town he was called to deal. He always got a cut of the pot. I use to go after the gig and watch the game, in 1957 the pots were $1,500 to $5,000 big money when a beer was a buck at the bar.

In October 1961 Alex Lazaroff hired me as a bass player at the Edison house band called "Alex and the Rebels" 

Tommy Danton and the Echoes were in Europe doing shows at the US army bases USO clubs. I chose not to go and you had to pay your own way. The tour went bust after only four weeks and the guys were broke and stranded in London England fortunately Tommy was a Londoner and he got relatives and friends to put them up. They played a few gigs locally but wanted to return.

I remember the musicians on Yonge street started a collection to pay for the fares for Gordy Glass, Lenny Wright and Johnny Stockfish who all took a long boat trip back home to Toronto. We had a celebration when they got back. I believe Gordy Glass left a drum he hocked in London. Tommy and the piano player Frank Cilochi had relatives to help them out.

I met Vic Costantino in the Edison just before Christmas 1960 and he hired me as a insurance agent to go out to Vancouver with him Vic; was the sales Manager. I left Toronto on March 31 1961 50 years ago and I didn't return until August 1974, with a wife and seven year old child.

I have been in the insurance business since then all up and down financially. This is my 50th year in the insurance business. And now you know the rest of the story.

Entertainers and musicians I met and talked with during my musical career - Johnny (James) Dowson

At the colonial Tavern on Yonge street Toronto

Earl Fatha Hines

Earl Bostic

Gene Krupa

Trummy Young

Jack Teagarden

Muggys Spanier

Bill Goddard

On the road

Louis Armstrong and his band

Stan Kenton

Wayne King the “Waltz King”

Wes Montgomery

Bobby Lord

Teddy Wilson

Maynard Ferguson

Don Francks

Dave Broadfoot

Jerry Lee Lewis

Ronnie Hawkins

Conway Twitty

Al Bruno

At The Edison Hotel Yonge and Gould street Toronto

Dwayne Eddy

Bill Haley and the Comets

Woody Herman

Dizzy Gillespie

More Rick Carson...

Here are a couple of nice photos of Rick.

1957- the mysterious Rick Carson taken at the Circle M Riding Stable. He and brother John Dowson had been out goofing around.

The above photo comes to us from Karen Cronk Druchock Sept.2011. - Thanks, Karen!

Gord's Rock

Do you remember we used to sneak booze into the dance using the girlfriend's purse?
This just in from my friend Gary (April 25, 2011):

When I was 17 or 18, not sure, at Earl Haig and I hung out for a short period with Gord McMillan (Gord's Rock) only because he dated Judy Parsons and she was a friend.  I had a part time job, borrowed my Dad's car, ran the Willow Y Dances and did not have a lot of money.  While I was like that, Gord drove this (this is the exact model and colour), and I had my Dad's 55 Chevy, right.

Cummer Memorial

 

To: Mike Dowson

Cc: Charles Dowson ; John Dowson ; Strathdee

Sent: Sunday, February 06, 2011 4:18 PM

Subject: Cummer Memorial

Howdy Mike

 

Here's a photo of that memorial you mentioned. That's Al Fagan - I forgot the name of the street just north of McKee - where Magicomo's fruit market was.

 

 

 

Rich

 

Photo by Patrick Folkes

JOHNSON, Leonard Denton – October 23, 1938 – June 26, 2010

Leonard passed away suddenly, Saturday June 26, 2010 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Elliot Lake Ontario. Leonard was a very close friend of Walter Blight and a resident of our community for the past six years. As he had wished, cremation and no services. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Alternative Funeral Services.

Miscellaneous Memory Dumps

Here's one from Davey Dobson...
-----------------------
Sent: Friday, January 14, 2011 11:52   AM
 Subject: A newly discovered  memory


My memory was jarred into remembering something  last night that  I had
forgotten, here's how it goes:

Nick  St. Nicholas, Bass player  of Steppenwolf band and others was born  in
Germany but raised in  Canada.

Many years ago in the  middle 60's (Between marriages) I used to  go out with
a girl  called Maren Kassbaum. Maren was a German beauty, blue  eyes,  blonde
hair and a shape even Hitler would kill for. She was a pianist   and played
for the National Ballet school and the Royal  Conservatory of  music.

The part that I had forgotten was that  one of her brothers  was
Klaus Karl Kassbaum who later became Nick  St Nicholas of  Steppenwolf..

Added details:
I met her  parents often and her father,  who was a German U boat  commander
during WW2, was the nicest chap that one  would ever  meet.

Another memory recovered from the scrap   heap

Dave D.

Old Willowdale

To: Patrick Foldes
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 3:01 PM

Subject: Old Willowdale

Howdy Patrick

Sun is finally out here today - been a while. The City of Moose Jaw has a special snowplow policy for this time of year. Wait until spring.

Thought you might enjoy this site - can't remember if I sent it to you. I'll have him post a few more of us at the old house in Willowdale.

- Richard Dowson

http://rstrathdee.com/willow/photosHepburn.htm

Black & White Photos

Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2011 12:20 PM

Subject: Black & White Photos

Hi All,

I am sending along some black & white photos taken 1954-1956 time span. The pic of "Barbara" I am not sure of her last name. Do any of you know her?

Cheers

Bev (Fielding) Spencer

[To see all of Bev's pics, go to this page: http://rstrathdee.com/willow/photosHepburn2.htm - Russ]

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sent: Monday, January 24, 2011 3:52 PM

Subject: Circle M Photo

This photo was taken at the circle M Ranch riding stable in the summer of 1957, I have several others taken that day by Rick Carson? 

 

 

The people on the rail are Left to right Richard Dowson. Bono, Art Johnson John Dowson and his first wife Carol-Anne. Yes I remember that day well. On one of the other pictures taken on the same day has Rick in the picture.

 

If I recall it was early in August. I was in my fourth year apprenticeship for steamfitter and was playing in the clubs at night, with Vic Costantino, Ray Kushner and subbing on bass with Terry Roberts.

 

But I didn't quit my day job and finished my trade and wrote the exam in August 1958, and then I quit and traveled with Tommy Danton.

 

In fact at the time this photo was taken I was playing at The Horseshoe Tavern on Queen street with Terry Roberts when Richard visited us playing a saturday afternoon gig, and the guy next Richard at the bar drank a full bottle of beer at one go and fell right off the barstool.

 

-. John Dowson

 

End of The Edison Hotel on Toronto's Yonge Street

Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 11:38 AM

Subject: SAD NEWS AGAIN

SAD NEWS THE EDISON HOTEL ON YONGE STREET AT THE CORNER OF GOULD STREET BURNED DOWN ON JANUARY 3 2011.
KENNY HEPBURN PLAYED THERE WITH ALEX LAZAROFF AND THE REBELS, I JOINED THE BAND IN 1960 AND WORKED AT THE CLUB FOR SEVEN MONTHS.
When Tommy Danton and the Echoes played the Zanzibar and Gordon Lightfoot was at the Silver Rail between sets we'd rush down to the "Eddy" for a glass of ten cent beer. Mr. Rotenberg the owner, would stand on the sidewalk and call in customers. The beer parlour in the back was a regular watering hole for band members from The Zanzibar, the Silver Rail, The Bermuda club, The Coq, D'or and the Brown Derby.for a 10cent glass of beer. We'd mix with the rummy's and other floatsome, between sets, barf on the floor and then try and walk out for our next set. Many times we'd just leave Gordy Glass there on the floor and perform the next set without him, "he went home ill" we'd say. When the Willowdale gang came to see Tommy Danton they'd go down to The Eddy for a cheap buzz and Kenny Hepburn would sit there and drink a coke because he was only 18 years old.

During my tenure at "The Eddy" many of the legends played there and our band The Rebels played the dance music between their sets. There was Bill Haley and the Comets, Woody Herman and the Third Herd, Dwayne Eddy, Dizzy Gillespie, The Diamonds, Tommy Ambrose was The Rebels, featured vocalist and "Katy Murdoch" the last of the Red Hot Mama's was also our female vocalist. Plenty of the greats played there.
 
- John Dowson

Al Hepburn

Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 7:57 PM

Subject: Al Hepburn

Been sacanning some old slides - the guy second from the right is Al Hepbrun - at the 7L7 Rodeo we put together in May 1959. He rode - and was bucked off.

Enjoy
Richard Dowson

Richard James

Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 6:14 PM

Subject: Re: Richard James

Howdy Patrick

 

Sad news indeed. He was such a vibrant guy in his day. His hair containted more oil than Johnny Ryan's 52 Ford Hardtop. 

 

I remember our great treks to the Glendale looking for girls. James always believed that if we met girls during a horror film they would look to us for protection. It is something I never believed and I was right.

 

The guy with glasses was probably Danny Sage - but may have been Q Ball (Paul Andrews). He disliked both and in particular, Danny Sage, Ralph's younger brother.

 

I'd love to get Nancy's phone number if you have it. I'd give her a call.

 

It would be good if you could stop in and visit with him.

 

Keep me posted

 

- Richard

 

Russ - Richard James lived on the second block - north side of Byng Avenue - next door to Rond Drury and just down from Bob Falconer - he worked his entire life with McLean's publishing (McLeand's Mag) - except for a season at the Womans' Golf Course in Thronhill

----- Original Message -----

Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2010 4:05 PM

Subject: Richard James

Hi Richard:  Nancy, Richard's wife, phoned this afternoon. Says Richard is in Bradford Valley Nursing Home, Bradford, as of a couple weeks ago. He has gone downhill very rapidly with Alzheimer's. She said some days he is completely prostrate,nothing works, the next he is still able to walk. She also said he talks a lot about Folkes and Dowson, so I guess we are still in his long term memory. This is what prompted her to phone me. Sounds like she is having a terrible time, sold their house and took a three-bedroom apartment in Bradford with the view that Richard would be able to stay with her. But his decline has been so precipitous that that didn't happen. He still recognizes her and the one daughter who lives not far away. I got the impression that he may not be around that much longer. Nancy mentioned that Richard keeps talking about somebody who wore glasses and that he hates his guts. She asked me who I thought this might be, but I said I couldn't recall anybody of the old Willowdale crowd who fit this description. Maybe it was an old teacher or somebody at work.  Anyway, this is such gloomy Christmas time news. Alzherimer's is such awful shit.   I' m thinking that if the weather is agreeable I may go down and see Richard. Haven't seen him in the flesh since 1964 or '65.   What a bummer it all is!!

- Patrick Folkes

Grandpa - what did you do in the war

Sent: Sunday, November 21, 2010 1:16 PM

Subject: Grandpa - what did you do in the war

Hi Russ

 

Had a thought last week - considered sharing it with you because of your Willowdale Blog.

 

My 17 year old grandson asked me about my early life and what I'd change - if anything. Interesting questions from an interesting person. He attends Athold Murray Notre Dame College out here in Saskatchewan - ever though he lives in Edmonton.

 

I fumbled a little but did tell him about one thing I would change.

 

When we were kids in old Willowdale there was the joke - "Grandpa, what did you do in the war?' - for those he didn't go.

 

Any way - I do wander - what would be interesting is a question of the old Willowdale crowd directed to young people - "How would you change things if you could - given your years of experience?" or something like that.

 

It certainly wouldn't be that I'd send more time f#$%@* texting or on the Internet!

 

So - if you get a chance - I encourage you to ask your old crowd what they might do to change the world - or to change their life if they could go back.

 

Might just be fun.

 

All the best

 

Richard