Monday, June 28, 2021
The Willow
From John Dowson - June 28, 2021
The Willow theatre was built on Yonge street at the corner of Norton ave. That was the next street North of my street Parkview and just 1 and a half blocks from Yonge street We were eager to have a movie theatre and we’d sneak in the building as it was being built The building was started in 1947 through the winter and the spring of 1948. Doug Waddell John Woods and I snuck in the theatre when they were showing a movie to check the sound and screen We were seen and invited to stay .
Behind Stephensons gas station on Yonge street at Norton was an empty lot the willow used it as a parking lot. I was hired in 1948 to park cars in the lot from 6.00 pm to 9 pm and I got to see the second feature for free. I was paid $10 a week in addition to my globe and Mail paper route I was a millionaire
The first movie was Tap Roots starring Van Heflin
In March 1949 I was promoted to Usher with my classmate Robbie Neale We were paid $15 a week and I bought tailor made strides and sport jackets The strides were $15 a whole weeks pay. The tailor was Len Owen and I think I still owe him $125
I was an usher at the Willow from its inception in 1949 to 1951 it was a great job yes loose fitting jackets
I had to wear black pants black socks and shoes white shirt and black bow tie and I wore this crappie usher jacket with a black silk lapel and believe it or not that outfit and free tickets attracted girls .
There was a thing going around at the time to see how long you and Your girlfriend could hold a kiss.
One night after the last show I was checking the woman’s washroom and a woman was sitting on the toilet when I opened the door
My friend would show up and hand me a small piece of heavy paper I’d pretend to tear something and deposit it into the ticket container and he’d get in free but the best time was dinner set days when patrons got a free piece of a dinner set. We’d play Frisbee with the plates that would break of course. There was one movie that would not seat women with men and the line up outside the theatre was enormous but we got to see the movie that was for adults only. The money I made allowed me to become a clothes horse 27 inch knee and 14 inch ankles 6 button dropped down belt loops i even bought a pair of blue suide loafers with a nickel in the front
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Email from Charles Dowson Jun 4, 2021, 12:49
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Gents
Take a trip down Yonge Street and view the past, Now if only Google could go to the past with their camera cars disguised as an old milk truck and put that on their site. We might catch a glimpse of John and Richard in the lineup at the old Willow Theatre some Saturday morning. Or Q Ball standing in front of Andrews Meat Market at Parkview and Yonge Street.
Enjoy the tour gents.
Chuck
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| 1945: The Jolly Miller |
The Jolly Miller now The Miller was a great place for a pint and a skate in the winter. I never did both because you had to take a bus there. The Algonquin had more class architecturally and the Mitchel Field rink was only 3 blocks north.
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| Trapper's Restaurant |
The Trappers Restaurant now a Popeyes at the old city limits. One day while Mike and I were in a car with John he parked out front and went into Trappers to get some matches.
Old east side building complex still there.
[Another landmark] The Du Maurier Apartments east side of Yonge Street just north of Lawrence Ave. One day the three of us and mom waited in the '54 Chevy while dad went in to see Auntie June down that little road way.
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