I like the way the Rialto Theater converted this Model T into a moving billboard promoting their shows.
It's usually easy to date theater pictures by the marquee or the film posters, but this one is a little challenging. The only text I can read seems to say "Mermaid C...". After I bit of research I learned of a production unit called "Mermaid Comedies" created by directors Jack White, Lloyd Hamilton, and Charlie Case in 1920. They exclusively produced comedic shorts, very few of which are known to still exist. So while we can't date this image precisely, it must be from the early 1920's.
Category: [Downtown Hood River]
Tags: 1920s Alva_Day automobile Oak_Street Rialto_Theater theater
"A dime any time" seems to be expensive for the time.
As a kid growing up in Gardena, Ca., in 1949, I remember the Saturday movie with cartoons, was 5 cents at the Park Theater. It opened in 1947 and is still in business today as the Gardena Cinema.
Dale Nicol on 5th December 2018 @ 7:12am
I think it was in 1949, to 1951 that is stuck in my head that it was .11 cents for the movie and .14 cents at the swimming pool that could be reversed to many years.
lee on 5th December 2018 @ 8:10am
I would imagine the Vaudeville performers wanted to get paid, so a few cents tacked onto the price of admission makes sense.
Alan on 5th December 2018 @ 9:01am
Interesting how Vaudevil is spelled near the running board
Jeff Bryant on 5th December 2018 @ 6:41pm
Good catch, Jeff. I didn't notice that message. I zoomed in and could read the message hidden in the "Rialto" script underline. It says, "Always Good Most Times Great". That seems like a very restrained motto.
Arthur on 6th December 2018 @ 9:19am