Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Motion Pictures, Medicine Shows in early Dearborn

Born in 1896, Ivadel remembers:

Our first motion picture house was on Monroe across from the fire hall. The movies were silent, of course, and a pianist played the old instrument, trying to create the mood necessary for the scene on the screen. These attempts were often ridiculous, especially so the first time the film was run, because she had no idea what was coming next. "Hearts and Flowers" wasn't appropriate for a tragic accident or the "Stars and Stripes Forever" for an amorous scene.

Later there was a show near the present location and then sound was introduced. No longer was the tired pianist needed. (The Calvin Theater opened in January 1927 with seating for 1,485 patrons.)

Summertime brought the medicine show to town. Mr. Sharpsteen set up his tent on the corner of Oakwood and Michigan or in a vacant lot west of the Town Hall on Michigan Avenue. A scheme was promoted by which a queen would be chosen. Votes were procured by buying the medicine Mr. Sharpsteen sold. It was supposed to cure all ills and bring youth to the aged. The contest sometimes grew heated and people bought a great many bottles of the elixir in order to get the votes. I'm sure much of the so-called wonder cure was never consumed. The entertainment was a very mediocre performance, jokes and stories, skits and songs.

During the summer evenings we could hear harmonica music and singing, as the section hands relaxed after their hard day's work along the railroad. They lived on the siding hear Military Avenue in box cars that were fixed up as traveling homes for the men who repaired the railroad beds. Most of these men were Italians and we rarely saw them around town, but we enjoyed their harmonies brought from across the sea.

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