Falkville News
History of the Falkville Mars Theatre
It was June of 1950 and the Valley Theatre at Falkville went on the auction block at the courthouse in Decatur.
My brother, Jimmie Gibbons and mother Eila Gibbons went to the auction and bid on the theatre and became the lucky owner of the theatre.
The name Valley Theatre was changed to Mars Theatre and the motto was “Come to the Mars and see stars.”
Adult’s tickets were 35 cents and children’s were 13 cents. Popcorn was 10 cents and a bag of three was 25 cents. The theatre was family operated.
My mother and father sold tickets. I was the manager of the concession stand and my brother operated the movie projector. There was a place upstairs for the colored people to sit and watch the movie.
Saturday night serials were shown –this was a movie that showed every week and not to miss out on the movie. It would last several weeks, until it came to an end.
My brother would play recorded music from 45 RDM records before the movie would start.
People would come from miles around to see the movie. Some of the movies that were shown were “Show Boat,” and “Gone With the Wind.”
In the 1960’s, Americans began to travel more and eat out more often and interest in foreign food. TV cook shows became very popular.
History lesson. The last four letters in American spell “I can.”
Prices in 1935: Average income was $1,632, new car was $625, new house was $13,400, loaf of bread was eight cents, a gallon of gas was ten cents, a gallon of milk was 47 cents.
Your journey through life is bound to hold a few surprises.
Members of Young at Heart ate lunch at Clark’s Restaurant in Athens last Friday. Attending this event were Bruce and Georgia Treece, Joe and Fran Edmondson, Alford and Linda Bryan, Mike and Deborah Thompson, Vaughn and Rita Burden, Geraldine Rowe, Dean Nelson, Rev. Stephen Cannon, Brownie and Peggy Nelson of Athens met the group for lunch and going to Serendipity Antiques.
Vertie Yates and Adell Gibson ate at Johnny’s Barbecue in Moulton last Friday. After lunch, they toured Moulton.
Three former co-workers at Falkville School cafeteria, Adell Gibson, Mary Holmes and Sylvia McClellan ate lunch at Cracker Barrel in Hartselle.
Recent visitors of Adell Gibson have been Franklin and Sue Harrison of Flint, Howard and Helen Gibson of Priceville, Gail Howard and Lavon Gibson of Hartselle and J.C. and Margaret Dunaway.
Adell Gibson met friends at the senior center in Hartselle Tuesday for lunch.