THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, March 21, 1995 TAG: 9503210007
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Short : 37 lines
``Walls that talked'' (Daily Break, March 15) was enjoyable and long overdue. Earl Swift did an outstanding job of reporting.
In the mid-'50s, I performed on most of the stages mentioned. Most of the Levine circuit theaters had a Saturday-morning kiddie show consisting of cartoons, a serial and a cowboy movie, all for a quarter admission.
Attendance was dwindling in the mid-'50s with the competition of television.
In 1953, Wild Bill Hickcock (Guy Madison) was to make a personal appearance at the Park Theater, although he didn't have an ``act'' as such. I was booked with my magic show to add an extra 30 minutes to the program.
When the cowboy arrived and saw the marquee reading ``On Stage - In Person, Chuck The Wonder Magician'' and under that, ``Also, Wild Bill Hickcock,'' he refused to take second billing to a 12-year-old kid and didn't appear.
Every Saturday morning for the next two years, I would do a stage show at one of the Levine kiddie shows; either the Memrose, the Rosna, etc. Because of the newly added Cinemascope screens, there often were only a few feet between the screen and the edge of the stage. Even a magician, however, couldn't compete with Saturday-morning television. The kiddie shows eventually ended.
Under other circumstances, I also played the Gates' theaters and the Wells, the Colonial and others. Nice to see an article in your paper without a negative approach.
CHARLES WINDLEY
Norfolk, March 15, 1995 by CNB