1941 Manhasset, New York
Stephen Clay Gladstone
Born 1941
First movie memories in Manhasset, New York
Interviewed on 01/25/19
by Orlando Nixon
What is the first movie you remember seeing?
“It was a cartoon. Bugs Bunny. Every Saturday we would go to the movie theatre to watch cartoons. It was absolutely exciting. We would really look forward to it. It wasn’t just going to the movies. We were fired up.”
How old were you (approximately)?
“I think I was 5-6 years old. I’m not sure, I can’t remember exactly.”
What do you remember about the movie?
“It was funny, Bugs Bunny always outsmarted his adversaries. His adversaries where a dog and this guy called Elmer Fudd.”
What did you think of the character(s), actor(s), story?
“Elmer Fud was this cranky old man would always be chasing the rabbit, but never able to catch him. He had this shotgun which he would always be carrying.
Elmer Thud would always say “I thought I saw a puddy cat.”
I think I might be confusing two different cartoons here. The dog was a bulldog. He lived in his bulldog house with a big thick collar on in his neck. He was always outsmarted. Bugs Bunny was always clever. He was never caught. He was too smart for them”
Who was with you? How did you get to the theater/venue?
“My mother took me. I went in the station wagon with the Smyth kids. It was a gang of kids. My mum wouldn’t sit with us. She just got us in. Billy and Whitney Smyth. Billy was a couple years older, Whitney my age. And then Jamie Lyle and Trippy Decker would hang out with us as well.”
That’s a hilarious name! What was Trippy Decker’s Story?
“They were really wealthy. They had a big big house on the hill. I don’t even know what his first name is. We just called him Trippy because he had ‘the third’ after his name.”
Do you remember the name of the theater?
“It was Saturday morning at the Manhasset Movie Theatre. Saturday morning was cartoon morning. There were 9 cartoons in a row. Bugs Bunny was the only one that stuck with me. The other cartoons didn’t leave an impression. At least, I can’t remember them now.
Were there ushers?
Yeah there were Ushers. I think they were to keep people quiet, like Theatre police.”
Do you remember any other cartoons from around then?
“Later on, I remember the Roadrunner but I think that was later. I remember some Micky Mouse but it didn’t leave an impression like Bugs.”
Any reason why Bugs Bunny stuck with you so long?
“I think the chase and the outwitting stuck with me from Bugs Bunny. I actually can’t remember any Mickey Mouse narratives”
What else do you remember from your early visits to the movies?
“The other stuff I remember…. I just remember very well was the news footage from the end of the war. I can remember my parents, we were in the car, when Roosevelt died. My dad and mum pulled over the car. I remember listening but had no idea what it was. I distinctly remember VE day as well. My mother was relieved. Her two brothers were over there. I remember this saying about the soldiers, Over there overpaid oversexed.”
Where did you see the footage from the war?
“It was in the movie theatre. Always in the movie theatre. They’d always play it before the cartoons. It’s interesting they’d do that with a bunch of kids. It’s what we would call today, American Propaganda Films. I’m not sure why they would play them to kids. I think they were just on the reels. I do remember, maybe not related to your paper, the real negative things. It was really racist, much much more directed to the Japanese. Which I think is because there is a huge American German population. The Japanese were considered to be incredibly cruel. Have you heard about it? You’re brining back a bunch of songs. WWII songs
‘Mussolini burned his weany’.
‘Hitler had one ball.’
We used to sing those all the time.
Very funny! Alright, I think that’s all. Thanks Steve!
