1947 Chappell, Nebraska

Diann Mckenzie 

Born 1941 

Chappell, Nebraska 

Interviewed on 01/31/24 

by Sam Brody

If everyone’s like me, they absolutely knew the first movie they saw. 

The first movie I saw was Bambi. It came out in 1942, but it wasn’t introduced to the US until after the war in 1947. I must have seen it when I was five or six, and I saw it in Chappell, Nebraska. I had to have gone with my mother because I was too little to go to a movie alone. I don’t know if my siblings were with me, and I’m sure my Dad wasn’t with me because he’s always working. 

The first thing I remember is the death of Bambi’s mother. I also remember the colors of the film… it was called a technicolor film. Now, people consider it garish, but as a child, the colors were so bright and beautiful and vivid. I remember the trees and the flowers… and then there was fire. I vividly remember the crackle of the fire – and that’s when Bambi’s mother was killed. When you’re a little kid and you see someone’s Mom die you’re like WAIT that can’t happen, but then you realize it can. Until then, I wasn’t aware as a child you could lose your mother. It really freaked me out. I was just devastated. 

I also remember that Bambi had a friend. A bunny. The bunny’s name was Thumper. I don’t know why I remember that but I think I really liked that name. 

In Chappell, Nebraska, we had a tiny theater, but it was always full even though there were only 1300 people in the town. It’s no longer there, and I don’t remember the name, but I certainly remember the location. The theater was right next to the post office on the main street. It was too tiny for ushers, but it was very cozy. You could also see in the back up high where they had the apparatus with the tape going. It was such a fun place to go. 

I think you could buy popcorn, but it wasn’t like it is today with the large variety of concessions. It was such a treat to go to the movies that I don’t think we expected anything else. I mean, why would you? You got to sit there watching a movie. It was such a big deal to us.

The seats didn’t do anything like they do now. In my mind, I thought they were fancy. I think they were covered in cloth which I thought was fancy. For a five year old, it didn’t take much. Also, I’m not sure who owned the theater. I don’t know if it was someone in town, or a company who opened theaters all over the place but it was certainly a joy. 

I’m trying to remember… I think it cost a dime to go, and if you wanted to buy a snack you needed a nickel to go with it. Before the movie they had a newsreel. It was always in black and white and about some current event. Probably then it was about World War 2. People were still migrating and dealing with the after effects of WW2. I remember the newsreel being very jerky. It was not smooth. And usually there was a cartoon too. Now that I think back, the cartoons were pretty violent. Bugs Bunny was beating up someone else and bopping them on the head. It was crazy stuff. 

We would have driven there, even though it was only four blocks away. Each little town had its own theater. Sydney, Nebraska had a theater. Chappell, Nebraska had a theater. Hebron, Nebraska had a theater. Each theater was just for the town. Just like each town had its own little grocery store, its own little school, and its own little post office. People weren’t as mobile as they are now. Now things are more consolidated.

People would be so honored to see a movie that there would be no disruption whatsoever. 

When I was in high school I was dating a junior and after the prom you could stay out and see a movie. Do you know Bridgette Bardot? We were like “she is a sizzler”. I remember one scene where was wearing these pearls and they broke and she was crawling around the floor and it was very sexual. I think all of our eyes were as big as saucers. 

For people who lived in cities, there would be velvet curtains on either side of the screen, and there would be a big foyer that would look fancy and have gold trimmings and would have a huge concessions area. In Chappell, we only had popcorn… if that. The city theaters would also have entertainment, and an organ that would be underground. Somehow, the organ would rise up, and a guy or a lady would play the organ before the movie started. 

But yeah, we didn’t have anything like that. You just saw the movie and were just grateful you got to go.

Mrs. Mckenzie is my maternal grandmother.