Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Wistful Wednesday: 1957

In 1957 my Father in Law (Marvin) was in a production put on by the Lion’s Club in Park Rapids.  Possibly it was a fundraiser.

Byron 5

Today’s specials were Mule Kick, Tokillya, Rattlesnake Sting, Lions Cocktail and something else I cannot read.

Byron 6

 

Far Guy says that the spittoon played an important part in the play, cowboys would walk in and spit…and the bartender was suppose to drop a marble in a bucket…the timing was never perfect.

The Indian Chief is wearing a sign on his Hudson Bay Blanket ..Shop for your Redeye Wiggler at Fullers. (Fullers was the Bait and Tackle Shop in town.)

The play was loosely based on a western like Gunsmoke.  Remember that western back in the day?  Personally I like westerns.

Well with any western comes the Doc…who is Ben Knapp (His son Byron wood carves with us and I scanned these photos for him), a bartender, cowboys and gunslingers and of course saloon girls.

Byron 4

Note the stick horse tied up at the rail on the far left.  This photo was taken in the old high school, the one that is apartments now.

Check out the third from the right saloon gal.

Byron 4 (2)

Yessiree that gal in the flowered dress is my father in law. He would have been 43 years old that year.  I wonder who did his makeup?

We have had some great fun looking at these old photos.  I scanned them for Byron so he can share them with others.  I asked him if he would share the photos with the Historical Museum..and he said he would.

Old photos are fun to share.

Byron 7

 

Byron 3

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21 comments:

Country Gal said...

Wonderful photos . They do do plays like this any more and the plays they do do are costly to go to . I remember when there was a play every weekend at the theater and it was cheap entertainment . Hudson Bay blanket why that's the company I worked for out great Canadian Hudson Bay , Did you know The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) was created in another time and another country. There is no company in modern Canadian history like it. The HBC was founded on 2 May 1670 when King Charles granted a charter to his cousin Prince Rupert and his associates. Just a bit of our history to lol ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !

linda m said...

Those are some great photos, I laughed when I looked at them. What wonderful memories.

DJan said...

These are a lot of fun. Pictures can capture a time and place that will never be again, so we can go back and enjoy them once again. What fun they seem to be having. Well, maybe not the saloon gals. They don't look all that happy to be gussied up. :-)

Marty said...

How wonderful to see photos like this of family members that some people only remember as that old person sitting in a chair during Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Unknown said...

When the timing is off it always makes for better comedy😋

Linda W. said...

Yes indeed, old photographs are so much fun to look at.

Linda Kay said...

I'll be this was a hoot to see and to be in, for that matter.

Mac n' Janet said...

Would have loved to see this production. Love westerns, always have. In rare moments I sing the theme songs from a number of the: Sugarfoot, Rawhide.

Tired Teacher said...

Community plays are a real hoot, and these photos captured a lot of the action. I'm glad that your friend let you scan and share them.

Nancy/BLissed-Out Grandma said...

Great fun...and I like your suggestion that he donate copies to the museum.

MTWaggin said...

What a HOOT!

Red said...

Community productions like this are great fun and give valuable experiences to the community.

L. D. said...

That is a very large stage. Our older towns were putting on plays that they wrote themselves about a centennial year. I always remember the one where they wrote about a bank robbery and a lot of non actors really didn't pull it off very well. You have some good photos to document that event.

Cynthia said...

What fun! Fun at the time for those involved and fun to look back on the photos and laugh again. Oh, boy, do I remember Gunsmoke. My dad's favorite show and we never missed it. We named our cat after Miss Kitty, Matt Dillon's girlfriend.

Anonymous said...

These are real treasures. As for your fil's makeup, I remember grandma wearing two little circles of rouge (as she called it). The stage area is reminiscent of the high school I attended. Glad you could share with Byron.

Karen said...

I think all high schools had stages like that:) What fun, I'm wondering if it was sort of like a British pantomime, when men are often take a woman's part. Fond memories of Gunsmoke:)

Henny Penny said...

This is so interesting. It was in the late 1950's that my Dad was in the Lion's Club. We lived in the little town of Robbins where I grew up. The Lion's Club put on a play at the school and Daddy played the part of a woman. I remember that he wore one of Mama's dresses, it was navy blue with little rhinestone buttons. Mama helped him get dressed and I remember them laughing. That must have been the thing back then for the Lion's Club to raise money, maybe? You are so lucky to have so many pictures. Thank you for the memories.

Linda Reeder said...

What a kick! Those guys must have had great fun!

Jacqi Stevens said...

Yes, it's fun to share those old photos. Brings back memories. I've been going through a stack of my own old photos and it reminds me of one thing: that scanning can be a lot of work!

Sam I Am...... said...

The town I come from always had plays and shows even as small as it was and they still do. I get the newsletter and it amazes me how the small towns have more going on than some of the bigger communities...or so it seems. Maybe it's just more fun when you know the people involved. Those are super pictures and I love all the rouge that Far Guy's dad had on! LOL!

Rita said...

When I was a kid I remember my mom and dad practicing to sing for some event--all dressed in old fashioned clothing and singing Bicycle Built For Two and something else--maybe In The Good Old Sumertime? We didn't get to see them perform--only in the living room--LOL!

My dad loved Gunsmoke so we saw that and Bonanza regularly. (Had such a crush on Little Joe.)

I'm glad these will go to the museum!! :)