The "Hippodrome's Of Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Part II - Theatres In Downtown Lancaster" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking all the Lancaster Face Book pages as well as online sites for photographs of movie theatres that at one time graced the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

The Strand Movie Theatre on Manor Street.

Yesterday I told you the story of a favorite of mine from my childhood, but by the time I had become an adult, the Strand Theatre was no more.  And, as time went on, all of the rest of the movie threaders in downtown, or close to the center of the city, had also vanished.  The only "Theatre" that still remains in Downtown Lancaster is "The Fulton Theatre" on North Prince Street which has never been a movie theatre, serving as a live venue since it was built.  

The Fulton Opera House in downtown Lancaster.

Type in Fulton Theatre in the little white box at the top left of this story if you want to read about "The Fulton Theatre."  As for the other theaters in the downtown area, I have been to many of them over the years except the Hamilton which I knew existed, but never ventured into along North Queen Street.  The first large movie theaters in downtown Lancaster were built between 1910 and 1916.  They were The Hippodrome/Capitol, The Hamilton, The Colonial and The Grand.  

A very early photograph of the Grand in Lancaster.

The Grand Theatre was the smallest of the theatres in the 100 block of N. Queen with seating listed at 873.  It may also be the oldest of the downtown theatre being built in 1913.  It opened on October 6 with Robert Broderick in "Arizona."  The Grand was later operated by Warner Bros. and closed in 1969 when the Mayor of Lancaster decided to renovate the 100 block of North Queen and totally demolished the entire block.  

An old newspaper photo of the 2nd block of North Queen.
The Grand is in the middle of the photograph.

Over the past dozen or so years, many residents realize it was perhaps the biggest mistake ever made in the city of Lancaster.  It was such a disaster that another renovation of the area began a few years ago to correct what was done in 1969.  Stories I read about the Grand said that it did not have a curtain in front of the screen.  The Hamilton Theatre was across the street from the Grand and was opened on September 11, 1916 with Billie Burke in "Gloria's Romance" and Mary Pickford in "Hulda from Holland."  Seating was listed at 1,014 and was operated by Warner Bros. and its subsidiaries.  

The original Hippodrome Theatre on North Queen St.

The Hamilton was once one of the most ornate motion picture palaces in the East.  The building was part of the Wheatland Hotel, later the Milner Hotel.  The Hamilton closed in the early 1960s and was later demolished in the downtown renovation.  The Hippodrome was located at 150 N. Queen Street and opened in 1910.  It was destroyed by a fire and the Capitol Theatre was built on the same site in 1916.  It had a seating capacity of 1,161 and also closed in the mid-1960s and was later demolished.  

This photograph shows the Capitol in the foreground and
the Hamilton in the middle of the photo and the Boyd
Theatre at the end of the block.

The Colonial Theatre was opened on January 29, 1912 with 1,250 seats.  It stood on the corner of North Queen Street and West Chestnut Street.  The theatre was acquired by Boyd Theaters and renovated.  It reopened as the Boyd Theatre on August 14, 1956.  It closed in 1965 and was demolished in the redevelopment of the area.  

The King Theatre on East King Street.

There was also a theatre complex in the third block of North Queen Street called the Eric Pacific 3.  That also is gone.  The final theatre in Lancaster was located at 419 E. King Street. The King Theatre opened on April 27, 1950 with seating on a single floor.  The marquee and facade still remain today, but the theatre was converted into residences a few years ago.  I asked my wife if she knew of any movie theatres that are in the city anymore.  We both drew blanks.  Such a shame that all the theaters are located outside the city limits.  Maybe someday that will change and make it easier for city residents to walk to the theatre for an evening of entertainment.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Hippodrome's Of Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Part I - The Fall Of The Strand" Story

The Strand on Manor Street

It was an ordinary day.  Standing outside the Strand Theatre on Manor Street in Lancaster, PA waiting for my mom to arrive to take my friends and myself home from the Saturday morning movie.  I can remember heading to the Strand on Saturday mornings with my friends to watch a good western movie on the big screen.  Always began the show with a cartoon and sometimes had to sit through a newsreel before the main movie began on the screen.  The Strand opened in 1910 as a "nickelodeon" with admission being five cents.  The theater was first known as the Kuhn Theatre, then the Lancaster Theatre and later as the Manor Theatre before finally changing their name to the Strand Theatre in 1925.  I recently read a short story about the original theatre which was opened by Mr. Ed Kuhn.  His head projectionist was a guy named Charles C. Smith.  

The interior of the Strand before it was demolished.
The inset is Mr. Harry Chertcoff.

He was responsible for threading the plastic reel through the projection machine and making sure it ran smooth the entire movie.  Every so ofter the film would break and Charlie had to take time out and fix the reel.  A story from the March, 1962 Intelligencer Newspaper told his story and the fact that at the time he lived at 71 Buch Avenue in Manheim Township.  Mr. Smith recalled that Mr. Kuhn opened the movie theatre with proceeds from the sale of his family business which was known as The Adam Kuhn Bakery.  The building had been severely damaged by fire and was later sold and became known as Gunzenhauser Bakery.  

Newspaper advertisement for the Strand.

The original theatre had 400 seats and was about the only building on the city block.  It eventually was enlarged to 900 seats and hemmed in by buildings on all sides.  Mr. Smith operated the theatre for about 3 years beginning in 1918.  The theatre was then purchased by  George Benthan who had a chain of movie theaters in Reading, Pottstown and Philadelphia.  It was Mr. Benthan who renamed it the Strand.  Then in 1928 he sold the theatre to Harry M. Chertcoff who put the theatre in his wife's name.  She retained ownership until the date of the story in the 1962 newspaper, but had been operating under lease from her to the Harry Chertcoff Estate.  

They did have live shows
on the stage at the Strand.

Sound like something fishy going on to you?  Well, a Mr. Morton Brodsky, general manager for the Chertcoff interests said that the Strand had been losing money and couldn't continue to operate.  He thought of renovating it, selling it or even leasing it.  He did find a buyer for about 700 of the seats that had just been replaced two years earlier.  Another interested person was Mayor George Coe who once worked at the theatre as a part-time projectionist on days he wasn't working at the Grand Theatre or Hamilton Theatre in Downtown Lancaster.  Well, the newspaper article dated Wednesday, March 28, 1962 tells the the story of the closing of the Strand.  Happened to coincide with the local observation of "International Theatre Week."  And wouldn't you know it...Lancaster's Mayor George Coe honored the week with a special proclamation.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Another view of the Strand

The "Some Of The Best Waterin' Holes & Eateries In The USA" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I were talking about where we might be able to have our evening meal, since just about every one of our favorite restaurants is open only for Pick-Up.  We do feel better not making a visit until we can safely eat without a mask, but we also miss all our favorites.  We began to think back to the days when we would visit Woody's in Northeast or The Bayard House in Chesapeake City.  Then Carol said, "How about The Chesapeake Inn in Chesapeake City.  Remember the crab ravioli you would get and the Lobster grilled cheese I enjoyed."  Well, we're hoping by the end of the summer that we will be able to take a drive to the Chesapeake for lunch once again and stop at one of our favorites.  Always a fun day!  The conversation about eating out began earlier in the day when I found an online story telling about America's oldest restaurant and bar.  

Found out that it was a place called the White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island.  They opened in 1673 and even though the town was filled with Puritans and Quakers, they still had plenty of thirsty patrons at the local watering hole.  The building itself was constructed in 1652 as a two-story residence for Francis Brinley which made it one of the oldest buildings in the U.S.  There was a short time when it was closed during prohibition, but the White Horse Tavern still serves food and drinks today.  The 17th century architecture shows a tiny front hall and cavernous fireplaces with giant beams and a small stairway against the chimney.  Not only is it the oldest in the United States, but it is the 10th oldest operating restaurant in the world.  Over the years it has gone through many owners with a Newport-based group being the ninth owner in the over 350-year history of the Tavern.

The White Horse Tavern  

The second oldest restaurant and bar in the U.S.A. is the Fraunces Tavern in New York City's financial district.  It opened in 1762 and 21 years later George Washington dined as well as addressed his troops while probably eating one of their famous rich and creamy pot pies.  The warmth and charm of the dark oak paneling exudes the historic vibes of the place.

The Fraunces Tavern

Next in line is the 1776 Griswold Inn known to all as the "Gris".  The historic inn and pub has been serving the public for close to 250 years.  Can you imagine the celebrations that will be part of the 250th year of the Gris.  The inn is located between Hartford and New York City and serves traditional America fare in a cozy, warm setting.  It is considered one of the oldest continuously operating inns in America.

The "Gris"

  The Union Oyster House in Boston, Mass. opened in 1826 in a building that dated back to 1742 and once housed an import business known as the spot for some "wicked good chowder."  Many New England favorites can be found on the menu while the place is steeped in old world charm.

Union Oyster House

In 1840 the French-Creole restaurant known as Antoine's opened in New Orleans.  It is still owned and operated by the original family.  Antoine's son, Jules, is credited with creating Oysters Rockefeller within this famous establishment.  Today the recipe remains a closely guarded secret.  Each dining area in the restaurant is uniquely themed and the walls throughout the eatery are adorned with pictures and historic memorabilia.  There's even an original Thomas Edison lightbulb remaining in the building. 

Antoine's

 The Tadich Grill is sill the same as it was when it opened in 1849 in San Francisco, California.  It is known as the oldest restaurant in California and is famous for having the freshest expertly prepared seafood around.  The "no reservations" makes for a packed place at all times.

The Tadich Grill

1856 was the start of Washington D.C.'s first recorded saloon.  Needless to say, Old Ebbitt Grill has served an impressive list of U.S. Presidents.  The antique clock placed above the original revolving door has maintained its signature charm for the days when Theodore Roosevelt was a regular.  The animal heads on the walls were said to be trophies from Teddy.

Old Ebbitt Grill

McGillin's Olde Ale House opened in Philadelphia in March of 1860.  If you happen to be in town on St. Patrick's Day, you must stop at this place.  They are the oldest continuously operating tavern in the city and serving the usual pub grub.  If you can't find it, ask any cop or cabby, since it's in an alleyway, but certainly well worth the scavenger hunt.

McGillin's Olde Ale House

 Denver, Colorado is the home of the Buckhorn Exchange which opened in 1893.  It served not only cattlemen, but miners and Indian Chiefs.  Five Presidents and countless Hollywood celebs have stopped at this restaurant.  Today you can still feast on bison, elk and quail while surrounded by taxidermy.  A truly Wild West experience!

Buckhorn Exchange

Another old restaurant in the USA is a place called Louis' Lunch which opened in 1895 in New Haven, Connecticut.  It was opened as a small lunch wagon and was one of the first places in the U.S. to serve steak sandwiches.  The tiny red brick building has been recognized by the Library of Congress as the Birthplace of the Hamburger.  The original cast-iron grills are still used to make the burgers.  Each burger is placed on white toast with the limited topping options of cheese, onion and tomato.  There is no mustard or ketchup in this place, since it would spoil the quality of the fine meats that go into the legendary sandwiches.  The restaurant is owned and operated by 4th generation descendants.

Louis Lunch

There are many historical taverns and pubs in just about any city or town in the United States.  I'm sure you have your favorite, just as Carol and I have a few in towns we enjoy to visit.  Always fun to have a good home-cooked meal at your own house, but just as much fun to not have to clean up after yourself by going out to eat.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Celestial Question...Will There Ever Be A 'Normal' Again?" Story

Preface:  One of the many pages I enjoy visiting in my daily newspaper is the page that carries the Horoscopes.  I find it interesting and sometimes comical what is written.  But, I must admit that at times what is written is exactly what happened during my daily routines.  For those that might not know what a horoscope is, here is a general definition for you:  a forecast of a person's future, typically including a delineation of character and circumstances, based on the relative positions of the stars and planets at the time of that person's birth.  Check below to see what my horoscope was yesterday (Virgo).

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about prominent astrologer Susan Miller and her reasoning about the coronavirus.  Seems she is placing the blame for the virus on the tiny planet known as Pluto.  Previously she had predicted a "great" 2020.  What happened Susan?  Has the fact that astrologers didn't see the virus coming make their practice "fake news."  Susan predicted in January that 2020 would be a great year...a prosperous year...the best year ever.  From whom did she get that information?  She also predicted that Capricorn would be the year's celestial favorite and that Cancer would be the most likely time to wed.  Libra was set to score in real estate, Taurus was the time to travel internationally and Sagittarius was a time of profit.  Then, it seems that the stars got out of whack and all hell broke loose.  Susan was asked why she hadn't predicted this. She must have seen something this large in the heavens.  But, astrologers write their horoscopes in such a broad, general way that anyone could find something that applied to them.  But, when the global pandemic arrived with the magnitude and universality that it did, astrology seemed to take a dive.  But, horoscopes seem to be more popular than ever.  How long will this last?  Will things ever get back to normal?  Can we trust the people in charge?  How quickly those who trusted the astrologers forgot about the fact that none of this was predicted by the stars.  They just want answers now based on the stars and planets.  Since the virus entered our world, astrology sites have shown major following.  Astrology and horoscopes bear more recognition in times such as this than do religion and spirituality.    Those that in the past relied on their horoscope to predict travel, pay raises and future lovers are now counting on it to predict global economy, inequality and the impact on their own fate.  One female astrologer said he knew that 2020 would be a tough year, but being an election year, it's always tough to read the stars.  So maybe we shouldn't be looking to the planets as much as we did before this all struck.  A former journalist who now has a site that offers personalized daily horoscopes, agrees that astrology can help provide tools to cope with uncertainty and daily frustrations that arise from the pandemic.  It helps take you beyond what is happening.  A special report written by an astrologer blamed the coronavirus on Pluto.  Seems that the small planet is huge in predictions about financial matters, masses of people and viruses.  Also seems that Gemini rules the lungs, thus the virus attacks the lungs.  According to Susan, the virus will be raging until the end of May and then become weak in the summer only to pop back up in the fall and last until December.  Seems that many of our health professionals are now predicting the same forecast.  Or, could it be that Susan was watching the evening news and based her prediction on what the health professions are saying.  I guess it's all whom you trust the most as to what you believe.  And, if you put your trust in astrologers more than in health professionals...well, good luck with that!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Susquehanna National Heritage Area Officially Designated!" Story

Will this logo be part of the National Heritage area?

It was an ordinary day.  Just opened an email titled "BREAKING: America's Newest National Heritage Area!  As soon as I began to read the email I knew exactly what the article was about.  It was six months ago that I posted a story I titled: "Waiting For History To Catch Up With Reality."  At the time I was hoping that President Donald Trump would sign a bill designating the Susquehanna River area between Lancaster and York Counties a National Heritage Area.  The email read, in part:  Today, March 12, 2019, President Donald Trump signed S.47, the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, a major national conservation bill that includes designation of Lancaster and York Counties as a Susquehanna National Heritage Area.  The bill's passage is great news for our 10+ year effort to bring this national honor to our region and the Susquehanna.  We thank U.S. Senator Bob Casey for supporting this legislation since 2008 and securing an amendment to S.47 to designate the Susquehanna National Heritage Area.  We also thank Congressman Lloyd Smucker for championing the bill in the House of Representatives since 2017.  We very much appreciate the bi-patisan collaboration of Mr. Casey and Mr. Smucker in designating the Susquehanna National Heritage Area - America's 55th National Heritage Area! 

Columbia, PA is the home to Columbia Crossings which
is a museum and adventure area.

So, what will this new title do for Lancaster and York Counties?  It is expected to draw more tourists to the area's historical sites.  Ten million visitors come to this region each year now and bring with them their money.  This new designation will hopefully bring an additional $100 million spent in both counties. The Susquehanna River's role as a corridor of culture and commerce will be one of the big focuses.  I have featured the Susquehanna River and the Susquehanna River valley in quite a few of my stories.  

The view from Chickies Park in Columbia of the
Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge.  

Everything from being part of the American frontier to helping in the develop- ment of canals and transpor- tation to it's role in the Under- ground Railroad and being part of the American Revolution.  Not long ago I took you with me as my son and I, along with his Scouting friends and their dads, traveled down the Susquehanna on a raft we built.  The history of the Susquehanna River Valley is both interesting and entertaining.  Fishing, camping, hiking, boating and biking are a big draw to the river, and now, with national promotion of the area, it will draw more visitors.  

A view of part of Chickies Park in Columbia, PA

Businesses will grow and begin anew and more jobs will open to the local residents.  The Heritage Area will receive $150,000 to get the national heritage area up and running and the amount will grow after a management plan is approved.  The money does require a matching amount from the area, but with more visitors to the area, that shouldn't be a problem.  I read that one organization plans to run a pilot boat tour on the river this coming summer.  The only bad thing about the new designation is the new traffic and perhaps crime it will bring to the area.  I guess the area will have to wait and see how it will benefit from the new labeling before we make any decisions as to whether it was worth the battle to gain the National Heritage Area title.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Frampton's Farewell Tour" Story

It was an ordinary day.  At times my days seem to all blend together.  Some days seem to be in slow motion.  Often think - Was it always this way?  Nah...I used to have unlimited energy which was needed when you are raising three children.  But, age seems to have caught up with me!  But, I find I am not the only one who has that problem.  Yesterday I read that a favorite musician of mine, Peter Frampton, announced that his coming tour would most likely will be his last.  Geeze, he's only 68...a youngster to me.  But then I began to read more and read that he plans to issue a double album this summer and then go on tour for about 50 dates across the country.  And...that may be it!  

Peter Frampton

He revealed that he has a medical condition that could slow his fingers and his ability to move around.  It was back in 1977, a year after Peter Frampton released his double-album "Frampton Comes Alive!" that he visited the high school where I taught to hold a practice before heading on another tour.  Seems he was working with the new Clair Bros. Audio who call Lancaster County home, and they contacted the school to see if they could supply him with practice space.  The assistant principal was a friend of the Clair brothers so they were given time in our auditorium.  Just so happened that the high school yearbook, that I was the advisor of, had a theme of music that year.  We naturally had to get a photo of Peter Frampton during practice for the cover of the yearbook.  

The cover of the 1977 school yearbook
which featured Peter Frampton live during
a practice session at Manheim Township
High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
We also added a ticket stub similar to a
real one.  Looked great!  Thanks, Peter!

I notified our professional yearbook photographer and he took some of the neatest photos to chose one from for the cover.  He rushed home, developed the film and made a few prints and was back before the end of practice.  Peter signed one of the photos which we used on the cover of the yearbook.  What was the best part of the experience was that Peter approached me and asked if he could buy a copy of the yearbook for each member of the band!  Unbelievable experience for myself and my yearbook staff.  Peter Frampton now has a degenerative muscle disease called inclusion body myositis, also known as I.B.M.  The disease causes muscles to weaken over time but generally does not affect life expectancy.  The condition doesn't affect his singing voice, but could slow his fingers and his ability to move around.  Frampton told Rolling Stone recently that in a year's time he might not be able to play his guitar anymore.  He also said that he wanted to record as much as he can in the shortest space of time.  It was 52 years ago that Frampton became the lead singer and guitarist for "The Herd."  Two years later he co-founded "Humble Pie."  His release in '76 of "Frampton Comes Alive!" made him a legend.  He said recently that "Maybe a huge door is closing in my life, but then there's lots of other doors that open."  Good attitude which will be needed to accomplish all that he has planned in the near future.  I wish him the best.  I know what life can be like when you can't do what you want to do or what you used to be able to do.  Not much fun!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Flashmobs Abound Around The World" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking out a few flashmobs videos that were sent too me after posting my story about myself singing in the Lancaster Hallelujah flashmob this past December.  Participating in a flashmob is both fun as well as amazing.  I had passed the word to a few of my friends about singing and this past year about half a dozen of them sang along with me as we sang at four locations around Lancaster city and county.  If you're not familiar with the term flashmob, Wikipedia describes it as: A group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual and unseemingly pointless act for a brief time, then quickly disperse, often for the purpose of entertainment, satire and artistic expression.  That's pretty close to what we did when we sang the Hallelujah Chorus this past holiday season.  Evidently many enjoyed the story since I received quite a few emails telling me to check out this video or that video on YouTube.  The following are a few of the emails that I enjoyed the most.  As you will see, not all flashmobs have to be just singers.  Enjoy!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "Lancaster's Historic Fulton Theatre To Grow!" Story

The Fulton Theatre is the white colored building on the right.
Prince Street is to the right and King Street is to the left.  Construction
has begun already on King. St.  Click on photographs to enlarge.

It was an ordinary day.  Early Thanks- 
giving morning and I'm walking the streets in the city of Lancaster, Pennsyl- 
vania looking for a few good photo- graphs of the Fulton Theatre.  The streets are void of most traffic due to it being a holiday, so I have very little trouble walking into the streets to take photos.

The Fulton Theatre in downtown Lancaster.

 The Fulton Theatre faces the first block of North Prince Street and extends west to the first bock of North Water Street.  To both the right and left of the theatre are buildings that extend to West King Street on one side and West Grant Street on the other.  The Fulton has been acquiring properties for the past 17 years and now owns all of the property in that square area and has spent a few years raising $21 million of the projected $29 million it needs to make that corner in the city a first class theatre district.  

This is the jail that stood at one time on the site of the Fulton.

I must admit I am excited to see what will appear on that plot of  ground by the projected finish date of fall of 2020.  I have been a very small part of the Fulton family since I have been making my Polaroid prints for the retiring board members for the past half-dozen years.  

On Water Street appears this sign telling of the Indian Massacre.

The Fulton Theatre was built in 1852 on the site of what had been the city jail where the last of the Conestoga Indians were massacred in 1763.  Today it is listed as a National Historic Landmark and has seen quite a few performers such as Ole Bull, a famous Norwegian violinist, Adelina Patti, a nine-year old who became a world class opera singer, Horace Greeley, Mark Twain and Edwin Durang who was Lancaster born and America's first native born thespian.  

The sign above can be seen on the rear of the Fulton.
The stone wall is on the bottom left of this photo.

It served as a military hospital after the Battle of Gettysburg and was the location where Lancaster's "Great Commoner" Thaddeus Stevens help start the Republican Party.  The Fulton Theatre is also the oldest working theatre in the United States.  And now, it is going to become an historic performing center that will rival any performing arts center in the country.  

This is an artist's rendering of the new Fulton Theatre
and all of the other new buildings on the quarter block
between Prince, King, Water and Grant.

Some of the changes to be made are: A lobby with a skylight bridge between the current lobby and the education building on Grant Street and a performance studio that will be built on Grant Street that will have room for 1,400 patrons with new bathrooms and a bar.  Buildings that are now retail businesses and restaurants will be turned into four stories with apartments on the top floors for visiting artists and performers and retail space on the lower level.  

This photo shows what the corner of North Water
and East Grant will look like.

Various other changes will be made that can be used for private gatherings and parties.  Local construction companies will do all the work while the theatre will continue to operate on its normal schedule.  The Lancaster Community is excited and will be rewarded in the near future with some of the best entertainment in the country.  Just wait and see!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This plaque tell the story of John Edwin Durang, America's first native born thespian. 

An early photograph of what at one time was Fulton Hall, later renamed Fulton Theatre.

  

The "Do You Remember These Names From The Past?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about a few names and photographs from the past that brought back many memories.  

"The Gerber Baby" as seen on baby food products.

One of the names was "The Gerber Baby" whose face was on most all Gerber packaging and in every Gerber advertise- ment.  I can remember buying baby food and seeing the near-perfect face on every glass jar of baby food.  It was in 1928 that Gerber held a contest to find a face for their baby food products.  

The grown-up baby, Ann Turner Cook.

Artist Dorothy Hope Smith entered her charcoal sketch of a young girl by the name of Ann Turner Cook.  She was a tousle-haired, bright-eyed cherub with endearing lips.  The sketch was picked as the winner and Gerber adopted it as its official trademark in 1931.  The name of the child was kept secret until 1978 when her name was released.  It was the artist's neighbor!  Ann Turner Cook eventually became an English teacher as well as a novelist.  Another name from the past is Jenny Joseph.  You probably will not recognize the name until I tell you that it was her image that inspired "The Columbia Picture Woman".  

The artwork by Deas on left and Jenny Jospeh posing for artwork.

The "Torch Lady" was first seen in 1928 when her image appeared at the beginning of films.  The artist of the "Torch Lady" was Michael Deas who created the oil painting which took two months to complete.  He hired Jenny to be his model for the painting which eventually was digitized and animated.  

1914 British poster on left and USA Uncle Sam poster.

One more image that is recog- nizable to just about everyone in the USA is the image known as "Uncle Sam".  The real person who posed for the artwork done by James Montgomery Flagg was Walter Botts.  It was in 1917 that a WWI recruitment poster featured "Uncle Sam".  

Walter Botts as Uncle Sam

Flagg's famous poster was actually based on the iconic, much imitated 1914 British recruitment poster of Lord Kitchener.  Mr. Flagg said he was going to use his own likeness on the poster, but then decided to use his neighbor, Mr. Botts, who was presented with a commendation for service by President Lyndon Johnson in 1969.  And, do you remember the famous KFC Logo photo that featured Colonel Harland David Sanders.  The Colonel was born on the day of my birth, September 9, but 54 years earlier in 1890.  

Colonel Harland David Sanders aka KFC Colonel Sanders

He was an American business- man who was best known for his fast food chain known as Kentucky Fried Chicken.  After being commission- ed as a Kentucky Colonel in 1950 by Governor Lawrence Wetherby, Sanders began to dress the part, growing a goatee and wearing a black frock coat, a string tie and referring to himself as "Colonel".  He later switched to the white suit that he made famous.  He never wore anything else in public for the last 20 years of his life.  He even bleached his mustache and goatee to match his white hair.  

"Leo The Lion"

And, the final name you are sure to remember is Leo the Lion who was a real lion.  Does anyone know that Leo's real name was Jackie?  He was trained by Mel Koontz and was the second lion used for the MGM movie logo.  His roar was heard via a gramophone record during MGM's first sound production of "White Shadows in the South Seas" in 1928.  

Jackie and a frightful Greta Garbo in 1926.  Who wouldn't be afraid?

Jackie appeared in over 100 films including most of the Tarzan films that starred Johnny Weiss- muller.  He was known to have survived several accidents which included two train wrecks, an earthquake and an explosion in the studio and later became known as "Leo the Lucky".  So, how many of the characters I just presented did you know.  Guess it would depend on how old you may be.  For me, I remembered everyone of them, thus my name of "old as dirt" given to me by my grandkids.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. 

The "I Like You Just The Way You Are!" Story

I passed this sign on a sidewalk in Manheim, PA.

It was an ordinary day.  A beautiful day in the neighborhood as I walked pass a sign that wished Mr. Rogers a Happy Birthday.  Need I say anything more?  Well, just in case you didn't know, it was Mr. Rogers who always said, "Won't You Be My Neighbor?"  Mr. Rogers, for those who have never heard of him, was Fred McFeely Rogers who immediately after graduating from Rollins College in 1951 was hired by NBC television in New York as an assistant producer for The Voice of Firestone and later as floor director for The Lucky Strike Hit Parade, The Kate Smith Hour and the NBC Opera Theatre.  Mr. Rogers was born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, so in 1953, after being asked to return to  nearby Pittsburgh station WQED, which was the nation's first community-sponsored educational television station, he moved back to his home state of Pennsylvania.  

Mr. Fred Rogers in the late 1960s.

Mr. Rogers was asked to develop the first program schedule for the TV station.  Shortly after he produced "The Children's Corner" which was a daily, live, hour-long visit with music, puppets and host Josie Carey.  Rogers served as puppeteer, composer and organist.  Two years later his program won the Sylvania Award for the best locally produced children's program in the country.  It was on "The Children's Corner" that a few of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood regulars first made an appearance.  Anyone remember Daniel Striped Tiger, X the Owl, King Friday XIII, Henrietta Pussycat or Lady Elaine Fairchilde?  They would become regulars on his famous show, "Mr. Rogers Neighborhood."  

A shot from his TV set.  This was Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.

During Mr. Rogers free time he attended Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Child Develop- ment.  In 1963 he became an ordained Presbyterian minister with a charge to continue his work with children and families through the mass media.  Later in 1963 he developed a children's program for CBC in Canada that was called MISTEROGERS.  He moved from behind the scenes to the show's on-camera host.  

Mr. Rogers Memorial Statue in Pittsburgh, PA.

He returned to Pittsburgh three years later with his wife and two sons to begin "Mister Rogers' Neighbor- hood" on National Educational Television and in 1968 on the Public Broad- casting Service (PBS).  A few years later my family discovered his show on PBS.  I actually enjoyed watching the show with all three of my children.  The show offered a safe haven for kids, not like many of the crazy cartoons and animated shows did.  His quiet demeanor presented him as an adult in a busy world with time for every child who viewed the show.  I can still remember my kids staring at the TV screen as he said, "I like you just the way you are!"  

Mr. Rogers' sweater now is in the Smithsonian Institution's
Musuem of American History in Washington, D.C.

The iconic sweater that he wore on just about every show is now on display in the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of American History.  He even has a memorial statue in Pittsburgh!  Mr. Fred McFeely Rogers died in 2003.  I also remember Jimmy Kimmel last year, after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, looking nervously at the TV camera and saying "look for the helpers."  Something that Mr. Rogers would say often.  

2018 is the celebration of the 50th anniversary of "Mister Rogers' Neighbor- hood."  A new Mr. Rogers documen- tary called "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" is scheduled to be released on June 8th.  I hope you will be able to watch it.  Also, this month the U.S. Postal Service is going to release a Mr. Rogers' Forever Stamp.  If only he could have lasted "Forever" to help influence generation after generation of children in this troubled world.  Maybe, just maybe, we really could have all been friends and neighbors.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.