Mr. Paul Million and the Lincoln
Theatre Roy Rogers' Riders Club
Photos are contributed by Fred
Blanford and were taken March-April, 1950.
He
writes: "For the record: the Roy Rogers Riders Club pictures were provided
to me by Paul Million's widow. Paul passed away recently and Helen knew I
liked "old" things--pictures included. I do not know who
the photographer was."
Memories provided by various
LCHS alums (roughly in order
received):
Nelson Teichman: "Gosh that
Roy Rogers club picture brings a flood of memories back to me.
Occasionally, I would get to go to the Sat. Matinee at the Lincoln Theatre at
about the age shown in the Picture. I remember Galloping out of the side
exit door of the theater into the alley chasing all the bandits etc. etc."
* * * * *
Liz (Stringer) Lolling: "All this talk about Roy Rogers sent me into a
frenzy. I still have my Roy Rogers scarf clip. These clips were won
from a number on the
popcorn box tab drawn at half-time during the Saturday afternoon shows.
Also, I have two of the large, picture button badges with Roy Rogers and
Trigger. My favorite is my Roy Rogers watch with the original leather
band. The watch runs with its picture of Roy riding Trigger. I did
collect another watch at a sale; however, it doesn't run. We only lost
our cowboy star a short time ago and our collectibles are not that
valuable. Just wanted to share if any other classmates have any things
saved."
* * * * *
Judy (Lohrenz) Perkins: "I am making a few guesses on the RRRC
pictures. I am quite devastated that I am not in any of them. I was
at the Lincoln Theater, faithfully, every
Saturday with my RRRC ID card in hand ready to win a prize. (Which I did). These
[Riders' ID's below] are all
uneducated, but intuitive guesses. Any and all input is very much
appreciated. I want you all to know that I am very jealous of all of these
people. These were WONDERFUL MEMORIES.
Judy continues: "Yes, I did get
called upon stage. I think it was everyone who had birthdays for the week.
We got a prize. I was then chosen to draw the name out of the
barrel. I drew my own name and ended up with 2 prizes. I won money
and a
gun & holster set. I even remember them taking my picture."
* * * * *
Linda (Henson64) Nelson: I am enjoying the
Roy Rogers Riders Club. They had some sort of drawings out of this big
barrel. It was in that theater that I remember my first movie. It
was you and I--no adult was with us, and you were not happy you had to bring
your little sister. It was a Tarzan movie, and I could not understand why
he could not talk. You kept trying to explain it to me, and I was not
getting it. "Twas the Johhny Wiesmeuller first Tarzan movie when he
meets Jane.
* * * * *
Ron Musick: "The pictures of
the Roy Rogers club bring back many fond memories -
* There were contests on stage during the break between
movies. I remember rolling peanuts across the stage with my nose trying
to beat the other contestants to the finish line. As I vaguely recall,
the prize was either a ballpoint pen containing several colors to select from
or a light shaped like a gun. I didn't win.
* When I turned 12, I remember that I had to buy an adult
ticket instead of a child's ticket. As I recall, a child's ticket was 12
cents, and an adult ticket was a quarter. I came to the show with my 12
cents and had a problem.
* Roy Rogers with Dale Evans and Trigger appeared in the
area (Springfield, I think) in the early '50's while the Roy Rogers club was
active. I remember being taken to see their performance.
* There was a series running with the movies in the Roy
Rogers club that involved a hero who strapped on a rocket engine and flew like
superman. Each week, there was a new episode.
* I don't think I missed many weeks of the club, but I
don't recall any pictures being taken. I wonder if they were taken
mainly in the earlier years of the club before most of us in our class joined.
Photos appear in
"thumbnail" fashion, except for #14, to facilitate downloading. To enlarge a
photo, simply click on it.
Note: Fred
Blanford prefaces his identifications with the following caution: "I hope your
email recipients are looking at these pics critically. Almost all of my
ID's are tentative. Half a century is a long time."
Email additions and
corrections to leighhenson@sprintmail.com.
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| 1: The
pic was shot in April 1950. Can you identify Lynn Robson Gordon, Kenson Fuller, Linda Berryman, Bud Huffaker, and Jeff
"Pete" Frantz?
Fred Blanford: "Third
from left front row--suggested to me by another as Carolyn
Nichols? Next to the one I ID'd tentatively as Barb Keys.
Third girl from right in
second row--dark hair & cap--I would ID tentatively as Joyce Odgen
C59.
Second, Sue Loesche Hanger--she confirmed. First (or last) girl from
right in 2nd row--tentatively ID'd to me as Linda Berryman (?) ~C60"
* * * * *
Judy (Lohrenz)
Perkins: "The picture with Bud
Huffaker--I think: In the back row, the second
girl may be Judy Hoover? The next to last girl in the back row has to be
Sue
Lousche (Hanger) Class of '59. I think Linda Cooper may be the first
little
blond haired girl in the front row."
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| 2: Featuring Mike Hayes and Gerry Dehner.
Judy (Lohrenz)
Perkins: "The picture with Mike Hayes and Gerry Dehner: I think--Looks like Lynn Robson (Class of '59) standing beside Paul
Million."
* * * * *
Fred Blanford: "Second
row--far right--tentative--Ray Merry--C56?"
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3: Judith (Heinzel)
Gordon: "The
second tall boy (chubby one without the hat) is my brother Henry Heinzel
(he died in 1991) - I have never seen this picture before - it is great."
* * * * *
Alice (Loomis) Wilmert:
"What a nice surprise when I got to work this morning. I don't
remember ever seeing that picture, but it was fun to reminisce for a
little bit. It was great as a young child to go to the movies every
Saturday afternoon."
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| 4:
Fred Blanford: "I
had previously ID'd the tall girl toward the right end looking up and to
her left (scarf on head) as possibly Jane Fuesting but was corrected by
others--and I see it now--should be ID'd as Carlene Ramlow C59.
Front row--Black cowboy
hat on to the right: Judy Helton C59. Kathie (Mitchell) Liesman
C~60.
Pat Kerrigan Beach
Dearborn __________ C61(?)
* * * * *
Janet (Kerpan) Southerlan: "Is that Pat Kerrigan on the right?
It sure looks like her!"
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| 5:
Judy
(Lohrenz) Perkins: "As to the picture with David Lovelace in it, I think the girl
wearing the Railsplitter shirt looks like Nancy Dehner."
* * * * *
Fred Blanford: "The attached--pictures
six males. From the left (males only) combining both rows--Dave
Lovelace, the younger of the Ferguson brothers--Dan & Don-- (I think
Don--I believe married to Rita Montgomery, class of 61. He is a
nature artist from around the Springfield area), Morrell Munyon--(if I am
not mistaken, although he moved from Lincoln before HS), Dave
Hargrove (deceased), one of the Lansford brothers (I would guess Dick from
the looks of his face but might have to concede Butch--Charles--Doctor at
Carle in Champaign--class of 59) if I am disputed. The shortest male
I do not know.
As to the females--second row--commencing with Roy
Rogers then to the right--Nancy Dehner class of 58 I think and Marge
Coogan Blanford class of 59--although she and I are not positive.
The little girl with her hands so deep in her pockets--I should know--but
just cannot put a name on her.
Refresh my memory--Steve Schreiber or Carolyn Yeates class of 60?"
* * * * *
Vickie (Spangler) Craig:
"Just to keep the record straight - The Ferguson boy in the picture
is Dick - He and Rita live in Springfield, IL - Dick is now retired from
his "regular job" with a Springfield Advertising Agency but is
now under contract for the State of Missouri creating wild life paintings
that will be used in Brochures promoting wild life found in Missouri.
Dan, passed away last year."
* * * * *
Linda (Sparks) Barrick:
"These pictures are great--The girl, 2nd from right is Lee
Breeden--they lived on N. Sherman St. next to my grandparents. Her
Dad Art was the head rose grower for Gulletts--They moved away probably
soon after the picture was taken--I'll print out a copy and send to
her--She lives in Wis."
* * * * *
Fred Blanford: "Little
fella in the black hat with the Colt codpiece--suggested
to me he may be Gary Hodgson C63? or so.
Did
Linda mean my wife as second from the right? the little girl with the
striking dark eyes as second from the right? or the lighthaired girl as
second from the right?"
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6:
Fred Blanford: "For this pic--front row from left
Jamie Forrester I think--older than I Class of 57 or 56 maybe. Third
from left John Farthing unless I am mistaken.
Second row from left--Martha Whitcomb (had a brother Chris that was your
age maybe--she would have been class of '58 but they moved). Second
is Barney Leesman (sp?) older brother--again class of 57 or thereabouts
and third from left Elvin Schmidt--again class of 57 or so.
Far right is Ron Leathers--class of 59."
* * * * *
Bob Glick:
"The first boy in the second row I believe is Barney Liesman and the
last boy I believe is Ronnie Leathers. Ronnie was our neighbor when we
lived at 504 N Logan street they lived on the corner."
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7:
Fred Blanford: "Third from left blonde is Marilyn Yeates Weingarz
C58--she
confirmed.
Marily YW seemed fairly confident of Marilyn Huneke Hoinacki as the
taller girl behind her.
Second from right--checked coat & cap was one of Vincent (?I think)
brothers--C59.
Right end--Sandy Jones C59
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| 8:
Linda (Sparks) Barrick:
"The girl with the white scarf is Pam Moriearty--Class of
'62." |
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| 9: Bob
Goebel: "Perhaps the young lady on the far right in RRRC # 9 has
already been identified, but if not she looks very much like I
remember Luann (Kuhlman) Hoback looking at
that age." |
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| 10:
Rita Felton, C59.
Leigh Henson:
"Here we again see Jeff "Pete" Frantz and Tom Kurtz, my
Jefferson School classmates. They seem to be in the photos more
frequently than anyone else. How did they do that? If people
with birthdays that week were the ones invited on stage, did they
"have birthdays" more often than anyone else?
Hmmm! Maybe it was that west Lincoln water that caused them to
raise their hands at opportune times."
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| 11: |
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| 12: Fred
Blanford: "In rrrc12--I don't recognize anyone for sure. In a
lot of these pics, the people look familiar but I just don't know.
In this one--I would swear the
kid on the left end looks like Jim Spellman--but I don't think they
lived
in Lincoln then. As for the kid on the right end--could that be
John Burt?"
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| 13: Fred
Blanford: "The girl in the hat is Gwen Lisk." |
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| 14
(left side): Fred Blanford: "The last pic in the package has a band (lots of
guitars) in the right foreground and the participants are older. I
think Lute Dearborn is in the middle of the pack--but wouldn't bet the
rent money until I get a few people to agree with me." |
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| 14
(right side):
Were Club members into C&W before it was cool?
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* * * * *
From http://www.lincolndailynews.com/:
"Paul Million, 83, of Lincoln died at 1 a.m. Wednesday, April 25, 2001,
at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield.
Graveside funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, April 27, at New
Union Cemetery in Lincoln, with the Rev. Thomas Taylor officiating.
There will be no visitation.
Million was the former manager of Lincoln Theaters in Lincoln and
Freeport.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He served in Europe, held the
rank of major and was a POW toward the end of the war.
He was born June 14, 1917, in Decatur. He married Helen Young on Dec. 27,
1941, in Hannibal, Mo. She survives.
He was of the
Catholic faith. He was a member of Lincoln Elks Lodge and Lincoln American
Legion Post 263."
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