At the risk of sounding like a movie title, ‘the summers of 1964 & 1966’ remain a fond remembrance for me. I worked at the Teller House both summers, first as a member of housekeeping and the latter as a hotel tour guide. The people I met, the work itself, the city and the Teller House and Opera House will remain forever in my memory. I can recall the young ladies being presented to society by coming down the stairs between the Teller and Opera Houses. I can still see the ushers ringing the bell for the presentation of a performance in the Opera House. I can remember my “pitch” when I sold tours in the middle of the street for $.25. Central City was and is, quite a place.

Or the inside of the Opera House, I think I remember most vividly the straight black chairs and the limited comfort they provided, still; I cannot recollect a bad seat for viewing the stage. The knowledge that so many great performers had appeared on that stage, kept me enthralled with whatever I saw being performed. As another reward for being a staff member of the Teller House, I was able to socialize with the crew and cast members of the operas and the plays presented at the Opera House.

In 1964 I had tea with Myrna Loy and a libation with Richard Benjamin, two of the stars of “Barefoot in the Park”. I attended not only the performance of the play but also Madame Butterfly and the listed world premier of The Lady from Colorado, quite an highlight to a summer of working between college semesters. I was able to work on various press receptions and other functions before the play and opera performances –at the livery stables across from the Teller House –allowed me to meet so many wonderful people involved with the Opera Association.

-In 1966, Mr. George Gobel and Mr. Phil Harris performed in “The Odd Couple” doing a simply marvelous job, a delight to watch. One day, Mr. Gobel was, shall we say chased, by fans into the Teller House. I told him to go into the dining room on the second floor while I redirected the fans to another direction. Some days later, Mr. Gobel filmed a milk commercial in the lobby of the Teller House and he persuaded the film crew to pay me to keep fans and tourist out of the hotel while filming proceeded. With the exception of when the camera was rolling, Mr. Gobel preferred another beverage than milt to consume, and I found the means to supply that refreshment. When the play finished its run and the artists departed, Mr. Gobel left me a signed photo wishing me happy landings in the future since I was on orders to the US Army and flight school of October of 1996.

Summers of 1964 and 1966 left a lasting impression on me. I have continued to enjoy traveling to Central City. It was and is a special place.

This entry was posted on Monday, September 17, 2007 at September 17, 2007 and is filed under A Journey To Our Past, BRAVO!!. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.