On this date in 1955, Seal Beachers seeking to relax and get away from the Christmas hubbub could spend their Christmas Eve at the Bay Theatre watching a Saturday double feature of “To Catch a Thief” and “Jupiter’s Darling.”
photo courtesy of Bob Robertson
The Bay Theatre photo above was not taken on Christmas Eve 1955, instead it was taken during the previous weekend when the double feature was “We’re No Angels,” starring Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, and Aldo Ray and “How To Be Very, Very Popular,” Betty Grable’s last film. If you look closely at the “Now Playing” display in photo, it has a poster for “We’re No Angels.”
I still haven’t been able to hunt down the film for the poster in the “Bay” display. It doesn’t seem to be “How To Be Very, Very Popular.”
In the “Next Attraction” displays in the photo, you’ll see posters for “Jupiter’s Darling” and “To Catch A Thief.” This was the double feature showing at the Bay from December 23-26 in 1955.
“To Catch a Thief” was 1955 feature film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.
“Jupiter’s Darling” was a 1955 historical musical set in Roman times, starring Howard Keel as Hannibal and Esther Williams as a captured princess who falls in love with him. The movie was a notorious box office flop.
And yes, that’s the manager, Mr. Cobb, standing next to the box office in the Bay Theatre photo, which was previously featured in one of our earlier posts from 2010, Mermaids and Jewel Thieves. If you click on that post, be sure to read the comments for more Seal Beach folk sharing their memories of the Bay and Mr. Cobb.
– Michael Dobkins
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This Date in Seal Beach History 
That looks like Mr Cobb on the far left, in a coat and tie, owner of the Bay. Photographer Robertson, was the owner of the Seal Beach Post & Wave newspaper.
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Jim,
Yes, that’s Mr. Cobb.
The photo was sent to me by Bob Robertson in 2010, son of Bill Robertson, owner of the Airport Club (and Marina Palace) and the Seal Beach Post & Wave. The photo was from Bob’s collection of SB photos from the Post & Wave’s photo archives.
Take Care,
mpd
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Thank you for posting these historic things of Seal Beach. Bob Black
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I remember Mr, Cobb having to stop movies several times until we could settle down. We must have driven him nuts.
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Thanks for sharing this. These are the sort of human details that bring the past alive.
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