Does Anyone Remember The Usherettes In Cinemas With Torches?

[gordiescotland1]

Does anyone remember the usher and the usherettes at cinemas that would help people to their seats and control unruly behaviour in the cinema by shining their light on them. I went to the cinema yesterday with my mother and she has macular degeneration and had real problems getting to her seat. Also some people were on their phone a lot of the time either texting or using facebook and the light was very annoying. I think we need to bring back usher and usherttes

[pinkjudy45]

At the start of the cinema showing they ask for everyone to turn off their phones, but some people are just very rude and ignore this to the detriment of other people's enjoyment.

[Old_Geezer]

Sure, but I'm not holding my breath for their return. Added costs mean added admission prices, and folk going elsewhere. Either all are obliged, or no one takes the risk.

Maybe we could have conductors on the buses too.

[dannyk13]

Yes, and also the Ice cream ladies who came round.

[HansUrbancka]

Dannyk Has prompted my thoughts to a fact that, in order to sell more Ice Cream, some Cinemas would increase the Central Heating a short while before the interval.

Hans

[Togo]

I remember them gordiescot. I also remember the "Two Ronnies" gag about the usherette who accidently sat on her torch, and showed herself up in the "circle" (^_ *)

[Lunol]

I've never heard of the term "Usherettes" and had to google it and found out they were glamorous women who walked around the cinema with boxes of nibbles and snacks in a tray around their waists who used to walk around the cinema and sold you the snacks and nibbles during the intervals, it was the male ushers who showed you to your seats according to wiki.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usher_(occupation)

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=usherettes&biw=1517&bih=708&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiY6r_1mvjPAhXJCcAKHUwZDZMQ_AUICCgB&;dpr=0.9

^Is that what usherettes actually looked like?

I'm pretty sure there are still cinema ushers in the cinemas but they're more there to check your tickets and to direct those that are lost to the right cinema screen in the multiplex mazes.

There are SIA Security guards to deal with unruly behavior but the usherettes have unfortunately been replaced by the less glamorous and I'm guessing much more expensive food kiosks.

[dannyk13]

In our local cinemas the usherettes showed one to their seats, I never saw a male usher.

[hc4361]

Usherettes certainly did check tickets, guide you to your seat and eject you if you misbehaved, as well as sell ice cream and cigarettes.

My mother was an usherette when she was in her late 50s.

[hc4361]

I do remember male ushers but they were older gentlemen, working past pension age.

[Sqad]

I have never seen a male usher in a cinema, it was always, female usherettes. In my time all the "males" were at war and after WW2, the British males on return to "blighty" would never take on such a demeaning job as a cinema usherette.
So women did it.

[dannyk13]

Were the elderly gentlemen ushers or doormen HC?

[elliemay1]

Is it my imagination, or did the usherettes walk backwards down the aisle when they were selling ice-cream?

[dannyk13]

Some did Ellie

[MargoTester]

Not your imagination Ellie - I remember them walking backwards - never saw one fall over!

[hc4361]

Both, danny. One usher had lost an arm during the war and very much enjoyed shining the torch on courting couples :D
He used to do the 'Saturday crush' morning sessions for children and tried, but failed, to instil order. He had a great sense of humour.

[ivor4781]

i stopped going to the pics years ago due to this mobile phone problem and crunching popcorn in my ears i have a good home cinema set it does for me

[hc4361]

We didn't mind sitting in the fug from all the pipes and cigarettes, though, ivor.

[dannyk13]

///enjoyed shining the torch on courting couples///
Ah! those double seats nearest the wall.

[hc4361]

Happy days. Do under 10s still go the pictures without an adult?

[Togo]

The Usherettes that were on duty for ABC Minors on Saturday mornings were, I think, drafted in from the Prison Service to try and keep order. I believe that they were glad to be back on duty at Strangeways come Monday. Mayhem was the order of the day. Happy times. :))