Madowhy

Chapter 13
Madowhy’s Brief Interruption

My knowledge here is zero, absolute zero. I don’t know anything of what was planned or of what transpired. Nonetheless, I can make some educated guesses. First Educated Guess: Movie, Inc., desperately wanted to buy out the competition, and dreamed of the day when it could own Donald Pancho’s. Second Educated Guess: There had been a conflict between Movie, Inc., and ATGoA. Third Educated Guess: When ATGoA listed Donald Pancho’s for sale, Movie, Inc., refused to pay a single red cent to its hated nemesis. Fourth Educated Guess: Movie, Inc., sat back and waited to see who would purchase the building. Fifth Educated Guess: Once there was a purchaser, Movie, Inc., planned to negotiate with the new owner to buy the property. Sixth Educated Guess: Movie, Inc., was probably not happy when it found out who the new owner was.

Patrick Charles “Pat” Baca and presumably Gerald R. Baca (Madowhy Corp.) purchased Donald Pancho’s in August 1974 and soon switched to erratic programming, with many weeks devoted to hardcore. My best guess is that the company was hoping for hardcore but grabbed whatever was cheaply on offer from the local exchange. From the tail ends I found in the booth later on, I would assume that much of the hardcore programming was 16mm:

Madowhy’s Bookings at Don Pancho’s Art Theatre


Wed 21 Aug 1974	Flip Our Girls (no info on this film) Naughty Wives (1973) Love in the Winter (no info on this film) Tijuana Blue (1971) Linda & John Can’t Stop (no info on this film)

Mon 26 Aug 1974	I Could Never Have Sex with Any Man Who Has So Little Regard for My Husband (1973)

Fri 06 Sep 1974	The Immigrant (1917; CROPPED; premièred at the Pastime 08 Jul 1917) The Fatal Glass of Beer (1933; CROPPED; premièred at the Pastime 19 Sep 1933) Room Service (1938; CROPPED; premièred at the Sunshine 30 Sep 1938) I remember the above. I wanted to see this program again and so my parents drove me over. I think we were all suspicious when we saw that the marquee read “I Could Never Have Sex.” I walked up to the door but it was locked and inside was a thin guy with the most terrifying face I have ever seen in my life, with a shock of scraggly black hair, a scraggly black beard, and blue eyes that burned holes right through me. He glared at me and tapped his bony forefinger on a notice that was Scotch taped to the door, saying that the cinema was closed because the prints had not arrived. Fortunately, my parents had not driven off and so I was able to make it back to the car and back home. I decided never to return. I did not want to see that face ever again.

Fri 20 Sep 1974	Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

Fri 04 Oct 1974	The Exorcist (1973)

Sun 13 Oct 1974	Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

Fri 25 Oct 1974	American Graffiti (1973)

Wed 06 Nov 1974	King Kong (1933, CROPPED; premièred at the KiMo 23 Apr 1933)

Fri 15 Nov 1974	Swedish and Under Age (1969) Maid in Sweden (1971) One Swedish Summer (1968)

Sun 24 Nov 1974	Deep Throat (1972) The Devil in Miss Jones (1973)

Sun 01 Dec 1974	The Crazy World of Laurel & Hardy (1965, distrib by Rohauer) The Barber Shop (1933, distrib by Rohauer; premièred at the Sunshine 23 Aug 1933) The Pharmacist (1933, distrib by Rohauer; première was not advertised) The Fatal Glass of Beer (1933, distrib by Rohauer; premièred at the Pastime 19 Sep 1933) The Jay Ward Intergalactic Film Festival (1967, distrib by Joseph Brenner Associates)

Sun 15 Dec 1974	Deep Throat (1972) The Devil in Miss Jones (1973) Memories within Miss Aggie (1974)

Sun 29 Dec 1974	Deep Throat (1972) The Devil in Miss Jones (1973) Behind the Green Door (1972) Resurrection of Eve (1973)

Tue 18 Feb 1975	Animal Crackers (1930; premièred at the Sunshine 04 Oct 1930; revived at the Hiland 20 Jun 1950)

Thu 06 Mar 1975	Deliverance (1972)

Wed 12 Mar 1975	Blazing Saddles (1974)

Continue to the next chapter.