December 24th in Seal Beach History

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.”

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.” 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-55UgogW-E&w=603&h=338]

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.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbPNFnQtQBw&w=603&h=338]

“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.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MZ_9LMZnek&w=603&h=338]

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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