Heart failure silences 'Voice of the Penn'
BY TONY BRUSCATO
STAFF WRITER
For decades, when patrons called the Penn Theatre for movie times, the deep, drawn-out voice at the other end began with, "This is a recording for the Penn Theatre."
That distinctive articulation belonged to Lloyd Oliver of Plymouth, who began his career at the Penn as a part-time projectionist in 1958, before eventually operating the theater for several owners until retiring in 2001.
The voice of the Penn was silenced Tuesday when Oliver succumbed to congestive heart failure at the age of 77.
"He liked that people recognized him by his voice," William Oliver said of his father. "He loved movies, and he liked the people who came to the Penn."
Despite several ownership changes, the one constant was Oliver.
"We inhented Lloyd with the theater," said former owner John Mazzei with a chuckle. "I remember when he was in the hospital and we put a different voice on the recording, we got a ton of phone calls asking, 'Where is Lloyd?' And, he was the best popcorn maker. It was an old-fashioned kettle, and he knew when it was ready and how much oil to put in. And, he used real butter."
Bonnie and Earl Smith of Plymouth owned the Penn from 1982-99, eventually turning over day to day operations to Lloyd Oliver.
"We trusted Lloyd with everything and anything," said Bonnie Smith. "He loved that theater with all his heart."
Ellen Elliott, the executive director of Friends of the Penn, the preservationist group raising money to refurbish the 64-year-old theater, remembers as a young girl calling the Penn for show times. "People imitated his very distinctive
voice," remembered Elliott. "Mr. Oliver's passing gives us a renewed sense of purpose to getting the theater re-opened in honor of him."
Oliver was iII for several years, suffering from Parkinson's disease, and on Friday had emergency surgery to repair three ruptured discs in his neck. Oliver's body will be donated to researchers at the University of Michigan, which conducts extensive research on Parkinson's.
"He didn't want a funeral," said William Oliver. "He always said people should just remember the good times about somebody."
The Plymouth Observer & Eccentric
Plymouth, Michigan
Thursday, 9 February 2006
page 1
BY TONY BRUSCATO
STAFF WRITER
For decades, when patrons called the Penn Theatre for movie times, the deep, drawn-out voice at the other end began with, "This is a recording for the Penn Theatre."
That distinctive articulation belonged to Lloyd Oliver of Plymouth, who began his career at the Penn as a part-time projectionist in 1958, before eventually operating the theater for several owners until retiring in 2001.
The voice of the Penn was silenced Tuesday when Oliver succumbed to congestive heart failure at the age of 77.
"He liked that people recognized him by his voice," William Oliver said of his father. "He loved movies, and he liked the people who came to the Penn."
Despite several ownership changes, the one constant was Oliver.
"We inhented Lloyd with the theater," said former owner John Mazzei with a chuckle. "I remember when he was in the hospital and we put a different voice on the recording, we got a ton of phone calls asking, 'Where is Lloyd?' And, he was the best popcorn maker. It was an old-fashioned kettle, and he knew when it was ready and how much oil to put in. And, he used real butter."
Bonnie and Earl Smith of Plymouth owned the Penn from 1982-99, eventually turning over day to day operations to Lloyd Oliver.
"We trusted Lloyd with everything and anything," said Bonnie Smith. "He loved that theater with all his heart."
Ellen Elliott, the executive director of Friends of the Penn, the preservationist group raising money to refurbish the 64-year-old theater, remembers as a young girl calling the Penn for show times. "People imitated his very distinctive
voice," remembered Elliott. "Mr. Oliver's passing gives us a renewed sense of purpose to getting the theater re-opened in honor of him."
Oliver was iII for several years, suffering from Parkinson's disease, and on Friday had emergency surgery to repair three ruptured discs in his neck. Oliver's body will be donated to researchers at the University of Michigan, which conducts extensive research on Parkinson's.
"He didn't want a funeral," said William Oliver. "He always said people should just remember the good times about somebody."
The Plymouth Observer & Eccentric
Plymouth, Michigan
Thursday, 9 February 2006
page 1
Heart failure silences 'Voice of the Penn'
BY TONY BRUSCATO
STAFF WRITER
For decades, when patrons called the Penn Theatre for movie times, the deep, drawn-out voice at the other end began with, "This is a recording for the Penn Theatre."
That distinctive articulation belonged to Lloyd Oliver of Plymouth, who began his career at the Penn as a part-time projectionist in 1958, before eventually operating the theater for several owners until retiring in 2001.
The voice of the Penn was silenced Tuesday when Oliver succumbed to congestive heart failure at the age of 77.
"He liked that people recognized him by his voice," William Oliver said of his father. "He loved movies, and he liked the people who came to the Penn."
Despite several ownership changes, the one constant was Oliver.
"We inhented Lloyd with the theater," said former owner John Mazzei with a chuckle. "I remember when he was in the hospital and we put a different voice on the recording, we got a ton of phone calls asking, 'Where is Lloyd?' And, he was the best popcorn maker. It was an old-fashioned kettle, and he knew when it was ready and how much oil to put in. And, he used real butter."
Bonnie and Earl Smith of Plymouth owned the Penn from 1982-99, eventually turning over day to day operations to Lloyd Oliver.
"We trusted Lloyd with everything and anything," said Bonnie Smith. "He loved that theater with all his heart."
Ellen Elliott, the executive director of Friends of the Penn, the preservationist group raising money to refurbish the 64-year-old theater, remembers as a young girl calling the Penn for show times. "People imitated his very distinctive
voice," remembered Elliott. "Mr. Oliver's passing gives us a renewed sense of purpose to getting the theater re-opened in honor of him."
Oliver was iII for several years, suffering from Parkinson's disease, and on Friday had emergency surgery to repair three ruptured discs in his neck. Oliver's body will be donated to researchers at the University of Michigan, which conducts extensive research on Parkinson's.
"He didn't want a funeral," said William Oliver. "He always said people should just remember the good times about somebody."
The Plymouth Observer & Eccentric
Plymouth, Michigan
Thursday, 9 February 2006
page 1
BY TONY BRUSCATO
STAFF WRITER
For decades, when patrons called the Penn Theatre for movie times, the deep, drawn-out voice at the other end began with, "This is a recording for the Penn Theatre."
That distinctive articulation belonged to Lloyd Oliver of Plymouth, who began his career at the Penn as a part-time projectionist in 1958, before eventually operating the theater for several owners until retiring in 2001.
The voice of the Penn was silenced Tuesday when Oliver succumbed to congestive heart failure at the age of 77.
"He liked that people recognized him by his voice," William Oliver said of his father. "He loved movies, and he liked the people who came to the Penn."
Despite several ownership changes, the one constant was Oliver.
"We inhented Lloyd with the theater," said former owner John Mazzei with a chuckle. "I remember when he was in the hospital and we put a different voice on the recording, we got a ton of phone calls asking, 'Where is Lloyd?' And, he was the best popcorn maker. It was an old-fashioned kettle, and he knew when it was ready and how much oil to put in. And, he used real butter."
Bonnie and Earl Smith of Plymouth owned the Penn from 1982-99, eventually turning over day to day operations to Lloyd Oliver.
"We trusted Lloyd with everything and anything," said Bonnie Smith. "He loved that theater with all his heart."
Ellen Elliott, the executive director of Friends of the Penn, the preservationist group raising money to refurbish the 64-year-old theater, remembers as a young girl calling the Penn for show times. "People imitated his very distinctive
voice," remembered Elliott. "Mr. Oliver's passing gives us a renewed sense of purpose to getting the theater re-opened in honor of him."
Oliver was iII for several years, suffering from Parkinson's disease, and on Friday had emergency surgery to repair three ruptured discs in his neck. Oliver's body will be donated to researchers at the University of Michigan, which conducts extensive research on Parkinson's.
"He didn't want a funeral," said William Oliver. "He always said people should just remember the good times about somebody."
The Plymouth Observer & Eccentric
Plymouth, Michigan
Thursday, 9 February 2006
page 1
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