Gary Ross is a history buff who enjoys hearing stories about the good old days, those days when the avenue was the place to shop, when Saturday matinees cost a dime and the news came on the big screen before the feature film at the local theater.

The Frankford resident, who grew up in Olney, especially likes learning about the origins of his neighborhood and the historical landmarks that once made it a thriving environment. He has lived in Frankford for 12 years and has many connections in the community through his involvement with his Lion Theater production company, which is housed in St. Mark's Episcopal Church at 4442 Frankford Ave.

Ross, who said he always knew he wanted to be in the film business, has been operating the successful company for four years.

The novice filmmaker recently called on a few friends to help him combine his love of film and history to produce a documentary called Frankford Memories.

Ross thought of the project about two years ago, after the sudden death of Dr. Benjamin Novak, the former vice principal of Frankford High School.

"I used to love to listen to people in their eighties and nineties tell stories, and I thought, 'I can't hear them anymore because they passed away,'" Ross said. "I said, 'We have to record this for all time so that it will never be forgotten by anybody.'"

Frankford Memories is a personal tale of five older adults, between the ages of 79 and 89, who share their recollections of life in the community when they were growing up.

"It's living history . . . it's culture . . . it's tradition . . . it's biography, all together," Ross said of his film.

"I just wanted people to see (Frankford) through the language of other people who remember it -- what it was like, how grand the community was -- but also to see that there are parts of (the neighborhood) that are still here, and if people act now, it can be saved."

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

The five stars of the film are Zelma Banes, Dr. Leon Johnston, Myrtle MacIntosh, Jean Seader and Dr. Irving Smiler.

The individuals are a diverse group from different ethnic backgrounds and lifestyles who, when their stories are woven together, create a beautiful tapestry of their neighborhood.

"We used the language of the people," Ross said. "There's no narration at all."

Each person shared their memories in interviews. Each person is unique, yet several themes emerge in all of the pieces, such as the industrial force that used to exist in Frankford, the effect of Pearl Harbor and the traditions of the local churches.

Old pictures of Frankford Avenue -- the industrial mills and the schools -- are shown throughout the film to complement the interviews. The photos were provided by the Frankford Historical Society.

Historical highlights include memories of the Frankford Arsenal and the beacon of power it was during World War II.

Also highlighted in the film is the construction and opening of the Frankford El in 1922, which was greeted with a celebration on Frankford Avenue and a baby parade.

Myrtle MacIntosh, 84, was in that baby parade. She grew up in the area and graduated from Frankford High School in 1936.

As a young girl, she often would go to the movies with her friends. She always sat in the first row and made sure to pick up a kosher pickle at the delicatessen across the street for a snack.

After marrying her husband Charles, she lived in North Philadelphia for a short time. They returned to the Frankford neighborhood, and she now lives on the 1200 block of Haworth St.

The petite and soft-spoken woman raised three children in that home. She has lived there for 54 years.

TIMES HAVE CHANGED

When the MacIntosh family first arrived on the block, there were only a few children on the street. The other houses were owned by "mature adults," and the block was very quiet.

She also told the story of how a bicycle ended up on her front lawn and stayed there for a week until a woman knocked on MacIntosh's door and asked if the bike belonged to her. When MacIntosh said "no," the woman explained that her daughter had lost her bike, and the woman believed that the one on the lawn was it. She took the bike home.

"It was out there for a whole week," MacIntosh remembered. "You couldn't leave (a bike) out there for five minutes now."

MacIntosh also recalled that neighbors treated one another differently all those years ago. They were always willing to help each other, but they also kept to themselves most of the time.

"(Neighbors) didn't mingle much," she said. "They were very friendly, but you just didn't run in and out of people's houses."

Being in the film was quite an affair for MacIntosh.

"It was a whole new experience for me," she said. "I didn't know what to expect. It was nice to be in it, and I thought it was very nice of Gary to ask me to be in it."

Other Frankford natives, who were unable to be interviewed, spoke in the film about being invited to an affluent neighbor's Victorian house at Christmastime for cookies, and what it was like being served by a maid.

One gentleman enjoyed the camaraderie and love among neighbors that existed decades ago. Another man talked about the lively atmosphere of Frankford Avenue, and how the bustling business district was filled with people and shops.

A woman in the film reminisced about the block parties that brought her street to life on balmy Saturday nights. Neighbors would come out and play guitars and other instruments for entertainment. Boys could be found most days playing card games in a back alley.

A TEAM EFFORT

Work on the film, which cost $1,100 to produce, began in July. The documentary was produced and financed by Lion Theater in association with the Frankford Historical Society and the Frankford United Neighbors/Community Development Corporation. It was directed by Francesco Muto and Randall Bows and completed in three months.

Last month, community members and stars of Frankford Memories turned out for the first screening of the film at St. Mark's Church, and it received accolades from the audience.

Ross and his colleagues are ironing out some technical glitches to ensure that the film looks perfect. They plan to enter it next winter in the 2002 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

In the meantime, Ross wants to have Frankford Memories exhibited in other film festivals, and he'd love to see it air on public television stations like WHYY-TV, Channel 12.

So what's next for Ross? He plans to make more Frankford documentaries. He also hopes to one day move Lion Theater out of St. Mark's and into a permanent home on Frankford Avenue.

"We would like to purchase or acquire a space on Frankford Avenue that can be a regular theater," he said. "We would like to take a pretty large, old store and convert it into a theater."

For more information on Frankford Memories or to purchase a copy of the film, call 215-535-0359.