In 1957 at Bertrand Island Lake Hopatcong NJ we kids would drop our pennies in and see "The electric chair at Sing Sing" a prisoner being executed. and a Victorian era Fan dancer...hot stuff. The flip card viewer was a real attraction.

Playland-Not-At-the-Beach in El Cerrito has a few of these old peep shows. One, called "How to Clean Up at the Races," is a tiny diorama of plastic horses, a shovel and manure. Another, "Fan Dancer," is exactly that - a shaking paper fan with doll legs. You got exactly what was advertised with these things, so don't call them "a dirty gyp," kid.

Up until about 5 years ago, they still had a few of those peep shows at the Minnesota State Fair Penny Arcade, tucked away amongst the flashy, noisy video games. Some of them didn't work, but one or two always did, and they were still a penny. I found them to be charming and always made it a point to watch one each time I went to the fair. When they moved or removed the Penny Arcade, the peep shows went away too. I tracked down and contacted the guy who owned them, hoping to buy and restore them, but he wanted much more than I could afford. I hope they've been restored and are still entertaining people somewhere.

This just can't be true, the youth of yesteryear were all virtuous and wholesome and never thought of, or even knew about Sex.

My favorite filmgoers are the two guys both watching the "Strip Poker" show, trying to get a double-view for the price of a penny.

They still had a few of these at Rocky Point in RI when I was a kid. I remember viewing one called "What Girls Do When Alone"; instead of the hoped-for steamy Sapphic interlude, the ancient, worn images showed two flappers dancing. That was it.

I guess you do get what you pay for at the Penny Arcade.

The enticing photos and titles on the signs invariably promised more than the 1¢ show delivered. In reality, the flip cards seldom showed more than an attractive girl fully covered by a diaphanous cloak that she almost removes by the last card. You are always left with the impression that if there were just a few more cards, you would have received your money's worth.

I remember seeing those at the arcades in Ocean City, MD in the 1960's. Only by that time it cost 2 cents. There was never anything really obscene. It was usually some sort of mildly naughty gag shot.

I bet these kids were worried about their parents seeing them watching the peep show!