[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYihUUA7amE[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7pPTOeUnr0[/youtube]
Mae Timpano, the lady under the roller coaster died this past week. I am so sorry to hear this. I had always wanted to meet this woman and trade stories with her about Fred and Molly and life under the roller coaster. My family owned , operated and lived under the Thunderbolt for 60 years.
My Grand Uncle George and Grand Aunt Molly Moran built the Thunderbolt Roller Coaster over the Hotel Kensington sometime around 1925. Rather than demolish the hotel which dated back to the turn of the century, they decided to build a roller coaster over it and live in the house under the roller coaster.
Molly's brother Arthur, my grandfaher, became the chief technician on the ride. He was famous for climbing the hills of the ride, making sure every inch of track was good.
Molly and George raised a family of two sons. Harold David whom I am named after. Harold died a hero in WW2. He never wanted to be in the amusement business. He had studied operatic singing but became a pilot when WW2 rolled around.
His younger brother was Fred. Fred ran the ride after his dad died in 1965.
As is depicted in this wonderful film "Under The Roller Coaster" directed by Lila Place, Fred met and fell in love with Mae Timpano. They never married but they did live together under the ride for many years. After Fred's death in the early 1980's The Thunderbolt was sold to Horrace Bullard. He closed the ride down, never to reopen again.
He allowed Mae to continue to live under The Thunderbolt up until 1989 when a fire consumed most of the house leaving it a ruined shell.
My memories of the Thunderbolt are from my childhood. We would visit there every other weekend. Sometimes more. Sometimes less.
First we would enter the side entrance and walk the catwalk past the whirring gears and chains which would lead to the office from which Fred ran the Thunderbolt. We'd say hi to Grandpa Arthur and Carmine and the other fellows who kept the Thunderbolt going. Sometime we'd go down to the shop where the cars for the ride were repaired and stored in the winter months.
Then we'd walk up the sideline of the Thunderbolt to Aunt Molly's house. There were always many people there. Sisters and Brother's of Molly and their husbands and wives.
I'm sure Mae was among the adults there but as a kid I didn't really pay attention. I was more excited about going to play skeeball with my brother Martin at the Playland Arcade or riding the Bubblebounce.
She never married Fred because of his mother's wishes that he not marry a nonJew. It is ironic however that Molly Kramer did marry the Irishman George Moran. I'm told that caused quite a scandal in Coney in it's day. I believe that Molly got George to convert to the Jewish faith. I wonder why Freddy never asked Mae to convert. I guess I'll never know.
I'm writing this because I'm angry with myself for never calling Mae as an adult. As a child I didn't realize her relationship to Fred. I only heard about her when she made the Front page of NY Newsday in 1989. She had to leave the Thunderbolt because of the fire.
I never had heard of her before that. But over the past few years, since the release of Under the Roller Coaster, I kept saying to myself that I should get in touch with her. I even asked Dick Zigun for her contact information just this past July.
I had the number and I just kept putting it off. I was a bit afraid to call her. I wasn't sure how she would have reacted to a family member of Fred's after all these years. Maybe she would have been resentful? Probably not. I am truly sorry. I would have loved to shared some stories with her.
This is a classic life lesson in not putting off the important things before it is too late.
God bless you Mae Timpano. You made my cousin Fred a very happy man and you led a life others could only dream of.
I wished I could have gotten to know you. RIP dear.
That house is where my Aunt Molly, Uncle George, and Cousin Fred lived. Originally it was the Hotel Kensington.
My Uncle George built the Thunderbolt over the hotel in 1925. I'm named after Fred's brother who died in WW2.
Yes, this was the house in Anne Hall.
The sideline of the Thunderbolt with train roaring by.
That doorway on the lower left hand corner led to offices and and the trianshop. That's how we would enter the ride to say hi to Cousin Fred and Grandpa Arthur.
Grandpa Arthur was the cheif tech of the rides. He climbed the hills and maintained the ride all year round.
My cousin Freddy Moran. He ran the Thunderbolt Roller Coaster and lived under the ride with his girlfriend Mae Timpano.
That Bubble Bounce was my favorite ride.
The Tunnel of Laffs ride in the backround was painted by my dad.
George and Molly Moran with their son Harold David, whom I am named after.
