Historical Photo: Then and Now Asked When?

Then and Now asked when this  photograph of the Surf Cinema movie theater was taken.

Alan Resnic answered 1979. Congratulations, Alan. Please email us (terry.date@patch.com) your home address so we'll know where to send your prize.

Alan's answer jibed with the second of the two years — circa 1978 or 1979 — that Ed Mulvey pegged as the time frame in which the photo was snapped.

Ed, an erstwhile Surf employee, sent us the picture. 

He started working at Surf Cinema in 1975 as an usher.

That was the year the movie Jaws made a splash on screens nationwide — and no doubt accounted for nervous feet across the street at Fisherman's Beach.

The Surf cinema seems to have a good seat in Swampscott's collective memory, based on how often we've heard it mentioned in town.

It stood on Humphrey Street across from the Fish House.

Ed, who worked every job in the house, recalled that the Surf even showed movies during the Blizzard of 78. And they were busy.

Thank you for the photo and history, Ed.

We'll keep the  feature going by posting another photograph of a historic house or location on Saturday.

This contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older. To enter, just submit your answer in the comments section below. All entries must be received by midnight tonight, Eastern Time. Readers may only offer one answer per week. The winner will receive a $5 gift card to a local business.