Sun-Ray Cinema

1028 Park Street,
Jacksonville, FL 32204

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Sun Ray Cinema (Official)

Additional Info

Architects: Roy A. Benjamin, F. Earl DeLoe

Functions: Movies (Classic), Movies (First Run), Movies (Foreign), Movies (Independent), Movies (Revival)

Styles: Italian Renaissance, Streamline Moderne

Previous Names: Riverside Theatre, 5 Points Theatre, River City Playhouse

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 904.359.0047
Manager: 934.359.0049

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News About This Theater

Sun-Ray Cinema

Originally opened as the Riverside Theatre in 1927, it was renamed 5 Points Theatre after a remodeling in 1949. On November 15, 1961 it was converted into a Cinerama theatre, screening “This Is Cinerama”. The 5 Points Theatre closed as a movie theatre in 1977.

In 1984, it became a playhouse, known as the River City Playhouse and this continued until 1991, when it was converted into a nightclub named Club 5, which closed in 2001.

In 2008, it was taken over by car dealer Mike Shad and was renovated, re-opening as a twin screen movie theatre in October 2008. It was renamed Sun-Ray Cinema in November 2011.

In May 2024 it was announced that the lease would expire on July 28, 2024 and the Sun-Ray Cinema would close.

Contributed by moviemad, Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 36 comments)

hckymom1
hckymom1 on April 14, 2015 at 6:23 pm

I’m doing a research paper on the history of this theater. If anyone has some great facts or has seen it evolved, can you let me know some cool information?

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 6, 2015 at 11:38 pm

1949 marquee photo added, from previous dead link.

Coate
Coate on May 9, 2015 at 11:13 pm

It has been said that this theater hosted the longest run of “The Godfather.” I’ve never vetted this, so I can’t say if it’s an accurate claim or not.

Coate
Coate on March 7, 2016 at 5:38 pm

I’ve had a chance to research the release of “The Godfather” (1972) and can state that the 5 Points did NOT have the longest run of that film in the United States as claimed in the intro above (“It is reported to have been the home for the 1972 run of “The Godfather” that had the longest run of any theatre in the USA.”). It’s not even close! I’ve found “The Godfather” ran at 5 Points for 18 weeks, which is a lengthy run, for sure, but nowhere near the long-run record holders. It’s not even the long-run record holder for the venue (which probably belongs to “The Sound of Music” with its 31-week roadshow run in 1965). At this time I cannot state with certainty which city/theater had the longest run of “The Godfather, but I’m aware of several in the 26-ish-week range and at least two that were in the 30+ week range. So, it’s a bit infuriating to learn that someone did such shoddy research (mistaken recollection? trolling?) on this "Godfather”/5 Points matter, especially since I’ve seen the claim repeated elsewhere including in some major newspapers.

MSC77
MSC77 on November 29, 2022 at 5:08 pm

My recently-published 50th anniversary “Godfather” retrospective includes, among other things, a first-run bookings chronology, and, as such, I can confirm the 5 Points in Jacksonville did NOT host the longest-running engagement of “The Godfather” as previously claimed in the intro and earlier comments (and repeated elsewhere). That film’s longest run—at 41 weeks—was held at Red Rock in Las Vegas.

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on January 23, 2023 at 9:14 am

From the showtimes listed on the theatre’s website it appears to be a 2-screen operation.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 20, 2024 at 2:25 pm

The Riverside Theatre opened on March 12th, 1927. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 21, 2024 at 7:55 am

Reopened as 5 Points on August 11th, 1949. Another ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 21, 2024 at 5:01 pm

Cinerama started on November 15th, 1961. Ad posted.

dsedman
dsedman on May 23, 2024 at 9:34 pm

Closing July 28, 2024 at the end of lease.

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