Unless I misread something here, I would have to disagree with Terry Wade above as I was in the Golden Gate Theatre once after Cinerama was taken out and it did have a huge curved front curtain on the main floor anyway. It was quite possible that the screen was stashed at the back of the stage which would have been weird no matter how you look at it (pun intended). BTW, I saw Cinerama at the Warner Theater (I think) in Hollywood (This is Cinerama) as well as at the RKO Boston Theatre. It is a damn shame what happened to that lovely place after Cinerama.
As a kid I caught the tail end of the Cinerama engagement. I wish I had been an adult back then. As a kid I did see “2001” and “Krakatoa” at the GG. I can only imagine how mega-great it must have been in the late 50’s-early 60’s. Thanks for posting.
San Francisco was the eighth market to equip a theater for Cinerama presentations. (Cinerama installations made ahead of San Francisco were New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Pittsburgh.)
A Cinerama film that never commercially screened in San Francisco was the 3-strip travelogue compilation film “The Best Of Cinerama” (1962). “Custer Of The West” (1968) played only as a 35mm general release. Additionally, no booking details could be found for the 1973 re-issue of “This Is Cinerama.”
“Krakatoa, East Of Java” (1969) played an engagement promoted as “Super 70mm” in the Golden Gate Penthouse. (Only presentations in the main, downstairs auditorium of the Golden Gate were promoted “in Cinerama,” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” was playing there during the 11-week “Krakatoa” booking.)
Following its 73-week run in the Golden Gate’s main auditorium, “2001: A Space Odyssey” played an additional 15 weeks in the Golden Gate Penthouse.
San Francisco was among the handful of markets that did play “Holiday In Spain.” The film was a re-edited, converted-to-3-strip, re-issue version of “Scent Of Mystery,” which received limited U.S. playdates in 70mm & Smell-O-Vision in 1960, San Francisco not among them.
Thanks again Mike for having my home town ‘San Francisco’ on the Cinerama list this week. The Cinerama screen at Orpheum was one of the largest for Cinerama. I remember seeing all the films you have listed as a kid. As a young person I wondered how the three projectors had three different lights and they didn’t get mixed up with the picture when they criss crossed in the middle of the theatre. The whole theatre was painted Cinerama pink. The curtains had a light grey look with pink/red lights on them. Every time I go into the Orpheum today I think of the huge presentation this was at the SF Orpheum. The 70mm Super Cinerama screen put in down the street at the RKO or Beacon Golden Gate was a major disappointment. They did a cheap job and just put in a small curved screen on the back of the large stage. Flat curtains were used. When you first went into the Golden Gate it looked like any other theatre with curtains on the stage till they opened them up then you saw a curved screen. The huge Cinerama curved screen at the Orpheum curved into the audience and extra drape around the whole front sides of the orchestra seats.
As I said in parts 1 & 2, look at some of those runs, 37, 52, 73 weeks. Amazing!!! Try getting that in todays multiplex world. Those were truely great times in the industry.
Unless I misread something here, I would have to disagree with Terry Wade above as I was in the Golden Gate Theatre once after Cinerama was taken out and it did have a huge curved front curtain on the main floor anyway. It was quite possible that the screen was stashed at the back of the stage which would have been weird no matter how you look at it (pun intended). BTW, I saw Cinerama at the Warner Theater (I think) in Hollywood (This is Cinerama) as well as at the RKO Boston Theatre. It is a damn shame what happened to that lovely place after Cinerama.
As a kid I caught the tail end of the Cinerama engagement. I wish I had been an adult back then. As a kid I did see “2001” and “Krakatoa” at the GG. I can only imagine how mega-great it must have been in the late 50’s-early 60’s. Thanks for posting.
Part IX: Dallas
Part X: Oklahoma City
Part VII: Atlanta
Part VIII: San Diego
Part IV: Houston
Part V: Washington, D.C.
Part VI: Los Angeles
A few more details…
San Francisco was the eighth market to equip a theater for Cinerama presentations. (Cinerama installations made ahead of San Francisco were New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Pittsburgh.)
A Cinerama film that never commercially screened in San Francisco was the 3-strip travelogue compilation film “The Best Of Cinerama” (1962). “Custer Of The West” (1968) played only as a 35mm general release. Additionally, no booking details could be found for the 1973 re-issue of “This Is Cinerama.”
“Krakatoa, East Of Java” (1969) played an engagement promoted as “Super 70mm” in the Golden Gate Penthouse. (Only presentations in the main, downstairs auditorium of the Golden Gate were promoted “in Cinerama,” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” was playing there during the 11-week “Krakatoa” booking.)
Following its 73-week run in the Golden Gate’s main auditorium, “2001: A Space Odyssey” played an additional 15 weeks in the Golden Gate Penthouse.
San Francisco was among the handful of markets that did play “Holiday In Spain.” The film was a re-edited, converted-to-3-strip, re-issue version of “Scent Of Mystery,” which received limited U.S. playdates in 70mm & Smell-O-Vision in 1960, San Francisco not among them.
Here are some Cinerama related photos at The Orpheum in Cinerama
Cinerama sign being delivered to Orpheum View link
Auditorium of Orpheum being readied for Cinerama curved screen View link
Cinerama screen being installed in auditorium of Orpheum View link
Cinerama marquee at Orpheum during showing of (one strip) It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World View link
All photos from San Francisco Public Library on line photograph collection
Thanks again Mike for having my home town ‘San Francisco’ on the Cinerama list this week. The Cinerama screen at Orpheum was one of the largest for Cinerama. I remember seeing all the films you have listed as a kid. As a young person I wondered how the three projectors had three different lights and they didn’t get mixed up with the picture when they criss crossed in the middle of the theatre. The whole theatre was painted Cinerama pink. The curtains had a light grey look with pink/red lights on them. Every time I go into the Orpheum today I think of the huge presentation this was at the SF Orpheum. The 70mm Super Cinerama screen put in down the street at the RKO or Beacon Golden Gate was a major disappointment. They did a cheap job and just put in a small curved screen on the back of the large stage. Flat curtains were used. When you first went into the Golden Gate it looked like any other theatre with curtains on the stage till they opened them up then you saw a curved screen. The huge Cinerama curved screen at the Orpheum curved into the audience and extra drape around the whole front sides of the orchestra seats.
As I said in parts 1 & 2, look at some of those runs, 37, 52, 73 weeks. Amazing!!! Try getting that in todays multiplex world. Those were truely great times in the industry.