Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
REMEMBERING CINERAMA (Part 54: Omaha)
posted by
Michael Zoldessy
on
June 29, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Compiled by Michael Coate
The following is a semi-regular series of retrospectives on CINERAMA, the legendary motion picture process that kicked off the widescreen revolution. The series focuses on providing a market-by-market historical record of when and where Cinerama and its multi-panel clones were exhibited. These easy-to-reference articles serve to provide nostalgia to those who experienced the Cinerama presentations when they were new and to honor the movie palaces in which the memorable screenings took place.
And now… Part 54: Cinerama Presentations in Omaha, Nebraska!
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Cooper
Premiere Date: February 15, 1961
Engagement Duration: 22 weeks
Projection Format: 3-strip / 26 frames per second / 7-track stereo
Promotional Hype: “At last! It’s coming to Omaha! The Cooper Theatre in Omaha is being completely restyled at a cost of $150,000. The Cooper will be the only theatre in Nebraska-Iowa that will or can show CINERAMA productions.”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Cooper
July 21, 1961
18 weeks
3-strip / 26fps / 7-track stereo
“Escape with CINERAMA to the South Seas!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Cooper
November 21, 1961
22 weeks
3-strip / 26fps / 7-track stereo
“SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD…as seen through the greatest wonder: CINERAMA”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Cooper
May 4, 1962
17 weeks
3-strip / 26fps / 7-track stereo
“It’s every holiday you ever dreamed of…come true!”
WINDJAMMER
Cooper
August 31, 1962
13 weeks
3-strip / 26fps / 7-track stereo
“Produced in CINEMIRACLE, Presented in CINERAMA”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Indian Hills
December 21, 1962
23 weeks
3-strip / 24fps / 7-track stereo
“A new era in entertainment in the Midwest with the opening of the new Indian Hills Theatre. A unique ‘Symphony In The Round,’ it was designed exclusive for the showing of CINERAMA productions from the wonderfully comfortable loge seats to the magnificent CINERAMA sound system – you are surrounded by luxury!” “The first dramatic story-telling motion picture in fabulous CINERAMA”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Indian Hills
May 28, 1963
42 weeks
3-strip / 24fps / 7-track stereo
“Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Cinerama present HOW THE WEST WAS WON”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Indian Hills
March 25, 1964
37 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“The Biggest Entertainment Ever To Rock The CINERAMA Screen With Laughter!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Indian Hills
December 9, 1964
15 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“CINERAMA Puts You in the Middle of the Most Action-Filled Story You’ve Ever Seen!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Indian Hills
March 23, 1965
30 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“Presented in CINERAMA”
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Indian Hills
October 19, 1965
9 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“Now see How The West Was Fun! Ride the Big, Wide, Adventure-packed Fun-Trail!”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Indian Hills
December 22, 1965
26 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“Super Cinerama turns the screen into the mightiest battleground ever!”
KHARTOUM
Indian Hills
June 20, 1966 (United States Co-Premiere)
9 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“The Great CINERAMA Adventure!”
GRAND PRIX
Indian Hills
June 30, 1967
19 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Indian Hills
June 19, 1968
17 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“An astounding entertainment experience!”
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Indian Hills
November 13, 1968
14 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (Return Engagement)
Indian Hills
February 20, 1969
4 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“Brought back by popular demand”
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Indian Hills
August 13, 1969
8 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“The NEW CINERAMA hurls YOU into the incredible day that shook the earth to its core!”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Re-Issue)
Indian Hills
September 20, 1973
6 weeks
70mm / 24fps / 6-track stereo
“THIS IS CINERAMA Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation”
CINERAMA FILMS NOT SHOWN IN OMAHA:
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
CUSTER OF THE WEST (general release only)
TRIVIA / NOTES:
Omaha was the first (and only) market in Nebraska, the 31st market in the United States, the 34th market in North America, and the 53rd market in the world to equip for Cinerama presentations.
The Indian Hills was the fourth purpose-built Cinerama theater in the United States and at the time of its opening boasted the world’s largest (indoor) screen, with a width (measured along the curve) of just over 100’.
The United States premiere of KHARTOUM was held simultaneously on June 20, 1966, in the “Golden Triangle,” which consisted of the Cooper Foundation’s Cinerama venues in Denver, Minneapolis and Omaha. (The world premiere of KHARTOUM was held on June 9, 1966, in London, at the Casino.)
RFERENCES:
Various issues of Boxoffice, Omaha World-Herald, and Variety.
OTHER ENTRIES IN THIS SERIES:
Part 1: New York
Part 2: Chicago
Part 3: San Francisco
Part 4: Houston
Part 5: Washington, DC
Part 6: Los Angeles
Part 7: Atlanta
Part 8: San Diego
Part 9: Dallas
Part 10: Oklahoma City
Part 11: Syracuse
Part 12: Toronto
Part 13: Columbus
Part 14: Montreal
Part 15: Northern New Jersey
Part 16: Charlotte
Part 17: Vancouver
Part 18: Salt Lake City
Part 19: Boston
Part 20: Philadelphia
Part 21: Fresno
Part 22: Detroit
Part 23: Minneapolis
Part 24: Albuquerque
Part 25: El Paso
Part 26: Des Moines
Part 27: Miami
Part 28: Orange County
Part 29: Pittsburgh
Part 30: Baltimore
Part 31: Syosset / Long Island
Part 32: Kansas City
Part 33: Milwaukee
Part 34: Nanuet / Lower Hudson Valley
Part 35: Denver
Part 36: Worcester
Part 37: Toledo
Part 38: St. Louis
Part 39: Tampa
Part 40: Calgary
Part 41: Hartford
Part 42: Albany
Part 43: New Haven
Part 44: Sacramento
Part 45: Las Vegas
Part 46: Seattle
Part 47: Phoenix
Part 48: Orlando
Part 49: Cleveland
Part 50: Portland
Part 51: Rochester
Part 52: New Orleans
Part 53: San Jose
Comments (6)
This, of course reminds me of them tearing down that GREAT CINERAMA theater, the Indian Hills, to make a hospital parking lot, even after all those protests!
I remember “How The West Was Won”! It was a good, well-done film, which my sister and I saw in the West Newton Cinema (which is still open, btw), pretty much when it first came out.
I also might add that I had to talk my mom into letting my sister and I see “How The West Was Won.”, because, for all kinds of undisclosed reasons, she really didn’t want my sister and I to see that particular movie.
Any idea when Providence will be covered? I worked saw movies there as a kid, worked there as a teen and eventually ran it past its glory days. Nick
I’m a new poster. I LOVE this series. What a great idea. Any chance of adding Buffalo, New York to the series? Buffalo was my home town and a big Roadshow market in the 1950’s and 60’s. The Loew’s Teck(formerly Shea’s) was the major Theater to show the three strip Cinerama and other wide screen events of the era. Our family spent many a happy time in that theater. If any of you other posters are planning a trip to Los Angeles or already live here, you will probably be interested to know that Arclight Cinemas will be having a 60th birthday celebration in honor of Cinerama from September 28 to October 4, 2012. They will be playing all of the Cinerama Travelogues as well as THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM, HOW THE WEST WAS WON, IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD, and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. They will all be played in the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd.
To MPOL. If you saw HTWWW at the West Newton theatre you did not see it when it 1st came out. You saw the 35mm composite of all 3 strips. This was very annoying. HTWWW played at the Boston Cinerama in 3 strip Cinerama for 33 wks. The West Newton was not big enough for Cinerama. I was only there one time in 1950 to see the Documentary of Kon Tiki. Had relatives who lived down the street on Annapolis Rd which is off of Cherry St.