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Memories
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February 1, 2008
Vintage Canby Theatre Grand Opening announcement
CANBY, MN — The new Canby Theatre proclaimed the most beautiful and most modern in the northwest excepting only the Twin Cities, will open its doors to the public next Wednesday (November 15, 1939.)
The Opening Show, in technicolor, will be Darryl F. Zanuck’s technicolor production of HOLLYWOOD CAVALCADE starring Alice Faye and Don Ameche.
Special Grand Opening Matinee (Wednesday, November 15, 1939) at 4 p.m. Admission: Children 5 cents, Adults 25 cents.
The New Canby Theatre (replacing the Broadway Theatre) was equipped with ‘the finest American Seats, new projectors and best air-conditioning system on the market today.’
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January 31, 2008
The Official “WONDER WORLD OF K. GORDON MURRAY” Documentary “Teaser” Trailer NOW ONLINE!
Announcing the Official “WONDER WORLD OF K. GORDON MURRAY” Documentary Website and “Teaser” Trailer!!!
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January 23, 2008
Plitt and Cineplex-Odeon in Chicago
Can someone help me with this? I know that Cineplex-Odeon took over Plitt Theatres in Chicago. Are there any former Plitt Theatres in Chicagoland still functioning as movie houses?
Also, I noticed that most of the cinemas that Cineplex-Odeon built in the Chicagoland Area circa 1985 to 1990 have closed. C-O built these, supposedly to modernize the movie-going experience, but few remain and I think that a few have already been demolished. Besides the Lincoln Village, how many cinemas built by C-O remain as movie theatres?
Please note that I am not looking for theatres converted to other uses such as fitness centers. Nor am I looking for ones converted to concert halls or playhouses. I’m looking for ones that are still functioning primarily as cinemas. Thank you.
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Forgotten days at the Park
CHATTANOOGA, TN — Some memories of the long gone Park Theater:
Locally, the screen of the Park Theater was one that held audiences' attention for many weekend afternoons and evenings. The Park was housed in a small yellow brick building located at 2102 McCallie Avenue at Willow Street in the Highland Park community. For over forty years, audiences bought tickets at the window under the marquee awning, with “Park” in bright neon.
Two entrepreneurs were associated with the Park Theater — Abe Solomon and Samuel H. Borisky. Mr. Solomon established the Independent Theaters chain in Atlanta in 1912, and moved to Chattanooga in 1914 to establish the Strand Theater. According to “Prominent Tennesseeans 1796-1938,” Mr. Borisky was a graduate of Georgia Tech with a degree in engineering, and was a veteran of World War I. The two men held the roles of president-treasurer and vice-president/secretary in their business, and were also active in the Southern Theater Owners Association.
Read the full story in the Chattanoogan.
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January 22, 2008
Baltimore cinema history
BALTIMORE, MD — A look at the local history of cinemas past and present:
With the addition of just one new movie house – November’s opening of the Landmark Theatres in Harbor East – the number of Baltimore theaters skyrocketed by a whopping 33 percent.
How times have changed. Over the past century, Baltimore has had more than 100 movie houses, from the palatial – the Grand, the Metropolitan, the Northwood, the Patterson – to the neighborly – the Blue Bell, the Community, the Plaza.
But beginning in the 1960s, theaters began flocking to the suburbs. Parking was easier; the huge movie palaces of the silent era became too expensive to maintain; neighborhoods became places to move away from, rather than grow up in.
Read more in the Baltimore Sun.
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January 17, 2008
Orleans 8 farewell
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Over the Christmas holidays I had heard the AMC Orleans 8 was demolished and went by and saw it for myself. It was a sad sight to see so I just had to make a comment and was quite suprised to find this site.
I worked there several years as an usher and as an ass’t/mgr. I had met some great people while working there, but time moves on, and so does a bulldozer. So as we used to say on the phone, “we have parking for 5000 cars, for business and further information please dial Randolph 8-5959,”
thanks…..
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January 14, 2008
How the Portage came back
CHICAGO, IL — Just a little inside info on the Portage. Dennis who was the manager at the Gateway for over 20 years is an incredible person and the manager now. He had a vision, found people with the same vision, brought them together and as they say the rest is history, well it is, the Portage is open and doing well. How many theaters in the US can say the same thing. The funding was from a small group of investors who had the same vision as Dennis.
I worked with Dennis for over 10 years when he was managing the Gateway and been a friend of his since 1990. The most important thing to Dennis and Linda was the the theater be presented in the best light. He would would alway side step any praise. It was my distinct pleasure to work with him, even when the management at the Gateway became difficult to work with. I stayed in touch with him and when I found out he had left the Gateway and was working on the Portage, I knew it was only a matter of time and the Grand Portage Theater would reopen with all the splendor she once had.
My first time at the theater was about 2 months after things had been worked out and they were in. The interior was completely black. Someone along the line had sprayed everything black, put up a wall and called it a duplex. Too bad they got away with doing this. The garbage that was there was unbelievable. Months later visiting one weekend the transformation was remarkable, three quarters of the theater was painted and really looking great. The lobby was cleaned up, new paint, electrical working, the counter repaired. I was glad I was able to help out a bit, its hard when you are working two jobs but here and there as I could I would help out.
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January 7, 2008
Iowa Historic Preservation Office launches “Hollywood in the Heartland”
DES MOINES, IOWA — Iowa’s movie houses and connections to Hollywood are the focus of a new statewide project launched recently by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and Iowans are being asked to help.
Hollywood in the Heartland is a multi-year, multi-phase project concentrating primarily on properties built for or associated with the movies before 1970. The study is being conducted in partnership with the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance (IHPA), Main Street Iowa and the Iowa Tourism Office.
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January 4, 2008
“CE3K,” Happy 30th!
“We Are Not Alone”
Here’s my “Close Encounters” 30th anniversary tribute…better late than never! (Had I not had a falling out with Bill Kallay, this probably would have appeared on the From Script To DVD website. And had I not been traveling extensively during November and December, I would have posted this closer to the film’s actual anniversary date.)
Anyway, enjoy the flashback! And please share your memories of seeing this classic movie.
RELEASED NOVEMBER 16, 1977
New York: Ziegfeld 70mm Six-Track Dolby StereoRELEASED NOVEMBER 18, 1977
Los Angeles: Cinerama Dome 70mm Six-Track Dolby StereoFor the film’s general release, which began during the week of December 14, 1977, Columbia Pictures targeted 269 theaters primarily in major markets. Another 301 bookings began one week later. The majority of these original, December-initiated engagements are noted in the list below. (Please keep in mind that the small-market bookings, move-overs, second-run, international, etc. that began/took place during the early and middle months of 1978 have not been included.)
ALABAMA
Anniston: Plaza Cinemas III
Birmingham: Roebuck Plaza Dolby Stereo
Huntsville: Trans-Lux Twin
Mobile: Capri
Montgomery: Eastmont 1 & 2
Tuscaloosa: Fox 1 & 2 -
January 3, 2008
Wilmington, NC Theatre pictures
I have stumbled upon pictures of Wilmington, NC theatres from the first half (teens to 50s) of the 20th century.
Under “T”..