Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Openings
-
October 18, 2006
Biograph reopens
CHICAGO, IL — Not showing films but as a venue for the Victory Gardens Theater, the Biograph is open again.
It was at the Biograph Theatre that bank robber John Dillinger was gunned down by FBI agents July 22, 1934, after taking in the movie “Manhattan Melodrama” and being betrayed by the “Lady in Red.”
The Biograph is one of Chicago’s last remaining landmarks from its gun-slinging past; Al Capone’s Lexington Hotel hangout and the warehouse site of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre have been demolished.
Over the weekend, the Biograph held its coming-out party as a newly rehabbed venue for Victory Gardens Theater live shows, and theater leaders echoed Mayor Richard Daley in playing down its bloody past.
To read more, visit the Seattle Times.
(Thanks to Eric Olson for providing the photo.)
1 comment -
October 16, 2006
Mall’s movie blackout to end
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY — After reporting the theater’s closing two months ago, small Florida-based chain Trademark Cinemas is coming in to reopen the Jefferson Valley cinema.
Two months after Regal Entertainment Group closed its eight-screen multiplex, the movies are coming back to the Jefferson Valley Mall.
Mall officials have confirmed an announcement by Trademark Cinemas of Lake Mary, Fla., that the fledgling theater chain will make Jefferson Valley its second location. The news was first reported on Trademark’s Web site, though rumors of the theater’s return have swirled for days.
To read more on this story, go to The Journal News.
-
October 5, 2006
Fair Theater now open
PLAINVIEW, TX — The Fair Theater has been and is now open for business.
To read more, visit the Fair Theater Webpage.
-
October 2, 2006
Woolton Cinema, Liverpool (UK). Closes after 75 years
WOOLTON VILLAGE, ENGLAND — This single screen cinema, situated in Woolton Village closed on 03/09/2006. The untimely closure of the cinema was due to the death of its owner, Mr David Wood. Mr Wood’s widow felt she could no longer operate the cinema and a decision was made to close the doors.
A group formed by members of the local community is campaigning to raise enough funds to reopen the cinema. There is a website which has more infomation and links to members of the campaign: Woolton Picture House Homepage.
-
September 29, 2006
Village Theatre’s days are numbered
VALPARAISO, IN — After a hard-fought battle to keep it open for a bit longer, it looks like the Village Theatre will soon shut its doors.
Village Entertainment CEO Ron Rooding hoped the movie theater could remain open until January, but Porter Superior Court Judge William Alexa ruled Tuesday that the theater has 15 business days to cease all operations.
The north-side theater located in the former County Seat Plaza can file for an extension of 15 additional days for good reason, Alexa said. After that, Porter County police will be called to change the locks.
For the full story, visit The Post-Tribune.
-
September 19, 2006
Hollywood Theater in Pittsburgh, PA to reopen
PITTSBURGH, PA — The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s September 14, 2006 edition reports that the Hollywood Theater in the city’s Dormont neighborhood will reopen sometime this fall after an extensive remodeling.
Bradley Center has agreed to lease the theater for 10 years with options to renew and, after renovations, wants to open it by Thanksgiving. But center officials said that contractors' work might not be finished until the holiday season in December.
Mayor Thomas Lloyd announced at last week’s council meeting that Bradley has applied for a building permit to start renovations. No money details were released.
For the full story, visit The Post Gazette.
-
September 15, 2006
Long run over for Esquire Theater
CHICAGO, IL — According to the Chicago Tribune, the Esquire Theater in Chicago is closing and may be demolished as soon as next year. One possible proposal is mixed retail and hotel.
The last movies will show at the Esquire Theater on the Gold Coast Thursday, after which its owner will start raising the curtain on a possible retail-hotel complex that would replace the theater once its 1930s-era building is demolished.
The residential and retail developer acquired the Oak Street property four years ago. Most recently, AMC Entertainment Inc. has been managing the theater, often showing films that already have run at downtown megaplexes.
Shapack expects to begin demolishing the Esquire in about 14 months and start construction on a mixed-use complex likely to include retail, restaurants and, perhaps, a hotel or condominiums.
For more, see the article in the Sept 14, 2006 edition by Susan Diesenhouse.
(Thanks to Adam Martin at Cinematour for providing the photo.)
-
September 14, 2006
Drive-in theater plan cruises
WAPELLO, IA — Plans are being executed for a new drive-in, north of Grandview, Iowa.
Property owners Greg and Shilah Lindle are the parents of Kelly Daniels. The Daniels are proposing to use about 5 of the 15 acres to construct an outdoor drive-in movie theater called Cruise-in Drive-in with enough space for up to 300 vehicles. They requested a 15-acre rezoning to avoid claims of spot zoning, which is illegal.
Bob Simmering of HWS Engineering of Muscatine said plans call for a 50- by 35-foot screen on the west end with an entrance on the east end of the 5-acre location. Near the center would be a concession stand/projection booth/arcade, Simmering said. There would be a 1,500-gallon sewage system.
For more, read the Muscatine Journal.
-
Closed theaters – resources for SERIOUS researchers
Within the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) “Vault” is a short film titled “The Case Against the 20% Federal Admissions Tax on Motion Picture Theatres”. I recorded it sometime within the last decade and want others to be informed of its existence. It was produced circa 1952 (references “since 1946” and “within the past six years”) about 4500 theaters had closed (“one out of every four in the country”). Serious researches ought access the source files both in the Los Angeles archives of the AMA and the archived historical papers of the various State Representatives (Congress) who submitted data for the report.
-
September 13, 2006
Victorville Theater to open in fall
VICTORVILLE, CA — After some delays that left residents frustrated for convenient entertainment, Cinemark’s new multiplex in Victorville is scheduled to open in the next few months.
Stadium seating, surround sound and 16 screens are all coming to the Mall of Victor Valley this fall — but 18 extra stalls for the women’s restroom might just steal the show.
After demolishing the old mall movie theater in 2005, Cinemark is able to add things like more women’s restrooms to the new theater — and in the process, it has also nearly doubled the square footage, from 35,000 to 65,000 square feet.
To read more, visit The Victorville Daily Press.