A Word from the Founders

Since 1999, Cinema Treasures has worked to preserve what remains of one of the most important cultural legacies of the twentieth century, the movie theater.

As our most devoted users know, in late 2000, we launched our website with over 100 theaters and a few dozen photos, hoping to attract a few kindred spirits who could help us build a growing theater database and community of theater preservationists.

Today, with over 6,500 theater listings from dozens of countries, over 1,500 theater photographs, and thousands of users, we are overwhelmed by the support for this website and the “Cinema Treasures” we fight to save.

So it is with tremendous pleasure that we are releasing this new book that profiles some of the best classic movie theaters still operating in the United States.

Co-written by Ross Melnick and Andreas Fuchs, this book is not just about the past, but will also focus on the present and future of classic movie theaters. Despite the glory of Radio City Music Hall and the RKO Roxy Theatre, the grandeur of movie theaters did not end with the opening of these theaters in December 1932.

Cinema Treasures showcases movie theaters in the United States from the 1890s to the present. There are single screen theaters, twins, multiplexes and megaplexes. Nearly all of the 30 theaters given detailed theater profiles are still showing movies (either during annual film series or festivals or as part of their daily programming). Again, this will be a book about the present and future of classic movie theaters, not just the past.

Indeed, through Cinema Treasures, we've made friends around the world who care deeply about these special places, and we see this book as an opportunity to connect with an entirely new group of movie theater fans.

Finally, we want to thank our tireless volunteer staff who have helped make this site what it is today: Bryan Krefft, Grant Smith, William Gabel, Roger Katz, Chad Irish, and Ian Grundy. And a special thanks, of course, to all of our members. This site would not have been possible without your help!

All of our continued thanks, and now… back to work!

Ross Melnick & Patrick Crowley
Founders, Cinema Treasures