Comments from jamestv

Showing 26 - 50 of 107 comments

jamestv
jamestv commented about Galaxy Drive-In on Jul 13, 2014 at 5:09 am

The sixth screen opened sometime in 2012. This Drive-in is all digital projection.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Esquire Theatre on Jul 13, 2014 at 5:01 am

I was a relief projectionist from 1975 to 1977, when we had long runs of Mel Brooks and Monty Python movies. This was a jewel box of a movie theatre with lush curtains and sidewalls. The booth had Cinemeccanica 35/70MM projectors put in at the beginning of the ‘60’s.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Country Squire Drive-In on Jul 13, 2014 at 4:45 am

I worked as a projectionist for a weekend here in 1972—-ran “Fuzz”, a “Magnificent Seven” sequel(can’t remember which one but I believe George Kennedy played the Yul Brynner role) and the Bud Yorkin-Norman Lear comedy “Cold Turkey” with Dick Van Dyke. This drive-in, the Linda Kay Drive-in and the Kaufman Pike Drive-In were third run theatres for United Artists Theatres and were only open on weekends.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Collin Creek Cameo Theater on Jul 13, 2014 at 4:38 am

This was still a single screen theatre in 1981—-saw “The Clash Of The Titans” there. One of Interstate Theatres late-‘60’s gems—-too bad it wasn’t successful.

jamestv
jamestv commented about LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Colleyville on Jul 13, 2014 at 4:32 am

This theatre was taken over around 2010 by the Midwest chain B & B Theatres. In early 2014, B & B closed it, supposedly because of poor food service. In late May 2014, Studio Movie Grill reopened it but apparently, the IMAX was decommissioned—-although they might retrofit it with digital IMAX later.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Cinemore 6 on Jun 24, 2014 at 9:35 pm

When I worked there in the ‘70’s, there were no iconic curtains opening up before each show—-in the '70’s, they weren’t even putting curtains in new theatres!

jamestv
jamestv commented about Park Hill Theatre on Jun 24, 2014 at 9:06 pm

In the mid 1960’s, there were only two theatres and a drive-in open in North Little Rock—-the Rialto, Park and Twin City Drive-in. The Rialto on Main Street later became a radio station, The Park became a retail store(a women’s apparel store as I remember) and the Twin City was torn down.

jamestv
jamestv commented about CNN Cinema 6 on Jun 16, 2014 at 12:59 am

Saw “Raintree County” in summer of 1986.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Southpark Mall Cinemas on May 23, 2014 at 6:49 pm

When Regal built the Southpark Mall, six screens were built in the old game arcade area—-the original two-screen GCC house were two more screens used for a total of eight. The 6 new screens were all stereo—-2 Dolbys and four Smart Stereos. The original mall two were not stereo. The 6 screens and the two screens were across the way from each other—-you bought your tickets for the 2 screens at the boxoffice of the 6. The two separate theatres had their own concession stand.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Stevens Theater on Dec 26, 2013 at 5:20 pm

The Stevens was owned and managed by Manuel Avila when I worked there in 1973-74. The booth was rather large compared to most booths and had three projectors (Simplex as I remember); this may have been the only theatre in Dallas that had three projectors although I’m not sure about earlier theatres. Next to the booth was an observation room/cry room which we had to go through to enter the booth. When this was built, it was one of the larger neighborhood theatres.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Galena Theatre on Nov 25, 2013 at 5:07 pm

“The Brass Bottle” was released in 1964 starring Tony Randall, Barbara Eden and Burl Ives as the genie of the bottle. Interestingly, the following year, Barbara Eden would get her own brass bottle as Jeannie in the hit series “I Dream Of Jeannie”.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Wilshire Theater on Nov 4, 2013 at 3:53 pm

This theatre was replaced by a Kroger grocery store—-which after a number of years was closed and the space used for other retail.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Marketplace Mall Cinema 7 on Nov 4, 2013 at 3:48 pm

The last time I was in Rochester, it appeared that the building was not demolished but became a retail outlet or outlets. The main store was a shoe store.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Park Forest Theatre on Oct 25, 2013 at 5:30 pm

I worked this theatre as a projectionist beginning in 1975 when it was still a first-run theatre. If this theatre did open with 70MM equipment, it had been removed by ten years later—-we ran 35MM Simplex heads.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Saint Vincent 6 Theatres on Oct 11, 2013 at 4:47 pm

The Saint Vincent 6 was totally remodeled out of existence—-if you had never gone to this theatre, you would never have known the mall ever had a theatre!

jamestv
jamestv commented about Joy Drive-In on Oct 11, 2013 at 4:44 pm

Shreveport’s main post office is now on the site of the drive-in.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Oriental Theater on Oct 1, 2013 at 4:41 pm

I worked this theatre in 1972 as a projectionist—-Sam Chernoff was the owner(he later took over the Lakewood when Interstate gave it up). The booth was in a most unusual position regarding the auditorium—-it was on the left side of the theatre. Despite this, there was hardly any keystone effect.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Panamericano Theatre on Sep 3, 2013 at 4:05 pm

matt54, the Auto-Vista Drive-In was never mentioned or talked about by Mr. Rodriguez or any of his sons—-it may have been a short-lived business before the ‘70’s.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Heights Theatre on Sep 2, 2013 at 6:41 pm

This theatre closed at the end of Summer 1985—-this was never a twin theatre—-unless someone later reopened it as a twin—-which I don’t think happened.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Loews Park Central on Sep 2, 2013 at 5:32 pm

Loew’s did not take over the Capri downtown—McClendon theatres did—but did take over the Delman in north Dallas. The Hope Theatre was taken over early in its life by Howard Hughes who later ceded the theatre to Hoblitzelle/Interstate where it was renamed the Melba. It premiered 3-D in Dallas and not long after became Texas' first Cinerama theatre. Then Trans-Texas theatres took it over and ran it until 1970 when McClendon turned it into a 7-plex—tripled the original theatre and built 4 small theatres in the basement of the building.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Park Plaza Drive-In on Apr 21, 2013 at 10:45 pm

The Park Plaza was torn down in the early eighties to make way for a Sesame Place amusement park which only lasted a few years. A Wal-Mart sits on the site of the Park Plaza.

jamestv
jamestv commented about UA Plaza on Jan 29, 2013 at 5:35 am

This was one of the best multiplexes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in its day; 3 70MM screens and Dolby Stereo in every house.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Worth Theatre on Jan 29, 2013 at 5:33 am

This was the palatial theatre in downtown Fort Worth in the 50’s and 60’s after the closing of the Majestic. It was the home of the James Bond movies.

jamestv
jamestv commented about Rosewin Theater on Jan 29, 2013 at 5:15 am

This theatre in the sixties was renamed the Rex; I worked as a projectionist in the early seventies when it was a triple-XXX theatre. It closed not long after that. The booth was up a long flight of stairs which also led to the restrooms!

jamestv
jamestv commented about Prestonwood 4 on Jan 29, 2013 at 5:09 am

This theatre building is still there but has been remodeled out-of-existence a number of times.