Cooper Theatre
960 S. Colorado Boulevard,
Denver,
CO
80246
960 S. Colorado Boulevard,
Denver,
CO
80246
32 people favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 105 comments
You can obtain by researching the local newspapers on microfilm at the library or newspaper. That’s how many people here find that info out.
Does anyone know were I can obtain a list of what movies played at the Denver Cooper Theater during it beautiful existence?
Somehow, the topic has strayed away from The Denver Cooper Theater. Cen we return our comments to where they belong?
I never had seen a movie at the Towne. I only remember the outside of the theater. I think it was a porn movie house late in it’s life.
I well remember the Towne.
During the mid- to late 1970s, I attended Metropolitan State College and frequently took in shows at the Towne. The theater had the feeling of a small-town cinema. I remember few of the films I saw there, but I know I saw “Slither” with James Caan and “Wicked, Wicked” with Tiffany Royce. The latter is an interesting movie that I’ve never seen since. It was presented in “Duo-Vision” — a scope ratio image split down the middle throughout almost all of the picture.
What I remember most about the Towne is that a number of aisle seats were double-sized — presumably for couples.
Here’s a scan of a book I bought I bought a few years ago with a bunch of Star Wars ticket stubs stapled inside. Most are from the Glenwood Theatre in Overland Park, KS but one is from the Cooper.
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Lynne,
I do remember a movie theater in downtown Denver called The Towne. It was located on Welton Street between 15th and 16th street. I never seen any movies there but do remember it. I was demolished sometime in the mid to late 70’s.
The Denver public library may have some pictures of the building.
Monty-Denver
Okay, I have a question for those of you who are from Denver. My grandfather was an Oklhahoma City architect back in the late 40s – 50s, and I found an old resume of his that states that he designed the Tower Theater in Denver. I haven’t found that theater on this website. His resume says that he designed it in 1949, and he describes it as follows:
“Economical utilitization of steel rigid frames and roof system of standard manufacture for wide auditorium span” and “First moving picture theater with television projection booth”
It seated 1,000 patrons and cost $90,000 to build, so I don’t think that it was a big glamour palace — maybe just a small suburban theater.
Does anyone know of this theater, have photos of it, etc.?
What a fantastic theater, and how sad that it’s gone — for yet another same-as-it-ever-was strip center. Blah! When will people realize that mid-century modern architecture, such as the Cooper, is worth preserving, and, if Barnes & Noble wanted the site so badly, why couldn’t they have revamped the old theater? Sad.
I have incredible memories of seeing Die Hard 2 and a revival showing of Ben Hur at the Cooper in its later years when it went by the name “United Artists.” The interior was absolutely spectacular, including the semi-circular apparent one-time smoking lounges located to the sides of the main seating area as seen here:
http://cinerama.topcities.com/ctcooper.htm
My strangest memory is when I tried to get permission to take pictures of the interior when they announced it would be closing, and was DENIED permission to do so by UA management! I’ve no idea what they were concerned about or why they had an issue with my request.
Since that time I’ve learned to just take photos at palaces after the last showing of the night as there is usually no one around and if there are the 18 year-olds working clean-up couldn’t care less. :–)
I’ve been told that Cooper Cinerama Chain was vaguely connected to Paramount/Publix.
Oklahoma City also had a Cooper Cinerama with a ribbon-strip screen. This operation was a remodel of the old (Publix) Liberty Theatre, which was an easy conversion process since the original projection booth was located on loge level, a necessity for 3 strip/70mm equipment.
http://cinerama.topcities.com/coopercinerama.htm
Vintage views
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Seen on Robinson Ave. looking North (Ramsey Tower was designed by W.W. Alschlager who created the NYC Roxy Theatre)
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1926 exterior shot of old Liberty
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Hi KPRESTON, The other theatre you are thinking of is the Century 21 which was also on Colo. Blvd. The Century 21 building actually is still standing but has been converted to the Soundtrack store which is next to Hooters restaurant. In my opinion the Century 21 was OK but couldn’t hold a candle to the fabulous Cooper.
What great memories of that theater.
I too saw 2001 at that theater, twice. It made me totally fall in love with movies (well, back then, not now.) We lived in southwest Denver so going to the Cooper was not an every day thing, but we would always then go over to some place like Furr’s Cafeteria or all the way down to Top of the Rockies to cap off a matinee.
I think I saw Krakatoa East of Java (sp?) there, although sometimes I get confused between films I saw there and another theater that is gone, which I think was called the 21st Century.
I saw Return Of The Jedi here in 1983 and was completely blown away. What a magnificent theater. It’s a shame it was torn down for a bookstore.
With regard to the Cooper in St. Louis Park, Minnesota (Minneapolis): The building was torn down in 1992 for an Olive Garden, which was so worth the demolition of building of historical significance in the film industry. I say that sarcastically….Last presentation was “Dances With Wolves” in January, 1991.
With regard to the Cooper in St. Louis Park, Minnesota (Minneapolis): The building was torn down in 1992 for an Olive Garden, which was so worth the demolition of building of historical significance in the film industry. I say that sarcastically….Last presentation was “Dances With Wolves” in January, 1991.
Monty-Denver:
Sounds like you’re a “Star Wars” fan. I predict you’ll enjoy this article:
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Michael Coate
I forgot that Empire opened on Wed May 21st, 1980 and not the 20th. (Thanks for the correction) I do remember, and I was 13 at the time, Empire opened in 70mm.
In 1977 when I seen Star Wars, I did see it in both formats, 35mm and 70mm.
Thanks Monty-Denver.
I’ve not seen this posted:
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Richard Crowther; Denver architect; 96
Denver architect and author Richard Crowther, who died Dec. 26 in Denver, achieved international renown for his progressive holistic compositions, particularly his pioneering designs employing passive solar energy. He was 96.
Mr. Crowther designed the Cinerama Cooper theaters in Denver, Minneapolis and Omaha, Neb. All were the first theaters designed around the then-new Cinerama technology, with cushioned seats on curving risers.
I too had a highly enjoyable experience watching Empire Strikes Back at the Cooper. I was 13 at the time(seemed to be the perfect target age for the “Star Wars” series)and was invited by my cousins who could pull some strings. Coming from a place where an auditorium is no more than 300-400 seats and seeing a film on 70mm was unheard of. It was an unforgettable experience, even by todays standards. Experiencing a movie as great as Empire in the Cooper with the sound and visual effects and to pull them off on such a huge screen is something that is not soon forgotten.
Hearing later in my adult life that the Cooper had been torn down was no less than a travesty.
Monty-Denver:
“The Empire Strikes Back” opened on May 21, 1980, not the 20th (although some cities ran benefit screenings on the 20th). Also, if you saw the original “Star Wars” at the Cooper in its first three months, you saw it in 35mm; they didn’t get a 70mm print until August ‘77.
Being a native of Denver and lived here all my life, I am very lucky as a young boy to see a wide variety of films at the Denver Cooper Theater.
The first film I remember seeing at the Cooper in 1974 was
That’s Entertainment! I was eight or nine years old, sitting in the balcony with my mother and was blown away by the experience. The screen was enormous and seemed that it never ended. The sound was coming from all areas of the auditorium. By the way, does anyone know if this presentation was 70mm 6-track? I was too young to know the difference.
Over the years I seen the original Jaws, Lucky Lady, Airport 1975, Silent Movie,
Star Wars (70mm 6-track), Close Encounters (70mm 6-track) the original Alien (70 mm 6-track) the Empire Strikes Back (70mm 6-track) I seen it the first day, first showing at 10:30am May 20th, 1980,
Return of the Jedi (70mm 6-track) it was also showing at the Continental before it caught fire, the Die Hard movies, and many more before we lost it to a Barnes and Noble book store.
I pass by the old Cooper theater site every so often and can’t help but reminisce and remember how lucky I was to be introduced to the world of cinema in such a first class way. By far this was, and will always be my favorite movie theater in Denver.
I was one of the lucky ones who managed the Cooper/Cameo in the late 70’s. I would love to trade any phots of the Cooper. Please email me at
Thanks in advance
I, too, saw “2001, A Space Odessey” in the summer of 1968 at the Denver Cooper theatre. I was spending the summer in Aspen doing an art summer school. Some buddies of mine drove down to Denver to see the film. While we were inside, being blown away by Kubrick’s amazing film – there began a forest fire on nearby Mount Evans! When we exited the theatre – we were stoned on the film – we walked into a hazy, smoky landscape. We were in hardly any shape to drive back to Aspen until we pulled ourselves together. Great theatre – they don’t, and never will, make ‘em like that anymore.
Cliff:
The strip screen you refer to was not unique to the Cooper but was essential to proper showing of the original Cinerama films; such screens were installed in all of the original theaters that showed 3-projector Cinerama and in many that showed so-called single lens Cinerama. The angled strips prevent light from bouncing off the left side of the screen to the right (thus partially washing out the image)and vice versa; it did not have anything to with screen bowing. A fine discussion of this phenomena can be found at:
http://www.redballoon.net/~snorwood/book/
where the original Cinerama souvenir book is reproduced; there is a picture of a man behind the screen taken from an angle that reveals the strips. There is also a (sad) picture at:
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showing the tattered remains of the strip screen that was at Chicago’s Cinestage Theatre (nee Selwyn) which was Chicago’s third Cinerama house as well as a link to another picture that shows the anchoring plates and the precise angle at which each strip had to be set.
When the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood was restored and remodeled, many of us Cinerama purists were disappointed that the decision was made by Pacific Theaters not to restore the original strip screen. If you ever have the chance compare seeing “How the West Was Won” at the Dome versus seeing it at the restored Cinerama theatre in Seattle, you will see the difference. They are both great places to see a film though.