The Naugatuck Valley Mall Cinema I, II and III ran the downtown theatres out of business. After The State Theatre closed, the LaFlamme Family purchased the downtown theatre renaming it The Center. They had great success with “Adventures Of The Wilderness Family”. Most of the movies were Kung-Fu type films and awful things like “Snuff” and other violent movies.
The single screen drive in often played first run pictures in tandem with a downtown Waterbury theatre. This was also owned by the Sirica family I believe. At some point the LaFlamme family purchased it and did very well with the business.
In the 1970’s it showed porn causing disturbances on nearby Route 8. The two additional screens were added in the seventies and the drive in played, well, “drive-in” type movies. B- movies, slasher films, Stewardess soft porn things. The land became too valuable, the theatre closed and the property was sold.Too bad because it was a great place.
Cinema I, II, III opened in 1969 at this site of the original Pine Drive In. General Cinema Corp. of Mass. (a division of Pepsi) operated the theatres. Cinemas I and II had 320 seats each. Cinema 3 had 900 with a huge screen. A long time Loew’s Poli projectionist, Ralph DiPietro, ran the booth. It was a busy place. This theatre effectively competed with and closed the two downtown palaces. In 1978 they split Cinema III into two screens..bowling alley theatres with small screens. General Cinema filed bancruptcy in the ‘80’s and was purchased by Hoyt’s of Australia who opted to lease a building (Owned by theatre magnates The LaFlammes) behind the decaying mall.
Ed Guinea
The original marquee was V shaped and hung out over the sidewalk in front. It had plenty of space, 4 long lines, 10 feet wide. It was taken down in 1972. The current marquee is very small, 3 short lines and often misspelled.
Ed Guinea
They used to have revivals into the ‘80’s such as The Marx Brothers and Bogart. I certainly doubt that it is the only continuously operating movie house in CT…for years it was only open on Fridays and Saturdays. The theatre in Watertown deserves that title.
It was a comfortable place until they sliced in half sideways. The screens are too high.
edguinea
Florence Schaperow owned the Ville Theatre until 1969. She showed the better films such as “Sound Of Music” and “Ben-Hur” hurting the downtown chain cinemas. She sold it and the Lake Drive In in ‘69 to a small group of businessmen who made a go for about 5 years. The two multiplexes in the town were too tough to compete with by then.
This was a CLASSY place. And I thought it was 800 seats.
The Country Cinema became so-named in 1972. An extensive renovation project at the time included an expanded lobby, new chairs and the auditorium was redraped. At this time, unfortunately the local fire codes forbid the opening of the balcony and the demolition of the wonderful on-street marquee.
Mrs. Florence Schaperow owned the theatre as well as the Ville Theatre, Lake Drive In and Center Drive In. She was a smart businesswoman. Her theatres often outgrossed the downtown chains by playing movies like “Ben-Hur”, “My Fair Lady” and “The Sound Of Music”.
The theatre was built in 1923 and named The Community Theatre. Along with silent movies, the theatre held contests and small graduations. I am not sure when it became the Cameo, but Mrs. Schaperow bought the building with her sister in the late ‘50’s.
With all of those renovations, unfortunately the sound and projection booths were untouched. Too bad. The building is now protected as part of the Watertown Historic District. In the region at this time, it remains the only second run theatre in operation.
Ed Guinea
The Naugatuck Valley Mall Cinema I, II and III ran the downtown theatres out of business. After The State Theatre closed, the LaFlamme Family purchased the downtown theatre renaming it The Center. They had great success with “Adventures Of The Wilderness Family”. Most of the movies were Kung-Fu type films and awful things like “Snuff” and other violent movies.
The single screen drive in often played first run pictures in tandem with a downtown Waterbury theatre. This was also owned by the Sirica family I believe. At some point the LaFlamme family purchased it and did very well with the business.
In the 1970’s it showed porn causing disturbances on nearby Route 8. The two additional screens were added in the seventies and the drive in played, well, “drive-in” type movies. B- movies, slasher films, Stewardess soft porn things. The land became too valuable, the theatre closed and the property was sold.Too bad because it was a great place.
Cinema I, II, III opened in 1969 at this site of the original Pine Drive In. General Cinema Corp. of Mass. (a division of Pepsi) operated the theatres. Cinemas I and II had 320 seats each. Cinema 3 had 900 with a huge screen. A long time Loew’s Poli projectionist, Ralph DiPietro, ran the booth. It was a busy place. This theatre effectively competed with and closed the two downtown palaces. In 1978 they split Cinema III into two screens..bowling alley theatres with small screens. General Cinema filed bancruptcy in the ‘80’s and was purchased by Hoyt’s of Australia who opted to lease a building (Owned by theatre magnates The LaFlammes) behind the decaying mall.
Ed Guinea
The original marquee was V shaped and hung out over the sidewalk in front. It had plenty of space, 4 long lines, 10 feet wide. It was taken down in 1972. The current marquee is very small, 3 short lines and often misspelled.
Ed Guinea
Became a porn house for awhile – was called the Mini-Cinema. Playing a porn film followed by a third run feature.
This was the Oak Theatre for thirty years showing third run pictures on Saturdays and Sundays
They used to have revivals into the ‘80’s such as The Marx Brothers and Bogart. I certainly doubt that it is the only continuously operating movie house in CT…for years it was only open on Fridays and Saturdays. The theatre in Watertown deserves that title.
It was a comfortable place until they sliced in half sideways. The screens are too high.
edguinea
Florence Schaperow owned the Ville Theatre until 1969. She showed the better films such as “Sound Of Music” and “Ben-Hur” hurting the downtown chain cinemas. She sold it and the Lake Drive In in ‘69 to a small group of businessmen who made a go for about 5 years. The two multiplexes in the town were too tough to compete with by then.
This was a CLASSY place. And I thought it was 800 seats.
The Country Cinema became so-named in 1972. An extensive renovation project at the time included an expanded lobby, new chairs and the auditorium was redraped. At this time, unfortunately the local fire codes forbid the opening of the balcony and the demolition of the wonderful on-street marquee.
Mrs. Florence Schaperow owned the theatre as well as the Ville Theatre, Lake Drive In and Center Drive In. She was a smart businesswoman. Her theatres often outgrossed the downtown chains by playing movies like “Ben-Hur”, “My Fair Lady” and “The Sound Of Music”.
The theatre was built in 1923 and named The Community Theatre. Along with silent movies, the theatre held contests and small graduations. I am not sure when it became the Cameo, but Mrs. Schaperow bought the building with her sister in the late ‘50’s.
With all of those renovations, unfortunately the sound and projection booths were untouched. Too bad. The building is now protected as part of the Watertown Historic District. In the region at this time, it remains the only second run theatre in operation.
Ed Guinea