The Parkhill Cinema 3 is and was always an independent exhibitor; neither Stewart-Everett nor Carmike Cinemas ever owned this theater. The Oakwood Twin Theatre in Rocky Mount was the only S&E or Carmike venue in Edgecombe County.
Back in early January 2015 there were rumors that the Carmike 12 would be closed for renovations making it into a dine-in cinema. The rumors, first reported by a local TV station, turned out to be false. There are currently no plans for any major renovations to the Carmike 12; it will continue to operate as usual. Regal’s Greenville Grande 14 has nothing to fear from this multiplex, as they (Regal) have the newer and better facilities.
This ad is from the now-demolished Westgate Cinema IV in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Regal Westgate Mall Cinema 8 had not been built yet in 1985 (Regal Cinemas itself did not exist back then, either).
The Platinum nightclub has been evicted from the former Paramount Theatre due to nonpayment of rent and frequent violence. The Paramount Theatre building is currently vacant.
If the above address (next to Powers-Swain Chevrolet) is correct then the Fox Drive-In closed as a three-screen drive-in: two back-to-back screens (still standing) and a third, smaller screen at the front of the property (the steelwork of which now stands on a used-car lot).
This is the first Carmike location I am aware of to have an IMAX-branded (but more likely “LieMAX”) screen. Carmike’s Patriot 12 in Jacksonville, NC only has the proprietary “Big D” large-format screen. Does Carmike have any other IMAX-branded locations (other than those acquired from other chains)?
Carmike Cinemas did not exist under that name in 1984; at that time they were still known as Martin Theatres. Martin’s Virginia locations were concentrated in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater region: Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth and Williamsburg. This theater was most likely opened by Plitt Southern Theatres, Consolidated Theatres or an operator other than Martin/Carmike.
The Ritz Theatre was most likely demolished (and the New Ritz most likely built) in 1950. The four-laning of Broad Street was part of the re-alignment of US 17 and replacement of the old drawbridge that carried US 17 from Bridgeton to New Bern. The new drawbridge opened in 1951 at the foot of Broad Street; widening of Broad Street would have been done in conjunction with the bridge construction so that Broad Street would be ready for the increased traffic.
NYozoner: Thanks for finding the correct address for this drive-in. Do you have any info on a drive-in at 450 Wilmington Highway (just north of the former Starlite, immediately south of the Triangle [formerly Red Carpet] Motor Inn), now the site of the Onslow County school bus garage? The aerial view of the bus garage looks like the site was once a drive-in theater.
The Vanceboro indoor theatre , located on the corner of Main Street and White Street, was torn down around 1978-79 after being used as a Laundromat in the 1960s through the early 1970s. Only the lower portion of the wall along White Street remains. Vanceboro also had a drive-in theater just north of town on the corner of NC 43 and Bailey Lane, demolished by 1970.
Carmike would be the most likely candidate to build a new multiplex in New Bern. Carmike has two multiplexes in Jacksonville (Carmike 16 and the new Patriot 12), a sixplex in Havelock, and others nearby (Greenville and Washington). Carmike has re-entered previously abandoned markets in North Carolina before – the Carmike 10 in Wilson was built at the same mall where they abandoned the three-screen Parkwood Triple a few years before.
This is where “Star Wars” played first-run in New Bern? Apparently the Neuse Village Cinema was still single-screen then, as Fox forced S&E to play a lesser film at the better cinema. That move by Fox sounds like a booking practice that was abolished when the Paramount decree was imposed in 1948.
The Carver Theatre possibly stayed open until the integration of Kinston’s white movie theaters in the 1960s, as the State Theatre downtown closed in the late 1950s. The Carver was apparently Kinston’s first non-downtown indoor theater, as the Park Theatre didn’t open until 1951.
Interesting that the Plaza Cinema 2’s seats came from the Tryon Theatre, as the Tryon WAS a porn theater in its last years (1977-79) and a grindhouse before that (approximately 1974 through 1977). The Tryon was no longer viable as a first-run theater by 1974, as the Neuse Village Cinema and the Southgate Cinema 1&2 were both operational by then and the other downtown New Bern theater (Masonic) had closed that year. The Tryon and the Kinston Plaza Cinema 2 were not the only S&E theaters with pink seats; the Park Theater in Greenville NC had pink seats from its 1971 renovation (of the former State Theatre) until Carmike installed cupholder seats in the early 1990s.
Lundjr: Thanks for the info on the Mall Cinema. Your description of the interior confirmed my suspicions about this theater, although I thought that the roof had caved in judging from the Google aerial view. Given the current state of Vernon Park Mall (and retail centers in Kinston overall – Kmart on Queen Street is going under), the Mall Cinema may just rot away until redevelopment of the mall occurs.
Lundjr: Thanks for the correction. At least there is something left of this drive-in; I don’t know of any other drive-ins east of Raleigh that haven’t been totally demolished except for the Pines Drive-In outside of Pinetops at Cobb’s Crossroads (east of town on NC 42-43). Any knowledge of other Kinston/Lenoir County drive-ins other than the Broadway/North 11 and the Bright Leaf?
The renaming of this theater from Premiere Theatres 14 to UEC Theatres 14 was done after a major renovation was completed. UEC seems to be phasing out the Premiere Theatres name in favor of the corporate banner.
I know of only three drive-ins that existed in Craven County: the Starlite/Midway in New Bern, the Havelock Drive-In, and a drive-in in Vanceboro (name unknown, located at the intersection of NC 43 North and Bailey Lane).
This location opened rather late for a Trans-Lux Inflight Cine'; five years after the other North Carolina Inflight Cine’s had opened and a year after they closed their first NC theater (Kinston). The Trans-Lux Kannapolis opened about the same time as Stewart & Everett was reopening the theater (renamed Plaza Cinema) Trans-Lux had closed the previous year. I would be surprised if Trans-Lux used 16mm projection in the Kannapolis theater if it opened in 1975; 16mm flopped miserably elsewhere in 1970 (why watch 16mm projection when there was a real cinema downtown, the Gem?). Trans-Lux was out of North Carolina by 1976; all of the former Inflight Cine’s in the Piedmont (Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Kannapolis, Charlotte) were turned into pornhouses.
The school bus garage located at 450 Wilmington Highway was apparently built on the site of a drive-in theater, the name and dates of operation for which I do not know. The shape of the lot in aerial views strongly suggest that the site was once a drive-in. Judging from the garage buildings presently on the site (one at the entrance and the main garage in the center of the lot), the drive-in theater at 450 Wilmington Highway was demolished circa 1968-1970. The South 17 Twin may have run the 450 Wilmington Hwy. drive-in out of business and forced the Starlite to run porn movies; the South 17 ran mostly standard drive-in fare (B movies, horror films, second-run features).
The Starlite Drive-In operated until either 1979 or 1980; it closed about the same time as the South 17 Twin Drive-In but was demolished a few years after the South 17 became a mobile home park.
The Parkhill Cinema 3 is and was always an independent exhibitor; neither Stewart-Everett nor Carmike Cinemas ever owned this theater. The Oakwood Twin Theatre in Rocky Mount was the only S&E or Carmike venue in Edgecombe County.
Back in early January 2015 there were rumors that the Carmike 12 would be closed for renovations making it into a dine-in cinema. The rumors, first reported by a local TV station, turned out to be false. There are currently no plans for any major renovations to the Carmike 12; it will continue to operate as usual. Regal’s Greenville Grande 14 has nothing to fear from this multiplex, as they (Regal) have the newer and better facilities.
This ad is from the now-demolished Westgate Cinema IV in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The Regal Westgate Mall Cinema 8 had not been built yet in 1985 (Regal Cinemas itself did not exist back then, either).
The Platinum nightclub has been evicted from the former Paramount Theatre due to nonpayment of rent and frequent violence. The Paramount Theatre building is currently vacant.
If the above address (next to Powers-Swain Chevrolet) is correct then the Fox Drive-In closed as a three-screen drive-in: two back-to-back screens (still standing) and a third, smaller screen at the front of the property (the steelwork of which now stands on a used-car lot).
This is the first Carmike location I am aware of to have an IMAX-branded (but more likely “LieMAX”) screen. Carmike’s Patriot 12 in Jacksonville, NC only has the proprietary “Big D” large-format screen. Does Carmike have any other IMAX-branded locations (other than those acquired from other chains)?
Another Carmike bites the dust.
Bentarlin’s comment is spam.
This theater should be listed as Closed, as its current function is that of a topless bar, not a concert theater.
Carmike Cinemas did not exist under that name in 1984; at that time they were still known as Martin Theatres. Martin’s Virginia locations were concentrated in the Hampton Roads/Tidewater region: Hampton, Newport News, Portsmouth and Williamsburg. This theater was most likely opened by Plitt Southern Theatres, Consolidated Theatres or an operator other than Martin/Carmike.
The Ritz Theatre was most likely demolished (and the New Ritz most likely built) in 1950. The four-laning of Broad Street was part of the re-alignment of US 17 and replacement of the old drawbridge that carried US 17 from Bridgeton to New Bern. The new drawbridge opened in 1951 at the foot of Broad Street; widening of Broad Street would have been done in conjunction with the bridge construction so that Broad Street would be ready for the increased traffic.
NYozoner: Thanks for finding the correct address for this drive-in. Do you have any info on a drive-in at 450 Wilmington Highway (just north of the former Starlite, immediately south of the Triangle [formerly Red Carpet] Motor Inn), now the site of the Onslow County school bus garage? The aerial view of the bus garage looks like the site was once a drive-in theater.
The Vanceboro indoor theatre , located on the corner of Main Street and White Street, was torn down around 1978-79 after being used as a Laundromat in the 1960s through the early 1970s. Only the lower portion of the wall along White Street remains. Vanceboro also had a drive-in theater just north of town on the corner of NC 43 and Bailey Lane, demolished by 1970.
Carmike would be the most likely candidate to build a new multiplex in New Bern. Carmike has two multiplexes in Jacksonville (Carmike 16 and the new Patriot 12), a sixplex in Havelock, and others nearby (Greenville and Washington). Carmike has re-entered previously abandoned markets in North Carolina before – the Carmike 10 in Wilson was built at the same mall where they abandoned the three-screen Parkwood Triple a few years before.
This is where “Star Wars” played first-run in New Bern? Apparently the Neuse Village Cinema was still single-screen then, as Fox forced S&E to play a lesser film at the better cinema. That move by Fox sounds like a booking practice that was abolished when the Paramount decree was imposed in 1948.
The Carver Theatre possibly stayed open until the integration of Kinston’s white movie theaters in the 1960s, as the State Theatre downtown closed in the late 1950s. The Carver was apparently Kinston’s first non-downtown indoor theater, as the Park Theatre didn’t open until 1951.
Interesting that the Plaza Cinema 2’s seats came from the Tryon Theatre, as the Tryon WAS a porn theater in its last years (1977-79) and a grindhouse before that (approximately 1974 through 1977). The Tryon was no longer viable as a first-run theater by 1974, as the Neuse Village Cinema and the Southgate Cinema 1&2 were both operational by then and the other downtown New Bern theater (Masonic) had closed that year. The Tryon and the Kinston Plaza Cinema 2 were not the only S&E theaters with pink seats; the Park Theater in Greenville NC had pink seats from its 1971 renovation (of the former State Theatre) until Carmike installed cupholder seats in the early 1990s.
Lundjr: Thanks for the info on the Mall Cinema. Your description of the interior confirmed my suspicions about this theater, although I thought that the roof had caved in judging from the Google aerial view. Given the current state of Vernon Park Mall (and retail centers in Kinston overall – Kmart on Queen Street is going under), the Mall Cinema may just rot away until redevelopment of the mall occurs.
Lundjr: Thanks for the correction. At least there is something left of this drive-in; I don’t know of any other drive-ins east of Raleigh that haven’t been totally demolished except for the Pines Drive-In outside of Pinetops at Cobb’s Crossroads (east of town on NC 42-43). Any knowledge of other Kinston/Lenoir County drive-ins other than the Broadway/North 11 and the Bright Leaf?
This photo must have been taken just before Plitt Southern Theatres bought the remaining ABC Southeastern Theatres in 1978.
The renaming of this theater from Premiere Theatres 14 to UEC Theatres 14 was done after a major renovation was completed. UEC seems to be phasing out the Premiere Theatres name in favor of the corporate banner.
I know of only three drive-ins that existed in Craven County: the Starlite/Midway in New Bern, the Havelock Drive-In, and a drive-in in Vanceboro (name unknown, located at the intersection of NC 43 North and Bailey Lane).
This location opened rather late for a Trans-Lux Inflight Cine'; five years after the other North Carolina Inflight Cine’s had opened and a year after they closed their first NC theater (Kinston). The Trans-Lux Kannapolis opened about the same time as Stewart & Everett was reopening the theater (renamed Plaza Cinema) Trans-Lux had closed the previous year. I would be surprised if Trans-Lux used 16mm projection in the Kannapolis theater if it opened in 1975; 16mm flopped miserably elsewhere in 1970 (why watch 16mm projection when there was a real cinema downtown, the Gem?). Trans-Lux was out of North Carolina by 1976; all of the former Inflight Cine’s in the Piedmont (Burlington, Greensboro, High Point, Kannapolis, Charlotte) were turned into pornhouses.
The school bus garage located at 450 Wilmington Highway was apparently built on the site of a drive-in theater, the name and dates of operation for which I do not know. The shape of the lot in aerial views strongly suggest that the site was once a drive-in. Judging from the garage buildings presently on the site (one at the entrance and the main garage in the center of the lot), the drive-in theater at 450 Wilmington Highway was demolished circa 1968-1970. The South 17 Twin may have run the 450 Wilmington Hwy. drive-in out of business and forced the Starlite to run porn movies; the South 17 ran mostly standard drive-in fare (B movies, horror films, second-run features).
The Starlite Drive-In operated until either 1979 or 1980; it closed about the same time as the South 17 Twin Drive-In but was demolished a few years after the South 17 became a mobile home park.