Mann Southtown

I actually know who drew the design for this theater- my now-deceased uncle, Daniel Ploetz.
He was not the architect- he wasn't registered as an architect ever- but he did do the design for this theater. I don't happen to know which firm he worked for at the time.
Let me know if you want more info. My email is: subgrrl@bolt.com

I always have fond memories of this place; it signaled to me, coming from rural Western Minnesota, that I had arrived to the 'Twin Cities'. (Coming in on '494')

My cousin, who lived in Richfield, said it was the only Theater her husband would go to; it did have Rocker Seats that were made of metal,unlike the plastic of today!!
Where did they go??????

Plus, unlike the Plexes of now, it had Curtains; must have been thousands of pounds of them!! They alternated maroon, red, and other colors. And the Screen was huge.......Saw Solyent Green there in 70mm...........

Also, Star Wars,; I recall the Marquee which wrapped around the building, had all the lights going, and the reviewer from the small local rag, said we would all be enveloped in Star Wars merchandise; dolls, etc.

Well, he was right, and I remember when the screen opened, everyone in the theater cheered and clapped.....

What a Great Time!!

Images anyone? That would be sweet...

ANYONE?

I have to correct some information given. Mann/General Cinema Southtown never had an outside boxoffice. It opened with 1250 seats and after it was split the theaters had 540 each. The screen was 80 ft. wide by 22 ft. high when it opened. It opened on Aug. 7,1964 as a single screen and Good Neighbor Sam was the movie. It closed on Sept. 17, 1995 as a twin with the movies Dangerous Minds and Brothers Mc Mullan. General Cinema bought it from Mann in 1970.

General Cinema kept about 500 or so of the seats for a feature cinema. They hired a local copmpany to remove and store the seats along with seats they weren't keeping. Some employees also kept some seats.

I also have some pics but some are not good quality but most are.

Big Red, I would kill to see those pics. Any chance of posting them?

***** "Saw Solyent Green there in 70mm." *****

Are you sure you're not confusing widescreen "scope" with "70mm"?


***** "Also, Star Wars..." *****

"Star Wars" opened in Minneapolis at the St. Louis Park. It later expanded to the Southdale and Northtown, both similar-sounding in name to the subject of this thread, the Southtown. (Both "Empire" and "Jedi" opened at the Southtown.)

By the way, the Southtown Theater is actually located in Bloomington, not Minneapolis proper.

Oh my God-I spent my whole childhood at that theatre! We moved to Bloomington in 1963 when I was a kid and I swear, if I close my eyes, I can still see that patch of land with the 'for sale' sign on it that eventually became the Mann Theatre. I saw eveything there from 'A Hard Day's Night', 'Help', 'Tommy', 'the Sound of Music', 'Star Wars', 'Grease' and so many, many more. Just looking at that massive marquee was magical! I later moved away and didn't move back to Minneapolis until 1998 and was brokenhearted when I went past Southtown and saw my theatre gone! Awesome memories! I remember that sometimes they use to have spotlights in front and to a kid--well, Hollywood had come to us!!

There are to many pics to post but if you give me an email I'll send them to you.

Southtown did have 70 mm.Only one theater could run 70 mm it was the south theater or the one closest to the entrance. When it opened it had 3 projectors for the new format cinescope but was never used. When the theater was split a second projector was used for the second theater and the third was later transfered out. The last films run in 70 at Southtown were Gettsbury and Remains Of The Day.

Big Red, email those pics to boothboy18@yahoo.com and I will be eternally grateful!

***** "Southtown did have 70 mm." *****

I wasn't questioning the theatre's 70mm presentation capability; I was questioning the person's claim of seeing "Soylent Green" *in 70mm*. (I'm not aware of any 70s having been struck for that title. For that matter, I'm not aware of it even being mixed in stereo.)

Lots of memories here. First movie I saw at Southtown as a young child was "The Poseidon Adventure"....then we went to Montgomery Ward's for glazed doughnuts and warm spanish peanuts at the candy counter. I must have sat through 25 showings each of "Grease", "Rocky" and "Superman" at the Southtown theatre as well. My candy obsessed friend would buy giant SweetTarts at the snack bar and lick them until her tongue was bleeding. I miss the old Bloomington. Southtown was a particulary plush theatre with beautiful bathrooms and a HUGE single screen.

Am wanting to see photo's of this theater. I'm amazed that not even the Minnesota Historical Society has pictures of it; Southtown was beautiful. I think what happened is that it never crossed anyone's mind that such a neat gathering place would ever be torn down. When word did come, the theater was closed and torn down in almost a blink of an eye. I thought it was pretty sneaky of the (then) owners of the building, Kraus Anderson Reality. This lovely building was pretty much replaced with a McDonald's. Please email pics of this theater to me a rocker475@msn.com I would really appreaciate it.

In the fall of 1975, the Southtown held a film festival of Hollywood Musicals of the 1950-1960's era. I recall that it ran 6-8 weeks and featured them all in 70MM and stereo sound. Many of these films played their premier downtown showcase runs at theaters that did not have the huge screens because they were built as RKO (Keith-Albee) vaudeville theaters. I saw several of them. Generally, they were poorly attended with 40-50 people per showing. The only other huge screens at the time were the Cooper Cinerama in St. Louis Park and the GCC Orpheum and Plitt Skyway 1 downtown. The Orpheum generally didn't play musicals after Mary Poppins. All of the few 1970-1980's musicals that were released showcase went to the Cooper and Skyway 1 downtown. I consider it a privilege to have seen these great films at the Mann Southtown. I consider it the finest suburban theater build in the 1960's era , with the ABC Brookdale, a distant second.

It was a crime to knock down the Southtown but it wasn't in a blink of an eye. It was over a year when everyone knew it was going to happen. Shortly before Krause Anderson wanded Wards out but Wards had a 25 year lease and theatened legal action so they gave up. The Texaco station across from the theater was not owned by Krause Anderson. It was about a year after giving up on Wards that they started trying to get General Cinema out but like Wards they had a 25 year lease renewal at General Cinema's option. They then set sights on the gas station and when they wouldn't sell they moved the enterance to the other side of the station with the lanes going to the parking areas near Applebees they you had to hook it in to get the theater and or gas station. The owner of the station had said he would never sell so it was assumed the theater was there for good as well but after they moved the entrance he was losing to much money not to sell. He did good when he sold because Krause Anderson bought a new location a couple miles away. It didn't take long after that before they closed the Goodyear store.

I don't know why any business at least in Minn. would want to do business with Krause Anderson after seeing or finding out about everything they did to get people out of Southtown even ones with leases and brought in lots of business to the center.

The Southtown Theater only had 2 years in its 31 year history that it didn't show a profit. The first was in the '70's and I think it was 1975 but I'm not sure and the other was 1995, the year it closed.

bigred, I understand you have photos of the Southtown Theater; could you please email me them? My address is rocker475@msn.com

bigred, I understand you have photos of the Southtown Theater; could you please email me them? My address is rocker475@msn.com

bigred - Could you please e-mail me photos of the Southtown Theater? I am trying to trigger a memory for my 80 year old father. Thank you so much! monlk@earthlink.net

Thanks for emailing me with those pics bigred, The last time I had seen the Southtown Theater was just before it was torn down. I had not seen pictures of it EVER, my memory was all I had. Southtown was where our family went to see most movies, and I believe it was one of the most popular theaters in the Twin Cities south suburbs. It was always such a fun place, and even after the Mall of America Theater opened still remained a mainstream theater. The lobby in Southtown was gorgeous, and it had to be some of the area's finest 1960's interior decor. I do not remember what the original auditorium looked like for it was divided into two screens before I was even born. The Twin Cities now only has two theaters left with decor along the lines of Southtown in style and era. One is the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis (still operating) another is Terrace in Robbinsdale (closed but still standing)However these theaters were built about a decade earlier, and are better examples of the 1940's and 50's rather than the 1960's styles. I hope that there are still parts of the Southtown's lobby still in existence today, maybe theater chains will someday use such relics to build grand theaters once again. Right now, I've not been too impressed with the new cineplex theaters that have opened, it's hard to like them when you recall how much better the classics were.

Thanks for emailing me with those pics bigred, The last time I had seen the Southtown Theater was just before it was torn down. I had not seen pictures of it EVER, my memory was all I had. Southtown was where our family went to see most movies, and I believe it was one of the most popular theaters in the Twin Cities south suburbs. It was always such a fun place, and even after the Mall of America Theater opened still remained a mainstream theater. The lobby in Southtown was gorgeous, and it had to be some of the area's finest 1960's interior decor. I do not remember what the original auditorium looked like for it was divided into two screens before I was even born. The Twin Cities now only has two theaters left with decor along the lines of Southtown in style and era. One is the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis (still operating) another is Terrace in Robbinsdale (closed but still standing)However these theaters were built about a decade earlier, and are better examples of the 1940's and 50's rather than the 1960's styles. I hope that there are still parts of the Southtown's lobby still in existence today, maybe theater chains will someday use such relics to build grand theaters once again. Right now, I've not been too impressed with the new cineplex theaters that have opened, it's hard to like them when you recall how much better the classics were.

Thanks for emailing me with those pics bigred, The last time I had seen the Southtown Theater was just before it was torn down. I had not seen pictures of it EVER, my memory was all I had. Southtown was where our family went to see most movies, and I believe it was one of the most popular theaters in the Twin Cities south suburbs. It was always such a fun place, and even after the Mall of America Theater opened still remained a mainstream theater. The lobby in Southtown was gorgeous, and it had to be some of the area's finest 1960's interior decor. I do not remember what the original auditorium looked like for it was divided into two screens before I was even born. The Twin Cities now only has two theaters left with decor along the lines of Southtown in style and era. One is the Riverview Theater in Minneapolis (still operating) another is Terrace in Robbinsdale (closed but still standing)However these theaters were built about a decade earlier, and are better examples of the 1940's and 50's rather than the 1960's styles. I hope that there are still parts of the Southtown's lobby still in existence today, maybe theater chains will someday use such relics to build grand theaters once again. Right now, I've not been too impressed with the new cineplex theaters that have opened, it's hard to like them when you recall how much better the classics were.

The single theatre had a stage in the front and after the screen was split part of it was still theater 1 or the south one. The main difference in the theaters was when they put the wall down the middle and of course removed the seats to make room for the wall.They had to reposition some of the seats. The doors were in the same locations and no extra doors were added.

The Har Mar 3 was built by Mann in 1970 but never run by them and the design was along that of Southtown. The Har Mar was opened as a twin and later split one screen. Har Mar had been run by General Cinema and later AMC and just closed by AMC on Dec.7, 2006.

If anybody has photos of the southtown theater when it was still a single screen, I would love to see some pictures. You can send them here: romeo@whoopdesign.com

I have a pic of the theatre postcard that shows the outside and lobby when it opened. All the other pics are after it was twinned.

I would also like to see pics from when it was a single screen. I would really like to see pics of the lobby when the fountain was still there or even at the opening or close to it.

Would someone mind telling me what Kraus Anderson doesn't own? The city I grew up in (Bloomington) has been destroyed and I have a sneaking suspicion they're behind the Andy's Tap mall closing as well? Anyone know? I know they own Valley West. The mod Bloomington of today makes me ill.

Help anyone, Michael C. and I a having an ongoing debate about whether or not Star Wars (the original) played at the Southtown back in 1977. (Not whether it opened there, it apparently didn't, but a short time later if it played there.)

Anyone see Star Wars at the Southtown?

I found a list of the org. 43 theatres and Shelard Park and Roseville 4 are the only Minnesota theatres listed.

I 'm pretty sure it did play there but not until later. There was a book that was in the office that the org manager from Mann started that had the movie(s) for each week along with the box gross and attendence and it was kept up until a few years after the split. I'm sure I saw it listed in there before but only for a short time.

There was a theatre around where I lived at the time Star Wars came out that would bring it back. They did it again when Empire came out and again the next year or two the brought both back for 3 or 4 weeks. It is possible Southtown did the same or brought it in before Empire started.

bigred... What is SHELARD PARK???

If you go to the Happy 30th, Star Wars! discussion, you can (1) see the list of 43 original bookings of "Star Wars" Michael Coate posted (he cites ST. LOUIS PARK for the Minneapolis showing), and (2) can read the debate budyboy100 refers to between he and Coate.

Who do you think won the debate: Michael Coate or budyboy100?

Shelard Park was a theatre in St.Louis Park owned by General Cinema. It was in an office building and at one time hold the distric office. At the time it was open or part of it General Cinema had Southtown, Burnhaven 8, Centinnial Lakes ( which replaced Southdale 4 ), Mall of America, Har Mar 11, Northtown 4, Brookdale East and Shelard Park 5.

I don't know if the St. Loius Park location is the same one and just changed the name. I do know that Shelard Park was a 3 plex in 1983 but don't know when it opened or when the expanded to 5 screens and unit munber was 809.

bigred... My SHELARD PARK question was rhetorical! In other words, my point was that "Star Wars" didn't play there. (Thanks, though, for the rundown.) Nevertheless, I'd like to know where you found a list that claims it ran at SHELARD PARK.

As for budyboy100 and the SOUTHTOWN thing, your point is well taken regarding the many "Star Wars" return engagements. If budyboy or anyone wishes to research GCC's old booking records or the newspaper ads on microfilm, the official U.S. re-releases of "Star Wars" were as follows:

07/21/78 (7 weeks)
08/15/79 (3 weeks; included debut of "Empire" trailer)
04/10/81 (2 weeks; included debut of "Episode IV A New Hope" subtitle)
08/13/82 (3 weeks; included debut of "Jedi" trailer)

And in summer '83, selected markets ran a "Star Wars"/"Empire" double feature.

Budyboy100, regarding our "debate"... I replied to this already on the Happy 30th, Star Wars! page, but here it is again. Sigh...

The ST. LOUIS PARK theater had an exclusive for the Minneapolis market from May 25 until July 14. The additional area runs identified in my earlier post started on July 15th.

Regarding my "incomplete evidence" for May & June 1977, the SOUTHTOWN during this period of time was showing "Rocky."

Still not convinced? Here's industry trade VARIETY's take on the matter from their issue of July 27, 1977, page 16:

"Now in ninth week, 'Star Wars' played its first seven weeks exclusively at suburban St. Louis Park before splitting to other sites."

Michael,
Sigh.....
I don't want to bore you with my claims against your facts.......

The question can easily be solved by someone currently in Minnesota going to the newspaper office and looking at all the records from opening day, (May sometime) through the summer it opened, say until the end of August. Mann theaters always ran a list of all their theaters and what was showing.


BTW, the review that got me to the movie was in a weekly blurb called 'The Reader'. Who knows what happened to that.

Interestingly, someone mentioned that 2001 was soon to celebrate an anniversary. Well, I saw it on a re-release in the 70's in Super 70 format at the Cooper Cinerama, not the undivided step cousin called the Cooper Cameo, but the one with the 105 foot louvered screen. You likely won't believe that either.........but I did.

Is this the same Mann chain from Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, Ca?
http://0mg.com

budyboy100... You are really beginning to test my patience! Do you honestly believe that the information I've been posting here and in the Star Wars anniversary thread has been culled from memory or pulled out of my ass?!

Dude, I researched the matter by consulting the very source you keep recommending! In other words, I already went through the archived copies of the Minneapolis newspaper (and Variety) week by week and relayed to you my findings. "STAR WARS" DID NOT PLAY AT SOUTHTOWN DURING 1977.

And one other thing: The SOUTHTOWN during the timeframe in question was operated by General Cinema, not by Mann.

General Cinema bought the Southtown from Mann in 1970 along with a few other theatres. The justice dept rules they didn't have enough compition so they had to sell off a couple theatres. General Cinema kept Southtown and Har Mar.

The Mann in Cal is not the same company but it was started by one of the same owners. The brothers had a falling out and split and one went to Cal shortly afterwards. He got back in the business and started another company that mostly is in Cal.

By ther way the Mann Chinese wasn't built by Mann and they aren't the current owners but do still operate it.

Big Red, I would LOVE to see the photos you have of this theater, if you could, my email is mntwister@yahoo.com, I would be very grateful. Thank you.

Help anyone, Michael C. and I are having an ongoing debate about whether or not Star Wars (the original) played at the Southtown back in 1977. Anyone see Star Wars at the Southtown? -- posted by budyboy100

"STAR WARS" DID NOT PLAY AT SOUTHTOWN DURING 1977. -- posted by Michael Coate

Budyboy100...Hopefully, this will put to rest any question of whether or not "Star Wars" played at SOUTHTOWN per your memory. What follows is a week by week breakdown of the bookings for the SOUTHTOWN during the 67-week run of "Star Wars." As you can see, at no time during that original release did "Star Wars" play at SOUTHTOWN.

05.27.1977 … ROCKY
06.03.1977 … ROCKY
06.10.1977 … ROCKY
06.17.1977 … ROCKY
06.24.1977 … ISLANDS IN THE STREAM
07.01.1977 … ISLANDS IN THE STREAM
07.08.1977 … ISLANDS IN THE STREAM
07.15.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
07.22.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
07.29.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
08.05.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
08.12.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
08.19.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
08.26.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
09.02.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
09.09.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
09.16.1977 … THE SPY WHO LOVED ME
09.23.1977 … A STAR IS BORN
09.30.1977 … A STAR IS BORN
10.07.1977 … THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT
10.14.1977 … THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT
10.21.1977 … THE OTHER SIDE OF MIDNIGHT / TOM THUMB
10.28.1977 … CARRIE
11.04.1977 … DAMNATION ALLEY
11.11.1977 … CAMELOT
11.18.1977 … LED ZEPPELIN: THE SONG REMAINS THE SAME
11.25.1977 … POCO: THE ADVENTURES OF A LITTLE DOG LOST
12.02.1977 … 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
12.09.1977 … LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
12.16.1977 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
12.23.1977 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
12.30.1977 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
01.06.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
01.13.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
01.20.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
01.27.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
02.03.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
02.10.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
02.17.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
02.24.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
03.03.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
03.10.1978 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
03.17.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
03.24.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
03.31.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
04.07.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
04.14.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
04.21.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
04.28.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
05.05.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
05.12.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
05.19.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
05.26.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
06.02.1978 … THE GOODBYE GIRL
06.09.1978 … HERE COME THE TIGERS
06.16.1978 … GREASE
06.23.1978 … GREASE
06.30.1978 … GREASE
07.07.1978 … GREASE
07.14.1978 … GREASE
07.21.1978 … GREASE
07.28.1978 … GREASE
08.04.1978 … GREASE
08.11.1978 … GREASE
08.18.1978 … GREASE
08.25.1978 … GREASE
09.01.1978 … GREASE

Source: Minneapolis Tribune

I saw die here when it opened.

Sorry, about the last post. I met to say Die Hard. I worked for Control Data at the time. They supplied the movie company with a mock-up of the main-frame computer that you see in several of the shots.

Yes, as pointed out in the Remembering Die Hard article posted a couple of weeks ago, Minneapolis was among the 20 markets selected to showcase "Die Hard" in 70mm Six-Track Dolby Stereo a week ahead of its nationwide release.

Thanks for that impressive list of screenings Michael. I can only drool at the idea of seeing these films all in one month at the Southtown and on that screen:

12.02.1977 … 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
12.09.1977 … LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
12.16.1977 … CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

Sign me up.

Michael Coate,

How did you get the Minneapolis Tribune as your source??

Their reported agreed with me, go forward another year, I know what I saw, as did their reporter......

bb

And I never said it was during the 'original' release. Just that is where I saw it, as did many others..


tsts

bigred,

if u have pics of Southtown, would u please post them so we can all c them? that would b great.

bb

Buddyboy 100,

I'm really confused about what you are saying. In your post of 12/25/2007, you asked

"Help anyone, Michael C. and I a having an ongoing debate about whether or not Star Wars (the original) played at the Southtown back in 1977. (Not whether it opened there, it apparently didn't, but a short time later if it played there.)"

Now, Michael Coate has rather conclusively proved that the film did not play there in 1977 OR 1978. You specifically asked Michael C. to list the films in 1977 from the opening of STAR WARS through August in your post of Jan. 13, 2008. He's done that, and no STAR WARS. Seems to me he has proven his case. So, when DID you see STAR WARS at the Southtown?

Mark L.

Their reporte[r] agreed with me, go forward another year, I know what I saw, as did their reporter...... And I never said it was during the 'original' release. Just that is where I saw it, as did many others. -- posted by budyboy100

Budyboy100:
"Star Wars" was re-released during mid-August 1979...and it did not play at SOUTHTOWN. The SOUTHTOWN during the few weeks of that re-release, per the Tribune and Variety microfilm, was showing "More American Graffiti."

The thing that you and the newspaper reporter seem to have in common is that you're both misremembering where you *think* you saw the original "Star Wars." Considering my research has shown the original "Star Wars" movie did not play at SOUTHTOWN during 1977, 1978, or 1979, and considering both "Star Wars" sequels did play at SOUTHTOWN for several months in 1980 and 1983 makes me think you are simply confusing "Star Wars" with "The Empire Strikes Back" or "Return Of The Jedi."

Budyboy100:

The following is what played at SOUTHTOWN from September 1978 (where the previous list ended) through autumn 1980, at which time the theater closed for remodeling and re-emerged a twin in early 1981.

09.08.1978 … GREASE
09.15.1978 … GREASE
09.22.1978 … GREASE
09.29.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
10.06.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
10.13.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
10.20.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
10.27.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
11.03.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
11.10.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
11.17.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
11.24.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
12.01.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
12.08.1978 … DEATH ON THE NILE
12.15.1978 … SUPERMAN
12.22.1978 … SUPERMAN
12.29.1978 … SUPERMAN

01.05.1979 … SUPERMAN
01.12.1979 … SUPERMAN
01.19.1979 … SUPERMAN
01.26.1979 … SUPERMAN
02.02.1979 … SUPERMAN
02.09.1979 … SUPERMAN
02.16.1979 … SUPERMAN
02.23.1979 … SUPERMAN
03.02.1979 … SUPERMAN
03.09.1979 … SUPERMAN
03.16.1979 … SUPERMAN
03.23.1979 … SUPERMAN
03.30.1979 … SUPERMAN
04.06.1979 … SUPERMAN
04.13.1979 … SUPERMAN
04.20.1979 … SUPERMAN
04.27.1979 … SUPERMAN
05.04.1979 … SUPERMAN
05.11.1979 … SUPERMAN
05.18.1979 … SUPERMAN
05.25.1979 … HAIR
06.01.1979 … HAIR
06.08.1979 … HAIR
06.15.1979 … HAIR
06.22.1979 … THE MAIN EVENT
06.29.1979 … THE MAIN EVENT
07.06.1979 … THE MAIN EVENT
07.13.1979 … THE MAIN EVENT
07.20.1979 … THE MAIN EVENT
07.27.1979 … THE MAIN EVENT
08.03.1979 … THE MAIN EVENT
08.10.1979 … THE MAIN EVENT
08.17.1979 … MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI
08.24.1979 … MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI
08.31.1979 … MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI
09.07.1979 … MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI
09.14.1979 … MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI
09.21.1979 … MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI
09.28.1979 … THE AMERICAN SUCCESS COMPANY
10.05.1979 … THE AMERICAN SUCCESS COMPANY
10.12.1979 … TILL I NEED GLASSES
10.19.1979 … AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
10.26.1979 … AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
11.02.1979 … AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
11.09.1979 … AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
11.16.1979 … AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
11.23.1979 … AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
11.30.1979 … AND JUSTICE FOR ALL
12.07.1979 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
12.14.1979 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
12.21.1979 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
12.28.1979 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE

01.04.1980 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
01.11.1980 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
01.18.1980 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
01.25.1980 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
02.01.1980 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
02.08.1980 … STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE
02.15.1980 … FOOLIN’ AROUND
02.22.1980 … FOOLIN’ AROUND
02.29.1980 … FOOLIN’ AROUND
03.07.1980 … FOOLIN’ AROUND
03.14.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
03.21.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
03.28.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
04.04.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
04.11.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
04.18.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
04.25.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
05.02.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
05.09.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
05.16.1980 … THE BLACK STALLION
05.21.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
05.30.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
06.06.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
06.13.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
06.20.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
06.27.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
07.04.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
07.11.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
07.18.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
07.25.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
08.01.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
08.08.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
08.15.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
08.22.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
08.29.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
09.05.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
09.12.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
09.19.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
09.26.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
10.03.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
10.10.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
10.17.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
10.24.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
10.31.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
11.07.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
11.14.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
11.21.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
11.28.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
12.05.1980 … THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
12.12.1980 … Closed for remodeling

Sources: Variety and the Minneapolis Tribune

Great research, Michael Coate! I think you've proven without question the oiginal STAR WARS movie never played at Southtown. Me thinks "BuddyBoy100" may be confusing STAR WARS with STAR TREK.

I remember seeing Empire there back in 1980! After the split, I saw "9 to 5" there. Was never quite the same once it split in two. I remember when they had Batman Returns there, they got a huge spotlight and had a big cardboard bat symbol on it! Unfortunately, the clouds or whatnot didn't show the signal like it did in the comics and movies, but a full size batsignal there in person WAS slick! I miss the Southtown!!!!!

Bigred, I'd love to see your photos too if you can. I'm at: minnesotajones261@msn.com - thanks!

Thanks for the photos my friend! Good memories!

I do remember seeing a re-run of Return of the Jedi there in 1985 or 1986 approx. I remember the re-release of Star Wars in 1979, but that was at the Edina Theater at the time. I remember seeing Star Wars at the Southdale theater in 1978.

When I saw Empire Strikes back there during the summer of 1980, they had one of those goofy "straw polls" (it was an election year) - where you selected your straw from a bin or something for Reagan, Carter, or Jessie Jackson(can't remember offhand if he was candidate #3 or not...).

Oops. I meant I saw SW at Southdale in 1977, not 1978.... sorry.

Hello, Do any of you have any PHOTOS of the Mann Southtown Theater? If so, could you please email them to J4nett@mac.com ? I would love to see them and also share them with my older brothers! That place was definitely magical. I loved looking at the bright orange stones that glowed along the entryway walls as you entered the women's bathroom. The bathroom didn't have an entrance door. It just curved around so no one could see you inside it. That place was way-ahead-of-its-time (futuristic) and now it's gone. So sad. Janet

I would appreciate it if someone would email me photos of the Mann Southtown Theater (exterior/lobby, especially!). I am also looking for a picture of the old Valley West Theater which was located in the Valley West Shopping Center. I know it wasn't near as fancy as the Southtown Theater, but it would mean alot to see a photo of it. The building is now for sale (again. Whenever I see the building I can't help but remember the oversised red velvet draperies that once hung on the windows in the lobby. My email address is tarakingsley@msn.com I love this website!!!