Cinema Shoppers World

It was a General Cinema, and always got all of the newer movies. Of course, when Shoppers World was demolished, it moved over to the new building on Flutie Pass with 14 screens, later expanded to 16. Style was basically a big white box with letters reading "Cinema".

The "big white box" was made from panels of a straw and clay mixture, and bolted to the steel girder frame. General Cinema (known as General Drive In at the time) wasn't sure the Shopping Center Cinema concept would be a success, constructed the building to be easily taken apart, and booked film only during the winter of 1951, 1952, and 1953. During the summer months, the theatre ran summer stock with actors like Marlon Brando appearing live on stage.

I will never forget being in back of the Theatre parking lot one day in the 70's and feeling the ground shaking. They were the first Theatre in the Boston area to install SENSURROUND for
"EARTHQUAKE". I think SACK THEATRES balked at the expense of putting
in SENSURROUND until they realized it was a big hit. I think they
initially put it into the GARY THEATRE downtown.

I believe this was the theater where I saw Joseph Losey's "The Go-Between" in 1971 when it was a twin.

When sensurround was installed, we were a little nervous about the possibility that there would be damage to the building. (maybe the vibration would cause cracks, or even a danger that the balcony would collapse!) After the first couple of shows, along with a few phone calls to our other Theatres, we realized it was just a great sound effect. The studios put in a lot of money to build the plywood boxes in the four corners of the auditorium, which made the audience feel like the building was shaking.

I saw "Earthquake" in Sensurround in the original (and largest) GC Shoppers World auditorium, then known as Cinema I. A cheesy flick but a great deal of fun in Sensurround. As noted above, the "Earthquake" engagement was extremely unusual for a major Hollywood studio release. The GC Shoppers World had a Boston area exclusive with "Earthquake" for an extended period; if my memory is accurate, the film opened in Framingham in October 1974 but didn't play the Gary (or anywhere else in the area) until December. I remember seeing a film in Cinema II while "Earthquake" was still playing in Cinema I (I think the film was "Murder on the Orient Express") and you could hear and feel the Sensurround rumblings---and Cinema II was located on the other side of the lobby from Cinema I.

Does anyone remember the approx. seating capacity of Cinema I before it was twinned in 1976? I went there many times as a child and my recollection is that it was enormous (ditto the screen).

There were 1432 seats in Cinema I. Cinema II across the lobby had 709.

This theatre was also notable for displaying some of the then new cast plastic grillework innovation called “Sculpta-Grille” of the now defunct Harvey Design Workshop of Lynbrook, L.I. New York. Their pattern shown backing one of their concession stands here was called “Persian-Latticed” but the designs of sculptor Richard Harvey disappeared with coming of huge increases in the price of the raw material for plastics, oil, in the 1970s. A photo of the grillework is at David Wodeyla’s site: http://natickmass.info/Inventory%20at%20the%20Pit.html and he also has a number of other photos of this and other nearby theatres.
Grillework was often the only real ornament left to theatres after the advent of modernism after the Second World War, and this unusually attractive heavy plastic was made in any color, even metallic or wood grained, but here was in basic matte white. I wrote an award-winning article on the subject of just how grillework adds to the décor of theatres in the Second Qtr. 2004 issue of MARQUEE magazine of the Theatre Historical Society of America: www.HistoricTheatres.org The Society has samples of this and other grilles of that maker.

What was the theatre called when it opened as a live stage? It sounds odd to have actors performing in a place that has "Cinema" in its name.

Was this the only live venue that General Cinema ever operated?

"Sensurround" never did pose any real threat to any theatre anywbere, and that fact is brought out by my comments about it, of Dec. 29, 2004 at: http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1/ It was just a gimmick, though some innocent souls were apparently freightened by it. There is even a web site devoted to it today where false claims are made about its supposed ability to damage theatres (URL given in comments following mine).

Here's a cool page I just found, all about Shoppers World, with photos of the cinema and the rest of the shopping center:

http://natickmass.info/GCC.html

Answering my own question above, this page says the cinema was called the 'County Playhouse' during the two summer stock seasons.

Such nicer times

The "new screen" that was mentioned in the article, was the larger one installed for Cinemascope. I think it was 1954.
I don't know the business arrangement, but I'd guess that Al Capp and Lee Falk rented the theatre for the summers, from Shoppers World, since General Cinema also leased the building. (one of the differences between Redstone and GCC was that Redstone bought land and built, and GCC let the shopping center build, and they leased the building.) Of course, we now know who had the smarter idea, but back then, the land wasn't as valuable. I was told that Phil Smith was a genius because he didn't believe in investing in land the way his neigbor did. Since the lease agreements of the late '80s and '90 contributed to the bankruptcy of the chain, I guess he wasn't as smart as everyone once thought.

I always wondered why a General Cinema was located in the Redstone Shopping Center in Stoneham.

There was a relationship, but I know of only one other situation. The Natick Drive In was a partnership. Redstone owned the land, and Smith Management (General Cinema) built the theatre. The boxoffice revenue was deposited under a separate unit number from concession, unlike nearly all other General Cinemas. I believe concession revenue went to Redstone. Advance newspaper accounts on the building of the Natick Drive In indicate a riff between the town and Redstone, and Redstone theoretically pulled out. At least publically.
The other location where there were two separate unit numbers, was Framingham with Boxoffice deposited under unit #530, and concession #850. I understood the concession revenue went into a private account.

Before GCC had drive-in theatres and Cinemas all over the place, weren't they, as Smith Management, running concession stands in other peoples drive-in theatres (hence the term 'concession')? They also had Amy Joy Donut Shops, Peter Pan Snack Shops, Richard's Drive-In Restaurants and bowling alleys (we had several in Cleveland) - and they were all designed by Riseman, who also designed the Cinemas built into the 1970s.

It would appear that at least 4 of Genreal Drive-In's cinemas were designed in the early 60s by Maurice D. Sornick of Massapequa Park, NY as a template design that was then executed by local architects under contract, in order to operate in states where Mr. Sornick was not licensed. Those that are known are: The CINEMA WESTLANE in Milwaukee, the CINEMA NORTHLAND in Jennings, MO; the CINEMA BIG TOWN in Mesquite, TX; and the CINEMA SOUTH COUNTY in St. Louis, all razed. The word CINEMA always preceed because the template design was a partial pre-fabricated and featured a roof sign of ten-foot-tall box letters in the word CINEMA which was followed in the nature of the local name sign that the owner wanted. Each of these also had the pre-fab grille wall of Sculpta-Grille as mentioned in posts above.

We had the grill-walls in the Cinema Southgate in Cleveland (built in 1963)of the same pattern as in this theatre. We also had them in the Mellett Mall Cinema (1967) Canton, Ohio and the Dort Mall Cinema (1968) Flint, Michigan. The latter two, however, were a larger, less-intricate pattern. Those at the Dort Mall Cinema can be seen in a photo here: http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/location.asp?ID=850&type=5

The exact pattern in the grille wall shown behind the concession stand of the DORT MALL CINEMA in Flint MI, as shown in the photo referred to in the link in the post above, is not in the 1970 Sculpta-Grille catalog as it exists in the Archive of the Theatre Historical Society in Illinois. No doubt there were several firms making grillework for buildings at that time.

Maybe the grill work shown in the photo was in an earlier catalog, and discontinued by 1970? I think GCC stopped using that stuff in the mid 1960s.

"dwodeyla" could be quite right. All that is known for sure is that the maker of Sculpta-Grille, Harvey Design Workshop of Lynbrook, L.I., N.Y., went out of business with the astounding increase in the price of petroleum (from which plastics are made) with the Arab oil embargo in 1973. What had been $7 the square foot in basic white in quantity, rose to an estimated $25 the square foot within a year, a hefty price even today!

I too remember Earthquake and the brief SenSurround phenomenon. I believe it was used in another movie here, one that involved a guy blowing up rollercoasters.

The tearing down of Shoppers World (especially considering what relaced it) was truly one of the sad days for the Golden Mile.

The former GC sixplex at Shoppers World closed, I think, sometime around '94 or '95.

Working for RCA Service Co., under contract to Universal Studios, I was the person responsible for installing and aligning the Sensurround equipment for the Shoppers World Premier opening of Earthquake. There was such a hullabaloo over the unknown effects of the quaking equipment that up until the day of the opening, it wasn't known whether the town was going to allow it to happen or not. They were indeed worried about the building falling apart. Part of my responsibility in testing the equipment was to survey the building, noting the cracks that existed and after shaking down with a test run, noting whether the cracks had been extended. It was a fun time!

Phil, you rescued us many times when Mel Wintman would come to a show and notice an aperture plate misfiled, or a blurry picture, or a buzz in the soundtrack! I think the original Shoppers World screen was curved and may have contributed to touchy focus issues. Joe DiCarlo always relied on you to fix whatever problems we had.

As I said, it was a fun time, Dave <g>. You ought to write a book about your experiences in the New England Theatres. I enjoy reading what you have to say.

My recollection is that the Cinema I screen (prior to twinning) was curved.

I saw two other Sensurround presentations at the GC Shoppers World in addition to "Earthquake": "Midway" and "Rollercoaster." The Sensurround equipment was relocated to Cinema II for those two films, which were released after Cinema I had been twinned.

Before the split, Cinema I had a large curved screen with curtains that could be opened for the feature presentation. The wheels that the curtain rode on got so squeaky, that Joe DiCarlo arranged for our Projectionist/stagehand, Ralph Nugnes to climb to the top and oil them. That night, while standing in the back of the auditiorium, we noticed long shiny lines that looked like slash marks running down the screen. It was a reflection off the oil, which had run down the screen. The next morning, Ralph was back up on an A ladder brushing talcum powder on the oil. And Joe DiCarlo was on the phone with Joe Saunders. He told him that Mel Wintman had been to the movies the night before and made a derogatory comment on the condition of the screen. "I told Mel you had already ordered a new screen". Saunders was relieved, and within a couple of days, the new screen was installed. Mel never found out. That was a lesson in how to head off a problem, and also that oil wasn't a good idea for curtain runners.

In about 1972 at age 16, I worked as an usher/popcorn-maker at the General Cinema at Shoppers World. I worked there during the showing of The Godfather and Jeremiah Johnson. Let me tell you that the "oil" used to pop the corn was a vile substance. I would eat food during my breaks at the Roundup steak/burger place next door. I had a crush on a girl who worked behind the candy counter (cannot recall her name) whom I met a few times later at the Common in Framingham Center in 1973 (I think she lived near there). After I quit my job, I snuck into the thetaer w/ a few friends via that outdoor smoking area (encircled w/ concrete blocks). My former boss caught us and told me "You can never come back here again." I wish I could remember his name. In 1974, at around the time I finished high school at Framingham North High, I streaked naked through Shoppers World. I moved to California in 1980 but my mom still lives in Framingham.

It's interesting how many people never forget the details of their experiences working at "The Cinema". Did you ever "do the marquee" or bring in the candy shipment?

You're right, Gabby- nobody forgets their experience working at "The Cinema!"

Only thing I didn't do at least once between 1985 & 1988 was run the projectors. Not sure which outfit was worse to wear- the blue polyester jacket or the red vest ensemble!

Mark Davis, did you get caught by Shoppers World security? To Jeff, the blue jackets were considered pretty nice looking, as they replaced bright orange which I wore when I was an usher there, 1966-1968.

Not sure I agree, dw- The blue jackets got pretty nasty with soda and Lotta Lemon residue if you were working behind the counter. But the red vests came with the oh-so-appealing plaid shirt.

Back in the day, at the Cinema where I ushered, they only had the females in the stand and the box office. The males ripped tickets and ushered. We went back there only to bring a case of soda cups from the stock room upstairs or to change a pepsi tank. It was a RARE occasion when they put one of us back there selling, and then we were there we were told to take off the blue jacket. If we slopped soda and butter on our white shirt, it was our problem. If it was super-busy, both sold out theatres coming in at the same time (total 2100 seats) there were 8 girls in there, plus they'd throw in a couple of ushers and the managers secretary. I think I still have a couple of those blue jackets in a closet in my mothers house in Ohio.

We were issued a black clip on bow tie as part of the uniform. The company was supposed to provide the black tux pants that had a satin stripe down the side, but usually, the Manager told us to buy our own, as it would help him save on his uniform budget. Girls had the white blouse, with a fold across black tie that clipped in the front. Once in awhile, the head usher would be given some petty cash to walk over to Kennedy's which was next to Jordan Marsh, to buy a few ties. (people sometimes lost them while on break.)
Upstairs in the usher's room, which was above the balcony next to Booth I, there was a solitary military looking woolen top coat that had epaulets. On cold winter's nights, if the line was long outside, the announcer would put on the coat to announce the line outside. I always thought that coat was the last remnant of a long-ago era. The coat disappeared at some point, it was that era when kids thought wearing old military-style clothing was the hippie thing to do.

Drive-Ins.com has the theatre catalogs uploaded. The Cinema can be found in the 1953-1954 edition starting with Page 30.

It was great to find a link to this wonderful site through the Recent Past Preservation Network, and I was excited to see a page for this theater and all the great photos that were posted. I grew up in Holliston and can remember seeing films here and shopping at the old Shoppers World with my parents. My how things have changed in the Golden Triangle just in my short lifetime of 22 years. At least the General Cinemas that built on Flutie Pass wasn't a total big boring box with an attempt at a sort of Art Deco or Moderne revival facade.

Not to nit pick, but supposedly the Ridgeway Theater in Stamford, CT opened in the summer of 1951 as also one of the very first shopping center theaters.

Sorry I never got to visit it or Cinema Shoppers. Both appear to have been wonderful places.

My father, Lloyd M. Mills, was the Cinema theater manager and district manager (St. George, Gorman, Natick drive-in) from 1953 to 1958. During this period, I was an usher and usually changed the marquees (3).By the time we arrived in the late fall of 1953, the large Cinemascope Screen had been installed. Our first Cinemascope film was the Robe, followed by How to Marry a Millionaire and Beneath the 12 Mile reef. I remember in 1954 helping to clear out the Hollis Theater when it closed. We played some great movies during those years and I have many fond memories of that time the last few years at Framingham High and first few years at Northeastern Univ.

Jim, your Father was probably the first Manager of the Cinema. How did he arrive in Framingham Massachusetts, managing Phil Smith's first shoppinng center theatre?

Jim, your Father was probably the first Manager of the Cinema. How did he arrive in Framingham Massachusetts, managing Phil Smith's first shopping center theatre?

Dwodeyla... My father,Lloyd Mills, became the manager of the Cinema in 1953. Since the Cinema was in buisness for several years before that, he wouldn't have been the first manager. He had been a theater manager going back at least until 1937 when he managed a theater in London, Ontario. Following that he was a manager in Ottawa, Kitchener and Toronto. We moved to the US in 1947 and he ran theaters in Buffalo and Louiville, KY. In 1953 he joined Smith Management, initially running Drive in theaters in Pittsburg and Cleveland and then becoming Framingham District Manager with responsibility over the Cinema, St. George, Gorman, and the Natick Drive In. In 1958 following a theft of $3,000 by the assistant manager, my father lost his position at the Cinema. He ran the St. George for a couple of years and then started a Letter Service buisness and eventually worked as a supervisor in the Post Office. I worked for many years as an usher at the Cinema and have strong personal memories of virtually every film that we played during that period. The first pre-Cinemascope picture that I remember is Botany Bay probably in late Nov of 1953. ....Jim Mills

In 1953, the Cinema ran summer stock plays, and was called the County Playhouse for the summer. Maybe you remember Nick Lavidor who managed the Cinema around 1959 or so. I remember going to the movies as a kid, seeing The D.I. with Jack Webb, and Carousel. Do you have any memories of the St. George or Gorman downtown Framingham?

I was an usher at the St. George around 1957-8. The major picture I can remember playing there was the French film, Diabolique.---Jim Mills

There is an interior photo on this site:
http://tinyurl.com/l6wl9w

I remember the strict hierarchy of theatres in that part of the greater Boston area in the '60s and '70s. First-run would always be at a single downtown theatre (generally, the most prestigious pictures opened at one of the Cheris, even though those theatres were pretty small and unimpressive). Second-run would be here at Shopper's World, along with other mall theatres north and south. Third-run would go to the Wellesley Community Theatre and lots of other, similar small movie houses in suburban towns. I always knew a film was "big" in my parents' minds when we took it in at the Cinemas, rather than waiting until it got to Wellesley.

Some background information about the Shoppers World Cinema that (on a quick glance) has gone unlinked here (save for a couple photos):

http://generalcinematheatres.com/

Click on the "Shoppers World/Where it All Began" logo.

An article in the October 13, 1951, issue of Boxoffice said that the Cinema in Framingham had opened on October 4. The building was designed by Ketchum, Gina & Sharp, architects of the shopping center, and the theater architect was Benjamin Schlanger. An additional article about the theater, with two small photos, appeared in the October 4, 1952, issue of Boxoffice.