Creve Coeur Cine'

Creve Coeur, MO

10570 Olive Street Road

, Creve Coeur, MO 63141 United States

(map)

Status:	Closed/Demolished
Screens:	Twin
Style:	Unknown

Function:	Unknown
Seats:	918
Chain:	Unknown

Architect:	Unknown
Firm:	Unknown

June 19, 1969 marked an important date for the the Wehrenberg Theatre chain. It was the opening date for for the Creve Coeur Cine'. The decor was art modern but much more ornate than other cinemas that were opeing. It was considered the 1960's version of the movie palace. The lobby had a mirrored wall opposite a wall that was all glass. A Renaissance statue stood against a walpapered wall. These all surrounded the central concession stand. Above hung an inverted pyramid, 500 pound, tiered chandelier with 2000 Austrian crystals.

In the auditorium was a curtained wall that extends across the theatre. this unusual feature took over 1,000 yards of gold foil. The facade was of crystal amethyst imported from Ontario, Canada. This brownstone with slivers of purple was popular while the theatre was being built.

At the time that the Creve Coeur was built it was one of the largest modern cinemas in Missouri. As compitition from the multiplexes close to the Creve Coeur the theatre was divided into two screens.

In 1998 when AMC built a 16-plex a few miles down the road it marked the beginning of the end for the Creve Coeur. The Theatre closed in September 1999 and was demolished soon after.

Contributed by Chuck Van Bibber

YOUR COMMENTS

The Creve Coeur Cine will also hold a place in St. Louis movie history due to the fact that it showed "Star Wars" during it's original 1977 premiere engagement. Ditto for "The Empire Strikes Back".

posted by Chris Utley on May 11, 2004 at 10:40am

Very 1960s design, beautiful interior. I loved this house from the moment I entered it in 1970 to see the 70mm roadshow of "Goodbye Mr. Chips". What a shame it's gone...

posted by 70mm lover on Apr 22, 2005 at 12:48pm

The orignal theatre was a 1 screen that sat over 900 people. Later it was remodeled and cut into to three auditoriums. The end as Chuck puts it was not when AMC built next door. It was when AMC built a 16 plex a few miles down the road. The doors closed for the final show on September 13, 1999. The AMC 12 opened a few weeks later.

posted by Oldtheatremanager on Aug 31, 2007 at 9:59am

This cinema also premiered "Alien" in STL, if memory serves..

posted by Kerry M on Feb 17, 2008 at 10:48pm

Opening attraction was an exclusive, reserved seat run of "Oliver!" The film ran 27 weeks.

posted by JAlex on Mar 4, 2008 at 11:47am

"Alien" did play at CreveCoeur. That engagement is mentioned in this fascinating article about how the movie got released. The piece also mentioned, to my surprise, that St. Louis was selected as the city in which they ran "Alien" for a test audience to gauge reaction to influence any final adjustments made to the movie.

posted by Max Cobalt on Mar 4, 2008 at 1:06pm

I used to work at this theater from 1990 to 1992 when I was in High School. I do recall the decor being different than any other theater in St. Louis. In reference to the 70mm comment above, during the summer of 1991 the theater ran a series of 70mm films. These films included "Meet Me in St. Louis", "Spartacus", and many other films. It was only 1 of 2 theaters in St. Louis at the time that had a projector that was still capable of playing the 70mm of these films. During my time there the Creve Coeur Cine' also premiered the movie "White Palace" which starred Susan Sarandon and James Spader. This movie was also filmed in St. Louis. To go even further back one of my first movie memeories as a kid was standing in line with my father to see the "Empire Strikes Back" at the Creve Coeur Cine' back in 1980!

posted by UsedToWorkHere on Jan 2, 2009 at 10:22am

Does anyone have any interior photos of this theatre - specifically ones with the auditorium/screen?

posted by Chris Utley on Jun 24, 2009 at 12:39pm

The reconfiguration of the single screen theatre into a tri-plex opened on December 21, 1984. In the re-do, the original auditorium, seating 916, turned into the "main" house seating 511 and the two others seating 194 each...for a total of 899. The original screen had dimensions of 60x38; it was cut down to 52x34 in the re-do.

posted by JAlex on Jun 24, 2009 at 3:14pm

In response to Chris Utley please e-mail me at Unicorn9621@yahoo.com with an e-mail address and I can send you some pics of Creve Coeur interior. Most of the shots will have former staff but I have a ton of pics from the 3 years that I worked there. I do have one shot from the final night showing the screen in House 1 will all of the staff standing on the wall infront of it.

posted by Oldtheatremanager on Nov 3, 2009 at 10:38pm

AWESOME!!! I'll email you shortly!

posted by Chris Utley on Nov 4, 2009 at 8:38am

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