Cooper Theatre
960 S. Colorado Boulevard,
Denver,
CO
80246
960 S. Colorado Boulevard,
Denver,
CO
80246
32 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Commonwealth Theaters Corp., Cooper Foundation, United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Architects: Richard L. Crowther
Previous Names: Cooper Cameo Theatre, United Artists Theatre
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News About This Theater
- Mar 31, 2013 — "2001: A Space Odyssey" 45th Anniversary – The Cinerama Engagements
- May 23, 2012 — Celebrating the Original STAR WARS on its 35th Anniversary
- Jan 30, 2012 — Brothers Grimm Cinerama news
- Jun 18, 2010 — "Jaws"... Happy 35th!
- May 21, 2010 — Happy 30th, "Empire"
- May 14, 2010 — Please Post Today, May 14 --- "Jaws," Happy 35th
- Aug 21, 2009 — "Alien" 30th Anniversary
- Jul 13, 2009 — Remembering Cinerama (Part 35: Denver)
- May 25, 2007 — Happy 30th, Star Wars!
Opened on March 9, 1961 with “This Is Cinerama”, the 814-seat Cooper Theatre was the first of three Cinerama theatres built by the Cooper Foundation in the early-1960’s. Known as the Golden Triangle, the three theatres were located in Denver, Omaha, and Minneapolis. Complete with massive screens and the latest sound technology, all three were designed to exhibit films made in the 3-strip Cinerama process.
On December 25, 1975 a second 300-seat Cooper Cameo Theatre was added to the side of the existing Cooper Theatre, opening with Roy Scheider in “Jaws”. The theatre later became part of the Commonwealth Theatres circuit, who franchised the Cooper name. They also built the Cooper 5, Cooper 6, Cooper 7, and Cooper Twin (none of which were Cinerama theatres), which were constructed to mimic the round, elevated roofs of the existing Cooper theatres.
Visitors came from all over to see the Cooper Theatre and its wonderous screen. But after several years of delighting audiences and packing full houses, the Cooper Theatre began to draw fewer crowds.
After Commonwealth Theatres, the Cooper Theatre was run by United Artists from December 26, 1988 and renamed United Artists Theatre. UA continued to operate the theatre until it was sold. Like Cinerama itself, the Cooper Theatre in Denver did not last forever. After years of changing hands, the massive theatre was closed on January 7, 1994 and was sold to Barnes & Noble, who razed it in 1994 to build a new store.
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Recent comments (view all 109 comments)
Hello from NYC-
during the prime roadshow period of (1952-1972) which Denver theaters did the studios regularly use for their roadshow engagements? Manhattan had 7.
The note in your introduction about the Cooper Cameo theatre being added in February 1977 is about a year off. The Cameo opened on Christmas Day, 1975. I am currently putting together a series of books on the history of the Denver area’s drive-ins – and indoors as well. If anyone has a question on the subject, please feel free to contact me at and i’ll be happy to share my research with you. See you at the movies ! – Ken Mitchell
bigjoe59…
ALADDIN
Porgy and Bess
Can-Can
Spartacus
Lawrence of Arabia
The Longest Day
The Sound of Music
The Sand Pebbles
Camelot
Star!
Patton
Song of Norway
Fiddler on the Roof
Man of La Mancha
Last Tango in Paris
CENTRE
Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Sweet Charity
CENTURY 21
The Happiest Millionaire
Half a Sixpence
Oliver!
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Nicholas and Alexandra
CONTINENTAL
The Agony and the Ecstasy
The Bible
Doctor Dolittle
Funny Girl
Hello, Dolly!
COOPER
This is Cinerama
Seven Wonders of the World
Cinerama Holiday
The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm
How the West Was Won
It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Circus World
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Khartoum
The Best of Cinerama
Grand Prix
Far from the Madding Crowd
Custer of the West
2001: A Space Odyssey
Ice Station Zebra
Krakatoa, East of Java
Paint Your Wagon
CREST
The Taming of the Shrew
DENHAM
The Ten Commandments
Ben-Hur
Exodus
El Cid
King of Kings
West Side Story
Mutiny on the Bounty
Cleopatra
The Fall of the Roman Empire
Mediterranean Holiday
My Fair Lady
Doctor Zhivago
Hawaii
Gone with the Wind (’67 re-issue)
Finian’s Rainbow
The Shoes of the Fisherman
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Ryan’s Daughter
The Great Waltz
ESQUIRE
The Blue Max
Is Paris Burning?
The Lion in Winter
Young Winston
INTERNATIONAL 70
Becket
Cheyenne Autumn
The Hallelujah Trail
Holiday in Spain
Mediterranean Holiday
Battle of the Bulge
Russian Adventure
TABOR
Oklahoma!
Around the World in 80 Days
South Pacific
Windjammer
The saddest thing I remember is trying desperately to be allowed to photograph the interior when they announced it was closing.
UA management denied all access saying it would violate company rules on photography and somehow stealing aesthetic design concepts (!).
I can’t imagine B&N wanting the location because it was near the Tattered Cover, as the Tattered was actually miles away in the Cherry Creek neighborhood.
I’ve put together a booking history for the Cooper, from 1961 up to 1978 so far, in case anyone might like to know when a particular movie played there. I’ll be happy to share my research with you. Take care – Ken Mitchell ()
A chronology of Denver’s 70mm presentation history has recently been published. The Cooper, of course, is mentioned numerous times.
Grand opening ads for the Cooper and Cameo posted.
Renamed The United Artists on December 26th, 1988. ad posted.
I can’t remember if I managed to see a movie at the Cooper before 1977, but I saw Star Wars four times there. I remember seeing the trailer for Close Encounters and then the movie when it came out. I saw Alien, but not Empire because my family moved to Evergreen in ‘79. I could only see Empire at the Cameo while my sisters watched The Jazz Singer at the Cooper. Ironically, Empire is the only original trilogy I didn’t manage to see on a screen as large as the Cooper’s, even the Special Editions. Return of the Jedi was the last movie I saw at the Cooper. What a wonderful movie theatre!
Closed January 7th, 1994. Grand opening ad posted.