Hollywood Hits Premiere Theatre
20 Hutchinson Drive,
Danvers,
MA
01923
20 Hutchinson Drive,
Danvers,
MA
01923
6 people
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Opened in 1973 as a modest little four-plex this was a big success for Sack even though it was also a hard theatre to find the first time. The huge attractions sign in its parking lot was clearly visible from Route 128 but from either direction on the highway you had to take the next exit and search for the cinema.
The theatre itself was located at the end of a long side road that had no other buildings and due to residents at the entrance to the road, a tiny non-illuminated sign as the only hint to its location. It was changed to a six-plex by splitting the two biggest houses into the infamous bowling alley style theatres.
It closed about the time the huge Loews complex opened at the Liberty Tree Mall across the highway. It was refurbished by Hollywood Hits who re-opened it in 1999.
Contributed by
Brian Yelverton
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
The marquee for the former Liberty Tree Mall Cinema 1 & 2 is still standing, Robert, and is presently used as signage for the megaplex within the Liberty Tree Mall. (An image of the marquee can be found here: http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=5126, while the former twin has an entry here @ Cinema Treasures – /theaters/10278/)) The twin apparently had more seats than the sixplex, but I personally can’t account for the exact total.
I should clarify my earlier comment, to say that this is one of the very few Sack Theatres still operating as a cinema. Four of their former downtown Boston theatres have been converted (or re-converted) to live stages.
In a 1998 Boston Globe that I happen to have kept, the two Loews Danvers theatres are listed as:
DANVERS LTM, Liberty Tree Mall (the twin)
DANVERS, Rte. 128 Exit 24 (the six-plex)
At some point, either Sack or Loews dropped the “Cinema City” name.
Comments came in quick on this one. Before I had a chance to add to it.
The original 4plex theatres seated 750, 450 and 2 theatres of 250 each.
Some movie memories of the place.
Opening attractions were 1) Enter the Dragon 2) Happy Mothers Day, Love George 3)Last Tango In Paris 4) Harry In Your Pocket.
Godfather II opened in the 2 biggest houses here and at least one night played in all 4 houses.
Star Wars played a solid year in the big house here.
Stero was added in house 1 for a Fantasia reissue, it was run in magnetic stereo.
Upgraded to Dolby sound, I believe for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
Cinema 4 got Sensurround speakers for Midway, they remained for years afterwards with Universal paying a small rental charge.
When the 2 big houses were being split the Sensurround speakers were moved to cinema 3 for Battlestar Galactica, the rear speaker ended up facing the managers office and used to shake things off the shelves when in use.
The Cinema City’s last day of operation was December 17, 1998 and the 20plex opened the following evening. Hollywood Hits opened around October 16, 1999.
Some photos of the Hollywood Hits Theatre
The marquee has room for 12 movies, and has the numbers 1 through 10 on it. How many screens are here now? Are they planning to add more to match the sign?
<<< Star Wars played a solid year in the big house here. >>>
Actually, STAR WARS played here for “only” 22 weeks.
This opened on September 26th, 1973. Grand opening ad uploaded here.
Although the picture above is of the entrance, this is from Google Maps – you can actually see the building from the highway..
https://www.google.com/maps/Beacon Theatre.554308,-70.933286,3a,75y,90h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1st63o9hVNXKyWz6Q4tj_9Rg!2e0!6m1!1e1
And if you move the picture to the right, you can see the marquee listings too.