Regency Theater
2749 Parleys Way,
Salt Lake City,
UT
2749 Parleys Way,
Salt Lake City,
UT
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July 19th, 1972 grand opening ad is at View link
The Regency Theatre was featured in an article in the Modern Theatre section of Boxoffice Magazine, November 13, 1972. The building included second floor offices for the Salt Lake City division of ABC-Intermountain Theatres. The Technicote XR 171 screen was 22'x50'. The booth featured a 35/70mm Century projection system, and multi-channel sound was by Electro Sound.
Photos of the former Regency Theater in Salt Lake City can be seen here.
Do we remember 1975? The year that “Jaws” began what was called “the summer blockbuster” movies? One can still remember the parking lot just crammed with cars of car owners filling the Regency to see Steven Spielberg’s shark movie at this famous theatre. Yes, I saw “Close Encounters” and “TRON” at the Regency. I would drive down from E. Idaho to see many movies at the Regency.
The Regency was built with an undeveloped area beneath the lobby and auditorium for use as a second theater. It had doors and windows to the outside (west side) and you could look in a see a big field of large gravel rocks. If anyone asked, they were told “that’s where the other theater will be.” It never was.
The Regency Theatre was opened by ABC Intermountain Theaters in 1971. I worked there as an assistant manager in 1977. When Close Encounters played, the projectionist and a few other employees made a big silver flying saucer out of plywood and Visqueen to display on the roof, hauled it up there, and it stayed there for a few years because no one could figure out an easy way of getting it down.