Thruway Theater
310 S. Stratford Road,
Winston-Salem,
NC
27103
310 S. Stratford Road,
Winston-Salem,
NC
27103
2 people
favorited this theater
I worked at this theater in my senior year of high school back in 1984-1985 (“Beverly Hills Cop” and “Thief of Hearts” were playing). Worked there as a projectionist in years following high school. Largest theater, must have had 600 plus seats.
Many great memories….scraping toast off the ceiling after “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” midnight runs, seeing “Billy Jack” as a kid there (my first ‘walk in’ theater experience), that VERY spooky basement that had a casket stashed amid the popcorn bags and cups, making out with concession stand girl’s sister in broom closet, hearing that our old box office guy, Mr. Poplin, ‘expired’ while in the box office booth, taking crap from a cantankerous manager with a runny eye (ewwww!), changing the marquee in snowstorms and rainstorms, and SOOOOO many other memories.
Since closing in around 1994, it is now a Party City store. It was also situated next to a trendy bar and steakhouse so it was not unusual to see golddiggers dressed to the nines to attract Winston-Salem’s wealthiest at all hours of the evenings. One of the former projectionists painted the projection room to resemble the cover of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side Of The Moon!
There is a time capsule (or WAS a time capsule) outside of the theater from the year theater was built in 1969 that supposedly contains artifacts from that day it opened.
Contributed by
Michael Hicks
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Recent comments (view all 19 comments)
I think the first movie I saw at the Thruway was Bullitt with Steve McQueen. It seems like this might have been its first movie. Never one to pass on 70MM, I also remember seeing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom here.
Arby is correct about “Bullitt” being the first movie shown at the Thruway Theatre. According to the book “Winston-Salem,” by Molly Grogan Rawls, the house opened in February, 1969.
Irwin Mumford was managing here June 3 1983.
The Thruway Theatre opened on February 16,1969 with the Steve McQueen feature “Bullitt”.
Speaking of “The Godfather”,that movie didn’t play at the Thruway. It played at the Reynolda Cinema.
I graduated from NC school of the arts in the summer of 79. Which put me about 5 years older than the author. I remember being there that day in 1969 when they planted that time capsule. I don’t remember it as being the opening of the theatre, which it very well may have been, but as an 8yrs old I was fascinated with the concept of how old I would be when it was opened. Strangely enough, I think that it was a 45yr capsule, because I think that the open date is 2014. Neither my older sister nor mother remembers the event as it held little interest for them, but for me it was a foundation stone. I live in California now and for the past 32 years, but I would gladly fly to Winston-Salem to view the opening if anyone will confirm its existence and open date which I remember being inscribed on a copper plaque.
February 14, 2019, is the open date: http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/428323_10150590260539570_610159569_8774187_1080429158_n.jpg
filmbooks: from your comment on august 7,2010; STAR WARS played at the Parkview Twin first-run on June 16,1977. It was one of five exclusive engagement running of the film playing here in the Carolinas,and one of them was here in Winston-Salem. Other cities within North Carolina didn’t get the film until July 1,1977.
About it’s re-release: The Thruway was not one of the cinemas that played STAR WARS as a re-release. The re-release of the film STAR WARS played at two theatres in Winston-Salem from July 21,1978 until September 1,1978. There are listed below:
-Reynolda Cinema 1 & 2 -Parkview Twin -Bright Leaf Drive-In(Mount Airy) *I have the information.
THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
THE 70MM-6 TRACK DOBLY STEREO EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS:
Raleigh: Cardinal 1 & 2
Fayetteville: Bordeaux Triple
Charlotte: Park Terrace
Greensboro: Terrace
Winston-Salem: Thruway 1 & 2
www.in70mm.com/news/2003/empire/index.htm
THE RETURN OF THE JEDI
THE 70MM-6 TRACK DOBLY STEREO EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENTS:
Winston-Salem: Thruway 1 & 2
Charlotte: Park Terrace
These were the only two cities within North Carolina that was given the 70MM exclusive engagement showings.
www.in70mm.com/news/2008/jedi/index.htm
TOP GUN played here in DOBLY STEREO IN 1986.