Yorktowne Twin
2500 Durham Chapel Hill Boulevard,
Durham,
NC
27707
2500 Durham Chapel Hill Boulevard,
Durham,
NC
27707
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Sam Peckinpah’s THE WILD BUNCH played at the Yorktowne Theatre on July 2, 1969. It was one of a handful of Triangle theatres that booked the film’s original “X” rating to capacity crowds.
Francis Ford Coppula’s THE GODFATHER was one of two Triangle area theatres that booked the film’s original opening on March 22,1972 when the Yorktowne Theatre was a 780 seat single screen cinema.
“THE GODFATHER PART II” also played here as well as “CHINATOWN”, “LADY SINGS THE BLUES”, “LENNY”
The Yorktowne Theatre also played first-run on July 1, 1977 the original STAR WARS movie not to mention had the privilege to booked on December 7, 1979 the original STAR TREK movie.
I saw “Jaws” here in 1975. I remember running out of the screening room to the concession area when I got too scared to watch the movie.
“Jaws” was one of two Triangle area theatres that booked the film’s original opening on June 20,1975.
The Yorktowne was still a single screen theatre when “Jaws” officially opened. The original auditorium where it played had a seating capacity of over 800 that included a super widescreen that was capable of showing both 35mm and 70mm films. However,the opening weekend showings brought in record capacity crowds which had it showing at the Yorktowne for 26 weeks.
At the time “Jaws” opened,the second auditorium was under construction and basically almost completed for its 325 seat auditorium for the Yorktowne II’s official opening in late June of 1975 for the opening of “French Connection II”. The only problem the Yorktowne had was the availability for parking which was limited for the cinema’s lot and around back but for additional parking you had to go across to used the parking lot over at the Hutton Building and from there had to walk across the street to the theatre.
Great movie theatre,but had a serious problem with parking there
< The longest-running bookings that played at the Yorktowne Theatre were the showing of STAR WARS(05/23/1977)which played at this theatre until November of 1977 >
The Yorktowne’s run of “Star Wars” opened July 1, 1977, not May 23. It ran for five months, not seven.
(The Memorial Day weekend opening of “Star Wars” was only in a handful of markets, none of which were in The South.)
The Yorktowne Theatre was operated by Scheinder-Merl Theatres from 1968 until 1976.
Martin operated it from 1976 until 1982. Carmike cinemas acquired it from 1982 until 1996.
I recall seeing in 1975 “Jaws” on the marquee along at the time when the Yorktowne was becoming a twin cinema. The other movie on the marquee at the time was “The French Connection II”. The lines for “Jaws” were record breaking with sold-out shows and the lines stretching from the entrance to the theatre all the way toward the E.F. Hutton Building Parking Lot facing Bedford Street and Chapel Hill Boulevard.
The longest-running bookings that played at the Yorktowne Theatre were the showing of STAR WARS(05/23/1977)which played at this theatre until November of 1977 to record-breaking crowds,and was re-released again in the summer of 1978.
The other longest-running booking for a showing at the Yorktowne? Steven Spielburg’s JAWS,which opened in June of 1975 to record-breaking crowds which stretch from the at one time E.F. Hutton on Bedford Street extending all the way down Chapel Hill Boulevard. It stayed until December of 1975.
The cinema was demolished in November of 2008. The council board for the City of Durham should have did something to preserve this classic theatre by saving it from the wrecking ball. It could have been a second arthouse cinema if those friends of the Carolina Theatre step in and save it from being destroyed.
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW was a late night treat at the Yorktowne as part of its Halloween midnight screenings during the early 80’s when it was a twin cinema.
Who remembers the midnight shows that played here every Friday and Saturday nights at the Yorktowne when adult classics like EMMANUELLE, FLESH GORDON and CALIGULA played to record breaking capacity crowds?
It also played the re-issued THE SOUND OF MUSIC to capacity crowds as well.
Here is a November 2008 photo showing a Yorktown Theater in Durham being demolished.
Also known as the Yorktowne Twin.
The original auditorium opened in 1968. The second auditorium was added in 1975. First-run movies ran at the Yorktowne from 1968-1987. Second-run movies ran at the Yorktowne from 1987-1996. The theatre closed its doors in 1996.
A Lot of blockbuster films played here at the Yorktowne. The theatre had the premiere exclusive showing of “Star Wars”,which played for seven months at this theatre to record breaking crowds. Other movies that played here at the Yorktowne Theatre were
“The Godfather”,“Lady Sings The Blues”,“Chinatown”,
“The Godfather:Part II”,“Jaws”,“Star Trek:The Motion Picture”,“Star Trek III”,“Star Trek IV”,“The Untouchables”,“The Shining”,and “Nightmare on Elm Street”. A combination of first-run features and grindhouse cinema played at the Yorktowne.
Was converted into a church after it folded and nowadays it sits in decay. The Yorktowne could be a great second arthouse theatre to the Carolina Theatre-Downtown Durham. It had the huge widescreen in its time and the size of the auditorium to boot.
Owned and operated by the Martin Theatres chain and later on part of Carmike Cinemas.