State Theater
320 South Salisbury Street,
Raleigh,
NC
27601
320 South Salisbury Street,
Raleigh,
NC
27601
1 person
favorited this theater
The State Theater dates back to 1925. In the 1940’s it was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary H.F. Kincey. It was still operating in 1950.
In 1954, it was remodeled by architect E.H. Geisler. The State Theatre then boasted a 46 feet wide CinemaScope screen. The State Theater was closed in 1975.
Contributed by
Patsy, Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 21 comments)
I know the definition of a “Roadshow” or “Hard Ticket” engagement, but I find it hard to believe that “The Wild Bunch” would have played a reserved seat engagement for such a short period when no other theatre played it as a “RoadShow” engagement.
Boxoffice of October 23, 1954, had a few before-and-after photos of the front and lobby of the State Theatre, which had been remodeled that year. Plans for the remodeling were by E.H. Geissler. Geissler was later one of the co-developers of the Ultra-Vision projection system that was installed in a number of Wilby-Kincey theaters starting in 1969.
Modernization also described in this earlier 1954 trade article: boxoffice
“AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS” played here at a Reserved Seat Engagement at Raleigh’s State Theatre on November 21,1957 for its exclusive 14 week run.
Chuck1231: Sam Peckinpah’s 1969 western THE WILD BUNCH did not played here in the Triangle area as a exclusive engagement showing….The State Theatre was one of two cinemas in the Triangle on July 1,1969 that booked it first-run. The other was Durham’s Yorktowne Theatre.
“MY FAIR LADY” played here at the State as a first-run Triangle exclusive on June 3,1966. It was not a reserved seat engagement.
This theatre got a lot of the United Artists product… The James Bond films ranging from “Dr. No” all the way to “Diamonds Are Forever” got first-run billing at the State Theatre.
Also played here first-run in 1964 were “A HARD DAYS NIGHT” starring The Beatles to sold out audiences.
“The Pink Panther” and its sequel “A Shot In The Dark” also played at the State Theatre first-run.
Hey I worked at the State Theatre in 1964 when “My Fair lady” was playing. Who was the manager/owner then?
tory and chuck1231: FOR YOUR INFORMATION……….. The release of MY FAIR LADY didn’t come to Raleigh until June 3,1966 as a general release even though it was originally released in larger cities first on October 21,1964 in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles as a reserved seat engagement.
Charlotte’s Capri Theatre was the only showing of the film in the state that got the exclusive reserved seat engagement on January 28,1965…MY FAIR LADY when it came to Charlotte was the only theatre in the state that played it for a year. It was the only roadshow attraction in the Carolinas(full entrance music with intermission and exit music)……
Durham’s Center Theatre was also a reserved seat engagement for it’s Eastern North Carolina premiere on January 14,1966…MY FAIR LADY when it came to Durham’s Center Theatre in early-1966 was also a roadshow attraction (complete with full entrance music,intermission and exit music)………
Other cities like Asheville and Greensboro and even cities like Fayetteville and Raleigh got the general release of MY FAIR LADY….Durham and Charlotte were the roadshow engagements. I have the original ads for this if you need to see them via e-mail at
I don’t know who was the manager of the State Theatre in Raleigh when MY FAIR LADY played during its general release in the summer of 1966,but I do know that the film was a huge hit when it finally came out in the Capital City of Raleigh.
From the June 3,1966 ad from the Raleigh News and Observer…..on the showing of MY FAIR LADY at the State Theatre…. “DIRECT FROM IT’S EXCLUSIVE ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENT! FINALLY, RALEIGH CAN SEE "MY FAIR LADY” AT POPULAR PRICES AT THE STATE THEATRE…."