Roanoke Rapids Cinema 1 & 2
1722 East 10th Street,
Roanoke Rapids,
NC
27870
1722 East 10th Street,
Roanoke Rapids,
NC
27870
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Also known as the Roanoke Cinema 1 & 2, the cinema opened in the late-1970’s as a twin cinema under the Stewart & Everett Theatre chain. Carmike Cinemas acquired it in 1986 and later this moviehouse became a independent chain. As of the writing,it is the only movie theatre operating in the town.
Contributed by
raymond
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
How many theaters were there in Roanoke Rapids during the 1970s? I ask because I wonder if perhaps this theater, described above as a twin, opened as a single screener? My notes from a recent research project indicate that, circa 1977, there was a “Cinema” operating in Roanoke Rapids, and looking at the photo of the theater (on the theater’s website, viewable from the link provided above under Related Websites) one can see the marquee reads “Cinema” and the design of the building looks like a second screen was added.
There were two theatres in Roanoke Rapids during the mid-to-late 1970’s. One was the Peoples Theatre that was located in Downtown Roanoke Rapids. The other was the Cinema,located on East 10th Street.
The Peoples Theatre at the time the Cinema opened in the 1970’s was the only operating movie theatre in town. The Cinema changed all that and during the late-1970’s and the early 1980’s The Peoples Theatre and the Cinema were the only two moviehouses in town until the Peoples Theatre closed its doors in 1985,leaving only the Cinema 1 & 2 the only operating theatre in town and all of Halifax County.
There was also the 650 seat Imperial Theatre at 1050 Roanoke Ave. Opened around 1935 and closed sometime in 1964. This was also owned by General Amusements. This theatre is not listed on CT.
OOPS the Imperial was closed beore the 1970’s. Sorry about that.
The roadside marquee identifies this theater as the “Roanoke Cinemas”. This theater was probably built in 1971, as it strongly resembles the Neuse Boulevard Cinema in New Bern. The Roanoke (Rapids) Cinema was originally a single screen theater (as was the Neuse Blvd. Cinema); I remember passing it by going to visit my great-grandmother in the early 1970s and there was only one movie listed on the marquee in those days. If Martin Theatres did own this theater, it was their only North Carolina location east of Raleigh.
This theater was never owned by Martin Theatres; it was a Stewart & Everett house until Carmike bought S&E in 1986.