Eastland Cinema
S. Hamilton Road and Refugee Road,
Columbus,
OH
43232
S. Hamilton Road and Refugee Road,
Columbus,
OH
43232
2 people
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The entire Eastland Mall closed permanently at the end of December, 2022.
In response to a long ago question about twinning by Ron Newman, Eastland Mall temporarily closed on Sunday, May 23, 1976 after a run of BAD NEWS BEARS. It reopened as a dual theatre on Friday, June 25, 1976.
Saw sooo many films here. Disney especially some on re-release. GUS the kicking Mule, PETE’S DRAGON, SNOW WHITE, THE APPLE DUMPLING GANG, BAMBI, maybe EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, THE CHEAP DETECTIVE, etc etc.As long as I can remember Eastland Mall was a twin cinema.
I saw Star Wars there. The lines for the big movies would go all the way up the mall and back down.
Theatre had 1,000 seats upon opening. Screen 52' wide by 24' high. (Source: Boxoffice Magazine)
I recall Paint Your Wagon had a long run here, and was surprised many years later to learn that it was considered a box-office bomb.
According to Box Office magazine, 2/19/1968, this theatre was originally operated by Cincinnati Theatre Company, a division of Associated Theatres of Cleveland.
The Eastland Theater first opened in 1968. Films which played at this theater in 1968-69 are listed below. The date is the Wednesday of the opening week. Research is from microfilms of The Columbus Dispatch.
02/14/68 The Happiest Millionaire
03/27/68 No Way to Treat a Lady
04/17/68 In the Heat of the Night
05/08/68 Bonnie and Clyde
05/29/68 Half a Sixpence
06/26/68 The Thomas Crown Affair
07/24/68 How Sweet It Is!
08/07/68 Dark of the Sun
08/28/68 With Six You Get Eggroll
09/18/68 Interlude
10/02/68 A Lovely Way to Die
10/16/68 Barbarella
11/13/68 Coogan’s Bluff
12/11/68 Rachel, Rachel
12/18/68 Camelot
02/19/69 Funny Girl
08/20/69 3 into 2 Won’t Go
09/10/69 True Grit
09/24/69 Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe…?
10/08/69 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
11/12/69 Paint Your Wagon
The Eastland Theater first opened in 1968. Films which played at this theater in 1968-69 are listed below. The date is the Wednesday of the opening week. Research is from microfilms of The Columbus Dispatch.
02/14/68 The Happiest Millionaire
03/27/68 No Way to Treat a Lady
04/17/68 In the Heat of the Night
05/08/68 Bonnie and Clyde
05/29/68 Half a Sixpence
06/26/68 The Thomas Crown Affair
07/24/68 How Sweet It Is!
08/07/68 Dark of the Sun
08/28/68 With Six You Get Eggroll
09/18/68 Interlude
10/02/68 A Lovely Way to Die
10/16/68 Barbarella
11/13/68 Coogan’s Bluff
12/11/68 Rachel, Rachel
12/18/68 Camelot
02/19/69 Funny Girl
08/20/69 3 into 2 Won’t Go
09/10/69 True Grit
09/24/69 Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe…?
10/08/69 Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
11/12/69 Paint Your Wagon
The AMC 6-plex and 8-plex were just north of the mall, on opposite sides of Hamilton Road. I don’t know when they opened or when they closed.
Thanks. The only thing left to find out now is when it was twinned. I’ll ask CinemaTreasures to update the Description.
ALADDIN and HOME ALONE II
Thanks. Do you know what were the last movies to be shown here?
Actual closing date was 2/18/1993.
Was this still open in 1992? I think I saw Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven here.
That “locally owned tri-plex” was the Forum, on the opposite side of Hamilton and Refugee roads from the mall.
The entire east side of Columbus is now bereft of cinemas, with the single exception of the 3-screen Drexel Theatre in Bexley.
This theatre was located at the west end of the mall, near the Sears store.
Eastland was equipped for 70mm projection and exhibited PAINT YOUR WAGON, ALIENS and BRAINSTORM, among others. It was twinned while managed by General Cinema with a wall straight down the middle of the house. Chairs were never realigned. After twinning, most of the 70mm and magnetic stereo screenings were in the right side theatre. I believe it closed sometime in the early 80’s, but I don’t have an exact date.
At one time, the Eastland area had this twin-plex, and AMC 6-plex AND an AMC 8-plex, with a locally owned tri-plex around the corner. Now, all are closed.