Ontario Theater
1700 Columbia Road NW,
Washington,
DC
20009
1700 Columbia Road NW,
Washington,
DC
20009
2 people
favorited this theater
This theater was an old neighborhood theater from 1951 that was originally operated by K-B Theatres. It was remodeled and reopened by the Circle chain back in 1985. I vividly remember that it was a rather grand affair, with spotlights above the city, when the theater showed the 70mm presentation of “Lifeforce”.
The theater still smelled of paint on the walls and seats as my friends and I took in the then state-of-the-art Kintek sound system and large screen. I saw “The Color Purple” at that theater before it was abruptly shut down due to heavy losses. The theater had no parking and was not really close to a Metro station to fill it capacity.
It is currently a mom and pop retail shop.
Contributed by
Jo
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Recent comments (view all 35 comments)
What year did the Ontario finaly close (after it’s 1985 re-opening)?
Has anything happened with the restoration idea?
Either late ‘85 or early '86, shortly after “The Color Purple” finished its run.
The riots were in ‘68, not '68. The former lobby area is now for lease. The CVS drug store that occupies part of the structure will soon move across the street next to Safeway.
I think RichJ meant to say that the riots were in ‘68, not in '66, which rlvjr mentioned in his remarks on September 30, 2005.
Photo of the lobby of the Ontario Theatre after the discount store moved out.
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More lobby photos of the Ontario Theatre.
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I was here once in 1982. My friends had an apartment down the block. This was a rough area in the 1980s! I hear it’s been gentrified. No surprise.
1984 exterior photo, when still showing movies, found on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/kinorama/4377226720/
Upon closer examination of the picture and without being able to zoom at the marquee to determine the picture playing, I have to say that picture had to be taken in the late 70s. Maybe ‘76, '77..look at the Mustang and Monte Carlo..those designs take it back to the 70s. I see no 'newer’ models I can identify that would predate the other two.
I say this because one of my favorite 70s shows was Charlie’s Angels and in the opening one of the Angels is seen running from that era Mustang. The show ran in the mid-late 70s.
Hello Ontario Theater lovers
I made a mistake in my comment back in 2009. “Becket” and “Mary Poppins” were not shown at the Ontario on a reserve seat basis, even though they were shown that way in other theaters around the country.