Cooper Theatre

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Uploaded on: October 28, 2023

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Opened on March 9, 1961, the 814-seat Cooper Theatre was the first of three Cinerama theatres built by the Cooper Foundation in the early-1960’s.

Known as the Golden Triangle, the three theatres were located in Denver, Omaha, and Minneapolis. Complete with massive screens and the latest sound technology, all three were designed to exhibit films made in the 3-strip Cinerama process.

Renamed as the Cooper Cameo Theatre on December 25, 1975 when a second 300-seat Cameo Theatre was added to the side of the existing Cooper Theatre. The theatre later became part of the Commonwealth Theatres circuit, who franchised the Cooper name. They also built the Cooper 5, Cooper 6, Cooper 7, and Cooper Twin (none of which were Cinerama theatres), which were constructed to mimick the round, elevated roofs of the existing Cooper theatres.

Visitors came from all over to see the Cooper Theatre and its wonderous screen. But after several years of delighting audiences and packing full houses, the Cooper Theatre began to draw fewer crowds.

After Commonwealth Theatres, the Cooper Theatre was run by United Artists, who continued to operate the theatre until it was sold. Like Cinerama itself, the Cooper Theatre in Denver did not last forever. After years of changing hands, the massive theatre was finally sold to Barnes & Noble, who razed it in 1994 to build a new store.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -