Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Theaters
-
November 25, 2003
Palm Theater To Go Legit?
SAN MATEO, CA — According to the San Mateo Daily Journal, the Palm Theater, which has been operated as an adult film since the mid 1970s, may be eligible for historic status. Should the theater win such status, it would slow efforts by a local developer to destroy the theater and develop an apartment building in its place.
5 comments -
November 24, 2003
Ambler Theater Helps Revitalize Town
AMBLER, PA — The Philadelphia Inquirer has this report on the now-thriving Ambler Theater:
“With a $2 million makeover, including restoration of its Moorish terra-cotta facade, the 75-year-old theater reopened in February as a two-screen first-run movie house. A $1 million renovation is under way to accommodate a third screen.
The Ambler Theater now draws 1,500 moviegoers a week. Its success has been a fillip for the renovation of at least a dozen properties around it, from a stationery store, an art gallery, and a fitness center to a discount outlet that soon will metamorphose into an Irish pub."
-
November 19, 2003
Update on Portage Park Theatre
Paul Warshauer, the new owner of the Portage Park Theatre, sent in this update about what’s happening at the Portage Park:
“Now the City of Chicago wants us to install an emergency generator to back up the two other systems we spend lots of money to replace. It never ends! The landlord refuses to install it but eventually he will be forced to if the theatre is ever to open. Still we wait and have no revenue coming in…no ticket sales, no concession sales. We cannot last forever here.
-
November 18, 2003
Gila Theatre Still Shuttered, El Sol Theatre To Become Performing Arts Center
SILVER CITY, NM — After a protracted battle with Town officials over the safety of the building, the Gila Theatre was shuttered last summer, perhaps forever.
Town of Silver City building and fire safety officials first cited the owners of the Gila Theatre in the winter of 2001-02, after a complaint by a theatre patron that they had nearly been hit by a piece of falling material from the auditorium ceiling.
-
November 14, 2003
Now That’s a Theater!
Thanks to Justin from Open Air Cinema for sending in this photo of their mobile outdoor cinema. Pretty cool!
-
November 13, 2003
Des Plaines Theater May Get Second Chance
DES PLAINES, IL — According to a story in today’s Daily Herald, the 77-year old Des Plaines Theater has been bought by a former manager of the theater. The theater’s previous owner, a local bank, had planned on razing most or all of the former vaudeville house.
-
November 12, 2003
Portage Park Theatre Struggles to Open
CHICAGO, IL — According to the Chicago Sun Times, Paul Warshauer, the new owner of the Portage Park Theatre (located in the Chicago neighborhood of the same name), is attempting to reopen the theater as a venue for classic and family-friendly films, but it would seem that the city’s revenue department has other plans.
-
November 10, 2003
Theater Marquee Sparks Downtown Fire
AVENAL, CA — According to a report by local television station ABC 30, the marquee of a historic movie theater was responsible for starting a blaze on Saturday evening that damaged several downtown buildings.
-
November 5, 2003
Chicago and the Movies
CHICAGO, IL — Monday’s issue of the USA Today took a look at all things cinematic in the Windy City. The profile includes a list of Chicago’s contributions to film history, prominent film festivals, famous movie moments, and a few of the city’s better known movie houses (like the Biograph and Gene Siskel Film Center).
What are your favorite Chicago movie moments? (Comment below.)
-
November 4, 2003
Chicago’s Music Box Theatre to Get New Management
CHICAGO, IL — According to the Chicago Tribune, the Music Box, one of Chicago’s best-loved art house theaters, will soon be under the management of its current owner, lawyer William Schopf. The miniature movie palace is currently managed by Chris Carlo and Robert Chaney, who are seeking an early termination of their lease to pursue other interests.