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Theaters
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October 30, 2003
Coconut Grove May Return to Movie House Roots
MIAMI, FL — According to this article in the Miami Today News, Miami’s famous Coconut Grove Playhouse is planning on adding a movie screen and projection equipment to show films while the theater is not being used for stage productions. The Coconut Grove was originally opened as a movie house in 1926. Says the theater’s executive director Laura Calzolar, “It’s a return to our history. In many respects, we are coming back to our roots”.
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October 27, 2003
Halloween Arrives Early at Theater
SOMERVILLE, MA — According to this article in Sunday’s Boston Globe, the Somerville Theatre is haunted by a former patron, dressed in a flapper outfit from the 1920s.
“She moves the seats. One of the first nights I was working here alone I was up in the balcony, right by the railing. There was nobody else in the theater; all the movie people had left. All of a sudden I heard all these seats, as if there were several people getting up. I ran downstairs as fast as I could, but there was nobody there. No one had exited. I kind of took it as the ghost’s way of saying, ‘Welcome.’”
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October 6, 2003
Surprise
Cinema Treasures will not being publishing any news today. And, in a few hours, you’ll see why…
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October 1, 2003
KCET To Air Raymond Theatre Segment Tonight
PASADENA, CA — Gina Zamparelli writes in with this update on the Raymond:
We recently filmed a segment on the Raymond Theatre for the television show Life & Times. It will be broadcast:
Date: TONIGHT! (October 1, 2003)
On: KCET (Channel 3)
Time: 7 p.m. and 11.p.m.The program will be televised in central and southern California. We hope everyone will tune in and watch!
The show addresses development and growth issues in Pasadena, and in contrast our 15 years effort to protect the Raymond Theatre from redevelopment. You will see historic and current photo’s of the Raymond Theatre, old programs and flyers from the 1920’s and clips of concerts from the recent Perkins Palace era.
Colonial Theatre To Celebrate 100th Anniversary
PITTSFIELD, MA — Read the Berkshire Eagle Online article
View the Colonial Theatre
Lorenzo Theater Plans Outdoor Screening/Fundraiser
SAN LORENZO, CA — Read the Argus article
View the Lorenzo Theater
Pickwick Theatre To Host Architectural Tour
PARK RIDGE, IL — Read the Park Ridge Advocate article
View the Pickwick Theatre(Thanks to Bryan Krefft for this one!)
Memories of Baltimore’s Hippodrome
BALTIMORE, MD — Read the Baltimore Sun article
View the Hippodrome Theatre -
September 9, 2003
Mountain View Theater For Sale
Mountain View Theater For Sale
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA — Nick Perry writes in with news about the Mountain View Theater:I don’t know if this qualifies for your news section, but the Mountain View Theatre building in Downtown Mountain View just went up for sale. The building housed the theatre from 1926 to the mid-1980s, and since then has been used by a series of nightclubs.
I think a lot of people in town are crossing their fingers hoping that someone will come and bring the movies back to Downtown (instead of another nightclub or restaurant…we have PLENTY of those).
The theater has been extensively remodeled since it started being used as a nightclub in the mid 1990s, but the basic layout of a theatre is still there. Maybe someone reading your web page has the drive and $$$ to bring this important piece of our Downtown back to life.
If anyone out there wants more info they can email . While I’m not affiliated with the theatre’s owners, I do know a lot about its history and have some contacts within the city that may be helpful.
Read the Mountain View Voice article
View the Mountain View Theater -
September 8, 2003
Pantages Theater To Reopen In 2004?
VANCOUVER, CANADA — Sean Jung writes in with an update on Vancouver’s Pantages Theater:
Today, the Pantages Theater at 144 East Hastings Street in Vancouver lies surrounding by urban blight. Its neighbors are drug addicts, derelicts and homeless citizens.
But the area known as Downtown Eastside was once the entertainment and business core of Vancouver. Many vaudeville theaters were built here which included the Imperial, Avenue, Savoy, the majestic Rex and the opulent Beacon Theater (which was the 2nd Pantages Theater built here).
Last used as a chinese language cinema, it has been dark since 1994. Although the facade has lost much of its original appeal, the interior remains largely intact. Original wood flooring, fixture, ceiling are all still there. There is a renewed effort to resurrect the theater and restore it in hopes that it will also revitalize the area. Much of the area retains many of its historic structures including the beautiful Carnegie Library, the Bank of Montreal and Royal Bank buildings and the Ford Building.
Much red tape holds back its redevelopment but conservationist hope to reopen this grand theater in 2004.
Read recent Pantages article from the Vancouver Courier
View the Pantages -
New Documentary On Central NY Movie Palaces Debuts Tonight
SYRACUSE, NY — “Central New York’s Picture Palaces,” a 90-minute documenary on classic movie theaters in Central New York, will air this evening, at 8 p.m. on location station WCNY (Channel 24).
Co-hosted by Karen Colizzi Noonan, president of the Theatre Historical Society of America, the documentary will profile the Stanley Theatre in Utica, the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, and the Schine Theater in Auburn, and others.
If you live in the Syracuse area, don’t miss this special!
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July 23, 2003
Tivoli Theatre Makes ‘Best of Chicago’ List
CHICAGO, IL — The Tivoli Theatre located in Downers Grove, Illinois is featured in the August issue of Chicago Magazine’s “Best of Chicago”. The Tivoli Theatre is featured with a gorgeous full page color photo of the theatre under the category of “Best Golden Age-Silver Screen” on page 99.
The Tivoli Theatre also receives several mentions in the July/August Western Suburban Living Magazine, which has a feature story on Downers Grove.
View Chicago Magazine website
(article not available online)Thanks to longtime Cinema Treasures user and contributor Paul Salley for this one!
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June 19, 2003
Abandoned Howard Theatre To Be Demolished
LEBANON, PA — The following was sent in by Jonathan M. Crist:
The Harrisburg Patriot News carried a blub that the former abandoned Howard Theatre in Lebanon PA will be razed as part of the rejuvenation of the aging Lebanon Plaza Mall by its new owners.
The theatre opened in 1969 as the Trans-Lux. It was a typical upscale single screen shopping center theatre with seating for about 800. In the late 70’s it was twined into two side-by-side auditoriums of about 350 seats each by the then operator Fox Theatres of Reading PA who renamed the theatre the Howard after his deceased grandson.
Fox sold to Carmike in the early 90’s who proceeded to run what was left of the Howard into the ground. The Howard closed in 1998 following Carmike’s bankruptcy. By the time that it closed the roof leaked so badly the interior walls were stained.
Another shopping center theatre bites the dust.
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June 5, 2003
Cinema Treasures Reaches 3,000+ U.S. Theaters!
Thanks to all of our users and our tireless theater editor and contributor, Bryan Krefft, we’re proud to announce that we recently added our 3,000th U.S. theater.
We’re slowly reaching the 4,000 theater mark and we can’t thank you enough for your continued support!