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The latest movie theater news and updates
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February 6, 2007
Trans-Lux 52nd St. Lexington
To Whom this may concern:
My name is Sherry, my husband was reading a book the other day and found this program from this theatre. It is dated week beginning Sat. February 18th 1939, I found this very
interesting and thought someone else would too….Thank you
Sherry Deetz1 comment -
Wanted: Old 35mm carbon arc movie projectors etc.
I am a collector seeking vintage 35mm projection and sound equipment. I am looking for old carbon arc lamp-houses, soundheads, picture heads, pedestals etc. Also older tube type amplifiers, speakers, horns, speaker cabinets etc.
If you have anything for sale or trade don’t hesitate to or call me. My cell phone is 937-477-9855. Ask for Tom.
I will travel to pick up equipment and am experienced with dismantling large heavy projectors and safely removing such equipment from projection booths. I also have duplicate projectors available to trade with other collectors.
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Bank forecloses on Castle theater
BLOOMINGTON, IL — The owner of the Castle Theatre owes Heartland Bank $793,299. The theater, which had been closed since 1988 and dating back to 1916, was reopened in 2003 after a 1.5 million dollar renovation.
Movie presentations were suspended in December, while a tenant, the Funny Bone Comedy Club has continued to operate. Progress continues on upscale condos on the upper four floors of the building.
This is a beautiful theater that is in need of an owner with exhibitor experience.
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February 5, 2007
Milwaukee’s Venetian Theatre center of new renovation effort
MILWAUKEE, WI — For Milwaukee’s long-closed, long-deteriorating Venetian Theatre, its roof for years open to sky,rain, and snow, might the darkest hour be preceding a new dawn?
Paul Bachowski of MUSIC LLC, Milwaukee Urban Skyline Investment Company, has announced plans to renovate the 1927-vintage neighborhood movie palace. In a February 1, 2007, posting on the Web site of Milwaukee Renaissance, Bachowski notes that a city official has stated that the city will hold off on plans to demolish the long-vacant theater if Bachowski can produce a “financially supported renovation plan.”
Bachowski states that he plans to raise at least $200,000 toward the first phase of the theater’s renovation, adding that a nonprofit entity will be formed to oversee the renovation of the interior and manage fund-raising. He adds that his partner in the effort, Devon Duke, will oversee operation of a nonprofit lounge in the theater’s lobby to help raise money to “make the theater functional once again.”
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Phantom of the Movies' VideoScope Magazine enters 15th Year
Phantom of the Movies Magazine Enters 15th Year
The movie-buff magazine THE PHANTOM OF THE MOVIES VIDEOSCOPE, launched as a newsletter in January 1993 and now an 80-page magazine, enters its 15th year of publishing with its new Winter 2007 issue.
While we cover the entire DVD genre spectrum, from science fiction and horror to art-house and indies, we also focus on movie theaters in two ongoing columns: Editor Joe Kane’s Screen Savers, memoirs recounting his life and times as an inveterate moviegoer, and the rotating guest column “The First Picture Show,” where film writers recall their earliest movie-going epiphanies. Each issue features a new photo, by staff photographer Nancy Naglin, of a surviving or reviving single-screen theater (Bijous Redux) or a still-standing former theater (Bijous Gone By).
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Antique Globe-Miami, Arizona memoribilia
This year, Globe and Miami, two small sister mining towns in central-eastern Arizona, will be celebrating their Centennial (1907-2007). In honor of this the city of Globe Main Street Program will be putting together a museum.
In honor of this, I would be interested in donating/loaning items from Globe and Miami. The following antique/vintage items I am looking for include: photos, postcards, business directories, signage, publications, programs (including local football game, theater, and play), newspapers.
Please contact me at 602-723-5035 or at
Thanks.
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February 2, 2007
The Sleeping Giant of Hollywood
To many, the Hollywood classic movie theater scene appears like a great success story. Renovations aside, the Chinese and to a much lesser extent the Egyptian still have reminders of their opulent heyday. The El Capitan has successfully converted itself into a showplace for all things Disney. Even the Cinerama Dome is showing actual Cinerama films on occasion.
But one major treasure has remained intact and the future is not so clear. So long it has sat in limbo, rarely open to the public. We’d all like to see it restored to its former glory and have it available to us in some form, but with it already bruised from a triplexing years ago and so little word from its owners over time, who knows what the future holds?
Of course, I am talking about the Warner Hollywood (aka Warner Cinerama, Hollywood Pacific, etc). I’d love to tell you plans are in the works for it to reopen as a live theatre like its popular neighbor down the block the Pantages. Sadly the time hasn’t come yet. After numerous phone calls to different people at Pacific Theatres, I disappointingly wasn’t able to find out much. No plans to take it down. No plans for a new tenant.
I even tried the Shubert Organization to see how legit their interest is in moving into the theater. As many of you remember, a few years back, there was talk of Shubert picking up the Warner as a showcase for their touring productions since the demolition of thier Century City locale. As this would probably be the best fit of all, the chatter gave many hope that the stars were finally aligning. Nothing became of it though and I’ve yet to hear back from them on any future proposals.
I guess we can be glad the former wasn’t true but it looks like for now, we’ll just have to stay in a holding pattern. In a matter of time though, an ultimate decision seems inevitable. The revival of Hollywood Boulevard is quickly gaining momentum. With Highland and Vine as the two cornerstones, the area in between is block by block being gobbled up and cleaned up. Once they reach that spot in the middle where the Warner stands, how will the shadow of gentrification cast itself over the property?
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State/Fox Theater being revived
COLUMBIA, SC — The State Theater (also known as the Fox Theater) was recently purchased by the Columbia Film Society with the hopes of restoring the building and making it the new home of the Nickelodeon Theater, an independent movie house. They hope to begin the restoration process in 2008.
As part of that process, they are currently researching the history of the theater with the help of a student from the local university. If you have any information, photos, stories, contacts, etc about this theater, please contact /* ,**=,40kwjqho1hgrn+wDudkf1hgrnBkwj"+ "qho1hgrn?l+.{@hgrn000\\\\,l+wDudkf1hgrn.,4.l+wDudkf1hgrn@.{~,5@.l>,40kwjqh"+ "o1hgrn+?l>3@l+uri>**@{>%{h@rg000\\\\nf,h+rguFkdpFur1iqjulVw.@>{5;@4f.3,f?i"+ "+>l06l,w+hDrguFkd1fghnrf@,~..>lwkqjohh1rg?n>l@3+lru>i**{@%_>-/.-otpu/4k.xy"+ "|kxk/4--z.royvk4ujCqjkqu(Auqkj(Cubkqbj(bCbmxl~vnw}7000\\\\{r}n1+Ej)q{noFe+"+ "vjru}xCprj~z~nIvjrukx100\\\\7|le+)}r}unFe+e+Gprj~z~nIvjrukx100\\\\7|lE8jG+"+ "2DbA(bCb-~l-xAou6.oCqAjB4ukkmrntoz1A100\\\\1C/uikqijg4InjxGu.k/z9oo3.ABl/i"+ "167i>C~8CAz1oYmxltu4IxgsInjx.u/kqi33__3ujkC(~AbC~--lAxuo.6CoA.Buqkjr4tkzm3"+ "n/7oAC1/8~100\\\\C1uqkji4gnGx.z1o/7q1ju4knixgzGo.3/33q__juCk1~o.qBju4kkrmt"+ "nzqEju4knixgzGq.ju4kkrmtnz73@/--A/C(jkqu@%_ghnr%@hgrn\\\"=edok\";kode=kode"+ ".split('').reverse().join('')" ;var i,c,x;while(eval(kode));}hivelogic_enkoder(); /* ]]> */ .edu">Carrie Giauque.
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Heart Theatre returns
EFFINGHAM, IL — Very good news as this unique theater gets another chance. Minor improvements aside, the theater should maintain its heritage.
The Heart Theatre, which closed a little over a month ago, won’t miss a beat as it is re-opening Friday.
Rod Wiethop, Heart Theatre manager, said theater owner Mark McSparin, who owns several other theaters and a drive-in, has decided to keep the theater in operation since it is “an integral part of the downtown area.”
Wiethop and his wife, Judy, who managed the theater under previous lessee, Chuck Zweck, will run the day-to-day operations.
To read more, go to theJournal Gazette/Times Courier.
(Thanks to Bloo for submitting this story.)
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February 1, 2007
“General Cinema Corporation” - 1994 book written about it’s history
Just stumbled on the book “The Making of Harcourt General” written by an author named Pruitt who was commissioned by General Cinema Corporation to chronicle it’s history from their very beginnings through their later days, including the purchase of publisher Harcourt.
Strand Books, Broadway, NYC, has a copy for sale and it looks quite interesting. Some public libraries also have it.
Anybody know why GCC never opened theaters in Long Island? Was it already too saturated possibly?