It was known as the Highway 601 Drive-In when it opened on June 10,1952. In my possession I have the ads for its grand opening through vintage newspaper scans. If you need to see them,please let know. My e-mail address is . Thank you.
Blockbuster movies got first-run billing at this theatre ranging from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”,to “The Empire Strikes Back”,“Return of the Jedi”,“Indiana Jones”,“E.T.” to “Beverly Hills Cop”.
Charlotte based Consolidated Theatres opened the Beaver Creek Commons Cinemas on May 5,2006 and by mid-2009 was bought out by Regal Entertainment Group after its acquisition of Consolidated Theatres. It was Apex’s first multiplex theatre to operated in the town. It serves the areas of Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, Carpenter,
Morrisville and as far as Fuquay-Varina and even as near as Jordan Lake and nearby Pittsboro(in nearby Chatham County).
FYI: The Beaver Creek Commons Shopping Center opened in 2003 at the intersections of Highways U.S. 64 and N.C. 55 on development that used to be a former car dealership. The main anchor stores are Lowe’s Home Improvement, Super Target, Kohl’s, T.J. Maxx/Home Front,
Kirkland’s and H.H. Gregg(which used to be the former Circuit City)along with other specialty stores and services.
Before it became Beaver Creek Commons from what I remembered from back in its heyday….a former Chevrolet-Buick car dealership,and empty pastures of nothing but corn and tobacco fields not to mention country barns and that was it….before it was torn down and turned into a shopping center megaplex. From what I remembered of Apex years ago(go back some 25 and even 30 years ago)…when the intersections of Highways 64 and 55 were nothing but two-lane back country roads alongside cow pastures and barns…Apex was very Mayberry like with nothing but the local Piggly Wiggly grocer(now Scott’s Food Center),and the local Dallas' Chicken and Biscuits and the local Hardees(always a fan favorite),and that was it…..
The former Piggly Wiggly(now Scott’s Food Center),along with Dallas' Chicken and Biscuits are still there in Apex. But the small town look has completely gone with most of it on the outskirts of the city. But in perspective,the Hardees is still there right next door to Dallas' along with the former Ramada Inn and Seafood Restaurant that is now being taken over by pop ups of McDonald’s and Wal-Mart,not to mention the local Waffle House.
CORRECTION:
Seating capacity for both auditoriums seated 600 totaling 1,200 seats.
Only the original STAR WARS movie played here first-run on July 1,1977 at High Point’s Martin Twin.
“THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK” & “RETURN OF THE JEDI” did not played first run at the Martin Twin. Those two sequels to Star Wars played first-run at High Point’s Capri Triple and not at the Martin Twin.
By the late-1980’s the Martin Twin became a discount cinema under Carmike until its closing in 1995.
Open in 1990 under Cineplex Odeon. Neighborhood Theatres took over operations in 1995 after Cineplex Odeon folded. Regal Cinemas operated it from 1995 until its closing in 2007 when Regal opened the newer and flashier Southpark Mall Stadium 16 that same year.
“Star Wars” which was release in 1977 was absent from the Dobly Stereo presentations in the greater Charlotte area(It played for 46 weeks at the Charlottetown Mall Cinema). The August 4,1978 re-release was a Dobly Stereo presentation that play for an exclusive engagement showing at Charlotte’s Park Terrace Theatre,and not at the Manor. I have the ads. Contact me at
Coate is right. The Dobly Stereo sound system was installed in February 1978, four months before the opening of GREASE at Charlotte’s Manor Theatre which opened on June 16,1978.
Movies with Dobly Stereo prints in the early months of 1978 ahead of “GREASE” and “JAWS 2” included the following films:
“FM”-general release on April 20,1978
“Big Wednesday”-general release on May 16,1978
“The Manitou”-general release on April 28,1978
“Thank God It’s Friday”-general release May 19,1978
“Close Encounters”-general release November 16,1977** was still in release throughout early 1978.
“Saturday Night Fever”-release December 16,1977,but was still in release throughout early 1978 and was re-release back in theatres during summer and autumn of 1978.
“Pete’s Dragon”-release November 3,1977,but was still in release throughout early 1978,and was re-release during the summer of 1978. Charlotte didn’t get the film until December of 1977.
“American Graffiti”-re-release on May 12,1978 in Dobly Stereo prints.
I’m conducting research if one of these films played as a Dobly Stereo presentation at Charlotte’s Manor Theatre.
BLUE RIDGE CINEMAS opened as Raleigh’s first multiplex discount theatre under Carmike Cinemas on December 10,1993 as a 10-screener with its largest auditorium having full THX-Dobly sound.
It replaced from day one the 99-cent discount theaters in the greater Raleigh area (The Terrace Twin, The South Hills Twin, and the Falls Twin)…which the former two discount Carmike chains reopened under new management and ownership as the Colony Theatres 1 & 2(the former Terrace Twin),and the Raleighwood Cinema Grill at Falls Village(the former Falls Twin).
Opened as a 10 screener in 1993 and by mid-1996 added on four more screens where the admission went from 99 cents to $1.50.
A Dobly Stereo System was installed for the Regency I & II Theatres in May of 1978 for its July 21,1978 re-release showing of STAR WARS. It was the only theatre in the Triangle that had this showing of the film.
The Jack Nicholson-Faye Dunaway thriller CHINATOWN was one of the many Exclusive Engagements that General Cinema Theatres had for the Southpark Cinema I & II.
The film was an exclusive showing that opened on June 28,1974 to capacity crowds.
“TOP GUN” was absent from the exclusive 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo Engagement Showings in the greater Charlotte area(especially Charlotte’s Park Terrace). The only theatre in the state that got the 70MM print was at Raleigh’s Mission Valley Cinema(the only theatre in the state where it got 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo presentational showing)when it opened on May 16,1986.
“CAMELOT” was a reserved seat engagement in 70MM at Charlotte’s Park Terrace Theater on December 22,1967.
It was the only showing of the film in the Carolinas. It was one of two theatres in the state that booked it as a reserved seat engagement in the Carolinas(the other was Raleigh’s Colony Theatre).
“FINIAN’S RAINBOW” was also a reserved seat engagement at Charlotte’s Park Terrace Theatre in 70MM and 6 Channel Stereophonic Sound on January 23,1969. It was the only showing of the film in the Carolinas.
“DOCTOR DOLITTLE”– was also a reserved seat engagement in the Carolinas as well that played at Charlotte’s Park Terrace Theatre in 70MM and 6 Channel Stereophonic Sound on April 3,1968.
THE TRANS-LUX TWIN THEATRE also have the privilege of showing exclusives that were absent from Charlotte’s reserved seat attractions of the early-1970’s. One of those features was “ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS” that played here as a general release in mid-1970. The film played on two screens at general prices.
The other big attraction was when “WALKING TALL” play here to sold-out capacity crowds upon its general release on February 22,1973. The film broke all Charlotte attendance records as the longest running movie to ever played here where it stayed for 32 weeks before it ended its phenomenon run in December of that year.
The TRANS-LUX did big business until the change in mid-1975 when management decided to close this theatre and it became the notorious CINEMA BLUE 2.
“THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES” became the longest-running adult feature at the CINEMA BLUE 2 where it lasted until early-1979 running for more than five years.
Both of THE GODFATHER I & II movies got first run billing at this theatre. This theatre got a lot of the Paramount product as well as movies from 20th Century-Fox and Columbia Pictures.
The ONLY Disney movie that ever played at the Valley Theatres I & II was for its Christmas of 1977 attraction of the musical PETE’S DRAGON.
Correct: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS was not a reserved seat engagement showing at Raleigh’s Varsity Theatre. The film’s Eastern North Carolina premiere was a reserved seat engagement on May 16,1957 as Raleigh’s State Theatre,not the Varsity Theatre.
The Varsity Theatre’s ONLY reserved seat engagement was for the Eastern North Carolina premiere showing of Cecil B. DeMille’s THE TEN COMMANDMENTS on November 23,1957.
I have in my possession the ads for this and if you need to see them please by all means contact me at the following address at
THE SOUND OF MUSIC played here as a re-issue in October of 1966. It was a general release showing for those who didn’t see it the first time where it played for 61 weeks at Raleigh’s Ambassador Theatre.
THE LION IN WINTER was one of two reserved seat engagement showings that made its Eastern North Carolina premiere at the State Theatre in Raleigh on April 12,1969. The other reserved seat engagement of THE LION IN WINTER was at Charlotte’s Capri Theatre on February 16,1969. These were the only two theatres in the state that presented it as roadshows. Other cities in North Carolina didn’t release it until the summer of 1969 as a general release.
“THE BLUE MAX” was a reserved seat engagement at Charlotte’s Manor Theatre on July 28, 1966. It was the only roadshow presentation engagement in the Carolinas.
The grand opening of the Cary Theater was on Valentine Day’s, 2014.
It was rescheduled later due to inclement weather. It had its official celebration dedication on February 22,2014. The opening features were a kids matinee special “Finding Nemo”. Followed by the screening of the 1942 Oscar winning classic “Casablanca”. That evening’s entertainment proceeded by a local band for its live-stage show.
The following attractions for the Cary Theater’s grand opening…….
“Gone With The Wind”, “Citizen Kane”, and other classic films will be screened.
It was known as the Highway 601 Drive-In when it opened on June 10,1952. In my possession I have the ads for its grand opening through vintage newspaper scans. If you need to see them,please let know. My e-mail address is . Thank you.
Blockbuster movies got first-run billing at this theatre ranging from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”,to “The Empire Strikes Back”,“Return of the Jedi”,“Indiana Jones”,“E.T.” to “Beverly Hills Cop”.
Charlotte based Consolidated Theatres opened the Beaver Creek Commons Cinemas on May 5,2006 and by mid-2009 was bought out by Regal Entertainment Group after its acquisition of Consolidated Theatres. It was Apex’s first multiplex theatre to operated in the town. It serves the areas of Apex, Cary, Holly Springs, Carpenter, Morrisville and as far as Fuquay-Varina and even as near as Jordan Lake and nearby Pittsboro(in nearby Chatham County).
FYI: The Beaver Creek Commons Shopping Center opened in 2003 at the intersections of Highways U.S. 64 and N.C. 55 on development that used to be a former car dealership. The main anchor stores are Lowe’s Home Improvement, Super Target, Kohl’s, T.J. Maxx/Home Front, Kirkland’s and H.H. Gregg(which used to be the former Circuit City)along with other specialty stores and services.
Before it became Beaver Creek Commons from what I remembered from back in its heyday….a former Chevrolet-Buick car dealership,and empty pastures of nothing but corn and tobacco fields not to mention country barns and that was it….before it was torn down and turned into a shopping center megaplex. From what I remembered of Apex years ago(go back some 25 and even 30 years ago)…when the intersections of Highways 64 and 55 were nothing but two-lane back country roads alongside cow pastures and barns…Apex was very Mayberry like with nothing but the local Piggly Wiggly grocer(now Scott’s Food Center),and the local Dallas' Chicken and Biscuits and the local Hardees(always a fan favorite),and that was it…..
The former Piggly Wiggly(now Scott’s Food Center),along with Dallas' Chicken and Biscuits are still there in Apex. But the small town look has completely gone with most of it on the outskirts of the city. But in perspective,the Hardees is still there right next door to Dallas' along with the former Ramada Inn and Seafood Restaurant that is now being taken over by pop ups of McDonald’s and Wal-Mart,not to mention the local Waffle House.
THE IMPERIAL CINEMAS expanded from four to six screens in December, 1994.
“Beverly Hills Cop” with Eddie Murphy played here first-run On December 5,1984 when it was the Brynn-Marr Cinema 1 & 2 under Stewart and Everett.
CORRECTION: Seating capacity for both auditoriums seated 600 totaling 1,200 seats.
Only the original STAR WARS movie played here first-run on July 1,1977 at High Point’s Martin Twin.
“THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK” & “RETURN OF THE JEDI” did not played first run at the Martin Twin. Those two sequels to Star Wars played first-run at High Point’s Capri Triple and not at the Martin Twin.
By the late-1980’s the Martin Twin became a discount cinema under Carmike until its closing in 1995.
Open in 1990 under Cineplex Odeon. Neighborhood Theatres took over operations in 1995 after Cineplex Odeon folded. Regal Cinemas operated it from 1995 until its closing in 2007 when Regal opened the newer and flashier Southpark Mall Stadium 16 that same year.
An auto dealership now stands where the former Valley Twin Theatres once stood.
“SUPERMAN:THE MOVIE” played here first-run on December 15,1978.
“RETURN OF THE JEDI” played here first-run on May 25,1983 where it played on 2 screens.
You must have pissed off a lot of Tyler Perry fans, not to mention die hard fans of Veronica Mars, raysson.
What did you just do?
“Star Wars” which was release in 1977 was absent from the Dobly Stereo presentations in the greater Charlotte area(It played for 46 weeks at the Charlottetown Mall Cinema). The August 4,1978 re-release was a Dobly Stereo presentation that play for an exclusive engagement showing at Charlotte’s Park Terrace Theatre,and not at the Manor. I have the ads. Contact me at
Coate is right. The Dobly Stereo sound system was installed in February 1978, four months before the opening of GREASE at Charlotte’s Manor Theatre which opened on June 16,1978.
Movies with Dobly Stereo prints in the early months of 1978 ahead of “GREASE” and “JAWS 2” included the following films:
“FM”-general release on April 20,1978
“Big Wednesday”-general release on May 16,1978
“The Manitou”-general release on April 28,1978
“Thank God It’s Friday”-general release May 19,1978
“Close Encounters”-general release November 16,1977**
was still in release throughout early 1978.
“Saturday Night Fever”-release December 16,1977,but was still in release throughout early 1978 and was re-release back in theatres during summer and autumn of 1978.
“Pete’s Dragon”-release November 3,1977,but was still in release throughout early 1978,and was re-release during the summer of 1978. Charlotte didn’t get the film until December of 1977.
“American Graffiti”-re-release on May 12,1978 in Dobly Stereo prints.
I’m conducting research if one of these films played as a Dobly Stereo presentation at Charlotte’s Manor Theatre.
BLUE RIDGE CINEMAS opened as Raleigh’s first multiplex discount theatre under Carmike Cinemas on December 10,1993 as a 10-screener with its largest auditorium having full THX-Dobly sound.
It replaced from day one the 99-cent discount theaters in the greater Raleigh area (The Terrace Twin, The South Hills Twin, and the Falls Twin)…which the former two discount Carmike chains reopened under new management and ownership as the Colony Theatres 1 & 2(the former Terrace Twin),and the Raleighwood Cinema Grill at Falls Village(the former Falls Twin).
Opened as a 10 screener in 1993 and by mid-1996 added on four more screens where the admission went from 99 cents to $1.50.
A Dobly Stereo System was installed for the Regency I & II Theatres in May of 1978 for its July 21,1978 re-release showing of STAR WARS. It was the only theatre in the Triangle that had this showing of the film.
The Jack Nicholson-Faye Dunaway thriller CHINATOWN was one of the many Exclusive Engagements that General Cinema Theatres had for the Southpark Cinema I & II. The film was an exclusive showing that opened on June 28,1974 to capacity crowds.
“TOP GUN” was absent from the exclusive 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo Engagement Showings in the greater Charlotte area(especially Charlotte’s Park Terrace). The only theatre in the state that got the 70MM print was at Raleigh’s Mission Valley Cinema(the only theatre in the state where it got 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo presentational showing)when it opened on May 16,1986.
“CAMELOT” was a reserved seat engagement in 70MM at Charlotte’s Park Terrace Theater on December 22,1967. It was the only showing of the film in the Carolinas. It was one of two theatres in the state that booked it as a reserved seat engagement in the Carolinas(the other was Raleigh’s Colony Theatre).
“FINIAN’S RAINBOW” was also a reserved seat engagement at Charlotte’s Park Terrace Theatre in 70MM and 6 Channel Stereophonic Sound on January 23,1969. It was the only showing of the film in the Carolinas.
“DOCTOR DOLITTLE”– was also a reserved seat engagement in the Carolinas as well that played at Charlotte’s Park Terrace Theatre in 70MM and 6 Channel Stereophonic Sound on April 3,1968.
THE TRANS-LUX TWIN THEATRE also have the privilege of showing exclusives that were absent from Charlotte’s reserved seat attractions of the early-1970’s. One of those features was “ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS” that played here as a general release in mid-1970. The film played on two screens at general prices.
The other big attraction was when “WALKING TALL” play here to sold-out capacity crowds upon its general release on February 22,1973. The film broke all Charlotte attendance records as the longest running movie to ever played here where it stayed for 32 weeks before it ended its phenomenon run in December of that year.
The TRANS-LUX did big business until the change in mid-1975 when management decided to close this theatre and it became the notorious CINEMA BLUE 2.
“THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES” became the longest-running adult feature at the CINEMA BLUE 2 where it lasted until early-1979 running for more than five years.
Both of THE GODFATHER I & II movies got first run billing at this theatre. This theatre got a lot of the Paramount product as well as movies from 20th Century-Fox and Columbia Pictures.
The ONLY Disney movie that ever played at the Valley Theatres I & II was for its Christmas of 1977 attraction of the musical PETE’S DRAGON.
Correct: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS was not a reserved seat engagement showing at Raleigh’s Varsity Theatre. The film’s Eastern North Carolina premiere was a reserved seat engagement on May 16,1957 as Raleigh’s State Theatre,not the Varsity Theatre.
The Varsity Theatre’s ONLY reserved seat engagement was for the Eastern North Carolina premiere showing of Cecil B. DeMille’s THE TEN COMMANDMENTS on November 23,1957.
I have in my possession the ads for this and if you need to see them please by all means contact me at the following address at
Thank You.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC played here as a re-issue in October of 1966. It was a general release showing for those who didn’t see it the first time where it played for 61 weeks at Raleigh’s Ambassador Theatre.
THE LION IN WINTER was one of two reserved seat engagement showings that made its Eastern North Carolina premiere at the State Theatre in Raleigh on April 12,1969. The other reserved seat engagement of THE LION IN WINTER was at Charlotte’s Capri Theatre on February 16,1969. These were the only two theatres in the state that presented it as roadshows. Other cities in North Carolina didn’t release it until the summer of 1969 as a general release.
“THE BLUE MAX” was a reserved seat engagement at Charlotte’s Manor Theatre on July 28, 1966. It was the only roadshow presentation engagement in the Carolinas.
The grand opening celebration continues……. THE MOVIES AT THE CARY THEATER…..
March 6, 2014-Will be a double feature showing……
-The 1971 Oscar winning thriller “The French Connection” with Gene Hackman. Directed by William Friedkin.
-The 1985 Oscar winning drama “Out Of Africa” with Robert Redford and Meryl Streep. Directed by Sydney Pollack.
March 7, 2014-THE MOVIES AT THE CARY THEATER
-The 1996 Oscar winning drama “The English Patient” starring Ralph Finnes.
COMING SOON…….
“Gone With The Wind”-Special Easter Attraction
“Ben-Hur”
“The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II”
The grand opening of the Cary Theater was on Valentine Day’s, 2014. It was rescheduled later due to inclement weather. It had its official celebration dedication on February 22,2014. The opening features were a kids matinee special “Finding Nemo”. Followed by the screening of the 1942 Oscar winning classic “Casablanca”. That evening’s entertainment proceeded by a local band for its live-stage show.
The following attractions for the Cary Theater’s grand opening…….
“Gone With The Wind”, “Citizen Kane”, and other classic films will be screened.