NOT only the original STAR WARS played here first-run but JAWS, SUPERMAN:THE MOVIE, JAWS 2, and GREASE not to mention SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER,CLOSE ENCOUNTERS,
RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, TOP GUN,ALIENS,DIE HARD,and many other memorable movies.
THE BLUE MAX was a general release at the TERRACE. It was not a reserved seat engagement. However,the only reserved seat engagement for this movie was in Charlotte.
Yes Chuck….
“GONE WITH THE WIND” during its run at the TERRACE was re-release in 1967-1968 as reserved seat engagements that presented it in 70MM and 6 Channel Stereophonic Sound
Stewart and Everett were running this theatre by 1961. And they operated THE EMBASSY THEATRE until its closing in 1985. It was a discount dollar house when it closed in 1985.
During the mid-1960’s and part of the early 1970’s,the TERRACE THEATRE at Friendly Center was Greensboro’s showplace for a lot of the reserved seat engagements that got the first-run Triad exclusive showings with its full 180-degree Ultravision screening and spectacular 70MM projection and 6 Channel Stereophonic Sound. The reserved seat engagements that played first-run at Greensboro’s TERRACE THEATRE were “The Sound of Music”,
“Gone With The Wind”,“The Sand Pebbles”, “Oliver!” and “The Lion In Winter”,and “Ice Station Zebra”,along with “Paint Your Wagon”.
The exclusive engagement showing of “2001:A Space Odyssey” and “Star!” played here as well as “Far From The Madding Crowd”,“Alfred The Great”,and “Ryan’s Daughter” were 70MM general release engagements. Not to mention the first-run showing of “The Song of Norway” too.
From the June 29,1974 edition of Henderson Daily-Dispatch “CINEMA AT HENDERSON MALL OPENS MONDAY”
Cinema Theatre under Charlotte-based Stewart and Everett Theatres will have its grand opening Monday July 1,1974 at 6:30pm. Ray Williams the manager of The Cinema and The Embassy on Wyche Street,said the movie entitled “The Way We Were” will be the first showing at the 250 seat theatre. Willams added the new theatre is of modern design and has deluxe seats. The screen measures 11 ½ feet in height and 24 ½ feet in width,is sized the proportion with the building. The projection booth is automated and has two projectors capable of showing movies in 35mm and has two Xenon bulbs that give the movie a clear picture with no dark corners. The lobby contains a modern refreshment center and it will feature soft drinks,candy and buttered popcorn. Williams also pointed out that the theatre has modern restroom facilities and carries a color scheme of blue which is in contrast to the remainder of the building. There is no boxoffice and tickets are purchased at the concession center. It opens Monday July 1,1974 with the grand opening attraction “The Way We Were” starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.
The coming attractions for the Cinema will be “The Sound of Music”, “The Three Musketeers”, “The Sting”,“American Graffiti”,and “The Taking of Pelham 123”.
A lot of “X” rated films played here first-run at the Yorktowne. “EMMANUELLE” Starring Sylvia Kristel played here first-run in 1974 as well as the sequels starring Sylvia Kristel with “EMMANUELLE 2:THE JOYS OF A WOMAN”,and “GOODBYE EMMANUELLE”. The notorious “X” rated “CALIGULA” played here in 1979. Not to mention a TON of soft-porn flicks like “TROPIC OF CANCER”, and
“FLESH GORDON”,and the explicit “ANDY WARHOL’S FRANKENSTEIN”,and “THE STORY OF O” too.
The address is 2500 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard and the zip code is 27707. At the corner of Bedford Street and Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard(at U.S. 15-501 Business)
The theater was right next door to the E.F. Hutton Building(which is now the headquarters of Mutual Savings and Loan building),and across the street from the Shrimp Boats Family Seafood Restaurant.
Opened on May 28,1969 under Schneider-Merl Theatres as a 750-seat single screener named the Yorktowne Theatre. The opening attraction for its grand opening was James Coburn and Lee Remick in HARD CONTRACT. It operated as a single screen theatre from 1969 to 1975. Among the biggest blockbusters that played here were “THE GODFATHER”, “CHINATOWN”, “THE LAST DETAIL”,
“PAPILLON”, “THE GETAWAY”, “LADY SINGS THE BLUES” not to mention “LOVE STORY”,“SAVE THE TIGER”,“FRITZ THE CAT”,and “THE GODFATHER PART II” just to name a few. When it was a single screen theatre it played a lot of “X” rated films during its midnight screenings.
By June 20,1975,Schneider-Merl went under and the Yorktowne was under new management under Atlanta-based Martin Theatres. A second auditorium was built right next to the original,keeping the original auditorium of 750-seats intact. The second auditorium seated 300 and it was renamed the Yorktowne Theatres 1 & 2. The June 20,1975 grand re-opening was on Auditorium 1 “Jaws” with Roy Schneider and Richard Dreyfuss. Auditorium 2’s opening attraction was Gene Hackman in “French Connection II”. By 1977,it was renamed the Yorktowne Twin Theatres under Martin Theatres. Not only did “JAWS” broke all Durham movie attendance records,but also on July 1,1977 the original “STAR WARS” movie shattered the previous all-time movie attendance record in the history of this theatre. Among the movies also played here were the original “STAR TREK” movie.
By 1982 the Yorktowne became one of several theatres acquired by Carmike Cinemas after its acquisition of Martin Theatres.
By 1987 it went from showing first-run films to becoming a dollar run discount house until its closing in 1995. It became a megachurch until 2005. And by 2008 it was demolished.
Speaking of Steven Spielburg’s THE GOONIES it was the only theatre in the state and the only Charlotte cinema that presented it in 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo.
Ad for August 2,1985
I have the original ads from the grand opening that was advertise in the Charlotte Observer on August 2,1985. The grand opening attractions for the opening of the University Place 6 were
1-“Follow The Bird”
2-“The Emerald Forest”
3-“Prizzi’s Honor”
4-“The Goonies”-Charlotte’s only presentation in 70MM
This was known as the UNIVERSITY PLACE CINEMA 6 that opened under Charlotte-based Consolidated Theatres on August 2,1985. Carmike Cinemas acquired this theatre in 1990 after it bought out Consolidated Theatres. Carmike reduced it to a discount dollar house when it closed in 1998.
Open on May 24,1985 under Stewart and Everett Theatres
The Town Cinema 6 was Charlotte’s state of the art deluxe cinema complex.
THE OPENING ATTRACTIONS FROM THE TOWN CINEMA 6:
“AMADEUS”-First Charlotte Showing in 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo Presentation[The Town Cinema 6 along with the Park Terrace(A Plitt Theatre) were the only two movie theatres in the greater Charlotte area that were equipped with full 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo capabilities]
Sylvester Stallone in RAMBO FIRST BLOOD PART II
Roger Moore as James Bond 007 in A VIEW TO A KILL
Richard Pryor and John Candy in BREWSTER’S MILLIONS
Town Cinema 6 was originally a Stewart and Everett Theatre that opened on May 24,1985 as Charlotte’s newest deluxe state-of-the-art theatre complex. S&E built several theatres based on its design on the same architectural structure: Cinema 4 in Aberdeen,the Havelock Cinema 4/6 in Havelock, Cinema 6 in Wilmington and Cinema 6 in Jacksonville not to mention Cinema 4/8 in Lexington and others within the region that were former S&E Theatres.
When Carmike Cinemas took over the operations of the Town Cinema 6 and others after Carmike’s acquisition of all S&E Theatres in 1986,it abandoned Aberdeen,Charlotte,and Lexington and replaced the Wilmington and Jacksonville Cinemas 6 with megaplexes.
In Charlotte,Carmike closed the Capri and Village Theatres by the late-1980’s and the Town Cinema 6 went from showing first-run movies to becoming a second run dollar house under Carmike Cinemas.
Only the Havelock Cinema remains in operation as it expanded from four to six screens and most recently expanded from six to eight screens in order to keep up with the competition.
Chuck1231:
Do you have an e-mail address? I have the original ads for the opening of the Delta 6. It opened in 1990 and not 1999. Or better yet,you can contact me at
Chuckl231 and NightHawk1:
CINEMA 4 opened on November 23,1983 and it became Southern Pines/Aberdeen area’s first multiplex cinema under Stewart and Everett Theatres. It had the same identical structure as the other S&E buildings in Havelock(the Havelock Cinema 4 opened in December of 1983 under S&E and by 1987 expanded from 4 to 6 screens under Carmike Cinemas)and others in Jacksonville and Wilmington. The seating capacity was 950. Carmike Cinemas took over this theatre in 1986 and operated it until its closing in 2002.
THEATRE HISTORY:
1983-1986 Stewart and Everett 1986-2002 Carmike Cinemas
I have the original ad from the November 23,1983 edition of The Sandhills Citizen/The Robbins Record from information on this theatre. Stewart and Everett also in Southern Pines operated the Town and Country Twin Cinemas just around the block on Sandhills Blvd.
E-Mail:
This theatre was owned and operated under Bruce H. Stone that opened on November 16,1990 as a two-screen independent cinema that had a seating capacity of 200(100 seats each in both auditoriums). The opening attractions for its grand premiere were on Screen 1 was Gerard Depardieu in “Too Beautiful For You”. On Screen 2 was the Oscar winning documentary titled “Berkeley In The Sixties”
The following week on November 23,1990 the showing were on Screen 1 “Bye Bye Blues”-which was an independent feature starring Michael Ontkean that originally was released in 1989. On Screen 2 was the erotic thriller “Henry and June” with Fred Ward and Uma Thurman.
On December 26,1996 this theatre expanded from two screens to three screens. The third auditorium had a seating capacity of 90,thus bringing the total number of seats the Chelsea has at 290. The opening features for its grand re-opening were on Screen 1 was “Ridicule” with Charles Berling and on Screen 2 was “Palookaville” with Vincent Gallo and William Forsythe. The Third Screen was a double feature with Kate Winslet in “Jude' and "Timothy Spall in Mike Leigh’s "Secrets and Lies”(that ended on December 31,1996). On January 1,1997 it opened with Jack Nicholson and Pierce Brosnan in “Mars Attacks!”(that recently played at the Carolina Theatre Downtown).
NOT only the original STAR WARS played here first-run but JAWS, SUPERMAN:THE MOVIE, JAWS 2, and GREASE not to mention SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER,CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, TOP GUN,ALIENS,DIE HARD,and many other memorable movies.
THE BLUE MAX was a general release at the TERRACE. It was not a reserved seat engagement. However,the only reserved seat engagement for this movie was in Charlotte.
Yes Chuck…. “GONE WITH THE WIND” during its run at the TERRACE was re-release in 1967-1968 as reserved seat engagements that presented it in 70MM and 6 Channel Stereophonic Sound
Stewart and Everett were running this theatre by 1961. And they operated THE EMBASSY THEATRE until its closing in 1985. It was a discount dollar house when it closed in 1985.
During the mid-1960’s and part of the early 1970’s,the TERRACE THEATRE at Friendly Center was Greensboro’s showplace for a lot of the reserved seat engagements that got the first-run Triad exclusive showings with its full 180-degree Ultravision screening and spectacular 70MM projection and 6 Channel Stereophonic Sound. The reserved seat engagements that played first-run at Greensboro’s TERRACE THEATRE were “The Sound of Music”, “Gone With The Wind”,“The Sand Pebbles”, “Oliver!” and “The Lion In Winter”,and “Ice Station Zebra”,along with “Paint Your Wagon”.
The exclusive engagement showing of “2001:A Space Odyssey” and “Star!” played here as well as “Far From The Madding Crowd”,“Alfred The Great”,and “Ryan’s Daughter” were 70MM general release engagements. Not to mention the first-run showing of “The Song of Norway” too.
I do recall seeing THE LAST ACTION HERO with Arnold Scwarzenegger and DEMOLITION MAN in 1993 as its last two picture shows.
THEATRE HISTORY
1974-1986 Stewart and Everett Theatres
1986-1993 Carmike Cinemas
From the June 29,1974 edition of Henderson Daily-Dispatch “CINEMA AT HENDERSON MALL OPENS MONDAY”
Cinema Theatre under Charlotte-based Stewart and Everett Theatres will have its grand opening Monday July 1,1974 at 6:30pm. Ray Williams the manager of The Cinema and The Embassy on Wyche Street,said the movie entitled “The Way We Were” will be the first showing at the 250 seat theatre. Willams added the new theatre is of modern design and has deluxe seats. The screen measures 11 ½ feet in height and 24 ½ feet in width,is sized the proportion with the building. The projection booth is automated and has two projectors capable of showing movies in 35mm and has two Xenon bulbs that give the movie a clear picture with no dark corners. The lobby contains a modern refreshment center and it will feature soft drinks,candy and buttered popcorn. Williams also pointed out that the theatre has modern restroom facilities and carries a color scheme of blue which is in contrast to the remainder of the building. There is no boxoffice and tickets are purchased at the concession center. It opens Monday July 1,1974 with the grand opening attraction “The Way We Were” starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.
The coming attractions for the Cinema will be “The Sound of Music”, “The Three Musketeers”, “The Sting”,“American Graffiti”,and “The Taking of Pelham 123”.
A lot of “X” rated films played here first-run at the Yorktowne. “EMMANUELLE” Starring Sylvia Kristel played here first-run in 1974 as well as the sequels starring Sylvia Kristel with “EMMANUELLE 2:THE JOYS OF A WOMAN”,and “GOODBYE EMMANUELLE”. The notorious “X” rated “CALIGULA” played here in 1979. Not to mention a TON of soft-porn flicks like “TROPIC OF CANCER”, and “FLESH GORDON”,and the explicit “ANDY WARHOL’S FRANKENSTEIN”,and “THE STORY OF O” too.
The Google location is all wrong.
The address is 2500 Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard and the zip code is 27707. At the corner of Bedford Street and Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard(at U.S. 15-501 Business)
The theater was right next door to the E.F. Hutton Building(which is now the headquarters of Mutual Savings and Loan building),and across the street from the Shrimp Boats Family Seafood Restaurant.
THEATRE HISTORY OF THE YORKTOWNE:
Opened on May 28,1969 under Schneider-Merl Theatres as a 750-seat single screener named the Yorktowne Theatre. The opening attraction for its grand opening was James Coburn and Lee Remick in HARD CONTRACT. It operated as a single screen theatre from 1969 to 1975. Among the biggest blockbusters that played here were “THE GODFATHER”, “CHINATOWN”, “THE LAST DETAIL”, “PAPILLON”, “THE GETAWAY”, “LADY SINGS THE BLUES” not to mention “LOVE STORY”,“SAVE THE TIGER”,“FRITZ THE CAT”,and “THE GODFATHER PART II” just to name a few. When it was a single screen theatre it played a lot of “X” rated films during its midnight screenings.
By June 20,1975,Schneider-Merl went under and the Yorktowne was under new management under Atlanta-based Martin Theatres. A second auditorium was built right next to the original,keeping the original auditorium of 750-seats intact. The second auditorium seated 300 and it was renamed the Yorktowne Theatres 1 & 2. The June 20,1975 grand re-opening was on Auditorium 1 “Jaws” with Roy Schneider and Richard Dreyfuss. Auditorium 2’s opening attraction was Gene Hackman in “French Connection II”. By 1977,it was renamed the Yorktowne Twin Theatres under Martin Theatres. Not only did “JAWS” broke all Durham movie attendance records,but also on July 1,1977 the original “STAR WARS” movie shattered the previous all-time movie attendance record in the history of this theatre. Among the movies also played here were the original “STAR TREK” movie.
By 1982 the Yorktowne became one of several theatres acquired by Carmike Cinemas after its acquisition of Martin Theatres.
By 1987 it went from showing first-run films to becoming a dollar run discount house until its closing in 1995. It became a megachurch until 2005. And by 2008 it was demolished.
1969-1975 Schneider-Merl Theatres
1975-1982 Martin Theatres
1982-1995 Carmike Cinemas
What a way to open a theatre with the WORST movie of the 1980’s “D.C. CAB” with Irene Cara and Mr. T. yes that Mr. T!
Not to mention it open with the BEST gangster flick of the early-1980’s “SCARFACE” with one of the greatest actors of our generation Al Pacino!!!
Stephenvb: In my possession I have the original ads from the grand opening of the Delta 6 in 1990. E-mail me at
Speaking of Steven Spielburg’s THE GOONIES it was the only theatre in the state and the only Charlotte cinema that presented it in 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo. Ad for August 2,1985
I have found the original ads for the opening of the University Place 6. If you need to see them,please e-mail me at
I have the original ads from the grand opening that was advertise in the Charlotte Observer on August 2,1985. The grand opening attractions for the opening of the University Place 6 were
1-“Follow The Bird”
2-“The Emerald Forest”
3-“Prizzi’s Honor”
4-“The Goonies”-Charlotte’s only presentation in 70MM
5-“Fright Night”
6-“Weird Science”
The Coming Attractions?
“Back To The Future”
“Big Top Pee Wee”
This was known as the UNIVERSITY PLACE CINEMA 6 that opened under Charlotte-based Consolidated Theatres on August 2,1985. Carmike Cinemas acquired this theatre in 1990 after it bought out Consolidated Theatres. Carmike reduced it to a discount dollar house when it closed in 1998.
Closed under Carmike Cinemas on June 16,1997.
Open on May 24,1985 under Stewart and Everett Theatres The Town Cinema 6 was Charlotte’s state of the art deluxe cinema complex.
THE OPENING ATTRACTIONS FROM THE TOWN CINEMA 6:
“AMADEUS”-First Charlotte Showing in 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo Presentation[The Town Cinema 6 along with the Park Terrace(A Plitt Theatre) were the only two movie theatres in the greater Charlotte area that were equipped with full 70MM-6 Track Dobly Stereo capabilities]
Sylvester Stallone in RAMBO FIRST BLOOD PART II
Roger Moore as James Bond 007 in A VIEW TO A KILL
Richard Pryor and John Candy in BREWSTER’S MILLIONS
Screens Five and Six opens May 31,1985….with…..
Chevy Chase in FLETCH
Steven Spielburg’s THE GOONIES
And Coming Soon To The Town Cinema 6:
Clint Eastwood in PALE RIDER
Town Cinema 6 was originally a Stewart and Everett Theatre that opened on May 24,1985 as Charlotte’s newest deluxe state-of-the-art theatre complex. S&E built several theatres based on its design on the same architectural structure: Cinema 4 in Aberdeen,the Havelock Cinema 4/6 in Havelock, Cinema 6 in Wilmington and Cinema 6 in Jacksonville not to mention Cinema 4/8 in Lexington and others within the region that were former S&E Theatres.
When Carmike Cinemas took over the operations of the Town Cinema 6 and others after Carmike’s acquisition of all S&E Theatres in 1986,it abandoned Aberdeen,Charlotte,and Lexington and replaced the Wilmington and Jacksonville Cinemas 6 with megaplexes. In Charlotte,Carmike closed the Capri and Village Theatres by the late-1980’s and the Town Cinema 6 went from showing first-run movies to becoming a second run dollar house under Carmike Cinemas. Only the Havelock Cinema remains in operation as it expanded from four to six screens and most recently expanded from six to eight screens in order to keep up with the competition.
Chuck1231: Do you have an e-mail address? I have the original ads for the opening of the Delta 6. It opened in 1990 and not 1999. Or better yet,you can contact me at
PREMIERE ATTRACTIONS FOR THE GRAND OPENING OF CINEMA 4 For Wednesday November 23,1983……….
1-Christopher Walken and Natalie Wood in BRAINSTORM
2-William Hurt in THE BIG CHILL
3-Matthew Broderick in WARGAMES
4-James Brolin and Burt Young in AMITYVILLE HORROR 3
AND COMING SOON ARE THE BIG ONES TO THE CINEMA 4
-Shirley MacLaine in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT
-Al Pacino in SCARFACE
-John Carpenter’s CHRISTINE
-Irene Cara and Mr. T in “D.C. CAB”
Chuckl231 and NightHawk1: CINEMA 4 opened on November 23,1983 and it became Southern Pines/Aberdeen area’s first multiplex cinema under Stewart and Everett Theatres. It had the same identical structure as the other S&E buildings in Havelock(the Havelock Cinema 4 opened in December of 1983 under S&E and by 1987 expanded from 4 to 6 screens under Carmike Cinemas)and others in Jacksonville and Wilmington. The seating capacity was 950. Carmike Cinemas took over this theatre in 1986 and operated it until its closing in 2002.
THEATRE HISTORY:
1983-1986 Stewart and Everett
1986-2002 Carmike Cinemas
I have the original ad from the November 23,1983 edition of The Sandhills Citizen/The Robbins Record from information on this theatre. Stewart and Everett also in Southern Pines operated the Town and Country Twin Cinemas just around the block on Sandhills Blvd. E-Mail:
A lot of documentaries played here too as well including “Is Paris Burning?”.
This theatre was owned and operated under Bruce H. Stone that opened on November 16,1990 as a two-screen independent cinema that had a seating capacity of 200(100 seats each in both auditoriums). The opening attractions for its grand premiere were on Screen 1 was Gerard Depardieu in “Too Beautiful For You”. On Screen 2 was the Oscar winning documentary titled “Berkeley In The Sixties”
The following week on November 23,1990 the showing were on Screen 1 “Bye Bye Blues”-which was an independent feature starring Michael Ontkean that originally was released in 1989. On Screen 2 was the erotic thriller “Henry and June” with Fred Ward and Uma Thurman.
On December 26,1996 this theatre expanded from two screens to three screens. The third auditorium had a seating capacity of 90,thus bringing the total number of seats the Chelsea has at 290. The opening features for its grand re-opening were on Screen 1 was “Ridicule” with Charles Berling and on Screen 2 was “Palookaville” with Vincent Gallo and William Forsythe. The Third Screen was a double feature with Kate Winslet in “Jude' and "Timothy Spall in Mike Leigh’s "Secrets and Lies”(that ended on December 31,1996). On January 1,1997 it opened with Jack Nicholson and Pierce Brosnan in “Mars Attacks!”(that recently played at the Carolina Theatre Downtown).