As far as the number of “Cinerama cities” go, I think a more appropriate question is asking the number of markets that played Cinerama. Reason being that some markets had more than one Cinerama theater, often one downtown and others suburban. But a market having multiple equipped theaters is irrelevant because these Cinerama engagements were exclusive roadshows that played only a single area theater at a time.
To answer the number of Cinerama markets question in terms of the original 1952-1964 3-strip period, historians and enthusiasts have settled on 63 markets for North America (60 in the United States, 3 in Canada). The numbers grow when factoring in international and the markets that came about in the late 1960s when Cinerama was single-strip 70mm. And that is where things become a challenge to sort out.
Roland Lataille’s list of 141 Cinerama theaters in the U.S. is not complete. It’s close… In fact, a few on his list, arguably, do not belong, although admittedly there’s a subjective gray area involved with determining what does or does not belong on such a list. During the course of researching this series, I’ve “discovered” a few Cinerama theaters that thus far have been overlooked or forgotten or have simply eluded the experts. They will be revealed one by one as the series progresses.
Another thing to consider when quoting theater and market numbers is whether or not to include the clone formats like CineMiracle, Thrillarama, Kinopanorama, Wonderama, etc., as well as those theaters that showed the 1973 re-issue version of “This Is Cinerama.” (Many of the venues that showed that ‘73 re-issue had a temporary curved screen installed just for the engagement, and many of these do not appear on Roland’s list. Some venues showed it on a flat screen.)
It can be fun to try to sort out this information, and I encourage any input on the matter.
The claim from a few posts back that the Glenwood had a Kansas City area exclusive for the original “Star Wars” is only partially correct. The fact is the Glenwood played the movie exclusively for only its first ten weeks. Beginning the film’s eleventh week, a second booking was added at the Antioch.
In terms of comparing the Kansas City gross with that of New York City, keep in mind that during the second half of the Glenwood’s 56-week run of “Star Wars,” it played in the smaller #2 auditorium.
That very long engagement of the original “Star Wars” mentioned in the post above was for a total of 26 weeks. Like many of the theaters/markets in which “Star Wars” played, the duration established a long-run record for the Santa Cruz area. In addition, the 41st Avenue Playhouse installed a Dolby sound system (CP-50 model) for the “Star Wars” engagement, one of only a few theaters in California’s Central Coast and Northern regions to do so.
Some sources cite a second venue in Pittsburgh as being equipped for Cinerama presentations: North Hills. I can find no confirmation of this, nor can I find any record of any Cinerama presentations taking place at that venue.
Here’s a revised and updated version of the Toronto entry in the series.
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: University
Premiere Date: October 24, 1957
Engagement Duration: 24 weeks
Projection Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Promotional Hype: “The Only Theatre In Ontario That Can or Will Show CINERAMA”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: University
Premiere: April 8, 1958
Duration: 15 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You Haven’t Lived Until You’ve Sat In A Specially Built CINERAMA Theatre.” “Beyond Your Wildest Entertainment Dreams.”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: University
Premiere: July 22, 1958
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You Walk Step By Step with Lowell Thomas Through Every Wonderful Moment. When The Pope Blesses the Pilgrims Through the Miracle of CINERAMA, You Too Are In The Picture.”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: University
Premiere: November 25, 1958 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 16 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Biggest CINERAMA of Them All!”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: December 23, 1960
Duration: 52 weeks
Format: CineMiracle
Hype: “There has Never Been Anything to Match the Miracle of CINEMIRACLE”
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: December 22, 1961 (World Premiere*)
Duration: 19 weeks
Format: CineMiracle
Hype: “The Newest and Greatest Attraction in CINEMIRACLE…not a Travelogue!” “A Rollicking Adventure Story for the Entire Family.” “You Live Thrill After Thrill in the First CINEMIRACLE Show with Story and Stars.”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Return Engagement)
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: May 4, 1962
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Wonder of the Motion Picture World.” “Do Not Confuse THIS IS CINERAMA with Any Other Kind of Entertainment!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Return Engagement)
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: May 25, 1962
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “There’s More Thrills to Live… More to See… More to Hear…”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE (Return Engagement)
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: June 15, 1962
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Enjoy Glamorous, Exotic, Romantic Excitement! The Lure and Beauty of a Tropical Paradise”
WINDJAMMER (Return Engagement)
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: July 6, 1962
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Toronto’s Favourite Motion Picture!” “This is the Saga of the Windswept Seas… Exciting Ports of Call. It’s Adventure and Romance in Faraway Places”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: August 15, 1962
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The First Full-Length Dramatic Story with a Dazzling Array of Stars in CINERAMA”
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: January 10, 1963
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “It’s CINERAMA’s Greatest Moments in One Far-Flung, Fantastic, Unforgettable Adventure!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: March 28, 1963
Duration: 38 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Theater: Carlton
Premiere: December 20, 1963
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “It’s the Biggest Entertainment Ever to Hit the CINERAMA Screen”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Carlton
Premiere: July 29, 1964 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Thrills…as the Wildest Wild West Show You’ve Ever Seen Rocks You With Breathtaking Feats of Daring!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Carlton
Premiere: March 31, 1965 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 7 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Canadian Premiere / Presented in CINERAMA”
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: July 14, 1965
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “How the West was Fun! See it on Canada’s Biggest, Brightest CINERAMA Screen!” “CINERAMA Sends You Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down That Wide, Wonderful, Fun-Trail!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (Return Engagement)
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: September 29, 1965
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “At Popular Prices… A Rich, Rewarding Entertainment Experience for the Entire Family”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: December 22, 1965 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 14 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Super CINERAMA Turns the Screen Into the Mightiest Battleground Ever!”
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: March 31, 1966 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 10 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “In Metrocolor and Fabulous Stereophonic Sound. The Original CINERAMA Process Brings You the Adventure You’ve Been Waiting For!”
KHARTOUM
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: June 22, 1966 (Canadian Co-Premiere)
Duration: 15 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Where the Nile divides…their mighty conflict begins!”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: January 25, 1967 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 40 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: May 30, 1968
Duration: 127 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An epic drama of adventure and exploration that takes you half a billion miles from Earth…and into the 21st Century!”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Re-issue)
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: April 20, 1973
Duration: 7 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “THIS IS CINERAMA Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE TORONTO MARKET
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY (70mm reserved-seat engagement at University)
CUSTER OF THE WEST (35mm general release)
ICE STATION ZEBRA (35mm general release)
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA (70mm reserved-seat engagement at Eglinton)
*HOLIDAY IN SPAIN was filmed in 65mm (Todd-70) and initially released in 1960 under the title SCENT OF MYSTERY and shown in 70mm and Smell-O-Vision on a reserved-seat basis in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Minneapolis. The CINEMIRACLE version was the same film minus the Smell-O-Vision component, re-titled and converted to the three-strip projection format.
Compiled by Bill Kretzel & Michael Coate
References: The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Variety
JSA,
That 70mm re-issue booking of “2001: A Space Odyssey” at the Big Newport was during the summer of 1974. There was also a 35mm run there in the spring of 1980.
Here’s a revised and updated version of the Charlotte entry in the series.
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Carolina
Premiere Date: December 22, 1961
Engagement Duration: 13 weeks
Projection Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Promotional Hype: “The only CINERAMA theatre in the two Carolinas. You’ll be swept out of your theatre chair as you are surrounded by beauty, spectacle and adventure as never before!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: March 23, 1962
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You see motion pictures… you’re there in CINERAMA!”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: June 7, 1962
Duration: 7 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “A glorious new adventure with romance, thrills and excitement in the wondrous magic of CINERAMA!”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: July 27, 1962
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “CINERAMA HOLIDAY is every holiday you ever dreamed of… come true!”
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: October 12, 1962
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The thrill of CINERAMA is still unmatched!”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: November 16, 1962 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “CINERAMA transports you to lush tropic islands… adventure-splashed with a thousand excitements!”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: December 21, 1962
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You’ve never seen anything like it. The first full story in the magic of CINERAMA!”
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: February 13, 1963 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “It’s CINERAMA’s greatest moments in one far-flung, fantastic, unforgettable adventure!”
THE BEST OF CINERAMA (Return Engagement)
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: May 8, 1963
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Pardon the interruption in our CINERAMA policy. After 4 weeks of showing THE LONGEST DAY we resume the showing of THE BEST OF CINERAMA.”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: May 29, 1963
Duration: 15 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: August 20, 1964
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA puts you in the middle of the most action filled story you’ve ever seen!”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: June 21, 1967
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Brace yourself for CINERAMA thrills you’ve never experienced!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: June 6, 1968
Duration: 13 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An astounding experience, a dazzling trip to the planets and beyond the stars!”
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: February 12, 1969
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: August 7, 1969
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The New CINERAMA Hurls You Into The Incredible Day That Shook The Earth To Its Core!”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE CHARLOTTE MARKET:
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD (general-release engagement at Charlottetown)
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (general-release engagement at Charlottetown)
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL (general-release engagement at Capri)
BATTLE OF THE BULGE (general-release engagement at Village)
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
KHARTOUM (general-release engagement at Charlottetown)
CUSTER OF THE WEST (general-release engagement at Center)
THIS IS CINERAMA 1973 70mm re-issue
*THE SOUND OF MUSIC (a Todd-AO roadshow release) played an extended 79-week engagement at the Carolina from spring 1965 through autumn 1966, preventing all of the mid-1960s Cinerama releases from playing a reserved-seat Cinerama engagement.
The ‘73 re-issue engagement of “This Is Cinerama” was not successful, running for only three weeks. By its final week it had been double-billed with “The Poseidon Adventure.”
Here’s a revised and updated version of “Part 18: Salt Lake City” from my “Remembering Cinerama” series.
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Villa
Premiere: September 1, 1960
Engagement Duration: 16 weeks
Format: CineMiracle
Promotional Hype: “CINEMIRACLE Puts You Right In The Middle Of Thrill-Packed Adventure!”
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Villa
Premiere: July 21, 1961
Duration: 26 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You Are There!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: January 18, 1962
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “An Entertainment Of Such Irresistible Fascination… That Only The Miracle Of CINERAMA Could Encompass It!”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Villa
Premiere: May 23, 1962 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “It’s worth a trip to Salt Lake City… because it’s every holiday you ever dreamed of… come true!” “Our 3rd CINERAMA Presentation. The Only Show In The Mountain West That Cannot And Will Not Be Shown In Any Other Theatre…”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Return Engagement)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: July 25, 1962
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD in the greatest wonder: CINERAMA”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Villa
Premiere: August 22, 1962
Duration: 25 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “For The First Time CINERAMA Tells A Story”
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
Theater: Villa
Premiere: February 13, 1963 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Most Exciting CINERAMA of Them All!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Villa
Premiere: April 11, 1963
Duration: 39 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “24 Great Stars. 3 Noted Directors. A Fabulous New Dramatic Adventure From M-G-M And CINERAMA”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: Villa
Premiere: January 9, 1964 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “CINERAMA Transports You To Lush Tropic Islands Adventure-Splashed With A Thousand Excitements!”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: February 19, 1964 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 36 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “It’s The Biggest Entertainment Ever To Rock The CINERAMA Screen With Laughter!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: October 28, 1964
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Thrills… as the wildest Wild West Show you’ve ever seen rocks you with breathtaking feats of daring!”
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
Theater: Villa
Premiere: March 24, 1965 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Suddenly you’re surrounded by the screen… Suddenly you’re in exotic lands… fascinated by strange customs and stranger people!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: April 14, 1965 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 25 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Only once in a lifetime. An Entertainment So Rich. An Experience So Rewarding.”
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Theater: Villa
Premiere: October 6, 1965
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Sends You Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down That Wide, Wonderful Fun-Trail!”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Theater: Villa
Premiere: March 2, 1966
Duration: 17 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “At Last! The super action show in SUPER CINERAMA”
KHARTOUM
Theater: Villa
Premiere: June 29, 1966
Duration: 12 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Where the Nile divides, their mighty conflict begins!”
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
Theater: Villa
Premiere: September 21, 1966
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “This is the ultimate in CINERAMA. This is the last word in truly incredible adventure!”
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY (Return Engagement)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: October 19, 1966
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “You sail away and live all the excitement your mind ever imagined in CINERAMA’s MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Villa
Premiere: February 1, 1967
Duration: 28 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Villa
Premiere: June 12, 1968
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An epic drama of adventure and exploration!”
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Theater: Villa
Premiere: November 13, 1968 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 23 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Theater: Villa
Premiere: August 7, 1969
Duration: 20 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The New CINERAMA Hurls You Into The Incredible Day That Shook The Earth To Its Core!”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Re-Issue)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: September 28, 1973
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “THIS IS CINERAMA Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE SALT LAKE CITY MARKET:
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
CUSTER OF THE WEST
TRIVIA:
The Salt Lake City market had three Cinerama-equipped theaters in total: the Villa (accounted for above), Plaza (3-strip) and Century 21 (70mm). There is no record of any Cinerama presentations at the Plaza or Century 21.
Compiled by Michael Coate
References: Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune, VillaTheatre.com
Here’s a revised and updated version of Part 20: Philadelphia of the “Remembering Cinerama” series.
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: October 5, 1953 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Engagement Duration: 72 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Promotional Hype: “The Only Really All-New Wonder Of The Entertainment World”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: February 16, 1955 (Pennsylvania Co-Premiere)
Duration: 63 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You’ve never lived until you’ve sat in a specially equipped CINERAMA theatre!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: April 24, 1956
Duration: 68 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The New…The 3rd CINERAMA!”
THRILLARAMA
Theater: Fox
Premiere: January 21, 1957 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 1 week
Format: Thrillarama
Hype: “You’re In The Biggest Screen You’ve Ever Seen!”
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: October 2, 1957 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Since the dawn of time…this has been man’s most fabulous dream…” “The newest, the mightiest of all CINERAMA Adventures”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: October 29, 1958
Duration: 16 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Never before such a wide, wide world of sight… sound… and fabulous adventure!” “Produced in CINEMIRACLE, Presented in CINERAMA”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: February 17, 1959
Duration: 35 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Escape to the last romantic refuge left on earth” “Only at the Boyd Theatre, Phila., Pa. can you ESCAPE with the new CINERAMA to the sun-splashed, moon-drenched, mystery-washed south seas!”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: August 8, 1962 (Pennsylvania Co-Premiere)
Duration: 30 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The first dramatic story-telling motion picture in fabulous CINERAMA!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: March 7, 1963 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 39 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: December 19, 1963
Duration: 27 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The Biggest Entertainment Ever To Rock The CINERAMA Screen With Laughter!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: June 25, 1964 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Surrounds You With The Greatest Thrill-Packed Story Ever Filmed!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: March 9, 1965 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 20 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: None
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: July 27, 1965
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Sends You Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down That Wide, Wonderful, Fun-Trail!”
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: September 22, 1965 (Pennsylvania Premiere*)
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The Thrilling Entertainment That Places You Right In The Middle Of The Most Fabulous Adventure You Ever Lived!”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: December 22, 1965 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The super action show in Super Cinerama. Unlike anything you have ever seen!”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Randolph
Premiere: February 1, 1967 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 37 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Randolph
Premiere: May 22, 1968 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 30 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An astounding entertainment experience — a dazzling trip to the moon, the planets and the stars beyond."
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Theater: Randolph
Premiere: December 18, 1968
Duration: 10 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE PHILADELPHIA MARKET:
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
KHARTOUM (35mm general-release engagement at Stanton)
CUSTER OF THE WEST
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA (70mm non-reserved-seat engagement at Stanley)
THIS IS CINERAMA 1973 re-issue
TRIVIA:
Philadelphia was the 5th market to equip for Cinerama presentations.
In addition to the Cinerama run at the Boyd, WINDJAMMER played some CineMiracle engagements in the greater Philadelphia area, including Glenside, PA (Keswick), Lancaster, PA (King), Asbury Park, NJ (St. James), and Atlantic City, NJ (Warner).
*Prior to playing the Boyd, MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY played in 1964 at Cheltenham in a 70mm Cinevision non-reserved-seat presentation and in several 35mm general-release houses. Also in 1964, MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY screened in the Wonderama format, including area engagements in Plainfield, NJ (Strand) and Trenton, NJ (Trent). The presentation at the Boyd in 1965 was the Pennsylvania premiere engagement of the Cinerama version.
Compiled by Vince Young & Michael Coate
References: Boxoffice, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Variety
Here’s a revised and updated posting of Part 7: Atlanta of the “Remembering Cinerama” series.
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Roxy
Premiere: April 2, 1956 (Southern Premiere)
Engagement Duration: 30 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Promotional Hype: “Now that you’ve seen all the others get set for the biggest REALLY NEW entertainment event of the century!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Roxy
Premiere: April 21, 1957
Duration: 7 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The New, The 3rd CINERAMA Presentation Takes You On An Adventure To The Four Corners Of The Globe…To Astound You With The Marvels Of The Universe!”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: October 3, 1962 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 14 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The First Dramatic Film In Fabulous CINERAMA. And You Are Part Of Every Wonderful Scene!”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: January 10, 1963
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Georgia Premiere! The New CINERAMA Presentation! Too Exciting To Describe!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: March 15, 1963 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 30 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: October 11, 1963
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “For The First Time CINERAMA’s Greatest Thrills Together In One Breathtaking Entertainment!”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: December 18, 1963 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 23 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The Biggest Entertainment Ever To Rock The CINERAMA Screen With Laughter!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: June 26, 1964 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 13 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Surrounds You With The Greatest Thrill-Packed Story Ever Filmed!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: April 14, 1965
Duration: 15 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: None
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: July 29, 1965
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Sends You Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down That Wide, Wonderful, Fun-Trail!”
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: October 1, 1965 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Only CINERAMA Can Take You On The Most Wonderful Holiday You Ever Had”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: December 22, 1965 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 14 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Super Cinerama Turns The Screen Into The Mightiest Battleground Ever!”
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: April 1, 1966 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “This Is The Ultimate In CINERAMA. This Is The Last Word In Truly Incredible Adventure!”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: February 1, 1967 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 23 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: May 29, 1968 (Southern Co-Premiere)
Duration: 22 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An astounding entertainment experience, a dazzling trip to the planets and beyond the stars!”
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: November 14, 1968 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 12 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: July 18, 1969 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The New Super CINERAMA Hurls You Into The Most Cataclysmic Event In Man’s History!”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Re-Issue)
Theater: Atlanta
Premiere: April 27, 1973
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “THIS IS CINERAMA Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (Return Engagement)
Theater: Columbia
Premiere: October 14, 1983
Duration: 2 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “In The Magic Of CINERAMA”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE ATLANTA MARKET:
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
KHARTOUM (general-release engagement at Lenox Square)
CUSTER OF THE WEST (general release)
TRIVIA:
Atlanta was the 15th U.S. market and 22nd worldwide market to equip for Cinerama presentations.
River Hills is famous for being the host venue for the Des Moines area exclusive booking of the original “Star Wars.” The movie ran for 29 weeks in the River Hills auditorium (May 27-Dec. 13, 1977), and then when replaced by “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind” it moved to the Riviera auditorium, where it ran for another 27 weeks. The combined 56-week run is, I believe, second only to the 113-week roadshow run of “The Sound Of Music” (at the Capri) as the longest-running movie in Des Moines exhibition history.
I need to correct a detail I mentioned a few posts ago.
The Northgate was not the first theater in Texas to get Dolby Stereo as originally claimed. That distinction, I believe, belongs to the Medallion in Dallas. Nor was Northgate the first in El Paso to get Dolby. That distinction belongs to a place called American Star (which I don’t think has a page here on Cinema Treasures).
Northgate did eventually install Dolby (a CP50) in autumn 1977 for their engagement of “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.”
Thanks, moderators, for updating the theater name. Why not also update the address and seat count? I provided both details in my second of two March 31 postings.
As far as the number of “Cinerama cities” go, I think a more appropriate question is asking the number of markets that played Cinerama. Reason being that some markets had more than one Cinerama theater, often one downtown and others suburban. But a market having multiple equipped theaters is irrelevant because these Cinerama engagements were exclusive roadshows that played only a single area theater at a time.
To answer the number of Cinerama markets question in terms of the original 1952-1964 3-strip period, historians and enthusiasts have settled on 63 markets for North America (60 in the United States, 3 in Canada). The numbers grow when factoring in international and the markets that came about in the late 1960s when Cinerama was single-strip 70mm. And that is where things become a challenge to sort out.
Roland Lataille’s list of 141 Cinerama theaters in the U.S. is not complete. It’s close… In fact, a few on his list, arguably, do not belong, although admittedly there’s a subjective gray area involved with determining what does or does not belong on such a list. During the course of researching this series, I’ve “discovered” a few Cinerama theaters that thus far have been overlooked or forgotten or have simply eluded the experts. They will be revealed one by one as the series progresses.
Another thing to consider when quoting theater and market numbers is whether or not to include the clone formats like CineMiracle, Thrillarama, Kinopanorama, Wonderama, etc., as well as those theaters that showed the 1973 re-issue version of “This Is Cinerama.” (Many of the venues that showed that ‘73 re-issue had a temporary curved screen installed just for the engagement, and many of these do not appear on Roland’s list. Some venues showed it on a flat screen.)
It can be fun to try to sort out this information, and I encourage any input on the matter.
The claim from a few posts back that the Glenwood had a Kansas City area exclusive for the original “Star Wars” is only partially correct. The fact is the Glenwood played the movie exclusively for only its first ten weeks. Beginning the film’s eleventh week, a second booking was added at the Antioch.
In terms of comparing the Kansas City gross with that of New York City, keep in mind that during the second half of the Glenwood’s 56-week run of “Star Wars,” it played in the smaller #2 auditorium.
That very long engagement of the original “Star Wars” mentioned in the post above was for a total of 26 weeks. Like many of the theaters/markets in which “Star Wars” played, the duration established a long-run record for the Santa Cruz area. In addition, the 41st Avenue Playhouse installed a Dolby sound system (CP-50 model) for the “Star Wars” engagement, one of only a few theaters in California’s Central Coast and Northern regions to do so.
Pittsburgh’s Cinerama history posted here.
Some sources cite a second venue in Pittsburgh as being equipped for Cinerama presentations: North Hills. I can find no confirmation of this, nor can I find any record of any Cinerama presentations taking place at that venue.
Here’s a revised and updated version of the Toronto entry in the series.
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: University
Premiere Date: October 24, 1957
Engagement Duration: 24 weeks
Projection Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Promotional Hype: “The Only Theatre In Ontario That Can or Will Show CINERAMA”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: University
Premiere: April 8, 1958
Duration: 15 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You Haven’t Lived Until You’ve Sat In A Specially Built CINERAMA Theatre.” “Beyond Your Wildest Entertainment Dreams.”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: University
Premiere: July 22, 1958
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You Walk Step By Step with Lowell Thomas Through Every Wonderful Moment. When The Pope Blesses the Pilgrims Through the Miracle of CINERAMA, You Too Are In The Picture.”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: University
Premiere: November 25, 1958 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 16 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Biggest CINERAMA of Them All!”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: December 23, 1960
Duration: 52 weeks
Format: CineMiracle
Hype: “There has Never Been Anything to Match the Miracle of CINEMIRACLE”
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: December 22, 1961 (World Premiere*)
Duration: 19 weeks
Format: CineMiracle
Hype: “The Newest and Greatest Attraction in CINEMIRACLE…not a Travelogue!” “A Rollicking Adventure Story for the Entire Family.” “You Live Thrill After Thrill in the First CINEMIRACLE Show with Story and Stars.”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Return Engagement)
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: May 4, 1962
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Wonder of the Motion Picture World.” “Do Not Confuse THIS IS CINERAMA with Any Other Kind of Entertainment!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Return Engagement)
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: May 25, 1962
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “There’s More Thrills to Live… More to See… More to Hear…”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE (Return Engagement)
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: June 15, 1962
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Enjoy Glamorous, Exotic, Romantic Excitement! The Lure and Beauty of a Tropical Paradise”
WINDJAMMER (Return Engagement)
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: July 6, 1962
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Toronto’s Favourite Motion Picture!” “This is the Saga of the Windswept Seas… Exciting Ports of Call. It’s Adventure and Romance in Faraway Places”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: August 15, 1962
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The First Full-Length Dramatic Story with a Dazzling Array of Stars in CINERAMA”
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: January 10, 1963
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “It’s CINERAMA’s Greatest Moments in One Far-Flung, Fantastic, Unforgettable Adventure!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Eglinton
Premiere: March 28, 1963
Duration: 38 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Theater: Carlton
Premiere: December 20, 1963
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “It’s the Biggest Entertainment Ever to Hit the CINERAMA Screen”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Carlton
Premiere: July 29, 1964 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Thrills…as the Wildest Wild West Show You’ve Ever Seen Rocks You With Breathtaking Feats of Daring!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Carlton
Premiere: March 31, 1965 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 7 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Canadian Premiere / Presented in CINERAMA”
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: July 14, 1965
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “How the West was Fun! See it on Canada’s Biggest, Brightest CINERAMA Screen!” “CINERAMA Sends You Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down That Wide, Wonderful, Fun-Trail!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (Return Engagement)
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: September 29, 1965
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “At Popular Prices… A Rich, Rewarding Entertainment Experience for the Entire Family”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: December 22, 1965 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 14 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Super CINERAMA Turns the Screen Into the Mightiest Battleground Ever!”
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: March 31, 1966 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 10 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “In Metrocolor and Fabulous Stereophonic Sound. The Original CINERAMA Process Brings You the Adventure You’ve Been Waiting For!”
KHARTOUM
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: June 22, 1966 (Canadian Co-Premiere)
Duration: 15 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Where the Nile divides…their mighty conflict begins!”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: January 25, 1967 (Canadian Premiere)
Duration: 40 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: May 30, 1968
Duration: 127 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An epic drama of adventure and exploration that takes you half a billion miles from Earth…and into the 21st Century!”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Re-issue)
Theater: Glendale
Premiere: April 20, 1973
Duration: 7 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “THIS IS CINERAMA Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE TORONTO MARKET
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY (70mm reserved-seat engagement at University)
CUSTER OF THE WEST (35mm general release)
ICE STATION ZEBRA (35mm general release)
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA (70mm reserved-seat engagement at Eglinton)
*HOLIDAY IN SPAIN was filmed in 65mm (Todd-70) and initially released in 1960 under the title SCENT OF MYSTERY and shown in 70mm and Smell-O-Vision on a reserved-seat basis in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Minneapolis. The CINEMIRACLE version was the same film minus the Smell-O-Vision component, re-titled and converted to the three-strip projection format.
Compiled by Bill Kretzel & Michael Coate
References: The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Variety
JSA,
That 70mm re-issue booking of “2001: A Space Odyssey” at the Big Newport was during the summer of 1974. There was also a 35mm run there in the spring of 1980.
Here’s a revised and updated version of the Charlotte entry in the series.
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Carolina
Premiere Date: December 22, 1961
Engagement Duration: 13 weeks
Projection Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Promotional Hype: “The only CINERAMA theatre in the two Carolinas. You’ll be swept out of your theatre chair as you are surrounded by beauty, spectacle and adventure as never before!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: March 23, 1962
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You see motion pictures… you’re there in CINERAMA!”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: June 7, 1962
Duration: 7 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “A glorious new adventure with romance, thrills and excitement in the wondrous magic of CINERAMA!”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: July 27, 1962
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “CINERAMA HOLIDAY is every holiday you ever dreamed of… come true!”
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: October 12, 1962
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The thrill of CINERAMA is still unmatched!”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: November 16, 1962 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “CINERAMA transports you to lush tropic islands… adventure-splashed with a thousand excitements!”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: December 21, 1962
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You’ve never seen anything like it. The first full story in the magic of CINERAMA!”
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: February 13, 1963 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “It’s CINERAMA’s greatest moments in one far-flung, fantastic, unforgettable adventure!”
THE BEST OF CINERAMA (Return Engagement)
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: May 8, 1963
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Pardon the interruption in our CINERAMA policy. After 4 weeks of showing THE LONGEST DAY we resume the showing of THE BEST OF CINERAMA.”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: May 29, 1963
Duration: 15 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: August 20, 1964
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA puts you in the middle of the most action filled story you’ve ever seen!”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: June 21, 1967
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Brace yourself for CINERAMA thrills you’ve never experienced!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: June 6, 1968
Duration: 13 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An astounding experience, a dazzling trip to the planets and beyond the stars!”
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: February 12, 1969
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Theater: Carolina
Premiere: August 7, 1969
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The New CINERAMA Hurls You Into The Incredible Day That Shook The Earth To Its Core!”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE CHARLOTTE MARKET:
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD (general-release engagement at Charlottetown)
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (general-release engagement at Charlottetown)
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL (general-release engagement at Capri)
BATTLE OF THE BULGE (general-release engagement at Village)
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
KHARTOUM (general-release engagement at Charlottetown)
CUSTER OF THE WEST (general-release engagement at Center)
THIS IS CINERAMA 1973 70mm re-issue
*THE SOUND OF MUSIC (a Todd-AO roadshow release) played an extended 79-week engagement at the Carolina from spring 1965 through autumn 1966, preventing all of the mid-1960s Cinerama releases from playing a reserved-seat Cinerama engagement.
Compiled by Mark Huffstetler & Michael Coate
Reference: The Charlotte Observer
We’ll find out when Seattle gets its turn in this series…
This page appears to be a duplicate entry of this theater. Note that some of the info conflicts.
The ‘73 re-issue engagement of “This Is Cinerama” was not successful, running for only three weeks. By its final week it had been double-billed with “The Poseidon Adventure.”
Largest auditorium was 70mm-equipped and THX certified. INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM played here in 70mm.
Fresno’s Cinerama history posted here.
Here’s a revised and updated version of “Part 18: Salt Lake City” from my “Remembering Cinerama” series.
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Villa
Premiere: September 1, 1960
Engagement Duration: 16 weeks
Format: CineMiracle
Promotional Hype: “CINEMIRACLE Puts You Right In The Middle Of Thrill-Packed Adventure!”
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Villa
Premiere: July 21, 1961
Duration: 26 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You Are There!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: January 18, 1962
Duration: 18 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “An Entertainment Of Such Irresistible Fascination… That Only The Miracle Of CINERAMA Could Encompass It!”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Villa
Premiere: May 23, 1962 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “It’s worth a trip to Salt Lake City… because it’s every holiday you ever dreamed of… come true!” “Our 3rd CINERAMA Presentation. The Only Show In The Mountain West That Cannot And Will Not Be Shown In Any Other Theatre…”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD (Return Engagement)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: July 25, 1962
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD in the greatest wonder: CINERAMA”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Villa
Premiere: August 22, 1962
Duration: 25 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “For The First Time CINERAMA Tells A Story”
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
Theater: Villa
Premiere: February 13, 1963 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Most Exciting CINERAMA of Them All!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Villa
Premiere: April 11, 1963
Duration: 39 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “24 Great Stars. 3 Noted Directors. A Fabulous New Dramatic Adventure From M-G-M And CINERAMA”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: Villa
Premiere: January 9, 1964 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “CINERAMA Transports You To Lush Tropic Islands Adventure-Splashed With A Thousand Excitements!”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: February 19, 1964 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 36 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “It’s The Biggest Entertainment Ever To Rock The CINERAMA Screen With Laughter!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: October 28, 1964
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Thrills… as the wildest Wild West Show you’ve ever seen rocks you with breathtaking feats of daring!”
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
Theater: Villa
Premiere: March 24, 1965 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Suddenly you’re surrounded by the screen… Suddenly you’re in exotic lands… fascinated by strange customs and stranger people!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Villa
Premiere: April 14, 1965 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 25 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Only once in a lifetime. An Entertainment So Rich. An Experience So Rewarding.”
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Theater: Villa
Premiere: October 6, 1965
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Sends You Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down That Wide, Wonderful Fun-Trail!”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Theater: Villa
Premiere: March 2, 1966
Duration: 17 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “At Last! The super action show in SUPER CINERAMA”
KHARTOUM
Theater: Villa
Premiere: June 29, 1966
Duration: 12 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Where the Nile divides, their mighty conflict begins!”
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
Theater: Villa
Premiere: September 21, 1966
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “This is the ultimate in CINERAMA. This is the last word in truly incredible adventure!”
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY (Return Engagement)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: October 19, 1966
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “You sail away and live all the excitement your mind ever imagined in CINERAMA’s MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Villa
Premiere: February 1, 1967
Duration: 28 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Villa
Premiere: June 12, 1968
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An epic drama of adventure and exploration!”
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Theater: Villa
Premiere: November 13, 1968 (Mountain States Premiere)
Duration: 23 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Theater: Villa
Premiere: August 7, 1969
Duration: 20 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The New CINERAMA Hurls You Into The Incredible Day That Shook The Earth To Its Core!”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Re-Issue)
Theater: Villa
Premiere: September 28, 1973
Duration: 3 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “THIS IS CINERAMA Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE SALT LAKE CITY MARKET:
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
CUSTER OF THE WEST
TRIVIA:
The Salt Lake City market had three Cinerama-equipped theaters in total: the Villa (accounted for above), Plaza (3-strip) and Century 21 (70mm). There is no record of any Cinerama presentations at the Plaza or Century 21.
Compiled by Michael Coate
References: Deseret News, The Salt Lake Tribune, VillaTheatre.com
Here’s a revised and updated version of Part 20: Philadelphia of the “Remembering Cinerama” series.
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: October 5, 1953 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Engagement Duration: 72 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Promotional Hype: “The Only Really All-New Wonder Of The Entertainment World”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: February 16, 1955 (Pennsylvania Co-Premiere)
Duration: 63 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “You’ve never lived until you’ve sat in a specially equipped CINERAMA theatre!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: April 24, 1956
Duration: 68 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The New…The 3rd CINERAMA!”
THRILLARAMA
Theater: Fox
Premiere: January 21, 1957 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 1 week
Format: Thrillarama
Hype: “You’re In The Biggest Screen You’ve Ever Seen!”
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: October 2, 1957 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 21 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Since the dawn of time…this has been man’s most fabulous dream…” “The newest, the mightiest of all CINERAMA Adventures”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: October 29, 1958
Duration: 16 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Never before such a wide, wide world of sight… sound… and fabulous adventure!” “Produced in CINEMIRACLE, Presented in CINERAMA”
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: February 17, 1959
Duration: 35 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Escape to the last romantic refuge left on earth” “Only at the Boyd Theatre, Phila., Pa. can you ESCAPE with the new CINERAMA to the sun-splashed, moon-drenched, mystery-washed south seas!”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: August 8, 1962 (Pennsylvania Co-Premiere)
Duration: 30 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The first dramatic story-telling motion picture in fabulous CINERAMA!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: March 7, 1963 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 39 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: December 19, 1963
Duration: 27 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The Biggest Entertainment Ever To Rock The CINERAMA Screen With Laughter!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: June 25, 1964 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Surrounds You With The Greatest Thrill-Packed Story Ever Filmed!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: March 9, 1965 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 20 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: None
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: July 27, 1965
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Sends You Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down That Wide, Wonderful, Fun-Trail!”
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: September 22, 1965 (Pennsylvania Premiere*)
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The Thrilling Entertainment That Places You Right In The Middle Of The Most Fabulous Adventure You Ever Lived!”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Theater: Boyd
Premiere: December 22, 1965 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 11 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The super action show in Super Cinerama. Unlike anything you have ever seen!”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Randolph
Premiere: February 1, 1967 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 37 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Randolph
Premiere: May 22, 1968 (Pennsylvania Premiere)
Duration: 30 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An astounding entertainment experience — a dazzling trip to the moon, the planets and the stars beyond."
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Theater: Randolph
Premiere: December 18, 1968
Duration: 10 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE PHILADELPHIA MARKET:
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
KHARTOUM (35mm general-release engagement at Stanton)
CUSTER OF THE WEST
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA (70mm non-reserved-seat engagement at Stanley)
THIS IS CINERAMA 1973 re-issue
TRIVIA:
Philadelphia was the 5th market to equip for Cinerama presentations.
In addition to the Cinerama run at the Boyd, WINDJAMMER played some CineMiracle engagements in the greater Philadelphia area, including Glenside, PA (Keswick), Lancaster, PA (King), Asbury Park, NJ (St. James), and Atlantic City, NJ (Warner).
*Prior to playing the Boyd, MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY played in 1964 at Cheltenham in a 70mm Cinevision non-reserved-seat presentation and in several 35mm general-release houses. Also in 1964, MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY screened in the Wonderama format, including area engagements in Plainfield, NJ (Strand) and Trenton, NJ (Trent). The presentation at the Boyd in 1965 was the Pennsylvania premiere engagement of the Cinerama version.
Compiled by Vince Young & Michael Coate
References: Boxoffice, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Variety
Here’s a revised and updated posting of Part 7: Atlanta of the “Remembering Cinerama” series.
THIS IS CINERAMA
Theater: Roxy
Premiere: April 2, 1956 (Southern Premiere)
Engagement Duration: 30 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Promotional Hype: “Now that you’ve seen all the others get set for the biggest REALLY NEW entertainment event of the century!”
CINERAMA HOLIDAY
Theater: Roxy
Premiere: October 29, 1956 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 25 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “It’s every holiday you’ve ever dreamed of…come true!”
SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD
Theater: Roxy
Premiere: April 21, 1957
Duration: 7 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The New, The 3rd CINERAMA Presentation Takes You On An Adventure To The Four Corners Of The Globe…To Astound You With The Marvels Of The Universe!”
THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: October 3, 1962 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 14 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The First Dramatic Film In Fabulous CINERAMA. And You Are Part Of Every Wonderful Scene!”
WINDJAMMER
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: January 10, 1963
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “Georgia Premiere! The New CINERAMA Presentation! Too Exciting To Describe!”
HOW THE WEST WAS WON
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: March 15, 1963 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 30 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!”
THE BEST OF CINERAMA
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: October 11, 1963
Duration: 8 weeks
Format: Cinerama (3-strip)
Hype: “For The First Time CINERAMA’s Greatest Thrills Together In One Breathtaking Entertainment!”
IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: December 18, 1963 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 23 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The Biggest Entertainment Ever To Rock The CINERAMA Screen With Laughter!”
CIRCUS WORLD
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: June 26, 1964 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 13 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Surrounds You With The Greatest Thrill-Packed Story Ever Filmed!”
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: April 14, 1965
Duration: 15 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: None
THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: July 29, 1965
Duration: 9 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA Sends You Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down That Wide, Wonderful, Fun-Trail!”
MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: October 1, 1965 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 5 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Only CINERAMA Can Take You On The Most Wonderful Holiday You Ever Had”
BATTLE OF THE BULGE
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: December 22, 1965 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 14 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Super Cinerama Turns The Screen Into The Mightiest Battleground Ever!”
RUSSIAN ADVENTURE
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: April 1, 1966 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “This Is The Ultimate In CINERAMA. This Is The Last Word In Truly Incredible Adventure!”
GRAND PRIX
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: February 1, 1967 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 23 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “CINERAMA sweeps YOU into a drama of speed and spectacle!”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
Theater: Martin Cinerama
Premiere: May 29, 1968 (Southern Co-Premiere)
Duration: 22 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “An astounding entertainment experience, a dazzling trip to the planets and beyond the stars!”
ICE STATION ZEBRA
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: November 14, 1968 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 12 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “Ice Station Zebra…remember the name, your life may depend on it!”
KRAKATOA, EAST OF JAVA
Theater: Georgia Cinerama
Premiere: July 18, 1969 (Southern Premiere)
Duration: 6 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “The New Super CINERAMA Hurls You Into The Most Cataclysmic Event In Man’s History!”
THIS IS CINERAMA (Re-Issue)
Theater: Atlanta
Premiere: April 27, 1973
Duration: 4 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “THIS IS CINERAMA Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation”
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (Return Engagement)
Theater: Columbia
Premiere: October 14, 1983
Duration: 2 weeks
Format: Cinerama (70mm)
Hype: “In The Magic Of CINERAMA”
NOT SHOWN IN CINERAMA IN THE ATLANTA MARKET:
SEARCH FOR PARADISE
SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE
HOLIDAY IN SPAIN
KHARTOUM (general-release engagement at Lenox Square)
CUSTER OF THE WEST (general release)
TRIVIA:
Atlanta was the 15th U.S. market and 22nd worldwide market to equip for Cinerama presentations.
Compiled by Stan Malone & Michael Coate
References: The Atlanta Constitution, Variety
By the mid-1970s this theater had been twinned.
The Jan. 3, 1966 issue of Boxoffice cited the seat-count as 850.
Theater info and photos here.
River Hills is famous for being the host venue for the Des Moines area exclusive booking of the original “Star Wars.” The movie ran for 29 weeks in the River Hills auditorium (May 27-Dec. 13, 1977), and then when replaced by “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind” it moved to the Riviera auditorium, where it ran for another 27 weeks. The combined 56-week run is, I believe, second only to the 113-week roadshow run of “The Sound Of Music” (at the Capri) as the longest-running movie in Des Moines exhibition history.
I need to correct a detail I mentioned a few posts ago.
The Northgate was not the first theater in Texas to get Dolby Stereo as originally claimed. That distinction, I believe, belongs to the Medallion in Dallas. Nor was Northgate the first in El Paso to get Dolby. That distinction belongs to a place called American Star (which I don’t think has a page here on Cinema Treasures).
Northgate did eventually install Dolby (a CP50) in autumn 1977 for their engagement of “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind.”
Thanks, moderators, for updating the theater name. Why not also update the address and seat count? I provided both details in my second of two March 31 postings.
Sorry, Chuck1231, I don’t have any info on the screen size or dimensions.
Cinema I was equipped for 70mm presentation, though I doubt they ran much, if anything, in 70.
Was this the last single-screen theater to be built in the United States?