Hawaii Cinerama

Michael, Getting back to your original question.
What steve writes takes us back to my original thought, which is “Raiders” played the Royal. My friend still living in Hawaii also confirms that “Raiders” played both the Royal and Marina in first and second run engagements. If “Raiders” opened in 1981 then the Royal was still open, and Royal theatres would still have been playing all Paramount Films. The Royal closed in 1982.

Yes Michael, you jogged my memory a bit. Since the first run Royal theatre closed sometime in 1982, it would have left Royal theatres with only the Marina twins in Waikiki and the downtown King twins, (The Queen was being leased to a porno circuit)As a result It makes sense then that Consolidated would have played some of the product that once ran exclusivly with the Royal circuit.
This booking pattern probably changed just about the time I left in December 1982. I recall speaking on the phone from New York to some of the people who had worked for Royal theatres telling me they had started working for Consolidated. If Scott B reads this he may have some info, otherwise I will get it all straightened out next time I speak to one of the boys in Hawaii. I am going to be making a few
calls soon and will let you know what I find out.
It now seems possible to me that Raiders did play the Cinerama or Waikiki 1-2-3. I doubt Raiders would have played the Marina Twins since they had only 300 seats on each side. Funny thing is, when Herman Rosen, who was CEO of Royal theatres, built the Marina in 1972, it became his baby and in spite of it’s size he would play all the big pictures there (Chinatown, Grease, Saturday Night Fever,
and King Kong amoung others, and leave the bigger Royal theatre to play the less important pictutes. Somehow I can’t imagine Consolidated continuing that policy.

Michael, Since “Raiders” was a Paramount movie it would have played the Royal theatrte circuit. Consolidated theatres owned the Cinerama so it could not have played there. I cannot recall which Royal theatre played the movie, however I can narrow it down for you. It had to have been either the Royal or the Marina Twins, of that I am sure. I recall we closed the Royal theatre right about that time so it may have already closed, which meant the movie played the Marina. I am close friends with the guy who was the projectionist at the Marina during that time, when I next speak with him I will ask him if “Raiders” played there or the Royal.
Meanwhile if you know wheather or not the the film played in 70mm it will mean it had to have played the Royal, since the Marina did not have 70mm. I will confirm soon, meanwhile Perhaps Scott B, was around then and knows the answer.

We might have gotten it during that time. We played it a few times in 70MM, because of the area the theatre was in. I remember a few times I saw labels from when the prints played in Hawaii.

Hello William, I thought the frantic call I received from Art Gordon mentioned Columbia, I should have said studio. Did you get our print?
I undederstand it was taken to a theatre in LA.

Hi Michael, I left Hawaii in 1982 and was not there during the time you referred to. In 1978 I began working in the projection department for Consolidated theatres, and in 1979 I became head of the newly formed Sight and Sound division. My team consisted of two talented technicians, Sol Kam and Wesley Inouye, our goal was to bring a superior movie going experience to the people of Hawaii.
Sol, Wesley and I first teamed up to install the projection equipment for the Hilo triplex theatre in Hilo Hawaii. During the time we were not on the site working, Wesley and I would spend the evenings in our hotel planning ways to improve projection and sound in all the theatres in the circuit. Wesley was/is a brilliant sound technician and was responsible for all of the sound installations in Hawaii during my time there. I recall once complaining to Wesley of the sound quality coming from the anaquated sound system at Wakiki #3, Wesley went to work and made significant improvements, it was then that I knew what he was really capable of. When I left, several projects were on the drawing board including renovation of Waikiki #3 and upgrade of the sound system at the twins #1 and #2. I had already installed new Schneider lenses to the twins as well as new 55' curved screens and sidewall surround speakers. However I still was not satisfied with the stage speakers which were Altec A-4s. Wesley and I had heard about Klipsch speakers and we made arrangements to have one shipped to Hawaii for us to test out. We installed the speaker next to the existing Altec and installed a knife switch so we could switch back and fourth to make comparisons. I can still hear Sol Kam who was behind the screening switching back and fourth yelling “Klipsch” and then “Altec” so Wesley and I could compare the two. At that point Wesley and I knew immediately that we had to begin installing these speakers in our theatres. Shortly after I left Hawaii the renovation of #3 began, John Allen of High Performance Systems was brought in to work with Wesley on the installation of an HPS-4000 sound system, and 70mm was also installed.
Eventually I believe the same system was installed at the Twins as well. Basically the three theatres Waikiki 1-2-3 had arguably the best sound system to be heard anywhere. That should explain why you were so impressed with what you saw and heard. I will leave any other developments to my friend Scot B, who posts here from time to time, to elaborate on. Scott was part of the projection team after I left, and is a one-of-a-kind projectionist and knew his way around maintaining a projection booth, I can only imagine that Scott and Wesley must have made one heck-of-a team.

Scott, it sure is good hearing from you, your recollection of the Star Wars run sounds about right. I had left the Cinerama just before Star Wars opened to run the new Pearlridge 4. I did not return to the Cinerama until I joined management in 1978 to become head of the Sight and Sound department with Wes and Sol.
It was then that I convinced CEO Art Gordon to bring more 70mm to Hawaii. Gordon was uninterested in 70mm, he did not think the people cared about it nor did he appreciate the advantages. But all that changed when I asked him to book “Fame” into the Cinerama in 70mm. I then asked Art to attend a dry run, it was then he changed his mind about 70mm, in fact he called me into his office and said, “you win, how many theatres can run 70mm ”?
Sometime in the early 80s Art began booking 70mm regularly at the Cinerama and Wakiki twins. We tried to get the 70mm at the Varsity up and running (Gordon wanted to move “Fame” over from the Cinerama), but the amplifiers were in very poor condition, and we never replaced them. By this time only the Cinerama, Waikiki twins and Royal were 70mm capable. The Kuhio had been twinned and the Norelco 70mm projectors were removed, (you may remember running “That’s Entertainment” there in 35mm four track mag). The Queen had 70mm but was being leased out by Royal Development and had turned into a porno house. I think the worst 70mm story at the Cinerama was “The Jazz Singer”; I was on vacation in New York when I received a call from Art Gordon, he told me Columbia was very upset with the 70mm projection at the Cinerama and was pulling the print to replace it with a 35mm version. The problem was, we suddenly had this influx of 70mm and very few projectionists who knew how to run it. Old lady Whittle, who was scheduling the projectionists, was putting everyone and anyone in to run theses shows to sometimes-disastrous results. By the time I got back to Hawaii the 70mm “Jazz Singer” print had been pulled and replaced with a 35mm print. I also recall getting an emergency call from one of the relief operators at the Cinerama telling me he could not get the sound to work. He went on to tell me he tried everything including changing the exciter lamp. I knew we were in trouble when he replaced the exciter lamp while running 70mm. I rushed over there only to find he had not threaded the magnetic penthouse and obviously did not know what he was doing. Soon after, I began holding 70mm training classes at the Royal theatre and things improved. I gotta tell you, in spite of all the problems, the bad outweighed the good, and I never regretted talking Art Gordon and Herman Rosen into bringing more 70mm to Hawaii.

“Star Wars” opened in Honolulu on June 8, 1977 in 35mm at the CINERAMA and KAPIOLANI. The CINERAMA’s upgrade to a 70mm presentation, according to its promotion in the local newspapers, was during October ‘77. (That Oct. start date for the 70mm matches by a couple of weeks the date of install of the Dolby CP100 according to Dolby Labs’ master installation records.)

All still-circulating prints of “Star Wars” (save for a print in Portland, OR) were pulled by Fox during the first week of September 1978, suggesting that the duration of the Honolulu 70mm engagement was less than one year.

A list of 70mm engagements of the original “Star Wars” can be found at:
View link

Thanks Michael, I am sure you are right about the dates, I am after all geting old and the Jedi’s may be taking over my mind. However I don’t remember ever playing “Star Wars” in 70mm. Perhaps my friend Scott B, who worked the booth as well, can jump in with his memories of this. I seem to remember it opened at both the Cinerama and Kapiolani in 35mm mono sound, yikes!! We did eventually install Dolby part way thru the run and started playing it in 35mm Dolby stereo. At least that’s how I remember it.Then of course the next two “star Wars” films were presented in 70mm. I was there working the booth and lovin it.

Sorry to tell you, the theatre is now an auto parts store.
I remember those long lines for many films we showed at the theatre such as “Towering Inferno”, “Young Frankenstien” and “Poseidon Adventure”, all of which had long lines around the corner to the back of the parking lot for most of the day. In those days the films were exclusive at the Cinerama and people would come from all over the island to see them. Cinerama was the premier roadshow house, showing most of the big reserved ticket blockbusters of the day. The last roadshow (reserved seat) engagement we played was the 70mm reissue of “This is Cinerama” in 1973

“Star Wars” opened May 25th 1977 playing both the Cinerama and Kapiolani theatres. Both theatres played the film in 35mm.
“Empire Strikes Back” opened at Cinerama on May 21 1980 in 70mm
“Return of the Jedi” opened May 25 1983 also in 70mm.

Thanks for that memory Robert, Just below the sign was a door leading to Able booth were I would step out on the roof for a little air between shows.

Yes, only Able projector was intact when I worked there, Baker and Charlie had been stripped and fitted with standard 35/70mm parts.
Only the name CINERAMA remained on the glass doors. The 7 track magnetic sound reproducer was also intact, as well the interlock control panel for the three projectors and sound reproducer.