RKO National Twin

Cineplex Odeon twinned/renovated the National in 1987. I believe one of the opening attractions was “Predator” with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Cineplex Odeon also renovated the old Rialto, located diagonally across Broadway from the National, and renamed it the Warner. The National and Warner “re-opened” on the same date, and both theatres opened with “Predator”. According to Variety, the larger downstairs National screen had 1000 seats, and the upstairs (balcony) had 600 seats. I saw Broadcast News in the larger auditorium at a sold-out performance. In the late 1980’s, Cineplex Odeon did a great job of renovating and managing theatres that were either closed or in need of repairs.

I was in this theater the day after it opened for The Poseidon Adventure…a great escalator ride up from the lobby with great window views over Broadway…It opened as a National General theater which became Mann Theaters then RKO Century and finally Cineplex Odeon…The twinning was better than most with the balcony screen being a pretty good theater…As a twin I remember Rocky III, The Missionary and The Dead Pool there