An extensive architectural redesign was approved and carried out to the plans of the firm, Hamme and Leber with the Opera House having a grand reopening in 1902.
The Park Theatre closed September 8, 1964 with Telly Savalas “The New Interns.” In August of 1967, the former Hanover Opera House turned State Theatre was demolished.
The Hanover Opera House launched with live entertainment on September 12, 1887 with Middie Maddern in “Caprice.” Moving pictures were added to the mix at least by April 13, 1907 when Harry C. Naill began playing motion pictures. They proved so popular that in 1909 two things happened. The first was that a new movie theatre with 360 seats was opened by Westfall and Nydeggor in downtown Hanover. The second was that the Opera House was modernized to the plans of architect Edward Leber of Hamme and Leber of York.
The “new” Hanover Opera House seated 1,200 with the upper balcony seating removed in 1909. Movies won as the local movie theater thrived and the Hanover Opera House was auctioned off for lack of payments just three years later. After trying live fare again, the Opera House was sold at another auction sale within eight years.
In March of 1919, new operator Fred Bitner finally installed permanent projectors with two Powers 6B units and moving to regular movie theater fare. He also brought back to the stage one Middie Maddern (now Middie Maddern Fiske) who had opened the venue almost 35 years earlier. But silent feature films proved popular and rotated with live events until the competing movie houses converted to sound. The biggest silent titles started at the Opera House including, “Birth of a Nation,” “Ben Hur,” and “The Covered Wagon.”
New operator Milton W. Shaeffer took on the venue and converted to sound on November 28, 1930 as the Park Theatre. It now had Western Electric sound and Simplex projectors. However, it soon closed as sound films weren’t satisfactory and got a new auditorium treatment opening as the New Park Thatre on October 16, 1931 with “The Squaw Man.” It returned to the Park moniker dropping “new” thereafter.
The venue got a major refresh to the plans of David Suppowitz relaunching as the New Park Theatre launching September 15, 1939 with Spencer Tracy in “Stanley and Livingstone.” Warner Bros. Circuit operated the New Park turned Park until divesting with many theatres due to a consent decree.
William Goldman ran both the Park and the State until closing both in 1964. The Park closed September 8, 1964 with “The New Interns.” In August of 1967, the former Hanover Opera House turned State Theatre was demolished.
Regal closed its Osceola West 6 Cinema on October 14, 2001 opening out at the 15-year leasing point and citing the underperforming nature of the venue.
When announced in 1985, the Florida Mall project was drawn up as a 9-plex. The Mall, itself, launched theatre-less on March 12, 1986. The theatre was part of a $9 million addition. When the Movies at Florida Mall had its Grand Opening on July 24, 1987, the venue was reduced to a 7-plex with 70mm capability and Dolby Stereo sound. It had its final big event - a World Premiere screening of “Olive Juice” on February 14, 2001. But just a week later, it closed permanently on February 22, 2001 following the circuit’s declaration of bankruptcy. It was one of 12 theatres in Central Florida which closed in a two month period as General Cinema and Loews joined in the closures.
United Artists Theatre Corp. launched two theatres in December of 1986 in The Movies at Lake Howell on December 5 and The Movies at Republic Square on December 19th. On May 17, 1996, ownership of both theatres transferred to Muvico Theaters of Fort Lauderdale. Muvico purchased 41 other UA locations along with the Lake Howell and Republic Square. The circuit didn’t like what it saw at the Republic Square and ditched a renovation project.
Instead, Muvico opted out of a leasing agreement at the ten-year mark closing after just under five months of operation on October 3, 1996. Favorite Cinemas took on the venue the next day as its final owner. Favorite appears to have shuttered the Republic Square 6 on April 29, 1999.
A minor point but the theatre changed its name from the Tampa Bay Mall I & II to the Tampa Bay Center I & II beginning on April 28, 1978 to its closing in 1990. The shopping complex had dropped “mall” from its official name and the Cinema followed its lead.
The AMC Springs North 4 was closed at the end of a 20-year lease in November of 1991 as a sub-run discount house. However, AMC carried on with the renamed Springs South turned AMC Indian Springs 6 elsewhere in the mall until opting out at its 15-year leasing point on May 30, 1996.
Startime Cinema Inc. reopened the AMC Indian Springs South 6 on August 30, 1996 as Super Saver Cinema 6 after AMC Movie Theaters Inc. let its lease expire. The sub-run discount theatre closed a year later on September 28, 1997.
The 6-screen should likely have its own CinemaTreasure entry.
Silver Cinemas operated this also as a sub-run discount house until May 1, 2000 when it shut down 17 locations including here as the Super Saver 8, the Kipling location as well as the Aurora Super Saver.
Silver Cinemas operated this also as a sub-run discount house until May 1, 2000 when it shut down 17 locations including here as the. super Saver 8, the Kipling location as well the Arvada.
Silver Cinemas operated this also as a sub-run discount house until May 1, 2000 when it shut down 17 locations including the Kipling location as well as the Aurora Super Saver and Arvada.
Car mike declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy Reorganization on August 8, 2000 and the Hoffner Center 6 was among its announced closures weeks later with The venue shuttering on August 24, 2000.
I had read about the “only theatre in town” in the trade press and local papers in the late 1910s - the Palm Theatre. It’s listed for sale and the town is again described in the 1920s a a one theatre town with its movie house known as the Popular Theatre. So it’s likely that the building in the silent days spent time as the Conn, Palm, and Popular becoming the Granada with sound followed by the Cloud, Popcorn Palace and Cloud Twin.
General Cinema Corp. began the GCC Northdale Court 6 on May 24, 1985. It closed the venue in October of 1991. Cobb Theatres took on the location as the Northdale Court in December of 1991. Cobb sold off its portfolio officially on June 11, 1997 and the venue resumed changing its name to the Regal Northdale Court 6. Regal closed on June 13, 1999 as an arthouse. It was said to be converted to a fitness center.
The Palace Cinema and Pub: Buccaneer Square opened March 8, 1984 with “Gorky Park.” The name was tweaked within a year to the Buccaneer Palace Cinema and Pub. The venue was then twinned becoming the Buccaneer Palace Cinema Pubs. By the end of 1987, it was operating as the Buccaneer Square Palace Cinema Pubs.
On November 19, 1999, the venue changed names if not operators to Buccaneers Cinema Bar & Grill with an official Grand Opening held on December 17, 1999. The theatre closed permanently on July 9, 2000 with “Scary Movie” and “Road Trip.” Three days later, the entire venue was auctioned off including its projectors.
The AMC Horizon Park 4 closed on September 30, 1997 with “Hoodlum,” “Fire Down Below,” “Money Talks” and “Kull: The Conqueror.” The AMC Twin Bays 4, which had opened the same day as the Horizon Park, closed two days prior on September 28, 1997.
The General Cinema Renaissance Center project was announced in 1986 but the City put the project on hold over a road project. Since the circuit already had a presence at the Altamonte Mall, the wait likely wasn’t as urgent as for the center’s owners. Renaissance Center launched in Fall of 1989 and the General Cinema Altamonte 8 Renaissance Center opened May 25, 1990 along with the General Cinema Lake Mary Centre 8.
GCC closed the twin-screen venue in the Altamonte Mall’s parking lot on March 23, 2000 at the end of a 25-year leasing agreement. That property was razed. But General Cinema was headed toward bankruptcy that same year. The chain’s reliance on aging multiplexes was decimated by other chains which built modern megaplexes. Retaining symmetry with the Lake Mary, General Cinema closed both locations on September 28, 2000. General Cinema also vanquished the Colonial Promenade and Fashion Square that day to exit the Orlando market altogether. GCC would announce its bankruptcy plans which found its skeletal remaining portfolio of theatres eventually sold off to AMC Theatres.
AMC would open an 18-screen megaplex in 2003 at Altamonte leaving time for more money to be squeezed from the 8-screen multiplex. Entertainment FilmWorks Circuit of Florida took on the Altamonte and Colonial Promenade locations in 2001 on five-year leases. SunStar Theatres took on the Lake Mary 8 on January 19, 2001. The Altamonte then re-emerged on July 20, 2001. The Promenade was the first of the GCC venues to re-closed just a year later on October 31, 2002.
The Altamonte 8 passed from EFW Circuit to Theatre Management Inc. / TMI Theatres Circuit of Deland on December 15, 2002 continuing first-run films. The AMC 18 launched on June 27, 2003 and TMI closed its Altamonte 8 on July 20, 2003 transferring ownership to new operator Jim Norton of JPN Cinemas. The Altomaonte returned that Friday on July 25th repositioned as an art film venue with some second-run titles in August of 2003 under the name of Altamonte Cinema 8. It closed on January 2, 2005.
TouchStar Cinemas, which had taken on the former GCC / EFW Colonial Promenade, gave the Altamonte 8 one last chance as an ultra discount, sub-run house. It relaunched June 17, 2005 in time for the Memorial Day weekend offering $1 popcorn, drinks and films. It added Middle Eastern films to its second-run mix and almost inexplicably gave the theatre an overhaul in January of 2006. TouchStar left the venue on August 17, 2006 with programming ostensibly continuing at the Picture Show at Alamonte Springs.
The Cross-Keys opened on June 16, 1950 with “Streets of Laredo” It closed on Sept. 1, 1986 with “Top Gun” and Blake Edwards' “A Fine Mess.”
An extensive architectural redesign was approved and carried out to the plans of the firm, Hamme and Leber with the Opera House having a grand reopening in 1902.
The Park Theatre closed September 8, 1964 with Telly Savalas “The New Interns.” In August of 1967, the former Hanover Opera House turned State Theatre was demolished.
The Hanover Opera House launched with live entertainment on September 12, 1887 with Middie Maddern in “Caprice.” Moving pictures were added to the mix at least by April 13, 1907 when Harry C. Naill began playing motion pictures. They proved so popular that in 1909 two things happened. The first was that a new movie theatre with 360 seats was opened by Westfall and Nydeggor in downtown Hanover. The second was that the Opera House was modernized to the plans of architect Edward Leber of Hamme and Leber of York.
The “new” Hanover Opera House seated 1,200 with the upper balcony seating removed in 1909. Movies won as the local movie theater thrived and the Hanover Opera House was auctioned off for lack of payments just three years later. After trying live fare again, the Opera House was sold at another auction sale within eight years.
In March of 1919, new operator Fred Bitner finally installed permanent projectors with two Powers 6B units and moving to regular movie theater fare. He also brought back to the stage one Middie Maddern (now Middie Maddern Fiske) who had opened the venue almost 35 years earlier. But silent feature films proved popular and rotated with live events until the competing movie houses converted to sound. The biggest silent titles started at the Opera House including, “Birth of a Nation,” “Ben Hur,” and “The Covered Wagon.”
New operator Milton W. Shaeffer took on the venue and converted to sound on November 28, 1930 as the Park Theatre. It now had Western Electric sound and Simplex projectors. However, it soon closed as sound films weren’t satisfactory and got a new auditorium treatment opening as the New Park Thatre on October 16, 1931 with “The Squaw Man.” It returned to the Park moniker dropping “new” thereafter.
The venue got a major refresh to the plans of David Suppowitz relaunching as the New Park Theatre launching September 15, 1939 with Spencer Tracy in “Stanley and Livingstone.” Warner Bros. Circuit operated the New Park turned Park until divesting with many theatres due to a consent decree.
William Goldman ran both the Park and the State until closing both in 1964. The Park closed September 8, 1964 with “The New Interns.” In August of 1967, the former Hanover Opera House turned State Theatre was demolished.
Closed permanently following shows of March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Regal closed its Osceola West 6 Cinema on October 14, 2001 opening out at the 15-year leasing point and citing the underperforming nature of the venue.
Regal closed the venue as the Osceola 6 East Cinema on March 25, 2006.
When announced in 1985, the Florida Mall project was drawn up as a 9-plex. The Mall, itself, launched theatre-less on March 12, 1986. The theatre was part of a $9 million addition. When the Movies at Florida Mall had its Grand Opening on July 24, 1987, the venue was reduced to a 7-plex with 70mm capability and Dolby Stereo sound. It had its final big event - a World Premiere screening of “Olive Juice” on February 14, 2001. But just a week later, it closed permanently on February 22, 2001 following the circuit’s declaration of bankruptcy. It was one of 12 theatres in Central Florida which closed in a two month period as General Cinema and Loews joined in the closures.
United Artists Theatre Corp. launched two theatres in December of 1986 in The Movies at Lake Howell on December 5 and The Movies at Republic Square on December 19th. On May 17, 1996, ownership of both theatres transferred to Muvico Theaters of Fort Lauderdale. Muvico purchased 41 other UA locations along with the Lake Howell and Republic Square. The circuit didn’t like what it saw at the Republic Square and ditched a renovation project.
Instead, Muvico opted out of a leasing agreement at the ten-year mark closing after just under five months of operation on October 3, 1996. Favorite Cinemas took on the venue the next day as its final owner. Favorite appears to have shuttered the Republic Square 6 on April 29, 1999.
A minor point but the theatre changed its name from the Tampa Bay Mall I & II to the Tampa Bay Center I & II beginning on April 28, 1978 to its closing in 1990. The shopping complex had dropped “mall” from its official name and the Cinema followed its lead.
The AMC Springs North 4 was closed at the end of a 20-year lease in November of 1991 as a sub-run discount house. However, AMC carried on with the renamed Springs South turned AMC Indian Springs 6 elsewhere in the mall until opting out at its 15-year leasing point on May 30, 1996.
Startime Cinema Inc. reopened the AMC Indian Springs South 6 on August 30, 1996 as Super Saver Cinema 6 after AMC Movie Theaters Inc. let its lease expire. The sub-run discount theatre closed a year later on September 28, 1997.
The 6-screen should likely have its own CinemaTreasure entry.
Operated formerly by Silver Cinemas
Silver Cinemas operated this also as a sub-run discount house until May 1, 2000 when it shut down 17 locations including here as the Super Saver 8, the Kipling location as well as the Aurora Super Saver.
Silver Cinemas operated this also as a sub-run discount house until May 1, 2000 when it shut down 17 locations including here as the. super Saver 8, the Kipling location as well the Arvada.
Silver Cinemas operated this also as a sub-run discount house until May 1, 2000 when it shut down 17 locations including the Kipling location as well as the Aurora Super Saver and Arvada.
Operated by Silver Cinemas beginning in September 1997, the circuit closed the venue on May 2, 2000 along with 16 other locations.
Closed April 30, 2000 along with 16 other Silver Cinema discount houses that day.
Car mike declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy Reorganization on August 8, 2000 and the Hoffner Center 6 was among its announced closures weeks later with The venue shuttering on August 24, 2000.
The AMC Varsity 6 closed on August 7, 1997.
Launched June 4, 1982
I had read about the “only theatre in town” in the trade press and local papers in the late 1910s - the Palm Theatre. It’s listed for sale and the town is again described in the 1920s a a one theatre town with its movie house known as the Popular Theatre. So it’s likely that the building in the silent days spent time as the Conn, Palm, and Popular becoming the Granada with sound followed by the Cloud, Popcorn Palace and Cloud Twin.
General Cinema Corp. began the GCC Northdale Court 6 on May 24, 1985. It closed the venue in October of 1991. Cobb Theatres took on the location as the Northdale Court in December of 1991. Cobb sold off its portfolio officially on June 11, 1997 and the venue resumed changing its name to the Regal Northdale Court 6. Regal closed on June 13, 1999 as an arthouse. It was said to be converted to a fitness center.
The Palace Cinema and Pub: Buccaneer Square opened March 8, 1984 with “Gorky Park.” The name was tweaked within a year to the Buccaneer Palace Cinema and Pub. The venue was then twinned becoming the Buccaneer Palace Cinema Pubs. By the end of 1987, it was operating as the Buccaneer Square Palace Cinema Pubs.
On November 19, 1999, the venue changed names if not operators to Buccaneers Cinema Bar & Grill with an official Grand Opening held on December 17, 1999. The theatre closed permanently on July 9, 2000 with “Scary Movie” and “Road Trip.” Three days later, the entire venue was auctioned off including its projectors.
The AMC Horizon Park 4 closed on September 30, 1997 with “Hoodlum,” “Fire Down Below,” “Money Talks” and “Kull: The Conqueror.” The AMC Twin Bays 4, which had opened the same day as the Horizon Park, closed two days prior on September 28, 1997.
The General Cinema Renaissance Center project was announced in 1986 but the City put the project on hold over a road project. Since the circuit already had a presence at the Altamonte Mall, the wait likely wasn’t as urgent as for the center’s owners. Renaissance Center launched in Fall of 1989 and the General Cinema Altamonte 8 Renaissance Center opened May 25, 1990 along with the General Cinema Lake Mary Centre 8.
GCC closed the twin-screen venue in the Altamonte Mall’s parking lot on March 23, 2000 at the end of a 25-year leasing agreement. That property was razed. But General Cinema was headed toward bankruptcy that same year. The chain’s reliance on aging multiplexes was decimated by other chains which built modern megaplexes. Retaining symmetry with the Lake Mary, General Cinema closed both locations on September 28, 2000. General Cinema also vanquished the Colonial Promenade and Fashion Square that day to exit the Orlando market altogether. GCC would announce its bankruptcy plans which found its skeletal remaining portfolio of theatres eventually sold off to AMC Theatres.
AMC would open an 18-screen megaplex in 2003 at Altamonte leaving time for more money to be squeezed from the 8-screen multiplex. Entertainment FilmWorks Circuit of Florida took on the Altamonte and Colonial Promenade locations in 2001 on five-year leases. SunStar Theatres took on the Lake Mary 8 on January 19, 2001. The Altamonte then re-emerged on July 20, 2001. The Promenade was the first of the GCC venues to re-closed just a year later on October 31, 2002.
The Altamonte 8 passed from EFW Circuit to Theatre Management Inc. / TMI Theatres Circuit of Deland on December 15, 2002 continuing first-run films. The AMC 18 launched on June 27, 2003 and TMI closed its Altamonte 8 on July 20, 2003 transferring ownership to new operator Jim Norton of JPN Cinemas. The Altomaonte returned that Friday on July 25th repositioned as an art film venue with some second-run titles in August of 2003 under the name of Altamonte Cinema 8. It closed on January 2, 2005.
TouchStar Cinemas, which had taken on the former GCC / EFW Colonial Promenade, gave the Altamonte 8 one last chance as an ultra discount, sub-run house. It relaunched June 17, 2005 in time for the Memorial Day weekend offering $1 popcorn, drinks and films. It added Middle Eastern films to its second-run mix and almost inexplicably gave the theatre an overhaul in January of 2006. TouchStar left the venue on August 17, 2006 with programming ostensibly continuing at the Picture Show at Alamonte Springs.