The Loew’s St. Pete was bought out by GCC at about the same time they bought the Loew’s in Tampa. I think this was about 1972. Shortly afterwards both theatres were twinned and renamed. The Loew’s in Tampa became the Austin Cinema I & II and the Loew’s St. Pete became the 5th Avenue Cinema I & II.
In Tampa CUCKOO’S NEST opened at the Austin Cinema and I think at least one other theatre. It was a very popular attraction here but I can’t recall the length of run. I doubt it ran anywhere near the run that LOEW’S CRESCENT had but then again the Austin was noted for long runs. Will check on my next library visit.
The Mustang was a large and very nice drive-in with the biggest screen in the area measuring 120-feet wide. Several rows were equipped with A/C units at the bottom of the speaker poles. For an extra 50-cents you could watch the movie in air conditioned comfort via a hose that pumped cool air into your car. All windows were fully rolled up except one which was rolled almost to the top leaving just enough room for the hose. An attendant would activate the unit and place the hose in the opening.
I drove over from Tampa around 1971 to see “Night of the Living Dead.” On another trip I saw “Tora Tora Tora” and “100 Rifles.” The drive-in was later twinned with a second (and much smaller) screen added at the back of the lot. As noted above after the drive-in closed it became known as the Mustang Flea Market for several years.
Sorry my error! I just checked and the Beach is still a single screen theatre. Don’t know how I figured it to be a twin. I was probably thinking of another older area theatre that was twinned several years ago…the Zephyrhills Home Theatre. How I confused this one with the Beach is beyond me. Sorry for the scare! I need to check facts before posting.
Mikeoaklandpark, Megaplexes are the only theatres that exist in Tampa now with the exception of the Tampa Theatre. I don’t recall any other single-screeners still operating in the area. Unless you count the twin-screen BEACH THEATRE in St. Pete Beach which is about as close to a single-screen as you’re gonna get today.
Mike, You’re right. It’s easy for the heat and humidity here in Florida to destroy these programs. I keep them in folders along with various theatre clippings and materials. Still some seem to be surviving better than others.
tlsloews, It’s amazing that none of the theatres in your city were destroyed by dividing. I just assumed theatres in every city were suffering the same fate but apparently not. Locally there were three large theatres that received the split treatment: the Britton, the Loews, and the Hillsboro I. The Loew’s/Austin was one of the worst examples of this trend.
Thanks Patsy and tlsloews. How I wish I had made the extra effort to attend one of Tampa Theatre’s silent film showings and see Rosa perform on the Mighty Wurlitzer. I have heard the Wurlitzer many times during regular film showings where various members of the Central Florida Theatre Organ Society perform a pre-show mini-concert. Hearing that Mighty Wurlitzer is half the enjoyment of attending the Tampa Theatre.
Here’s an article on the reopening of the Britton as a triplex on June 28, 1973. A photo shows a portion of the original auditorium with the new smaller screen that replaced the original 60-foot wide screen which was torn out. I focused the ad to the max but still not the best quality. Text of article continues on bottom link. View link
I just realized the link above does in fact have a photo of the rear of the screen and a program. Click the Image Gallery and you’ll see the screen which is in-between two motels! Never seen any drive-in like this before.
Tlsloews, I found this on the Gulfstream and I also posted this link on the Miami Drive-In site. But it doesn’t give very much info. It might be listed in Mike’s theatre almanac. http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/fltgul3
Ahh..but what a nice sickness. I wasn’t aware it was Clint’s birthday today. Hard to believe he’s 80 already. I understand one of his earlier roles was an uncredited brief spot in 1955’s TARANTULA (which I saw at the RITZ.) He played the leader of the jet squardron that bombs the giant spider with napalm. He was wearing an air mask that covered much of his face but if you look closely there’s no mistaking his eyes.
May 27, 1961…my first day at the RITZ and the first of many visits. After “13 Ghosts” had ended several kids either tore or discarded their ghost viewers (idiots!) But I kept mine and here it is 50 years later. Treasured memories! View link
The Florida is demolished. I took these with a small polaroid so my apologies for the quality.
Front and side views. Note balcony outline etched in side wall. View link
Portion of balcony with part of booth still standing in upper center of photo. The proscenium was hidden for many years when new wide screen was installed. View link
Mike, you sent me the photo in your booklet on National Hills remember? And you included a small piece of the screen too. Yes I know we theatre lovers do some weird things…weird to outsiders but totally normal for us!
Here’s an ad for the film that began my obsession with movies and theatres. Was my favorite sci-fi film up until “2001” came along 7 years later. View link
“2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY” in 70mm Cinerama. A sight to behold on the big Cinerama screen. View link
Mike, No problem…I’ll get a copy of “HOW THE WEST WAS WON” to you. You’ll never see ads like these in the newspapers again for any movie. Hate to say this but I seldom even bother looking at the theatre listings anymore. Hardly anything worth looking at.
The newspaper ads usually listed LOEW’S TAMPA so as to not confuse it with the LOEW’S across the bay in St. Petersburg since they also advertised in the Tampa papers.
Tlsloews & Mike, The LOEW’S TAMPA is actually the Austin Cinema 1 & II. Will be scanning more vintage ads between today & tomorrow so keep looking! Also, check the CINEMA in DC for THE EXORCIST ad from 1974 where I saw the film for the first time at the K-B Cinema.
And here’s the opening day ad for “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” which was the biggest attraction to ever play at the Palace. At the time who could have foreseen it would run for one year and five months? The film was presented in 70mm for the first few weeks and in 35mm for the remainder of the run. View link
Yes, when Mike visited Tampa we took him downtown to take the tour of the Tampa Theatre. It was the number one priority on the list! He was very much impressed. This theatre never fails to impress everyone who sees it.
The Loew’s St. Pete was bought out by GCC at about the same time they bought the Loew’s in Tampa. I think this was about 1972. Shortly afterwards both theatres were twinned and renamed. The Loew’s in Tampa became the Austin Cinema I & II and the Loew’s St. Pete became the 5th Avenue Cinema I & II.
In Tampa CUCKOO’S NEST opened at the Austin Cinema and I think at least one other theatre. It was a very popular attraction here but I can’t recall the length of run. I doubt it ran anywhere near the run that LOEW’S CRESCENT had but then again the Austin was noted for long runs. Will check on my next library visit.
The Mustang was a large and very nice drive-in with the biggest screen in the area measuring 120-feet wide. Several rows were equipped with A/C units at the bottom of the speaker poles. For an extra 50-cents you could watch the movie in air conditioned comfort via a hose that pumped cool air into your car. All windows were fully rolled up except one which was rolled almost to the top leaving just enough room for the hose. An attendant would activate the unit and place the hose in the opening.
I drove over from Tampa around 1971 to see “Night of the Living Dead.” On another trip I saw “Tora Tora Tora” and “100 Rifles.” The drive-in was later twinned with a second (and much smaller) screen added at the back of the lot. As noted above after the drive-in closed it became known as the Mustang Flea Market for several years.
Sorry my error! I just checked and the Beach is still a single screen theatre. Don’t know how I figured it to be a twin. I was probably thinking of another older area theatre that was twinned several years ago…the Zephyrhills Home Theatre. How I confused this one with the Beach is beyond me. Sorry for the scare! I need to check facts before posting.
Mikeoaklandpark, Megaplexes are the only theatres that exist in Tampa now with the exception of the Tampa Theatre. I don’t recall any other single-screeners still operating in the area. Unless you count the twin-screen BEACH THEATRE in St. Pete Beach which is about as close to a single-screen as you’re gonna get today.
Mike, You’re right. It’s easy for the heat and humidity here in Florida to destroy these programs. I keep them in folders along with various theatre clippings and materials. Still some seem to be surviving better than others.
tlsloews, It’s amazing that none of the theatres in your city were destroyed by dividing. I just assumed theatres in every city were suffering the same fate but apparently not. Locally there were three large theatres that received the split treatment: the Britton, the Loews, and the Hillsboro I. The Loew’s/Austin was one of the worst examples of this trend.
Thanks Patsy and tlsloews. How I wish I had made the extra effort to attend one of Tampa Theatre’s silent film showings and see Rosa perform on the Mighty Wurlitzer. I have heard the Wurlitzer many times during regular film showings where various members of the Central Florida Theatre Organ Society perform a pre-show mini-concert. Hearing that Mighty Wurlitzer is half the enjoyment of attending the Tampa Theatre.
Here’s an article on the reopening of the Britton as a triplex on June 28, 1973. A photo shows a portion of the original auditorium with the new smaller screen that replaced the original 60-foot wide screen which was torn out. I focused the ad to the max but still not the best quality. Text of article continues on bottom link.
View link
Text continued from above:
View link
I just realized the link above does in fact have a photo of the rear of the screen and a program. Click the Image Gallery and you’ll see the screen which is in-between two motels! Never seen any drive-in like this before.
Tlsloews, I found this on the Gulfstream and I also posted this link on the Miami Drive-In site. But it doesn’t give very much info. It might be listed in Mike’s theatre almanac.
http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/fltgul3
Ahh..but what a nice sickness. I wasn’t aware it was Clint’s birthday today. Hard to believe he’s 80 already. I understand one of his earlier roles was an uncredited brief spot in 1955’s TARANTULA (which I saw at the RITZ.) He played the leader of the jet squardron that bombs the giant spider with napalm. He was wearing an air mask that covered much of his face but if you look closely there’s no mistaking his eyes.
May 27, 1961…my first day at the RITZ and the first of many visits. After “13 Ghosts” had ended several kids either tore or discarded their ghost viewers (idiots!) But I kept mine and here it is 50 years later. Treasured memories!
View link
The Florida is demolished. I took these with a small polaroid so my apologies for the quality.
Front and side views. Note balcony outline etched in side wall.
View link
Portion of balcony with part of booth still standing in upper center of photo. The proscenium was hidden for many years when new wide screen was installed.
View link
Programs from 1951:
View link
Mike, you sent me the photo in your booklet on National Hills remember? And you included a small piece of the screen too. Yes I know we theatre lovers do some weird things…weird to outsiders but totally normal for us!
Here’s an ad for the film that began my obsession with movies and theatres. Was my favorite sci-fi film up until “2001” came along 7 years later.
View link
“2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY” in 70mm Cinerama. A sight to behold on the big Cinerama screen.
View link
Mike, No problem…I’ll get a copy of “HOW THE WEST WAS WON” to you. You’ll never see ads like these in the newspapers again for any movie. Hate to say this but I seldom even bother looking at the theatre listings anymore. Hardly anything worth looking at.
Ad for dusk-to-dawn show Saturday July 9, 1966.
View link
The newspaper ads usually listed LOEW’S TAMPA so as to not confuse it with the LOEW’S across the bay in St. Petersburg since they also advertised in the Tampa papers.
Oops! Forgot to link the photo to my post above:
View link
WOW! Look at that line of kids awaiting entrance to the opening of “A HARD DAY’S NIGHT” in August 1964. Certainly not a quiet day at the Miller!
Tlsloews & Mike, The LOEW’S TAMPA is actually the Austin Cinema 1 & II. Will be scanning more vintage ads between today & tomorrow so keep looking! Also, check the CINEMA in DC for THE EXORCIST ad from 1974 where I saw the film for the first time at the K-B Cinema.
Here are the ads for the 3-strip Cinerama attractions:
“THIS IS CINERAMA"
View link
“SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD"
View link
“CINERAMA HOLIDAY"
View link
“THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM"
View link
“SEARCH FOR PARADISE"
View link
“SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE"
View link
“HOW THE WEST WAS WON"
View link
And here’s the opening day ad for “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” which was the biggest attraction to ever play at the Palace. At the time who could have foreseen it would run for one year and five months? The film was presented in 70mm for the first few weeks and in 35mm for the remainder of the run.
View link
Yes, when Mike visited Tampa we took him downtown to take the tour of the Tampa Theatre. It was the number one priority on the list! He was very much impressed. This theatre never fails to impress everyone who sees it.