From the microfilm at Hillman Library in Oakland. The only problem is that the Pittsburgh movie grosses aren’t included in Variety every week. Sometimes Pittsburgh is included for three or four weeks in a row, then might disappear for two or three weeks. I’m doing the best I can from that, personal memories, old reviews and listings in the Pittsburgh Press Weekender section (appeared every Thursday) to determine which films played in which Fulton auditorium from 1979-1984. I think after I’m done I can probably get it to about 90 percent accurate. Of course, there’s always the chance the two films switched auditoriums during the week, but at least it will be a semi-accurate record of which films were in which auditorium at the start of a week. I’m also trying to get a record of what played at the other Downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland and Squirrel Hill theaters (Warner, Fiesta, Gateway, which closed in 1980, Bank Cinemas, Chatham, Kings Court, Manor and Squirrel Hill) from 1979 thru 1986.
05/01/86 Toxic Avenger
05/02/86 Blue City
05/09/86 Blue City
05/16/86 Top Gun
05/23/86 Top Gun
05/30/86 Top Gun
I must correct something I posted earlier. Upon further investigation, I’ve discovered that the 1,475+ seat Fulton I went dark in late September, 1984 with “7 Doors of Death” and “Purple Rain, only reopening for a few weeks around Christmas, 1984 for "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.” According to the records on Variety, “City Heat” only played at the Fulton Mini. From early-mid January, 1985 until Jan. 6, 1987 only the 200+ seat Fulton Mini remained open.
04/04/85 Police Academy
04/12/85 Cat’s Eye
04/19/85 A Company of Wolves
04/26/85 Just One of the Guys
05/03/85 Just One of the Guys/Avenging Angel
05/10/85 Rappin'
05/17/85 Rappin'
05/22/85 Brewster’s Millions
05/31/85 Brewster’s Millions
I’ll get April and May of 1985 the next time I get to the library microfilm, which will hopefully be within the next week. From what I’ve been able to gather, the Fulton stopped using the Fulton II for several months after “City Heat” completed its run in January, 1985. The Fulton I remained open, playing first-run movies until mid- November, 1985, when Pittsburgh Filmmakers took over — “To Live and Die in L.A.” might have been the final first-run mainstream release to play Fulton I. Then the Fulton II reopened and resumed playing first-run films from mid-Nov., 1985 to Jan. 6, 1987 — closing with “The Golden Child.” At some point thereafter, Pittsburgh Filmmakers began using the smaller Fulton II most of the time to show art/specialty films. If I got any of this wrong, please feel free to correct the record.
3/2 Against All Odds; Strange Invaders
3/9 Against All Odds; Children of the Corn
3/16 Ice Pirates; Children of the Corn
3/23 Ice Pirates; Blade Master
3/30 Romancing the Stone; Ice Pirates
9/2 Hercules/Strange Brew at 10 p.m. only; Deathstalker
9/9 Prison Girls (X) in 3-D; Deathstalker
9/16 Revenge of the Ninja; Prison Girls (X) in 3-D
9/23 Revenge of the Ninja; Angel Cash (X)
9/30 Brainstorm; Revenge of the Ninja
I don’t have anything personally, but if you’re in/near Pittsburgh, you can view the microfilm from The Pittsburgh Press and Post-Gazette at Hillman Library and Carnegie Library in Oakland. I viewed a lot of microfilm from 1968 at Hillman Library about a decade ago. At Hillman, you can now make a copy of something and send it to your own e-mail. If I can be of help, let me know. I’m currently doing my own microfilm project to complete my records of what played all Downtown Pittsburgh theaters from 1979 to 1986.
There are also some instacnes from my own childhood where I can correct the record by knowing from having seen it there that “Creepshow” opened at Fulton I while “Aunt Peg’s Fulfillment” (whatever that was?) opened in the Mini. However, it’s quite possible that “Creepshow” switched to the Mini at the start of its 3rd week when the women-in-prison “Concrete Jungle” opened. It’s weeks like that I’m trying to figure out. Common sense tells you that “48 Hrs.” got the main house while the month-old “Creepshow” occupied the Mini.
Thank you for the Fulton/Fulton II listings. Do you have 1983-1985/86? I can’t recall when exactly the main Fulton closed — I know “City Heat” played there in December, 1984 before moving over to the Mini a couple weeks later — but I’m pretty sure Cinemette kept the much smaller Fulton II open a while longer. I know the final movies played Downtown Pittsburgh around August 31, 1986. The Bank Cinemas and the Fiesta were the last two to go at the same time. I’m trying to piece together as accurate a record as possible about what played in the 1,500-seat Fulton I vs. the 220-seat Fulton II in those final few years. It especially interests me when two new titles opened at the Fulton on the same day, and which film got the big house and which film was relegated to the small house. The disparity in seating is something I find really unique – at least for this area. When something opened new at the 220-seat Fulton Mini (aka Fulton II), there was usually lower expectations for that particular film. I realize you can’t always tell from the advertising, but I plan to double back and check the Pittsburgh grosses from Variety, local film reviews and columns to try to confirm as much as possible. Moveovers from Fulton I and other theaters, and low-budget exploitation usually went to the Mini, but there are some cases where the bookings are less clear. For instance, the re-release of 1953’s “House of Wax” in 3-D opened at the Fulton the same day in February, 1982 as “The Border” with Jack Nicholson. Both played two weeks. In an instance such as that (and a handful of others), I’m trying my best to at least find out which film opened in which house. Again, thank you greatly for your help.
Bless you. This information means a lot to me. I have Ed’s records of what played in Downtown Pittsburgh from the 1950s thru the late ‘70s. That’s why I’m looking for what played Downtown from 1979-1986. I’m pretty sure the last two movies I saw Downtown were “Psycho III” and “Aliens” at the Fiesta in July/August of 1986. Sadly, by the summer of 1987, all were closed (except the Fulton Mini, which reopened for another 8 years or so as an art house called Filmmakers at the Fulton. I saw a bunch of films there too, but it just wasn’t the same by then. Gosh, 1981. That was a golden time for me. That’s the last full year my grandmother was alive and still living with us, and I remember seeing “For Your Eyes Only” at the main Fulton in the summer of '81 and “Scanners” and “Fort Apache, The Bronx” at the Mini earlier that year. By that time, however, we had discovered the suburban theaters and the convenience of free parking. Now I just wish I would have seen more of the films I saw Downtown in those final years. I liked all of those 1981 films you mentioned, plus “Nighthawks,” “Blow Out” and “Escape from New York.”
I remember from my childhood that the much-smaller Fulton Mini (barely over 200 seats) was often used as a moveover auditorium for films that opened at Fulton 1 and other Downtown theaters. A former manager at the Fulton once told me a story of the new “Death Wish II” and the week-old “Fighting Back” flipping back and forth at least one time in May, 1982. Looking forward to the final year, 1981.
I remember from my childhood that the much-smaller Fulton Mini (barely over 200 seats) was often used as a moveover auditorium for films that opened at Fulton 1 and other Downtown theaters. A former manager at the Fulton once told me a story of the new “Death Wish II” and the week-old “Fighting Back” flipping back and forth at least one time in May, 1982. Looking forward to the final year, 1981.
“Walk Proud” was a dopey drama with Robby Benson cast as a Hispanic tough who falls in love with a Caucasian girl, which, of course, rattles both of their worlds. That definitely seems like a Fulton Mini film if there ever was one.
ChuckC, you’re so right. Moviegoing today is infinitely more boring than it was back then (both in terms of the theaters and films themselves). I was lucky enough to be born in 1971 and start going to Downtown Pittsburgh theaters as a little kid in late 1975, so I was lucky enough to catch the tail end of that era. I cherish those experiences and often wish I could travel back in a time machine to see hundreds of more movies that way. I will check out your site.
I don’t mean to be a pain, but I’m really looking forward to the listings of what played at Fulton I vs. Fulton II from 1979-1981. Your answer about “Thief” solved a 27-year-old mystery for me.
I’m really only interested in what played at the Fulton I, (which had 1,500 to 1,700 seats) versus what played at The Fulton Mini (aka Fulton II, which only had 235 seats). My first question was to find out whether of not “Thief” with James Caan opened at Fulton I or II in late March, 1981? If you could also give me the information of what was playing on Fulton I vs. Fulton II from the beginning of 1979 thru 1981, I would greatly appreciate it. Many of the films that started their runs in the much larger Fulton I, were moved to Fulton II after a while to make room for a new picture (this was common). Another thing I’m wondering about if there’s any record of films that might have opened in the small Fulton II that overperformed and were moved up to the main Fulton I (which was probably much less common)? It really doesn’t matter to me in the case of the twinned Bank Cinemas or the Manor because in each case both screens were nearly identical and had about the same capacities.
Can anybody out there confirm for me whether “Thief” starring James Caan opened at the smaller Fulton Mini (and not the main Fulton) in late March, 1981? I’ve had conflicting reports on this.
“Midway” definitely played at the Gateway Theater during the summer of ‘76 (in Sensurround). I’m pretty sure the Gateway closed in June, 1980 with “Friday the 13th.”
From the microfilm at Hillman Library in Oakland. The only problem is that the Pittsburgh movie grosses aren’t included in Variety every week. Sometimes Pittsburgh is included for three or four weeks in a row, then might disappear for two or three weeks. I’m doing the best I can from that, personal memories, old reviews and listings in the Pittsburgh Press Weekender section (appeared every Thursday) to determine which films played in which Fulton auditorium from 1979-1984. I think after I’m done I can probably get it to about 90 percent accurate. Of course, there’s always the chance the two films switched auditoriums during the week, but at least it will be a semi-accurate record of which films were in which auditorium at the start of a week. I’m also trying to get a record of what played at the other Downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland and Squirrel Hill theaters (Warner, Fiesta, Gateway, which closed in 1980, Bank Cinemas, Chatham, Kings Court, Manor and Squirrel Hill) from 1979 thru 1986.
Fulton Mini, May, 1986:
05/01/86 Toxic Avenger
05/02/86 Blue City
05/09/86 Blue City
05/16/86 Top Gun
05/23/86 Top Gun
05/30/86 Top Gun
I must correct something I posted earlier. Upon further investigation, I’ve discovered that the 1,475+ seat Fulton I went dark in late September, 1984 with “7 Doors of Death” and “Purple Rain, only reopening for a few weeks around Christmas, 1984 for "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.” According to the records on Variety, “City Heat” only played at the Fulton Mini. From early-mid January, 1985 until Jan. 6, 1987 only the 200+ seat Fulton Mini remained open.
That April 4, 1985 listing should read “Police Academy 2.”
December, 1985: Fulton Mini
12/01/85-12/10/85 Krush Grove
12/11/85-12/19/85 CLOSED
12/20/85 Ememy Mine
12/27/85 Enemy Mine
The daily listing was for the Fulton Mini only starting in mid-November, 1985.
April-May, 1985:
04/04/85 Police Academy
04/12/85 Cat’s Eye
04/19/85 A Company of Wolves
04/26/85 Just One of the Guys
05/03/85 Just One of the Guys/Avenging Angel
05/10/85 Rappin'
05/17/85 Rappin'
05/22/85 Brewster’s Millions
05/31/85 Brewster’s Millions
71 dude,
Let me know if there are any other months of Fulton listings (in addition to April/May, 1985) from 1985-1986 that you don’t have and I’ll get them.
I’ll get April and May of 1985 the next time I get to the library microfilm, which will hopefully be within the next week. From what I’ve been able to gather, the Fulton stopped using the Fulton II for several months after “City Heat” completed its run in January, 1985. The Fulton I remained open, playing first-run movies until mid- November, 1985, when Pittsburgh Filmmakers took over — “To Live and Die in L.A.” might have been the final first-run mainstream release to play Fulton I. Then the Fulton II reopened and resumed playing first-run films from mid-Nov., 1985 to Jan. 6, 1987 — closing with “The Golden Child.” At some point thereafter, Pittsburgh Filmmakers began using the smaller Fulton II most of the time to show art/specialty films. If I got any of this wrong, please feel free to correct the record.
March, 1984:
3/2 Against All Odds; Strange Invaders
3/9 Against All Odds; Children of the Corn
3/16 Ice Pirates; Children of the Corn
3/23 Ice Pirates; Blade Master
3/30 Romancing the Stone; Ice Pirates
September, 1983:
9/2 Hercules/Strange Brew at 10 p.m. only; Deathstalker
9/9 Prison Girls (X) in 3-D; Deathstalker
9/16 Revenge of the Ninja; Prison Girls (X) in 3-D
9/23 Revenge of the Ninja; Angel Cash (X)
9/30 Brainstorm; Revenge of the Ninja
I don’t have anything personally, but if you’re in/near Pittsburgh, you can view the microfilm from The Pittsburgh Press and Post-Gazette at Hillman Library and Carnegie Library in Oakland. I viewed a lot of microfilm from 1968 at Hillman Library about a decade ago. At Hillman, you can now make a copy of something and send it to your own e-mail. If I can be of help, let me know. I’m currently doing my own microfilm project to complete my records of what played all Downtown Pittsburgh theaters from 1979 to 1986.
71dude,
I really look forward to your Fulton I & II postings. Once again you’ve made my day.
I meant to say, “Creepshow” at the beginning of its 4th week (not 3rd), possibly being switched to the Mini.
There are also some instacnes from my own childhood where I can correct the record by knowing from having seen it there that “Creepshow” opened at Fulton I while “Aunt Peg’s Fulfillment” (whatever that was?) opened in the Mini. However, it’s quite possible that “Creepshow” switched to the Mini at the start of its 3rd week when the women-in-prison “Concrete Jungle” opened. It’s weeks like that I’m trying to figure out. Common sense tells you that “48 Hrs.” got the main house while the month-old “Creepshow” occupied the Mini.
71dude,
Thank you for the Fulton/Fulton II listings. Do you have 1983-1985/86? I can’t recall when exactly the main Fulton closed — I know “City Heat” played there in December, 1984 before moving over to the Mini a couple weeks later — but I’m pretty sure Cinemette kept the much smaller Fulton II open a while longer. I know the final movies played Downtown Pittsburgh around August 31, 1986. The Bank Cinemas and the Fiesta were the last two to go at the same time. I’m trying to piece together as accurate a record as possible about what played in the 1,500-seat Fulton I vs. the 220-seat Fulton II in those final few years. It especially interests me when two new titles opened at the Fulton on the same day, and which film got the big house and which film was relegated to the small house. The disparity in seating is something I find really unique – at least for this area. When something opened new at the 220-seat Fulton Mini (aka Fulton II), there was usually lower expectations for that particular film. I realize you can’t always tell from the advertising, but I plan to double back and check the Pittsburgh grosses from Variety, local film reviews and columns to try to confirm as much as possible. Moveovers from Fulton I and other theaters, and low-budget exploitation usually went to the Mini, but there are some cases where the bookings are less clear. For instance, the re-release of 1953’s “House of Wax” in 3-D opened at the Fulton the same day in February, 1982 as “The Border” with Jack Nicholson. Both played two weeks. In an instance such as that (and a handful of others), I’m trying my best to at least find out which film opened in which house. Again, thank you greatly for your help.
Ron,
Bless you. This information means a lot to me. I have Ed’s records of what played in Downtown Pittsburgh from the 1950s thru the late ‘70s. That’s why I’m looking for what played Downtown from 1979-1986. I’m pretty sure the last two movies I saw Downtown were “Psycho III” and “Aliens” at the Fiesta in July/August of 1986. Sadly, by the summer of 1987, all were closed (except the Fulton Mini, which reopened for another 8 years or so as an art house called Filmmakers at the Fulton. I saw a bunch of films there too, but it just wasn’t the same by then. Gosh, 1981. That was a golden time for me. That’s the last full year my grandmother was alive and still living with us, and I remember seeing “For Your Eyes Only” at the main Fulton in the summer of '81 and “Scanners” and “Fort Apache, The Bronx” at the Mini earlier that year. By that time, however, we had discovered the suburban theaters and the convenience of free parking. Now I just wish I would have seen more of the films I saw Downtown in those final years. I liked all of those 1981 films you mentioned, plus “Nighthawks,” “Blow Out” and “Escape from New York.”
Ron,
I remember from my childhood that the much-smaller Fulton Mini (barely over 200 seats) was often used as a moveover auditorium for films that opened at Fulton 1 and other Downtown theaters. A former manager at the Fulton once told me a story of the new “Death Wish II” and the week-old “Fighting Back” flipping back and forth at least one time in May, 1982. Looking forward to the final year, 1981.
Ron,
I remember from my childhood that the much-smaller Fulton Mini (barely over 200 seats) was often used as a moveover auditorium for films that opened at Fulton 1 and other Downtown theaters. A former manager at the Fulton once told me a story of the new “Death Wish II” and the week-old “Fighting Back” flipping back and forth at least one time in May, 1982. Looking forward to the final year, 1981.
Ron,
Can you please post what was playing at the Fulton vs. Fulton II (Mini) in 1980? Thank you greatly in advance.
Ron,
“Walk Proud” was a dopey drama with Robby Benson cast as a Hispanic tough who falls in love with a Caucasian girl, which, of course, rattles both of their worlds. That definitely seems like a Fulton Mini film if there ever was one.
ChuckC, you’re so right. Moviegoing today is infinitely more boring than it was back then (both in terms of the theaters and films themselves). I was lucky enough to be born in 1971 and start going to Downtown Pittsburgh theaters as a little kid in late 1975, so I was lucky enough to catch the tail end of that era. I cherish those experiences and often wish I could travel back in a time machine to see hundreds of more movies that way. I will check out your site.
Ron,
I don’t mean to be a pain, but I’m really looking forward to the listings of what played at Fulton I vs. Fulton II from 1979-1981. Your answer about “Thief” solved a 27-year-old mystery for me.
Ron,
A million thanks. This information makes my week.
Ron,
I’m really only interested in what played at the Fulton I, (which had 1,500 to 1,700 seats) versus what played at The Fulton Mini (aka Fulton II, which only had 235 seats). My first question was to find out whether of not “Thief” with James Caan opened at Fulton I or II in late March, 1981? If you could also give me the information of what was playing on Fulton I vs. Fulton II from the beginning of 1979 thru 1981, I would greatly appreciate it. Many of the films that started their runs in the much larger Fulton I, were moved to Fulton II after a while to make room for a new picture (this was common). Another thing I’m wondering about if there’s any record of films that might have opened in the small Fulton II that overperformed and were moved up to the main Fulton I (which was probably much less common)? It really doesn’t matter to me in the case of the twinned Bank Cinemas or the Manor because in each case both screens were nearly identical and had about the same capacities.
Ron,
Do you by any chance have a list of the films that played at the Fulton and Fulton Mini from 1979 until closing in the mid-‘80s?
Can anybody out there confirm for me whether “Thief” starring James Caan opened at the smaller Fulton Mini (and not the main Fulton) in late March, 1981? I’ve had conflicting reports on this.
“Midway” definitely played at the Gateway Theater during the summer of ‘76 (in Sensurround). I’m pretty sure the Gateway closed in June, 1980 with “Friday the 13th.”