No the ticket wouldn’t say that. That ticket is for theater 1 clearly. #1 and #4 were one building and #2 and #3 were on the west side of Torrance Ave, just down the block slightly North. I hope that helps.
Hey Flix70 – For future reference you can look back at the previous comments. I have listed the bookings for theaters 2 and 3 from their openings thru 1981. According to the list “The Empire Strikes Back” opened on screen 3 on September 26th of 1980. It originally opened on screen 1 so it appears it moved across the street to this theater as the crowds had likely lightened up. You can also see bookings for theater 1 and 4 on their individual pages as well.
Yes I was by there last night. The cinema has been demolished as has all the buildings on that east side. An Office Depot now stands where the cinema once was.
I have a record of all bookings of the Todd (when it became the Michael Todd)from 1958 until it’s closing in 1977. No movie came close to playing there as long as “The Sound of Music.” I would have to check my records to confirm but I am guessing “Ben-Hur” would be the next closest. It played for 40 weeks.
To answer the question posed by Bobby S above – “Around the World in 80 Days” played at the Cinestage from 4/4/57 to 12/25/58.
Now that they have converted all their screens to these reclining chairs it is nearly impossible to get in. At least on one side with 9 of their theaters the biggest occupancy is 100 people. Several others are in the 30 to 50 seat range now. It took me 3 tries to get in to see Inherent Vice. I even tried to get tickets to a 10pm movie at 4 in the afternoon – no luck. It’s not worth the aggravation.
I drive by there every so often. The last time was about two weeks ago. It doesn’t look like anything is going on. The marquee on one side has been stripped to almost nothing thanks to last winter’s brutal weather combined with age. I hope they do get the theater back up and running but I imagine because of the years of inactivity a ton of repairs will need to be done. Plus the fact they will have to convert to digital as well. It will be costly but I think the Town can be a viable theater again.
This theater has been known as the Crown since the late 1960’s. I went here many times as a kid in the 70’s and saw such films as THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and JAWS.
Unfortunately I don’t know anything about either building Joe. They appear to have been around for many, many years. There are very few theaters I have memories of in Gary….even past ones.
The ad in the photo section above is for the opening of the original Water Tower theaters I-IV located inside Water Tower Place. This would have been December of 1976.
The cover picture is nowhere near where the theater was. It was on the west side of Torrence Ave across from River Oaks mall. I emailed the site about this error to no avail.
If you look at the picture at the top of the page, the Chase name is in the wavy horizontal part just above the first C. I noticed it walking by the theater just the other day.
That double feature Rich speaks of could have been at the UA Marina Cinemas. They often played double features during their brief 7 year existence. But Tim is correct there is NO WAY that was at the Woods or any other Loop palace. Please see the booking history from the mid 60’s to 1980 for further confirmation.
Would filmgoers really suffer if there was no PIRANHA 3-D or SAW 3-D? And I agree with the above poster on animated films being in 3-D. The ONLY reason for that is the inflated ticket prices. Little kids certainly wouldn’t be aware of what they were missing in 2-D. This is just one big scam by the studios and I can’t wait for it to end. In the meantime may the studios at least have enough sense not to turn 2-D films into 3-D during post production. That just announces “Rip-off” to the public.
Greg1 since you live in the area certainly you know the theater has never had a problem showing R rated films and since XXX rated films would never be allowed in Highland on public display I think that excuse is silly. Perhaps 35 years ago but not now. And I am sure the Janowski’s could sell the theater with contractual specificities in it that would ease any worry they have. Theaters like this are too few and far between and the fact that it could go back to showing art films exclusively would undoubtedly make it a success yet again. They would be stunned at the love the people would throw their way to keep that theater going. For anything else to happen to it would be a tragedy for Northwest Indiana.
Cinemark – to answer your questions as best I can, the first photo is definitely not the 1-4 lobby. If it is River Oaks it looks like 5-6 because when you walked in and turned an immediate left, there were posters lining the wall on the right. So the pic would be from the opposite side with the entrance doors down the hall and behind the staff and off camera on the right.
As far as the Pacino poster? I would bet on SCARFACE. Remember he did very few movies in the 80’s and that would have been the biggest. The only other possibility? CRUISING.
There is no way to see what the movie on #4 is because you can’t read the sign clearly because of the angle. You can tell it isn’t A VIEW TO A KILL though that IS the poster. But back then the Now Showing Posters were outside and not in the lobby. The movie was definitely coming soon. If I had to guess as to the movie playing based on the letters of the sign it COULD be BREWSTERS MILLIONS.
Cinemark I will wait with baited breath for that glorious day when you make your annoouncement. I can’t imagine how great it would be to revive dying theaters like this one.
GTL – Yes my list is only for the main attractions and not the all night weekend shows.
No the ticket wouldn’t say that. That ticket is for theater 1 clearly. #1 and #4 were one building and #2 and #3 were on the west side of Torrance Ave, just down the block slightly North. I hope that helps.
Hey Flix70 – For future reference you can look back at the previous comments. I have listed the bookings for theaters 2 and 3 from their openings thru 1981. According to the list “The Empire Strikes Back” opened on screen 3 on September 26th of 1980. It originally opened on screen 1 so it appears it moved across the street to this theater as the crowds had likely lightened up. You can also see bookings for theater 1 and 4 on their individual pages as well.
Yes I was by there last night. The cinema has been demolished as has all the buildings on that east side. An Office Depot now stands where the cinema once was.
I have a record of all bookings of the Todd (when it became the Michael Todd)from 1958 until it’s closing in 1977. No movie came close to playing there as long as “The Sound of Music.” I would have to check my records to confirm but I am guessing “Ben-Hur” would be the next closest. It played for 40 weeks.
To answer the question posed by Bobby S above – “Around the World in 80 Days” played at the Cinestage from 4/4/57 to 12/25/58.
Now that they have converted all their screens to these reclining chairs it is nearly impossible to get in. At least on one side with 9 of their theaters the biggest occupancy is 100 people. Several others are in the 30 to 50 seat range now. It took me 3 tries to get in to see Inherent Vice. I even tried to get tickets to a 10pm movie at 4 in the afternoon – no luck. It’s not worth the aggravation.
The last movie shown here was in 1972, the reserved seat presentation of “Nicholas and Alexandra.”
The last day of operation was May 19,1960. It’s final features were “Masters of the Congo Jungle” plus “When Comedy Was King.”
I drive by there every so often. The last time was about two weeks ago. It doesn’t look like anything is going on. The marquee on one side has been stripped to almost nothing thanks to last winter’s brutal weather combined with age. I hope they do get the theater back up and running but I imagine because of the years of inactivity a ton of repairs will need to be done. Plus the fact they will have to convert to digital as well. It will be costly but I think the Town can be a viable theater again.
This theater has been known as the Crown since the late 1960’s. I went here many times as a kid in the 70’s and saw such films as THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and JAWS.
Unfortunately I don’t know anything about either building Joe. They appear to have been around for many, many years. There are very few theaters I have memories of in Gary….even past ones.
Joe – you are absolutely right. I don’t know what I was thinking when I wrote that.
It was never the Ridge. The Ridge was located on Broadway at Ridge Road.
The ad in the photo section above is for the opening of the original Water Tower theaters I-IV located inside Water Tower Place. This would have been December of 1976.
Thanks Sirdrummer007.
The cover picture is nowhere near where the theater was. It was on the west side of Torrence Ave across from River Oaks mall. I emailed the site about this error to no avail.
If you look at the picture at the top of the page, the Chase name is in the wavy horizontal part just above the first C. I noticed it walking by the theater just the other day.
Good riddance to this dump. Hopefully someone will come in and make something special of it again.
That double feature Rich speaks of could have been at the UA Marina Cinemas. They often played double features during their brief 7 year existence. But Tim is correct there is NO WAY that was at the Woods or any other Loop palace. Please see the booking history from the mid 60’s to 1980 for further confirmation.
Ken, I don’t remember the hot dog stand. I do remember the Minor Dunn however.
Would filmgoers really suffer if there was no PIRANHA 3-D or SAW 3-D? And I agree with the above poster on animated films being in 3-D. The ONLY reason for that is the inflated ticket prices. Little kids certainly wouldn’t be aware of what they were missing in 2-D. This is just one big scam by the studios and I can’t wait for it to end. In the meantime may the studios at least have enough sense not to turn 2-D films into 3-D during post production. That just announces “Rip-off” to the public.
Mike – you’re welcome.
Greg1 since you live in the area certainly you know the theater has never had a problem showing R rated films and since XXX rated films would never be allowed in Highland on public display I think that excuse is silly. Perhaps 35 years ago but not now. And I am sure the Janowski’s could sell the theater with contractual specificities in it that would ease any worry they have. Theaters like this are too few and far between and the fact that it could go back to showing art films exclusively would undoubtedly make it a success yet again. They would be stunned at the love the people would throw their way to keep that theater going. For anything else to happen to it would be a tragedy for Northwest Indiana.
Cinemark – to answer your questions as best I can, the first photo is definitely not the 1-4 lobby. If it is River Oaks it looks like 5-6 because when you walked in and turned an immediate left, there were posters lining the wall on the right. So the pic would be from the opposite side with the entrance doors down the hall and behind the staff and off camera on the right.
As far as the Pacino poster? I would bet on SCARFACE. Remember he did very few movies in the 80’s and that would have been the biggest. The only other possibility? CRUISING.
There is no way to see what the movie on #4 is because you can’t read the sign clearly because of the angle. You can tell it isn’t A VIEW TO A KILL though that IS the poster. But back then the Now Showing Posters were outside and not in the lobby. The movie was definitely coming soon. If I had to guess as to the movie playing based on the letters of the sign it COULD be BREWSTERS MILLIONS.
Hope that helps.
Cinemark I will wait with baited breath for that glorious day when you make your annoouncement. I can’t imagine how great it would be to revive dying theaters like this one.