Mike, it was rumored that the Chicago union (which was very strong) was responsible for the break in. Levins had a a story that the drive in they ran there near Chicago contract was up for renewal and they walked in, told to sign the contract on the table without discussion or negotiations.
Cinema5, Theatre Confections provided me with the advance money to bid on JEDI. The plan was to install 70mm projection (that was part of the bid offer) and replace the carpet.
The Greentree 10 opened in 1989 by Premiere Cinemas of Knoxville, TN and was located in the back parking lot of the mall. They also operated the Greentree 4 in an acquisition of Associated Theatres. At the time of the opening, Premiere had already made a deal to sell its theatres to Cinemark. Premiere Cinemas was run by Mike Campbell who worked for Cinemark for a short time and then left to start Regal Cinemas.
I worked the AMBASSADOR THEATRE during the strike of 1974 when Levin Services operated the theatre along with the 20TH CENTURY, ESQUIRE and HYDE PARK. They also ran two drive ins. The JOLLY ROGER was later added to the strike. There was no balcony. It was vandalized during the strike as seats were slashed, screen slashed, speaker wires slashed (this theatre was a magnetic stereo sound), the 4 projectors were destroyed by taking a crow bar to the intermittents, the carbon arc generator had its wires cut. The print of THE STING was ruined by pouring film cement on the side of each reel. Reel 7 was saved by still being in the bottom magazine. It took us 2 weeks to reopen.
Levin’s did close the theatre as well as the other ones. AMBASSADOR became an ACE hardware for some time.
After the Victory lost the exclusive run of Disney movies, the theatre was closed. I believe the name of the young man who reopened the theatre was Jim Burt, who marketed the theatre for young adults and the years I believe was 1971 to around 1974. Double feature midnight shows ran including rock concert films like WOODSTOCK, FILLMORE and during this time Jane Fonda made a personal appearance on stage. Around 1972, Jim rented the Loews theatre across the street for concerts.
This theatre was operated by Ed Parker who also ran the North Star Drive In outside Dayton, Ohio. Having worked at the Showboat for a couple of years, it being one of the nicer ones. It was busted once for showing X rated films that could be seen from US 40. High fences were installed.
Every July the 4th, being across the highway from each other,both the Showboat and the Melody would offer fireworks and each theatre would stop their films so their customers could watch both sets of fireworks.
The projection booth was located at the top of the 2nd balcony which was equipped with benches with an outside entry and box office for patrons of color in days long gone by. The stage was complete for live entertainment as it was when it opened. The stage front wasn’t that wide and any CinemaScope movies were shown with the masking reducing the size of the screen. The theatre was beautifully maintained at the time and restoration would have been minimal. I tried several programing methods including discount subrun and art films and couldn’t make a go of it. Competition was tough for a single screen. I closed the theatre in July of 1986.
Based on what I’m reading here, I may have been the last exhibitior to rent the Sorg in 1986. I operated the theatre only for about 4 months. I reopened the theatre with GONE WITH THE WIND for a invitational night for the Friends of the Sorg, a group dedicated to protecting and preserving the theater. The Sorg was known as the Colonial at that time and so to honor the group I operated the theatre as the Sorg Colonial. The projection booth had 35mm RCA projectors with Brenkert carbon arc lamphouses with tube type amps for magnetic sound. I upgraded the booth with xenon lighting, automation, an Eprad double mutt film transport system a Dolby stereo processor. stereo.
This was theatre was operated by United Cinema before selling out to Kerasotes Theatres. I believe it was the premiere southside fine arts theatre until the new one opened.
For history sake, JEDI played at 4 locations in Indy. The Eastwood, The Glendale 4 5 6 (aud. 5 was mono), and I believe Loews on the westside and GCC on the south side.
It is interesting that there were dozens of lawsuits over JEDI all over the country. It’s a story that hasn’t been told but an anti trust conspiracy was suspected between Fox and General Cinema Corporation where GCC theatres were awarded the movie in markets that didn’t show the movie with stereo sound (can you imagine seeing JEDI in mono sound?), where in the same markets there were theatres that played STAR WARS and EMPIRE with stereo sound, and some in 70mm. Made me wonder where George was then when he was complaining a few years ago about bad presentations in today’s theatres.
The historic lawsuit with 20th Century Fox in 1983 was actually for THE RETURN OF THE JEDI. The theatre was owned at the time by Theatre Confections, Inc out of New York state, which ran the theatre into the ground.
I managed this theatre 1973-74 with United Cinema. During my tenure the theatre successful made the switch to First Run movies. I gave long time Indy theatre manager Mike Dearduff (Rick’s brother)his first theatre job.
This theatre sustained a fire that pretty much gutted it. Fire department reported it was a short in the Buttermat machine. The fire happened while United Cinema, its operator, was fueding with the local projectionist union. Theatre never reopened but is now a post office.
Mike, it was rumored that the Chicago union (which was very strong) was responsible for the break in. Levins had a a story that the drive in they ran there near Chicago contract was up for renewal and they walked in, told to sign the contract on the table without discussion or negotiations.
Cinema5, Theatre Confections provided me with the advance money to bid on JEDI. The plan was to install 70mm projection (that was part of the bid offer) and replace the carpet.
Cinemark ended up with this theatre when it purchased Premiere Cinemas.
The Greentree 10 opened in 1989 by Premiere Cinemas of Knoxville, TN and was located in the back parking lot of the mall. They also operated the Greentree 4 in an acquisition of Associated Theatres. At the time of the opening, Premiere had already made a deal to sell its theatres to Cinemark. Premiere Cinemas was run by Mike Campbell who worked for Cinemark for a short time and then left to start Regal Cinemas.
I worked the AMBASSADOR THEATRE during the strike of 1974 when Levin Services operated the theatre along with the 20TH CENTURY, ESQUIRE and HYDE PARK. They also ran two drive ins. The JOLLY ROGER was later added to the strike. There was no balcony. It was vandalized during the strike as seats were slashed, screen slashed, speaker wires slashed (this theatre was a magnetic stereo sound), the 4 projectors were destroyed by taking a crow bar to the intermittents, the carbon arc generator had its wires cut. The print of THE STING was ruined by pouring film cement on the side of each reel. Reel 7 was saved by still being in the bottom magazine. It took us 2 weeks to reopen.
Levin’s did close the theatre as well as the other ones. AMBASSADOR became an ACE hardware for some time.
The film companies dropped the ball at Memorial Day weekend by not providing theatres with a major release. Worst holiday weekend I’ve seen.
This theatre closed earlier this year. The website is no longer viable.
After the Victory lost the exclusive run of Disney movies, the theatre was closed. I believe the name of the young man who reopened the theatre was Jim Burt, who marketed the theatre for young adults and the years I believe was 1971 to around 1974. Double feature midnight shows ran including rock concert films like WOODSTOCK, FILLMORE and during this time Jane Fonda made a personal appearance on stage. Around 1972, Jim rented the Loews theatre across the street for concerts.
Carl Rogers was manager from 1951 to 1970 and a fantastic celebration/promotion of the 50th anniversary in 1968.
This theatre was operated by Ed Parker who also ran the North Star Drive In outside Dayton, Ohio. Having worked at the Showboat for a couple of years, it being one of the nicer ones. It was busted once for showing X rated films that could be seen from US 40. High fences were installed.
Every July the 4th, being across the highway from each other,both the Showboat and the Melody would offer fireworks and each theatre would stop their films so their customers could watch both sets of fireworks.
The projection booth was located at the top of the 2nd balcony which was equipped with benches with an outside entry and box office for patrons of color in days long gone by. The stage was complete for live entertainment as it was when it opened. The stage front wasn’t that wide and any CinemaScope movies were shown with the masking reducing the size of the screen. The theatre was beautifully maintained at the time and restoration would have been minimal. I tried several programing methods including discount subrun and art films and couldn’t make a go of it. Competition was tough for a single screen. I closed the theatre in July of 1986.
Based on what I’m reading here, I may have been the last exhibitior to rent the Sorg in 1986. I operated the theatre only for about 4 months. I reopened the theatre with GONE WITH THE WIND for a invitational night for the Friends of the Sorg, a group dedicated to protecting and preserving the theater. The Sorg was known as the Colonial at that time and so to honor the group I operated the theatre as the Sorg Colonial. The projection booth had 35mm RCA projectors with Brenkert carbon arc lamphouses with tube type amps for magnetic sound. I upgraded the booth with xenon lighting, automation, an Eprad double mutt film transport system a Dolby stereo processor. stereo.
I should point out that the current owner of FOX was not the owner at the time of the original release of JEDI.
This was theatre was operated by United Cinema before selling out to Kerasotes Theatres. I believe it was the premiere southside fine arts theatre until the new one opened.
For history sake, JEDI played at 4 locations in Indy. The Eastwood, The Glendale 4 5 6 (aud. 5 was mono), and I believe Loews on the westside and GCC on the south side.
It is interesting that there were dozens of lawsuits over JEDI all over the country. It’s a story that hasn’t been told but an anti trust conspiracy was suspected between Fox and General Cinema Corporation where GCC theatres were awarded the movie in markets that didn’t show the movie with stereo sound (can you imagine seeing JEDI in mono sound?), where in the same markets there were theatres that played STAR WARS and EMPIRE with stereo sound, and some in 70mm. Made me wonder where George was then when he was complaining a few years ago about bad presentations in today’s theatres.
5, and
It was the Eastwood Theatre, operated by Y & W that put the end to Disney movies at the Arlington.
The historic lawsuit with 20th Century Fox in 1983 was actually for THE RETURN OF THE JEDI. The theatre was owned at the time by Theatre Confections, Inc out of New York state, which ran the theatre into the ground.
I managed this theatre 1973-74 with United Cinema. During my tenure the theatre successful made the switch to First Run movies. I gave long time Indy theatre manager Mike Dearduff (Rick’s brother)his first theatre job.
The Eastwood Theatre, operated by Y & W, was the direct competitor that ultimately put the Arlington Theatre out of the first run business.
This theatre sustained a fire that pretty much gutted it. Fire department reported it was a short in the Buttermat machine. The fire happened while United Cinema, its operator, was fueding with the local projectionist union. Theatre never reopened but is now a post office.