Congratulations Park Terrace, you are 50 years old today! Wish I could have been there today for the time capsule opening. To start out 50 years ago a single screen, to make it through all the industry changes. Now you’re a six with stadium seating and digital projection, let’s make it to 75! I enjoyed managing there 1987-1989, will try to post some old pics!
I managed this theatre in 1989. Theatre #1 was a true stadium seat theatre. Theatres 2,3,and 4 were upstairs. Lobby was small but complex held regional offices for Cineplex Odeon.
I opened this theatre in 2006. Great staff and wonderful customers. Was a fun theatre to run. I used to display my model trains in the lobby for the holidays.
Managed this theatre from 1990 til 2003. Held many premieres, biggest one for Schindler’s List with Spielberg and Clintons in attendance. Many great memories and wonderful people who became really good friends. Got to see theatre now it’s a conference center. Sad thing was the people that work there had no idea it was DC’s busiest theatre for quite some time.
I managed this theatre for only 4 months in 1987, theatre #1’s screen was curved, and the curtains opened and closed for every show. Cineplex Odeon also ran the Deerfield at Surfside Beach, for I ran ads for both locations.
yes the Rockingchair’s projectors were equipped with 35/70 mm, and after the split in 1984, the projectors were still the same, Simplex I believe, but 70 was never used again.
The reason the front faced the side of the center was because Weiss had something in its lease preventing another theatre to be facing in the same direction, so Frank built the theatres and had front facing the side road, still has a sign though on the side advertising the complex.
The original Rockingchair Theatre was opened by manager R.D. Stallings, former manager of the Paramount Theatre in downtown Newport News, I belive he later opened “the twin” in 74 before retiring.
Worked there between 81and 85, managed the Rockingchair twin in 84-85. Have tons of wonderful memories there, not just working, but going there as a kid. I run a beautiful stadium seated complex in Gettysburg Pa, but the Rockingchair will always be my favorite.
more things : The time capsule idea was big in that time period. Managed a theatre that is actually still open in Charlotte(Park Terrace-is on ct) that has time capsule opening in 6 years.
Newmarket Twin Theatres opened in 74, were called ultravision theatres, with the two round houses with round lobby. Not very good sound, only mono in each house, the Rockingchair had the great sound and picture.
Rockingchair’s last picture to play before it was fatefully twinned in 1984-Footloose.
Some interesting stuff about the Newmarket Theatres more than just the time capsule:
The original big theatre was called the Rockingchair theatre, Virginia’s first rockingchair theatre
The theatre had 738 seats and a wall-to-wall screen, not sure of the exact dimesions, I would say atleast 40 feet long.
Theatre had a rotating sign on the roof, when I worked there the breaker that controlled it was taped off so not to turn it on bu mistake. We tried it one night in 1982 I believe, screeched very loudly like a rusted old wheel on a bike but much louder.
Thanks lostmemory for the opportunity to look at those old pictures of the Paramount, but the interior shot is incorrect. The Paramount never had atrue balcony. It was a true stadium seat theatre much like all of the new megapalexes of today. It had a huge main level and two stadium levels.
When I was 17 and an usher at the Newmarket Rockingchair Theatre(another awesome theatre) I was told to clean out some old boxes that the fire marshall deemed a fire hazard. What I found in those boxes were old pictures from the collection of R.D. Stallings, Manager at the Paramount, then Newmarket Theatres. I found old pictures, articles, blueprints, and an old seating chart(1931) of the Paramount that Stallings had kept and never retrieved when he retired. I later managed several theatres along the east coast, including the Rockingchair, and posted these photos in my office. Now all of this collection has been donated to the City of Newport News Historical Society. I hope it is not just lying in a box.
About two years before the Paramount was razed, I had a chance to enter the building and retrieve the old ticket box. Like a dummy I am I left it at the Rockingchair after I was transferred out of state and I never saw it again(probably got thrown out)
I don’t know if that interior shot is the old Academy of music, but it’s not the Paramount. Too bad there were no shots of the interior of the Palace.
This theatre has been demolished for about 15 years. The Palace Theatre about 6 blocks down is the gospel church. The Paramount had been donated in the 80’s to the city to be a performing arts center, but it didn’t make the city’s downtown restoration plans and was razed. It was built on the site of the old Academy of Music.
time capsule opened today, the biggest novelty an autographed Beatles pic, over 100 folks showed, theatre in not so great neighborhood anymore
looks like the time capsule will be opened on Monday September 14 at 1pm can t wait to see what s inside
Congratulations Park Terrace, you are 50 years old today! Wish I could have been there today for the time capsule opening. To start out 50 years ago a single screen, to make it through all the industry changes. Now you’re a six with stadium seating and digital projection, let’s make it to 75! I enjoyed managing there 1987-1989, will try to post some old pics!
I managed this theatre in 1989. Theatre #1 was a true stadium seat theatre. Theatres 2,3,and 4 were upstairs. Lobby was small but complex held regional offices for Cineplex Odeon.
I opened this theatre in 2006. Great staff and wonderful customers. Was a fun theatre to run. I used to display my model trains in the lobby for the holidays.
Managed this theatre from 1990 til 2003. Held many premieres, biggest one for Schindler’s List with Spielberg and Clintons in attendance. Many great memories and wonderful people who became really good friends. Got to see theatre now it’s a conference center. Sad thing was the people that work there had no idea it was DC’s busiest theatre for quite some time.
I managed this theatre from the summer of 1984 til the spring of 1985. “Karate Kid” was our big summer picture.
I managed this theatre for only 4 months in 1987, theatre #1’s screen was curved, and the curtains opened and closed for every show. Cineplex Odeon also ran the Deerfield at Surfside Beach, for I ran ads for both locations.
I managed this theatre from 2003 til 2006. Did pretty good business until the new AMC was built at Tyson’s Corner.
yes the Rockingchair’s projectors were equipped with 35/70 mm, and after the split in 1984, the projectors were still the same, Simplex I believe, but 70 was never used again.
1987 -1989 sorry
I was manager of this theatre 187-89. Theatre turning 50 in May. Any news about the time capsule opening?
The reason the front faced the side of the center was because Weiss had something in its lease preventing another theatre to be facing in the same direction, so Frank built the theatres and had front facing the side road, still has a sign though on the side advertising the complex.
The original Rockingchair Theatre was opened by manager R.D. Stallings, former manager of the Paramount Theatre in downtown Newport News, I belive he later opened “the twin” in 74 before retiring.
Worked there between 81and 85, managed the Rockingchair twin in 84-85. Have tons of wonderful memories there, not just working, but going there as a kid. I run a beautiful stadium seated complex in Gettysburg Pa, but the Rockingchair will always be my favorite.
more things : The time capsule idea was big in that time period. Managed a theatre that is actually still open in Charlotte(Park Terrace-is on ct) that has time capsule opening in 6 years.
Newmarket Twin Theatres opened in 74, were called ultravision theatres, with the two round houses with round lobby. Not very good sound, only mono in each house, the Rockingchair had the great sound and picture.
Rockingchair’s last picture to play before it was fatefully twinned in 1984-Footloose.
Some interesting stuff about the Newmarket Theatres more than just the time capsule:
The original big theatre was called the Rockingchair theatre, Virginia’s first rockingchair theatre
The theatre had 738 seats and a wall-to-wall screen, not sure of the exact dimesions, I would say atleast 40 feet long.
Theatre had a rotating sign on the roof, when I worked there the breaker that controlled it was taped off so not to turn it on bu mistake. We tried it one night in 1982 I believe, screeched very loudly like a rusted old wheel on a bike but much louder.
lost memory, where did you get that picture of the pass? I may have donated a pass like that to the Newport News Historical Society
righter40
Thanks lostmemory for the opportunity to look at those old pictures of the Paramount, but the interior shot is incorrect. The Paramount never had atrue balcony. It was a true stadium seat theatre much like all of the new megapalexes of today. It had a huge main level and two stadium levels.
When I was 17 and an usher at the Newmarket Rockingchair Theatre(another awesome theatre) I was told to clean out some old boxes that the fire marshall deemed a fire hazard. What I found in those boxes were old pictures from the collection of R.D. Stallings, Manager at the Paramount, then Newmarket Theatres. I found old pictures, articles, blueprints, and an old seating chart(1931) of the Paramount that Stallings had kept and never retrieved when he retired. I later managed several theatres along the east coast, including the Rockingchair, and posted these photos in my office. Now all of this collection has been donated to the City of Newport News Historical Society. I hope it is not just lying in a box.
About two years before the Paramount was razed, I had a chance to enter the building and retrieve the old ticket box. Like a dummy I am I left it at the Rockingchair after I was transferred out of state and I never saw it again(probably got thrown out)
I don’t know if that interior shot is the old Academy of music, but it’s not the Paramount. Too bad there were no shots of the interior of the Palace.
This theatre has been demolished for about 15 years. The Palace Theatre about 6 blocks down is the gospel church. The Paramount had been donated in the 80’s to the city to be a performing arts center, but it didn’t make the city’s downtown restoration plans and was razed. It was built on the site of the old Academy of Music.
Dan P – Frederick, MD born in Newport News Va