Cincinnati’s last great theater. During the early 80’s I got to see some wonderful movies through the weekend series. So much of Cincinnati’s downtown area has been flushed right down the toilet by thoughtless city planners and developers. Let’s hope the Emery can beat the odds and be saved.
I recall the film Homebodies and I saw it at this theater. You can get VHS copies of it on EBay. I remember it being a let down with the exception of the location shots of Cincinnati, particularly downtown and Eden Park.
I definitely remember this theater. My partner and I had a weekend house in Sullivan County and one of our guilty pleasures was to drive around without a planned destination. We ended up here, meeting the owner and talking about the theater and its history. It’s right on the NY/Pennsylvania border so I guess it’s no surprise about the PA label. I’m glad it’s still around and would love to have a Quonset hut running in San Diego.
The Hiland had a beautiful marquee of neon and S14 bulbs that magically lit the business block at night. I wonder if anyone has a photograph pf that. :–/ I grew up seeing movies at the Hiland and like many people was sad to hear of its closing. I remember an organist would occasionally perform before the movie – very special.
Lots of childhood memories at this local theater. They showed everything from 1st run movies like Blade Runner (which opened here locally) to revivals of My Fair Lady – even foreign films from time to time (perhaps dubbed, but nevertheless…). Not special architecturally but like so many local theaters, special because you could take a nice walk to it and after the movie have a cheese coney at the local chili place.
I remember seeing the 70’s disaster film Earthquake here (in Sensurround of course). The place had a large lobby where the next audience could wait to enter the theater for the next showing. You could feel the rumbles in the lobby while you waited to go in. Nice childhood memory for me.
Had a great time at the sing a long last night before the movie. We even had a full soprano section in the orchestra. Apparetly recalling all the harmonies from the high school choir. It was fabu seeing so many generations of people together enjoying the same thing. Despite the choppy print of “Miracle on 34th Street” the evening was a blast.
Now that I’ve heard the Wonder Organ here I can go back home to San Diego to listen to the one they’re installing at the Balboa Theater. Cheers.
I’m taking 8 people to see BLADE RUNNER tomorrow evening. Any idea when one should arrive to insure a decent seat?
Also, if anyone’s interested, this weekend the Jersey Loew’s will be showing several films I’ve always wanted to see on the big screen with an audience. http://www.loewsjersey.org/ (Take the PATH to Journal Square – just across the street from the station)
HELP!!! I’m compulsive and have been losing sleep over this – I went on a walking tour of Times Square with the Theater Historical Society and I recall being told this theater was originally the first theater owned by a woman- she marketed the small theater to other society women rich enough to cough up the high ticket price… Anyone familiar with this? Thanks – SwankyJohn
Thanks MEHEUCK – Admittedly I was not in my best frame of mind at midnight showings – NOW I remember the Studio. In fact, saw the press screening of the partially finished MOMMIE DEAREST there (without half of the sounds effects). The wire hanger scene was especially odd with the sound out of sinc. Also, Linda Blair’s ROLLER BOOGIE was there – what a classic!
The marquee is scaring me – it’s announcing a Gilbert & Sullivan program that’s presented by the mayor and city council…. does that mean the Friends of the Loews lost the fight? Can someone give us all an update on the situation?
This was a great little theater with a curved standing section in the back. It was a simple, sleek art deco theater with a lot of warmth. I miss it – the last film I saw there was the romantic comedy WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING.
I doubt you’ll ever see a road company of PHANTOM here… The Jersey Loew’s currently has a movie series and a number of smaller live performances – an appropriate combination these days for a theater of this size. There are a variety of seasonal events that appeal to kids & adults, making the theater a nice addition to the community above and beyond being a movie theater.
The last thing an opera company would want is a movie theater with movie theater acoustics – this ain’t the place for major concerts. It’s way too boomy – it’s even a little bouncy for movies.
More good news… I doubt the theater would ever be modified for large scale live performances because the stage (although sizable for a movie theater) is limited and would hardly be a good candidate for the touring shows of today. Unlike many movie theaters which have been demolished from the proscenium back for a modern theater structure, this theater just can’t expand – there’s no place for it to go and the small loading dock is too awkwardly placed for loading shows in and out. These challenges will probably keep the theater from ever being used for purposes other than film and small scale live presentations.
What I would love to see is a film series not unlike Sundance become a part of this theater’s life – something that will bring people from all over the region to enjoy this great space and give it the attention it deserves. The potential for this theater is tremendous – the location is great, it’s near public transit for Manhattanites and (oh, yeah) it’s BEAUTIFUL.
If I’m not mistaken, the State Theater was empty for a number of years. There were no seats in the orchestra and much of the space had been stripped and altered for rock concerts venues. There was some talk of the theater having some kind of future but a few years ago the ceiling caved in due to disrepair and basically made the building impossible to save. They are currently building something in place of the theater – I have no idea if they intend to include a performing space of some sort – I would be surprised if they do.
I remember going to the RKO 70 when I was a kid. For a young lad under 5'-0" tall, these places become more larger than life than they actually were!
In high school the theater had become a 2nd run movie house – we went to see EARTHQUAKE in Sensoround – oh, the poor theater. Pieces of paint would fall from the ceiling every time they turned the big sub woofers on.
When they changed the venue and renamed it the Palace, they started booking one dumb road show after another – you can only see Dawn Wells in productions of Chapter Two so many times! That was the beginning of the end. Too bad – it was the last of the downtown Cincy theaters – of course the Emory is chugging along. A homely theater by comparison.
Cincinnati’s last great theater. During the early 80’s I got to see some wonderful movies through the weekend series. So much of Cincinnati’s downtown area has been flushed right down the toilet by thoughtless city planners and developers. Let’s hope the Emery can beat the odds and be saved.
I recall the film Homebodies and I saw it at this theater. You can get VHS copies of it on EBay. I remember it being a let down with the exception of the location shots of Cincinnati, particularly downtown and Eden Park.
I definitely remember this theater. My partner and I had a weekend house in Sullivan County and one of our guilty pleasures was to drive around without a planned destination. We ended up here, meeting the owner and talking about the theater and its history. It’s right on the NY/Pennsylvania border so I guess it’s no surprise about the PA label. I’m glad it’s still around and would love to have a Quonset hut running in San Diego.
The Hiland had a beautiful marquee of neon and S14 bulbs that magically lit the business block at night. I wonder if anyone has a photograph pf that. :–/ I grew up seeing movies at the Hiland and like many people was sad to hear of its closing. I remember an organist would occasionally perform before the movie – very special.
Lots of childhood memories at this local theater. They showed everything from 1st run movies like Blade Runner (which opened here locally) to revivals of My Fair Lady – even foreign films from time to time (perhaps dubbed, but nevertheless…). Not special architecturally but like so many local theaters, special because you could take a nice walk to it and after the movie have a cheese coney at the local chili place.
I remember seeing the 70’s disaster film Earthquake here (in Sensurround of course). The place had a large lobby where the next audience could wait to enter the theater for the next showing. You could feel the rumbles in the lobby while you waited to go in. Nice childhood memory for me.
Had a great time at the sing a long last night before the movie. We even had a full soprano section in the orchestra. Apparetly recalling all the harmonies from the high school choir. It was fabu seeing so many generations of people together enjoying the same thing. Despite the choppy print of “Miracle on 34th Street” the evening was a blast.
Now that I’ve heard the Wonder Organ here I can go back home to San Diego to listen to the one they’re installing at the Balboa Theater. Cheers.
I’m taking 8 people to see BLADE RUNNER tomorrow evening. Any idea when one should arrive to insure a decent seat?
Also, if anyone’s interested, this weekend the Jersey Loew’s will be showing several films I’ve always wanted to see on the big screen with an audience. http://www.loewsjersey.org/ (Take the PATH to Journal Square – just across the street from the station)
Thanks,
SwankyJohn
HELP!!! I’m compulsive and have been losing sleep over this – I went on a walking tour of Times Square with the Theater Historical Society and I recall being told this theater was originally the first theater owned by a woman- she marketed the small theater to other society women rich enough to cough up the high ticket price… Anyone familiar with this? Thanks – SwankyJohn
Thanks MEHEUCK – Admittedly I was not in my best frame of mind at midnight showings – NOW I remember the Studio. In fact, saw the press screening of the partially finished MOMMIE DEAREST there (without half of the sounds effects). The wire hanger scene was especially odd with the sound out of sinc. Also, Linda Blair’s ROLLER BOOGIE was there – what a classic!
The marquee is scaring me – it’s announcing a Gilbert & Sullivan program that’s presented by the mayor and city council…. does that mean the Friends of the Loews lost the fight? Can someone give us all an update on the situation?
This was a great little theater with a curved standing section in the back. It was a simple, sleek art deco theater with a lot of warmth. I miss it – the last film I saw there was the romantic comedy WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING.
I doubt you’ll ever see a road company of PHANTOM here… The Jersey Loew’s currently has a movie series and a number of smaller live performances – an appropriate combination these days for a theater of this size. There are a variety of seasonal events that appeal to kids & adults, making the theater a nice addition to the community above and beyond being a movie theater.
The last thing an opera company would want is a movie theater with movie theater acoustics – this ain’t the place for major concerts. It’s way too boomy – it’s even a little bouncy for movies.
More good news… I doubt the theater would ever be modified for large scale live performances because the stage (although sizable for a movie theater) is limited and would hardly be a good candidate for the touring shows of today. Unlike many movie theaters which have been demolished from the proscenium back for a modern theater structure, this theater just can’t expand – there’s no place for it to go and the small loading dock is too awkwardly placed for loading shows in and out. These challenges will probably keep the theater from ever being used for purposes other than film and small scale live presentations.
What I would love to see is a film series not unlike Sundance become a part of this theater’s life – something that will bring people from all over the region to enjoy this great space and give it the attention it deserves. The potential for this theater is tremendous – the location is great, it’s near public transit for Manhattanites and (oh, yeah) it’s BEAUTIFUL.
If I’m not mistaken, the State Theater was empty for a number of years. There were no seats in the orchestra and much of the space had been stripped and altered for rock concerts venues. There was some talk of the theater having some kind of future but a few years ago the ceiling caved in due to disrepair and basically made the building impossible to save. They are currently building something in place of the theater – I have no idea if they intend to include a performing space of some sort – I would be surprised if they do.
Can you say “ROCKY HORROR?” This place rocked every Saturday nite as the official place to do the Time Warp again….
I remember going to the RKO 70 when I was a kid. For a young lad under 5'-0" tall, these places become more larger than life than they actually were!
In high school the theater had become a 2nd run movie house – we went to see EARTHQUAKE in Sensoround – oh, the poor theater. Pieces of paint would fall from the ceiling every time they turned the big sub woofers on.
When they changed the venue and renamed it the Palace, they started booking one dumb road show after another – you can only see Dawn Wells in productions of Chapter Two so many times! That was the beginning of the end. Too bad – it was the last of the downtown Cincy theaters – of course the Emory is chugging along. A homely theater by comparison.