Bank Cinemas I & II
307 4th Avenue,
Pittsburgh,
PA
15222
307 4th Avenue,
Pittsburgh,
PA
15222
6 people
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The Bank Cinema I & II closed permanently on August 28, 1986 with “Manhunter” and “Aliens” at end of lease. Four days later, the Pittsburgh Central Business District then lost both the Fiesta and the Chatham Cinema.
The original Star Wars played at the Bank Cinemas for over a year from 1977 – 1978. No downtown Pittsburgh theater picked up Star Wars upon its initial release (it only played at Showcase Cinemas in Monroeville when it opened on May 25). Once the film exploded at the box office, the Bank managed to get it booked by July 20 and showed it on both screens initially. The Cinemette chain did not make the same mistake twice and booked The Empire Strikes Back in the Warner Theatre three years later.
December 25th, grand opening ad in photo section.
We went downtown to see more than a few movies here in the late 1970s. It was unique, being in an upscale “mall” in a converted bank — very cool for its time.
Longtime Warner Theatre manager Paul Fleming oversaw this twin theatre through most of its life. I remember going there in the late winter / early spring of 1980 to see a “MGM Showcase Series” made of up of re-releases of Dr. Zhivago, Gone with the Wind, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
As I lived downtown at the time these theatres opened ,I know I saw movies here. For the life of me I cannot remember any titles though. I did enjoy having dinner at the Rusty Scupper in the Bank Complex before going to the movies though. Can anyone help with titles,it would have been from 1976-78
csepe, What wonderful news to hear what Bank Cinema I & II have transitioned to. My only regret is that I just found this out and the info on Bank I&II in my soon-to-be-published book “Where The Movies Played In Downtown Pittsburg(h)” (from Rosedog Books) may not have the chance to be updated. However, thank you so much for sharing this info with us all and thank you for all the great things you do!
You’ll possibly be happy to know that ONE of these original theaters is now The George R. White Theater of Point Park University, a fully equipped digital theater with fully-wired individual seat fibre-optic capacities and a large screen.
I am a professor in the Cinema and Digital Arts department and all of my classes take place in this theater. Many of the greatest films ever made are screened here regularly, in-full, for courses such as The History of American Cinema, the History of International Cinema, American Cinema of the 1970s, American Cinema of the 1990s, International Masters, American masters, The French New Wave … many more.
The space which Bank II occupied is now four converted classrooms.
71dude,Thanks for listing all those movies.I worked in the business most of the 70’s and off and on in the 80’s so many of those titles I had forgotten.
Boxoffice of December 23, 1974, said that architect Bernard J. Liff was designing the twin cinemas that were to be built in the downtown Pittsburgh development called The Bank. The house was to be operated by Morgan American Management Corporation. Liff was also the lead architect for the Eastland Mall Theatre at North Versaille, Pennsylvania, and might have designed other theaters as well. He launched his practice in the mid-1930s.
1986:
01/03 Jewel of the NIle; Young Sherlock Holmes
01/10 Jagged Edge; Transylvania 6-5000
01/17 Iron Eagle; Troll
02/07 Witness; Youngblood
02/14 Quicksilver; Prizzi’s Honor/Youngblood
02/21 Quicksilver; F/X
02/28 The HItcher; My Chauffeur/Quicksilver
03/07 Wildcats; HIghlander
03/14 Crossroads; Highlander
03/21 Crossroads; House
03/28 Lucas; The Color Purple
04/07 House; The Color Purple
04/11 Nomads/Police Academy 3; The Color Purple
04/18 Murphy’s Law; The Color Purple
05/02 Nightmare on Elm St. 2; Sudden Death
05/09 Fire With Fire; Dangerously Close
05/16 Hamburger; Hands of Steel/Fire With Fire
05/23 Jo Jo Dancer; Free Ride/Loose Screws
05/30 Critters; House on the Edge of the Park
06/06 Critters; Invaders from Mars
06/13 Cobra; Invaders from Mars
06/20 The Manhattan Project; Poltergeist 2
06/27 Labyrinth; Short Circuit
07/02 Big Trouble in Little China; American Anthem/Labyrinth
07/11 Big Trouble in Little China; Running Scared
07/18 Running Scared; Psycho III
07/25 Out of Bounds; Vamp
08/01 Maximum Overdrive; Karate Kid II
08/08 Karate Kid II; A Fine Mess
08/15 Manhunter; The Fly
08/22 – 08/28 Manhunter; Aliens
July – Dec. 1985:
07/03 Back to the Future; Rambo
07/10 Back to the Future; Pale Rider
07/19 Back to the Future; E.T.
08/07 Real Genius; Back to the Future
08/16 Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure; Fright Night
08/23 Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure; The Bride/Fright Night
08/30 Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure; The Gods Must Be Crazy
09/06 Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure; Year of the Dragon
09/20 Cocoon; Year of the Dragon
09/27 When Nature Calls; Warning Sign
10/04 Invasion USA; Walking the Edge
10/11 Silver Bullet; Remo Williams
10/25 Silver Bullet; The Stuff
11/01 Guardian of Hell/Fright Night; Commando
11/08 Death Wish 3; That Was Then, This Is Now
11/15 Target/To Live and Die in L.A.; That Was Then, This Is Now
11/22 King Solomon’s Mines; Once Bitten
11/27 Santa Claus; King Solomon’s Mines/Godzilla 1985
12/11 Santa Claus; Jewel of the Nile
Jan. – June 1985:
01/01 Starman; Johnny Dangerously
01/11 Dune; The Flamingo Kid
01/18 Dune; That’s Dancing!
01/25 Maria’s Lovers; That’s Dancing!
02/01 Heavenly Bodies; The Cotton Club
02/08 Heaven Help Us; A Soldier’s Story
02/15 Turk 182; Vision Quest
02/22 Vision Quest; Mrs. Soffel
03/01 Night Patrol; Missing in Action 2: The Beginning
03/08 Missing in Action 2: The Beginning; The Sure Thing
03/15 Dungeonmaster; Missing in Action 2: The Beginning
03/22 Porky’s Revenge; Beverly Hills Cop
03/29 Porky’s Revenge; The Last Dragon
04/12 Police Academy 2; The Last Dragon
04/19 Moving Violations; The Last Dragon/Police Academy 2
05/03 Gotcha; The Last Dragon/Police Academy 2
05/10 Zombie Island Massacre; Rustlers' Rhapsody
05/17 Gymkata; Rustlers' Rhapsody
05/24 A View to a Kill; Ghoulies
06/07 A View to a Kill; Brewster’s Millions
06/14 Daryl; A View to a Kill
06/21 Perfect; Daryl
06/28 Lifeforce; Secret Admirer
July – Dec. 1984:
07/01 Cannonball Run II; Rhinestone
07/06 Cannonball Run II; Top Secret
07/13 The Last Starfighter; Cannonball Run II
07/20 Gremlins; The Last Starfighter
07/27 Gremlins; The NeverEnding Story
08/03 Gremlins; Best Defense
08/10 Gremlins; Ghostbusters
08/24 Sheena/Oxford Blues; Ghostbusters
08/31 The Karate Kid; Ghostbusters
09/14 Tightrope; Ghostbusters
09/21 Tightrope; Escape from Women’s Prison
09/28 The Wild Life; Brady’s Escape
10/05 Teachers; The Wild Life
10/12 Teachers; Irreconcilable Differences
10/19 The Razor’s Edge; Teachers
10/26 The Razor’s Edge; Thief of Hearts
11/02 American Dreamer; Ninja III: The Domination
11/09 Ninja III: The Domination; Body Double
11/16 Just the Way You Are; Oh, God! You Devil
11/21 Supergirl; Just the Way You Are
11/30 Supergirl; Give My Regards to Broad Street
12/07 Missing in Action; Revenge of the Nerds/Bachelor Party
12/14 Starman; The Terminator
12/21 Johnny Dangerously; Starman
Jan. – June 1984:
01/01 Uncommon Valor; Two of a Kind
01/20 Uncommon Valor; Gorky Park
01/27 The Lonely Guy; Gorky Park
02/03 The Lonely Guy; Yentl
02/10 Unfaithfully Yours; Yentl
02/17 Footloose; Unfaithfully Yours
02/24 Footloose; Terms of Endearment
03/09 The Buddy System; Footloose
03/16 Footloose; Tank
03/23 Children of the Corn; Tank
03/30 The Prodigal; Children of the Corn
04/06 Hard to Hold; Up the Creek
04/13 Hard to Hold; Romancing the Stone
04/20 The Hotel New Hampshire; Romancing the Stone
04/27 Romancing the Stone; This Is Spinal Tap
05/04 Police Academy; Romancing the Stone
05/11 Romancing the Stone; Moscow on the Hudson
05/18 Making the Grade; 16 Candles
05/25 Firestarter; 16 Candles
06/01 Streets of Fire; Star Trek III
06/15 Star Trek III; Caged Women/Gates of Hell
06/22 Star Trek III; Rhinestone
06/29 Cannonball Run II; Rhinestone
07/01 Return of the Jedi; Stroker Ace
07/15 Return of the Jedi; Superman III
07/29 Return of the Jedi; Krull
08/12 Return of the Jedi; Trading Places
08/26 Return of the Jedi; Getting It On
09/02 Return of the Jedi; Vacation
09/16 Return of the Jedi; Easy Money
09/23 Return of the Jedi; Flashdance
09/30 Beyond the Limit; Risky Business
10/07 Beyond the Limit; Mr. Mom
10/21 All the Right Moves; Under Fire
11/04 The Personals; The Dead Zone
11/18 Nate & Hayes; A Christmas Story
12/09 Christine; A Christmas Story
12/16 Christine; Uncommon Valor
12/30 Uncommon Valor; Two of a Kind
Jan. – June 1983:
01/01 Kiss Me Goodbye; Still of the Night
01/07 The Toy; Kiss Me Goodbye
01/14 The Toy; Best Friends
01/28 Missing; The Toy
02/04 Without a Trace; Last American Virgin
02/25 Sacred Ground; Without a Trace
03/04 Lovesick; The Verdict
03/11 The Verdict; Trenchcoat
03/25 Max Dugan Returns; Tootsie
04/15 Gandhi
04/22 Screwballs; Gandhi
04/29 Raiders of the Lost Ark; My Tutor
05/06 My Tutor; The Hunger
05/13 Sophie’s Choice; Flashdance
05/20 Flashdance; The Spawning
05/27 Flashdance; Valley Girl
06/03 Flashdance; Hells Angels Forever
06/10 Flashdance; 10 to Midnight
06/17 Flashdance; Psycho II
06/22 Return of the Jedi; Psycho II
July – Dec. 1982:
07/02 Chariots of Fire; Firefox
07/09 Firefox; Poltergeist
07/16 Poltergeist; Young Doctors in Love
07/30 Tron; Poltergeist
08/06 The Pirate Movie; Annie
08/13 Star Wars; Annie
08/20 Star Wars; The Beastmaster
08/27 Six Pack; The Beastmaster
09/03 The Road Warrior; The World According to Garp
09/10 The World According to Garp; Diner
09/17 The Calling; Author! Author!
09/24 Grease 2; Chariots of Fire
10/01 The Tempest; On Golden Pond
10/08 Lookin' to Get Out; My Favorite Year
10/22 Jinxed; My Favorite Year
10/29 Jinxed/My Favorite Year; Class Reunion
11/05 Class Reunion; Tex
11/12 Time Bandits; Jekyll & Hyde: Together Again
11/19 Time Bandits; Monsignor
11/26 Title Shot; Time Bandits
12/03 Waitress!; The Empire Strikes Back
12/10 The Empire Strikes Back; The World According to Garp
12/17 Still of the Night; The Empire Strikes Back
12/22 Kiss Me Goodbye; Still of the NIght
January – June 1982:
01/01 Pennies From Heaven; Rollover
01/06 Pennies From Heaven; Atlantic City
01/08 Rollover; Atlantic City
01/15 Atlantic City; Prince of the City
01/22 Taps; Atlantic City
02/12 Atlantic City; Reds
02/26 Absence of Malice; Atlantic City
03/05 The Amateur; Atlantic City
03/19 Evil Under the Sun; The Amateur
03/26 Reds; The Amateur
04/02 Victor/Victoria; A Little Sex
04/16 Victor/Victoria; Missing
04/30 Partners; Victor/Victoria
05/14 Victor/Victoria; Wrong Is Right
05/21 Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid; Wrong Is Right
05/28 Porky’s; Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
06/04 Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid; Conan the Barbarian
06/18 Firefox; Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid
06/25 Firefox; MegaForce
July – October 1981:
07/01 Great Muppet Caper; Dragonslayer
07/17 Great Muppet Caper; History of the World Part 1
07/24 Great Muppet Caper; Tarzan the Ape Man
07/31 The Empire Strikes Back; Tarzan the Ape Man
08/14 The Blue Lagoon; The Empire Strikes Back
08/21 American Werewolf in London; Superman II
08/28 American Werewolf in London; Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia
09/04 American Werewolf in London; The Four Seasons
09/11 American Werewolf in London; Eye of the Needle
09/18 Together; American Werewolf in London
09/25 Kramer vs. Kramer; American Werewolf in London
10/02 New York, New York; Continental Divide
10/09 Rich and Famous; So Fine
10/23 Arthur; Rich and Famous
10/30 Body Heat; Carbon Copy
January – June 1981:
01/01 The Mirror Crack’d; First Family
01/23 The Idolmaker; The Mirror Crack'd
01/30 The Incredible Shrinking Woman; The Mirror Crack'd
02/06 The Incredible Shrinking Woman; The Private Eyes
02/13 The Incredible Shrinking Woman; The Devil & Max Devlin
02/20 9 to 5; The Devil & Max Devlin
03/06 Eyewitness; 9 to 5
03/20 9 to 5; Hangar 18
03/27 9 to 5; Raging Bull
04/03 Raging Bull; Ordinary People
04/10 Ordinary People; The Final Conflict
04/17 The Earthling; Fame
04/24 Shogun Assassin; Fame
05/01 Nighthawks; Stir Crazy
05/08 It Came Without Warning; Nighthawks
05/15 The Fan; Happy Birthday to Me
05/29 Happy Birthday to Me; Cheaper to Keep Her
06/06 Savage Harvest; Tess
06/12 High Risk; Take This Job and Shove It
06/19 Bustin' Loose; Take This Job and Shove It
06/26 Great Muppet Caper; Dragonslayer
July 1980:
07/01 Brubaker; Bronco Billy
07/11 Brubaker; Used Cars
07/25 Brubaker; My Bodyguard
I always loved the spiral staircase going up to the booth, may have worked this one 15 times at most, I really miss all the grand old theatres. We had so much history and left it all go to hell, with the help of Cinemette.
Jan. – Oct. 1981 will be provided at a later date.
Nov.-Dec. 1981:
11/01 Body Heat; Carbon Copy
11/06 Body Heat; Southern Comfort
11/20 Prince of the City; Body Heat
11/27 Only When I Laugh; Body Heat
12/02 Private Lessons; Body Heat
12/11 Private Lessons; Raiders of the Lost Ark
12/18 Heartbeeps; Private Lessons
12/25 Heartbeeps; Pennies from Heaven
12/30 Rollover; Pennies from Heaven
Renewing link.