Center Theatre

1015 NW 13th Street,
Gainesville, FL 32601

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: ABC Theatres, Cineplex Odeon, Florida State Theaters Inc., Plitt Theatres

Previous Names: White Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Center Theatre 1015 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, FL 32601

Opened on April 7, 1966 as the first twin theatre in Gainesville. The opening movie was “Rosalind Russell in "The Trouble with Angels”. The theatre was operated by Florida State Theatres. By 1975 it was under the ABC banner and by 1987 Cineplex Odeon.

It was later renamed the Center Theatre and was twinned in the early-1970’s and became a triplex by 1982.

The Center Theatre closed in 1992 and was demolished to build an Office Depot.

Contributed by Chuck

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on November 22, 2010 at 9:36 pm

I think it was triple before 1982,Chuck. I have it playing July 1 1981 “FOR YOUR EYES ONLY” “DRAGONSLAYER” and “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK”.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on May 25, 2011 at 10:45 am

Ann Dunbar was managing this theatre June 3 1983.

Treadwell
Treadwell on August 16, 2012 at 7:01 pm

If I remember correctly, the Office Depot used the existing building and did not demolish it.

This was another venue our UF Sci-Fi club did a lobby display for: 1989’s Batman. I was disappointed that the house had mono sound!

Macclelland
Macclelland on October 17, 2014 at 3:56 pm

Treadwell, the old building was torn down and replaced by the office supply store.

If memory serves that old building housing the three movie theaters was oblong. I remember going by the demolition sight one afternoon. The building was completely demolish except the back wall. Hanging on the wall was the screen from what was the largest of the three theater. Its reflective quality made it glisten in the afternoon sun. In this mist of ruble and decay was a luminous white canvas. It was a surreal sight.

dkelly26666
dkelly26666 on January 18, 2024 at 4:50 pm

It was a Cineplex Odeon well before 1990. By at least 1987.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 22, 2024 at 4:55 pm

Opened on April 7th, 1966. Owners was Florida States Theatres, ABC Florida States Theatres, Plitt Southern Theatres, Cineplex Odeon (which had to keep its Plitt branding since there was another theatre chain in Texas called Cineplex.). Will check if this ended up with Carmike before it closed.

dkelly26666
dkelly26666 on July 27, 2024 at 11:10 am

When I moved to the area in November 1987, it was already a Cineplex Odeon Theater. It remained Cineplex Odeon until its closure in 1992. It had originally been a twin, but they split one side into two smaller houses (prior to 1987). It had one big house and screen on one side of the lobby (the right side) and two smaller houses on the left side. Saw many films there between 1987 and 1992. Being Cineplex Odeon, they got a lot of exclusive premium films to the area. It seemed a very prestige theater.

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