Mall Cinema
3999 E. Harry Street,
Wichita,
KS
67218
3999 E. Harry Street,
Wichita,
KS
67218
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If one knows what they are looking for the street sign is still there. (I changed it on more than one occasion.)
The Mall Cinema Wichita, Kansas and the Century 21 (Single screen) Springfield Missouri were identical in design. Just one auditorium faced east while the other faced west. Both built by National General and later Mann ultimately by Dickinson.
The Mall Cinema opened March 25, 1970 with Gregory Peck in Marooned. The Mall Cinema closed at the end of a 30-year leasing agreement on January 14, 1999 with “Antz,” “Meet Joe Black” and “Rush Hour.”
The 804-seat Mall Cinema was designed by MBA Engineers Inc. of St. Louis.
Article with pictures
Mall Cinema opening Sun, Mar 22, 1970 – 23 · The Wichita Eagle-Beacon (Wichita, Kansas) · Newspapers.com
Closed 1999
Reopened with 4 screens on December 19th, 1986. Another ad posted.
Grand opening ad posted.
Newspapers listings ended in September 1998
I remember seeing the first Star Wars here in 1977. The original theatre was built in 1970. They added 3 or 4 screens inside the mall in the 1980’s that were separate from the original theatre.
This was THE Star Wars theater in the 80’s. The original played there for over a year. I saw the 3rd showing of the Empire Strikes Back there on May 21 1980. I was there for the first midnight showing of Return of the Jedi in 1983. I do not remember an expansion of the theater itself, though it is possible the original (I think) 800 seat theater may have been divided. That was the trend at the time toward shoebox theaters. When this Malls anchor (Montgomery Wards) closed in 2000, the mall essentially died and has since been refaced. There is no trace of this theater anymore.
I watched “Star Wars” and “The Empire Strikes Back” at the Mall Cinema in Wichita. It was the only theater in Wichita that played those two movies. It was a great theater. It only had one screen at the time, but I believe it expanded later.
I saw a lot of movies here, including “Star Wars” when it was first released and “Earthquake” with Sensurround that made the seats “quake” when the earthquake started during the movie. I remember my aunt taking me to the grand opening of the entire mall, with Governor Docking dedicating the building. The first movie shown there was “Marooned” starring Gregory Peck on March 25, 1970.
This theatre was originally built by National General and later operated by Mann and ultimately by Dickinson. At one point Dickinson added 3 screens inside the mall. The original ‘Star Wars’ played there and the auditoriam was upgraded to Dolby sound at the time. This theatre and the Century 21 in Springfield Missouri are identical except the auditoriam face the opposite direction. The theatre still is attached to the front of the mall as state above and the street sign has been converted into general advertising for the shopping center. (The reference to 21st and Amidon would be the Twin Lakes operated by Commonwealth.)
3999 E. Harry is no where near 21st and Amidon. Please update the map to show the correct location.
The building is still there and has been converted into individual store fronts.