Martin Cinerama

4218 Lindell Boulevard,
St. Louis, MO 63108

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Martin Theatres, Trans-Lux Movies Corp.

Firms: Finch, Alexander, Barnes, Rothschild & Paschel

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Previous Names: Trans-Lux Cinerama

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News About This Theater

Martin Cinerama

The Martin Cinerama, the first theatre built in St. Louis since the Fox Theatre in 1928, opened January 10, 1963 with Laurence Harvey in “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm” as part of a chain of Martin Theatres of Georgia.

It claimed to have the world’s largest indoor screen, which measured 100 feet on a curve. The two story building attempted to be a “modern movie palace”. The entire theatre was dressed in all burnt orange with gold trim. It was carpeted wall to wall, with the seats even set on carpet.

Opened as a Cinerama format theatre, with the original three projector equipment and later 70mm. It was an established road show house until its last few years of operation.

The theatre seated 1,120 total between the two floors. Trans Lux Theatres took over operation of the theatre in 1968 and the last 3-strip Cinerama film to be screened was a re-issue of “The Is Cinerama” in June 1973. It was still capable of screening 70mm films and was closed in 1988. It was demolished in 1997.

Contributed by Charles Van Bibber

Recent comments (view all 23 comments)

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on January 4, 2011 at 7:15 pm

Yes,Plez do if you can.Movie ads anything we eat them up.

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on January 5, 2011 at 11:01 am

Martin Theaters of Georgia, Inc. & Martin Theaters of Alabama, Inc. in the Martin Bldg., Columbus, Ga., Roy E. Martin Jr. Chairman of the Board had 159 theaters in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Martin CINERAMA, New Orleans, Louisiana, Martin CINERAMA, St. Louis, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia and Seattle, Martin CINERAMA, Seattle, Washington.

Cinerama
Cinerama on February 18, 2015 at 3:43 pm

I have pictures of the theatre on my web site.

http://incinerama.com/ctmartinstl.htm

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on February 18, 2015 at 7:43 pm

The J. Evan Miller collection of Cinerama Theater Plans lists the Martin Cinerama Theatre in St. Louis as having been designed by the architectural firm of Finch, Alexander, Barnes, Rothschild, & Paschal.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 27, 2016 at 3:06 pm

January 10th,1963 grand opening ad in photo section.

Coate
Coate on May 24, 2017 at 12:33 pm

New Showcase Presentations in St. Louis article includes mention of the Cinerama and 70mm engagements here (and other St. Louis area cinemas).

Ralph Daniel
Ralph Daniel on October 27, 2018 at 6:14 pm

The Martin Cinerama in St. Louis was an identical twin to the Martin Cinerama in New Orleans. Both are gone now.

MSC77
MSC77 on December 26, 2021 at 2:43 pm

Here’s a new 4-page 50th anniversary FIDDLER ON THE ROOF retrospective featuring a roadshow playdate chronology and historian Q&A. The Cinerama’s lengthy run is mentioned in the piece.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on December 29, 2021 at 3:48 pm

MSC77 Fiddler opened June 27th at the Virginia Theater in Atlantic City NJ.It was Reserved performances. Can you add the above information to that page too.

MSC77
MSC77 on December 30, 2021 at 7:08 pm

Mikeoaklandpark: I can add the Atlantic City detail if it was a reserved seat run. I would prefer not to add it, however, if it was a reserved performance since the focus of my article’s Roadshow Engagements segment was specifically on the film’s reserved-seat bookings (i.e. phase one of its release cycle). Reserved performances (i.e. modified roadshow) were phase two.

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