North Hills Theatre
4801 McKnight Road #22,
Pittsburgh,
PA
15237
4801 McKnight Road #22,
Pittsburgh,
PA
15237
5 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cinema World, Cinemette Corporation of America, RKO Stanley Warner, Stanley-Warner Theatres
Architects: Drew Eberson
Nearby Theaters
Located in the North Hills Village Shopping Center to the north of Pittsburgh. This theatre was built by Stanley-Warner as an upscale single screen in 1964, opening on April 10, 1964 with Burt Lancaster in “Seven Days in May”. From the size and shape of the building looked to be an orchestra/stadium arrangement of 1,100-seats. I remember advertisements for 70mm roadshow engagements of “2001: A Space Odyssey”. It closed in 1989 and was replaced by additional retail space.
Contributed by
dave-bronx
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Recent comments (view all 18 comments)
Anybody got any color photos of this magnificent building? I was totally ticked when they tore it down. Great art-deco building and I really liked the red font lettering they used in NORTH HILLS THEATRE for the marquee.
I ran all of me in 84 here and they still used carbons for the lams. Was a great theatre.
Opening…
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and closing…
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In 1989, when the full restoration print of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA was touring the country, this was the last remaining theater in the entire Greater Pittsburgh region able to show it because it was the last to have the appropriately sized screen and projection system. Then, within three months, it, too, was gone. I sat with George Romero for that LAWRENCE screening. So glad we needed that Circuit City.
71 dude,love the listings.remember playing quite a few of them.Some I forgot.
hello their i live in Canada and i always have a certain interest to go to Pittsburgh some day specially loving the nation football league and seeing my number one team the steelers play, i seen the North Hills Theater in a print ad which it lead me to your web site, the building it self is amazing of how things back then like anything else that was done with passion and great luv and it unfortunate and very sad that the building is not longer standing, it would of been nice if somebody keep it alive to see it in person, but not even one photo of it on the internet to see it full view, very very sad specially having a great passion for film a great dream of mine i would of like to seen some photos of it inside and out, this is why history should be restored rather then destroyed but that what u get when greedy fat cats trying to make a buck and wipe out things that are very beautiful
I attended the first night when it was opened to the public with “Seven Days in May.” There was a special “invitation only” performance the night before. Excellent movie but it confused me that it was selected as the first film. It really was not one to show off the capabilities of the theater – a small screen and black and white. I believe that this was supposed to be the second largest screen in the area and that it was designed in order to show Cinerama. But it never came to be since Cinerama died out a few years later. With no real stage and only a few stairs leading up to the base of the curtains, the gold curtains stretched from wall to wall and ceiling to floor. These curtains continued for a short distance along either side of the theater. One could see where some slight modifications would allow Cinerama. The seats were also gold and I believe the carpets were red. I saw “Becket” here and the picture was massive and impressive. There was a balcony. I was only up there for the opening of “Airport.” This place holds a very special place in my heart since this was my wife and I’s first date: a re-release of “Doctor Zhivago.”
April 9th, 1964 grand opening ad in photo section.
Sunday Blue Law was still in effect and voted on in 1963, prior to 1964 opening.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bTIgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9k4EAAAAIBAJ&dq=north%20hills%20theater%20mcknight%20road&pg=5322%2C1702665&fbclid=IwAR0oTs5xKDVV4my3sqmlT4nGN_lPDtYE91BYWaeZn_YXukZpoyyApNHQqIk
Opened on April 10, 1964 with Burt Lancaster in “Seven Days In May”, and closed on October 1, 1989 with “When Harry Met Sally”.
It was first operated by Stanley-Warner, then RKO Stanley-Warner, then Cinemette Corporation of America, and finally Cinema World.