“2001: A Space Odyssey” 45th Anniversary – The Cinerama Engagements

posted by Michael Zoldessy on April 2, 2013 at 4:00 pm

“2001: A Space Odyssey” 45th Anniversary
The Cinerama Engagements

Compiled by Michael Coate

Presented here in commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the release of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is a list of the science-fiction classic’s Cinerama-promoted roadshow engagements in the United States and Canada, which offers an opportunity to honor some once-glorious movie theaters. These engagements of 2001 were shown exclusively in major cities prior to the film being given a traditional nationwide release and included reserved seating with an advanced admission price and an average of only ten scheduled showings per week. And, as with most roadshows, these original presentations included an overture, intermission, entr’acte and exit music. As well, souvenir programs were sold.

The list that follows focuses on the roadshow engagements of 2001 that had reserved seating and were promoted as a “Cinerama” presentation (in this case, a 70-millimeter print featuring six-track stereophonic sound projected onto a large, deeply-curved screen with the Cinerama brand touted in the film’s credits and in newspaper advertising).

Although not included on the list, it should be mentioned that there were roadshow engagements of 2001 in several cities lacking a Cinerama-branded theater, and these presentations were promoted as “70mm” (Austin, Raleigh, San Antonio, etc.), “Dimension 150” (Little Rock), “Vistarama” (Memphis), or, in some cases, no format at all, suggesting a 35mm presentation. Within a few months of its release, some theaters (not included on the list) started booking the film as a “modified roadshow” whereby the reserved-seating policy was relaxed, but maintained were the exclusivity, advanced pricing, scheduled showtimes, and, in some cases, the 70mm presentation. By early 1969, most new engagements of the film were of the general-release type (continuous performances, popular prices, 35mm, no overture, etc.).

This article/list was created as historical record of a famous motion picture, but also is a celebration of the (mostly) now-closed and fondly-remembered “Cinema Treasures” in which it played. The bookings are arranged chronologically by premiere date, and duration data, measured in weeks, has been included for most of the entries.

04.02.1968 … Washington, DC – Uptown [52 weeks]
04.03.1968 … New York, NY – Capitol [24 weeks]
04.04.1968 … Los Angeles, CA – Warner Hollywood [80 weeks]
04.10.1968 … Boston, MA – Boston [36 weeks]
04.10.1968 … Denver, CO – Cooper [47 weeks]
04.10.1968 … Detroit, MI – Summit [47 weeks]
04.10.1968 … Houston, TX – Windsor [31 weeks]
04.11.1968 … Chicago, IL – Cinestage [36 weeks]

05.22.1968 … Philadelphia, PA – Randolph [30 weeks]
05.28.1968 … San Diego, CA – Center [44 weeks]
05.28.1968 … Seattle, WA – Cinerama [77 weeks]
05.29.1968 … Atlanta, GA – Martin Cinerama [22 weeks]
05.29.1968 … Baltimore, MD – Town [20 weeks]
05.29.1968 … Cincinnati, OH – International 70 [19 weeks]
05.29.1968 … Dallas, TX – Capri [24 weeks]
05.29.1968 … Miami Beach, FL – Sheridan [23 weeks]
05.29.1968 … Montreal, QC – Imperial [24 weeks]
05.29.1968 … New Orleans, LA – Cinerama [29 weeks]
05.29.1968 … Providence, RI – Cinerama [20 weeks]
05.29.1968 … St. Louis, MO – Cinerama [29 weeks]
05.29.1968 … Phoenix (Scottsdale), AZ – Kachina [25 weeks]
05.30.1968 … Toronto, ON – Glendale [127 weeks]

06.06.1968 … Charlotte, NC – Carolina [13 weeks]
06.07.1968 … Honolulu, HI – Cinerama [29 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Birmingham, AL – Eastwood Mall [8 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Columbus, OH – Grand [27 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Dayton, OH – Dabel [20 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Harrisburg, PA – Trans-Lux
06.12.1968 … Jacksonville, FL – 5 Points [14 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Kansas City, MO – Empire 2 [27 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Pittsburgh, PA – Warner [22 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Salt Lake City, UT – Villa [22 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Tampa, FL – Palace [15 weeks]
06.12.1968 … Toledo, OH – Showcase 1 [14 weeks]
06.13.1968 … Portland, OR – Hollywood [42 weeks]
06.19.1968 … Buffalo, NY – Century [13 weeks]
06.19.1968 … Cleveland, OH – State [21 weeks]
06.19.1968 … Hartford, CT – Cinerama [26 weeks]
06.19.1968 … Norfolk, VA – Rosna [25 weeks]
06.19.1968 … Omaha, NE – Indian Hills [17 weeks]
06.19.1968 … San Francisco, CA – Golden Gate [73 weeks]
06.19.1968 … Wichita, KS – Uptown [15 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Calgary, AB – North Hill [14 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Des Moines, IA – River Hills [20 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Fresno, CA – Warnor [17 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Hicksville, NY – Twin South [39 weeks]
06.26.1968 … London, ON – Park [8 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Louisville, KY – Showcase 1 [14 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Milwaukee, WI – Cinema 1 [25 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Minneapolis (St. Louis Park), MN – Cooper [31 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Sacramento, CA – Esquire [35 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Syracuse, NY – Eckel [10 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Tulsa, OK – Fox [15 weeks]
06.26.1968 … Vancouver, BC – Capitol [15 weeks]
06.27.1968 … Indianapolis, IN – Indiana [20 weeks]
06.27.1968 … Nashville, TN – Belle Meade
06.28.1968 … Huntsville, AL – Westbury [9 weeks]

07.02.1968 … Las Vegas, NV – Cinerama [15 weeks]
07.10.1968 … Chattanooga, TN – Brainerd
07.16.1968 … Oklahoma City, OK – Cooper [33 weeks]
07.17.1968 … Montclair, NJ – Clairidge [36 weeks]
07.23.1968 … San Jose, CA – Century 21 [87 weeks]
07.24.1968 … Knoxville, TN – Capri-70
07.31.1968 … Springfield (West Springfield), MA – Showcase 1 [12 weeks]

08.09.1968 … Orlando, FL – Beacham [11 weeks]
08.21.1968 … Akron (Cuyahoga Falls), OH – Falls [17 weeks]
08.28.1968 … Lawrence, MA – Showcase 1 [12 weeks]

09.04.1968 … Reno, NV – Century 21 [9 weeks]
09.16.1968 … New York, NY – Cinerama [cont. from Capitol, 13 (37) weeks]
09.18.1968 … Worcester, MA – Showcase 2 [13 weeks]

10.02.1968 … Albuquerque, NM – Fox Winrock [13 weeks]
10.17.1968 … Rochester (Penfield), NY – Panorama [17 weeks]
10.30.1968 … Fargo, ND – Cinema 70 [5 weeks]
10.30.1968 … Moline (Milan), IL – Showcase 1 [7 weeks]

09.30.1969 … Oakland, CA – Century 21 [11 weeks]

10.14.1969 … Orange, CA – Cinedome 21 [27 weeks]

The first domestic roadshow booking of 2001: A Space Odyssey not promoted as a Cinerama presentation was held at the Broadmoor in Shreveport, Louisiana, where it began July 11, 1968, and ran 8 weeks.

The first international roadshow bookings of 2001: A Space Odyssey commenced April 10, 1968, in Japan, at the O.S. Cinerama in Osaka and the Theatre Tokyo in Tokyo.

The domestic general release of 2001: A Space Odyssey began in autumn 1968.

References: This article was compiled by referencing regional newspaper promotion and various articles in Boxoffice and Variety.

Image: The Washington Post; April 2, 1968.

Special Thanks: Al Alvarez, Jim Barg, Evans A. Criswell, Nick DiMaggio, William Hooper, Bill Huelbig, Mark Huffstetler, Bill Kretzel, Mark Lensenmayer, Paul Linfesty, Stan Malone, Gabriel Neeb, Jim Perry, Sam Shapiro, Grant Smith, Bob Throop, Joel Weide, Vince Young, and the librarians who helped with research for this project.

Theaters in this post

• Beacham Theater
• Belle Meade Theatre
• Biograph Theatre
• Brainerd Theater
• Broadmoor Theater
• Capitol 6 Theatre
• Capri Cinema III & IV
• Capri Theatre
• Carolina Theatre
• Center 3 Cinemas
• Century 21
• Century 8 Oakland
• Century Theatre
• Cinedome Theatres
• Cinema Imperial
• Cinerama Theatre
• Cinestage Theatre
• Clairidge
• Colonial Theater
• Columbia Theatre
• Cooper Cinerama Theatre
• Cooper Theatre
• Cooper Theatre
• Crown Uptown Theatre
• Da-Bel Cinema
• Eastwood Mall Theatre
• Eric Twin Colonial Park Theatres
• Esquire IMAX Theatre
• Everyman Theatre
• Falls Theatre
• Fox IV Theater
• Fox Winrock Theatre
• Glendale Theatre
• Golden Gate Theatre
• Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts
• Hawaii Cinerama
• Hollywood Theatre
• Indiana Theatre
• Indian Hills Theatre
• International Music House
• Kachina Theatre
• Las Vegas Cinerama
• Loew's Capitol Theatre
• Mainstreet KC at the Power & Light District
• Martin Cinerama
• Mid-Plaza 6
• North Hill Theatre
• O.S. Cinerama Gekijo
• Pacific 1-2-3
• Palace Theatre
• Palace Theatre
• Panorama Theatre
• Randolph Theatre
• River Hills Theatre & Riviera Theatre
• RKO Boston Theatre
• RKO Grand Theatre
• RKO Warner Twin Theatre
• Rosna Theatre
• Sheridan Theatre
• Showcase Cinemas 1 - 6
• Showcase Cinemas Louisville
• Showcase Cinemas Milan
• Showcase Cinemas Toledo
• SIFF Cinema Downtown
• Sinerama
• South Cinema I-II-III
• State Theatre
• Summit Theater
• Sun-Ray Cinema
• Syufy Theatre
• Theatre Tokyo
• Uptown Theatre
• Villa Theatre
• Warner Theatre
• Warnors Center for the Performing Arts
• Westbury Cinerama
• West Springfield 15
• Windsor Theatre
• Wisconsin Cinemas I & II