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Memories
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June 4, 2007
THE DIRTY DOZEN: USA re-release date was ????
Anybody know when it was reissued in the NYC area around 1968 or 1969 please? Channel 31, NYC ran it this weekend and it brings back some great childhood moviegoing memories.
Thanks Much.
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May 29, 2007
Incredible History of the Academy Theater
INGLEWOOD, CA — I have just completed a magnificent book entitled “The Incredible History of the Academy Theater”. It is a coffee table book with more than 60 vintage photos. It shows the correlation between S. Charles Lee, Charles Skouras, Julius Schulman and Rev. Doyle Hart – four men with incredible vision.
The book also has a copy of the original program from the premiere of “Another Thin Man” held at the Academy on November 9, 1939. There is also a photo of William Powell and Myrna Loy in the lobby and much much more.
If you would like to pre-order a copy or attend the invitation only reception which will be held in the lobby of the Academy, .
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May 25, 2007
Happy 30th, Star Wars!
Thirty years ago today, “Star Wars” was released.
As many of us know by now, “Star Wars” opened in 32 theatres on that fateful day in May of 1977, plus 11 more on the 26th & 27th of May bringing its first-week total to 43. So, is the legend true that 20th Century-Fox could find only a mere 43 venues to open their movie, or did Fox believe all along that they had a huge, history-making hit on their hands and instead opted to launch the movie in a calculated, limited-market “platform” in an attempt to create an event?
On this historic occasion, I thought it would be interesting to ask Cinema Treasures readers to offer up their memories of the first time they saw the original “Star Wars.” When? Where? Anyone see it on May 25, 1977? Who resided in a small town and had to wait weeks or months to see it? What was your reaction? How was your life or moviegoing habits changed? Etc…
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Culver City memories
Just found this site today.
I worked at the Palms Theater in Los Angeles in 1975-79, and then 1982-85.
Also worked at the Culver from 1975-79.
Didn’t work for Stone or Allen, but they still owned the property, and one of them still lived across the street (above the bike shop?) and came in occasionally for a free movie.
After the last showing, we used to play poker in the lobby. Last hand was at sunrise, big winner bought breakfast for everyone. Big stakes too; nickel, dime, quarter. If you bet a quarter and were raised three times, that you meant you were in for at least a buck. Since I made $2/hour, that was big.
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May 2, 2007
London England 1941 - my memories of the projection room during the war.
QUEUING ALL PARTS
(A look back at the wartime cinema)
by
BOB NARDUZZO
INTRODUCTION
The following is dedicated to all the cinema projectionists, who during World War Two, helped to maintain morale of the British people, sometimes under difficult conditions.
Ageing equipment, together with lack of spare parts, shortage of staff, very strict working procedures and not to mention, enemy action, made life sometimes very difficult.
Without this relatively small band of back room boys, and considering the very limited alternative entertainments that were available at the time, no television, radio programmes off the air before and during air raids, Hollywood’s “Dream Factory” would not have been available to the great British public.
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May 1, 2007
Cleveland movie memories
I have been searching through old Cleveland Microfilm and have been finding some real gems. Please take a look at these films that have played at Cleveland theatres.
-ClevelandSGS
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April 26, 2007
Children’s matinee recollections
My name is Daniel Griffith. I am an independent filmmaker operating out of Chattanooga, TN. I am currently in production on a feature-length documentary, entitled “The Wonder World of K. Gordon Murray”, which follows the life of Kenneth Gordon Murray, from is youth in Bloomington, Illinois, to his young adult life as a promoter for various circuses. In 1951, following a chance meeting with Cecil B. Demille, his dreams transformed from a humble carnival owner… to a motion picture distributor and producer. But K. Gordon Murray never stopped being a showman. He used the same techniques employed by fellow exploiter, Kroger Babb, to release films into movie houses and drive-in’s across the U.S. from 1956 till his untimely death in 1979.
From 1960, through the mid-1970’s, K. Gordon Murray became famous for releasing his own re-dubbed versions of Mexican fairy tale films in theaters using the gimmick of a “weekends only/matinee only” show time. He gained most of his notoriety by releasing the 1959 Mexican import, “Santa Claus”, in theaters during the 1960 holiday season. Its success spawned the “kiddie” matinee phenomena that lasted into the 1980’s, when conflicts with the major Hollywood studios, along with the birth of the VHS market, muscled the independent producers out of business. But during its zenith, Murray toured these films with accompanying magic shows, costumed characters from the fairy tale films, and an impressive ad campaign. His efforts in the childrens film genre earned him the title, “King of the Kiddie Matinee”.
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April 24, 2007
“Come In! It’s COOL Inside!”
Does anyone out there have a photograph of the old banner used on the marquee of Cinemas: “Come In! It’s COOL Inside” As I recall, it was made of blue satin and had an iceberg with a little penguin either on the iceberg or off to the side…..
Brad
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April 20, 2007
Connellee Theatre info
Trying to find out about this theatre. These pics were included on a CD with hundreds of movie theatre interiors, yet none are marked. I am reasonably certain it was NOT in Los Angeles (which is where I got the pics). The link below has a couple of pictures.
Good luck and happy hunting!
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April 18, 2007
The very first shopping center theater: Stamford, CT or Seattle, WA ?????
Read in the postings for the Ridgeway, Stamford, CT that it opened in the summer of 1951 as America’s first shopping center theater, yet similar comments for both Northgate, Seattle, WA and Cinema Shopper’s World in MA claim that same distinction, yet both opened a few months after the Ridgeway.
Can anybody clarify any of this??
Thanks