Theaters

  • August 9, 2002

    Contribute To A Forthcoming Documentary On Interstate Theatres

    Jeff Mills, the Producer/Director of the forthcoming documentary about the Interstate Theatres circuit, “Before the Curtain Rises”, is looking for anyone with archival material, anecdotal stories, and any other information on the long history of the Texas-based exhibitor.

    He writes, “With the recent movement by the El Paso Community Foundation to put a great deal of money into the restoration of the Plaza in El Paso, we have ramped up our efforts to record their efforts and complete the film.”

    The production team is currently looking for physical artifacts such as lobby cards, ticket books, copies of The Interstate newsletter, etc., as well as any photos, postcards, film or video, printed material, audio recordings, historical information, and/or oral histories to share. They are also looking for leads on specific theaters which would be of importance either extinct or extant.

    Visit their website to watch the documentary’s trailer, as well as access numerous photos, virtual tours, interviews, and much more…

    Visit the Interstate Documentary Project website
    Visit our small list of Interstate theaters
    Email Jeff Mills at

    You can also contact Jeff Mills by phone at 713-661-6677.

  • August 8, 2002

    BREAKING NEWS Cablevision To Sell Clearview Cinemas

    BETHPAGE, NY — Cablevision has just announced that it will sell its Clearview Cinemas chain in an effort to boost profits. According to a report on CBSNewYork.com, the move will save the struggling company $70 million per year.

    There is no official word yet on what will happen to the individual theaters in the circuit or information about any possible suitors. However, it is also possible that the theaters may be sold off, or leases may be broken, on a case-by-case basis, especially given the demand for New York area real estate.

    Clearview Cinemas currently operates the legendary Ziegfeld Theatre, the Beekman, the Metro, the old Warner Quad, and many more in New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and New Jersey with a number of old movie houses in its stable.

    We’ll keep you posted …

  • 2 Raffles To Save Historic Theaters

    Two raffles are currently being held to save historic movie houses in Pasadena, California and in Douglas, Arizona:

    Raffle #1: A new 2002 Corvette Z06 is being raffled off for $75 per ticket to raise money for the restoration of the Grand Theater in Douglas, Arizona. The Grand opened in 1919, is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings, and is raising money to repair the theater after a devastating roof collapase and subsequent water damage.

    Visit the Grand Theater website

    Raffle #2: Our good friend Gina Zamparelli is fighting the good fight against the owners of the Raymond Theatre who are trying to gut the Raymond in order to erect housing, retail, and parking space.

    Friends of the Raymond Theatre is curently raising money to pay for the legal fees to save the historic movie house. Raffle tickets are only $1 each and the organization needs your help! To order tickets online, go to www.paypal.com and send payment to along with your full name, address and phone number.

    Alternately, you can send payment to:

    Friends of the Raymond Theatre
    P.O. Box 91189
    Pasadena, CA 91109-1189

    Ticket prices are as follows:

    $1 for 1 ticket
    $5 for 6 tickets
    $10 for 12 tickets
    $20 for 25 tickets
    $50 for 60 tickets
    $100 for 125 tickets
    $200 to $500 + donation – One raffle ticket for every dollar you donate!

  • August 7, 2002

    UPDATE Sameric Preservation Group Loses Appeal Hearing

    PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Committee To Save The Sameric suffered a setback yesterday when the city’s Board of Licenses and Inspections Review ruled that it could not overturn the permit granted earlier to the Goldenberg Group to demolish the Art Deco movie palace.

    According to the preservation group’s website, “Unfortunately, the L & I Review Board declined to revoke the demolition permit and refused to hear testimony from witnesses regarding the demolition permit. The Board stated they were limited to hearing about issues such as physical harm to adjoining properties and believed they could not consider the public interest of keeping Philadelphia’s last movie palace.”

    The committee is still working with the Goldenberg Group in an attempt to save the theater. The owners insist the permit was acquired only as a last resort and are actively looking for a tenant. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, “the group now intends to take the case to Common Pleas Court.”

  • August 6, 2002

    Fox Theater In Hays, Kansas To Close

    HAYS, KS — Falling profits from the Fox Theater have forced Dickinson Theaters to close one of its oldest and most historic movie houses. According to the Hays Daily News, the theater is scheduled to close later this month after more than five decades of service.

    Revenue has been falling ever since the old four screen multiplex at The Mall was expanded into an eight-screen theater. In fairness to the old Fox, though, Dickinson has routinely allocated better product to the eight screen theater which hasn’t helped the Fox’s situation.

    Fortunately, Dickinson is trying to work with the city of Hays to come up with an alternative use for the aging movie house. The theater is still in pristine condition, and was recently renovated in 2000 with the installation of new seats and digital sound.

    The Fox Theater opened in 1950 with a large screen, seating for over 1,000 patrons, and a balcony. The theater also contained numerous murals, which are now covered up by the addition of a second theater where the balcony was previously located.

  • Rally To Save The Sameric Today!

    PHILADELPHIA, PA — We’ve just received this message from Jay Schwartz at The Secret Cinema about a rally today in support of the Sameric:

    This coming Tuesday, August 6, will be the most important day yet for a show of support for the Sameric/Boyd Theater.

    The Sameric, of course, is the beautiful, intact, 2350-seat art deco movie palace, which is threatened with demolition by its present owner, The Goldenberg Group.

    Despite news stories you may have read about the owner wanting to preserve it, or about Mayor Street wanting to see it stand, neither party has made any commitment to saving the building, Philadelphia'a LAST surviving movie palace from the golden age. Indeed, The Goldenberg Group has only committed firmly to “keeping all of their options open.”

    On Tuesday at noon, there will be a rally in front of the city building at 1515 Arch Street. This is expected to be a large gathering, and the larger, the better, in order to ensure media coverage and to make City Hall know that people really care about this issue.

    The rally preceded a hearing scheduled at 1:15 pm inside the building, filed by a concerned citizen to reverse the demolition permit that The Goldenberg Group presently holds (and can legally use at any time). This hearing is open to the public, and similarly, we need as many people inside as possible to show the judge that the theater is worth saving (and that votes are at stake if it is not).

    If you care at all about this very important piece of Philadelphia’s
    entertainment history, please attend one or both of Tuesday’s events. If you work in Center City, bring your lunch to the rally. If you are able at all to stay afterwards at the hearing, that will make a huge difference.

    Even if you can’t attend either event on Tuesday, you can help by SPREADING THIS MESSAGE WIDELY, via email or any other way you can think of.

    Also, be sure to sign the online petition form at www.SaveTheSameric.org. The petitions will be brought to the hearing.

    For more information, visit www.SaveTheSameric.org or www.boydtheatre.com.

    Opened in 1928 as the Boyd, the Sameric was recently named to Preservation Pennsylvania’s “At Risk 2002” list of the state’s 10 most endangered historic properties.

    (Thanks to Gregg Anderson for the announcement.)

  • August 5, 2002

    3-Strip Cinerama Comes To The Cinerama Dome!

    HOLLYWOOD, CA — Here’s an event not to be missed:

    The world famous Cinerama Dome, located at the recently (re)constructed Arclight Cinemas complex, will be showing the film that started off the Cinerama craze in the 1950s, “This Is Cinerama”, in its glorious, original 3-strip format.

    The newly refurbished and reconstructed print will bow on October 4, 2002 at the recently reopened Cinerama Dome on its gargantuan Cinerama screen. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased directly through the Arclight Cinemas website.

    According to Arclight, the film is “the first to be refurbished – so a new generation of moviegoers can experience the thrill of this ‘pre-Imax’, ‘pre-virtual reality’ visual and sound format. Essentially a travelog, the film takes the viewer around the world and through ‘America the Beautiful…the heart of a continent, as seen through new eyes…a scenic tour de force of light, color, and sound…an America of breath-taking beauty and splendor that only Cinerama can picture and bring to you’.”

    In other Cinerama Dome news, the geodesic theater will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of David Lean’s masterpiece, “Lawrence of Arabia”, with screenings of the epic film in 70MM. (Having seen this film at the ‘Dome’ a few years ago in 70MM, I couldn’t recommend this experience more highly. – RM) The film opens here on September 20th.

    Purchase tickets for “This Is Cinerama”

    (Thanks to Cinema Treasures friend and Cinerama guru Larry Karstens!)

  • Struggle To Save Boston’s Modern Theatre From Extinction

    BOSTON, MA — Hope is fading on Boston’s historic Modern Theatre as its owners, who are being accused of letting the old movie house fall into disrepair, have applied for a permit to demolish the 1912-era movie house.

    According to the Boston Globe, the Modern, which is near two other shuttered movie palaces, the Paramount and Keith’s Opera House on Boston’s long-neglected Washington Street, may be beyond repair inside as extensive water damage has decimated the interior. Its facade, too, has begun crumbling.

    Preservationists are now fighting the demolition request and hope to save at least the facade. With the help of the Landmarks Commission and the Boston Preservation Alliance, supporters also hope to bring some form of entertainment back to the building.

    The Modern was constructed in 1912 inside a a fomer warehouse and retail building. The theater’s name was changed to the Mayflower in 1949 and its policy switched to adult films in the 1970s. It closed in the early 80s and has been used most recently as storage for pushcarts.

    (Thanks to Dennis Huber for the sad update.)

  • August 2, 2002

    Merced Theatre Purchased By City; Restoration To Follow

    MERCED, CA — The Merced City Council has approved the city’s purchase of the Merced Theatre from United Artists for $700,000 — half of the amount the theater chain had asked for. According to the Merced Sun-Star, the purchase price also includes retail space and the apartments above the historic theater.

    The city of Merced will manage the property, while the Merced Theatre Foundation, which has spent the last three years convincing the city to buy the shuttered movie house, will sign a long term contract to operate the theater.

    The group plans raise between $2.5 million and $3 million to restored the Spanish-style theater and is looking for donations which can be sent to: Merced Theatre Foundation, P.O. Box 2510, Merced, CA 95344.

    (Thanks to Ron Pierce for the update!)

  • July 31, 2002

    Benefit Screening Tonight At The Aero!!!

    SANTA MONICA, CA — A benefit screening of “Rebel Without a Cause” will be shown tonight at the Aero Theatre at 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. Tickets, which will help the ailing movie house, are $20 and include appetizers. The theater is located at 1328 Montana Avenue. For more information, call the theater at (310) 395-4990.