The name Circle South 29 Drive-In is an unnecessary blending of two different theater names. Circle Drive-In is the correct name (as Mike Rogers originally submitted) of the theater for which this page was created. The South 29 Drive-In is a different theater.
By the way, the Circle Drive-In opened on June 27, 1969. Debut attraction was a Paul Newman double feature of “Cool Hand Luke” and “Harper.”
Source: Spartanburg Herald-Journal, various 1969 and 1970 issues.
Was this the Budco Vineland Twin during the 1970s? I ask because I notice the intro mentions a record run of “Jaws,” yet in my JAWS retrospective article I cite the Vineland booking as being at a “Vineland Twin” rather than a “Demarco Cinemas.” Is Demarco a later name, or is this a different theater?
IA: Why do you believe Buena Vista was never equipped with 70mm projection capability? During what timeframe did you work there? Are you familiar with the theater’s entire history? And why do you list (in the comment above) that El Dorado was equipped with a Dolby CP100 when they opened in 1967 (they got the CP100 in 1979)?
IA, please email me if you’d prefer to discuss in private rather than clutter up this page with a bunch of back-and-forth chatter.
<<< The text must have been edited by a moderator after Michael Coate’s comment was posted. >>>
Joe, I copied-and-pasted one of your intro sentences for context when I made my posting of Oct. 5, 2009, so if it’s true that a moderator edited your intro, then it would mean they also edited my comment. Can a moderator explain this?
The CT staff really ought not make revisions to the introductory write-ups without making a note of such revisions. A date and time stamp for revisions would be ideal.
Regardless of whatever editorial monkey business has taken place, it would appear that I was mistaken about Buena Vista being equipped for 70mm upon its construction and grand opening. I’m still under the impression, though, that it had 70mm capability later on in its life despite claims by IA to the contrary.
<<< One area local recalled that this was the theater to see “Star Wars” during its initial run. >>>
This is NOT the theater in which “Star Wars” played during its original 1977 release. The first-run Nashville market bookings were at Cinema 4 North (27 weeks), Cinema 4 South (36 weeks), and Hermitage 4 (8 weeks).
The broadcast premiere dates given in raysson’s July 9 post are not correct. The “Empire” premiere American broadcast was held on November 22, 1987. “Jedi” was first shown on American network TV in March of 1989.
(And before anyone goofs up the date of the network premiere broadcast of the original “Star Wars,” I may as well cite it now as February of 1984.)
<<< The network television premiere of BACK TO THE FUTURE premiered on ABC in 1990. >>>
The network TV premiere was not in 1990 on ABC; it was in 1988 on NBC.
There was also a repeat broadcast on NBC in 1989 shortly before the release of “Part II.” That broadcast was hosted by Leslie Nielsen and included some clips and behind-the-scenes footage from the sequel.
Now that the mystery editor has corrected the misspellings, why not delete my comment where I mentioned the misspellings? At this point, retaining my comment will simply confuse anyone reading the page. Worse, readers may think I’m suggesting a correction to an item that doesn’t need correcting. An even better idea would be to introduce a date and time stamp for any revisions made to the intro details.
Now if we could just get Mike Rogers some writing lessons. :–)
The plan when the series was first announced was to show all six movies in 70mm. Apparently, Laemmle had difficulty securing a 70mm print of the first movie (which does not surprise me given how few of them were made).
This theater was mentioned in my recently-posted 35th Anniversary JAWS retrospective, but I listed it as being located in Big Flats instead of Horseheads.
I realize you just updated the theater names, but I think they should be reversed. “Windsor” ought to be the primary name; “Windsor Cinerama” ought to be the AKA.
By the way, Houston’s Cinerama history can be found on this page.
<<< So far I’ve been unable to find any Boxoffice items about the opening, but the Twin Theatre was in operation by spring of 1965 >>>
Joe:
When Bill Kallay and I worked on 70mm in New York we learned “Cleopatra” played at this theater beginning in May of 1964. I’m not sure if it was the theater’s debut booking, but, whatever the case, the “Cleopatra” info offers evidence the theater was open at least a year before the time-frame you cited.
The Opera House during 1977-78 had a 39-week engagement of the original “Star Wars,” the second-longest single-theater run of the movie in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. (The longest was a 54-weeker at Northpark I & II.) The Opera House booking included a mid-run upgrade to Dolby Stereo, which probably contributed to the unusually long engagement.
Dolby’s install records indicate a Dolby CP-100 was installed at Buena Vista in late 1978. “Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom” (1984) was advertised as a 70mm presentation.
The name Circle South 29 Drive-In is an unnecessary blending of two different theater names. Circle Drive-In is the correct name (as Mike Rogers originally submitted) of the theater for which this page was created. The South 29 Drive-In is a different theater.
By the way, the Circle Drive-In opened on June 27, 1969. Debut attraction was a Paul Newman double feature of “Cool Hand Luke” and “Harper.”
Source: Spartanburg Herald-Journal, various 1969 and 1970 issues.
Don’t encourage him, Chief. :–)
Isn’t this, like, the fourth duplicate entry you’ve created in the last few weeks?
Was this the Budco Vineland Twin during the 1970s? I ask because I notice the intro mentions a record run of “Jaws,” yet in my JAWS retrospective article I cite the Vineland booking as being at a “Vineland Twin” rather than a “Demarco Cinemas.” Is Demarco a later name, or is this a different theater?
…and “Dragonslayer.”
<<< *I wonder if the GREEN BERETS had a world premiere at a Columbus theatre since it was filmed at Fort Benning. * >>>
I believe the world premiere of “The Green Berets” was held on July 4, 1968, at the Fox in Atlanta.
IA: Why do you believe Buena Vista was never equipped with 70mm projection capability? During what timeframe did you work there? Are you familiar with the theater’s entire history? And why do you list (in the comment above) that El Dorado was equipped with a Dolby CP100 when they opened in 1967 (they got the CP100 in 1979)?
IA, please email me if you’d prefer to discuss in private rather than clutter up this page with a bunch of back-and-forth chatter.
<<< The text must have been edited by a moderator after Michael Coate’s comment was posted. >>>
Joe, I copied-and-pasted one of your intro sentences for context when I made my posting of Oct. 5, 2009, so if it’s true that a moderator edited your intro, then it would mean they also edited my comment. Can a moderator explain this?
The CT staff really ought not make revisions to the introductory write-ups without making a note of such revisions. A date and time stamp for revisions would be ideal.
Regardless of whatever editorial monkey business has taken place, it would appear that I was mistaken about Buena Vista being equipped for 70mm upon its construction and grand opening. I’m still under the impression, though, that it had 70mm capability later on in its life despite claims by IA to the contrary.
<<< One area local recalled that this was the theater to see “Star Wars” during its initial run. >>>
This is NOT the theater in which “Star Wars” played during its original 1977 release. The first-run Nashville market bookings were at Cinema 4 North (27 weeks), Cinema 4 South (36 weeks), and Hermitage 4 (8 weeks).
<<< Opened Febuary 6, 1973 by Mid-States Theaters with 5 screens? >>>
Northgate opened as a three-screener as mentioned in the intro write-up. The expansion to five screens took place in 1974.
The broadcast premiere dates given in raysson’s July 9 post are not correct. The “Empire” premiere American broadcast was held on November 22, 1987. “Jedi” was first shown on American network TV in March of 1989.
(And before anyone goofs up the date of the network premiere broadcast of the original “Star Wars,” I may as well cite it now as February of 1984.)
<<< The network television premiere of BACK TO THE FUTURE premiered on ABC in 1990. >>>
The network TV premiere was not in 1990 on ABC; it was in 1988 on NBC.
There was also a repeat broadcast on NBC in 1989 shortly before the release of “Part II.” That broadcast was hosted by Leslie Nielsen and included some clips and behind-the-scenes footage from the sequel.
Now that the mystery editor has corrected the misspellings, why not delete my comment where I mentioned the misspellings? At this point, retaining my comment will simply confuse anyone reading the page. Worse, readers may think I’m suggesting a correction to an item that doesn’t need correcting. An even better idea would be to introduce a date and time stamp for any revisions made to the intro details.
Now if we could just get Mike Rogers some writing lessons. :–)
The plan when the series was first announced was to show all six movies in 70mm. Apparently, Laemmle had difficulty securing a 70mm print of the first movie (which does not surprise me given how few of them were made).
The theater name at the top of the page is misspelled (as is the city name in the first sentence of the introduction).
As I pointed out in my 35th anniversary JAWS retrospective, this was a six-screener by the summer of 1975.
This theater was mentioned in my recently-posted 35th Anniversary JAWS retrospective, but I listed it as being located in Big Flats instead of Horseheads.
I realize you just updated the theater names, but I think they should be reversed. “Windsor” ought to be the primary name; “Windsor Cinerama” ought to be the AKA.
By the way, Houston’s Cinerama history can be found on this page.
I think this theater opened in December of 1976.
<<< So far I’ve been unable to find any Boxoffice items about the opening, but the Twin Theatre was in operation by spring of 1965 >>>
Joe:
When Bill Kallay and I worked on 70mm in New York we learned “Cleopatra” played at this theater beginning in May of 1964. I’m not sure if it was the theater’s debut booking, but, whatever the case, the “Cleopatra” info offers evidence the theater was open at least a year before the time-frame you cited.
The Opera House during 1977-78 had a 39-week engagement of the original “Star Wars,” the second-longest single-theater run of the movie in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. (The longest was a 54-weeker at Northpark I & II.) The Opera House booking included a mid-run upgrade to Dolby Stereo, which probably contributed to the unusually long engagement.
Dolby’s install records indicate a Dolby CP-100 was installed at Buena Vista in late 1978. “Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom” (1984) was advertised as a 70mm presentation.
Wow, Justin, a sixty-eight word sentence! Shall I call the folks at Guinness? :–)
Thanks, guys, for the great compliments and comments.
Am I the only one amazed that we went the whole weekend without any of the anti-“Star Wars”/anti-George Lucas folks hijacking the discussion?