Comments about Byham Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA

carolgrau on November 7, 2009 at 10:55 am

I ran Natalie Woods brainstorm in 70mm here, and I remember running Purple Rain here also. I was one of the main projectionist at the Warner for 5 days a week the other 2 days I would the Fulton all these shifts were open to close. I also worked the Fulton Mini. The main booth had as number one projector a Simplex X-L and a peerless magnarc lamp Projectors 2&3 where Norelco AAII’s with Ashcraft Mighty ninety lamps, later replaced with strong 2500 watt bulbs. Wasv always one of my favotite theatres.

71dude on April 19, 2009 at 9:31 pm

View link

71dude on April 15, 2009 at 9:50 pm

This picture is from Nov. 1983:
View link

edblank on March 26, 2009 at 12:15 pm

Renewing link.

kencmcintyre on January 1, 2009 at 10:32 am

Robbery foiled in June 1950:
http://tinyurl.com/7gp3q3

Ron3853 on November 17, 2008 at 1:08 pm

Since Greensburg was a city for which I had an interest of the theaters and films they played for the mid-60s, I can tell you that I believe the Greensburg Public Library has from 1967 on. If you attempt to get the information from the Tribune-Review, they will make you pay for it. If you can’t find it there, you will have to go to Harrisburg (as I did) and use the microfilms at the Pennsylvania State Library.

I know that the Manos is now the Palace Theater, but I don’t know the location or eventual fate of the Cinema, which opened in 1965.

71dude on November 17, 2008 at 12:49 pm

Do you guys know how I can find free archives of Greensburg theater listings from the late 70’s and the 80’s?

Ron3853 on October 29, 2008 at 9:18 am

I have the films that played in PGH First-Run theaters from 11/26/1957 through 12/31/1981. My problem is finding the time to post it, plus I used the Friday editions of the Pittsburgh papers and looked at the listings which may or may not be totally accurate in the case of multiplex cinemas, such as the Bank Cinemas, Fulton, and Manor, etc.

ChuckO on October 29, 2008 at 9:13 am

From the microfilm at Hillman Library in Oakland. The only problem is that the Pittsburgh movie grosses aren’t included in Variety every week. Sometimes Pittsburgh is included for three or four weeks in a row, then might disappear for two or three weeks. I’m doing the best I can from that, personal memories, old reviews and listings in the Pittsburgh Press Weekender section (appeared every Thursday) to determine which films played in which Fulton auditorium from 1979-1984. I think after I’m done I can probably get it to about 90 percent accurate. Of course, there’s always the chance the two films switched auditoriums during the week, but at least it will be a semi-accurate record of which films were in which auditorium at the start of a week. I’m also trying to get a record of what played at the other Downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland and Squirrel Hill theaters (Warner, Fiesta, Gateway, which closed in 1980, Bank Cinemas, Chatham, Kings Court, Manor and Squirrel Hill) from 1979 thru 1986.

71dude on October 28, 2008 at 7:22 pm

Where do you get the Variety records and what info is in there?

ChuckO on October 28, 2008 at 4:33 pm

Fulton Mini, May, 1986:

05/01/86 Toxic Avenger
05/02/86 Blue City
05/09/86 Blue City
05/16/86 Top Gun
05/23/86 Top Gun
05/30/86 Top Gun

I must correct something I posted earlier. Upon further investigation, I’ve discovered that the 1,475+ seat Fulton I went dark in late September, 1984 with “7 Doors of Death” and “Purple Rain, only reopening for a few weeks around Christmas, 1984 for "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo.” According to the records on Variety, “City Heat” only played at the Fulton Mini. From early-mid January, 1985 until Jan. 6, 1987 only the 200+ seat Fulton Mini remained open.

71dude on October 26, 2008 at 7:21 am

July 1986 – January 1987:
07/02 Under the Cherry Moon
07/18 Vamp
07/25 Maximum Overdrive
08/01 Friday the 13th Part 6
08/22 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
09/02 Born American
09/03 The Fly
09/12 In the Shadow of Kilimanjaro
09/19 No Retreat, No Surrender
09/26 “Crocodile” Dundee
10/10 Deadly Friend
10/24 Trick or Treat
10/31 Sky Bandits
11/07 Tai-Pan
11/14 Bloody Birthday/Tai-Pan (3:40 only)
11/21 Firewalker
12/05 Jumpin' Jack Flash
12/12 – 01/06/87 The Golden Child
THE END

71dude on October 23, 2008 at 10:01 am

January – June 1986:
01/01 Enemy Mine
01/10 Day of the Dead
01/24 Hot Target/The Zoo Gang
01/31 Eliminators
02/14 The Delta Force
02/28 House
03/21 Police Academy 3
04/11 Band of the Hand
04/25 The Toxic Avenger

06/01 Top Gun
06/06 Raw Deal
06/27 Poltergeist II

Need May…

ChuckO on October 21, 2008 at 8:50 am

That April 4, 1985 listing should read “Police Academy 2.”

ChuckO on October 20, 2008 at 4:30 pm

December, 1985: Fulton Mini

12/01/85-12/10/85 Krush Grove
12/11/85-12/19/85 CLOSED
12/20/85 Ememy Mine
12/27/85 Enemy Mine

The daily listing was for the Fulton Mini only starting in mid-November, 1985.

ChuckO on October 20, 2008 at 4:24 pm

April-May, 1985:

04/04/85 Police Academy
04/12/85 Cat’s Eye
04/19/85 A Company of Wolves
04/26/85 Just One of the Guys
05/03/85 Just One of the Guys/Avenging Angel
05/10/85 Rappin'
05/17/85 Rappin'
05/22/85 Brewster’s Millions
05/31/85 Brewster’s Millions

71dude on October 18, 2008 at 9:41 pm

June-November 1985:
06/01 Brewster’s Millions
06/07 Superstition/House by the Cemetery
06/14 The Mutilator
06/21 Lifeforce
06/28 Rambo: First Blood Part II
07/03 Red Sonja
07/10 Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome
08/02 Weird Science
08/16 The Bride
08/23 Teen Wolf
09/06 9 Deaths of the Ninja
09/13 Burial Ground/9 Deaths of the Ninja
09/20 Game of Survival
09/27 Invasion USA
10/04 Commando
11/01 To Live and Die in L.A.
11/15 Once Bitten
11/22 Godzilla 1985
11/27 Krush Groove

Need December…

ChuckO on October 16, 2008 at 3:56 pm

71 dude,

Let me know if there are any other months of Fulton listings (in addition to April/May, 1985) from 1985-1986 that you don’t have and I’ll get them.

ChuckO on October 15, 2008 at 8:45 pm

I’ll get April and May of 1985 the next time I get to the library microfilm, which will hopefully be within the next week. From what I’ve been able to gather, the Fulton stopped using the Fulton II for several months after “City Heat” completed its run in January, 1985. The Fulton I remained open, playing first-run movies until mid- November, 1985, when Pittsburgh Filmmakers took over — “To Live and Die in L.A.” might have been the final first-run mainstream release to play Fulton I. Then the Fulton II reopened and resumed playing first-run films from mid-Nov., 1985 to Jan. 6, 1987 — closing with “The Golden Child.” At some point thereafter, Pittsburgh Filmmakers began using the smaller Fulton II most of the time to show art/specialty films. If I got any of this wrong, please feel free to correct the record.

71dude on October 15, 2008 at 8:06 pm

Those are 1985.

71dude on October 15, 2008 at 8:05 pm

01/11 House by the Cemetery
01/18 Chained Heat
01/25 The First Turn-On
02/01 Out of Control
02/08 Brother From Another Planet
02/15 Fast Forward
02/22 Night Patrol
03/01 Tuff Turf
03/08 Tomboy/Tuff Turf
03/15 Midnight Caller/Tomboy
03/22 The Last Dragon
03/29 Police Academy 2

Chuck, I don’t have April and May so if you do please post them and I will pick up from June.

ChuckO on October 13, 2008 at 3:51 pm

March, 1984:

3/2 Against All Odds; Strange Invaders
3/9 Against All Odds; Children of the Corn
3/16 Ice Pirates; Children of the Corn
3/23 Ice Pirates; Blade Master
3/30 Romancing the Stone; Ice Pirates

ChuckO on October 13, 2008 at 3:47 pm

September, 1983:

9/2 Hercules/Strange Brew at 10 p.m. only; Deathstalker
9/9 Prison Girls (X) in 3-D; Deathstalker
9/16 Revenge of the Ninja; Prison Girls (X) in 3-D
9/23 Revenge of the Ninja; Angel Cash (X)
9/30 Brainstorm; Revenge of the Ninja

71dude on October 12, 2008 at 8:20 pm

July-December 1984:

07/13 Conan the Destroyer; Texas Chainsaw Massacre/Drive-In Massacre
07/20 Revenge of the Nerds; The Neverending Story
07/27 Purple Rain; Revenge of the Nerds
08/03 Purple Rain; Menage a Trois 3-D
08/10 Purple Rain; The Natural
08/17 Tightrope; Purple Rain
09/14 City of the Walking Dead/Scalps; Purple Rain
09/21 7 Doors of Death; Purple Rain
09/28 Purple Rain
10/26 Terror in the Aisles
11/09 Silent Night, Deadly Night
11/21 Body Rock
11/30 C.H.U.D.
12/07 City Heat
12/19 City Heat; Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo

71dude on October 9, 2008 at 9:41 pm

January-June 1984 (March unavailable):

01/06 Mortuary; D.C. Cab
01/13 Hot Dog; Mortuary
01/20 Hot Dog; Fist Full of Talons
01/27 Eagle’s Shadow; Hot Dog
02/03 Reckless; Sudden Impact
02/10 Scarface; Reckless
02/17 Lassiter; Zelig
02/24 Lassiter; Preppies

03/30 Romancing the Stone; Ice Pirates
04/06 Romancing the Stone; Where the Boys Are ‘84
04/13 Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter; Iceman
04/27 Weekend Pass; Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
05/04 Breakin’/Steeler Highlights; Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter
05/11 Night of the Zombies/Hardbodies; Breakin'/Steeler Highlights
05/18 Pieces/Night of the Zombies; Breakin'/Steeler Highlights
05/23 Indiana Jones 2; Breakin'/Steeler Highlights
06/01 Indiana Jones 2; Chattanooga Choo Choo
06/08 Indiana Jones 2; Blind Date
06/15 Indiana Jones 2; Beat Street
06/29 Indiana Jones 2; Conan the Destroyer

Byham Theatre

101 6th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

101 6th Street,
Pittsburgh, PA 15222