Oswego 7 Cinemas

jukingeo on June 29, 2007 at 9:59 am

Hello All,

Just to let you know, this theatre has a sister which was built in the same year and is still operating as a single screen/live venue in Norwalk Ohio. It was also a Schine theatre. The theatre currently runs under it’s marquee name: Norwalk Theatre, but at one time it was also known as the Towne and Country Theatre

Here is the current website: www.norwalktheatre.com

The theatre is listed here at Cinema Treasures. I strongly believe this theatre should also be registered as a landmark. I heard of the Norwalk theatre first and at one point wanted to buy it, but then I was tipped off on the Oswego Theatre and realized that this theatre is without a doubt, the Norwalk Theatre’s sister.

The good news is that that Norwalk Theatre has not been divided and is about 90% all original. It is also ready to handle live shows.

The Oswego Theatre is twice the size of the Norwalk Theatre. I could easily see this theatre being converted to a live venue multi-purpose arts house especially since it’s main stage is still intact.

I know one thing for sure, I missed out on the Norwalk Theatre, but if this one ever came up for sale. I am on it like there is no tomorrow.

exit on June 20, 2007 at 4:31 am

True, Michael. The Schine’s Oswego was a neighborhood theatre that did not play roadshow pictures until at least a year later after the roadshow run gave way to “popular prices.”

At some point in the 60s, BEN-HUR played the Kallet Genesee, one of the top two roadshow houses in Syracuse. There is no listing for the Genesee theatre here, but there are pictures of it at CinemaSightlines.com. The Genesee had a manager who was very good at creating theatre displays and thoughtful presentation.

exit on March 23, 2007 at 12:20 am

Main room 1 Original Screen intact, has two back corners cut off 2-3.
Upstairs Balcony split 4-5.
New Box added next to theatre at old exit door 6-7.

No plans to restore to one. lucky if they clean it up and fix up what’s there now.

The pipe sticking up from the top of the marquee used to hold the neon script that said Schine until sale to Panther Theatres mid sixties.

Patsy on February 8, 2007 at 8:35 am

This theatre must be huge to have been split into SEVEN screens!

Patsy on February 8, 2007 at 8:31 am

Lost Memory: Your March 16, 2006 wintery photo of the Oswego Theatre is probably how it looks now as Oswego has been in the Winter of 2007 news, of late.

exit on July 29, 2006 at 4:04 am

The Oswego Theatre was part of the Schine circuit, which had their name on the top of the marquee, until the mid sixties when the theatre was sold. (note the Auburn Schine Theatre for similar design)

Even in the sixties, The theatre decor was still impressive. Clouds on a blue ceiling in the auditorium, a nice deco style in the lobbies and lounges. Movies changed on Wednesday, sometimes with shorts or cartoons, and rarely played more than a week. The original concession stand had a Manley popcorn popper that filtered out the broken and unpopped kernels and actually kept the popcorn hot until served. Circa mid to late 60s, Adult admission was about $1.50 – 2.00, Children .50 to .75 cents.

The main curtain was hung flat (not gathered) and had stripes on a brown background, with a floral theme along the bottom, which was lit by footlights. There were two small spotlights fixed onto the two (ornamental) side balconies that formed an oval spot on the front curtain.

There was a nice attempt at showmanship at this theatre in the 60s, even though there were no dimmers for the house lights. When the show began, the projectionist played a 45 record of Bent Fabric’s ALLEY CAT as the house lights went off and the front curtain opened. The screen was at the back of the stage, behind a second set of (beige) curtains that were lit by red and blue lights.

There were several other movie theatres in Oswego, including the Strand and Hippodrome… all were either torn down by the mid sixties, one was converted to an army-navy store. There was a theatre called the STATE in nearby Fulton, NY, that closed in the sixties.

In 1970 Carrols Development Corporation (a string of fast food restaurants and movie theatres mostly in Syracuse) built a 350 seat MiniTheatre caIled Oswego Cinema, on the East end of town off a shopping center. It opened with Disney’s THE BOATNIKS.

Not long after, circa 1972, the balcony of the Oswego Theatre was cut off for a second screen, a new projection booth was built at the back of the main level, the boxoffice was moved inside with a divider to split the lobby, and the concession was moved to the back of the lobby, serving both sides. The second screen upstairs used the original booth and had a wine and cream color striped curtain. The marquee board was replaced with two-toned glass color coded to the two theatres. First movies to play the split Oswego 1& 2 were SUMMER OF 42 and A NEW LEAF.

Not long after, Fulton NY got a new little theatre in the middle of downtown called the Cine. It didn’t last more than a few years before being converted into a bank.

Through the years most of the Oswego Theatre marquee’s neon and chaser lights burned out. The back curtain in the main house broke, and then the front one as well. Eventually the balcony was divided in two… two more screening rooms were formed by walling off the back left and right of the main house, and an additional two rooms were built in the parking lot next to the theatre.

Nearly every other movie theatre for miles is now gone (including nearly all the single screen showcase theatres in Syracuse). Given that fact, though it is not the showplace it once was, it is remarkable that the Oswego Theatre survives.