Edward Havens:
The IMAX addition when it opened on May 20,2011 was under then Charlotte-based Stone Theatres. By December of 2011,Stone Theatres was gone and Rave Cinemas took over the Soutnpoint Mall Cinemas' operations. Rave Cinemas took over Southpoint in January of 2012 and was acquired by AMC Theatres on January 18,2013 when AMC acquired this theatre along with nine other cinemas that were under Rave Cinemas.
As of January 18,2013, the Southpoint Mall Cinemas and IMAX has been acquired by AMC Theatres(American Multi-Cinemas)….the theatre has been listed as having 16 screens,but instead has a 450 seat IMAX theatre so that would make it 17 screens. This is AMC Theatres' first operation in the greater Triangle area. More information is on this website:
www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/amc-southpoint17
This was one of the several ULTRAVISION theatres that operated under Wilby-Kincey Theatres in 1969 and later on by ABC Southeastern and Plitt Southern Theatres. By the mid-1980’s,Kleesburg Theatres took over the Terrace’s operations until it’s closing in 1991. This theatre was NEVER under Cineplex Odeon when it closed.
Chuck1231 and Katmdo:
You’re absolutely right….Carmike didn’t buy out Cineplex Odeon. They purchased some of the theatres that were once under Plitt Southern Theatres. By the early-1990’s the theatres including the Cardinal in Raleigh,the Carolina in Chapel Hill,and the Thruway in Winston-Salem closed. Also under Plitt were the closing of the Thunderbird Drive-In in Salisbury and the Fort Drive-In in Fayetteville(both were under Plitt and ABC Theatres)…..the Terrace in Greensboro and the Terrace Theatres in Burlington were acquired under Janus Theatres. So here are the theatres Carmike purchased or acquired that were formerly Plitt/Cineplex Odeon……
Kleesburg Theatres by 1986 acquired the Terrace Theatres from Cineplex Odeon. Kleesburg Theatres basically operated the Rowan Plaza Theatres 1 & 2 that closed in December of that year becoming the Salisbury Mall Cinemas which opened around Christmas Day of 1986.
Nighthawk1:
After July,1990,theatres that were under Cineplex Odeon sold most of it’s North Carolina locations to Carmike with the exception of several theatres that had the same architectural structure as the Terrace Theatres in Salisbury. If you look at the other Terrace Theatres in Hickory,Asheville,Greensboro and Burlington,the Cardinal in Raleigh and the Cardinal Theatres in Jacksonville and Rocky Mount,and Fayetteville and the Center in Durham basically had the same similar design and concept. When Carmike took over and bought out Cineplex Odeon,several theatres including the Cardinal in Raleigh,the Carolina in Chapel Hill,and the Thunderbird Drive-In in Salisbury and The Fort Drive-In in Fayetteville closed it’s doors forever under Cineplex Odeon. Carmike took over the remaining cinemas(including the Park Terrace and the Thruway,and all of the Terrace and Cardinal theatres in the state).
“Les Miserables” was one of two theatres in the country that opened as an exclusive reserved seat engagement complete with full overture,intermission,and exit music at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater. Everybody else got the general release for Christmas Day,2012.
What? Let’s hope that the City of Charlotte does not turn this landmark theatre into another Downtown Office Building. I would love to see the CAROLINA THEATRE restore to it’s vintage glory. The CAROLINA was the state’s grand palace and it was the first and foremost theatre in the state to get the Exclusive Carolina Showing of “Gone With The Wind” on January 29,1940.
From the June 3,1966 ad from the Raleigh News and Observer…..on the showing of MY FAIR LADY at the State Theatre….
“DIRECT FROM IT’S EXCLUSIVE ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENT! FINALLY,
RALEIGH CAN SEE "MY FAIR LADY” AT POPULAR PRICES AT THE STATE THEATRE…."
tory and chuck1231:
FOR YOUR INFORMATION………..
The release of MY FAIR LADY didn’t come to Raleigh until June 3,1966 as a general release even though it was originally released in larger cities first on October 21,1964 in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles as a reserved seat engagement.
Charlotte’s Capri Theatre was the only showing of the film in the state that got the exclusive reserved seat engagement on January 28,1965…MY FAIR LADY when it came to Charlotte was the only theatre in the state that played it for a year. It was the only roadshow attraction in the Carolinas(full entrance music with intermission and exit music)……
Durham’s Center Theatre was also a reserved seat engagement for it’s Eastern North Carolina premiere on January 14,1966…MY FAIR LADY when it came to Durham’s Center Theatre in early-1966 was also a roadshow attraction (complete with full entrance music,intermission and exit music)………
Other cities like Asheville and Greensboro and even cities like Fayetteville and Raleigh got the general release of MY FAIR LADY….Durham and Charlotte were the roadshow engagements. I have the original ads for this if you need to see them via e-mail at
I don’t know who was the manager of the State Theatre in Raleigh when MY FAIR LADY played during its general release in the summer of 1966,but I do know that the film was a huge hit when it finally came out in the Capital City of Raleigh.
Nighthawk1: About Ambassador Theatre or Carmike’s decision to build another movie theater in Chapel Hill where the former Borders Book Store used to be at the intersection of Sage Road and Fordham Blvd.(15-501) near Lowe’s Home Improvement……
That deal was rejected….the former Borders Book Store has been taken over when administrative officials with UNC Health Care and North Carolina Medical Systems decide to open a medical office there. The decision to put a movie theater there would be a striking blow to Carmike’s involvement of opening another multiplex there. So the deal is off. The only two mainstream movie houses in Chapel Hill are on the Northern end of the city is the Timberlyne 6 under Regal Cinemas,and the Lumina Theatres on the Southern end of the city under Ambassador Entertainment.
This theatre in its heyday played GONE WITH THE WIND numerous times during it’s re-release….I remember seeing it in 1980 to packed audiences in DOBLY STEREO
In 1971,I saw the re-release of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA at Durham’s Center Theatre,and from what I saw was a movie that was edited from it’s original running time. But I never understood it then,and I did when I went back to see it again in 70MM at the Uptown Theatre in Washington,DC in 1989 to great applause in which the great picture and sound made it much more entertaining and also it was restored to it’s original running time of 227 minutes. The 1971 re-release was “butchered”.
I don;t have the information as to where LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played at in South Carolina,but I do have the original ads from several North Carolina papers as well as it’s reserved seat engagement showing at Charlotte’s Carolina Theatre.
A lot of great movies played here at the Colony Theatre in Downtown Wilmington. David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played here first-run on August 22,1963. It was an exclusive engagement showing.
From the ads: DIRECT FROM IT’S ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENT,NOW YOU CAN SEE LAWRENCE OF ARABIA AT POPULAR PRICES FOR IT’S EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT!
IN THE CASE OF LAWRENCE OF ARABIA IN THE CAROLINAS:
The Carolina Theatre in Charlotte was the film’s only reserved seat engagement showing in the Carolinas that opened on September 25,1963.
However,other cities here in North Carolina got the film way before Charlotte did. In the case of where LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played in North Carolina cities like Wilmington and Winston-Salem and even Fayetteville got the film first before Charlotte did. Other cities in the state like Greensboro and Raleigh didn’t get LAWRENCE until late-October and early-November of 1963. The small town venues didn’t get it until March or April of 1964 even though it was released in 1962. Here are the original showings[first-run showing/exclusive engagement]
The 1971 re-release of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA was cut back from it’s 216 minutes running time. The restored 1989 version of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA brought back it’s full 227 minutes running time that was complete with full Overture, Intermission and Exit Music and was presented in selected theatres in 70mm, 6 Track Dobly SR.
The 1971 re-release ran 189 minutes in which a full half of the movie was edited.
November 22,1986 …….
STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME at the Yorktowne Twin.
See it on the Triangle’s largest auditorium on it’s largest screen in KINTEX STEREO.
Edward Havens: The IMAX addition when it opened on May 20,2011 was under then Charlotte-based Stone Theatres. By December of 2011,Stone Theatres was gone and Rave Cinemas took over the Soutnpoint Mall Cinemas' operations. Rave Cinemas took over Southpoint in January of 2012 and was acquired by AMC Theatres on January 18,2013 when AMC acquired this theatre along with nine other cinemas that were under Rave Cinemas.
THEATRE HISTORY OF THE SOUTHPOINT MALL CINEMAS:
2002-2008 Consolidated Theatres Group
2008-2012 Stone Theatres Group
2012-2013 Rave Cinemas
2013-Present AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinemas)
As of January 18,2013, the Southpoint Mall Cinemas and IMAX has been acquired by AMC Theatres(American Multi-Cinemas)….the theatre has been listed as having 16 screens,but instead has a 450 seat IMAX theatre so that would make it 17 screens. This is AMC Theatres' first operation in the greater Triangle area. More information is on this website: www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/amc-southpoint17
This was one of the several ULTRAVISION theatres that operated under Wilby-Kincey Theatres in 1969 and later on by ABC Southeastern and Plitt Southern Theatres. By the mid-1980’s,Kleesburg Theatres took over the Terrace’s operations until it’s closing in 1991. This theatre was NEVER under Cineplex Odeon when it closed.
Chuck1231 and Katmdo: You’re absolutely right….Carmike didn’t buy out Cineplex Odeon. They purchased some of the theatres that were once under Plitt Southern Theatres. By the early-1990’s the theatres including the Cardinal in Raleigh,the Carolina in Chapel Hill,and the Thruway in Winston-Salem closed. Also under Plitt were the closing of the Thunderbird Drive-In in Salisbury and the Fort Drive-In in Fayetteville(both were under Plitt and ABC Theatres)…..the Terrace in Greensboro and the Terrace Theatres in Burlington were acquired under Janus Theatres. So here are the theatres Carmike purchased or acquired that were formerly Plitt/Cineplex Odeon……
Durham: Center
Raleigh: Tower Twin
Rocky Mount: Cardinal 3
Fayetteville: Cardinal 3
Jacksonville: Cardinal
Winston-Salem: Marketplace 6
Asheville: Terrace 1 & 2
Raleigh: Tower Merchants Cinemas 6
Raleigh: Waverly Place 6
Rocky Mount: Golden East Crossing 6
Gastonia: Gaston Mall
Charlotte: Park Terrace
Charlotte: Matthews Festival Cinemas 10
Hickory: Terrace 3
Kleesburg Theatres by 1986 acquired the Terrace Theatres from Cineplex Odeon. Kleesburg Theatres basically operated the Rowan Plaza Theatres 1 & 2 that closed in December of that year becoming the Salisbury Mall Cinemas which opened around Christmas Day of 1986.
Nighthawk1: After July,1990,theatres that were under Cineplex Odeon sold most of it’s North Carolina locations to Carmike with the exception of several theatres that had the same architectural structure as the Terrace Theatres in Salisbury. If you look at the other Terrace Theatres in Hickory,Asheville,Greensboro and Burlington,the Cardinal in Raleigh and the Cardinal Theatres in Jacksonville and Rocky Mount,and Fayetteville and the Center in Durham basically had the same similar design and concept. When Carmike took over and bought out Cineplex Odeon,several theatres including the Cardinal in Raleigh,the Carolina in Chapel Hill,and the Thunderbird Drive-In in Salisbury and The Fort Drive-In in Fayetteville closed it’s doors forever under Cineplex Odeon. Carmike took over the remaining cinemas(including the Park Terrace and the Thruway,and all of the Terrace and Cardinal theatres in the state).
“Les Miserables” was one of two theatres in the country that opened as an exclusive reserved seat engagement complete with full overture,intermission,and exit music at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater. Everybody else got the general release for Christmas Day,2012.
What? Let’s hope that the City of Charlotte does not turn this landmark theatre into another Downtown Office Building. I would love to see the CAROLINA THEATRE restore to it’s vintage glory. The CAROLINA was the state’s grand palace and it was the first and foremost theatre in the state to get the Exclusive Carolina Showing of “Gone With The Wind” on January 29,1940.
From the June 3,1966 ad from the Raleigh News and Observer…..on the showing of MY FAIR LADY at the State Theatre…. “DIRECT FROM IT’S EXCLUSIVE ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENT! FINALLY, RALEIGH CAN SEE "MY FAIR LADY” AT POPULAR PRICES AT THE STATE THEATRE…."
tory and chuck1231: FOR YOUR INFORMATION……….. The release of MY FAIR LADY didn’t come to Raleigh until June 3,1966 as a general release even though it was originally released in larger cities first on October 21,1964 in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles as a reserved seat engagement.
Charlotte’s Capri Theatre was the only showing of the film in the state that got the exclusive reserved seat engagement on January 28,1965…MY FAIR LADY when it came to Charlotte was the only theatre in the state that played it for a year. It was the only roadshow attraction in the Carolinas(full entrance music with intermission and exit music)……
Durham’s Center Theatre was also a reserved seat engagement for it’s Eastern North Carolina premiere on January 14,1966…MY FAIR LADY when it came to Durham’s Center Theatre in early-1966 was also a roadshow attraction (complete with full entrance music,intermission and exit music)………
Other cities like Asheville and Greensboro and even cities like Fayetteville and Raleigh got the general release of MY FAIR LADY….Durham and Charlotte were the roadshow engagements. I have the original ads for this if you need to see them via e-mail at
I don’t know who was the manager of the State Theatre in Raleigh when MY FAIR LADY played during its general release in the summer of 1966,but I do know that the film was a huge hit when it finally came out in the Capital City of Raleigh.
Nighthawk1: About Ambassador Theatre or Carmike’s decision to build another movie theater in Chapel Hill where the former Borders Book Store used to be at the intersection of Sage Road and Fordham Blvd.(15-501) near Lowe’s Home Improvement……
That deal was rejected….the former Borders Book Store has been taken over when administrative officials with UNC Health Care and North Carolina Medical Systems decide to open a medical office there. The decision to put a movie theater there would be a striking blow to Carmike’s involvement of opening another multiplex there. So the deal is off. The only two mainstream movie houses in Chapel Hill are on the Northern end of the city is the Timberlyne 6 under Regal Cinemas,and the Lumina Theatres on the Southern end of the city under Ambassador Entertainment.
Steve McQueen’s THE GETAWAY played at the Yorktowne Theatre first-run on December 12,1972 as the cinema’s big christmas attraction.
PAPILLION with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman played at the Yorktowne Theatre first-run around Christmas of 1973.
A lot of great blockbusters of the 1970’s and 1980’s got first-run billing at the Yorktowne Theatre in Durham.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC played at the Yorktowne Theatre in mid-1973,during one of it’s many re-releases to capacity crowds.
This theatre in its heyday played GONE WITH THE WIND numerous times during it’s re-release….I remember seeing it in 1980 to packed audiences in DOBLY STEREO
David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played at the Center Theatre,aka The Lakewood Center Theatre in 1971 as a re-release.
In 1971,I saw the re-release of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA at Durham’s Center Theatre,and from what I saw was a movie that was edited from it’s original running time. But I never understood it then,and I did when I went back to see it again in 70MM at the Uptown Theatre in Washington,DC in 1989 to great applause in which the great picture and sound made it much more entertaining and also it was restored to it’s original running time of 227 minutes. The 1971 re-release was “butchered”.
I don;t have the information as to where LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played at in South Carolina,but I do have the original ads from several North Carolina papers as well as it’s reserved seat engagement showing at Charlotte’s Carolina Theatre.
A lot of great movies played here at the Colony Theatre in Downtown Wilmington. David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played here first-run on August 22,1963. It was an exclusive engagement showing.
From the ads: DIRECT FROM IT’S ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENT,NOW YOU CAN SEE LAWRENCE OF ARABIA AT POPULAR PRICES FOR IT’S EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT!
David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played here as the exclusive Asheville showing on October 3, 1963.
David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played at Raleigh’s Cameron Village Theatre as an exclusive engagement showing on November 17,1963.
From the ads: DIRECT FROM IT’S ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENT,YOU CAN SEE LAWRENCE OF ARABIA NOW AT POPULAR PRICES FOR IT’S EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT!
David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played at Durham’s Carolina Theatre first-run as a exclusive engagement on October 13, 1963.
IN THE CASE OF LAWRENCE OF ARABIA IN THE CAROLINAS:
The Carolina Theatre in Charlotte was the film’s only reserved seat engagement showing in the Carolinas that opened on September 25,1963.
However,other cities here in North Carolina got the film way before Charlotte did. In the case of where LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played in North Carolina cities like Wilmington and Winston-Salem and even Fayetteville got the film first before Charlotte did. Other cities in the state like Greensboro and Raleigh didn’t get LAWRENCE until late-October and early-November of 1963. The small town venues didn’t get it until March or April of 1964 even though it was released in 1962. Here are the original showings[first-run showing/exclusive engagement]
8.22.1963-Wilmington-Colony
8.29.1963-Winston-Salem-Winston
9.01.1963-Fayetteville-Carolina
10.03.1963-Asheville-Imperial
10.13.1963-Durham-Carolina
10.17.1963-Greensboro-Center
11.08.1963-Raleigh-Village (Cameron Village)
04.15.1964-Chapel Hill-Carolina
RESERVED SEAT ENGAGEMENT SHOWING:
9.25.1963-Charlotte-Carolina-[Stereophonic Sound]
The 1971 re-release of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA was cut back from it’s 216 minutes running time. The restored 1989 version of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA brought back it’s full 227 minutes running time that was complete with full Overture, Intermission and Exit Music and was presented in selected theatres in 70mm, 6 Track Dobly SR.
The 1971 re-release ran 189 minutes in which a full half of the movie was edited.
November 22,1986 ……. STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME at the Yorktowne Twin. See it on the Triangle’s largest auditorium on it’s largest screen in KINTEX STEREO.