Mike,
The same can be said for what happen to ALL of the Downtown Theatres in Raleigh. After the Ambassador Theatre closed in 1979,it was the last movie theatre to be in Downtown Raleigh(this was when Raleigh’s own Fayetteville Street was converted into a street mall).
The State closed in 1975 and the Wake closed in 1969.
The Ambassador was demolished by 1984.
But at least Durham was smart enough to save it’s vintage Carolina Theater from the wrecking ball(which is to this day,the only movie theater that is still in existence Downtown)
At least they didn’t do what they done in Charlotte which is a crying shame.
Wasn’t there another movie theater by the Danville-Piedmont Mall that was a six-screen multiplex that was
not far from this theater just up the street from Riverside Drive.
“2010” was the unsuccessful sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 science-fiction masterpiece “ 2001”.
It was no wonder that Kubrick was furious with MGM after what they did to his beloved film. Kubrick was set to direct the sequel,but was cut in favor of director Peter Hyams.
thornhillstuff:
There was also THE ROWAN PLAZA TWIN THEATRES that was located on the opposite side of the city off Statesville Boulevard to opened in 1979 as Salisbury’s first twin cinema,and closed in 2000.
The TERRACE THEATRE(located at TOWNE MALL opened on May 28,1969)closed in 1991.
The SALISBURY MALL CINEMAS located at Salisbury Mall off Statesville Boulevard REALLY brought on the competition and muscled it’s way as the town’s first multiplex cinema that opened in 1986. THE TOWNE THEATRE was reduced to a discount house until it closed in 1988(which was under Carmike Cinemas). THE ROWAN PLAZA TWIN became a discount house under Carmike that year until its demise in 2000.
ALL that would change went Cinemark/Premiere Theatres Group built a huge 14 screen megaplex between Innes Street near Interstate 85 that opened in 2001.
ALL of these theatres are located in the greater SALISBURY/ROWAN COUNTY area. As of this writing,
The TERRACE, The ROWAN TWIN, are gone leaving the SALISBURY MALL CINEMAS and the TINSELTOWN 14 as the only movie theatres within the entire town. With the exception of THE MERONEY which has been turned into a community theater.
Consolidated Theatres was a HUGE movie chain in the Carolinas during the 1970’s and early-1980’s. A lot of great blockbusters played here at the Rowan Plaza Twin.
“Raiders of the Lost Ark” played here first-run in 1981.
A lot of the Roger Moore-007 flicks played here as well as an alternative to the other Salisbury movie palaces which were the Center, the Towne Twin(which were located Downtown),and the Terrace(that was on the other side of the city). Movies like “Moonraker”, “For Your Eyes Only”, “Octopussy”, and “A View To A Kill” got first-run billing. Also the Timothy Dalton-007 films played here too.
Carmike took over the operations of the Rowan Plaza Twin in the mid-1980’s after it bought out Consolidated Theatres and also Stewart and Everett. It also had stiff competition from nearby Salisbury Mall Cinemas that opened in 1986 as the town’s first-ever multiplex theatre(a six-screen operation). That put this theatre under stress as it when from showing first-run films to second-run features and occasional “B” movies at discount prices under Carmike Cinemas. It was Carmike that basically closed this theatre in 2000.
This was also a grindhouse cinema that specialized in a variety of “B” movies too. All that would change by the early-1970’s when this theater went from showing “B” movies to “XXX” rated adult films. It remained that way until it’s closing in 1979.
By the mid-1970’s,this theater went from showing first-run features to second-run films and “B” movies in order to keep afloat(most of them grindhouse, kung-fu, and blaxploitation films,and the occasional “XXX” rated midnight showings on Friday and Saturday nights). It remained that way until the theater’s closing in 1982. It has since been demolished.
The Premiere Attraction for the Cardinal Theater’s grand opening in 1971 “SKIN GAME” was gone within a week. This was a horrible way to open a movie with one of the worst James Garner films ever made.
The Following Week,it was definitely replaced by a slew of exclusive engagement MGM Classics(all were presented in 70MM)from “Doctor Zhivago” to “Ben-Hur”, “ 2001”,
and “Gone With The Wind”.
Steven Spielburg’s “E.T.” got the exclusive engagement showing at this theatre on June 11,1982. It was the only theatre within the entire town of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County where it played!
Wild is an understatement for this theatre. A lot of hardcore flicks played here…from “Boyz In The Hood”,to “New Jack City”, “Friday”, “Menace II Society”,and “Set It Off”.
It opened in 1972 as a single screen theater with a seating capacity of 700. By mid-1974,it was twinned by splitting the original auditorium into two sections making for shoebox size auditoriums with smaller screens.
This theatre played a lot of Elvis Presley films since they had access to the Elvis films that were released under MGM and Paramount during the 1960’s.
This theatre was open and showing first-run movies in 1967. My uncle saw Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger in “IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT” first-run at this theatre in February of 1968.
This theatre was still showing first-run films and “B” movies by 1970 before it close in 1971.
Carprog:
The Paramount was open and still was showing first-run movies during the 1960’s until it’s closing in 1971.
It was demolished in 1972. At the time of it’s closing,the Paramount and the Carolina were gone,leaving the Center Theatre as the only cinema located in Downtown High Point. The Center was still showing first-run features until it close in 1981,leaving the only movie theater standing in all of Downtown High Point.
Coate: From the previous comment about this theater;
“Cineplex Odeon did not exist in 1982,so you have cited the wrong company or the wrong year.”
In 1982,this theater was owned and operated under Plitt Southern Theatres,which basically owned and operated a LOT a movie theaters in the South during part of the early-1980’s,and it remained that way until Cineplex Odeon bought them around 1987 or 1988.
All of the movie theaters in the Southeast around the Carolinas or Virginia were under Plitt Southern Theatres,and it wasn’t until Cineplex Odeon took over the operations of the Cloverleaf Mall Cinemas until 1987.
You’re right about one thing Coate: Cineplex Odeon didn’t operated any theaters until 1982,and this was in the Midwest states where Cineplex Odeon was first established.
Mike,
Both JAWS and JAWS II played here at the Tryon Mall first-run when this theatre was under ABC Southeastern Theatres and later Plitt Southern Theatres.
Mike, The same can be said for what happen to ALL of the Downtown Theatres in Raleigh. After the Ambassador Theatre closed in 1979,it was the last movie theatre to be in Downtown Raleigh(this was when Raleigh’s own Fayetteville Street was converted into a street mall). The State closed in 1975 and the Wake closed in 1969. The Ambassador was demolished by 1984.
But at least Durham was smart enough to save it’s vintage Carolina Theater from the wrecking ball(which is to this day,the only movie theater that is still in existence Downtown)
At least they didn’t do what they done in Charlotte which is a crying shame.
Part of ABC Theatres.
Wasn’t there another movie theater by the Danville-Piedmont Mall that was a six-screen multiplex that was not far from this theater just up the street from Riverside Drive.
“2010” was the unsuccessful sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 science-fiction masterpiece “ 2001”. It was no wonder that Kubrick was furious with MGM after what they did to his beloved film. Kubrick was set to direct the sequel,but was cut in favor of director Peter Hyams.
Kencmcintyre:
On the marquee from December of 1984,indicating that this was a twin cinema..aka The Riverside Twin.
Screen 1: Roy Schneider and John Lithgow in “ 2010”
Screen 2: Goldie Hawn in “Protocol”.
By 1984,this theater was under Carmike Cinemas.
Any indication on the status of the Riverside Theater.
Did this opened as a single screen cinema?
What year did the Riverside opened? 1967? 1968?
thornhillstuff: There was also THE ROWAN PLAZA TWIN THEATRES that was located on the opposite side of the city off Statesville Boulevard to opened in 1979 as Salisbury’s first twin cinema,and closed in 2000.
The TERRACE THEATRE(located at TOWNE MALL opened on May 28,1969)closed in 1991.
The SALISBURY MALL CINEMAS located at Salisbury Mall off Statesville Boulevard REALLY brought on the competition and muscled it’s way as the town’s first multiplex cinema that opened in 1986. THE TOWNE THEATRE was reduced to a discount house until it closed in 1988(which was under Carmike Cinemas). THE ROWAN PLAZA TWIN became a discount house under Carmike that year until its demise in 2000.
ALL that would change went Cinemark/Premiere Theatres Group built a huge 14 screen megaplex between Innes Street near Interstate 85 that opened in 2001.
ALL of these theatres are located in the greater SALISBURY/ROWAN COUNTY area. As of this writing, The TERRACE, The ROWAN TWIN, are gone leaving the SALISBURY MALL CINEMAS and the TINSELTOWN 14 as the only movie theatres within the entire town. With the exception of THE MERONEY which has been turned into a community theater.
Correction: It’s was called THE HITCHING POST DRIVE-IN
NOT The Salisbury Drive-In.
Consolidated Theatres was a HUGE movie chain in the Carolinas during the 1970’s and early-1980’s. A lot of great blockbusters played here at the Rowan Plaza Twin. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” played here first-run in 1981.
A lot of the Roger Moore-007 flicks played here as well as an alternative to the other Salisbury movie palaces which were the Center, the Towne Twin(which were located Downtown),and the Terrace(that was on the other side of the city). Movies like “Moonraker”, “For Your Eyes Only”, “Octopussy”, and “A View To A Kill” got first-run billing. Also the Timothy Dalton-007 films played here too.
Carmike took over the operations of the Rowan Plaza Twin in the mid-1980’s after it bought out Consolidated Theatres and also Stewart and Everett. It also had stiff competition from nearby Salisbury Mall Cinemas that opened in 1986 as the town’s first-ever multiplex theatre(a six-screen operation). That put this theatre under stress as it when from showing first-run films to second-run features and occasional “B” movies at discount prices under Carmike Cinemas. It was Carmike that basically closed this theatre in 2000.
This was also a grindhouse cinema that specialized in a variety of “B” movies too. All that would change by the early-1970’s when this theater went from showing “B” movies to “XXX” rated adult films. It remained that way until it’s closing in 1979.
By the mid-1970’s,this theater went from showing first-run features to second-run films and “B” movies in order to keep afloat(most of them grindhouse, kung-fu, and blaxploitation films,and the occasional “XXX” rated midnight showings on Friday and Saturday nights). It remained that way until the theater’s closing in 1982. It has since been demolished.
The Premiere Attraction for the Cardinal Theater’s grand opening in 1971 “SKIN GAME” was gone within a week. This was a horrible way to open a movie with one of the worst James Garner films ever made.
The Following Week,it was definitely replaced by a slew of exclusive engagement MGM Classics(all were presented in 70MM)from “Doctor Zhivago” to “Ben-Hur”, “ 2001”, and “Gone With The Wind”.
WILD is an understatement for this theatre!
Steven Spielburg’s “E.T.” got the exclusive engagement showing at this theatre on June 11,1982. It was the only theatre within the entire town of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County where it played!
Wild is an understatement for this theatre. A lot of hardcore flicks played here…from “Boyz In The Hood”,to “New Jack City”, “Friday”, “Menace II Society”,and “Set It Off”.
HISTORY:
1974-1986 Stewart and Everett Corporation
1986-2000 Carmike Cinemas
Did PLANET OF THE APES played here too?
It opened in 1972 as a single screen theater with a seating capacity of 700. By mid-1974,it was twinned by splitting the original auditorium into two sections making for shoebox size auditoriums with smaller screens.
CORRECTION ON THE ADDRESS:
The address for the Parkway Theatre needs to be:
1183 Silas Creek Parkway,Winston-Salem,NC 27127.
NOT: 1130 which needs to be corrected.
This theatre played a lot of Elvis Presley films since they had access to the Elvis films that were released under MGM and Paramount during the 1960’s.
This theatre was open and showing first-run movies in 1967. My uncle saw Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger in “IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT” first-run at this theatre in February of 1968.
This theatre was still showing first-run films and “B” movies by 1970 before it close in 1971.
Carprog: The Paramount was open and still was showing first-run movies during the 1960’s until it’s closing in 1971. It was demolished in 1972. At the time of it’s closing,the Paramount and the Carolina were gone,leaving the Center Theatre as the only cinema located in Downtown High Point. The Center was still showing first-run features until it close in 1981,leaving the only movie theater standing in all of Downtown High Point.
There were two J.C. Penney stores that were the largest on the East Coast,mainly in the South. Clover Mall was one that opened in 1972….
The one that was the largest in the South was the Penney’s at North Hills in Raleigh that opened in 1966.
Coate: From the previous comment about this theater; “Cineplex Odeon did not exist in 1982,so you have cited the wrong company or the wrong year.”
In 1982,this theater was owned and operated under Plitt Southern Theatres,which basically owned and operated a LOT a movie theaters in the South during part of the early-1980’s,and it remained that way until Cineplex Odeon bought them around 1987 or 1988. All of the movie theaters in the Southeast around the Carolinas or Virginia were under Plitt Southern Theatres,and it wasn’t until Cineplex Odeon took over the operations of the Cloverleaf Mall Cinemas until 1987.
You’re right about one thing Coate: Cineplex Odeon didn’t operated any theaters until 1982,and this was in the Midwest states where Cineplex Odeon was first established.
This theatre got a lot of Disney product too.
Basically a lot of Disney re-releases played here.