I’m sad to report that Alex Kouvalis has passed away http://www.suntimes.com/news/obituaries/8021778-418/alexander-kouvalis-remembered-as-savior-of-patio-theater.html
The description of the Roosevelt might be changed to say that after the theatre was demolished, some single-story, temporary looking, retail structures were built in its place. These buildings lasted less than ten years.
Here are some views of the buildings that initially replaced the Roosevelt.
Unfortunately yes the city tax is to blame. It’s pretty high. The Three Penny Cinema closed because the owner was unable to pay the high city/county amusement taxes.
That sucks that Harlem Corners is sitting half ripped apart as Robin Roz says. See my comments above about the Morton Grove Theatre. They were closed because the strip mall owner saw $$ by putting in a Shoe Carnival instead. Whereas the MG did great business, reportedly the shoe store’s parking lot sits empty most of the time.
A cinema can also have a residual effect on area businesses. People go out to eat or for a drink before or after a show. When shopping for shoes, not so much. And a shuttered movie theatre brings in no $$ for itself or the surrounding community.
I remember seeing “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life” here. I was at Quincy College (now University) at the time. I believe that’s the only movie I’ve ever seen here.
I don’t remember any of the titles (and nor had I ever heard of K. Gordon Murray until now) but here’s what the Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com has to say about him:
“Towards the end of his life Murray got in tax trouble with the Internal Revenue Service, which seized all his films and took them out of circulation. Before the case could come to a conclusion, Murray died of a heart attack.
He is buried in Ottawa, Illinois."
So because of that litigation is probably why no one has seen his movies in recent years.
Here is a list of his films. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0615096/ If you click on a few of them, you’ll notice they’re shown as “lost”. He did other shlock too, including one with Mickey Rooney called “Thunder Country”.
I lived in Pittsburgh from 1990-1995. I remember taking my then-girlfriend here, probably to see “Hand That Rocks the Cradle”. Even then, I remember this theatre being kind of “eh”.
I’m sad to report that Alex Kouvalis has passed away http://www.suntimes.com/news/obituaries/8021778-418/alexander-kouvalis-remembered-as-savior-of-patio-theater.html
The description of the Roosevelt might be changed to say that after the theatre was demolished, some single-story, temporary looking, retail structures were built in its place. These buildings lasted less than ten years.
Here are some views of the buildings that initially replaced the Roosevelt.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uicdigital/5429417521/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uicdigital/5430032264/in/photostream/
ICE reopened the Lawndale. Will this one reopen too?
Per ICE’s website, this theatre has re-opened! http://icetheaters.com/lawndale10.asp
Bobby S.
Unfortunately yes the city tax is to blame. It’s pretty high. The Three Penny Cinema closed because the owner was unable to pay the high city/county amusement taxes.
I’m wondering when this place will re-open.
That sucks that Harlem Corners is sitting half ripped apart as Robin Roz says. See my comments above about the Morton Grove Theatre. They were closed because the strip mall owner saw $$ by putting in a Shoe Carnival instead. Whereas the MG did great business, reportedly the shoe store’s parking lot sits empty most of the time.
A cinema can also have a residual effect on area businesses. People go out to eat or for a drink before or after a show. When shopping for shoes, not so much. And a shuttered movie theatre brings in no $$ for itself or the surrounding community.
So this theatre never made it into the Cineplex-Odeon chain? It’s counterpart up the street, the Will Rogers, was briefly in the C-O chain.
Are any movie theaters open in or near Erie?
I remember seeing “Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life” here. I was at Quincy College (now University) at the time. I believe that’s the only movie I’ve ever seen here.
Because this theatre was an Essaness, per Bryan’s comment above, was it ever a Cineplex-Odeon?
The website should now be www.amctheatres.com
The chain should be changed to AMC. AMC even has its logos on the building.
Floont
I don’t remember any of the titles (and nor had I ever heard of K. Gordon Murray until now) but here’s what the Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com has to say about him:
“Towards the end of his life Murray got in tax trouble with the Internal Revenue Service, which seized all his films and took them out of circulation. Before the case could come to a conclusion, Murray died of a heart attack.
He is buried in Ottawa, Illinois."
So because of that litigation is probably why no one has seen his movies in recent years.
Here is a list of his films. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0615096/ If you click on a few of them, you’ll notice they’re shown as “lost”. He did other shlock too, including one with Mickey Rooney called “Thunder Country”.
“Empire Strikes Back” must have been a rerelease as it was made in 1979 or 1980.
I believe the only movie I ever saw here was “Goodbye Girl.”
This should be updated to AMC Theatres.
That architecture looks a lot like the Portage on the Northwest Side.
Has anything happened to this theater?
www.rossispopup.com
An inglorious fate for what should have been a great cinema.
Amazing photos.
Susan,
I lived in Pittsburgh from 1990-1995. I remember taking my then-girlfriend here, probably to see “Hand That Rocks the Cradle”. Even then, I remember this theatre being kind of “eh”.
Here is another view View link of Pride Cleaners.
The Edens reminds me of Pride Cleaners, still in business on the South Side of Chicago View link
Is this cinema independently owned or is it part of a chain?
Has this place been demolished already? The status is shown as “Closed/Demolished” but I haven’t found anything about a demolition.
If it was converted to retail, then I assume the auditorium was gutted.