Comments from 50sSNIPES

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50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Bedford Mall Cinema 7 on Oct 7, 2023 at 1:27 am

General Cinemas opened the Bedford Mall Cinema I & II on July 23, 1969 with “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” at Screen 1 and “Goodbye Columbus” at Screen 2. A third screen was added on October 24, 1975 and a fourth screen was added in the Spring of 1987.

General Cinema operated the theater until it was taken over by Canad Cinemas in late-1992 or early-1993. Canad would later add three more screens to the theater in 1994, but however, Canad only operated the theater for around four years until it was taken over by Hoyts in 1997. Hoyts operated the Bedford Mall Cinema 7 until Regal took it over on April 4, 2003.

Regal closed the Bedford Mall Cinema 7 for the final time on October 22, 2007.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Latchis Theatre on Oct 6, 2023 at 6:06 pm

The Latchis Theatre was built on a site of the former Howe Garage and Moore’s Antique Shop, and opened its doors on December 19, 1928 with Greta Garbo in “A Woman Of Affairs” along with four acts of vaudeville and an address delivered by Judge Chester B. Jordan of Keene which also featured a special speech appearance by Peter Latchis of Keene, the main man who operates the Latchis chain.

The 1,150-seat theater featured the interiors of classic Greek architecture from the original architects of Harold Mason and Wesley Haynes, both from Fitchburg, Massachusetts. A total of 900 people from New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts attended the opening ceremony and attraction (including a group of town officials from the New Hampshire town of Milford).

The Latchis Theatre was originally planned in October 1927 by the Latchis chain who were passed by Mrs. John H. Howe who was the senior member of the Latchis chain. An agreement said that they must take possession on or by April 1, 1928. The transfer which included both the garage and the antique shop themselves and an adjoining land featuring a frontage of 102ft. The property itself was purchased by Howe herself in 1915, and both the garage and the antique shop were both built in 1917. Both the garage and the shop were later torn down in early-1928 to make way for the erection of the Latchis Theatre building.

On August 26, 1982, the Latchis Theatre closed due to low attendance as the theater faced short competition with the Claremont Triple Cinema and with Warner-Amex Cable in Claremont began adding more channels on television including both HBO and The Movie Channel. However, the Latchis Theatre briefly reopened in 1985 under a mixture of first-run and second-run titles (plus classic serials before showings) but closed due to both falling disrepair and the management there didn’t do as much business to revive.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Paramount Theatre on Oct 5, 2023 at 5:15 pm

The Paramount Theatre opened its doors on June 9, 1949 with the Canadian Premiere of Bob Hope in “Sorrowful Jones” along with a Paramount Screen Song (“The Ski’s The Limit”), a Paramount Popular Science (“Air Force Fire Fighters”), and a Fox Movietone Newsreel. It was first operated by Famous Players.

There was a lot of original information about the Paramount Theatre, which goes as follows: As of 1949, the original capacity of the theater housed 900 seats (with 600 in the original section and 300 in the balcony). The marquee measures 50ft towering 6ft over the top of the building with bold Neon letters and incandescent flashing borders. The marquee is outlined in Neon tubing and the readograph is illuminated by cold cathode on the inside and neon lights at the edges. 15 150-watt floodlights were located at the underside of the marquee which leads to the six such doors in the theater. Three are the entrance and the other three at the threshold of the lobby. The roomy box office is situated at the east end of the building at the street line providing convenience of entrance for ticket buyers. Equipped with heavy place glass windows, the box office equipment contains the latest establishments. On Grand Opening, Mayor T.T. McCammon launched the official opening when he cut the ribbon.

Aisles of the theater as of 1949 featured heavy carpeting in pastel shades to harmonize with the color scheme of the turquoise-colored walls and red-rippled satin draperies with extra silver and rose textures on the walls with some rose blush title sheet. The lobby leads up three competed stairs to the large rectangular richly carpeted foyer, and the floor of the outer lobby is brick-colored tile in an attractive pattern. At the right is a broad stairway sweeping towards the mezzanine and balcony section. There are two wide entrances to the orchestra section of the auditorium, which both of its doors keep out extraneous sound from the audience. At the left is the cosmetic salon for the females and past that is the compact confection bar. The foyer walls are painted in old rose shades with matching shades to the ceiling.

One of the most unique things about this theater is hearing aids. Citizens who had experienced deafness or any difficulty hearing the movie are welcome the news that special hearing aids (coming in two different versions) have been installed along one of the rows of the center section of the theater. Usherettes at the Paramount as of 1949 are smartly attired in bolero type double-breasted jackets, set off by white piquet collars and cuffs, and with divided long skirt slacks, both in blue. The Famous Players logo insignia is carried on the right sleeve. The doorman wears a smart navy blue double-breasted pea jacket with light blue trousers.

The walls of the theater are fireproof and was built more than 800 yards of reinforced concrete and 60 tons of structural steel. The largest of the cantilever steel girders are 24-inch “I” beams which are equal to any single steel unit in Pattullo Bridge. The comfort of the theater features unseen pipes, fans, cooling coils, boilers, and furnaces are thermostatically controlled to assure an acme of ultra-modern heating and ventilation. Fresh air is circulated by 28 vents strategically located throughout the theater, Heating was done by recessed steam radiators with most heating equipment located underneath the stage. Lungs of the air-conditioned network are situated in a penthouse on the roof, where huge fans turn fresh air through a honeycomb of filtering apparatus before the air is piped in to all parts of the building.

Liverpool, England resident Claude G. Smith who worked in the show business since 1913 was listed as the first manager for the Paramount. He was a former assistant property master in the old Grand Theatre in Calgary and once lived in Vancouver before moving to Chilliwack in 1937 right at the same time the Famous Players Corporation took over the former RKO-operated Orpheum Theatre. Smith joined the organization served in Kelowna, Penticton, Nelson, back to Vancouver, and then back to Chilliwack a short time later. He was once the manager of the Strand Theatre there as well. The Strand Theatre nearby was forced to close its doors in connection of the opening of the first-run Paramount Theatre. The Strand did reopen its doors a short time later but didn’t show any mainstreamers.

On June 8, 1975, the Paramount closed its doors as a single-screener with “The Trial Of Billy Jack” for a short time due to twinning, which immediately downgraded its original capacity of 900 to 774 seats, however, Wilf Keelan (the manager at the time) said that the theater will be more wider but advantages are a problem.

Some comparing from the original and the twin contains the main snack bar being replaced with a stretched snack bar across the middle of the front lobby and will serve both theaters. A smaller snack bar was also added but located on the top floor but was only used during very busy periods.

The Paramount reopened as a twin on August 14, 1975 with “Mandingo” at Screen 1 and “Young Frankenstein” at Screen 2, featuring a total capacity of 774 seats (with 496 seats at Screen 1 with a 14x28ft screen, and 278 seats at Screen 2 with a 13x30ft screen).

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Carmike 7 on Oct 3, 2023 at 6:58 pm

Opened on December 9, 1988, the Carmike Cinema 7 has a total seating capacity of 1,190 seats (with 302 seats in the large auditorium and 117 seats in two small auditoriums). It was first managed by Tony Black, who said that three out of the seven auditoriums have installations of stereo sound, while the four remaining screens have mono-surround sound.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about AMC Classic Billings 10 on Oct 1, 2023 at 3:18 pm

The Wynnsong 10 opened on May 14, 1999 and this replaced two nearby theaters, the World West Theatres and the Rimrock 5 (which both theaters closed two months apart in early-1999).

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about World West Theatres on Oct 1, 2023 at 3:08 pm

Closed in April 1999.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Rimrock 5 Theaters on Oct 1, 2023 at 3:01 pm

Opened on October 17, 1975 and closed in February 1999.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Sage 4 Drive-In on Sep 30, 2023 at 11:12 pm

It was last known as “Sage 4 Drive-In”. What’s unique about it is that the theater was eventually renamed “Sage 4 Drive-In” while the three other screens were still under construction in early-August 1978. The theater then fully became a four-screen drive-in on September 1, 1978.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Motor-Vu Drive-In on Sep 30, 2023 at 10:54 pm

The Motor-Vu closed on August 19, 1977 and was demolished that same year. However after being demolished, a 1981 aerial view shows that only some traces still remain on site, but was gone in the 1996 aerial view.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about AMC Classic Hickory Creek 16 on Sep 27, 2023 at 7:19 pm

This theater was notable for an incident on February 18, 2003 that became local headlines. One of the projectionists who worked at the Hickory Creek 16 was stabbed multiple times with an 8-inch knife by two 20-year-old Arlington residents who were identified as Gary Paul Weston and Rene Ngoc Vu. They also once got into a robbery at one of the two movie theaters in Eureka, California until they were caught back in Texas in August 2003.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Lund Theatre on Sep 27, 2023 at 12:57 am

Once heavily damaged by a fire on May 21, 1982.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Mountain Valley Mall Cinemas on Sep 26, 2023 at 10:36 pm

This started life as a twin known as the Mountain Valley Mall Cinemas I & II in the 1970s although I cannot find its grand opening date yet. The theater became a quad when two more screens were added in July 1984.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Majestic Theatre on Sep 26, 2023 at 10:29 pm

Unlike most theaters, this theater went under three different names through its first year of operation.

This started life as the New Theatre on June 24, 1931 with Leila Hyams in “Stepping Out” along with a couple short subjects, but a shorter time later it was renamed the New Conway Theatre by the end of the year. In May 1932, it was renamed the Majestic Theatre.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Lund Theater on Sep 25, 2023 at 6:17 pm

Filmack

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Movie Garden Drive-In on Sep 24, 2023 at 2:17 pm

On December 8, 1980, the Eustis Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and the Leesburg Police Department arrested 15 people on drug charges (including charges of misdemeanor possession of marijuana and resisting arrest) while watching “Urban Cowboy” as part of a double feature (with the other feature being “Roadie”) at the Movie Garden. Out of the 15 arrested, four of them were juveniles. Employees and patrons at the theater witnessed the druggies smoking marijuana and swearing loudly. The detained people were all between the ages of 15 and 22 from Eustis, Tavares, Umatilla, Leesburg, Sorrento, Astatula, and Mount Dora. Only three people were released from bond a day later. It was a major scene that some officers have to jump over the fence in order to enter.

During the riff, two undercover policemen were injured in a scuffle by a 16-year-old Umatilla girl (who was arrested on battery on a police officer and resisting arrest with violence) as the two officers were then treated and released from Waterman Memorial Hospital. Only one detainee was sent to the hospital.

The Movie Garden closed on October 1, 1983, and was demolished on December 13, 1983.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Clervue Drive-In on Sep 23, 2023 at 10:13 pm

The Clervue opened its gates on July 7, 1953, and was first operated by Mr. and Mrs. Edwin G. Calhoun of Montrose, Colorado. Later in the 1950s, it was operated by MCM Theatres.

Later operated by Sheldon Wimpfen of Winter Garden, the Clervue became local headlines in 1983 with its showing of explicit and foreign material during the very late hours. Wimpfen was interviewed by the Orlando Sentinel in February 1983 that they show the same average R-rated films that you can see anywhere in the state. He said that theater owners have difficult times to show G-rated features such as Disney stuff. He would rather show all Disney movies but they don’t make that many anymore which at the time instead shows special reissues. Wimpfen also recommend that foreign features were also screened since earlier that same year but were not sexually explicit, calling the films more tame. Clermont’s mayor, Charles Beals, sent a complaint letter to the owners asking that they would not show anymore explicit features.

Later that same year, citizens were tired of the explicit features they’ve shown, despite the direction of the screen it faced as people can witness the stuff from U.S. Highway 27 and Hooks Street. On November 10, 1983, city officials decided not to take legal action against the theater for showing nudity that are visible from nearby highways but they left open the possibility of future actions if more complaints continue.

The Clervue closed in 1988.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Downer Theatre on Sep 20, 2023 at 1:36 pm

WISN just reported a short time ago that the theater has suddenly closed last night for unknown reasons.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Shelby Theatre on Sep 17, 2023 at 4:45 pm

It was renamed Shelby Theatre in 1937. The Shelby operated as an all-year theater until 1958 when it began only operating during the summer months until closure in late-1960. It became something else but was vacant in 1966. It was demolished in 1972.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Hart Theatre on Sep 17, 2023 at 4:44 pm

The Amusu Theatre opened as early as 1923 and was renamed the Hart Theatre in 1931. The Hart closed in 1961.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Claremont Drive-In on Sep 17, 2023 at 1:39 pm

Opened on July 7, 1950.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Newport Cinema on Sep 17, 2023 at 1:34 pm

The Latchis Theatre opened its doors on September 10, 1949.

Information about the Latchis Theatre goes as follows: First constructed in June 1948, the 60x108ft theater took 15 months for the theater to build. The Latchis was named after the owner’s last name, Peter D. Latchis. What’s unique about the construction of the theater is that it was built without the usage of blueprints. The main foyer features very unique designs including paintings of a double rainbow, the sun’s rays, the moon, Atlas carrying an angel on his shoulder, the earth with a five pointed star, a design of Centaur, a design of Apollo with his chariots, among others. The auditorium features an original capacity of 900 seats, a sky blue ceiling with a blue and gold stage font, an original stage measurement of 17x32ft, and doubledecker dressing rooms built on either side of the stage for both genders.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Coniston Theatre on Sep 17, 2023 at 1:09 pm

The Coniston opened on November 17, 1919 with Thomas Carrigan in “Checkers” with no extra short subjects. It was first operated by L.C. Fisher. It was later operated by Ersley A. Blanchard who joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in the 1950s.

The Coniston closed in 1963.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Paramount Theatre on Sep 17, 2023 at 3:09 am

The Paramount Theatre opened its doors by Raymond R. Johnston Jr. on April 2, 1930 with Nancy Carroll in “Honey” (unclear if any short subjects were added) with an estimate $140,000 on the building.

The Paramount did receive a couple of ups-and-downs between 1958 and 1962 causing the theater to close a couple of times. The theater ended up closing for the final time on May 31, 1962, and was last operated by Donald L. Dorsey Jr.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Boundary Line Drive-In on Sep 17, 2023 at 2:00 am

Found some info! The Boundary Line Drive-In opened its gates in mid-July 1954 featuring an original capacity of 320 cars and the original screen size of 40x52ft. It was first operated by Stinson Deane with the original projectionist being Caribou native Clarence Dow.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES commented about Sanford Drive-In on Sep 17, 2023 at 12:46 am

Are you sure it gave away to Breary Farms apartment complex in 1971? Archives from the Sanford Tribute still advertises the Sanford Drive-In until after the 1976 season.