The Google map has this location wrong. This theatre was located in the Eastgate Shopping Center right off Highway 24-27 Bypass East across the street from Albemarle’s Quenby Mall.
Kevin Tredway:
I have updated the information concerning this cinema and it has been revised for the Cinema Treasures site. I do have the original ad from June 12,1998 newspaper ad that has the grand opening of this theatre. Please e-mail me at if you need to see this. Thank you.
The opening of the Carmike Willowdaile Cinema 8 just up the road off Guess Road in North Durham was the demise and the closing of the Northgate Twin Theatres in 1986.
The Northgate Twin Theatres were demolished by November of 1986 when expansion and renovations to Northgate Mall were about to begin construction,adding more parking space and additional stores.
The opening of the Sandhills Cinema 10 in 2001 was the demise and closing of both the Carmike Cinema 4 and the Town and Country Twin Theatres leaving a huge gap for the moviegoing public in Moore County.
Raleigh’s Mission Valley Cinema held the World Premiere of BRAINSTORM on October 6,1983. The movie was basically on location in North Carolina with locations in the greater Durham-Raleigh area as well as Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill, Kitty Hawk, Wilmington, and a few other North Carolina locates.
The Christopher Walken-Natalie Wood science fiction thriller was one of the 70mm-6 Track Dolby Stereo presentations that got the North Carolina engagements in October,1983…Those theatres are…….
Raleigh:
(Litchfield)-Mission Valley 1 & 2-[70mm Dolby Stereo]
Other cities within the state of North Carolina got the general release showings in November,1983. Only cities of Raleigh and Charlotte were the engagements.
The reserved seat engagement of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” played here in 70mm in 1968.
Not to mention first-run exclusives like “The Exorcist”,“Billy Jack”,“Planet of the Apes”,and the 1976 remake of “King Kong”(the Ambassador’s BIG Christmas Attraction!)not to mention the first-run exclusive of “The Wiz” played here too with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
The information on this theatre will be upgraded for Cinema Treasures. I have found the original ads to the grand opening of the Ambassador Theatre along with other information that will be revised. Very soon!
The Beaucatcher Cinemas upon it’s opening on December 14,1984 was Litchfield’s first-ever multiplex theatre in the Western part of the state. It originally opened as a five screener operation. It has been in business for over 30 years.
The feature presentations for its grand opening on December 14,1984 was showing on two screens……
Jeff Bridges in John Carpenter’s STARMAN
The other showings were…..
Ralph Macchio in THE KARATE KID
Arnold Schwarzenegger in THE TERMINATOR
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy for STAR TREK III
The Coming Attractions for the Beaucatcher Cinemas for
December 21,1984 were……
Walt Disney’s PETER PAN-(re-release)
Dudley Moore and Amy Irving in MICKI AND MAUDE
Matt Dillon in THE FLAMINGO KID
Michael Keaton and Shelley Duvall JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY
Artman:
The Center Theatre in Downtown Albemarle remained opened until 1982. The opening of the Eastgate Cinemas was the demise of the Center’s closing and downtown’s only moviehouse to that time. The Stanly was burned to the ground in the late-1930’s and was rebuilt and reopened during the 1940’s as the Center Theatre. The Center Theatre was Albemarle’s only first-run cinema and it stayed in business throughout the 1950’s, 1960’s, 1970’s and all the way toward the early-1980’s until it closed.
By the late-1970’s Stewart & Everett(which operated this theatre)turned the Center Theatre into a second-run discount house until it closed.
The first X-Rated movie that ever played at Raleigh’s Ambassador Theatre was Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange” that was released in early-1972.
Information regarding this theatre will be revised and updated very soon. By the way, I have found the original ad for the opening of Raleigh’s Ambassador Theatre and will be revised with new information. If you need to see the original ad scans I do have them. E-Mail me at
From Mike Rogers' comment:
Asheboro is a pretty decent size town and don’t see why a mom and pop operation couldn’t have stayed opened as a second run discount house like the Cinema II. However,the demise of the Cinema II’s closing in 1995 was the opening of a newer and flashier state of the art five screen multiplex at Randolph Mall that opened in the mid-1980’s. Carmike Cinemas put the Cinema II from a first-run theatre into the second run discount house by letting go downhill turning moviegoers from this theatre over to the state of the art Cinemas at Randolph Mall. Carmike Cinemas let this theatre go completely downhill and basically ran Asheboro’s only twin cinema down into the ground. Carmike has had a steady record of destroying good movie theatres and to make a sadder point a lot of good multiplexes too. From what others have experienced,I’m not in the theatre business,but from what I’ve seen from the butchering of cinemas from this theatre chain,they’re certainly not professional. Carmike is the YUGO of theatre chains!!!
They’re certainly not like the pros like AMC Theatres,
Cinemark,ABC Southeastern Theatres,Plitt,Martin,not to mention General Cinema and Lowes Theatres.
Opened in 1935. Closed in 1973.
The Address of the Dunn Theatre was 120-124 South Wilson Street, Dunn, NC 28334.
The Google map has this location wrong. This theatre was located in the Eastgate Shopping Center right off Highway 24-27 Bypass East across the street from Albemarle’s Quenby Mall.
Kevin Tredway: I have updated the information concerning this cinema and it has been revised for the Cinema Treasures site. I do have the original ad from June 12,1998 newspaper ad that has the grand opening of this theatre. Please e-mail me at if you need to see this. Thank you.
I have the original ad to the grand opening of this theatre along with additional information. If you need to see its original ad please contact me at
It was known as the Plaza Cinema 1 & 2 under Stewart and Everett Theatres(1972-1986),and later under Carmike Cinemas(1986-2008).
This movie theatre opened way before 1975.
It was known as the Plaza Cinema 1 & 2.
The opening of the Carmike Willowdaile Cinema 8 just up the road off Guess Road in North Durham was the demise and the closing of the Northgate Twin Theatres in 1986. The Northgate Twin Theatres were demolished by November of 1986 when expansion and renovations to Northgate Mall were about to begin construction,adding more parking space and additional stores.
The opening of the Sandhills Cinema 10 in 2001 was the demise and closing of both the Carmike Cinema 4 and the Town and Country Twin Theatres leaving a huge gap for the moviegoing public in Moore County.
Should be read as 2 screens 925 seats demolished.
It opened on December 15,1966 as a single screener with 600 seats. By 1977 it was twinned with a second auditorium that seated 325.
The Northgate Twin Theatres were located on the opposite side of the Northgate Shopping Center next to Sears.
Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry in SUDDEN IMPACT eventually played on two screens for one week.
December 16,1983…playing at MISSION VALLEY 5
Screen 1: William Hurt and Lee Marvin in GORKY PARK
Screen 2: Barbra Streisand in YENTL-DOBLY STEREO
Screen 3: Clint Eastwood(Dirty Harry)in SUDDEN IMPACT
Screen 4: Mel Brooks in TO BE OR NOT TO BE
Screen 5: William Dafoe in THE KEEP
December 9,1983…..THE MISSION VALLEY CINEMA 5
The grand reopening of the Mission Valley Cinemas
SCREEN 1: Natalie Wood in BRAINSTORM
SCREEN 2: Barbra Streisand in YENTL-DOLBY STEREO
SCREENS 3 AND 5: Clint Eastwood in SUDDEN IMPACT
SCREEN 4: The Oscar winning WW2 adventure DAS BOOT
THE COMING CHRISTMAS ATTRACTIONS:
William Hurt and Lee Marvin in GORKY PARK
Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft TO BE OR NOT TO BE
William Dafoe in THE KEEP
I have the original ads for the Mission Valley 5 grand opening from December 9,1983.
Raleigh’s Mission Valley Cinema held the World Premiere of BRAINSTORM on October 6,1983. The movie was basically on location in North Carolina with locations in the greater Durham-Raleigh area as well as Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill, Kitty Hawk, Wilmington, and a few other North Carolina locates.
The Christopher Walken-Natalie Wood science fiction thriller was one of the 70mm-6 Track Dolby Stereo presentations that got the North Carolina engagements in October,1983…Those theatres are…….
Charlotte: (Plitt)-Park Terrace III-[70mm Dolby Stereo]
Raleigh: (Litchfield)-Mission Valley 1 & 2-[70mm Dolby Stereo]
Other cities within the state of North Carolina got the general release showings in November,1983. Only cities of Raleigh and Charlotte were the engagements.
The reserved seat engagement of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” played here in 70mm in 1968.
Not to mention first-run exclusives like “The Exorcist”,“Billy Jack”,“Planet of the Apes”,and the 1976 remake of “King Kong”(the Ambassador’s BIG Christmas Attraction!)not to mention the first-run exclusive of “The Wiz” played here too with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
The information on this theatre will be upgraded for Cinema Treasures. I have found the original ads to the grand opening of the Ambassador Theatre along with other information that will be revised. Very soon!
The Beaucatcher Cinemas upon it’s opening on December 14,1984 was Litchfield’s first-ever multiplex theatre in the Western part of the state. It originally opened as a five screener operation. It has been in business for over 30 years.
The feature presentations for its grand opening on December 14,1984 was showing on two screens……
Jeff Bridges in John Carpenter’s STARMAN
The other showings were…..
Ralph Macchio in THE KARATE KID
Arnold Schwarzenegger in THE TERMINATOR
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy for STAR TREK III
The Coming Attractions for the Beaucatcher Cinemas for December 21,1984 were……
Walt Disney’s PETER PAN-(re-release)
Dudley Moore and Amy Irving in MICKI AND MAUDE
Matt Dillon in THE FLAMINGO KID
Michael Keaton and Shelley Duvall JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY
ALIEN played here on May 25,1979 first-run showing in DOLBY STEREO.
Also played here first-run at the Cardinal at North Hills “GHOSTBUSTERS”
“CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND”
“THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST”
“WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT”
“SCARFACE”-Al Pacino in DOLBY STEREO
As well as the 70mm-6 Track DOLBY STEREO presentations “THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK”
“INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM”
Artman: The Center Theatre in Downtown Albemarle remained opened until 1982. The opening of the Eastgate Cinemas was the demise of the Center’s closing and downtown’s only moviehouse to that time. The Stanly was burned to the ground in the late-1930’s and was rebuilt and reopened during the 1940’s as the Center Theatre. The Center Theatre was Albemarle’s only first-run cinema and it stayed in business throughout the 1950’s, 1960’s, 1970’s and all the way toward the early-1980’s until it closed. By the late-1970’s Stewart & Everett(which operated this theatre)turned the Center Theatre into a second-run discount house until it closed.
skeeter81:
The first X-Rated movie that ever played at Raleigh’s Ambassador Theatre was Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange” that was released in early-1972.
Information regarding this theatre will be revised and updated very soon. By the way, I have found the original ad for the opening of Raleigh’s Ambassador Theatre and will be revised with new information. If you need to see the original ad scans I do have them. E-Mail me at
The Beatles' “A HARD DAY’S NIGHT” played here first-run at Fayetteville’s Miracle Theatre on August 20,1964.
A HARD DAY’S NIGHT played here first-run at Raleigh’s State Theatre on August 16,1964.
Should be read as closed demolished 1,600 seats.
The largest auditorium seats 500.
From Mike Rogers' comment: Asheboro is a pretty decent size town and don’t see why a mom and pop operation couldn’t have stayed opened as a second run discount house like the Cinema II. However,the demise of the Cinema II’s closing in 1995 was the opening of a newer and flashier state of the art five screen multiplex at Randolph Mall that opened in the mid-1980’s. Carmike Cinemas put the Cinema II from a first-run theatre into the second run discount house by letting go downhill turning moviegoers from this theatre over to the state of the art Cinemas at Randolph Mall. Carmike Cinemas let this theatre go completely downhill and basically ran Asheboro’s only twin cinema down into the ground. Carmike has had a steady record of destroying good movie theatres and to make a sadder point a lot of good multiplexes too. From what others have experienced,I’m not in the theatre business,but from what I’ve seen from the butchering of cinemas from this theatre chain,they’re certainly not professional. Carmike is the YUGO of theatre chains!!! They’re certainly not like the pros like AMC Theatres, Cinemark,ABC Southeastern Theatres,Plitt,Martin,not to mention General Cinema and Lowes Theatres.
Martin Theatres also owned and operated the Cinema II at Northgate Plaza. And the Sunset Theatre Downtown Asheboro.