Any one remember where these road shows played in Kansas City?
Camelot, Paint Your Wagon, West Side Story.
For some reason, I believe West Side was at the Plaza. Anyone able to confirm? I didn’t move to KC until 1976 and that was after the days of the road show.
I know the Capri was home to Cleopatra, My Fair Lady and the Midland had The Sound of Music and Funny Girl.
I saw STORY OF ADELE H. at the Plaza. Thanks for clearing that up about the basement theatre at the Plaza Hotel. For the life of me, I could not remember the name of that venue. I thought it was also called the Plaza.
The entire place, from the carpet to the walls could use a good scrubbing. And don’t get me started on the bathrooms. But it’s a block away from my apartment so naturally I will patronize the venue. Comfortable seats and good sized screens in the larger auditoriums. But the management really needs to pay more attention to the property and spiff up the place a bit. I’m surprised Highland Properties which manages the Plaza shopping district, hasn’t come down on Cinemark. Warren Theatres in Wichita is a really good chain. I wish Warren would come in and take over the Palace Cinemark.
My first time at the Palace I saw Gwen Verdon in SWEET CHARITY. I also saw GOODTIME CHARLEY, the musical about Joan of Arc with Joel Grey and Ann Reinking. I also saw WOMAN OF THE YEAR, WILL ROGERS FOLLIES and AIDA. I had NO idea that the Palace had once again been used as a movie theatre following the runs of SWEET CHARITY and HENRY SWEET HENRY and before APPLAUSE opened in 1970.
One of my happiest theatre memories was attending the final preview of APPLAUSE with Bacall. That was an exciting evening for me. It was a Sunday night and there were lots of actors in attendance as Sunday night was their night off. I was on a college theatre trip and was very lucky to snag a great orchestra seat earlier that day. It must have been a house seat as the location was ideal.
Great memories at the Palace. Hope to see the new WEST SIDE STORY!
Congrats to the Moxie! I grew up in Springfield (60’s and early 70’s). Back then there was no place to see an indie unless one of the chains (Dickinson, Mann ) picked one up. Occasionally you could catch a foreign or classic revival at the Student U. at Southwest Mo State University but that location (the center ballroom) was less than ideal. Next time I’m in Springfield, I hope to check out the Moxie.
Glad to hear that the management at the Gillioz will continue to schedule movies. I always loved that theatre. I believe the last movie I saw there was the 1976 KING KONG!! I was home for Christmas and took my niece and nephew Christmas afternoon. I need to come back home sometime and attend a movie, stage play or concert just so I can see the theatre again. Friends who attended the last SMSU Tent Theatre reunion took a tour of the Gillioz last year. They were impressed.
KC Star had an article about the progress the other day. The Main Street, formerly the Empire will reopen in March. The large AMC signage on the building as well as one of the old fashioned blade marquees are now up. Six screens, all digital projection. I believe a restaurant is being bult next door. The KC Film Festival usually held at an independent cinema in the Westport district will move downtown to the Main Street. Originally a single screen theatre that played many 70 MM and Cinerama reserved seat engagments in the 60’s.
I believe the first reserved seat show here when it was the Empire was Otto Preminger’s EXODUS. The theatre converted to 2 strip Cinerama for THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM and HOW THE WEST WAS WON. For IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD regular 70MM
equipment was installed. In the mid 70’s the theatre balcony was cut up into several smaller auditoriums.
Glad the theatre is coming back! Downtown needs a first class cinema to go along with our Power and Light District, Sprint Center and refusbished Music Hall and Midland (once the Loew’s Theatre) live venues.
Gillioz was a good size single screen theatre. The Gillioz was the premiere (Mann) theatre downtown) when I lived in Springfield. The sister theatre, the Fox got most of the Disney , American International features. Not the Gillioz— first class product. Occasionally there would be a double feature bill but not often. I loved going to the Gillioz and walking down that long lobby— great coming attraction displays and posters.
I haven’t seen the remodel but two musical productions (A Little NIght Music, Little Women) were staged last year at the Gillioz. Sounds like the Gillioz is back, even though it’s no longer a movie
venue.
When I was a kid, the Tower would show Paramount, MGM and Universal pictures. The other theatres downtown (Mann Fox) got Warners, United Artists, 20th, Buena Vista, Columbia releases. In the mid 60’s all of this changed. I remember when MY FAIR LADY played Springfield it was at the Tower. That was a first- Warner Bros. film at the Tower. After that the bookings were split between all of the theatres.
We saw “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm” and “How the West Was Won” in original three strip cinerama. Years later, when I was in college, I saw “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Martin Cinerama. I miss this theatre. When I’ve been in St. Louis and am driving down Lindell, I always look for the area where this wonderful theatre was located. 70MM films were an experience to be cherished!
For Michael Coate-
Yes, the Springfield Little Theatre was called the Landers 400 when it was a movie theatre. The reason for the name— the downstairs orchestra section had 400 seats. The two balconies were closed off during the “400 years” Later, when Springfield Little Theatre bought the building to house their stage productions, the balconies were reopened after the building had been refurbished. Sorry, this reply is two years late but I just discovered this site!
Any one remember where these road shows played in Kansas City?
Camelot, Paint Your Wagon, West Side Story.
For some reason, I believe West Side was at the Plaza. Anyone able to confirm? I didn’t move to KC until 1976 and that was after the days of the road show.
I know the Capri was home to Cleopatra, My Fair Lady and the Midland had The Sound of Music and Funny Girl.
I saw STORY OF ADELE H. at the Plaza. Thanks for clearing that up about the basement theatre at the Plaza Hotel. For the life of me, I could not remember the name of that venue. I thought it was also called the Plaza.
The entire place, from the carpet to the walls could use a good scrubbing. And don’t get me started on the bathrooms. But it’s a block away from my apartment so naturally I will patronize the venue. Comfortable seats and good sized screens in the larger auditoriums. But the management really needs to pay more attention to the property and spiff up the place a bit. I’m surprised Highland Properties which manages the Plaza shopping district, hasn’t come down on Cinemark. Warren Theatres in Wichita is a really good chain. I wish Warren would come in and take over the Palace Cinemark.
My first time at the Palace I saw Gwen Verdon in SWEET CHARITY. I also saw GOODTIME CHARLEY, the musical about Joan of Arc with Joel Grey and Ann Reinking. I also saw WOMAN OF THE YEAR, WILL ROGERS FOLLIES and AIDA. I had NO idea that the Palace had once again been used as a movie theatre following the runs of SWEET CHARITY and HENRY SWEET HENRY and before APPLAUSE opened in 1970.
One of my happiest theatre memories was attending the final preview of APPLAUSE with Bacall. That was an exciting evening for me. It was a Sunday night and there were lots of actors in attendance as Sunday night was their night off. I was on a college theatre trip and was very lucky to snag a great orchestra seat earlier that day. It must have been a house seat as the location was ideal.
Great memories at the Palace. Hope to see the new WEST SIDE STORY!
Congrats to the Moxie! I grew up in Springfield (60’s and early 70’s). Back then there was no place to see an indie unless one of the chains (Dickinson, Mann ) picked one up. Occasionally you could catch a foreign or classic revival at the Student U. at Southwest Mo State University but that location (the center ballroom) was less than ideal. Next time I’m in Springfield, I hope to check out the Moxie.
Glad to hear that the management at the Gillioz will continue to schedule movies. I always loved that theatre. I believe the last movie I saw there was the 1976 KING KONG!! I was home for Christmas and took my niece and nephew Christmas afternoon. I need to come back home sometime and attend a movie, stage play or concert just so I can see the theatre again. Friends who attended the last SMSU Tent Theatre reunion took a tour of the Gillioz last year. They were impressed.
KC Star had an article about the progress the other day. The Main Street, formerly the Empire will reopen in March. The large AMC signage on the building as well as one of the old fashioned blade marquees are now up. Six screens, all digital projection. I believe a restaurant is being bult next door. The KC Film Festival usually held at an independent cinema in the Westport district will move downtown to the Main Street. Originally a single screen theatre that played many 70 MM and Cinerama reserved seat engagments in the 60’s.
I believe the first reserved seat show here when it was the Empire was Otto Preminger’s EXODUS. The theatre converted to 2 strip Cinerama for THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM and HOW THE WEST WAS WON. For IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD regular 70MM
equipment was installed. In the mid 70’s the theatre balcony was cut up into several smaller auditoriums.
Glad the theatre is coming back! Downtown needs a first class cinema to go along with our Power and Light District, Sprint Center and refusbished Music Hall and Midland (once the Loew’s Theatre) live venues.
Gillioz was a good size single screen theatre. The Gillioz was the premiere (Mann) theatre downtown) when I lived in Springfield. The sister theatre, the Fox got most of the Disney , American International features. Not the Gillioz— first class product. Occasionally there would be a double feature bill but not often. I loved going to the Gillioz and walking down that long lobby— great coming attraction displays and posters.
I haven’t seen the remodel but two musical productions (A Little NIght Music, Little Women) were staged last year at the Gillioz. Sounds like the Gillioz is back, even though it’s no longer a movie
venue.
When I was a kid, the Tower would show Paramount, MGM and Universal pictures. The other theatres downtown (Mann Fox) got Warners, United Artists, 20th, Buena Vista, Columbia releases. In the mid 60’s all of this changed. I remember when MY FAIR LADY played Springfield it was at the Tower. That was a first- Warner Bros. film at the Tower. After that the bookings were split between all of the theatres.
We saw “The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm” and “How the West Was Won” in original three strip cinerama. Years later, when I was in college, I saw “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Martin Cinerama. I miss this theatre. When I’ve been in St. Louis and am driving down Lindell, I always look for the area where this wonderful theatre was located. 70MM films were an experience to be cherished!
Forgot to add— in the 50’s and early 60’s ( before it became the 400) the Landers was simply known as the Landers and was a second run theatre.
For Michael Coate-
Yes, the Springfield Little Theatre was called the Landers 400 when it was a movie theatre. The reason for the name— the downstairs orchestra section had 400 seats. The two balconies were closed off during the “400 years” Later, when Springfield Little Theatre bought the building to house their stage productions, the balconies were reopened after the building had been refurbished. Sorry, this reply is two years late but I just discovered this site!