Comments from KRYPTONCOWBOY

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KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Hollywood Theater on Apr 18, 2007 at 4:17 am

The new website www.thehollywoodtheatre.com
More will be added to the site in the coming weeks.
A complete photo gallery page should be finished soon.

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Hollywood Theater on Feb 3, 2007 at 10:56 am

Cinema Consultants & services International of Pittsburgh will start installing projection and sound equipment on Monday, February 5th.
The theatre will be equipped with a Century JJ 35/70mm projector,
Dolby Digital & JBL Sound, a digital video projector for HD-video presentations as well as all pre-show programs.
They are also installing new Seating Concepts high backed rocking theatre seats, a new Stein Industries concession counter, new blue wall drapes, new carpeting with L.E.D. floor lighting, a new Tecnicote screen and new black screen masking.

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Norwin Cinemas on May 17, 2006 at 2:18 pm

Norwin Cinemas opened by Cinemette Theatres on October 10th 1980 as Cinema World – Norwin Hills.
People kept getting it mixed-up with Cinema World – Eastgate Plaza or Cinema World – Route 51. So soon after opening it’s name was changed Norwin Cinemas. Then when Jeff Lewine bought Cinemette on December 14, 1987, He called the new circuit Cinema World. At that time it was back to Cinema World Norwin. Then came Carmike bought it on May 20 1994 and changed the name to the ever too confusing Carmike 4. Carmike did not renew the lease in the fall of 1999 and it closed until the current owners re-opened it in december of 1999.
the theatre was renovated in 2004 and is still operating as a first run theatre with the lowest admission and concession prices in the area.

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Denis Theatre on May 16, 2006 at 7:14 pm

Dude, GET A LIFE! Cinemette did not close the King’s Court. It was closed by Cinema World Theatres Inc.. The lease was up and the landloard wanted to just about Double the rent. It was a single screen with low grosses and high overhead. The Oakland crowd was getting rough and it just became more trouble than it was worth.

Not quite sure who “got run out of town” Most of the surviving people that ran Cinemette and Cinema World still reside in the Pittsburgh area.

Did you, by any chance get fired by Cinemette or do you just not know any better than to blame the local theatre circuit for a nation wide trend in the theatre industry?

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Warner Theatre on May 16, 2006 at 6:53 pm

Why be so hard on CINEMETTE THEATRES (Notice the correct spelling?)
The era of the downtown movie house was ending from coast to coast.
If anything, Cinemette help to preserve the Pittsburgh downtown movie theatres more than just about any other major theatre circuit in any other major city.
When the Warner closed it was up against $10,000.00 monthly steam heating bills, a shrinking downtown population, the city wide 10 percent amusement tax, pressure from the film companies to match the grosses of the out of the city National Amusement multiplexes that did not pay the 10% tax.
HMMM, if the Chatham was such a wet dream of a theatre, Why didn’t the film companies ever want to put major releases up there. It was STRUGGLING when Cinemette aquired it!

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Manos Theatre on May 16, 2006 at 6:36 pm

There are other former Manos Theatres still operating. The Cinema in Laurel Mall in Dunbar, PA and Twin 40 Cinemas (now carmike 6 in Uniontown, PA)

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Riverside Drive-In on Jul 8, 2005 at 6:34 am

The Galaxy Drive in will re-open under new ownership on July 20, 2005.
It’s name has been changed to the Riverside Drive-In.

The name change was made by the new owner Ament Theatres, Inc. to avoid any connection with the debts or other problems associated with the former Galaxy Drive-In operators. The opening features will be “Herbie The Love Bug” and “Madagascar”

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Palace Theatre on Dec 19, 2004 at 10:43 pm

The Palace Theatre was known by movie fans as The Manos Theatre

The theatre Had several very successful runs in the early ‘70’s with such hits as a 6 month engagement of “The Sting” and the holiday engagement of “The Towering Inferno” both in 1974.

The Manos Theatre was closed without notice by Cinemette Theatres in June of 1977. The next day, Cinemette opened Cinemas IV in Westmoreland Mall

A second downtown Greensburg theatre, The Cinema remained open for a few years as a porno house, before it was torn down along with a hotel to make way for a new parking garage behind the Westmoreland County Courthouse

Today, Greengate mall Cinemas, Cinema World – Eastgate Plaza, Cinemas IV – Westmoreland Mall, Laurel 30 in Latrobe, and the Rustic Drive-in have all closed. The only remaining movie theatre is the Carmike 15 in Westmoreland Mall.

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about State Theatre Center for the Arts on Dec 19, 2004 at 9:49 pm

This theatre was part of the old Manos Theatre Circuit.
I can remember a sellout for a movie at the State as late as 1970 or ‘71. The movie was a four wall Sun International rental deal called “Brother Of The Wind”
It should also be noted that the last movie shown was in 1972 “The Effects Of Gamma Rays On Man In The Moon Marigolds” starring Joanne Woodward and directed by Paul Newman.
The theatre closed a few days before Manos opened their new Twin 40 Cinemas in The then new Uniontown Mall.
Twin 40 later became Quad 40 and in it’s latest incarnation, it’s
the all too generic Carmike 6.

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Le Roy Theatre on Dec 19, 2004 at 9:12 pm

Hope all is going well for the Mattlas and the LeRoy Theatre. If anyone can make it work, julian can. This is one of those classic old theatres that can survive thanks to the true dedication of the owners.
Best of luck,
Doug…CCSI, Pittsburgh

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about John P. Harris Memorial Theatre on Dec 5, 2004 at 9:48 pm

The Memorial Theatre was split into a twin and renamed Mckee Cinemas in the late 60’s or very early 70’s. It was destroyed by a fire that wiped out a large chunk of the downtown business district in the mid 70’s.

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Denis Theatre on Nov 24, 2004 at 9:09 pm

My correction stands corrected. You’re right, TomB. The Encore was built over the original theatre’s lobby. Remember the stairs to nowhere that remained in the original upstairs projection booth?
The Monroe was also listed in the Associated Theatres directory.
Also it should be noted that the Encore and Forvm (both equipped with the some of the first American Seating rocking chairs in the city)usually ran the same film day & date.

KRYPTONCOWBOY
KRYPTONCOWBOY commented about Denis Theatre on Nov 21, 2004 at 1:28 pm

The Denis Theatre closed on September 9, 2004. It is being torn down to make room for more retail/office space.
A few corrections: The denis theatre built by the J P Harris circuit Then sold to Associated Theatres, Then in 1975 it was sold to Cinemette Theatres, Then in 1987 it was sold to Cinema World Inc.And finally it was operated by Cinemagic Theatres of Pittsburgh.
The Encore Theatre was never part ot the Dinis theatre. It was created from retai space in front of the Denis Theatre. Later, Cinemette Corp. did one of the worst splits of all time. The original Denis auditorium was split into 3 screens (one balcony auditorium that no one wanted to make the trek down the long lobby and then up the stairs to get to, and two small downstairs auditoriums with screens that so high, they were located above the exit doors). Along with the Encore, It became the Denis Quad. This closing was ot a great loss to anyone.