During the 60’s, I worked at the Capri for Bob Fridley (see above) and also other Des Moines theaters including the Varsity and for Bev Mahon at the Holiday. The Capri was just about the finest “60’s roadshow house” I have ever seen, superb presentation. It was enlarged from the old Uptown in 1960 specifically to play Ben-hur, with the screen dimensions perfectly set for “Camera 65/Ultra Panavision 70”. Many other roadshows such as El Cid, Mutiny on the Bounty, Lawrence of Arabia also played there. I saw many 70mm films at other theaters around the country as well as the Capri, and the Capri was the hands-down winner for presentation. Sadly, we have lost most of these houses.
During the 60’s, I worked at the Capri for Bob Fridley (see above) and also other Des Moines theaters including the Varsity and for Bev Mahon at the Holiday. The Capri was just about the finest “60’s roadshow house” I have ever seen, superb presentation. It was enlarged from the old Uptown in 1960 specifically to play Ben-hur, with the screen dimensions perfectly set for “Camera 65/Ultra Panavision 70”. Many other roadshows such as El Cid, Mutiny on the Bounty, Lawrence of Arabia also played there. I saw many 70mm films at other theaters around the country as well as the Capri, and the Capri was the hands-down winner for presentation. Sadly, we have lost most of these houses.