Parkway Theatre
4211 27th Street,
Moline,
IL
61265
4211 27th Street,
Moline,
IL
61265
2 people
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A March 16, 1970 Boxoffice article about the Parkway Theatre said that it would have 736 seats. They were of the rocking chair type, upholstered in deep blue with black accents.
A chronology of the Quad Cities region’s 70mm presentations history has recently been published. Parkway gets several mentions in the article.
Posted another ad that is not cut up.
The Parkway opened with 35MM, 70 was added by moving (2) JJ2 Centurys from the closed Times 70 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
This opened on march 20th, 1970. Grand opening ad in photo section. Article https://www.newspapers.com/clip/12071097/parkway_theatre_article/
I’ve added a pic from 1983 when I saw Return of the Jedi. It happened to be the same night as a balloon night nearby. I do miss this theater.
What company operated the Parkway during the early 1980s?
I worked/managed at 5 different Quad Cities theatres from 1982 – 2010, and I think this one was my favorite of them all.
I saw Return of the Jedi at the Parkway Theater. I couldn’t remember the name of the theater until I found it on this site. Hopefully someone will post a picture.
For years, the Parkway Theater had the best sound and screen. You would hope the movie you really wanted to see would opened there first.
I was the chief projectionist at the Parkway from 10/79 to 2/88. The sound system was updated with a Dolby CP100 and BGW amps for Star Trek The Motion Picture. 70mm showings included Empire, Jedi, Quest For Fire, Brainstorm to name a few. It was a great theater to work at with a wonderful staff.
This theatre was one of three built on a similar floor plan in the middle to late 60’s by ABC TriStates Theatres. (The other two were the Plazas in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. They were designed by Henry George Greene of ABC Theatres.) All three theatres featured rocking chair seating, large screens complete with drapes, and 70mm projection. Due to their basic floor plan, they were extremely efficient theatres to operate. I managed each of these theatres either as manager or as vacation relief manager.