Britton Cinema 8
3938 S. Dale Mabry Highway,
Tampa,
FL
33611
3938 S. Dale Mabry Highway,
Tampa,
FL
33611
6 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: General Cinema Corp., Muvico Theaters, Zota Theatres
Functions: Church
Previous Names: Britton Theatre
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 17, 2013 — “South Pacific” 55th Anniversary – The Roadshow Engagements
- Oct 30, 2009 — Happy 50th, "Sleeping Beauty"
The Britton Theatre was opened August 15, 1956 as a 2,200-seat single screen theatre with a balcony. The opening movie was Ginger Rogers in “The First Travelling Sales Lady”. It became a triplex by 1983 and on November 25, 1992 it was converted into an 8-screen movie theatre. It was closed in 2017. By 2021 it was in use as a church.
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Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 54 comments)
This reopened as Britton 8 on November 25th, 1992. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Article:
Found on Newspapers.com
Website is down. Phone disconnected. Current phone is 813-839-1600. You will get ahold of someone who works there and can tell you what movies are playing. They do have a Facebook page but no movie times on it. Best to use Fandango or Moviephone to find out what is playing.
They are listing movies on fandango, BUT that can be ghost times, or times that were published before the theater decided to close.. it is bound to happen SOON..considering there are 4 movies playing in 3 auditoriums, and this has been practice for the last year…
It’s official now. The Britton is history. A Google search now lists the theatre as permanently closed. Today I drove past Britton Plaza and the theatre signage facing Dale Mabry has been completely re-purposed from Britton Cinema to Radiant Church. Not sure when the change was made as it’s been at least a year since I was in the area.
A couple years ago they were still running movies occasionally but only on one screen and only in the evening. Titles were not advertised anywhere so you’d have to call and hope someone would answer. The Britton had a great memorable run as a large and beautiful single-screen house from 1956 through 1972. RIP Britton.
When that theater was converted to a 8 plex it became history. When I originally moved to Tampa in 83 it was 3 theaters. The 92 remodel was horrible. They divided the balcony into tiny theaters that held maybe 15 people. It was a terrible experience
The website of the church is https://weareradiant.com
When the Britton was triplexed it was bad enough although somewhat acceptable. The one large auditorium at the front held a capacity of about 900. At least the side walls and proscenium remained untouched from their original design with the exception of a smaller screen. The two small theaters from midpoint of the auditorium to the rear held about 400 apiece and each one had a balcony. A dividing wall down the center of the balcony gave the two smaller theaters some additional seating. At the time this was thought to be a first in multiplex design…mini theaters with a balcony.
The 8-plex renovation completely destroyed the interior. I shouldn’t have gone but I was curious to see the layout and yes, it was terrible. After checking out several tiny screening rooms I had enough and walked out.
The Britton was originally equipped with 70mm projection. Two big attractions that played in 70mm were Around the World in 80 Days and South Pacific.
I went there once on vacation when Regal Cinemas had it, I remember being in a auditorium down the long hallway on the left. Unfortunately didn’t get the seating of each screen. That house I was in, the screen was OK, not bad to orher locations
“The Phantom” was presented at the Regal Britton Theatre beginning on Friday June 7, 1996 (the film’s US nationwide release date).
General Cinema operated the Britton from April 15, 1959 until August 25, 1991. After temporarily closing for nearly two months, the Britton reopened as a Muvico theater in October 1991 before Regal took it over four years later in 1995.