Northgate Twin Theatres
1058 West Club Boulevard,
Durham,
NC
27701
1058 West Club Boulevard,
Durham,
NC
27701
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Slight correction. It opened on December 25th, 1962. Its grand opening ad posted. The opening of this theatre helped to put an end of downtown theatres.
The opening of the Carmike Willowdaile Cinema 8 just up the road off Guess Road in North Durham was the demise and the closing of the Northgate Twin Theatres in 1986. The Northgate Twin Theatres were demolished by November of 1986 when expansion and renovations to Northgate Mall were about to begin construction,adding more parking space and additional stores.
The Northgate Twin Theatres were located on the opposite side of the Northgate Shopping Center next to Sears.
MARY POPPINS was a crowd favorite at the Northgate!!!
The theatre got a lot of the Disney product not to mention a LOT of the Disney re-releases too. Disney classics “TREASURE ISLAND”,“THE PARENT TRAP”, “OLD YELLER”,“SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON”,“KIDNAPPED”, “MARY POPPINS”,“20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA”,along with “THE LOVE BUG”,and a lot of the animated Disney classics were either shown as double features or second-run venues at Durham’s Northgate Theatre.
I fondly remember coming to the Northgate Theatre in 1969 as a child for the showing of the first Charlie Brown movie “A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN” that had special door prizes and contests along with special extra showings which included an early weekend matinee shows!!!!
When it was twinned by the mid-1970’s,the Northgate also got “RACE FOR YOUR LIFE CHARLIE BROWN!” in 1977,and the final Peanuts theatrical feature “BON VOYAGE CHARLIE BROWN,AND DON’T COME BACK” in 1980.
Chuck1231: This theatre couldn’t hold back the capacity crowds when they played “SUPERMAN:THE MOVIE”(1978)…not to mention the lines snaked around the cinema for “RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK”, “E.T.”,“TEMPLE OF DOOM”, “FIRST BLOOD II”,and “BACK TO THE FUTURE”.
Durham Theatre Operation — During the many many times I visited Durham, each of the competing theatres played the same films day & date or at the same time. Films would play at Carmike, South Square, etc.all at the same time!
When it was twinned in 1975, the original auditorium of 700 was split down the middle into two sections with the seating capacity at 350 each in both auditorium until it closed in 1986.
From the Durham Herald-Sun ad from February 25,1970:
DIRECT FROM IT’S LONG RUN ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENTS WITH EVERY SONG AND SCENE..ALL THE LOVE AND LAUGHTER..DURHAM FINALLY GETS TO SEE BARBRA AS FUNNY GIRL AT POPULAR PRICES…EVER TICKET HOLDER IS GUARANTEED A SEAT…. NO RESERVED SEATING…..PLENTY OF FREE PARKING…… SEE THIS COLOSSAL EVENT ON THE SUPER WIDESCREEN IN COLOR AND FULL STEREOPHONIC SOUND…A TRIANGLE EXCLUSIVE!!!!
“FUNNY GIRL” In TECHNICOLOR AND PANAVISION…Rated G
TWO PERFORMANCES DAILY….WITH AN EXTRA SHOWING SATURDAY
HURRY BEFORE IT LEAVES…..YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS IT!!!
thanks raysson. I didn’t include COLUMBIA Pictures,But we played alot of Columbia Pictures at Columbia Square 1 and 2.I hate we never played UA because I WAS such a big 007 fan.We would pick them up sometimes third run after the Georgia Theatres Drive-ins in town would finish.By then the prints were not the best for a first run Twin in the seventies.
Mike Rogers:
Speaking of certain movies or theatre chains that got them,in Durham the only ABC/Plitt movie chain(the Lakewood Center)was the outlet for Warner Bors.,Columbia, and Twentieth Century-Fox.
The Carolina Theatre(Downtown Durham)was the outlet for not only United Artists films,but was also the outlet for Universal too. A lot of the James Bond 007 films(1962-1974)played here.
The Yorktowne Theatre(Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd.)was the outlet for a lot of films released through Paramount Pictures and sometimes catered to independent films.
The Northgate Theatre(Club Boulevard)was the outlet for Disney and MGM.
The Riverview Cinema(Roxboro Road)catered to blaxploitation, adult, and kung-fu flicks. All theatres mentioned are on this cinema treasures site.
CWalczak:
The Northgate Cinema 10 is not a expansion/renovation of the former Northgate Twin Theatres. The listing is on the cinema treasures site under “Phoenix Cinema 10” which will be updated. Due to my extensive knowledge of Durham movie theatres,the original Northgate Theatre was on the opposite end of the shopping center,next door to Sears facing Guess Road and Club Boulevard. The Northgate Cinema 10,which opened in 2005 is located on the opposite section of the mall. The cinema opened in what was the former Belk Leggett Department Store,former Hecht’s Department Store and former Thalhimers. The Northgate Cinema 10 is owned and operated by East Coast Entertainment Corporation and I heard that Regal Cinemas is set to take over operations which will be the first-ever Regal movie plex in Durham.
In our city certain Theatre chains got certain movies,ABC/Plitt got alot of Warner Bros. Georgia Theatres took all the United Artist product and Weis got Paramount.Sure it was the same way here in Durham.Time i got over to GCC in 1982 it seemed the product was split with everyone.
There was a fire on November 2, 2010 at a Northgate Cinema 10 at the West Club Boulevard Mall, resulting in a temporary closing: View link Does anyone know if this Northgate Cinema 10 is an expansion/renovation of the Northgate Twin or is it a new theater that should have its own listing?
For the record: The Northgate Theatre was the outlet for all of the Disney films that were showed as first-run features and later on Disney would re-released them as a double bill,which the Northgate showed too. Even when the cinema was twinned in 1975,it continue to show new and re-released Disney films.
It also became the outlet for MGM too. The Northgate showed a lot of the Elvis Presley films too that were released as a first-run in general release from 1962 until 1969 for MGM. However,MGM re-released these Elvis Presley films as a double bill too. Not only did it show the Elvis films,but a lot of MGM films were showed as first-run features and were re-released at the Northgate too,among them were “How The West Was Won”,“The Dirty Dozen”,and “Doctor Zhivago” to name a few.
All great Stories,thanks for taking the time to write them!
1985…the summer of some great movies playing on 2 screens at the Northgate Twin Theatres at Northgate Mall in Durham.
Screen 1: “BACK TO THE FUTURE"
Screen 2: "RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II”
WHO REMEMBERS….. seeing in long lines and capacity crowds…..
“Superman:The Movie”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, “Star Trek II”,
“Saturday Night Fever”, “E.T.”, and all of the Disney releases playing at this theatre?
From the December 24, 1962 article of the Durham Morning Herald:
A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR ALL OF DURHAM
THE SOUTH’S MOST NEWEST AND MODERN THEATRE
NORTHGATE THEATRE IN DURHAM’S NORTHGATE SHOPPING CENTER
THE BEAUTIFUL NEE NORTHGATE THEATRE OPENS AT 2 P.M. CHRISTMAS DAY.
LOCATED IN THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF NORTHGATE SHOPPING CENTER,NEXT TO BALENTINE’S BUFFET AND REBEL ROOM.
3 FULL ACRES OF FREE PARKING!
FEATURING FIRST-RUN MOVIES, COLOR CARTOONS, NEWS REELS
-Luxurious Foam Cushioned Seats for utmost comfort
-Extra Wide 42" Spacing Between Rows of Seats
-Most Up-To-Date Sound And Projection Equipment
-Sensational Aqua Waterfall Contour Curtain
-Perforated Corrugated Aluminum Sidewalls for Beauty and perfect Acoustical Reproduction
-Revolutionary new box office in lobby-first in the Carolinas.
TO THE LEFT:
Spacious Lobby and Lounge Area Features Modern Concession Stand,
The Latest Built-In Vending Center and Indoor Box Office.
TO THE RIGHT:
800-seat auditorium equipped with Wide-Spaced Foam Cushioned Seats,
Extra Widescreen, Full Waterfall Curtain.
OUR GRAND OPENING ATTRACTION:
“JUMBO”
WITH FREE 1,000 GIANT JUMBO CIRCUS BALLOONS WHILE THEY LAST!!!
Radio Shack is actually still there. I miss Mayberry’s. We used to frequent them when they were at North Duke Mall which is another piece of history by itself. I remember the strip mall outside w/ Roses & the other stores as well as the part across where the bank is now.
Disney’s MARY POPPINS became a roadshow enagement at the Northgate in 1964,running continously during its run and also during it was re-released.
Other roadshow enagements when the Northgate became a single screen cinema were MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY,
CHEYENNE AUTUMN, THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE,just to name a few.
Disney’s MARY POPPINS became a roadshow enagement at the Northgate in 1964,running continously during its run and also during it was re-released.
Other roadshow enagements when the Northgate became a single screen cinema were MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY,
CHEYENNE AUTUMN, THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE,just to name a few.
A lot has changed at Northgate too,and it has become a breeding ground for a lot of crime activity and gangs that frequently roamed around the mall either looking for trouble or starting something. Just for safety if you ever there,be very careful of your surroundings!!!!
K&S Cafeteria moved to the location in the strip mall where the Harris Teeter grocery used to be(was also formerly a Big Star grocer and Colonial Stores)which replaced Morrison’s Cafeteria.
Sears hasn’t moved since it relocated from its old location on East Main Street Downtown to Northgate Mall where it has been since 1973. The other stores like Willis' Book and Stationary, Tharrington’s Men Store, Robbins', Burton’s Women Shop, Kerr Drugs,
Hahn Shoes,Morrison’s Cafeteria,Pappy’s,Radio Shack,
Spencer Gifts,and the Record Bar are G-O-N-E!!!!
Baskin-Robbins,which replaced Mayberry’s is GONE too!!!
Mayberry’s actually relocated to North Duke Mall for a brief spell,and that is gone too!!!
To MovieBuff11:
I too recall going to Morrison’s Cafeteria there which was a very good eating establishment. The Cafeteria was on the opposite side of the mall two or three doors down from the theatre. You probably remember another great restaurant that opened at Northgate Mall too called “Pappy’s” which was a pizzeria style family restaurant chain that also was a ice-cream parlor too
that replaced Mayberry’s in the mid-to-late 1970’s. They also had Baskin-Robbins inside the mall too.This was when Northgate became Durham’s first enclosed shopping center during the mid-1970’s,circa around 1974. Did you know that Chick-Fil-A was the first fast food establishment to opened at Northgate Mall? Its still there ever since it opened in 1974. I remember the stores like Hahn Shoes,Van Stratten’s,and Spencer Gifts,and Radio Shack.
It is quite sad,that Morrison’s is no longer in business and Northgate these days,looks pretty rundown.
Northgate has gotta to be a place for high crime and a lot of gang activity these days,so watch you back!!!!
Yes,Pappy’s and Baskin-Robbins are no longer there. So is Spencer Gifts and the Radio Shack(GONE)not to mention Kerr Drugs,which used to be in the strip mall back in the 1960’s moved inside the mall next to Sears during the 1970’s. The exclusive women’s store Robbins and Tharrington’s Men Store are a piece of Northgate history.
The theatre is still around,but it moved over to the other side of the mall,where it used to be Belk’s and a Thalhimers back in the day(it is now a 10-plex cinema owned by East Coast Entertainment).
Wow! It is nice to see someone write about this. I remember going to see ET at this theater…after we ate at Morrison’s Cafeteria. Those were the days! Thanks