Southport Cinema & Drafthouse
1455 SE 17th Street,
Fort Lauderdale,
FL
33316
1455 SE 17th Street,
Fort Lauderdale,
FL
33316
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Chris McGuire Cinemas, Gulf States Theaters
Previous Names: Southport Cinema, Cinema & More East, Cinema Cafe 1 & 2
Nearby Theaters
One of several suburban Broward County theaters opened by Southland Cinemas on January 30, 1969, the Southport spent most of its years as a Cinema & Drafthouse franchise, retaining its single large screen into the 1990’s (but eventually twinned). "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" found its longest-lasting Broward home at the Southport.
Contributed by
Steve Menke (sporridge)
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
P.S.: Having seen revivals of “House of Wax” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” at the Southport Cinema & Drafthouse in the early 1990s, I can confirm it was still a single-screen house up to that time. Only made one visit after it was twinned: “claustrophobic” doesn’t begin to describe the experience.
After Cinema & Drafthouse closed, live theater moved in for several scattered engagements.
Chris McGuire was a franchise deal similar to Jerry Lewis, so they had many different owners. Their sites were quickly passed on to other operators once mini cinemas became the norm for new builds.
I know the Reef was acquired by ABC Florida State (Plitt) for a few years as was the Chris McGuire Village in Hialeah, which closed as the Atlas Twin.
Went to the Reef a few times when ABC Florida State gave a try at art film programming: “Days of Heaven” had its Broward exclusive there, looked great on its wide screen. The Reef probably used floor plans identical to the Southport (and the Reef also had a go as a Cinema & Drafthouse, then a Chinese cinema named Screen Play, a church, and vacant the last time I looked).
“Cinema Cafe 1 & 2” was yet another alias for the Southport.
Chris McGuire was a chain and not really an AKA for this site. In 1993 it did operate as the CINEMA & MORE EAST.
Drove into the area tonight, and pulled over to find out thie theater’s fate. Retail space. Vacant retail space. Plenty of it.
According to http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/aug/21/James-Duffy-Atlanta-cinema-movie-theater-fraud-lee/
James Duffy was involved with this cinema from June 19th, 1984-July 10th, 1994.
This opened on January 30th, 1969. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Article:
Found on Newspapers.com powered by Newspapers.com
Once operated by Gulf State Theatres.
I saw Boogie Nights there