Carolina Theatre
309 W. Morgan Street,
Durham,
NC
27701
309 W. Morgan Street,
Durham,
NC
27701
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This opened on July 22nd, 1929. Grand opening ad in the photo section
WEST SIDE STORY played at the Carolina Theatre in Durham as a general release in 1962 even though it was originally release in 1961.
Coate is right: By October-November of 1963,most of the bookings for “LAWRENCE OF ARABIA” were mostly general release. Cities like Durham,Greensboro,Wilmington,Asheville as well as Fayetteville,Winston-Salem,and Raleigh were general exclusive bookings…The smaller cities and towns in North Carolina didn’t get the film until April-May of 1964 as a general release,some two years after it’s initial release.
The only reserved seat engagement for LAWRENCE OF ARABIA was at Charlotte’s Carolina Theatre on September 25,1963. It was the only theatre in the state that presented it in full 70mm and Stereophonic Sound.
No, Chuck, by the autumn of 1963 most of the bookings of “Lawrence of Arabia” were of the general-release type.
Here’s a link to one of my retrospective articles that identifies most of the North American roadshow runs of “Lawrence of Arabia.”
Lawrence of Arabia: The Roadshow Engagements
David Lean’s LAWRENCE OF ARABIA played at Durham’s Carolina Theatre first-run as a exclusive engagement on October 13, 1963.
Can anyone confirm dates when the Three Stooges performed at the Carolina?
Thanks,
Frank Reighter
Here’s a nice black-and-white photo of the Carolina Theatre, by Caroline Culler.
The name of the architectural firm was Milburn, Heister & Company. According to the firm’s page at North Carolina State University’s Architects and Builders web site, it was founded in 1909 by Frank Pierce Milburn and Michael Heister, and Milburn’s son, Thomas Yancey Milburn, later joined the firm. The elder Milburn retired in 1925 and died in 1926, so the Durham Auditorium was probably one of the last projects he worked on.
sadly,the Theatre Chain I worked at,we never got UA product.I missed all the 007’s,but Dirty Harry made up for it.
For the record: All 4 of the Beatles films also played at the Carolina as well. From the record-breaking
“A Hard Day’s Night”, to the other Beatles movies like “HELP!”, “Yellow Submarine”,and “Let It Be” played to capacity crowds. They played first-run at the Carolina,because it was the outlet for a lot of films released under United Artists. And just like the Bond pics were huge boxoffice,of course UA re-released these Beatles films as double bills(one had a double feature of “A Hard Day’s Night”,and “HELP!” that was in re-release)which were huge boxoffice draws themselves.
A lot of the Universal films played at the Carolina Theatre:
“TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD"
"THE BIRDS"
"MARNIE"
"TORN CURTAIN"
"TOPAZ"
"FRENZY"
"AIRPORT"
"HELLFIGHTERS"
"THE WAR WAGON"
"THE SECRET WAR OF HARRY FRIGG"
"AIRPORT"
‘COOGAN’S BLUFF”
A lot of UA films played at the Carolina Theatre:
“THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN"
"IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT"
"THE MAGNIFICIENT SEVEN"
"MIDNIGHT COWBOY"
"ELECTRA GUIDE IN BLUE"
"THE HOSPITAL"
"FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE"
"A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS"
"THE GOOD,THE BAD,AND THE UGLY"
"FIDDLER ON THE ROOF"
"BRANNIGAN!”
For the record: the Carolina Theatre was also showed first-run films that became the outlet for Universal too. A lot of films that played at the Carolina were huge crowd pleasers among them were “Airport”,
“Day of the Jackal”,“American Graffiti”,“The Sting”,and “Earthquake!"
to name a few. And just like the Bond films that played at the Carolina,Universal also re-released their features on double bills and the Carolina had those as well. All that would change by 1975 when film booking practices changed the landscape,and all hell broke loose when all of the Universal films would change outlets ending a long relationship with the Carolina Theatre.
FYI: All of the Clint Eastwood films that were released under Universal Pictures also ran as first-run features at the Carolina Theatre as well,among them were “Play Misty For Me”,“Two Mules For Sister Sara”,“High Plains Drifter” to name a few as well as some of the Clint Eastwood films that were released under United Artists,namely “Hang Em' High”,and “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot”,and his earlier works “A Fistful of Dollars”,“The Good,The Bad,and the Ugly” ran also as first-run features that were colossal boxoffice hits,of course UA re-released them on double bills,and the Carolina had those too.
For the record: the Carolina played all the Bond films first run, from “Dr. No” thru “The Man with the Golden Gun”, because it was the United Artists outlet in Durham. (Film booking practices changed in the mid-‘70s and all chaos broke loose.) And, since the Bond pics were huge box office, of course UA re-released them on double bills and the Carolina had those too.
Carolina Theatre bids farewell to Campanero. Read the full feature story at:
http://www.heraldsun.com/pages/news_durham
Yes,not only THUNDERBALL,AND YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
and DR.NO and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE not to mention
a double bill of GOLDFINGER too. All of the Bond films starring Sean Connery did huge business at the Carolina. I do recall back in early 1971 or 1972 where DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER was on the double bill with either YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE or GOLDFINGER at the Carolina too.
It also showed ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE(George
Lazenby). The only Bond films that played at the Carolina starring Roger Moore were LIVE AND LET DIE and
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN,which were on a double bill with either DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER or GOLDFINGER.
Yes,and THUNDERBALL and YOU ONLY TWICE. also DR.NO and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE. Sean Connery films. I saw where DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER was playing with something called ZIG ZAG here at the SKYVIEW Drive-in. I don’t ever recall any more ever being paired together.
Double Bond,James Bond that is.
I don’t remember too many 007’s being released as double features,especially the Roger Moore’s and on.
Between 1962 through 1974,a LOT of the James Bond 007 movies played here at the Carolina Theatre: Most of these Bond films were shown as double features.
THE BOND FILMS THAT PLAYED AT THE CAROLINA THEATRE-DURHAM:
“Doctor No"
"From Russia With Love"
"Goldfinger"
"Thunderball"
"You Only Live Twice"
"On Her Majesty’s Secret Service"
"Diamonds Are Forever"
"Live and Let Die"
"The Man With The Golden Gun”
View link
View link Dan Coffey did restoration.
The Durham Auditorium became a full time movie theatre from 1929 when it was re-named Carolina Theatre. Operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary H.F. Kincey in the 1940’s it was listed with a seating capacity of 1,596.
Original Architect for the Carolina Theatre of Durham was Milburn and Heister Company. Originally called the Durham Auditorium