Cinerama Theatre
811 Hope Street,
Providence,
RI
02906
811 Hope Street,
Providence,
RI
02906
11 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Daytz Theatre Enterprises Corp., Lockwood & Gordon Enterprises
Previous Names: Hope Theatre, Super Cinerama Theatre
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News About This Theater
The Hope Theatre was opened on November 24, 1927 with Lewis Stone in “The Prince of Head Waiters” & Jack Mulhall in “Smile, Brother, Smile”. It was a neighborhood theatre and originally had 1,011 seats. By 1957 it was operated by Daytz Theatre Enterprises Corp. On August 9, 1961, it was converted for use in exhibiting 3-projector Cinerama features, opening with “This Is Cinerama”, which it did successfully until the process became obsolete. It was remodeled on December 25, 1966, reopening as the Super Cinerama Theatre with “Cinerama’s Russian Adventure”.
A period of revivals and some first runs ensued until the theatre was twinned on June 26, 1974 and became a very successful art house showing some of the best product of the period, as well as occasional series of Hollywood classics in revival.
This policy continued through 1983, when the theatre property was purchased, and int closed on March 20, 1983. The theatre was demolished later in 1983 for the purpose of erecting a CVS drugstore.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 67 comments)
I worked there in various capacities from 1968-79 and don’t recall either.
The 70mm release of “Gone With the Wind” did not play there. It played at the Four Seasons (now East Providence 10) in East Providence. I saw it there. I thought it was an abomination for the way it cropped and vandalized the original movie’s aspect ratio. “This is Cinerama” played there beginning August 9, 1961. I submitted a comment on that somewhere below. Check it out.
The Hope (Cinerama) Theatre was two miles from the Strand in Pawtucket and 1 ½ miles from the Avon in Providence.
The Hope Theatre first opened on or about November 4, 1927.
Here’s a new 4-page 50th anniversary FIDDLER ON THE ROOF retrospective featuring a roadshow playdate chronology and historian Q&A. The Cinerama’s lengthy run is mentioned in the piece.
Grand opening ad posted.
Here is the corrected/updated link to the “70mm Presentations in Providence: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1957-Present” article.
Cinerama arrived on August 9th, 1961. Ad posted.
Remodeled again on December 25th, 1966. Another ad posted.
Two screens on June 26th, 1974, and closed on March 20th, 1983, and demolished later in 1983. Ads posted.