Crestwood Theatre
9821 Watson Road,
St. Louis,
MO
63126
9821 Watson Road,
St. Louis,
MO
63126
4 people
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First operated by Mid-America Theaters, later by RKO in April 1984, and finally AMC in December 1985. It was closed in March 1987.
June 5th, 1964 grand opening ad in photo section
RSM3853 question for you….do you have any idea which St Louis theater showed a film called “The Wild Westerners”? Was it Sunset Hills? Would have been around 64-65? I either saw it at Sunset or somewhere in Kirkwood as I recall…thanks!
And I saw What’s New Pussycat at the Sunset Hills Cinema.
Sunset Hills Cinema went under so Home Depot could be built.
My notes from perusing old microfilms of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Variety show this theater opening the week of May 27, 1964 with “The Chalk Garden.” “What’s New, Pussycat?” opened the week of July 7, 1965 at Loew’s Mid-City and Sunset Hills Cinema I. “Help!” started the week of August 25, 1965 at Loew’s State and Sunset Hills Cinema I. Both “Help!” and “A Hard Day’s Night were paired on a double bill that played for a week at Sunset Hills Cinema II and Grandview Cinema on December 15, 1965. "What’s New, Pussycat?” was paired with “How to Murder Your Wife” on a double bill in 1967 and opened October 18, 1967 at Ronnie’s.
Yes and it’s funny because even my kids hate those multiplex things found in the typical malls and always look for a theater with bigger screen. Wow so many memories growing up in St. Louis and going to all those theaters that are now gone. I guess the one at South County is gone too? Think I saw Great Gatsby there…..
Bigger multiplexes killed off the smaller theaters, for the most part. The Mark Twain and the Sunset Hills couldn’t compete with the shiny new cinemas at Crestwood Plaza and Ronnie’s Plaza. The AMC 12 was literally built just behind the instantly-doomed Creve Coeur, a Wehrenberg triplex that was the chain’s flagship when built as a single-screener in the ‘60s. I like the older theaters 'cause they had more character, but that’s just the way it goes. :(
One thing I don’t get though…what made so many of these…Mark Twain, Crestwood, Sunset Hills….all go out of business? It’s not like people stopped going to the movies…?
JAlex….well that makes sense now. I remember seeing “What’s New Pussycat” at the same place I saw “Help” so that’s clear now. It seems I saw a lot of films over the years at Sunset. I remember seeing “Papillion” there as well, as I recall near Xmas…
Oops…the run at Sunset Hills was but 7 weeks; the run at the Mid-City was 8.
No, “Pussycat” was at Sunset Hills I beginning July 7, 1965 for an 8-week run. The film also shown at Loew’s Mid-City on Grand Avenue.
JAlex, anything is possible as I went to all those theaters, but I remember it as the Crestwood.
Do you have any info on whether the Crestwood showed “What’s New Pussycat” ?
I hate to disppoint everyone, but “Help” was not shown at the Crestwood but at Sunset Hills I. The opening date was August 25, 1965.
Chuck…two things… One, what did “day and date” mean back then? That the album came out the same day? And…is there any way of finding out when a movie premiered at a given theater? Like what day “Help” came out here? Thx!
Saw The Beatles “Help” here in 1965, theater was filled with screaming girls! I remember it being a very nice theater. A lot of us from Lindbergh JR and SR High schools used to watch films here….
This was a really nice theater in its original single screen form! It would have made a very nice concert venue as well (if it had a stage). It lost its charm when they sliced it up. I saw the Beatles “Yellow Submarine” in the original theater. Saw several midnight flicks there as well. “This Is Elvis” was last film I saw there in the 3rd screen addition in the back.
The Crestwood remained open for just short of a year after the Crestwood Plaza 5 opened. CP5 opened 3/21/86; Crestwood closed 3/12/87.
Since this theater was originally opened by Mid-America Theaters, I’m assuming it was later operated by RKO-MidAmerica and, eventually, AMC. I’m also guessing AMC closed it when they opened the theater at Crestwood Plaza.
Theatre closed on March 12, 1987. The three final films were “Red Headed Stranger”, “Nightmare on Elm Street 3” and “The Mission.”
The twinning (usual wall down the middle) occurred in June 1980.
Addition of the third auditorium followed that December.
Theatre, with 1350 seats, opened in June 1964. The first exclusive first-run presentation was “The Night of the Iguana” the following month. Architectural design by the firm of Kramer & Harms.