Centre Theater
299 S. State Street,
Salt Lake City,
UT
84111
299 S. State Street,
Salt Lake City,
UT
84111
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Flix70: In the future, please make the article link clickable!
40 years ago today (June 3, 1983), the 70mm print of “Return of the Jedi” was temporarily moved from the Centre to the Regency Theater after historic flood waters inundated State Street. “Jedi” returned to the Centre on June 17th. For the complete story, visit Starwarsatthemovies.com.
1958 photo added via Bill Kelder.
I saw Star Wars for the 1st time here. 1977. Stood in line with my friends. I still remember sitting inside and after a few minutes, the image of that huge battle cruiser making it’s screen debut chasing after the smaller ship. It was AWESOME!!! Also remember seeing the remastered Beatles Hard Days Night with my friends here too. Good memories :)
SSmyth, I have a question for you. I have two of the seats from the theatre before it was torn down! They are two of the end seats, do you remember the colors of the paint of the sides? I want to restore them back to original condition!
Marquees were done by someone who cared,Great pictures,All.
I remember playing “WAIT UNTIL DARK” for a week as a filler back in the late seventies,the trailer seemed as scary as the film.
Here is a 1989 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y2yq9bd
Cool photos.
Grand opening article and ads from December 23rd, 1937 is at View link
Nice photos of the old booth,, Good old Brenkart Enarc Lamps, they were what I learned to run movies with in Pa… Old classic Simplex projectors and Brenkart enarc lamps… I also remember running Star Wars in the Warner in Pittsburgh, Pa. A few years later the Warner would be gone,, What a shame…
Having managed the Centre Theatre from 1967 through 1969 at a time when reserved seating was sold for many of the attractions (such as “Hawaii”, “The Happiest Millionaire”, “Camelot” and “Patton”, I can postively state that the seat count listed above is incorrect.
After some of the seats were removed when the Cinemascope screen was installed in front of the proscenium arch, there were 912 seats remaining on the main floor. There were 332 seats in the loge, creating a total seat count of 1,244
The Centre can be seen on the right in this 1958 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/cedks8
Here is a 1972 robbery case. Theater is spelled “Center”, but clearly is just a typo:
http://tinyurl.com/2ojsta
“I fondly recall the 3 Star Wars premier lines I sat in for days at the great Centre Theatre in downtown SLC. That summer I returned almost every day and then, a year later, enjoyed the 1 year anniversary celebration for Star Wars. Anyone else have similar memories?” (Marcus Cole)
If you have fond memories of seeing the original “Star Wars” movies, then you’ll probably enjoy these articles:
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Having just finished watching Star Wars III at a different theater I fondly recall the 3 Star Wars premier lines I sat in for days at the great Centre Theatre in downtown SLC. I was 9 years old when I saw the original Star Wars there for the first time – sitting on the 2nd row with the screen wrapping around me on both sides – I became a lifelong fan. That summer I returned almost every day and then, a year later, enjoyed the 1 year anniversary celebration for Star Wars.
Anyone else have similar memories?
This was a great theater,that should have been saved.The only good thing about the multi-plex sitting on the grave of its predecessor is the parking.Sadly,lack of parking contributed to the demise of many old theaters.That’s what I like about the Byrd-great parking.Downtown SLC is trying to save itself with new shopping areas,but nothing can regain the soul that has been cut out by short-sighted greed and lack of class.The list of grand houses that were once in downtown SLC,but were bulldozed,is enough to make a grown man weep.SAVE THE UTAH!!!Poor Jacksonville,Fla.has only ONE left.At least SLC has the chance to have two.But even if the Utah is saved,it probably will never show movies.I would like to see a seperate listing of JUST the old theaters that still show movies,Like the BYRD in Richmond,a REAL movie palace.
Dolby (CP100) was installed at the Centre in August 1977 for an upgrade engagement of “Star Wars.”
It’s too bad the Centre is gone, though I’ve seen many Independant films at the Broadway Theaters. I have many good memories of the Broadway with friends and family, watching films that would otherwise never see the light of day in Salt Lake City. Without Broadway I wouldhave been relegated to the major box office studios, of which the Jordan Landing is the best. But let me tell you, the Broadway Theaters, the old site of the Centre theter where Star Wars premiered, is a great place that should always stay alive. My best friend used to manage the Villa on Highland drive and I realized then the history and importance of such sites. Though, current management at the Broadway on 300 South State Street needs to replace the chairs. :) Here’s to life!!
My husband and I currently live in the Port Theatre’s manager’s apartment. It was built in 1938, and is very Art Deco. Reading this account of another theatre renews my feeling that these buildings have a life of their own. I don’t know if it is related to all the tears and laughter that have come and gone inside the walls of theatres or what, but it’s hard sometimes not to see a theatre building as being alive. I am thankful this site records history for future generations. Thank you Grant for taking the time to share the information. Thanks also to the website creators! A few years back I was searching alot regarding theatre renovations and am amazed at this site. I’ve made it my “homepage”!