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Century 22
3162 Olsen Drive,
San Jose,
CA
95117
12 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Syufy Enterprises
Architects: Vincent G. Raney
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News About This Theater
- May 23, 2012 — Celebrating the Original STAR WARS on its 35th Anniversary
- Jul 3, 2010 — "Back To The Future"...Happy 25th!
- May 21, 2010 — Happy 30th, "Empire"
- Mar 2, 2010 — Happy 45th, "The Sound Of Music"
- Aug 21, 2009 — "Alien" 30th Anniversary
- May 25, 2007 — Happy 30th, Star Wars!
Century 22 was opened in March 1966 as a Super 70mm venue. On December 17, 1971 the two smaller dome theatres were added to the front of this larger theatre dome, bringing the total number of screens available to three.
Of the two smaller screens, dome ‘B’ was retrofit with a digital projector for the release of “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” in 2002 and by 2004 was still very much in use with a digital version of “The Incredibles” having just been released.
The ‘A’ house is where the BIG screen resided, though somewhat diminished by it’s reformatting to a flat-screen back in 1992 (along with the Century 21 screen), it still captivates most all who see it. Business for both Century 22 and it’s sister theater 21 remained brisk, giving both venues a bright future, until they were closed in March 2014. The original Century 22 ‘big’ screen was demolished in August 2019.
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
boxcop… At the time of the “Superman” engagement, the Dome Complex and the Town & Country were in competition with each other. The Domes were run by Syufy and the Town & Country was run by Mann. Syufy’s (aka Century) ownership of the Town & Country came years later. See my Still Believing A Man Can Fly article for a reference to Town & Country being a Mann operation in 1978/79 (and for a list of where else “Superman” played when it was new).
My fondest memory of Century 22 in San Jose was waiting in a long line on blankets through the center of the parking lot for the original “Star Wars”. Years later, in the early 1980’s, I would work for Syufy as an Assistant Manager at Century Almaden (five-house theatre at Blossom Hill Rd and Almaden Expressway) and help out occasionally on the Big Block, mostly for Ron Giffen at Century 23 or Bill Tannehill at Century 21. I met Ray Syufy Sr. once when he came to Century Almaden to decide whether to split the center big house in two, but he never did. Sometime later while working the door at Century 23 a younger man walked up and said he was Ray Syufy and he wanted to see the manager. I chuckled, since I had already met Ray Syufy. I went to the office and told Ron Giffen some guy said he was Ray Syufy and wanted to see him. Ron exclaimed, “That could be Ray Syufy, Jr.!” I was mortified.
Still years later after having left that profession I was at Century 22 for the first showing of “Back to the Future III” with a friend. They were going to show all three movies in a series in the big A house. We waited in line, but it sold out when we were about 20 people from the box office. Disappointed, we bought tickets for some other movie in one of the other two houses. We bought a ton of food at the concessions stand to fill our arms, then walked right past the guy guarding the door to the A house and sat in the very front row for all three movies. There are so many other stories about these grand theatres — good times. Now they are closed and will likely be gone soon like Century 24 and 25.
Where did my Friend Mr. Bill Williams go after they closed the Century 22?
There is a large preservation movement… The City of San Jose has just granted the Century 21 City Landmark status— it doesn’t remove the threat of demolition, but it makes it tougher to do. The National Register of Historic Places is determining whether or not it will be added to the register… the state can also do this.
We hope the developers of the property will see the value in a restored movie house, possibly with Stargazer’s from CO or a similar company.
PLEASE help us save the Century 21! Sign the petition, pass it along to all of your friends— there’s strength in numbers! If anyone has any Hollywood connections— please put them in contact with us! http://www.change.org/petitions/save-the-winchester-domes
or on Facebook :https://www.facebook.com/savedome
1974 print ad added courtesy of Hans Johnson.
I was in the area last night, and they recently just tore down the Century 22 for their new bland office project. 23 is still standing, although the sign is gone, so I’d believe they’re prepping for that to bite the dust too. You might want to change the status to “Demolished”.
Such is life…So sad. All that’s left is the original Century 21. For how long nobody knows.
Century 22 demolished for a charging station (?) Century 23 demolished for a parking lot (!) Century 24 along with Century Almaden are now churches. Century 25 demolished for more stores in a Dead Man Walking Westgate Mall! Does ANYONE go there? Bueller? Hello? Is this mic on?
ICON Santa Clara and Cinelux Campbell Plaza shojld be making a killing!
The Stevens Creek/Winchester movie theater corridor is NO MORE! 😫😫
I saw THE EXORCIST on this screen when I was in sixth grade, during the film’s April 1979 two-week return to the big screen. My big sis was a freshman in high school then. We hounded our folks to take us to see the movie because of all the hype we heard about it over the six years after its first release. Our folks caved in and the movie lived up to all the hype, and then some, to our still-forming brains. We were sleep deprived for a week afterward. It was worth it. What an experience!
Three screens on December 17th, 1971. Grand opening ad posted.
So many great memories at Century 22: Seeing the Sound of Music at least 7 times during it’s initial run, the excitement of the Opening Nights for Star Wars, Star Trek, and other blockbusters (at Century 21 as well). It was a great decision to add the two “mini-domes” to the main theater rather than carving it up. I also a shame the Cinerama screens wit the smaller one.
Century 21 and 22 (the big one} were THE places to see big films, especially in the 70’s through the early 2000’s. Regarding the earlier roadshow picture of the 60’s, the greatest collection of films playing together were: 2001 (Century 21), Funny Girl (Century 22) Oliver! (Century 23) and Hello Dolly (Century 24). Those were the days!!!