Crown Cinema Twin
1 Padanaram Road,
Danbury,
CT
06811
1 Padanaram Road,
Danbury,
CT
06811
2 people
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Once operated by RKO.
Opened on November 8th, 1966. Grand opening ad posted.
This was the only theater ever where I was asked for proof of age to see an R-rated film. Blue Lagoon, 1980.
Can’t believe I found it! I lived in Danbury from 1971 – 1979 on Jeanette Road. From 4 – 11 years old. Went to this cinema often. What I will never forget was going to see Star Wars with my Dad at this theater during opening week. Cherished memory. Glad I found this site.
My favorite memory of this theater was watching Star Wars VI there back in ‘1983.
An item on this page of Boxoffice, December 7, 1964, said that ground had been broken for a new theater at Padanaram Road and Hayestown Avenue. Completion was expected by Memorial Day, 1965. The house was to be called the Cinema, and was to be operated by the Stanley Warner circuit. A rendering of the colonial-style building matches the photo of the Crown Twin on display at CinemaTour.
Google Maps won’t fetch the correct location for this theater unless the phrase “North Street Shopping Center” is removed from the address. 1 Padanaram Road is the address the Internet gives for the Super Foodmart that the overview says replaced the theater.
This theatre had 1141 seats.
I found historic theatre attendance tallies for the Danbury Palace and this theatre among others while working for the CT Film Fest last week. On Sunday, during the last screening, I self-toured the stagehouse on both sides and found the info.
There were a few sheets of paper with 11 similar photocopies of ads for this theatre. It says, “Danbury Newest Entertainment Center…RKO Stanley Warner Theatres…Twin Cinema 1 and 2, Danbury Shopping Center…748-2923…Free Parking.”
From 3/19-3/25/79, The Danbury Cinema 1 (578 seats) showed All That Jazz and Cinema 2 (563 seats) showed Kramer vs Kramer.
Small world. I spent the night at my friend’s house in Waterbury and his roommate and I chatted about how when he was the janitor/maintenance man for the entire North Street Shopping Center and the movie theater in the early 1980s. He said nothing significant really happened at the theater until it was scheduled for demolition. He was on the roof taking samples to make sure there was no asbestos when it all came down. Unfortunately, there was 2 inches of water on the roof and it all came down and completely destroyed all the seats that were going to be sold.
Could be mistaken, but my recollection is that in the 70s, it was the UA North Street Cinema.
I will always remember this theater, because it is where my wife and I saw the original “Star Wars” for the first time. And I think it is also where I took my daughter to see “Pocahontas” — she’s 15 now, and has been obsessed with Pocahontas ever since. I couldn’t believe it when they reduced the place to dust!
The 1984 Directory lists the name change to Translux Cinema Theater.
The 1992-1993 Directory shows the new ownership and it’s renamed to Crown Cinema Twin.
The above website is wrong. The 1965 Danbury City Directory lists the theater as The Cinema Theatre on Padanaram Road, but the 1966 doesn’t list it.
Forgot to add this was built in 1968 according to the previous comments website.
A photo of the facade from the News-Times is available at View link
I think this used to belong to Trans-Lux?