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The latest movie theater news and updates
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August 19, 2002
New Photos: West Coast Theaters
We’ve got a terrific new batch of west coast theater photos thanks to Ron Pierce, William Gabel, Keith Altomare, and Ian Grundy!
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August 16, 2002
New Photos: UK & Canadian Theaters!
We’ve got an amazing new batch of international theater photos thanks to Ian Grundy, Chad Irish, Gayle Munro, Famous Players, and “Mark”!
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August 15, 2002
Today’s Newsreel
HOLLYWOOD, CA — The Los Angeles Times has given the Cinerama Dome/Arclight Cinemas complex a passing grade in its latest architectural review.
According to the Times' Nicolai Ourousoff, the combination of the 1963-era Cinerama Dome and the modern Arclight complex “works on many levels” and is “crisp in its conception, with a refreshing lack of fussiness.” He concludes that “it reminds even the most disheartened critic that it is not impossible to make everyday architecture that works.”
(Thanks to Dennis Wilhelm for the review.)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — The Promised Valley Playhouse is finally coming down next month. The former Orpheum Theatre opened in 1905 and is being torn down because of its advanced state of deterioration. The Salt Lake Tribune recently published a long article detailing the history of this soon-departed theater.
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August 14, 2002
Philadelphia Mayor Speaks Out In Support Of The Sameric
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Philadelphia Mayor John Street, in his weekly radio address on Saturday, publicly proclaimed that his “administration is committed to exploring every possibility to preserve the Sameric Theater.”
According to the KYW radio address, which has been reprinted on www.boydtheatre.com, the mayor also stated that, “Although I respect and fully support our development community, I do hope that by working together with the current owner, the Sameric can share the same success as the old Midtown Theater. In 1997, the Midtown Theater underwent a $10 million restoration and now houses the Prince Music Theater.”
(Thanks to Howard Haas for his tireless work on behalf of the Sameric and for sending this in!)
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News From Around Chicago
CHICAGO, IL — The legendary Chicago Theatre is reportedly on the auction block again as the Chicago Theatre Restoration Associates is “on the verge of defaulting on a $21 million loan from the city”, according to a report in today’s Chicago Tribune.
The theater’s current operator, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA), is rumored to be a possible buyer. If the venerable theater is sold, CAPA would be among the many different owners who have controlled the former movie palace over the past two decades.
Elsewhere in Chicago, the Broadway Theatre is scheduled to reopen this fall as a live venue. According to the Tribune, the former movie house will be given a $25,000 makeover for various improvements and its name will revert back to the Lakeshore.
And finally, as we reported yesterday, the Water Tower Theatre will reopen this Friday, but this time as a three-screen art house cinema. An $8 ticket will admit you for either “13 Conversations About One Thing,” “Lovely and Amazing,” or the new version of Giusseppe Tornatore’s brilliant epic, “Cinema Paradiso.”
(Thanks to Bryan Krefft for the update!)
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August 13, 2002
Guess Who’s Coming To Theater
WINNIPEG, MB, CANADA — Burton Cummings, the lead singer of the rock group Guess Who, has become the benefactor of the struggling Walker Theatre, according to Chartattack.com. Cummings will begin donating a portion of the proceeds of his concerts at the Walker in order to pay down the theater’s $1.8 million debt and fund future renovations.
In exchange for his aid, the theater will be renamed the Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts after the singer who attended the former movie house as a child. The board hopes Cummings' name will help bring in additional grants and donations.
The 2000-seat Walker opened in 1907 and was named for its owner, Corliss Powers Walker, who brought in live theater, vaudeville, concerts, and silent films. The theater switched to a movies-only format in 1945 and remained in operation until 1990. In 1991, it reopened as a performing arts center and is an official Manitoba Provincial Heritage Site.
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Del Ray Theater May Make A Comeback
HUGHSON, CA — The Hughson City Council has voted to approve plans for a new redevelopment agency which has already cited the resurrection of the historic Del Ray Theater as part of its plan to revamp the ciyt’s downtown area.
According to the Modesto Bee, the Del Ray has been closed for almost 40 years, but could be restored and reopened as a venue for either live theater or classic films, or as a community center.
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Water Tower Theatres Reopens In Chicago
CHICAGO, IL — The Water Tower Theatres at Water Tower Place will reopen this Friday under the Village Theatres banner, according to a report in Crain’s Chicago Business. The three-screen theater has been closed since last year. The move follows on the heels of Village’s recent takeover of the historic Biograph.
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August 12, 2002
Today’s Newsreel
CHICAGO, IL — The Uptown Theatre and Center for the Arts continues to make headlines in its drive to resurrect the Uptown Theatre. A recent Chicago Free Press article details the ongoing fundraising campaign and the organization’s efforts to reopen the grand movie palace.
Read the Chicago Free Press Article
(Thanks to Bryan Krefft and Michael Beyer!)
SALEM, OR — The restoration of the historic Elsinore Theatre is scheduled to be completed in September, according to an article that appears today in the Statesman-Journal. The 76-year-old theater’s elegantly painted windows are one of the centerpiece’s of the meticulous restoration.
Read the Statesman-Journal article
MEMPHIS, TN — Fourteen old movie theater seats which were once (most likely) used to seat Elvis Preseley in his favorite movie theater, the Memphian Theatre, are being auctioned on eBay. According to the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, an additional seat has also been saved by the Playhouse on the Square, the new name and function of the old Memphian. The auction will last through Saturday, August 17th.
These 15 were most likely used by “The King” because during his many visits to the theater, he didn’t want patrons to turn around and stare at him during a movie. Consequently, he always sat in the very first row. The seats were long ago removed and have been in storage since 1985.
For more information, visit eBay or call (901) 725-0776.
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August 9, 2002
Contribute To A Forthcoming Documentary On Interstate Theatres
Jeff Mills, the Producer/Director of the forthcoming documentary about the Interstate Theatres circuit, “Before the Curtain Rises”, is looking for anyone with archival material, anecdotal stories, and any other information on the long history of the Texas-based exhibitor.
He writes, “With the recent movement by the El Paso Community Foundation to put a great deal of money into the restoration of the Plaza in El Paso, we have ramped up our efforts to record their efforts and complete the film.”
The production team is currently looking for physical artifacts such as lobby cards, ticket books, copies of The Interstate newsletter, etc., as well as any photos, postcards, film or video, printed material, audio recordings, historical information, and/or oral histories to share. They are also looking for leads on specific theaters which would be of importance either extinct or extant.
Visit their website to watch the documentary’s trailer, as well as access numerous photos, virtual tours, interviews, and much more…
Visit the Interstate Documentary Project website
Visit our small list of Interstate theaters
Email Jeff Mills atYou can also contact Jeff Mills by phone at 713-661-6677.