The Fox Westroads was located in the Boston Mall section of the Westroads Mall. The original floor plan of the Westroads was on a single level. The new plan - a second floor section on the northeast mall called “Boston Mall” - encompassed two neighboring theaters - an oddity - with the Fox Westroads and the forthcoming Six West Theatre. The Fox Westroads had an external entry while the Six West had an internal entry within the Westroads Mall with steps to the box office.
The Fox Westroads Theatre started was a project mired in the court system as challengers said Fox Midwest was operating in an anti-competitive manner. National General technically would operate the Westroads primarily with Fox Midwest as the secondary operator to get past the legal challenges. The luxury suburban cinema opened as a 750-seat single screen auditorium on November 16, 1967 with “Tony Rome” starring Frank Sinatra. Durwood / American Royal then announced in 1967 that they would build a six-plex next door to the Fox to open in 1968 (though delayed to January 22, 1969).
On April 3, 1973, Mann Theatres acquired National General’s 240 locations and, effective on June 29, 1973, Mann operated it under the Mann Fox Westroads banner. Mann closed the venue temporarily in 1977 to twin the venue. It became the Mann Fox Twin on May 27, 1977 with “Mikey & Nicky” and “Ruby.” Dickinson Theatres took on the Fox Twin on February 2, 1980 running it as the Fox Westroads Theatres.
AMC took over the Fox Westroads from Dickinson officially on December 8, 1983 as the AMC Westroads 2 with “Sudden Impact” and “Scarface.” AMC then linked its AMC Six West 6 into a single 8-screen facility called the AMC Westroads 8. As a result, AMC retired both monikers of the AMC Westroads 2 on February 16, 1984 with “The Big Chill” and “Nightstalker” and the AMC Six West 6 with a handful of films becoming the AMC Westroads 8 on February 17, 1984.
In the mid-1990s, megaplexes were replacing aging multiplexes all over the country. AMC Westroads 8 was targeted for replacement by a 24-screen facility about five miles ways. The circuit closed theWestroads permanently at the end of its 30-year leasing agreement on December 11, 1997. AMC opened its AMC Oak View 24 the next day.
The Six West Theatre is listed in the trade press as the first six-plex in the history of the United States though not in the world. Its conceptualization occurred not long after the single-screen Fox Westroads Theatre became the first cinema in the Westroad Mall complex. It was located in the “Boston Mall” section of the Westroads Mall. The original floor plan of the Westroads was on a single level. The new plan - a second floor section on the northeast mall called “Boston Mall” - encompassed two neighboring theaters - an oddity - with the Fox Westroads originally opening in 1967 and the -then - forthcoming Six West Theatre.
American Royal Cinemas, the Durwood Theatres Circuit’s follow-up name and pre-cursor to American Multi-Cinema (AMC), announced a new six-plex to be opened at what was reported as 20 feet from the existing National General / Fox Midwest Fox Westroads. After much delay, American Royal opened the Six West on January 22, 1969 with “Candy” playing on four of the six screens for Stanley Durwood’s circuit. The two co-existed but the Fox flinched when new operator Mann Theatres twinned the neighboring venue in May of 1977 becoming the Mann Fox Twin.
In March of 1980, the six-plex was officially renamed as the AMC Six West 6 - redundant but true! AMC then took over the neighboring theater twin which had reverted to a name of Fox Westroads Theaters. That change took place officially on December 8, 1983 as the twin became the AMC Westroads 2. AMC then linked its AMC Six West 6 into a single 8-screen facility called the AMC Westroads 8. As a result, AMC retired both monikers of the AMC Westroads 2 and the AMC Show West 6 on February 16, 1984.
This venue then became the AMC Westroads 8 on February 17, 1984. In the mid-1990s, megaplexes were replacing aging multiplexes all over the country. AMC Westroads 8 was targeted for replacement as its lease neared terminus. And the replacement was not just an incremental upgrade; the 8-plex was replaced by a massive, 24-screen facility about five miles ways. The circuit closed AMC Westroads 8 permanently at the end of its 30-year leasing agreement on December 11, 1997. AMC then opened its AMC Oak View 24 the next day on December 12, 1997. The AMC Westroads 2 / Fox Westroads Theatres and the AMC Oak View have their own Cinema Treasures pages.
If you’ve got to go, go big. And here, the 76 West doesn’t disappoint with a Motorcycle Madness triple feature of “The Wild Angels,” “Mad Max” and “Chrome and Hot Leather.”
This venue was part of four planned and franchised Jerry Lewis twin screen operations by Midwest Theatres under Fred Corbino. Lewis and Network Cinemas had promised that one-button automation movie theaters could be run by anyone and they sold franchises to aspiring movie theater operators all over the country. The Maplewood Square shopping center that would house the operation had launched in 1970. But by the time the first and only Omaha Jerry Lewis location had opened here at 90th Street in 1972, the Lewis / Network Cinema was in free fall collapse.
The Jerry Lewis Twin opened in Maplewood Square on November 10, 1972 with “The Cowboys” and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks.” But Lewis ankled the chain and Network Cinemas disconnected its phones in bankruptcy in 1973. Corbino was so distraught at the Network Cinema’s empty promises that he removed the Lewis signage and nameplate on May 9, 1973 and renamed the venue as the Maplewood Twin Theatre. Douglas Theatres took on the venue later in 1973. (Dubinski Bros. would take on the failed Jerry Lewis Twin project in Southtown completing it as the Gemini Twin in 1974. It has its own Cinema Treasure page.)
In October of 1988, the circuit repositioned the Maplewood 2 on a discount, sub-run house policy beginning with “Die Hard” and “Coming to America.” Douglas dropped the venue on November 13, 1994 with “Corinna, Corinna” and “In the Army Now.” The venue was demolished in favor of an Aldi store.
Torsten Adair’s contribution of one sentence reads, “The Gemini Twin Theater was located on S. 84th Street at Frederick Street.” My research indicates a bit more detail if interested:
Groundbreaking for this venue at 2958 South 84th Street occurred in 1971 as part of four planned and franchised Jerry Lewis twin screen operations. Network Cinemas had promised that one-button automation movie theaters could be run by anyone and sold franchises to aspiring movie theater operators all over the country. But by the time the first and only Omaha Jerry Lewis location had opened at 90th Street in 1972, the Lewis / Network Cinema was in free fall collapse.
The Southtown Shopping Center (often referred to as the Woolco Shopping Center as it was anchored by Woolworth’s “big box” Woolco store) opened in June of 1972; but the theater space had stalled with Lewis leaving the circuit and Network Cinemas in bankruptcy and disconnecting its phones. This Lewis franchise was sold by a New Jersey interest to the Dubinsky Brothers in 1974. Revising the look and seating of the original, Dubinsky’s Gemini Twin seated 550 patrons at launch. The June 21, 1974 opening ad with “Huck Finn” on both screens is posted in photos.
The venue was downgraded to a second-run discount house with all seats 99 cents in 1977. In July of 1984, Shopko would take over the anchor spot after Woolworth’s shuttered all of its Woolco stores in 1983. The shopping complex was then known as Frederick Square with Excellence Theatres Circuit operating the twin. Excellence closed the venue on January 15, 1991 with “Ghost” an “Mr. Destiny” - still priced at just 99 cents a seat for any showtime. Technically, Carmike Theatres inherited the Gemini Twin when they took on the Excellence Circuit in March of 1991. Carmike considered but ultimately passed on reopening the venue which was later repurposed for other uses.
The Crossroads Shopping Center opened theatre-less on September 1, 1960. The Crossroads was renamed as the Crossroads Mall by 1963 and added the Crossroads Twin Cinema and Family Amusement Center in the late 1970s. It replaced the Game Gal-ry. Thirty gaming units were installed to take advantage of an arcade game spike caused by Space Invaders and high interest in pinball. The Twin opened with “Can I Do It…?” and “Good Guys Wear Black” on July 20, 1979.
The venue was not a success as multiplexes with 5-8 screens quickly dated twin screen cinemas. The Crossroads Twin went out of business with Empire Films' “Eliminators” splitting a screen with “Spies Like Us” and “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” on March 14, 1986. The theater’s former space was demo’d out of existence in a 2006 makeover that kept the Crossroads going with a new Target store. But the Crossroads struggles continued never able to emerge from a greyfield / “dead mall” spiral. Its entire closure and demolition occurred just shy of its 60th Anniversary in 2020.
March 18, 1983 grand opening ad for the Millard Cinema 4 in photos. Douglas Theatres closed up here operating as a second-run discount house for the venue’s final ten years on October 29, 1996.
The 1913 downtown building once housed an auto repair shop and was re-imagined as a theatre in 1983 by Group 4 Architecture in San Francisco. Culver Cinprise of San Francisco opened the four-plex on December 16, 1983 with “Scarface" on the Monroe Screen, “The Keep” on The Duke Screen, “The Rescuers” on The Gable Screen and “Uncommon Valor" on the Bogart Screen. The Downtown Dream took on the venue in 2022 attempting to relight two of the four screens in 2023. Status - Renovating
The Royal Theatre launched on July 2, 1927 with Ken Maynard in “Señor Daredevil.” On September 5, 1929, the Royal converted to sound. It closed for a refresh in December of 1942. Material shortages hampered the effort and under new operators, the Royal re-emerged as the more patriotically named, New Victory Theatre on August 14, 1943 with Don “Red” Barry in “Outlaws of Pine Ridge” supported by the Dead End Kids in “Let’s Get Tough.”
After failing with a first-run policy, the theatre became Teatro Victory not long thereafter on a 20-year run with films for Hispanic audiences.The Victory Theatre / Teatro Victory discontinued operations on October 3, 1966.But it was given a refresh becoming the atmospheric Tropical Theatre on July 13, 1967. The Tropical combined live Hispanic entertainment and Spanish-Language films until closing September 29, 1974 at end of lease. On August 9 1975, the theatre became the Flick Theater / Flick Adult Theatre running at least to 1981.
Closed. Was briefly renamed in the early sound era as the Imperial Theatre (and not to be confused with the silent-era Teatro Imperial) from 1931 to 1932. Was renamed under a new operator as the New Victory Theatre in January of 1932. Current status is closed.
The $30 million multi-use Hollywood Galaxy project was announced in March of 1987. General Cinema Corporation (GCC) decided to put its stake in the ground just a block and escalator ride up from the venerable Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Making way for the project was the 1919-built Garden Court apartment building - declared a monument and historic landmark in 1981 and then declared an obstacle in the revitalization of Hollywood in 1984 when preservationists lost a hard fought battle to save the neo-baroque complex after it had been unceremoniously stripped of its historic landmark status.
The home that was once home to Lillian Gish, Laurel & Hardy, Mack Sennett and others could at least play those folks' films nearly five years later as the General Cinema Hollywood Galaxy 6 when it finally launched on November 29, 1991. The best value by far that day was a 70mm double-feature of “Alien” and “Aliens” in a THX certified house. Wow! But with the multiplex era soon giving way to the megaplex era, General Cinema would go into freefall collapse watching cinema chains enter the market that decimated the GCC business plan. GCC dropped the “6” from ads as six-plexes were no longer drawing cards, especially with paid parking lots that were sometimes hard for folks to find.
AMC took on the struggling General Cinema Galaxy on April 4, 2002 along with the lion’s share of GCC properties around the country. The theater chain had just 73 theaters representing 677 screens nationwide in December of 2001 when AMC purchased the circuit - that was down precipitously from the 350 theater locations with some 1,500 screens that GCC operated just 15 years earlier according to its annual financial report. After the GCC buyout was approved in 2002, AMC exercised patience at the Hollywood venue before permanently jettisoning it from our galaxy on December 4, 2003.
If remembered, the Hollywood Galaxy was an early effort that helped revitalize what had become a seedy area in Hollywood as even the once-opulent Garden Court had been nicknamed a flop house called “Hotel Hell.” But the movie house would be undercut by a higher visibility annex to the Chinese Theatre in Mann’s Chinese 6, the revamping of the El Capitan Theatre, and the major efforts to keep the Chinese Theatre, itself, vibrant.
The entirety of the entry above submitted by Jeff Chapman reads as one sentence, “The Boulevard Theatre was opened on May 17, 1945, and was part of the Boulevard Shopping Center.” Just to add some additional information here, Fox Midwest Theatres had announced the new Boulevard Theatre in January of 1941. (The entry erroneously lists Fox Theatres of Reading, PA - an unrelated company.)The Boulevard was billed as Wichita’s first suburban theater in which there would be a parking spot for each theatre patron. Architect Glenn Thomas’ original design was done in Spanish Colonial to match the neighborhood’s existing structures while also having Old West elements from the nearby Chisholm Trail as accents.
The U.S. entry into World War II delayed the project significantly even though the project was granted a waiver exemption due to the aviation plant in town. The venue finally opened on May 17, 1945 likely on a 20-year leasing agreement with Betty Grable in Billy Rose’s “Diamond Horseshoes.” The theater’s curtain featured a scene from the Chisholm Trail with a cowboy pursuing a steer. A decorative map by Robert T. Atchinson hung in the lobby showing the path of that Trail.
The theater was joined by a shopping strip called the George Washington Boulevard Shopping Plaza in 1949. One of the longest-running stores there was McMullen Jewelry which stayed for some 70 years. The theater building, however, remained an outparcel to the Plaza until it was joined by nine other stores in an expansion in 1956 called the Boulevard Shops. The theater took on a more modern Colonial Revival to match the other stores that extended perpendicularly to the cinema. It was transitioned to widescreen projection in January of 1954 to present CinemaScope films to remain viable.
Delaware-based National Theatre and Television (N.T.&T) took on the Fox Midwest locations morphing to National General Corporation (NGC) during 1963. In 1973, the NGC circuit more known as National General was taken on by Mann Theatres which assumed operation of the Boulevard Theatre. The Bouleveard, Mall, and Fox Twin were among 25 Mann locations sold to the Dickinson Operating Company effective on February 1, 1980. Dickinson Theatres closed the Boulevard Theatre likely at the end of a second 20-year lease on February 2, 1984 with Al Pacino in “Scarface.”
The former theater space was converted into a short-lived Gold’s Gym followed a very brief Ulitmated Bodies Gym in 1987. The venue became headquarters for the Amateur Poker League in the 2000s. In March of 2009, it became the Boulevard Banquet Hall. The venue then became a live performance space called The Boulevard in 2011 closing about a year later. It was then utilized by NetSystems, an Internet company. The building may be vacant as of the 2020s. In 2022, perhaps as an homage to the long-standing theater, the Towne West Mall’s long-running cinema was renamed as the Boulevard Theatres.
Capacity here doesn’t match details. TCL Chinese (1-)6 Theatres originally seated 1,446 at its November 9, 2001 launch as Mann Chinese 6. Adding auditorium “7” - the original screen - seating 932 in its IMAX conversion in Sept. 2013 would take capacity at that time to 2,378 (if I’m understanding the entry above)..
In TCL’s $2-million refresh of Auditorium 2 to MX4D motion effect seating in December 2017, the capacity of auditorium 2 was reduced to 102. This would take TCL Chinese Theatres 1-6 to - at most - a capacity of 1,371 and with IMAX auditorium 7 (the original screen) at 932 taking capacity of the so-called seven-plex to 2,303.
In terms of naming, Mann operated the new six-plex theatre separately at its 2001 launch as Mann’s Chinese 6 at 6801 H'wood Blvd. and retained the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre moniker for the venerable 6925 H-Blvd venue . So wouldn’t this facility be also known as something like Grauman’s Chinese Theatre | Mann’s Chinese 6 or Mann’s Chinese 6 & Grauman’s Chinese theaters - or some such - for its 12 years of operating the then separate houses?
Finally, shouldn’t the address of the so-called seven-plex be altered to 6801 & 6925 Hollywood Boulevard? The venues are in multiple buildings and the current address misses the preponderance of auditoriums and overall capacity (possibly 1,371 of the 2,303 seats if the details are correct).
Emma H. Dodd had the first true new-build movie theater in Wichita built in 1908 across the street from the family’s Elite Theatre operated by William H. Marple in 1908. Dodd fronted the $15,000 venue and Marple added $6,000 in equipment to start and run the new 600-seat Maple Theatre. Marple must have been pleased that it was called the nicest movie house in the West at that time by the local press. Although that point was debatable, the Grand Opening date was not. The Marple launched October 1, 1908. D.W. Griffith’s “Ingomar, the Barbarian” was on the big screen. Bertha Koshler was at the keyboard with Persis Gardner as the vocalist and Sam W. Jones was the chef narrator explaining aspects the silent films.
Arthur and Blanche Ford assumed control of the venue and vaudeville was more heavily added to the programming mix along with film. In 1925, Mr. T.H. and Mrs. Merta E. Slothower took on the venue. 1927 was a year of transition in the film industry with sound exhibition in demand. The Holland Theatre operators decided to close. The State Theater had closed elsewhere in town. To save costs, apparently, the Marple had gone to non-union labor which caused protestations that likely didn’t help its standing as an aging movie theater. It wasn’t the first dance that the Marple had with union workers; in 1922, the venue was picketed and bombs were allegedly planted by activists. On December 27, 1927, the refreshed Marple reopened as the still silent State Theatre with Constance Talmadge in “Venus of Venice.” Vaudeville had been completely removed from the programming at the State. The theater used an Electrola to provide music - likely not pleasing the union folks. And it likely used a repurposed State Theatre sign.
The State closed but reopened with Vitaphone sound on March 6, 1930 for the Slothowers. By decade’s end, the Slothowers would build the Sandra and Southern theaters locally in 1939. They then gave the State, apparently, a much-needed streamline moderne makeover for its relaunch on January 25, 1948. After a period of inactivity, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ross of the Kansas City Strand Theatre took on the venue rebranding it as the Vogue Art Cinema for adult audiences. The seating ws dropped to 400 for or the reboot on September 2, 1966 and the entire theater was modernized with wood paneling hiding the theater’s past. Under manager George Kirk, the business was raided five times by Vern Miller’s request early in 1977 with the final one on February 10, 1977 that would end the Vogue Art’s film run.
John G. Holland launched his Holland Theatre on July 27, 1914. Holland charged five cents on a grind policy with programming about 45 minutes of films that played continuously from morning till midnight. Holland left the theater in a year but it carried on with his name for more than 13 years. Owners including Charles Bull, D.J. Piatt, and C.L. Brosius tried to make a winner out of the silent-era movie house with middling results.
Likely knowing that the cost of sound installation was too great, the venue closed late in 1927 despite a lease that ran until 1939. The space was retrofitted as a clothing store called The Fields. The building has since been demolished.
aka AMC Westroads 8
The Fox Westroads was located in the Boston Mall section of the Westroads Mall. The original floor plan of the Westroads was on a single level. The new plan - a second floor section on the northeast mall called “Boston Mall” - encompassed two neighboring theaters - an oddity - with the Fox Westroads and the forthcoming Six West Theatre. The Fox Westroads had an external entry while the Six West had an internal entry within the Westroads Mall with steps to the box office.
The Fox Westroads Theatre started was a project mired in the court system as challengers said Fox Midwest was operating in an anti-competitive manner. National General technically would operate the Westroads primarily with Fox Midwest as the secondary operator to get past the legal challenges. The luxury suburban cinema opened as a 750-seat single screen auditorium on November 16, 1967 with “Tony Rome” starring Frank Sinatra. Durwood / American Royal then announced in 1967 that they would build a six-plex next door to the Fox to open in 1968 (though delayed to January 22, 1969).
On April 3, 1973, Mann Theatres acquired National General’s 240 locations and, effective on June 29, 1973, Mann operated it under the Mann Fox Westroads banner. Mann closed the venue temporarily in 1977 to twin the venue. It became the Mann Fox Twin on May 27, 1977 with “Mikey & Nicky” and “Ruby.” Dickinson Theatres took on the Fox Twin on February 2, 1980 running it as the Fox Westroads Theatres.
AMC took over the Fox Westroads from Dickinson officially on December 8, 1983 as the AMC Westroads 2 with “Sudden Impact” and “Scarface.” AMC then linked its AMC Six West 6 into a single 8-screen facility called the AMC Westroads 8. As a result, AMC retired both monikers of the AMC Westroads 2 on February 16, 1984 with “The Big Chill” and “Nightstalker” and the AMC Six West 6 with a handful of films becoming the AMC Westroads 8 on February 17, 1984.
In the mid-1990s, megaplexes were replacing aging multiplexes all over the country. AMC Westroads 8 was targeted for replacement by a 24-screen facility about five miles ways. The circuit closed theWestroads permanently at the end of its 30-year leasing agreement on December 11, 1997. AMC opened its AMC Oak View 24 the next day.
Slightly renamed this week as Cinemark West Plano XD and ScreenX thanks to the addition of the second ScreenX venue in the area.
The Six West Theatre is listed in the trade press as the first six-plex in the history of the United States though not in the world. Its conceptualization occurred not long after the single-screen Fox Westroads Theatre became the first cinema in the Westroad Mall complex. It was located in the “Boston Mall” section of the Westroads Mall. The original floor plan of the Westroads was on a single level. The new plan - a second floor section on the northeast mall called “Boston Mall” - encompassed two neighboring theaters - an oddity - with the Fox Westroads originally opening in 1967 and the -then - forthcoming Six West Theatre.
American Royal Cinemas, the Durwood Theatres Circuit’s follow-up name and pre-cursor to American Multi-Cinema (AMC), announced a new six-plex to be opened at what was reported as 20 feet from the existing National General / Fox Midwest Fox Westroads. After much delay, American Royal opened the Six West on January 22, 1969 with “Candy” playing on four of the six screens for Stanley Durwood’s circuit. The two co-existed but the Fox flinched when new operator Mann Theatres twinned the neighboring venue in May of 1977 becoming the Mann Fox Twin.
In March of 1980, the six-plex was officially renamed as the AMC Six West 6 - redundant but true! AMC then took over the neighboring theater twin which had reverted to a name of Fox Westroads Theaters. That change took place officially on December 8, 1983 as the twin became the AMC Westroads 2. AMC then linked its AMC Six West 6 into a single 8-screen facility called the AMC Westroads 8. As a result, AMC retired both monikers of the AMC Westroads 2 and the AMC Show West 6 on February 16, 1984.
This venue then became the AMC Westroads 8 on February 17, 1984. In the mid-1990s, megaplexes were replacing aging multiplexes all over the country. AMC Westroads 8 was targeted for replacement as its lease neared terminus. And the replacement was not just an incremental upgrade; the 8-plex was replaced by a massive, 24-screen facility about five miles ways. The circuit closed AMC Westroads 8 permanently at the end of its 30-year leasing agreement on December 11, 1997. AMC then opened its AMC Oak View 24 the next day on December 12, 1997. The AMC Westroads 2 / Fox Westroads Theatres and the AMC Oak View have their own Cinema Treasures pages.
If you’ve got to go, go big. And here, the 76 West doesn’t disappoint with a Motorcycle Madness triple feature of “The Wild Angels,” “Mad Max” and “Chrome and Hot Leather.”
This venue was part of four planned and franchised Jerry Lewis twin screen operations by Midwest Theatres under Fred Corbino. Lewis and Network Cinemas had promised that one-button automation movie theaters could be run by anyone and they sold franchises to aspiring movie theater operators all over the country. The Maplewood Square shopping center that would house the operation had launched in 1970. But by the time the first and only Omaha Jerry Lewis location had opened here at 90th Street in 1972, the Lewis / Network Cinema was in free fall collapse.
The Jerry Lewis Twin opened in Maplewood Square on November 10, 1972 with “The Cowboys” and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks.” But Lewis ankled the chain and Network Cinemas disconnected its phones in bankruptcy in 1973. Corbino was so distraught at the Network Cinema’s empty promises that he removed the Lewis signage and nameplate on May 9, 1973 and renamed the venue as the Maplewood Twin Theatre. Douglas Theatres took on the venue later in 1973. (Dubinski Bros. would take on the failed Jerry Lewis Twin project in Southtown completing it as the Gemini Twin in 1974. It has its own Cinema Treasure page.)
In October of 1988, the circuit repositioned the Maplewood 2 on a discount, sub-run house policy beginning with “Die Hard” and “Coming to America.” Douglas dropped the venue on November 13, 1994 with “Corinna, Corinna” and “In the Army Now.” The venue was demolished in favor of an Aldi store.
Torsten Adair’s contribution of one sentence reads, “The Gemini Twin Theater was located on S. 84th Street at Frederick Street.” My research indicates a bit more detail if interested:
Groundbreaking for this venue at 2958 South 84th Street occurred in 1971 as part of four planned and franchised Jerry Lewis twin screen operations. Network Cinemas had promised that one-button automation movie theaters could be run by anyone and sold franchises to aspiring movie theater operators all over the country. But by the time the first and only Omaha Jerry Lewis location had opened at 90th Street in 1972, the Lewis / Network Cinema was in free fall collapse.
The Southtown Shopping Center (often referred to as the Woolco Shopping Center as it was anchored by Woolworth’s “big box” Woolco store) opened in June of 1972; but the theater space had stalled with Lewis leaving the circuit and Network Cinemas in bankruptcy and disconnecting its phones. This Lewis franchise was sold by a New Jersey interest to the Dubinsky Brothers in 1974. Revising the look and seating of the original, Dubinsky’s Gemini Twin seated 550 patrons at launch. The June 21, 1974 opening ad with “Huck Finn” on both screens is posted in photos.
The venue was downgraded to a second-run discount house with all seats 99 cents in 1977. In July of 1984, Shopko would take over the anchor spot after Woolworth’s shuttered all of its Woolco stores in 1983. The shopping complex was then known as Frederick Square with Excellence Theatres Circuit operating the twin. Excellence closed the venue on January 15, 1991 with “Ghost” an “Mr. Destiny” - still priced at just 99 cents a seat for any showtime. Technically, Carmike Theatres inherited the Gemini Twin when they took on the Excellence Circuit in March of 1991. Carmike considered but ultimately passed on reopening the venue which was later repurposed for other uses.
The Crossroads Shopping Center opened theatre-less on September 1, 1960. The Crossroads was renamed as the Crossroads Mall by 1963 and added the Crossroads Twin Cinema and Family Amusement Center in the late 1970s. It replaced the Game Gal-ry. Thirty gaming units were installed to take advantage of an arcade game spike caused by Space Invaders and high interest in pinball. The Twin opened with “Can I Do It…?” and “Good Guys Wear Black” on July 20, 1979.
The venue was not a success as multiplexes with 5-8 screens quickly dated twin screen cinemas. The Crossroads Twin went out of business with Empire Films' “Eliminators” splitting a screen with “Spies Like Us” and “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” on March 14, 1986. The theater’s former space was demo’d out of existence in a 2006 makeover that kept the Crossroads going with a new Target store. But the Crossroads struggles continued never able to emerge from a greyfield / “dead mall” spiral. Its entire closure and demolition occurred just shy of its 60th Anniversary in 2020.
March 18, 1983 grand opening ad for the Millard Cinema 4 in photos. Douglas Theatres closed up here operating as a second-run discount house for the venue’s final ten years on October 29, 1996.
Operated by the Armstrong Circuit
Architect: William Risemman Associates of Boston
The 1913 downtown building once housed an auto repair shop and was re-imagined as a theatre in 1983 by Group 4 Architecture in San Francisco. Culver Cinprise of San Francisco opened the four-plex on December 16, 1983 with “Scarface" on the Monroe Screen, “The Keep” on The Duke Screen, “The Rescuers” on The Gable Screen and “Uncommon Valor" on the Bogart Screen. The Downtown Dream took on the venue in 2022 attempting to relight two of the four screens in 2023. Status - Renovating
Christmas Day 1929 grand opening ad with “Romance of the Rio Grande” posted in photos.
The Royal Theatre launched on July 2, 1927 with Ken Maynard in “Señor Daredevil.” On September 5, 1929, the Royal converted to sound. It closed for a refresh in December of 1942. Material shortages hampered the effort and under new operators, the Royal re-emerged as the more patriotically named, New Victory Theatre on August 14, 1943 with Don “Red” Barry in “Outlaws of Pine Ridge” supported by the Dead End Kids in “Let’s Get Tough.”
After failing with a first-run policy, the theatre became Teatro Victory not long thereafter on a 20-year run with films for Hispanic audiences.The Victory Theatre / Teatro Victory discontinued operations on October 3, 1966.But it was given a refresh becoming the atmospheric Tropical Theatre on July 13, 1967. The Tropical combined live Hispanic entertainment and Spanish-Language films until closing September 29, 1974 at end of lease. On August 9 1975, the theatre became the Flick Theater / Flick Adult Theatre running at least to 1981.
The venue operated about 20 years as Teatro Victory playing films for Hispanic audiences.
Closed. Was briefly renamed in the early sound era as the Imperial Theatre (and not to be confused with the silent-era Teatro Imperial) from 1931 to 1932. Was renamed under a new operator as the New Victory Theatre in January of 1932. Current status is closed.
Regal permanently closed here on November 10, 2022
The $30 million multi-use Hollywood Galaxy project was announced in March of 1987. General Cinema Corporation (GCC) decided to put its stake in the ground just a block and escalator ride up from the venerable Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Making way for the project was the 1919-built Garden Court apartment building - declared a monument and historic landmark in 1981 and then declared an obstacle in the revitalization of Hollywood in 1984 when preservationists lost a hard fought battle to save the neo-baroque complex after it had been unceremoniously stripped of its historic landmark status.
The home that was once home to Lillian Gish, Laurel & Hardy, Mack Sennett and others could at least play those folks' films nearly five years later as the General Cinema Hollywood Galaxy 6 when it finally launched on November 29, 1991. The best value by far that day was a 70mm double-feature of “Alien” and “Aliens” in a THX certified house. Wow! But with the multiplex era soon giving way to the megaplex era, General Cinema would go into freefall collapse watching cinema chains enter the market that decimated the GCC business plan. GCC dropped the “6” from ads as six-plexes were no longer drawing cards, especially with paid parking lots that were sometimes hard for folks to find.
AMC took on the struggling General Cinema Galaxy on April 4, 2002 along with the lion’s share of GCC properties around the country. The theater chain had just 73 theaters representing 677 screens nationwide in December of 2001 when AMC purchased the circuit - that was down precipitously from the 350 theater locations with some 1,500 screens that GCC operated just 15 years earlier according to its annual financial report. After the GCC buyout was approved in 2002, AMC exercised patience at the Hollywood venue before permanently jettisoning it from our galaxy on December 4, 2003.
If remembered, the Hollywood Galaxy was an early effort that helped revitalize what had become a seedy area in Hollywood as even the once-opulent Garden Court had been nicknamed a flop house called “Hotel Hell.” But the movie house would be undercut by a higher visibility annex to the Chinese Theatre in Mann’s Chinese 6, the revamping of the El Capitan Theatre, and the major efforts to keep the Chinese Theatre, itself, vibrant.
The entirety of the entry above submitted by Jeff Chapman reads as one sentence, “The Boulevard Theatre was opened on May 17, 1945, and was part of the Boulevard Shopping Center.” Just to add some additional information here, Fox Midwest Theatres had announced the new Boulevard Theatre in January of 1941. (The entry erroneously lists Fox Theatres of Reading, PA - an unrelated company.)The Boulevard was billed as Wichita’s first suburban theater in which there would be a parking spot for each theatre patron. Architect Glenn Thomas’ original design was done in Spanish Colonial to match the neighborhood’s existing structures while also having Old West elements from the nearby Chisholm Trail as accents.
The U.S. entry into World War II delayed the project significantly even though the project was granted a waiver exemption due to the aviation plant in town. The venue finally opened on May 17, 1945 likely on a 20-year leasing agreement with Betty Grable in Billy Rose’s “Diamond Horseshoes.” The theater’s curtain featured a scene from the Chisholm Trail with a cowboy pursuing a steer. A decorative map by Robert T. Atchinson hung in the lobby showing the path of that Trail.
The theater was joined by a shopping strip called the George Washington Boulevard Shopping Plaza in 1949. One of the longest-running stores there was McMullen Jewelry which stayed for some 70 years. The theater building, however, remained an outparcel to the Plaza until it was joined by nine other stores in an expansion in 1956 called the Boulevard Shops. The theater took on a more modern Colonial Revival to match the other stores that extended perpendicularly to the cinema. It was transitioned to widescreen projection in January of 1954 to present CinemaScope films to remain viable.
Delaware-based National Theatre and Television (N.T.&T) took on the Fox Midwest locations morphing to National General Corporation (NGC) during 1963. In 1973, the NGC circuit more known as National General was taken on by Mann Theatres which assumed operation of the Boulevard Theatre. The Bouleveard, Mall, and Fox Twin were among 25 Mann locations sold to the Dickinson Operating Company effective on February 1, 1980. Dickinson Theatres closed the Boulevard Theatre likely at the end of a second 20-year lease on February 2, 1984 with Al Pacino in “Scarface.”
The former theater space was converted into a short-lived Gold’s Gym followed a very brief Ulitmated Bodies Gym in 1987. The venue became headquarters for the Amateur Poker League in the 2000s. In March of 2009, it became the Boulevard Banquet Hall. The venue then became a live performance space called The Boulevard in 2011 closing about a year later. It was then utilized by NetSystems, an Internet company. The building may be vacant as of the 2020s. In 2022, perhaps as an homage to the long-standing theater, the Towne West Mall’s long-running cinema was renamed as the Boulevard Theatres.
Capacity here doesn’t match details. TCL Chinese (1-)6 Theatres originally seated 1,446 at its November 9, 2001 launch as Mann Chinese 6. Adding auditorium “7” - the original screen - seating 932 in its IMAX conversion in Sept. 2013 would take capacity at that time to 2,378 (if I’m understanding the entry above)..
In TCL’s $2-million refresh of Auditorium 2 to MX4D motion effect seating in December 2017, the capacity of auditorium 2 was reduced to 102. This would take TCL Chinese Theatres 1-6 to - at most - a capacity of 1,371 and with IMAX auditorium 7 (the original screen) at 932 taking capacity of the so-called seven-plex to 2,303.
In terms of naming, Mann operated the new six-plex theatre separately at its 2001 launch as Mann’s Chinese 6 at 6801 H'wood Blvd. and retained the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre moniker for the venerable 6925 H-Blvd venue . So wouldn’t this facility be also known as something like Grauman’s Chinese Theatre | Mann’s Chinese 6 or Mann’s Chinese 6 & Grauman’s Chinese theaters - or some such - for its 12 years of operating the then separate houses?
Finally, shouldn’t the address of the so-called seven-plex be altered to 6801 & 6925 Hollywood Boulevard? The venues are in multiple buildings and the current address misses the preponderance of auditoriums and overall capacity (possibly 1,371 of the 2,303 seats if the details are correct).
…and the website listed here is not correct
Emma H. Dodd had the first true new-build movie theater in Wichita built in 1908 across the street from the family’s Elite Theatre operated by William H. Marple in 1908. Dodd fronted the $15,000 venue and Marple added $6,000 in equipment to start and run the new 600-seat Maple Theatre. Marple must have been pleased that it was called the nicest movie house in the West at that time by the local press. Although that point was debatable, the Grand Opening date was not. The Marple launched October 1, 1908. D.W. Griffith’s “Ingomar, the Barbarian” was on the big screen. Bertha Koshler was at the keyboard with Persis Gardner as the vocalist and Sam W. Jones was the chef narrator explaining aspects the silent films.
Arthur and Blanche Ford assumed control of the venue and vaudeville was more heavily added to the programming mix along with film. In 1925, Mr. T.H. and Mrs. Merta E. Slothower took on the venue. 1927 was a year of transition in the film industry with sound exhibition in demand. The Holland Theatre operators decided to close. The State Theater had closed elsewhere in town. To save costs, apparently, the Marple had gone to non-union labor which caused protestations that likely didn’t help its standing as an aging movie theater. It wasn’t the first dance that the Marple had with union workers; in 1922, the venue was picketed and bombs were allegedly planted by activists. On December 27, 1927, the refreshed Marple reopened as the still silent State Theatre with Constance Talmadge in “Venus of Venice.” Vaudeville had been completely removed from the programming at the State. The theater used an Electrola to provide music - likely not pleasing the union folks. And it likely used a repurposed State Theatre sign.
The State closed but reopened with Vitaphone sound on March 6, 1930 for the Slothowers. By decade’s end, the Slothowers would build the Sandra and Southern theaters locally in 1939. They then gave the State, apparently, a much-needed streamline moderne makeover for its relaunch on January 25, 1948. After a period of inactivity, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ross of the Kansas City Strand Theatre took on the venue rebranding it as the Vogue Art Cinema for adult audiences. The seating ws dropped to 400 for or the reboot on September 2, 1966 and the entire theater was modernized with wood paneling hiding the theater’s past. Under manager George Kirk, the business was raided five times by Vern Miller’s request early in 1977 with the final one on February 10, 1977 that would end the Vogue Art’s film run.
The instrument of choice for the Warwick Theatre was the American Fotoplayer by the American Photo Player Company.
The instrument of choice for the Holland Theatre was the American Fotoplayer by the American Photo Player Company.
John G. Holland launched his Holland Theatre on July 27, 1914. Holland charged five cents on a grind policy with programming about 45 minutes of films that played continuously from morning till midnight. Holland left the theater in a year but it carried on with his name for more than 13 years. Owners including Charles Bull, D.J. Piatt, and C.L. Brosius tried to make a winner out of the silent-era movie house with middling results.
Likely knowing that the cost of sound installation was too great, the venue closed late in 1927 despite a lease that ran until 1939. The space was retrofitted as a clothing store called The Fields. The building has since been demolished.