Warners' Theatre

I first went to the Warner’s to see This is Cinerama. I’ll never forget the experience. There was a red curtain that ran almost 180 degrees around the front of the theatre. I had an aisle seat in the center section in row 5. When the film started it was in black and white in the usual square aspect. Lowell Thomas explained the history of motion pictures and then in a grave voice intoned:“Ladies and Gentlemen THIS IS CINERAMA!”. At that moment the red curtain began to open a-l-l the way and you were surrouned by the screen. At first I didn’t know what I was watching. It was shadowy and indistint with a clicket, clickety sound filling the theatre. Then we came out into the sun and were climbing the Cyclone roller coaster at Coney Island. Note I didn’t say we saw but rather we were riding the coaster. From there on in it was one fabulous scene after another, with the flight over the Grand Canyon almost as good as being there. I saw the film at least twic more and at one showing tore myself from the opening scene to turn a watch the faces of the audience…it was amazing. I saw at least two more Cinerama films. One was Cinerama Holiday which began like the first but the opening scene was flying over the Alps in a SwissAir DC 6 rather than the roller coaster.

New York Times, July 5, 1926, p.6 reviewed the Hal Roach film “The Devil Horse” and stated that it was appearing at Warner’s Theatre. Do you think this is the same theater as Warners'?
Linda

Rear of auditorium had stadium seating. There was no balcony. Was also known as the Manhattan Theatre when showing an exclusive re-release of “Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs” and the Republic Theatre when showing “Pinocchio”. I recall both probably in the 1944/45 period.