Anyone know when this was tripled? I remember seeing such movies as “Home Alone” and “Lion King” (blech) here in the early 90’s…it was a triple in 1990 i remember correctly… my grandma has a newspaper from December 5, 1980 and the Fox was listed as a single screen, with the movie “Honeysuckle Rose” playing that week.
Well, looks like i’ll be the first to comment since the reopening… The Grand reopened on Friday, April 7, 2006 with the films “Cheaper By The Dozen II” and “V for Vendetta”. I finally returned this past sunday to see the movie “Little Man” up in the upstairs theatre. That wasn’t enough, I decided to take my mother up there today to see “Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest” today in the main theatre. I must say I am really impressed with how the Bakers fixed this place up. New carpet has been laid in the theatres, the lobby and concession stand area have received fresh coat of paint, what really caught my eye was a picture on the wall right behind the ticket stand, a picture of the Grand taken back in 1992 with the movies “Lawnmower Man” and “Basic Instinct” on the marquee. Plus on the walls nice airbrush paintings of Disney movie characters have been painted. Other than new carpet and new glass on the projecor ports, the upstairs theatre has not changed much. Still has the same equipment when Bill Ivy ran it. The big change was the downstairs theatre, it has totally received a new coat of flat black paint all over, including on the ceiling! I must admit it was not as bright in the theatre this time, due to the paint. Now it’s a theatre! Equipment wise, it is still the same, also receiving port glass and new stereo sound (upstairs theatre is still in mono sound), delivered by a Ultra Stereo processor. Made watching “Pirates of the Carribbean” a nice experience. We got to talk to Richard Baker’s wife afterwards, told her how nice the place is now, then my mother asked about Bill Ivy. She told us he’s now in a nursing home.
Just got back from seeing “Dukes of Hazzard” at the Grand and it was an impressive show, except for the brief moment when the film got out of frame in the middle of the movie! Fortunately it was straightened out and the show continued. To my guess about 40-50 people showed up, this was the Sunday 2:00 matineee ($2 is a steal!)
As I was watching the end credits, I was standing by the booth door (this was on the lower level), it was open and just happened to get a glance of the equipment. They are as follows (upper level is probably the same as well): Strong Super Lume-X lamphouse, Super Simplex projectors, RCA soundheads, and ORC (orange ones) platters. Up till about 17 years ago when it was twinned, the Simplexes were toghether in the upper booth, (mated to carbon arc lamps I bet!) the second projector brought downstairs. This theater was built in 1945, so they’re as old as the theater itself! Anyways, the picture was pretty fuzzy (I sat in the very front, about 20 feet from the screen, and later moved back), but it was probably poor focusing, not the projector itself. Those Super Simplexes are very trusty projectors! As I was leaving, I met Bill Ivy again (earlier he took my money and gave my ticket) and he asked if I liked the film, to which I replied “yes”., and told him it was a great movie and left. You can bet i’ll be returning. Dukes was my second film there, the first being “Open Range” back in 2003.
Anyone know when this was tripled? I remember seeing such movies as “Home Alone” and “Lion King” (blech) here in the early 90’s…it was a triple in 1990 i remember correctly… my grandma has a newspaper from December 5, 1980 and the Fox was listed as a single screen, with the movie “Honeysuckle Rose” playing that week.
Well, looks like i’ll be the first to comment since the reopening… The Grand reopened on Friday, April 7, 2006 with the films “Cheaper By The Dozen II” and “V for Vendetta”. I finally returned this past sunday to see the movie “Little Man” up in the upstairs theatre. That wasn’t enough, I decided to take my mother up there today to see “Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest” today in the main theatre. I must say I am really impressed with how the Bakers fixed this place up. New carpet has been laid in the theatres, the lobby and concession stand area have received fresh coat of paint, what really caught my eye was a picture on the wall right behind the ticket stand, a picture of the Grand taken back in 1992 with the movies “Lawnmower Man” and “Basic Instinct” on the marquee. Plus on the walls nice airbrush paintings of Disney movie characters have been painted. Other than new carpet and new glass on the projecor ports, the upstairs theatre has not changed much. Still has the same equipment when Bill Ivy ran it. The big change was the downstairs theatre, it has totally received a new coat of flat black paint all over, including on the ceiling! I must admit it was not as bright in the theatre this time, due to the paint. Now it’s a theatre! Equipment wise, it is still the same, also receiving port glass and new stereo sound (upstairs theatre is still in mono sound), delivered by a Ultra Stereo processor. Made watching “Pirates of the Carribbean” a nice experience. We got to talk to Richard Baker’s wife afterwards, told her how nice the place is now, then my mother asked about Bill Ivy. She told us he’s now in a nursing home.
Just out of curiosity, what was the last film shown at the Liberty on closing night in 1998?
Just got back from seeing “Dukes of Hazzard” at the Grand and it was an impressive show, except for the brief moment when the film got out of frame in the middle of the movie! Fortunately it was straightened out and the show continued. To my guess about 40-50 people showed up, this was the Sunday 2:00 matineee ($2 is a steal!)
As I was watching the end credits, I was standing by the booth door (this was on the lower level), it was open and just happened to get a glance of the equipment. They are as follows (upper level is probably the same as well): Strong Super Lume-X lamphouse, Super Simplex projectors, RCA soundheads, and ORC (orange ones) platters. Up till about 17 years ago when it was twinned, the Simplexes were toghether in the upper booth, (mated to carbon arc lamps I bet!) the second projector brought downstairs. This theater was built in 1945, so they’re as old as the theater itself! Anyways, the picture was pretty fuzzy (I sat in the very front, about 20 feet from the screen, and later moved back), but it was probably poor focusing, not the projector itself. Those Super Simplexes are very trusty projectors! As I was leaving, I met Bill Ivy again (earlier he took my money and gave my ticket) and he asked if I liked the film, to which I replied “yes”., and told him it was a great movie and left. You can bet i’ll be returning. Dukes was my second film there, the first being “Open Range” back in 2003.