Cinema 4

3075 W. Liberty Avenue,
Dormont, PA 15216

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Harris Amusement Co., Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.

Architects: Charles R. Geisler

Previous Names: Harris Theatre, Harris South Hills Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Cinema 4

The Harris Theatre was opened in 1927 by the Harris Amusement Co. It was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2 manual 6 Ranks organ.

The South Hills Theatre was operated by Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp. in 1941. The theatre enjoyed a lively popularity in the 1950’s and 1960’s as residents would walk from their homes to enjoy its weekly thrills and chills. The Wurlizer organ was removed and sold to an individual in the 1980’s. In 1994 it was divided into four screens and became Cinema 4. It was closed in 1998 and was abandoned, the marquee in September 2004 was still advertising its last movie “Along Came A Spider”.

It was demolished in May/June 2010.

Contributed by vince

Recent comments (view all 79 comments)

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on July 31, 2010 at 11:42 pm

great stories sad ending.

toddatelm
toddatelm on August 9, 2010 at 9:20 am

Do I know you, norelco?
The Cinema 4 was my first theater after I got my union card.

rj
rj on March 15, 2012 at 7:13 pm

The South Hills theatre may be gone, but remnants of the front entrance ticket booth were donated to the Dormont historical society. I was given the task to refurbish and reconstruct the ticket booth. I am happy to say I completed that task on March 15, 2012. The ticket booth will be displayed in the Dormont municipal center (the old Hiilsdale school). I spent many of my teenage years trying to sneak in around that booth. I hope a lot of old friends stop by to visit it.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 16, 2012 at 2:36 pm

This comment from 2007 by thespian110 says that the architect of the Harris South Hills Theatre was Charles R. Geisler.

dwbrendel
dwbrendel on March 30, 2012 at 9:16 pm

I shot the last interior images in The South Hills Theater. The next day it was all gone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ODB8NxnP58 I also documented the restoration of The Hollywood Theater. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2MhihbU8V8

SusanD
SusanD on September 2, 2012 at 3:29 pm

Those photos of the Cinema 4/South Hills Theater in ruins are amazing. Sad, but amazing.

popcorn_pete
popcorn_pete on March 2, 2018 at 12:39 am

Opened 1927 by Harris Amusements Company. Quadrupled 1994 into Cinema 4, last film screened 1998

pittsburghorbit
pittsburghorbit on April 10, 2018 at 5:54 pm

“Along Came a Spider,” “Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles,” and “Blow” (see marquee from one of the photos) were all released in 2001, so I think that’s more accurately the last year the theater was open.

edblank
edblank on April 10, 2018 at 7:05 pm

Cinema 4, knows for nearly all of its existence as the South Hills, was sold in August 2000 by Michael Cardone to Richard Dobrushin of Key Productions. The new owner removed the seats from one auditorium with the idea of turning it into a club. Not sure if that ever happened. In June or July of 2001 Dormont Boro closed the theater. It sat unoccupied for many years – perhaps a decade before being razed. A large pharmacy was constructed on the property. The Overview here should be changed to read “Demolished.”

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