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Author Topic: CLEOPATRA. John McConnel Expert Film Handler Posts: 118 From: Okmulgee, OK USA Registered: Nov 2003 posted 12-03-2003 02:21 PM                        The Skouras family was well represented in the film business. Did Fox West Coast own the San Francisco Fox? The friend of mine(Demetrious Papanicolau) who told the story of a Greek theatre owner providing financing for 20th-Century Fox to finish CLEOPATRA, was baby sat in the SF Fox Building during his childhood.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-03-2003 03:13 PM                     Yes, the Fox San Francisco Theatre was operated by Fox West Coast Theatres. Which later became National Theatres, Inc. and later National General Theatres, which was later sold to Ted Mann to become Mann Theatres. Fox West Coast Theatres operated over 200 theatres in California / Arizona region. Other divisions of the company were Fox Inter-Mountain Theatres, Inc. 71 theatres(Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming), Fox Midwest Theatres Inc. 95 theatres (Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska), Fox Wisconsin Theatres, Inc., 29 theatres (Wisconsin), Evergreen State Amusement Corp. 27 theatres (Oregon, Washington), Fox Michigan Corp. operating the Fox Detroit, Roxy Theatre, Inc., operating the Roxy Theatre in NYC, Fox Philadelphia Building Inc. operating the Fox Phildelphia. This is National Theatres as of 1956 with Charles P. Skouras as president of the company. The Skouras family also had a chain of theatres since the 30's in New York and New Jersey areas. Skouras Theatres Corp. with 46 theatres in the New York & New Jersey as of 1956.  |  IP: Logged John McConnel Expert Film Handler Posts: 118 From: Okmulgee, OK USA Registered: Nov 2003 posted 12-04-2003 12:46 AM                        I know it's off of the CLEOPATRA topic, but your post is interesting information, Bill. Thanks. I've visited 3 of the Foxes you mentioned, in Philadelphia, Detroit, and St. Louis. They were/are wonderful theatres. Sorry I missed SF! In Philadelphia, Mr. Milgram personally got on the telephone to approve my request to visit. It had a screening room, Top O' the Fox, on the 12th floor, and the stage had been converted to a theatre at the time I was there (early 1970s). One little insignificant observation in Philadelphia was generators way down in the basement for the arc lamps. I think they may have been 180/180-amp. Their whine increased noticeably when the arc was struck on the incoming lamp for a changeover. They sounded so pretty.  |  IP: Logged Jeffry L. Johnson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 809 From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 12-04-2003 09:57 AM                        The American Film Institute Catalog, Feature Films, 1961-1970 (ISBN 0-913616-45-1) lists the running time as 243 min [Cut to 222 min]. It also notes "Opened in London in Aug 1963; running time: 215 min."  |  IP: Logged Frank Aston Film Handler Posts: 54 From: Albrighton, Shropshire, UK Registered: May 2000 posted 12-04-2003 05:45 PM                     I can certainly relate to the idea of movies like RETURN OF THE KING being presented as ROADSHOW presentations. Everything is actually in place at present. Advance booking, seperate performances, excited anticipation. The only things that are missing are agreements between studios/distributors and exhibitors which would restore the sense of theatrical occasion presently missing. I'm talking about curtains (tabs), stage lighting, overtures, proper, carefully placed intermissions, entr'act music, exit music and SHOWMANSHIP. Oh, back to my origional topic. Despite it's flaws as a movie, CLEOPATRA had all the above in spades on it's initial release in theatres which "do film right".  |  IP: Logged Greg Mueller Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1687 From: Port Gamble, WA Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-05-2003 06:00 PM                        When I was 11 or 12 my dad took me to LA for a vacation (Disneyland) While we were there we went and walked the walk of fame or whatever it's called (with the stars in the sidewalk). At one point I ran out of film and went to a corner drugstore. The lady asked if the film was "for the premiere". I said "what premiere" and she said "Cleopatra, down the street", pointing down the street. I went and told my dad and we walked down the street and sure enough, there it was. My dad went and talked to a guy at the ticket window and was standing there apparently when someone canceled or something (maybe he bribed him I don't know) Anyway we went that evening and it was pretty cool. Something I'll never forget. I felt pretty out of place as we just had vacation clothes on and everyone else was dressed to the hilt. I still think Cleo's entry into Rome on the big Sphinx wagon was the best thing they ever put on film.  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 12-05-2003 08:25 PM                     The premiere for "Cleopatra" was held at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood.  |  IP: Logged Greg Mueller Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1687 From: Port Gamble, WA Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-06-2003 05:44 PM                        Yes that's the one! My wife and I were down for the 3D show this summer and walked by it and I thought that was it. It's been 40 years, so I wasn't quite sure. http://www.seeing-stars.com/OnStage/Pantages.shtml  |  IP: Logged

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