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Author Topic: Theatre Chains That Don't Exist Anymore Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-25-2012 06:18 PM                     quote: Mike Blakesley Excellence Theatres was in Montana, was absorbed by Essaness Theatres which was then absorbed by Carmike. (I might have the first two reversed.) Yep, reversed. ESSANESS came from the last names of the two founders, Sam Speigel and Alan Silverman, circuit based out of Chicago. In 1988 name was changed to Excellence Theatres since they wanted to get out of the Chicago area and move to the "heartland" of the USA. Thus, the bought out small circuits and singles in the northern states, including MANN THEATRES locations here in Idaho (whom I was employed with at the time) and the T.O.I circuit out of Bozeman MT (Verl Clark, owner of Clark Film Buyers, used to be a manager for T.O.I. back in the early 80's when TOI was flourishing). Silverman had big dreams, but not too bright. He got trapped in the idea that "if Sam Walton can do it, why can't we?". He wanted ET to be as successful as Wallys World. ET remodeled every location purchased and couldn't pay the vendors. By early spring of 1991, Silverman began talks with Carmike to operate their locations, which a lot of us knew that it was curtains for E.T. By May, ET was no more and the locations belong to Carmike. Goes to show that "following success with hope" never works. Which brings up another circuit, Theatre Operators, Incorporated (T.O.I). Home based in Bozeman, MT. Kind of a fun circuit to work for but ran things a little irratic. One person out of T.O.I.(and E.T.) that I got to know pretty well was Tim Warner .. who now is one of the top brass for Cinemark. Fox Intermountain Theatres soaked by Nat'l Gen'l Corp, and then soaked up by the Ted MANN and Rhonda Fleming Company (Mann Theatres) in 1973. Cooper-Hyland, which begat Commonwealth, which was soaked up in United Artists. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 06-25-2012 06:44 PM                       Eastern Federal, Fox out of Reading PA owned a number in MD, PA and FL. Did anyone mention Mid America out of Kansas? There was also Chakeres in Ohio.  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 06-25-2012 07:20 PM                     Holiday Amusement - Ohio / Florida....Florida State Theatres....Crown Theatres....The original Cobb Theatre Circuit....Wometco - South Florida / Puerto Rico....Cine Vista - Puerto Rico....Eastern Federal  |  IP: Logged Robert Throop Master Film Handler Posts: 412 From: Vernon, NY USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-26-2012 09:25 PM                     (In NY state: Kallet theatres and Schine.  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 06-27-2012 06:35 PM                     In mid atlantic area, Neighborhood Theaters/NTI founded reluctantly from necessity 1926 Fabian Consolidated Theaters, based I believe in Charlotte N.C. area Trans Lux  |  IP: Logged Bill Gabel Film God Posts: 3873 From: Technicolor / Postworks NY, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-27-2012 07:10 PM                     quote: David Zylstra Plitt (I recall going to AMC/Plitt theatres as a kid) It might be ABC/Plitt theatres. American Broadcasting - Paramount Theatres Inc. Publix Theatres (which was the original Paramount Theatres) Stanley Warner Corporation Stanley Warner Cinerama Corp. Loew's Theatres Inc. Brandt Theatres Evergreen State Amusement Corp. (Fox West Coast / National Theatres) Walter Reade Theatres Statewide Theatres Blumefield Theatres Robert Lippert Theatres B.S. Moss Enterprises RKO-Stanley Warner Theatres SRO-Sterling Recreation Organization (Southern California)  |  IP: Logged Mark Ogden Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 943 From: Little Falls, N.J. Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-27-2012 08:43 PM                     quote: Robert Throop In NY state: Kallet theatres and Schine. Boy, I remember the Kallet circuit, in fact I think I met Mike Kallet when I was very young, and he was very old. They had a hugh presence in upstate NY, based out of Oneida. They built one of the nicest drive-ins I'd ever seen, it was west of Syracuse near Camillus. It had a beautiful waterfall running down the back of the screen, with colored lights at night. quote: Bill Gabel Robert Lippert Theatres Lippert was one of those circuit owners (like Gordon McClendon in Texas) that eventually got into producing and distribution, mostly grade B westerns and sci-fi pictures. He was eventually hired by Fox to run Regal Films, which was their "B" picture division, but he kept his screens going all the while. Incredible, seeing these old names. Ain't consolidation grand? Pretty soon, it's going to be AMC, Regal and that's it.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 07-05-2012 11:15 AM                        Sam: Chakeres is still very much with us/small towns. National Amusements bought them out in Dayton Ohio when they launched there. Louis  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 07-05-2012 02:21 PM                     I worked for Sterling Theatres in the Seattle area Bill and they were headquartered there. What's left of that company still exists. I believe they are now a real estate outfit.  |  IP: Logged Jim Henk Master Film Handler Posts: 364 From: San Diego, CA Registered: Feb 2006 posted 07-05-2012 03:01 PM                     Sterling Theatres (otherwise known as Sterling Recreation Organization. They also ran some Southern California cinemas. I got called on the extra board for the Pasadena Hastings periodically. Nice huge single screen place then. Their grand drape spanned the entire front of the building, and ran on a track actually around and *behind* the screen on opening, it was so massive. Ran 70 on their Norelco AA's there more than once. Fun. Ghost building now. Read a mention once about a guy that assisted with the AA removals. They also had the Colorado Theatre, and the Covina Drive-In. (twin - condos now) Plus a few more that I can't remember offhand.  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 07-05-2012 03:09 PM                        A small independent from the 70's and 80's in Colorado K-Theaters worked for them in Longmont as CM. God that was a lifetime ago. Also worked for Commonwealth and Mann hum I see a pattern here.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-05-2012 10:52 PM                        Oh hell, let's not forget Pussycat Theaters. How many porn chains could there have been? Wikipedia says there is one Pussycat Theatre left, so no longer a chain.  |  IP: Logged Christopher Crouch Expert Film Handler Posts: 128 From: Holywood, ca, usa Registered: May 2006 posted 07-06-2012 04:12 AM                  A couple of small Southern California chains from the past: Vinstrand Theatres Captain Blood’s Family Theatres/Captain’s Family Theatres  |  IP: Logged Joe Elliott Master Film Handler Posts: 497 From: Port Orange, Fl USA Registered: Oct 2006 posted 07-06-2012 08:25 AM                     Mid-America Cinemas, and then later after a hostle take over, it was only KC Area Drive-ins. Also found an interesting blog that is mostly about Mid-america Cinemas. If you dig a little, he also has ads from Durwood Cinemas, before Dick Durwood started AMC, and Stan Durwood stared Crown. Mid america Cinema blog.  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 07-06-2012 04:56 PM                        There was some discount chain that was either family owned in Denver or based in Denver but can't remember for the life of me. I never worked a discount house in my life. What was that outfit called? It would have been the late 70's and early 80's. Redifer your in Denver and from do you remember from when you was an itty bitty baby?  |  IP: Logged

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