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Author Topic: Theatre Chains That Don't Exist Anymore John T. Hendrickson, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 889 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 07-08-2012 12:25 PM                     Here's an old one for you- Walter Reade Theatres. They had a big presence in New Jersey way back when (1940's thru the 70's). My first job as a projectionist was Reade's Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, NJ. Robert Allen and Jim Henk mentioned Sterling Theaters, and that jogged my memory, because I think I recall that they may have merged with Reade at one time to become Reade/Sterling Theaters. Can anyone else shed some light (carbon arc ) on that?  |  IP: Logged Geena Phillips Expert Film Handler Posts: 198 From: Norcross, GA / USA Registered: Apr 2006 posted 08-11-2012 11:43 PM                        Trademark Cinemas. Not sure how many there were in its prime, but, by the time I started at one in 2010, they had three locations. Then the CEO/guy who was arranging the financing for desperately-needed improvements found out he had terminal cancer, and that was the beginning of the end.  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 08-12-2012 08:36 AM                     Around NC we had Irvin-Fuller Theatres... gone. Fuqua Theatres... gone. There were more.  |  IP: Logged Sam D. Chavez Film God Posts: 2153 From: Martinez, CA USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 08-12-2012 09:50 AM                       Regards Walter Reade Sterling; Sounds like an ad firm. Mad Men comes to mind. I was a big fan of SRO as it was also known. I worked for Walter Reade way back when for a short term but I don't recall any merger.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-12-2012 10:46 AM                        Bruce, did you actually have Fuqua theatres? According to Wikipedia: Carmike was founded when Carl L. Patrick, Sr. acquired Martin Theatres from Fuqua Industries in 1982. I'm curious to know if Fuqua ever put their name on anything exclusively,ie not Martin Theatres  |  IP: Logged Bruce McGee Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1776 From: Asheville, NC USA... Nowhere in Particular. Registered: Aug 1999 posted 08-12-2012 03:31 PM                     In the 1970's we had the Biltmore Cinema, which was a Fuqua Theatre. Later became Martin Theatres. Then, it was gone. When it was a single screen, I saw JAWS there with a full house crowd. I was looking out the port glass, and when the severed head came through the hole in the boat, I could see the reaction of heads snapping back in the seats from the front row to the back row!!  |  IP: Logged Buck Wilson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 894 From: St. Joseph MO, USA Registered: Sep 2010 posted 08-12-2012 04:29 PM                     Storyteller Theaters(Southwest US, bought by Hollywood Theaters; names still on buildings-for now) Wallace Theaters  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 07-19-2015 08:51 AM                 It has been 1070 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Buck Wilson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 894 From: St. Joseph MO, USA Registered: Sep 2010 posted 07-19-2015 08:51 AM                     -Crown Cinemas(Stan Durwood, Founder of AMC- his brother Richard(Dick) Durwood started this chain, later bought by Hollywood Theaters out of Dallas TX in mid 90s, then bought by Portland OR based Wallace Theaters(Listed in previous post) which then assumed the name Hollywood Theaters) -Hollywood Theaters(Purchased by Regal in 2012) -Starplex Cinemas(Dallas based, 33 theaters w/ 346 screens in 12 states, purchased by AMC in 2015) -Dickinson Theatres(Very old chain dating to 1920, purchased by Missouri based B&B theaters in 2014. Was based in Overland Park, Kansas. Operated 18 theaters with 210 screens in seven states: Arkansas, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas at time of buyout) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickinson_Theatres (If content in link ever disappears please PM me for info)[I KNOW OF ONE COMPANYAHEMREGALAHEM WHO MAKES WIKIPEDIA PAGES DISAPPEAR] Other fun facts... Scott Wallace was the founder of Act III, sold it, started Wallace Theaters... Ended up using the same home office in Portland and even some of the same staff I believe... all the way up until the Regal buyout of Hollywood Theaters  |  IP: Logged Mark Campbell Expert Film Handler Posts: 148 From: Seattle, WA USA Registered: Jul 2007 posted 07-19-2015 10:59 AM                     In the Northwest: Galaxy Theatres - in the 70's and early 80's ran the Roxy (now Pantages), Temple, Rialto, Bijou (now Blue Mouse), Parkland, Narrows and Lakewood theaters, all single screens in the Tacoma area. Roxy had the original run of Star Wars in 1977. The chain shut down in 1984. Star Cinemas - picked up the Rialto, Temple and Parkland in 1984. The Temple closed as a cinema in 1985 with a triple feature of Star Trek I, II & III. The Temple also had 2nd run 70mm engagements of Dune & 2010 and a 1 week 70mm run of Apocalypse Now. Cascade Cinemas - There were ads for the South Tacoma Village Cinemas and Lakewood Theatre under this banner in the early 80's. Possible related to the art house Seven Gables chain in Seattle. The newspaper ads had a the same look as the Seven Gables newspaper ads and the Village Cinemas had a mixture if mainstream and art house films. Seven Gables - ran several art house theaters in Seattle that gave way to Landmark Theaters. The original Seven Gables theater is still open under Landmark. SRO Theaters - I know this was mentioned earlier. In the 80's Sterling ran the best chain of theaters in the northwest, most of which featured Dolby Stereo and many capable of 70mm. Cineplex Odeon took over SRO Theater operations in late 1986, though SRO still owned many of the theaters and land. SRO-built theaters still open are the Factoria Cinemas and Oak Tree Cinemas under AMC, and the Uptown under SIFF. The Cinerama was run by SRO when Cineplex took over. United Drive-Ins - Not sure if that has been mentioned elsewhere. Ran the Starlite, Autoview, Fife, Midway and Valley 6 drive-ins to name a few. Also at some point operated the Cinerama and Varsity under the banner "United Walk-Ins". Luxury Theaters - Tom Moyers notoriously bad chain of shoddy theaters. Cheaply built, mono sound, fixed screen masking etc. But in the late 80's things began to change and Luxury built the awesome Crossroads 8, Alderwood 7 and Lloyd Center all of which featured at least 1 massive house with THX, Dolby Digital etc. ACTIII took over in the early 90's. Then Regal. IMO Regal ruined the big house at the Alderwood 7 when gave it the RPX treatment.  |  IP: Logged John Eickhof Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 588 From: Wendell, ID USA Registered: Jan 2000 posted 07-19-2015 02:27 PM                        There was Westside Valley Theatres in northern Cal, and the Blumenfeld circuit based in San Francisco plus Fox WestCoast Theatres that went the way of all the Fox houses.  |  IP: Logged Mike Rivest Expert Film Handler Posts: 185 From: Montréal QC Canada Registered: Nov 2009 posted 07-19-2015 06:01 PM                     http://movie-theatre.org/usa/tx/c Texas circuits and their location. check my other states and provinces.  |  IP: Logged Lyle Romer Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1400 From: Davie, FL, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 07-19-2015 07:18 PM                     quote: Geena Phillips Trademark Cinemas. Not sure how many there were in its prime, but, by the time I started at one in 2010, they had three locations. Then the CEO/guy who was arranging the financing for desperately-needed improvements found out he had terminal cancer, and that was the beginning of the end. It was actually ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and the his name was David Clifford. We had 6 locations at the peak. In 2010 financing was being arranged for a merger with Premier Theatres in Melbourne, renovation of all locations and expansion. Unfortunately, Mr. Clifford's horrible illness ended all plans. Sadly, Rob Kurrus who was the majority owner of Premier Theatres, was killed in a small plane crash a few months later. He was flying and had, I believe, 2 of his managers on board.  |  IP: Logged Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 07-24-2015 09:18 AM                        quote: Buck Wilson Scott Wallace was the founder of Act III, sold it, started Wallace Theaters... Ended up using the same home office in Portland and even some of the same staff I believe... all the way up until the Regal buyout of Hollywood Theaters Incorrect. Scott Wallace was actually president of Tom Moyer's Moyer Luxury Theatres, which was sold to Norman Lear's Act III Communications and became Act III Theatres. Wallace never owned it. When Act III was ultimately sold and folded into Regal, Wallace's Hawaii-based circuit suddenly moved operations to Portland at Act III's old offices and with Act III's executive team largely intact and running the show. They later acquired the midwest-based Hollywood circuit and after themselves being sold to an investment group, changed to the Hollywood name. Aside...While Moyer sold his circuit to Act III, he actually still owned the properties and leased them back. I believe Moyer's real estate company developed and leased later properties to Act III as well. The man was never really fully out of the movie business.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 07-24-2015 01:00 PM                     My free ruler, pencil and crayon set that I got as a child at a local Walter Reed-Sterling Theatre. Still got it with unused pencil and crayons. Here in NJ/NY area, there were: Consolidated Cinemas (no relation to any other Consolidated) Venterini Theatres Grant Theatres Strand Theatres Lyons Theatres Skouras Theatres, later became UA Eastern Theatres (originally a separate company from UA Theatres) United Paramount Theatres Century Theatres (I believe that they were a separate company from Century on the West Coast).  |  IP: Logged

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