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Author Topic: Abandoned Theaters Jeff Stuckey Film Handler Posts: 62 From: Oklahoma City, OK, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 08-16-2004 03:32 PM                     Hello everyone. I am originally from Tulsa, and recently went back to take some more pictures of old theater locations in town. I am such a geek for the old GCC theaters, and there is still one left standing in it's original form...Woodland Hills 6. It still has the C I N E M A over the marquee, so I went to take a few pictures. I noticed something very interesting when doing it. The side emergency exit door was wide open. Which means, I probably could have gone inside to poke around. However, I am too much of a whimp when it comes to dark rooms. Too many vampire movies. Has anyone ever had any similar experience with an abandoned theater? If so, did you go inside and what did you find? I am kicking myself today for not going in and seeing what might be in there. Wallace was the last to own it, and they hadn't stripped any of their theaters in Tulsa. In fact, two of their old theaters have opened with new owners practically just having to turn the key. If you live near Tulsa and have a feeling you wouldn't get busted by the police, it might be worth a look. The door is on the right side toward the front of the alley. It would be next to the bathrooms as you used to come out of theater 5. There are three theaters on one side, and three on the other. I am just rather curious about the whole thing now. Thanks for any input. Take care!  |  IP: Logged Robert L. Fischer Expert Film Handler Posts: 145 From: Montreal, Quebec Registered: May 2004 posted 08-16-2004 04:39 PM                    I wish I could find a theater like that; I would walk right in. I've been caught in similar situations and it's pretty easy to talk your way out of them. You just have to be calm about it if the police do show up.  |  IP: Logged Eric Hooper Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 532 From: Fort Worth, TX, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 08-16-2004 05:32 PM                     Umm, your answer would be: "Hey, the door was open."  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-17-2004 12:47 AM                        You'll need more to clinch it, try "And my cat ran in." "Cerberus! Cerberus! Here boy!" Remember, we're the people who nail it down & know it will run.  |  IP: Logged Nate Lehrke Master Film Handler Posts: 396 From: Denver, CO Registered: Oct 2002 posted 08-17-2004 01:05 AM                     I once got into the Cina 5 in West St. Paul MN before it was demolished/converted into a Good Will. It was very creepy being 2AM. Everything had been removed; there wasn't even carpet on the floors anymore! I was sufficiently creeped out by some sounds in the auditorium to cut my tour short.  |  IP: Logged Brandon Willis Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Richmond, VA, USA Registered: Apr 2004 posted 08-17-2004 07:45 PM                     Here's 2 of my favorite abandoned theatres where I live, both closed down by Regal during their financial troubles of 2000/2001: Willow Lawn 4: Never been inside, but have been up to the front of the building. Could have seen inside had the windows not been painted over. It used to be a gigantic single screen 70mm house with a balcony before Cineplex Odeon chopped it up into a 4 plex. Regal took over in the mid 90s. The theatre is currently being gutted so the adjacent Kroger supermarket can be expanded. Cloverleaf 8: Walked around the perimiter of the building. Didn't go inside as it just didn't feel safe. This theatre was in a dying mall in a bad part of town. All of the front doors are boarded up with plywood. Where the marquee used to be, you can see where it used to say "Regal" in Regal font and then "Cinemas" in Cineplex Odeon font. Here's a link to a site with pictures of these 2, and some pictures of the greatest multiplex this city has ever seen, the now-demolished Ridge Cinemas 7: Abandoned Theaters  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-17-2004 07:57 PM                     Will never forget my venture into the old Lamar Theatre in Oak Park, Il before it was demolished. It was raining outside (and inside) and the first 4 or 5 steps to the booth were missing and had disentegrated from rot, so I had to climb up a ways to get to the first step. When I got to the booth it was pouring rain inside and the U bases were sold rust. The parts cabinet on the wall was stocked full of brand new W.E. parts though and I still have that cabimet and alot of the parts to this day. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Dan Lyons Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 698 From: Seal Beach, CA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 08-18-2004 02:07 AM                     If the door is open, chances are vagrants are inside. Not too safe to go in alone. Bring some strong friends next time, and the toolkit in case the booth is intact. danny  |  IP: Logged Brandon Willis Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Richmond, VA, USA Registered: Apr 2004 posted 08-18-2004 06:30 AM                     Mark- When you were in IL, did you ever go to Dixie Square Mall? It is the mall that the Blues Brothers drove their cars through. From what I've read, it is still standing after being closed for 20+ years. It's at the top of my list of things to visit if I ever go to Chicago. Do you know if there was a theatre there? As for another abandoned theatre, if it hadn't been torn down, I'd love to have seen the old Broad Street twin cinemas here in Richmond. It opened in 1970 and was owned by GCI cinemas before it became a Cineplex Odeon house in the 80s and was closed in 1990 after the Willow Lawn was renovated.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-18-2004 09:00 AM                        On the topic of Richmond-area theatres, is anything going on with the Henrico Theatre? I love the exterior architecture, but I never got a chance to see the inside. Is it nice? Or at least salvageable? Too bad the location is crappy (but convenient to the airport!).  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-18-2004 09:13 AM                     "When you were in IL, did you ever go to Dixie Square Mall? It is the mall that the Blues Brothers drove their cars through. From what I've read, it is still standing after being closed for 20+ years. It's at the top of my list of things to visit if I ever go to Chicago. Do you know if there was a theatre there?" ____________________________________________________ Brandon, Steve K lives very close to that mall. Donno if its still standing but I'm sure he might know. They sure left it and many other locations a mess when the filmed that movie!! Mark  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 08-18-2004 05:35 PM                     Scott, the Henrico was (still is) a modest art deco house of 400 to 500 seats built in 1938. Cove lighting onto a flat ceiling with a pattern I don't remember. There are, I believe glass fan shaped up lights on the walls, seats bottoms were brown leatherette with brown fabric backs. There is a large upstairs lounge in a rather plain style. No balcony. Booth had a Century and a Brenkert supplied by a single platter. The sound rack was Dolby, I don't remember what. When I saw it last the roof was little more than a strainer. Henrico county bought it about 4 years ago and immediately replaced the roof and cleaned the place up. All the movie equipment was sold by the former owner. County plans ar uncertain, but indications are that it may be used for meetings, Board of Supervisors meetings, whatever. At least it is now stable and dry. There appeared to be little or no damage to other than seats. The Borad Street Cinema had what was probably the biggest screen in town in the mains autitorium---wall to wall and nearly floor to ceiling. The upstairs theatre was about 30 feet long and had an aisle down the middle with 2 seats on each side, the screen was small even for the room. The main house was very wide and fairly short. Decor was very plain. Projection was all Cinemechanica. Projection into the small theatre was originally across two mirrors, later modifications were made to shoot directly onto the screen. The main booth had an almost completely glass wall into the theatre. A friend who worked there complained that he had to keep his pants on due to that.  |  IP: Logged Roger Katz Film Handler Posts: 61 From: Thomaston, CT, USA Registered: Feb 2003 posted 08-18-2004 09:17 PM                     I have been in the Plaza Theater in Windsor, CT about 5 years after it closed. The side door was unlocked so I invited myself in. The theatre was basically just closed and left to sit there. I could not get to the projection booth since it required using a different entrance which was locked. You can see my photos of the auditorium and lobby by clicking on the link provided. I also got into the Newington Theatre in Newington, CT via an unlocked front door on the day demolition began. The theatre had already been stripped, but I did salvage a few things I found such as a Coming Soon sign, rolls of tickets, the theatre permit, and a trailer for the movie Congo. Click on the link to see photos of the abandoned theatre.  |  IP: Logged Brandon Willis Expert Film Handler Posts: 216 From: Richmond, VA, USA Registered: Apr 2004 posted 08-18-2004 11:10 PM                     Bill, did the Broad Street start out as a twin, or was it a single that got twinned later on?  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 08-19-2004 12:07 AM                     Brandon, The Broad Street opened as a twin, The first theatre with more than one screen in the Richmond area. The small auditorium was above the small lobby which was decorated in metallic wallpaper with stripes. It was an NEI theatre when it closed.  |  IP: Logged

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