"Cinerama In L.A."

"70mm In New York"

"70mm In Los Angeles"

THIS IS CINERAMA

Theatre: Broadway

Premiere: September 30, 1952 (World Premiere)

Engagement Duration: 35 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "You rise right out of your theatre chair! No longer is a movie screen a flat surface in front of you. Cinerama—the film with a new dimension—surrounds you with picture and sound. You’ll gasp as you rise high…then grip your chair as you go plunging downward. Images come alive on a sea of screen 6 times the usual size…and you’re right in the picture. This is your first experience—without colored glasses or any viewing gadgets—of the most exciting thing that ever happened in a theatre…this is Cinerama"

THIS IS CINERAMA  (Move-over from Broadway)

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: June 5, 1953
Engagement Duration: 88 (123) weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "The film with a new dimension"

CINERAMA HOLIDAY

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: February 8, 1955 (World Premiere)
Engagement Duration: 61 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "World Premiere Of The New, The 2nd Cinerama Presentation"

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: April 10, 1956 (World Premiere)

Engagement Duration: 76 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "The New, The 3rd Cinerama Presentation Takes You On An Adventure To The Four Corners Of The Globe…To Astound You With The Marvels Of The Universe!"

SEARCH FOR PARADISE

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: September 24, 1957 (World Premiere)

Engagement Duration: 32 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "The World Premiere of the Newest, most exciting Cinerama of them all…"

WINDJAMMER

Theatre: Roxy

Premiere: April 9, 1958

Engagement Duration: 24 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinemiracle

Promotional Hype: "National Theatres introduces Cinemiracle—Too Exciting to Describe…Too Big to Believe!"

THIS IS CINERAMA  (Return Engagement)
Theatre: Warner

Premiere: May 4, 1958

Engagement Duration: 10 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "The World’s Longest-Run Hit Is Back By Overwhelming Demand!"

SOUTH SEAS ADVENTURE

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: July 15, 1958 (World Premiere)

Engagement Duration: 44 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "The New Cinerama Sweeps You To The Tropic Isles Of Your Dreams…The Fabled 'Jewels of the South Seas'!"

GREAT IS MY COUNTRY

Theatre: Mayfair

Premiere: June 30, 1959 (U.S. Premiere)

Engagement Duration: 3 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Kinopanorama

Promotional Hype: "The Grand Prize Winner At The Brussels World’s Fair! Breathtaking in scope and sweep! Bursting with the sights and sounds—the uncommon beauty of Russia! The remarkable [Kinopanorama] process that utilizes three projectors and nine sound tracks to transport you almost literally to its cities and countrysides…its streets and byways…its music…its dance…its people!"

THE ENCHANTED MIRROR

Theatre: Mayfair

Premiere: July 21, 1959 (U.S. Premiere)

Engagement Duration: 2 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Kinopanorama

Promotional Hype: "The 2nd Motion Picture In Kinopanorama—Sheer Motion Picture Entertainment…bursting with beauty…as it surrounds you with Russia…its people and its culture…the artists of The Bolshoi Theatre, The Chinese Peking Opera, The Piatnitsky Song and Dance Ensemble…from the ice-floes of the Arctic to the sky-blue waters of The Black Sea…A fairy tale becomes a reality"

GREAT IS MY COUNTRY / THE ENCHANTED MIRROR  (Double Feature)

Theatre: Mayfair

Premiere: August 3, 1959

Engagement Duration: 1 week

Format: 3-Strip Kinopanorama

Promotional Hype: "Special Double Feature Showing! Brought Back By Popular Demand!"

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM

Theatre: Loew’s Cinerama

Premiere: August 7, 1962
Engagement Duration: 33 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama
Promotional Hype: "The First Full-Length Dramatic Story With A Dazzling Array Of Stars In Cinerama"

HOW THE WEST WAS WON

Theatre: Loew’s Cinerama

Premiere: March 27, 1963

Engagement Duration: 39 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "The Great Dramatic Motion Picture That Puts You In Every Scene!"

IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: November 17, 1963

Engagement Duration: 52 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "The Biggest Entertainment Ever To Rock The Cinerama Screen With Laughter!"

THE BEST OF CINERAMA

Theatre: Loew’s Cinerama

Premiere: December 25, 1963

Engagement Duration: 13 weeks
Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "For The First Time Cinerama’s Greatest Thrills Together In One Breathtaking Entertainment!"

WINDJAMMER  (Return Engagement)

Theatre: Loew’s Cinerama

Premiere: April 29, 1964

Engagement Duration: 8 weeks

Format: 3-Strip Cinerama

Promotional Hype: "For The First Time Shown In Cinerama In New York"

CIRCUS WORLD

Theatre: Loew’s Cinerama

Premiere: June 25, 1964
Engagement Duration: 19 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "Cinerama Surrounds You With The Greatest Thrill-Packed Story Ever Filmed!"

MEDITERRANEAN HOLIDAY

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: December 15, 1964

Engagement Duration: 9 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "The Thrilling Entertainment That Places You Right In The Middle Of The Most Fabulous Adventure You Ever Lived!"

 

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: February 15, 1965 (World Premiere)

Engagement Duration: 43 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: None

THE HALLELUJAH TRAIL

Theatre: Loew’s Capitol

Premiere: June 30, 1965 (World Premiere; see note below)

Engagement Duration: 11 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "Now Cinerama Sends Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Jim Hutton, Pamela Tiffin And YOU Roaring With Laughter And Adventure Down The Hallelujah Trail."

BATTLE OF THE BULGE

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: December 17, 1965

Engagement Duration: 17 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "The Super Action Show In Super Cinerama"

CINERAMA'S RUSSIAN ADVENTURE

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: April 13, 1966
Engagement Duration: 13 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "You’re here…there…everywhere! Only the original Cinerama with its magic eyes that see far…and wide…and deep…is marvel enough to plunge you into the most incredible adventure of all!"

KHARTOUM

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: July 13, 1966
Engagement Duration: 13 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "Where The Nile Divides...Their Mighty Conflict Begins!"

GRAND PRIX

Theatre: Warner

Premiere: December 21, 1966 (World Premiere)

Engagement Duration: 31 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "Cinerama Sweeps You Into A Drama Of Speed And Spectacle"

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

Theatre: Loew’s Capitol

Premiere: April 3, 1968
Engagement Duration: 24 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "An Epic Drama Of Adventure And Exploration!"

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY  (Move-over from Capitol)

Theatre: Cinerama

Premiere: September 16, 1968

Engagement Duration:  13 (37) weeks

Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "Now At The Cinerama Theatre In The New Broadway Triplex"

ICE STATION ZEBRA

Theatre: Cinerama

Premiere: December 20, 1968

Engagement Duration: 17 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "Ice Station Zebra...remember the name—your life may depend on it!"

KRAKATOA EAST OF JAVA

Theatre: Cinerama

Premiere: June 24, 1969

Engagement Duration: 20 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "The New Cinerama Hurls You Into The Incredible Day That Shook The Earth To Its Core!"

THIS IS CINERAMA  (Re-Issue)

Theatre: Ziegfeld

Premiere: May 11, 1973
Engagement Duration: 14 weeks
Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "'This Is Cinerama' Is Back To Entertain A Whole New Generation"

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY  (Re-Issue)

Theatre: Rivoli

Premiere: September 22, 1976

Engagement Duration: 3 weeks

Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "For a perfect experience take…the ultimate trip"

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY  (Re-Issue)

Theatre: Rivoli

Premiere: September 1, 1978

Engagement Duration: 4 weeks

Format: 70mm

Promotional Hype: "Before 'Star Wars' ThereWas...And There Always Will Be '2001: A Space Odyssey'...Now In Cinerama, 70mm & 6-Track Stereophonic Sound"

NOTES/TRIVIA

Many of the films that are the subject of this article had their world premiere in New York, and such cases are noted among the premiere data above.  The films that world-premiered elsewhere are as follows: "Windjammer" (Los Angeles, 04/08/58), "Great Is My Country" (Moscow, 02/28/58), "The Enchanted Mirror" (Moscow?), "The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm" (Denver, 07/14/62), "How The West Was Won" (London, 11/01/62), "It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" (Los Angeles, 11/07/63), "The Best Of Cinerama" (Cleveland, 11/13/62), "Circus World" (Dallas, 06/24/64), "Mediterranean Holiday" (Munich, 12/19/62), "The Hallelujah Trail" (Los Angeles, 06/23/65; see note below), "Battle Of The Bulge" (Los Angeles, 12/16/65), "Cinerama’s Russian Adventure" (Chicago, 03/29/66), "Khartoum" (London, 06/09/66), "2001: A Space Odyssey" (Washington, DC; 04/02/68), "Ice Station Zebra" (Los Angeles, 10/23/68), "Krakatoa East of Java" (Tokyo, 01/11/69).

Despite the easy-to-confuse theatre names "Loew’s Cinerama" (on the list above between 1962-64) and "Cinerama" (1968-69), these were two distinct venues. Loew’s Cinerama, located at Broadway & 51st, also operated under the name of Loew’s Capitol. The Warner Theatre (1953-1968), operated by Stanley-Warner and located at Broadway & 47th, was acquired by Pacific (East) Theatres during 1968 and had its name changed to Cinerama.

The Soviet films ("Great Is My Country" and "The Enchanted Mirror") were shown by special permission of the Ministry of Culture of the USSR in conjunction with the Soviet Exhibition of Science, Technology and Culture which took place at the New York Colisuem. The Soviet films were shown on a continuous performance basis, unlike the other Cinerama films which ran on a reserved-seat basis. Initially, "Great Is My Country" was promoted as being shown in "Cinepanorama," but that trade name was quickly abandoned and replaced with "Kinopanorama."

The Mayfair Theatre was also known as the DeMille and, later, the Embassy 2,3,4.

The U.S. premiere of "How The West Was Won" had originally been planned to be held in New York, but a newspaper strike led its distributor, MGM, to delay the New York opening and instead premiered the film in Los Angeles. (Newspaper advertising at the time was considered integral to the promotion of a roadshow film and the selling in advance of reserved-seat tickets.)

The 70mm-Cinerma film "The Golden Head" (1965, AKA "Millie Goes To Budapest") was never commercially screened in New York. "Custer Of The West" (1967), which played as a 70mm-Cinerama roadshow in selected U.S. cities, played in New York City only as a 35mm general release. "Scent Of Mystery," which was converted to 3-strip format and re-titled "Holiday In Spain" for selected bookings, played in New York City under its original title and in its original 70mm format. In addition, a few films were promoted as Cinerama in their international engagements but played the U.S. in regular 70mm and/or 35mm versions. These films included "The Black Tulip," "Lafayette," "Song Of Norway," "The Last Valley" and "The Great Waltz."

"The Hallelujah Trail" opened in Los Angeles on June 23, 1965 without a formal premiere event. However, 12 days prior, United Artists hosted a press preview event which some press reports described as the film’s world premiere. When the film opened in New York on June 30, a week after opening in L.A., another gala event was held which was promoted as the World Premiere.  (Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but that's how it happened!)

"2001: A Space Odyssey" was the final film to play the storied Loew’s Capitol (AKA Loew’s Cinerama) before its demolition.

___________________________________________________

The primary references for this project were the LOS ANGELES TIMES and THE NEW YORK TIMES newspapers archived on microfilm, the trade publication VARIETY, and the websites cinerama.topcities.com and in70mm.com.

Special thanks to Martin Hart, Vince Young, and the readers of the rec.arts.movies.tech newsgroup.

IMAGES: Copyright Martin Hart @ American Widescreen Museum; Dennis Zimmerman