Archives: That time Indian Hills Theater was king and Cinerama was a thing

[Omaha Steve]

I was the chairman of the group that tried to save the Indian Hills Theater: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Hills_Theater

There are two documentaries about it too: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378712/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1 & http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0852991/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1

Omaha Steve


Today's Omaha World Herald story: http://www.omaha.com/article/20140120/GO/140118980#.Ut21OvvnahR

The Indian Hills Theater was an extremely popular spot at 86th and Dodge. Built in 1962 and demolished in 2001, Indian Hills was beloved for its giant Cinerama screen, the biggest in the world. Before it was torn down, Indian Hills was the last theater in the country to be built specifically for Cinerama.

Here's a look back at the old favorite.

First. What was Cinerama?

Well, it was a crazy complicated process in which three cameras were used to film the action and three projectors were used to show it. It was popular but short-lived, reaching the height of its popularity in the late '50s and fading by the mid-'60s.

Here's a how-it-worked diagram from a Cinerama souvenir book.



Enjoy the full story.

OS

[CurtEastPoint]

1. I loved Cinerama as a kid.

Bill Bryson wrote about this theater in England...one of a few left that can show the Cinerama movies.
http://www.in70mm.com/newsletter/1996/45/pictureville/index.htm

I saw Cinerama in the Carolina Theater in Charlotte when I was a kid.

Thanks for sharing this!

[pipoman]

2. I remember Indian Hills as a child.

I saw the first Star Wars there on one of my infrequent trips to Omaha. It was a treasure.

[brooklynite]

3. The Cinerama Theater in Seattle is still going strong...

[Omaha Steve]

5. Seattle was lucky Microsoft # 2 man Paul Allen saved it

Interior of the Martin Cinerama in Seattle, Washington as it appeared in 1963:


It was to be demolished or re-purposed. He was asked to sign a petition to save it by Matt Luthens. He then turned around and bought the theater for $3 million: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/360

It was not a theater built to display Cinerama. It was converted. Denver, Minneapolis, and Omaha had the only three theaters designed to show Cinerama. All three have been demolished. Omaha was the last one built and was an improved design over the first two.

All three looked like this:

[NJCher]

4. this theater was a VBD to me

It was in this theater that I learned what I was going to do for an occupation when I reached adulthood.

I can't wait until I get a minute to read the whole story. Thank you for posting this, OS.

Ironically, it's my occupation that is keeping me from posting any more tonight!



Cher

[Tom Rinaldo]

6. We had Cinerama in my original home town, Syosset New York

I can still remember watching the roller coaster ride in "This is Cinerama" in the late 50's. It was really exciting at the time.