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123-447: 28°32′35″N 81°22′46″W  /  28.543°N 81.379472°W  / 28.543; -81.379472 Great Southern Music Hall (1976–81) Laser World (1981–82) Moulin Orange (1983–84) Celebrity Dinner Theater (1984–87) Aahz (1988–92) Dekko's (1992–94) Zuma Beach Club (1994–2000) The Beacham Theatre is a cinema built in 1921 by Braxton Beacham Sr. in

246-402: A cabaret club in the theater named Moulin Orange that featured Las Vegas -style showgirls . Moulin Orange was only open for several months during 1983 and 1984. In December 1984 with the hope of operating an expansion to his dinner theater franchise, a five-year lease of the theater was granted to Theatre Management Corporation of Orlando consisting of actor Tom McKinney and Rick Allen,

369-415: A digital cinema format that uses dual 2K resolution projectors and a screen with a 1.90:1 aspect ratio; this system is designed primarily for use in retrofitted multiplexes, using screens significantly smaller than those normally associated with IMAX. In 2015, IMAX introduced an updated "IMAX with Laser" format, using 4K resolution laser projectors. The term " premium large format " ( PLF ) emerged in

492-600: A lottery . The Yearling was filmed locally in 1946 and the Beacham's projectionist Byram McGee served as an electrician and steward on the film production . Mcgee's wife Lois acted in the role of Ma Forrester and was also the production's wardrobe supervisor . Numerous other local technicians were involved with making the film. The Orlando Story , filmed by Don Parrisher Motion Picture Productions of New York, contained images of daily life in Orlando. The movie

615-651: A movie house , film house , film theater , cinema or picture house . In the US, theater has long been the preferred spelling, while in the UK, Australia, Canada and elsewhere it is theatre . However, some US theaters opt to use the British spelling in their own names, a practice supported by the National Association of Theatre Owners , while apart from Anglophone North America most English-speaking countries use

738-573: A better view. Many modern theaters have accessible seating areas for patrons in wheelchairs. See also luxury screens below. Canada was the first country in the world to have a two-screen theater. The Elgin Theatre in Ottawa, Ontario became the first venue to offer two film programs on different screens in 1957 when Canadian theater-owner Nat Taylor converted the dual screen theater into one capable of showing two different movies simultaneously. Taylor

861-537: A break in between. Separate admission for a short subject is rare; it is either an extra before a feature film or part of a series of short films sold as one admission (this mainly occurs at film festivals). (See also anthology film .) In the early decades of "talkie" films, many movie theaters presented a number of shorter items in addition to the feature film. This might include a newsreel , live-action comedy short films, documentary short films, musical short films, or cartoon shorts (many classic cartoons series such as

984-489: A decline in attendance, by 1974 the Beacham Theatre and Florida State Theaters in general were primarily showing exploitation films and B-movie action films . The next year, H. A. Tedder, who was the Orlando executive manager at long-time lessee Florida State Theaters, made the decision that The Beacham Theatre would cease operating as a first-run movie cinema. After showing a Sunday double-feature of Return of

1107-414: A full restaurant menu instead of general movie theater concessions such as popcorn or candy. In certain countries, there are also Bed Cinemas where the audience sits or lays in beds instead of chairs. 3D film is a system of presenting film images so that they appear to the viewer to be three-dimensional. Visitors usually borrow or keep special glasses to wear while watching the movie. Depending on

1230-464: A graveyard and ruins, formed an ideal location for his ghostraising spectacle. When it opened in 1838, The Royal Polytechnic Institution in London became a very popular and influential venue with all kinds of magic lantern shows as an important part of its program. At the main theatre, with 500 seats, lanternists would make good use of a battery of six large lanterns running on tracked tables to project

1353-440: A high ceiling decorated with rectangles of intricate plasterwork ." When constructed, the theater was outfitted with draperies that covered the plaster walls. The draperies had "mild tan figures delicately woven into the broad white field with an occasional soft blue figure" that were selected by Mrs. Roberta Holland Beacham, wife of Braxton Beacham Sr. Beacham outfitted his theater with innovative state-of-the art equipment from

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1476-468: A large tent, usually for social uses. The English word marquee is derived from the Middle French word marquise (the final /z/ probably being mistaken as -s plural), the feminine form corresponding to marquis ('nobleman'). The word marquise was also used to refer to various objects and fashions regarded as elegant or pleasing, hence: a kind of pear (1690), a canopy placed over a tent (1718),

1599-521: A local record producer, and a brief partnership was formed. Late in 1988 the lease for the Beacham's theater was secured by the Bellettos under Entertainment Investments International. Several of Lisa's cousins relocated to Orlando to help out with the task of preparing the Beacham for its opening and Brad's mother Bev tended the bar through the entire duration of the lease. The Bellettos also hosted an annual full-service Christmas dinner for hundreds of

1722-576: A new nightclub inside the theater. A vision for the theater announced in 1983 was for a New York-style nightclub dubbed Studio 46 that emulated the spirit of Studio 54 . Studio 46 did not come to fruition but the primordial description of Orlando's very own "Studio 54" at the Beacham Theater was soon realized a few years later. The theater was next leased by Ellen Hunt, of Orlando, and Roger Lopez, of France in August 1983. Hunt and Lopez opened

1845-554: A producer of the Reynolds Theater. The Beacham served as a Celebrity Dinner Theater franchise location in conjunction with Valentyne's restaurant that was next door from 1985 until 1986. Under new management, Valentyne's Celebrity Dinner Theater briefly reopened in 1986 before the dinner theater venture at the Beacham finally ended entirely early in 1987. The Beacham Theatre was granted local historic landmark status on September 21, 1987, for its historical significance to

1968-417: A result, the customer geography area of multiplexes and megaplexes typically overlaps with smaller theaters, which face threat of having their audience siphoned by bigger theaters that cut a wider swath in the movie-going landscape. In most markets, nearly all single-screen theaters (sometimes referred to as a "Uniplex") have gone out of business; the ones remaining are generally used for arthouse films, e.g.

2091-409: A screen in front of the stage and adding a projector; this conversion may be permanent, or temporary for purposes such as showing arthouse fare to an audience accustomed to plays. The familiar characteristics of relatively low admission and open seating can be traced to Samuel Roxy Rothafel , an early movie theater impresario . Many of these early theaters contain a balcony , an elevated level across

2214-412: A small restroom for the projectionist were installed in a newly built downstairs projection booth under the balcony that required the removal of two aisles and several seats. Following the Beacham's upgrade to 70 mm film technology, The Sound of Music had a continuous 14-month run between 1965 and 1966. Orlando's Chamber of Commerce held open forum meetings at the Beacham Theatre on Sundays during

2337-584: A system is used that requires inexpensive 3D glasses, they can sometimes be kept by the patron. Most theaters have a fixed cost for 3D, while others charge for the glasses, but the latter is uncommon (at least in the United States). For example, in Pathé theaters in the Netherlands the extra fee for watching a 3D film consists of a fixed fee of €1.50, and an optional fee of €1 for the glasses. Holders of

2460-463: A theatrical equipment manufacturing company and had formerly owned Moon Sound, a New Orleans sound and lighting company. The Bellettos, intent on overhauling the music scene in Orlando, were looking for a new venue following operation of a successful club in Baton Rouge . They found the Beacham Theatre and immediately fell in love with it. At that time, the Beacham was being subleased to Clark J,

2583-414: A total of over 500,000 visitors, with programs including Pauvre Pierrot and Autour d'une cabine . Thomas Edison initially believed film screening would not be as viable commercially as presenting films in peep boxes, hence the film apparatus that his company would first exploit became the kinetoscope . A few public demonstrations occurred since 9 May 1893, before a first public Kinetoscope parlor

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2706-455: A type of settee (1770), a canopy in front of a building (1835), a ring with an elongated stone or setting, a diamond cut as a navette (late 19th century), and a style of woman's hat (1889). The oldest form of the word's root *merg- meant "boundary, border." Other words that descended from this Proto-Indo-European root include margin , margrave , and mark . Early examples of the modern use of marquee include Movie marquee designs in

2829-575: Is arguably the first cinema in the world. Claimants for the title of the earliest movie theatre include the Eden Theater in La Ciotat , where L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat was screened on 21 March 1899. The theatre closed in 1995 but re-opened in 2013. L'Idéal Cinéma in Aniche (France), built in 1901 as l'Hôtel du Syndicat CGT, showed its first film on 23 November 1905. The cinema

2952-641: Is credited by Canadian sources as the inventor of the multiplex or cineplex; he later founded the Cineplex Odeon Corporation , opening the 18-screen Toronto Eaton Centre Cineplex, the world's largest at the time, in Toronto, Ontario. In the United States, Stanley Durwood of American Multi-Cinema (now AMC Theatres ) is credited as pioneering the multiplex in 1963 after realizing that he could operate several attached auditoriums with

3075-561: Is currently named, has since been used as a series of concert venues and nightclubs thus saving it from demolition . The Beacham Theatre was once home to the internationally recognized late-night underground discotheque Aahz, a notable early component of the US electronic dance music movement in the early 1990s. The Beacham Theatre was constructed in 1921 by Braxton Beacham Sr., who had previously owned three other Orlando theaters and had served as Mayor of Orlando during 1907. In 1917 Beacham paid approximately $ 17,500–$ 20,000 for

3198-458: Is increasing. The RealD company expects 15,000 screens worldwide in 2010. The availability of 3D movies encourages exhibitors to adopt digital cinema and provides a way for theaters to compete with home theaters . One incentive for theaters to show 3D films is that although ticket sales have declined, revenues from 3D tickets have grown. In the 2010s, 3D films became popular again. The IMAX 3D system and digital 3D systems are used (the latter

3321-503: Is mentioned in the 2010 Guinness World Records . The World's smallest solar-powered mobile cinema is Sol Cinema in the UK. Touring since 2010 the cinema is actually a converted 1972 caravan. It seats 8–10 at a time. In 2015 it featured in a Lenovo advert for the launch of a new tablet. The Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis , Minnesota has recently begun summer "bike-ins", inviting only pedestrians or people on bicycles onto

3444-576: Is still inconvenient and disturbing to find and claim it during the commercials and trailers, unless it is near an aisle. Some movie theaters have some kind of break during the presentation, particularly for very long films. There may also be a break between the introductory material and the feature. Some countries such as the Netherlands have a tradition of incorporating an intermission in regular feature presentations, though many theaters have now abandoned that tradition, while in North America, this

3567-516: Is the oldest known movie theater still in continuous operation. Traditionally a movie theater, like a stage theater , consists of a single auditorium with rows of comfortable padded seats, as well as a foyer area containing a box office for buying tickets. Movie theaters also often have a concession stand for buying snacks and drinks within the theater's lobby. Other features included are film posters , arcade games and washrooms. Stage theaters are sometimes converted into movie theaters by placing

3690-474: Is used in the animated movies of Disney / Pixar ). The RealD 3D system works by using a single digital projector that swaps back and forth between the images for eyes. A filter is placed in front of the projector that changes the polarization of the light coming from the projector. A silver screen is used to reflect this light back at the audience and reduce loss of brightness. There are four other systems available: Volfoni, Master Image, XpanD and Dolby 3D . When

3813-806: Is usually called a " megaplex ". However, in the United Kingdom, this was a brand name for Virgin Cinema (later UGC). The first megaplex is generally considered to be the Kinepolis in Brussels, Belgium, which opened in 1988 with 25 screens and a seating capacity of 7,500. The first theater in the U.S. built from the ground up as a megaplex was the AMC Grand 24 in Dallas, Texas , which opened in May 1995, while

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3936-424: Is very rare and usually limited to special circumstances involving extremely long movies. During the closing credits many people leave, but some stay until the end. Usually the lights are switched on after the credits, sometimes already during them. Some films show mid-credits scenes while the credits are rolling, which in comedy films are often bloopers and outtakes, or post-credits scenes , which typically set up

4059-640: The Looney Tunes and Mickey Mouse shorts were created for this purpose). Examples of this kind of programming are available on certain DVD releases of two of the most famous films starring Errol Flynn as a special feature arrangement designed to recreate that kind of filmgoing experience while the PBS series, Matinee at the Bijou , presented the equivalent content. Some theaters ran on continuous showings , where

4182-536: The Digital Cinema Package for the film. Control data is encoded in a monoaural WAV file on Sound Track channel 13, labelled as "Motion Data". Motion Data tracks are unencrypted and not watermarked. Movie theaters may be classified by the type of movies they show or when in a film's release process they are shown: Usually in the 2020s, an admission is for one feature film. Sometimes two feature films are sold as one admission ( double feature ), with

4305-754: The Latham family, was demonstrated for members of the press on 21 April 1895 and opened to the paying public on 20 May, in a lower Broadway store with films of the Griffo-Barnett prize boxing fight, taken from Madison Square Garden 's roof on 4 May. Max Skladanowsky and his brother Emil demonstrated their motion pictures with the Bioscop in July 1895 at the Gasthaus Sello in Pankow (Berlin). This venue

4428-468: The Ministry of Technology campaign to raise standards. Using a very futuristic look, these 27-seat cinema vehicles were designed to attract attention. They were built on a Bedford SB 3 chassis with a custom Coventry Steel Caravan extruded aluminum body. Movies are also commonly shown on airliners in flight, using large screens in each cabin or smaller screens for each group of rows or each individual seat;

4551-522: The Pathé Unlimited Gold pass (see also below) are supposed to bring along their own glasses; one pair, supplied yearly, more robust than the regular type, is included in the price. IMAX is a system using 70 mm film with more than ten times the frame size of a 35 mm film . IMAX theaters use an oversized screen as well as special projectors. The first permanent IMAX theater was at Ontario Place in Toronto, Canada. Until 2016, visitors to

4674-574: The San Juan Hotel , where Mr. Beacham happened to have had an office, and then east under Orange Avenue into the Angebilt Hotel . Historians reason that the purpose of the tunnels may have been either for vaudeville performers to enter the theater from their hotels without being mobbed by crowds, or the tunnels could have been used for the storage and transportation of alcoholic beverages during prohibition as has been discovered at some of

4797-503: The umbrella term "'Late Night' at the Classic Beacham Theatre." Cinema (building) A movie theater ( American English ) or cinema ( Commonwealth English ), also known as a movie house , cinema hall , picture house , picture theater , the pictures , or simply theater , is a business that contains auditoriums for viewing films for public entertainment. Most are commercial operations catering to

4920-604: The 1570s in the English language. Movie theatres stand in a long tradition of theaters that could house all kinds of entertainment. Some forms of theatrical entertainment would involve the screening of moving images and can be regarded as precursors of film . In 1799, Étienne-Gaspard "Robertson" Robert moved his Phantasmagorie show to an abandoned cloister near the Place Vendôme in Paris. The eerie surroundings, with

5043-415: The 1950s—have up to thirty screens. The audience members often sit on padded seats, which in most theaters are set on a sloped floor, with the highest part at the rear of the theater. Movie theaters often sell soft drinks , popcorn and candy , and some theaters sell hot fast food . In some jurisdictions, movie theaters can be licensed to sell alcoholic drinks. A movie theater might also be referred to as

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5166-410: The 1965 installation of "then-new Cinerama equipment at the Beacham was the latest testimony to the faith in the future of Downtown Orlando" and that, "The Beacham had long been seen as a bellwether of the health of the center city." Upon further reflection, he lamented, "that the Beacham is simply a microcosm of modern downtown realities." Means editorialized, by 1982 "The present state of the Beacham

5289-511: The 1980s the introduction of VHS cassettes made possible video-salons, small rooms where visitors viewed movies on a large TV. These establishments were especially popular in the Soviet Union , where official distribution companies were slow to adapt to changing demand, and so movie theaters could not show popular Hollywood and Asian films . In 1967, the British government launched seven custom-built mobile cinema units for use as part of

5412-508: The Beacham at the same time as the Liberal Religious Youth group. Orlando police arrested eight teen protestors. The teens were kept in so-called protective custody and were later released to their parents. Following agreements with a biracial committee from Orlando Mayor Bob Carr 's office, of which Rev. Pinder was a member, the Beacham Theatre quietly began allowing a limited number of African-American patrons into

5535-463: The Beacham featured DJs , beat matching , rare and obscure dance music on vinyl records , intelligent lighting , and themed decor that at times included original paintings by local artist Rollo. The popularity of dancing throughout the night at the Beacham Theatre initially caught on slowly and many free passes were given out. Soon, the entry queue for "Late Night" snaked around the block. The transition from handyman special to underground hotspot

5658-428: The Beacham in 1925 says, "Don't talk about the hot weather. Beat the heat in a Beacham seat. 'Kum Keep Kumfy Kool at the Beacham' is known to many and you won't enjoy yourself until you too get into the line that leads to comfort." Frank Bell served as manager of the theater with organist Herman Siewart and Ken Guernsey leading the community sing-along at open forum meetings that were held for several months during

5781-469: The Beacham, celebrated by showing free films until late into the night. Interest in silent films began to diminish in 1929 and they were gradually phased out and moved into obsolescence . On Thursday evenings at the Beacham for the Bank Night promotion, $ 200 was raffled with prizes of $ 50. On Saturday, December 24, 1931, and on Wednesday, September 28, 1932, a brand new $ 325 Austin 7 Sport Roadster

5904-840: The Beacham. Braxton Beacham Jr., died in 1961. During the Civil Rights Movement , the Beacham Theatre had frequent stand-in protests by African American citizens of relegation to lesser " colored theaters" mandated by Jim Crow laws such as the Florida Constitution of 1885 . Reverend Nelson Pinder , of Parramore 's Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist, along with other community leaders such as NAACP Youth Council advisor, Rev. Curtis Jackson, worked with white officials for peaceful integration in Orlando to avoid incidents of racial violence that were occurring in other Florida cities. Rev. Pinder organized

6027-566: The Beacham; Island Productions; Harry Tiyler of Fat Harry Productions, and Cellar Door Productions. Several prominent musical act concerts of nearly every genre were staged during this time. Since 1988 the theater has been used as a series of combination nightclub and concert venue enterprises. In May 1989 the Beacham Theatre was sold by Oscar Juarez for $ 1.8 million to a property management firm owned by Longwood businesswoman Missy Casscells and her husband Frank Hamby. Brad and Lisa Belletto with other Beacham DJs scoured sources across

6150-467: The Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento, California , small-scale productions, film festivals or other presentations. Because of the late development of multiplexes, the term "cinema" or "theater" may refer either to the whole complex or a single auditorium, and sometimes "screen" is used to refer to an auditorium. A popular film may be shown on multiple screens at the same multiplex, which reduces

6273-562: The Dark and Warner Bros. House of Wax , the first 3D feature with stereophonic sound. For many years, most 3D movies were shown in amusement parks and even "4D" techniques have been used when certain effects such as spraying of water, movement of seats, and other effects are used to simulate actions seen on the screen. The first decline in the theatrical 3D craze started in August and September 1953. In 2009, movie exhibitors became more interested in 3D film. The number of 3D screens in theaters

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6396-722: The IMAX cinema attached to the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford , West Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, could observe the IMAX projection booth via a glass rear wall and watch the large format films being loaded and projected. The largest permanent IMAX cinema screen measures 38.80 m × 21.00 m (127.30 ft × 68.90 ft) and was achieved by Traumplast Leonberg (Germany) in Leonberg, Germany , verified on 6 December 2022. IMAX also refers to

6519-512: The Old French word "theatre", from the 12th century and "...directly from Latin theatrum [which meant] 'play-house, theater; stage; spectators in a theater'", which in turn came from the Greek word "theatron", which meant "theater; the people in the theater; a show, a spectacle", [or] literally "place for viewing". The use of the word "theatre" to mean a "building where plays are shown" dates from

6642-603: The Southern Theater Equipment Company of Atlanta. The Beacham's box office in the lobby featured both an automatic admission ticket vending machine dispenser and ticket chopping machine. A decorative marquee that was unique in Florida extended toward the street and featured an electric changeable sign that flashed the daily program. Two Powers 6B type "E" projectors were supplied by the N Power company of New York. The Midas Gold film screen

6765-522: The Sparks Theater Company chain. The senior Braxton Beacham died in 1924 after a long illness, and Roberta Holland Beacham died soon after in 1926. Their estate and real property were left to their children, Norma K. Hughes, Roberta Augusta Rogers, Braxton Beacham Jr., and his wife Roberta Branch Beacham. Florida and Orlando were on what was referred to by vaudeville performers as " The Straw Hat Circuit ." The Beacham Theatre

6888-631: The Street Fighter , and The Scavengers , the Beacham Theatre's manager, McKinley Howard, closed the theater's doors as a first-run film cinema for the last time on September 28, 1975. Florida State Theaters remained responsible for paying the monthly lease of $ 2700 until the theater was sold. In 1975 Larry and Sherry Carpenter purchased the Beacham Building from then-owners, Betty Rubles Bray, and Burkett H. Bray Jr. A great-granddaughter of Braxton Beacham, Mrs. Bray, refused to sell

7011-557: The U.S. and Europe and traveled frequently for new and rare records. During the Second Summer of Love in the United Kingdom that began in 1988, on Friday and Saturday nights the Beacham Theater housed a discotheque that had a progressive dance music format with Lisa Belletto as resident DJ and lighting control operator and Brad Belletto as operating director. Initially the club was to be called " F/X (or Effects ) " but it opened as " Pure NRG (or Energy ) ." The late nights at

7134-524: The United States are closely related to the social, political, and economic forces of the 20th century. The invention of the automobile influenced many elements of theater architecture. The marquee in particular became larger, and stood out from the street to serve as a physical and aesthetic landmark from other businesses along the sidewalk. The shape also evolved from a small rectangle to a trapezoid, making it more readable to automobile traffic. The text also became less detailed but larger. The larger size of

7257-613: The airline company sometimes charges a fee for the headphones needed to hear the movie's sound. In a similar fashion, movies are sometimes also shown on trains, such as the Auto Train . The smallest purpose-built cinema is the Cabiria Cine-Cafe which measures 24 m (260 sq ft) and has a seating capacity of 18. It was built by Renata Carneiro Agostinho da Silva (Brazil) in Brasília DF, Brazil in 2008. It

7380-509: The audience for a sequel. Marquee (sign) The current usage of the modern English word marquee, that in US English refers specifically to a canopy projecting over the main entrance of a theater, which displays details of the entertainment or performers, was documented in the academic journal American Speech in 1926: " Marquee , the front door or main entrance of the big top." In British English "marquee" refers more generally to

7503-407: The audience sits upon chairs, blankets or even in hot tubs , and watch the movie on a temporary screen, or even the wall of a building. Colleges and universities have often sponsored movie screenings in lecture halls. The formats of these screenings include 35 mm, 16 mm, DVD , VHS, and even 70 mm in rare cases. Some alternative methods of showing movies have been popular in the past. In

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7626-409: The auditorium above the theater's rearmost seats. The rearward main floor "loge" seats were sometimes larger, softer, and more widely spaced and sold for a higher price. In conventional low pitch viewing floors, the preferred seating arrangement is to use staggered rows. While a less efficient use of floor space this allows a somewhat improved sight line between the patrons seated in the next row toward

7749-399: The balcony for designated showings in 1963. The theater remained racially segregated for African-American patrons until 1965. In 1964 the theater was temporarily closed down while Cinerama equipment was installed. A super-wide anamorphic movie screen was added to the auditorium and the stereophonic sound system was upgraded. Two Norelco Universal 70/35mm Motion Picture Projectors and

7872-457: The building for an unspecified mix-use purpose and later to redevelop the former Beacham Block with a new skyscraper that would be used as a combination office building and hotel. In 1988 Juarez received two successive approval Certificate of Appropriateness permits from the City of Orlando Board of Historic Preservation to demolish the Beacham Theatre within 180 days. The "Bye-bye Beacham Bash "

7995-470: The car's stereo system. Because of their outdoor nature, drive-ins usually only operate seasonally, and after sunset. Drive-in movie theaters are mainly found in the United States, where they were especially popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Once numbering in the thousands, about 400 remain in the U.S. today. In some cases, multiplex or megaplex theaters were built on the sites of former drive-in theaters. Some outdoor movie theaters are just grassy areas where

8118-436: The choice of other films but offers more choice of viewing times or a greater number of seats to accommodate patrons. Two or three screens may be created by dividing up an existing cinema (as Durwood did with his Roxy in 1964), but newly built multiplexes usually have at least six to eight screens, and often as many as twelve, fourteen, sixteen or even eighteen. Although definitions vary, a large multiplex with 20 or more screens

8241-529: The church's Liberal Religious Youth group. Rev. Pinder's youth group protests were often joined by local members of the Youth Council of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People . Each night, activist members of the youth groups quietly stood-in near the Beacham's ticket booth until the theater stopped selling tickets. On May 24, 1962, white supremacists were also picketing

8364-465: The city of Orlando , Florida. The current address of the theater is 46 North Orange Avenue, and it is located at the southwest corner of Orange Avenue and Washington Street. The building's current lack of impressive architecture is offset by its significant cultural history . The Beacham Theatre was considered an important contributing structure when the Downtown Orlando historic district

8487-441: The city's first "Progress Week" during the last week of August. "The queen of the vamps ," actress Theda Bara , was in appearance at the Beacham as students from Orlando High School sneaked into the balcony via the fire escape . Sound was provided by two gramophone discs that accompanied each film. Both phonographs were played simultaneously in case the needle skipped during a film. Output could be easily switched so that

8610-676: The city's homeless population at the Beacham Theatre with food donated by Orlando's high-end restaurants and businesses. The Bellettos planned to use the Beacham Theatre for theatrical performances and concerts during the week and as a nightclub on the weekends. Frank Carroll, served as the managing artistic director for theatre productions and starred in a Las Vegas -style musical revue tribute to Liberace , Viva Liberace, Viva . A " Leonard Bernstein opera" and "an Edward Albee drama" were additional production features before theatrical productions ceased. Concerts were coordinated by Mary Ann D'Arpino of Mary Ann Productions, who had an office at

8733-424: The community. Between each new identity for the theater and the occasional concert, the Beacham Theatre sat unoccupied and empty. Despite the new recognition for the theater by the City of Orlando, Mr. Juarez saw the building as a liability with many pleasant memories surrounding it, but with little economic potential. Citing maintaining the building and rehabilitation of the area, he first announced plans to raze

8856-434: The dark. Since the advent of stadium theaters with stepped aisles, each step in the aisles may be outlined with small lights to prevent patrons from tripping in the darkened theater. In movie theaters, the auditorium may also have lights that go to a low level, when the movie is going to begin. Theaters often have booster seats for children and other people of short stature to place on the seats to allow them to sit higher, for

8979-529: The early 1950s with the release of the first color stereoscopic feature, Bwana Devil . The film starred Robert Stack , Barbara Britton and Nigel Bruce . James Mage was an early pioneer in the 3D craze. Using his 16 mm 3D Bolex system, he premiered his Triorama program in February 1953 with his four shorts: Sunday In Stereo , Indian Summer , American Life , and This is Bolex Stereo . 1953 saw two groundbreaking features in 3D: Columbia's Man in

9102-415: The feature film. Advertised start times are usually for the entire program or session, not the feature itself; thus people who want to avoid commercials and trailers would opt to enter later. This is easiest and causes the least inconvenience when it is not crowded or one is not very choosy about where one wants to sit. If one has a ticket for a specific seat (see below) one is formally assured of that, but it

9225-400: The film's sound could remain in synchronicity with the picture. William Booth succeeded Frank Bell as manager of the Beacham after Bell was transferred in 1928. The city's " Sunday closing law " was repealed by voters in 1929 by a majority of only 59 votes. Movie theaters and other businesses in Orlando were then permitted to operate seven days a week. All of Orlando's theaters, including

9348-400: The finely detailed images of extra large slides on the 648 square feet screen. The magic lantern was used to illustrate lectures, concerts, pantomimes and other forms of theatre. Popular magic lantern presentations included phantasmagoria, mechanical slides, Henry Langdon Childe 's dissolving views and his chromatrope. The earliest known public screening of projected stroboscopic animation

9471-552: The first decade of motion pictures, the demand for movies, the amount of new productions, and the average runtime of movies, kept increasing, and at some stage it was viable to have theaters that would no longer program live acts, but only movies. The first building built for the dedicated purpose of showing motion pictures was built to demonstrate The Phantoscope , a device created by Jenkins & Armat, as part of The Cotton State Exposition on September 25, 1895 in Atlanta, GA. This

9594-546: The first megaplex in the U.S.-based on an expansion of an existing facility was Studio 28 in Grand Rapids, Michigan , which reopened in November 1988 with 20 screens and a seating capacity of 6,000. A drive-in movie theater is an outdoor parking area with a screen—sometimes an inflatable screen —at one end and a projection booth at the other. Moviegoers drive into the parking spaces which are sometimes sloped upwards at

9717-409: The front to give a more direct view of the movie screen. Movies are usually viewed through the car windscreen (windshield) although some people prefer to sit on the bonnet (hood) of the car. Some may also sit in the trunk (back) of their car if space permits. Sound is either provided through portable loudspeakers located by each parking space, or is broadcast on an FM radio frequency, to be played through

9840-437: The general public, who attend by purchasing tickets . The film is projected with a movie projector onto a large projection screen at the front of the auditorium while the dialogue, sounds and music are played through a number of wall-mounted speakers. Since the 1970s, subwoofers have been used for low-pitched sounds. Since the 2010s, the majority of movie theaters have been equipped for digital cinema projection , removing

9963-510: The grounds for both live music and movies. In various Canadian cities, including Toronto , Calgary, Ottawa and Halifax , al-fresco movies projected on the walls of buildings or temporarily erected screens in parks operate during the Summer and cater to a pedestrian audience. The New Parkway Museum in Oakland, California replaces general seating with couches and coffee tables, as well as having

10086-946: The mid-2010s to refer to auditoriums with high-end amenities. PLF does not refer to a single format in general, but combinations of non-proprietary amenities such as larger "wall-to-wall" screens, 4K projectors, 7.1 and/or positional surround sound systems (including Dolby Atmos ), and higher-quality seating (such as leather recliners). Cinemas typically brand PLF auditoriums with chain-specific trademarks , such as "Prime" ( AMC ), "Grand Screen” ( B&B Theatres ), "BTX" ( Bow Tie ), "Superscreen" ( Cineworld ), "BigD" ( Carmike , now owned by AMC), "UltraAVX" ( Cineplex ), "Macro XE" ( Cinépolis ), "XD" ( Cinemark ), "BigPix" ( INOX ), "Laser Ultra" ( Kinepolis and Landmark Cinemas ), "RPX" ( Regal Cinemas ), "Superscreen DLX"/"Ultrascreen DLX" ( Marcus ), "Titan" ( Reading Cinemas ), "VueXtreme" ( Vue International ), and "X-land" ( Wanda Cinemas ). PLFs compete primarily with formats such as digital IMAX;

10209-467: The need to create and transport a physical film print on a heavy reel. A great variety of films are shown at cinemas, ranging from animated films to blockbusters to documentaries. The smallest movie theaters have a single viewing room with a single screen. In the 2010s, most movie theaters had multiple screens. The largest theater complexes, which are called multiplexes —a concept developed in Canada in

10332-469: The other theaters in the Central Florida area. On December 9, 1921, Orlando's premier vaudeville and movie house opened by showing The Wonderful Thing , starring Norma Talmadge , a Pathé News newsreel , and Buster Keaton 's The Boat . The Beacham Theatre was originally the only independent theater in Orlando. However, the next year, in 1922, Beacham leased his theater to Mack Sparks of

10455-512: The popularity of such shows in France. The earliest public film screenings took place in existing (vaudeville) theatres and other venues that could be darkened and comfortably house an audience. Émile Reynaud screened his Pantomimes Lumineuses animated movies from 28 October 1892 to March 1900 at the Musée Grévin in Paris, with his Théâtre Optique system. He gave over 12,800 shows to

10578-417: The postwar years, these building materials were mostly dedicated to building civilian housing for returning soldiers and their families. Concrete and glass, two building materials that were not restricted, became essential to movie theater architects. Light was also an unrestricted resource for architects, and combined with glass it produced striking visual effects. The mild climate of certain locations, such as

10701-405: The production of motion pictures or in a large private residence. The etymology of the term "movie theater" involves the term "movie", which is a "shortened form of moving picture in the cinematographic sense" that was first used in 1896 and "theater", which originated in the "...late 14c., [meaning an] open air place in ancient times for viewing spectacles and plays". The term "theater" comes from

10824-415: The property one block southwest of his stately residence on Jefferson Street after Orlando's citizens voted to pave the road to the cemetery instead of purchasing the old jail. The property he purchased had formerly served as the jail for Orange County since about 1873. With a $ 200,000 investment, the former jail building was torn down in 1919 and Beacham developed a series of connected building units along

10947-556: The restoration the Carpenters opened Orlando's franchise location of The Great Southern Music Hall at the Beacham in 1976. The 700-seat Great Southern Music Hall was a concert venue that hosted approximately 180 prominent national and regional acts at the Beacham. The Great Southern Music Hall was occasionally still used as a movie theater that presented world cinema and classic Hollywood films by film directors such as John Carpenter , Federico Fellini , and Mel Brooks during

11070-554: The same items would repeat throughout the day, with patrons arriving and departing at any time rather than having distinct entrance and exit cycles. Newsreels gradually became obsolete by the 1960s with the rise of television news, and most material now shown prior to a feature film is of a commercial or promotional nature (which usually include " trailers ", which are advertisements for films and commercials for other consumer products or services). A typical modern theater presents commercial advertising shorts , then movie trailers, and then

11193-590: The same staff needed for one through careful management of the start times for each movie. Ward Parkway Center in Kansas City, Missouri had the first multiplex cinema in the United States. Since the 1960s, multiple-screen theaters have become the norm, and many existing venues have been retrofitted so that they have multiple auditoriums. A single foyer area is shared among them. In the 1970s, many large 1920s movie palaces were converted into multiple screen venues by dividing their large auditoriums, and sometimes even

11316-518: The same year, the theater was soon leased Florida State Theaters. Harry Vincent was named manager of the reopened theater in 1933; however, soon after, Vernon D. Hunter became the theater's manager and remained in that role for the next two decades. In August 1937 the Orlando Police Department raided the Beacham Theatre. All of the equipment for the Bank Night marketing promotion was seized after authorities declared it to be

11439-477: The screen, provided they do not lean toward one another. " Stadium seating ", popular in modern multiplexes, actually dates back to the 1920s. The 1922 Princess Theatre in Honolulu, Hawaii featured "stadium seating", sharply raked rows of seats extending from in front of the screen back towards the ceiling. It gives patrons a clear sight line over the heads of those seated in front of them. Modern "stadium seating"

11562-433: The sign and text, combined with the flashing lights and color, made the façade easily visible to fast-passing cars. Movie marquee designs in the 1930s prompted theater historian Ben M. Hall to call them "electric tiaras." During World War II , aesthetic considerations of the marquee were dictated by the availability of labor and materials. Building materials such as steel, copper, bronze, and aluminum were limited. Even in

11685-399: The silver screen (formerly sometimes sheet ) and the big screen (contrasted with the smaller screen of a television set). Specific to North American term is the movies , while specific terms in the UK are the pictures , the flicks and for the facility itself the flea pit (or fleapit ). A screening room is a small theater, often a private one, such as for the use of those involved in

11808-414: The stage space, into smaller theaters. Because of their size, and amenities like plush seating and extensive food/beverage service, multiplexes and megaplexes draw from a larger geographic area than smaller theaters. As a rule of thumb, they pull audiences from an eight to 12-mile radius, versus a three to five-mile radius for smaller theaters (though the size of this radius depends on population density). As

11931-402: The system used, these are typically polarized glasses . Three-dimensional movies use two images channeled, respectively, to the right and left eyes to simulate depth by using 3D glasses with red and blue lenses (anaglyph), polarized (linear and circular), and other techniques. 3D glasses deliver the proper image to the proper eye and make the image appear to "pop-out" at the viewer and even follow

12054-528: The term cinema / ˈ s ɪ n ɪ m ə / , alternatively spelled and pronounced kinema / ˈ k ɪ n ɪ m ə / . The latter terms, as well as their derivative adjectives "cinematic" and "kinematic", ultimately derive from Greek κίνημα, κινήματος ( kinema , kinematos )—"movement, motion". In the countries where those terms are used, the word "theatre" is usually reserved for live performance venues. Colloquial expressions, mostly applied to motion pictures and motion picture theaters collectively, include

12177-402: The theater by itself without also selling the rest of the building as a package. An extensive $ 250,000 remodeling and restoration followed that included multi-colored Art Deco revival style graphics painted over the facade and a large multi-story mural of a saxophone and its open case painted on the rear of the theater that faced west and was clearly visible from nearby Interstate 4 . Following

12300-448: The theater to Jeff Roberts. Roberts opened Laser World , a futuristic one- and one-half-hour laser light show that featured lasers , sound, ballet, costumed modern dance routines and magic illusion , as well as outer space photographs that were projected onto a large viewing screen from behind. Laser World closed in 1982. Other short-lasting entities followed. The Orlando Sentinel critic Howard Means, reminded readers, that

12423-465: The theater was closed for almost three weeks. $ 8000 in back taxes on Beacham's building was due. Beacham Jr. claimed the closure was deliberate and malicious and sued for $ 100,000. Two separate judgments were entered against Orlando Enterprises Inc. for $ 2291.67 each and a payment agreement was reached. Litigation was then withdrawn. As a result of the suit the lease was not renewed and Beacham's theater again became Orlando's only independent cinema. In

12546-572: The use of common " off-the-shelf " components and an in-house brand removes the need to pay licensing fees to a third-party for a proprietary large format. Although the term is synonymous with exhibitor-specific brands, some PLFs are franchised. Dolby franchises Dolby Cinema , which is based on technologies such as Atmos and Dolby Vision . CJ CGV franchises the 4DX and ScreenX formats. In some theaters, seating can be dynamically moved via haptic motion technology called D-BOX . In digital cinema , D-BOX codes for motion control are stored in

12669-470: The viewer when he/she moves so viewers relatively see the same image. The earliest 3D movies were presented in the 1920s. There have been several prior "waves" of 3D movie distribution, most notably in the 1950s when they were promoted as a way to offer audiences something that they could not see at home on television. Still the process faded quickly and as yet has never been more than a periodic novelty in movie presentation. The "golden era" of 3D film began in

12792-439: The week. John Lawson was the acting projectionist and served as stage director for concerts. As The Great Southern Music Hall, only about seven music shows were unprofitable. Nevertheless, Orlando's Great Southern Music Hall closed in 1981 due to the rising costs of hosting concerts for notable musical acts and competition from larger venues. Roberta Branch Beacham died in 1980. In 1981 Sherry Carpenter, then sole owner, leased

12915-558: The west side of Orange Avenue between Washington Street and Oak Street (now Wall Street). The new building was then known as "Beacham's Block" and is now known as the Beacham Building. The location of Beacham's theater was precisely where several condemned prisoners were executed by hanging . According to local folklore , the Beacham Building is reportedly haunted . The Beacham Theatre was constructed to have excellent acoustics . The Beacham's auditorium features "square columns adorned with feathered capitals that climb gracefully to

13038-422: The winter months of 1971–1973 under the direction of W. F. Blackman. During the 1970s Orlando, like many U.S. cites, was experiencing symptoms of urban decay . The rush from the city to the suburbs affected nearly all of the city's businesses. As an effect of the exodus, each of Downtown Orlando's movie theaters closed. Dick Gabel and John Prine were serving as projectionists at several of the theaters. Following

13161-445: The winter on Sunday afternoons. The Beacham's " exploitation director" Frank H. Burns often designed and created large elaborate standing displays that decorated the facade and lobby of the theater to advertise new film features. The iconic displays that Burns created for the Beacham Theatre were sometimes complete with coordinated costumes for the employees. In 1928 Vitaphone and Movietone "talkie" equipment debuted during

13284-498: Was attributed to the Belleto's planning, dedication, and vision. The conceptual themes for "Late Night" were frequently alternated (sometimes weekly) and occasionally repeated. The various themes subsequently included World War III , Aahz , Trancentral , The Haunted Theatre , Egypt , Alphabet City , Psychedelic Babylon , Unity , and Reunion . The all-night dance parties were eventually referred to using

13407-646: Was closed in 1977 and the building was demolished in 1993. The "Centre Culturel Claude Berri" was built in 1995; it integrates a new movie theater (the Idéal Cinéma Jacques Tati). In the United States, many small and simple theaters were set up, usually in converted storefronts. They typically charged five cents for admission, and thus became known as nickelodeons . This type of theatre flourished from about 1905 to circa 1915. The Korsør Biograf Teater, in Korsør , Denmark, opened in August 1908 and

13530-555: Was created in 1980 and the building was granted local landmark status in 1987. The Beacham was once part of the vaudeville circuit and hosted celebrity acts such as John Philip Sousa , the Ziegfeld Follies and W.C. Fields , whose signature was once visible inside a dressing room. In the eras of silent film and Classical Hollywood cinema , the Beacham was operated as a movie theater that used then-current state-of-the-art motion picture technology. The Beacham , as it

13653-409: Was given away. Vaudeville acts continued touring at the Beacham for several more years until approximately 1933. Homer Fuller served as manager of the Beacham during the end of the eras of silent films and vaudeville. In 1933 following a bitter lawsuit against Orlando Enterprises over nonpayment of the lease for the building that had been originally negotiated with the senior Braxton Beacham in 1924,

13776-530: Was heavily promoted locally and was shown at the Beacham over three days in August 1949. In December 1949 The Tom Thumb Follies staged radio broadcast performances at the Beacham. When a Santa Claus from the Elks Lodge lifted one young elf into the audience for the last verse, the smell of bourbon whiskey caused her to ponder, "I wasn't just sure where the night's polka would land us. Maybe Oz ?" After an extensive remodel, CinemaScope equipment

13899-553: Was included on the Alexander Pantages , Orpheum , and Keith-Albee vaudeville performance circuits (later combined as the Keith-Albee-Orpheum circuit). Manager Harry Vincent started several promotions at the Beacham Theatre in the summer months of the mid-1920s that included Bank Night , Amateur Night , and Country Store Night , which was supported by dozens of local merchants. An advertisement for

14022-411: Was installed in the theater. The Beacham Building's construction featured numerous fireproofing and fire safety measures. When the theater opened, the auditorium had an operating capacity of 1400. Tunnels from the theater stage trap ran into the basements of two nearby hotels. The tunnels had low ceilings and were sealed during new construction in the early 1980s. The tunnels extended south into

14145-404: Was introduced at the "New" Beacham Theatre in 1954 with the addition of stereophonic sound, new projection lenses , and a wider screen. CinemaScope had its debut at the Beacham on January 7, 1954, for a two-week showing of the film The Robe . Vernon D. Hunter retired after 20 years as manager of the Beacham Theater. Walter Colby became the executive director of several Orlando theaters including

14268-650: Was later, at least since 1918, exploited as the full-time movie theatre Pankower Lichtspiele and between 1925 and 1994 as Tivoli. The first certain commercial screenings by the Skladanowsky brothers took place at the Wintergarten in Berlin from 1 to 31 November 1895. The first commercial, public screening of films made with Louis and Auguste Lumière 's Cinématographe took place in the basement of Salon Indien du Grand Café in Paris on 28 December 1895. During

14391-534: Was made especially for the Beacham. A medium-sized pipe organ from the Austin Organ Company of Hartford, Connecticut , was purchased and installed at a cost of $ 15,000. The organ, Opus 1034 with 3 manuals in a center console , 24 ranks of pipes and 24 stops was played by both Mr. Herman Stuart and Mrs. Roberta Branch Beacham, wife of Braxton Beacham Jr. to accompany silent films and vaudeville acts. Typhoon cooling and ventilating equipment

14514-441: Was nearly saturated in the late 1980s and there was a general lack of interest from prospective future tenants . Had the project materialized, Mr. Juaraz would have been required to reconstruct a replica of the original Beacham Theatre facade using original building materials of brick, stucco, decorative tile, and pastel colors. In 1987 Brad Belletto and then-wife Lisa moved to Orlando from Louisiana . Brad Belletto, then owned

14637-620: Was opened on 14 April 1894, by the Holland Bros. in New York City at 1155 Broadway, on the corner of 27th Street. This can be regarded as the first commercial motion picture house. The venue had ten machines, set up in parallel rows of five, each showing a different movie. For 25 cents a viewer could see all the films in either row; half a dollar gave access to the entire bill. The Eidoloscope , devised by Eugene Augustin Lauste for

14760-536: Was presented by Austrian magician Ludwig Döbler on 15 January 1847 at the Josephstadt Theatre in Vienna , with his patented Phantaskop. The animated spectacle was part of a well-received show that sold out in several European cities during a tour that lasted until the spring of 1848. The famous Parisian entertainment venue Le Chat Noir opened in 1881 and is remembered for its shadow plays , renewing

14883-512: Was promptly organized by Orlando Remembered and attended by former theater doormen , ushers , candy girls , and cashiers on December 9, 1988. However, Mr. Juarez's redevelopment plan and the new construction of a 20-story office building and parking garage fell through at the last moment due to poor timing. Additional parking could have contributed to a revitalized downtown area, but the market for office space in Downtown Orlando

15006-467: Was the latest testament to decay," and, "In the way of dying enterprises, the Beacham's reincarnations became increasingly more short-lived." In February 1983 Oscar F. Juarez, an Orlando property developer and Republican Party strategist , purchased the building for $ 1.5 million. Soon after the purchase, a plan was announced to lease it to open a bar and French restaurant "with a Georgetown flair" that later became Valentyne's Restaurant as well as

15129-508: Was utilized in IMAX theaters, which have very tall screens, beginning in the early 1970s. Rows of seats are divided by one or more aisles so that there are seldom more than 20 seats in a row. This allows easier access to seating, as the space between rows is very narrow. Depending on the angle of rake of the seats, the aisles have steps. In older theaters, aisle lights were often built into the end seats of each row to help patrons find their way in

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