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Daily Nebraskan
Wednesday, August 21, 1935
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By Lise Olsen
Staff Reporter
"The Nebraska" and "The Varsity"
mean football to most sport fans. But
theater-goers know them as two of Lin
coln's early movie houses.
The Nebraska was razed in 1973 to
make room for a multihouse "theater of
the future," now known as the Plaza
Four Theaters, 12th and P streets.
The Varsity, formerly at 13th and 0
streets, was replaced by the new Nat
ional Bank of Commerce. The Varsity's
parent company, Nebraska Theater
Company, in 1973 built Cinema I and II,
now the Cinema Twin at 13th and P
streets. Many changes have taken place
in Lincoln theaters in the last 15 years.
Of Lincoln's original single movie
houses, only The Stuart Theater, in the
Stuart Building at 13th and P streets,
remains. A theater or opera house has
it's Christian fellowship
it's teaching
it's prayer
it's praise
it's fun
it's THURSDAY-NIGHT THING
for any student interested in Christian growth and fellowship
Thursdays 7 PM Nebraska Union
August 23 "Survival Techniques of College Life"
Baptist Student UnionQuestions?
Call 488-5357
; Year
f tt "chick" out W
to dinnerl
Fradition
of
Southern
Fried Chicken,
Steak,
and Lobster
OPEN 7 DAYS
A WEEK.
"AUnAFJT
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West Van Dorn (Near Pioneers Park) 474-4339 1
been at that corner since 1870, accord
ing to a July 26, 1977, Lincoln Journal
article.
When the Stuart building was built
in 1928, it was one of four Lincoln high
rises. A 1928 article in the Lincoln
Journal called it a $1.5 million sky
scraper. The original theater had 1,850 seats
and a stage six stories high. The projec
tion booth also was 60 feet high and
movies originally were shown at a 45
degree angle, which distorted pic
tures. The ceiling had chandeliers and
ornamented stone walls supported huge
stone exits.
In 1972, Dubinsky Bros. Theaters, a
Midwestern theater company with about
100 theaters in Nebraska, Iowa and
Illinois, began leasing the theater.
Irwin Dubinsky, a company owner,
announced plans to seal off 40 percent
of the theater to improve its acoustics
and decrease maintenance costs. Lin
coln artists, architects and historians
organized a "Save the Stuart" commit
tee. Dubinsky defended his proposal in
a Jan. 30, 1972, Journal article,' saying
the changes he suggested false
walls and draperies would cover but
not eliminate the original construction.
When the Stuart reopened in May
1972, the ceilings had been lowered,
the orchestra pit, stone walls and
chandeliers were covered up and seat
ing had been reduced to 950.
Today, the clearest glimpse of what's
hidden under the curtains and false
walls can be seen inBarrymore's, 124N.
13th St. The ropes, catwalk and curtains
of the old theater are visible, and the
bar's bathrooms are in the old dressing
rooms.
In 1977, the Stuart family gave the
first five floors of the Stuart Building to
the NU Foundation, suggesting the
theater be restored and converted into
a performing arts center. The proposal
was rejected because of the size and
acoustic design of the theater.
Next year, ground will be broken for
a new fine arts building the Lied
Center for the Performing Arts. The
Stuart seems destined to remain a
movie theater.
When the Stuart was renovated in
1972, the national trend in the theater
industry was shifting from single screen
theaters to "multihouses" one thea
tre building with several screens.
The Douglas Three theaters, 13th
and P streets, (built in 1972,) were the
first multiscreens in Lincoln. They
were followed closely by the Plaza 4
and the Cinema 1 and 2, now both
Dwned by Commonwealth theaters.
Commonwealth, a national theater
company, also owns the State and the
Cooper theaters.
The Douglas Theater Company, based
in Lincoln, owns the Douglas 3, 84th
and O Drive-In and the East Park
Three. Dubinsky Bros. Theaters, also
Lincoln-based, owns the Stuart, Star
view and the now closed West O Drive
In. The three Lincoln theater companys
bid against each other for firstrun
.1 -tL - ir- J
O-SE CHICKEN & MEXICAN
SPECIALTIES KETAUCSANT
DINE IN CARRY OUT DRIVE THRU
5401 'O' Street
488-6831
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David FchlesonDally Nebraskan
Derrymore's rafters show what used to be the backstage of
the Stuart Theater.
films.
Picking a hit is a guessing game,
David Livingston, executive vice presi
dent of the Douglas Theater Company,
said.
"We're buying on faith and rumors ...
we never see these films by the time
we've bought them," he said.
Often films are booked before they're
made, Livingston said.
In the early '70s, westerns were the
biggest box office draws. This year's
western releases, "Silverado" and "Pale
Rider," aren't doing as well as promo
ters predicted, Livingston said. Science
fiction and fantasy pictures with high
tech special effects please today's
crowds, he said.
Teen movies also are often today's
hits, he said.
In the late '70s and '80s the most
popular films were the epic pictures
Star Wars, E.T., Jaws, etc.
Livingston often bases his movie
choices on the track records of stars
and directors, but that system is not
totally reliable, he said.
"A few years ago Burt Reynolds was
big, now you couldn't force people to
buy a ticket at gunpoint," he said.
Other successes seem to surprise
everybody. One film that nobody wanted
called "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,"
became Lincoln's biggest box office
success. In a 27-week run in 1982,
147,000 people bought tickets. This
summer it was back.
Another surprising success, "Star
Wars," released in 1978, had a big effect
on the theater industry, Livingston
said.
George Lucas promoted Dolby stereo
sound for the film's release. Soon
theaters all over the country began
installing improved sound systems.
Dolby is almost standard today, Living
ston said.
Better movie soundtracks and spe
cial effects have continued to require'
improvements, Livingston said.
"Audiences today get bombarded by
technology," he said.
Theater managers will have to con
tinue to improve to compete with
sophisticated home video equipment
and cable programming, Livingston
said, adding that future theaters prob
ably will feature comfortable seating
and gala presentations.
In many other cities, suburban
shopping center theaters have become
standard. The East Park 3 is the only
multiscreen shopping center theater in
Lincoln. A three screen theater has
been approved for construction in the
Edgewood Shopping Center, 56th and
Nebraska Highway 2. However, further
suburban theater development in Lin
coln is unlikely because of zoning
restrictions and general public opposi
tion, Livingston said.
The next few years might also bring
the closing of one or both of Lincoln's
remaining drive-ins, Livingston said.
ts
P2)r;
o
UUUUU
Time!
Welcome back students! Stop by Misty's to experience
the Midwest's finest prime rib. We also feature charcoal
grilled steak, as well as selected seafood.
A Lincoln Tradition!
Open Monday-Saturday lOam-lam
Sunday 5pm -10pm
Havelock (Banquet rooms available)
6235 Havelock Avenue 466-8424
Edgawood
56th and Highway 2 423-2288
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