South Pacific: The North American Roadshow and 70mm Engagements | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 08.07.2024 |
 The following is a reference / historical listing of the roadshow and 70mm presentations of Rodgers & Hammersteins South Pacific in the United States and Canada. These were the first and best cinemas in which to experience this motion picture.The presentations cited in the Part 1 section of this work were hard ticket roadshow engagements (i.e. special, long-running, showcase presentations in major cities prior to the film being exhibited as a general release). Much like a stage production, these typically featured an average of only ten scheduled screenings per week, advanced admission pricing, reserved seating, and an overture/intermission/entracte/exit music. A souvenir roadshow program booklet and the films soundtrack album were sold, as well, in some locales. And, unlike the majority of the films general-release presentations, these roadshow engagements were presented in 70-millimeter (from Todd-AO @24fps) and six-track stereophonic sound. The roadshow presentations also included the short subject The March of Todd-AO. The 20th Century-Fox production and Magna release was directed by Joshua L. Logan (Camelot, Paint Your Wagon) and starred Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr, France Nuyen, Ray Walston, and Juanita Hall. The films world premiere was held March 19th, 1958, at the Criterion in New York. Out of the hundreds of films released in North America during 1958, South Pacific was among only eight given deluxe roadshow treatment and the only one released with 70mm prints. PART 1: FIRST RUN / THE ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENTS (reserved seat policy and 70mm presentation w/ six-track stereophonic sound) Opening date YYYY-MM-DD locale cinema (duration in weeks) [notes] 1958-03-19 New York, NY Criterion (29) 1958-03-25 Miami (Miami Beach), FL Sheridan (46) 1958-03-26 Chicago, IL McVickers (56) 1958-03-26 Philadelphia, PA Midtown (46) 1958-04-01 Baltimore, MD New (38) 1958-04-01 Washington, DC Uptown (46) 1958-04-02 Cleveland, OH Ohio (48) 1958-04-07 Pittsburgh, PA Nixon (26) 1958-04-08 Boston, MA Saxon (55) 1958-04-09 Detroit, MI United Artists (48) 1958-04-16 Dallas, TX Wynnewood (34) 1958-04-16 St. Louis, MO Pageant (45) 1958-04-23 Denver, CO Tabor (32) 1958-04-24 Cincinnati, OH Valley (42) 1958-04-24 Indianapolis, IN Lyric (45) 1958-04-25 Montreal, QC Alouette (45) 1958-04-29 New Orleans, LA Panorama (36) 1958-05-08 Louisville, KY Brown (27) 1958-05-21 Buffalo, NY Century (25) 1958-05-21 Los Angeles, CA Egyptian (44) 1958-05-23 Atlantic City, NJ Virginia (28) 1958-05-26 Seattle, WA Blue Mouse (38) 1958-05-27 Portland, OR Broadway (30) 1958-06-05 Milwaukee, WI Strand (54) 1958-06-05 Oklahoma City, OK State (17) 1958-06-26 Houston, TX Uptown (30) 1958-06-26 Minneapolis, MN Academy (36) 1958-06-26 Providence, RI Elmwood (1+) 1958-06-26 Tulsa, OK Ritz (16) 1958-06-27 Columbus, OH Cinestage (38) 1958-06-27 Honolulu, HI Kuhio (13) 1958-07-01 San Diego, CA Capri (21) 1958-07-01 San Francisco, CA Alexandria (48) 1958-07-09 Toronto, ON Tivoli (57) 1958-07-11 Asbury Park, NJ St. James (22) 1958-07-15 Rochester, NY Monroe (31) 1958-07-16 Syracuse (DeWitt), NY Shoppingtown (32) 1958-07-23 Atlanta, GA Roxy (25) 1958-07-31 Dayton, OH McCook (33) 1958-07-31 Salt Lake City, UT Villa (44) 1958-08-06 Richmond, VA Willow Lawn (30) 1958-08-08 Youngstown, OH State (18) 1958-10-07 New York, NY Rivoli m/o (25 [54]) 1958-10-16 Little Rock, AR Capitol (10) 1958-10-17 Corpus Christi, TX Tower (11) 1958-10-23 Omaha, NE Cooper (64) 1958-11-05 Vancouver, BC Stanley (68) 1958-11-19 Tampa, FL Britton (21) 1958-11-26 Jacksonville, FL 5 Points (12) 1958-12-23 Washington, DC Uptown (8) [return roadshow run] 1958-12-25 Buffalo, NY Granada (7) [return roadshow run] 1958-??-?? Fort Wayne, IN Clyde (?) 1959-01-01 Shreveport, LA Saenger (10) [un-reserved seating] 1959-02-10 Hartford, CT Strand (11) 1959-02-11 Long Island (Syosset), NY Syosset (16) 1959-02-19 Albany, NY Ritz (1+) 1959-02-19 Phoenix, AZ Vista (39) 1959-03-29 Kansas City, MO Capri (36) 1959-05-07 Lexington, KY Strand (8) 1959-05-22 Montreal, QC Alouette (5) [return roadshow run] 1959-06-26 Newark (Upper Montclair), NJ Bellevue (26) 1959-07-02 Sacramento, CA Alhambra (9) 1959-07-31 Norfolk, VA Memrose (10) [un-reserved seating] The first international roadshow booking of South Pacific commenced April 21st 1958, at the Dominion in London, where it went on to play a staggering 232 weeks. The North American general release of South Pacific began during the summer of 1959. PART 2: SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS AND SCREENINGS (second run, re-issue, revival, etc. / unreserved seating / general release policy) 1959-06-18 Houston, TX Tower (10) 1960-02-25 Nashville, TN Crescent (4) 1960-03-18 Rochester, NY Riviera (3) 1960-04-08 Rochester, NY Monroe (2) 1960-05-05 Dayton, OH McCook (4) [reserved seats] 1960-05-24 Syracuse, NY Eckel (4) 1964-04-01 Los Angeles, CA Egyptian (7) 1964-04-08 Norfolk, VA Memrose (3) 1964-11-13 Honolulu, HI Cinerama (3) 1965-11-19 Detroit, MI Summit (3) 1969-04-09 Little Rock, AR Cinema 150 (6) 1969-05-28 Calgary, AB North Hill (4) 1969-06-04 Phoenix, AZ Bethany (3) 1969-06-25 Hamilton, ON Centre Twin West (2) 1969-09-11 San Antonio, TX Woodlawn (2) 1969-10-01 Beverly Hills, CA Fox Wilshire (5) 1969-12-10 Charlotte, NC Carolina (2) 1970-01-01 Winnipeg, MB Grant Park (2) 1970-01-07 Newport News, VA Newmarket (2) 1970-02-05 Columbia, SC Richland Mall (1) 1970-04-10 Winston-Salem, NC Thruway (2) 1970-05-07 Greensboro, NC Terrace (1) 1971-01-27 Colorado Springs, CO Cinema 150 (2) 1971-02-17 Wichita, KS Uptown (1) [70mm festival] 1978-03-29 New York, NY Cinerama 2 (1) [Broadway comes to Broadway] 1978-09-13 Salt Lake City, UT Trolley Corners 1 (3) 1978-11-17 Detroit, MI Redford (2 days) 1978-12-20 Milwaukee, WI Strand (1) 1979-08-13 Atlanta, GA Fox [2nd Annual Summer Film Festival] 1985-11-01 Detroit, MI Redford (2 days) 1989-04-28 Detroit, MI Redford (2 days) PART 3: THE RESTORATION AND DIGITAL SOUND + SUBSEQUENT SCREENINGS (New 70mm prints with DTS audio) 2006-01-30 Los Angeles, CA Digital Cinema Laboratory [new print] 2006-05-06 Los Angeles, CA Egyptian [double feature restored + original] 2006-07-15 Los Angeles, CA Egyptian 2006-08-19 San Francisco, CA Castro [70mm festival] 2011-10-?? Seattle, WA Cinerama [70mm and Cinerama festival] 2012-07-15 Los Angeles, CA Egyptian 2012-09-15 Silver Spring, MD AFI Silver [70mm festival] 2012-09-16 Silver Spring, MD AFI Silver [70mm festival] # Presentation not explicitly or consistently promoted as 70mm suggesting may have been 35mm The information in this article was principally referenced from film industry trade publications and regional newspaper promotion, with thanks to Jerry Alexander, Jim Barg, Raymond Caple, Sheldon Hall, Bill Huelbig, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, Mark Lensenmayer, Stan Malone, Rick Mitchell, Bob Throop, Vince Young, and an extra special thank-you to all of the librarians who helped with this project. International 70mm presentations of this title have not been accounted for in this work (except for a mention of the London run). If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor. | More in 70mm reading: "South Pacific" 70mm Seasons in70mm.com's page about films blown up to 70mm 35mm to 70mm Engagements by Year 35mm to 70mm Engagements by Title Presented on the big screen in 7OMM The Alleged 70mm Releases 70mm Blow Ups Which Never Were |
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