Oklahoma!: The North American Roadshow and 70mm Engagements | Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 10.03.2023 |
 The following is a reference / historical listing of the roadshow presentations of Oklahoma! 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 main 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. Souvenir program booklet were sold, as well, and, in some locales, the films soundtrack album. The print type utilized during the films roadshow release was 70-millimeter with discrete magnetic six-channel stereophonic sound*. Go to Fred Zinnemann's "Oklahoma!" in Todd-AO Go to How Todd-AO Began by Brian O'Brien, Jr. Go to "Oklahoma!" 70mm Seasons (2000 version) Go to in70mm.com's Todd-AO Page The Magna release was directed by Fred Zinnemann (High Noon, From Here to Eternity) and starred Gordon MacRae, Gloria Grahame, Gene Nelson, Charlotte Greenwood, Eddie Albert, James Whitmore, Rod Steiger and Shirley Jones. Out of the hundreds of first-run films released in North America during 1955, Oklahoma! was among only two given deluxe roadshow treatment and the lone title issued with 70mm prints. *There have been reports of some initial/early prints of Oklahoma! being 65mm (rather than 70mm) with interlocked audio. As well, some initial/early prints were optically rectified (i.e. optimized for deeply-curved screens and/or a high projection angle). PART 1: THE ORIGINAL 70MM ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENTS Premiere/opening date YYYY-MM-DD city cinema (duration in weeks) [notes] 1955-10-10 New York, NY Rivoli (51) 1955-11-17 Los Angeles (Hollywood), CA Egyptian (51) 1955-12-24 Los Angeles (Downtown), CA United Artists (51) 1955-12-26 Chicago, IL McVickers (47) 1956-02-16 San Francisco, CA Coronet (45) 1956-02-20 Detroit, MI United Artists (44) [35mm test during weeks 37-44] 1956-02-28 Baltimore, MD Film Centre (42) 1956-02-29 Miami Beach, FL Sheridan (41) 1956-04-25 Toronto, ON Tivoli (67) 1956-05-04 Milwaukee, WI Strand (32) 1956-05-11 Montreal, QC Alouette (34) 1956-06-08 Tulsa, OK Rialto (19) 1956-06-15 Dallas, TX Tower (22) 1956-06-15 Pittsburgh, PA Nixon (24) 1956-06-21 New Orleans, LA Panorama (23) 1956-06-22 Houston, TX Tower (24) 1956-08-15 Buffalo, NY Century (11) 1956-08-15 Oklahoma City, OK State (20) 1956-08-21 Louisville, KY Brown (19) 1956-08-29 Indianapolis, IN Lyric (22) 1956-08-29 Philadelphia, PA Midtown (17) 1956-09-12 Boston, MA Saxon (22) 1956-09-26 Corpus Christi, TX Tower (10) 1956-09-26 Little Rock, AR Capitol (9) 1956-10-17 Denver, CO Tabor (14) 1956-10-17 Kansas City, MO Tower (9) 1956-10-25 San Antonio, TX Broadway (15) 1956-11-01 Seattle, WA Blue Mouse (24) 1956-11-01 Washington, DC Uptown (23) 1956-11-09 Portland, OR Broadway (20) 1956-11-30 Shreveport, LA Saenger (11) The first 70mm installations and 70mm presentations of Oklahoma! internationally were in Japan in December 1956, Italy in February 1957, and West Germany in March 1957. An alternatively shot 35mm CinemaScope version, distributed by 20th Century-Fox, was released beginning September 1956 (international) and November 1956 (United States). | More in 70mm reading: "Oklahoma!" 70mm Seasons 70mm Cinemas in North America in70mm.com's list of films blown up to 70mm 70mm Engagements by Title 35mm to 70mm Engagements by Year Large Format 7OMM Engagements Month by month premiere list of wide gauge and 3-strip films Chronological premiere list of major 70mm films 70mm Blow Up List Dolby Stereo |
PART 2: SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS | |
| General-release/continuous performances/popular prices (except reserved-seat engagements which are marked with an asterisk).
1956-11-20 Syosset, NY Syosset [preview / venue grand opening] 1956-12-09 Syosset, NY Syosset (2) 1957-03-20 DeWitt, NY Shoppingtown (2) 1957-03-28 Boston, MA Saxon (3) 1958-02-13 Cincinnati, OH Valley (4) 1958-02-18 Rochester, NY Monroe (6) 1958-02-25 Buffalo, NY Granada (1+) 1958-04-29 Rochester, NY Monroe (2) 1958-05-29 Columbus, OH Cinestage* (4) 1960-03-04 Columbus, OH Cinestage* (9) 1960-03-04 Dayton, OH McCook* (9) 1960-03-24 Nashville, TN Crescent (4) 1960-04-08 Rochester, NY Riviera (5) 1960-04-21 Lexington, KY Strand (3) 1960-04-22 Phoenix, AZ Vista (8) 1960-04-27 Norfolk, VA Memrose (7) 1960-05-06 Vancouver, BC Strand (6) 1962-02-21 Milwaukee, WI Strand (3) 1962-02-21 Sacramento, CA Alhambra (2) 1962-02-28 Pasadena, CA United Artists (5) 1962-02-28 Redondo Beach, CA Strand (4) 1962-02-28 Wichita Falls, TX State (2) 1962-03-02 Syosset, NY Syosset* (6) 1962-03-14 Toledo, OH Pantheon (4) 1962-03-16 Seattle, WA Paramount (2) 1962-03-16 Youngstown, OH State (4) 1962-03-21 Philadelphia, PA Cheltenham (3) 1962-03-21 San Diego, CA Fox (3) 1962-03-23 Washington, DC Palace (2) 1962-03-28 Waco, TX 25th Street (2) 1962-03-30 Omaha, NE Dundee* (15) 1962-04-04 Anaheim, CA Brookhurst (2) 1962-04-13 St. Louis, MO Pageant (7) 1962-04-18 Cincinnati, OH Capitol (2) 1962-04-18 Levittown, PA Fox (1) 1962-04-25 San Diego, CA Midway Drive-In (1) 1962-05-02 Miami Beach, FL Colony (3) 1962-05-03 Montreal, QC Seville* (5) 1962-05-10 Corpus Christi, TX Tower (3) 1962-05-10 Richmond, VA Westhampton (2) 1962-05-16 Detroit, MI United Artists (3) 1962-05-16 Little Rock, AR Capitol (2) 1962-05-16 Ottawa, ON Nelson (3) 1962-05-17 St. Petersburg, FL Center (3) 1962-05-18 Indianapolis, IN Lyric (2) 1962-05-23 Norfolk, VA Memrose (3) 1962-05-24 Boston, MA Astor (4) 1962-05-25 Cleveland, OH Allen (2) 1962-05-30 Bronxville, NY Bronxville (1) 1962-05-30 Dallas, TX Tower (2) 1962-05-30 Kansas City, MO Capri* (6) 1962-06-07 San Antonio, TX Woodlawn* (2) 1962-06-13 Baltimore, MD Mayfair (2) 1962-06-13 West Hartford, CT Elm (2) 1962-06-13 Winnipeg, MB Metropolitan (2) 1962-06-20 Springfield, MA Arcade (1) 1962-06-27 San Francisco, CA Coronet (2) 1962-07-12 Houston, TX Delman (3) 1962-07-19 Oklahoma City, OK State (4) 1962-09-06 Atlanta, GA Rhodes (4) 1962-11-01 Minneapolis, MN Century (1) 1962-12-13 Calgary, AB Capitol (1) 1963-02-07 Edmonton, AB Paramount (3) 1963-10-30 Philadelphia, PA Orleans (1) 1964-06-12 Toronto, ON Tivoli (3) 1964-10-09 Honolulu, HI Cinerama (2) 1964-10-09 Montreal, QC Alouette (3) 1966-04-27 Oklahoma City, OK Continental* (9) 1966-05-12 Atlanta, GA Georgia* (7) 1966-05-04 Little Rock, AR Capitol (4) 1966-06-01 St. Louis Park, MN Park (4) 1966-06-29 St. Cloud, MN Cinema 70 (3) 1966-09-28 Carmichael, CA Cinema 150 (1) 1966-09-28 San Francisco, CA Coronet (3) 1966-10-05 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine (1) 1966-10-07 Philadelphia, PA Stanley (3) 1966-10-14 Honolulu, HI Royal (1) 1966-10-26 Baileys Crossroads, VA Cinema 7 (1) 1966-11-09 Philadelphia, PA Cheltenham (1) 1966-11-09 Philadelphia, PA Orleans (1) 1966-11-09 King of Prussia, PA Plaza (1) 1966-12-07 West Springfield, MA Showcase 1 (2) 1967-04-19 New York, NY Kips Bay (2) 1967-06-07 Des Moines, IA Capri (2) 1967-10-11 Dayton, OH McCook (1) 1968-05-30 Greensboro, NC Terrace (1) 1968-09-05 Charlotte, NC Carolina (2) 1968-09-25 Fargo, ND Cinema 70 (1+) 1968-09-26 North Charleston, SC Pinehaven (1) 1968-10-02 Greenville, SC Astro (1) 1968-10-11 Augusta, GA National Hills (1) 1978-03-08 New York, NY Cinerama (1) [Broadway Comes to Broadway festival] | |
PART 3: SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS & SCREENINGS | |
| Samuel Goldwyn restoration and new 70mm prints 1982-??-?? Oklahoma City, OK [canceled] 1983-04-29 Los Angeles, CA Egyptian Triplex (3) 1983-05-02 Dallas, TX Inwood [USA Film Festival] 1983-05-06 Denver, CO Cooper (3) 1983-05-20 New York, NY Cinema 1 (2) 1983-05-22 Seattle, WA Cinerama [SIFF] 1983-05-27 San Francisco, CA Metro (2) 1983-05-27 Seattle, WA Cinerama (1) 1983-06-03 Seattle, WA Crest 4 (1) 1983-07-01 Oklahoma City, OK Quail Twin (2) 1983-07-03 Norfolk, VA Naro (2 days) 1983-07-14 Carmel, IN Woodland Twin (3) 1983-07-15 St. Louis Park, MN Cooper Twin (2) 1983-07-29 Brooklyn Center, MN Brookdale (2) 1983-07-29 Portland, OR Hollywood (4) 1983-09-02 Whitehall, OH Cinema East (2) 1983-09-09 Phoenix, AZ Cine Capri (3) 1983-09-23 Redford, MI Redford (2 days) 1983-10-07 Washington, DC Uptown (2) 1983-11-25 Atlanta, GA Columbia (2) 1984-02-03 Baltimore, MD Senator (2) 1984-02-03 New Orleans, LA Kenilworth (3) 1984-03-02 Salt Lake City, UT Crossroads Triplex (2) 1984-06-25 Atlanta, GA Fox [7th Annual Summer Film Festival] 1984-07-04 Seattle, WA Cinerama (1) 1985-05-08 Washington, DC Cinema (3 days) [70mm festival] 1985-09-07 Cleveland, OH Colony [festival] 1985-09-13 Cleveland, OH Colony [festival] 1986-09-19 Scottsdale, AZ Kachina (1) 1988-01-12 Cleveland, OH Strosacker [Colony [CWRU Film Society] 1988-09-23 Redford, MI Redford (2 days) 1990-05-21 Boston, MA Wang Center [fest] 1990-06-24 Los Angeles, CA Fairfax Triplex [70mm festival] 1991-02-01 Creve Coeur, MO Creve Coeur Triplex (1) [70mm festival] 1991-09-27 Dayton, OH Dabel (1) 1992-05-19 Los Angeles, CA Cinerama Dome (3 days) [70mm festival] 1992-06-19 Los Angeles, CA LACMA Leo S. Bing [70mm festival] 1993-06-17 Atlanta, GA Fox [16th Annual Summer Film Festival] 1993-07-23 San Francisco, CA Galaxy 4 (1) 1998-03-09 Boston, MA Wang Center 1999-08-15 Austin, TX Paramount [summer classics festival] 1999-11-14 Los Angeles, CA Egyptian [70mm festival] 2000-04-30 Champaign, IL Virginia [Ebertfest] 2000-08-04 Columbia Heights, MN Heights (2) 2001-11-21 Columbia Heights, MN Heights (3) 2001-12-22 Columbia Heights, MN Heights (2 days) 2004-03-06 Seattle, WA Cinerama [70mm festival] 2004-03-07 Seattle, WA Cinerama [70mm festival] This information has been principally referenced from film industry trade publications and regional newspaper promotion, with thanks to David Coles, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel and W.R. Miller. International 70mm engagements of this title have not been accounted for in this article (except for the brief mention of the London world premiere). If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor. | |
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