Douglas Theatre Company
Encyclopedia
Douglas Theatre Company was once the largest movie theater
chain in Nebraska
, USA, operating in both Lincoln
and Omaha
. It was the 38th largest cinema chain in North America
.
The company was formed in 1952, by Russell Brehm and then-Senator Roman Hruska
. Russell Brehm and Senator Roman Hruska
wanted to build an entertainment company for Nebraska, by Nebraskans. The founders settled on naming the company "Douglas" because Omaha, in Douglas County
, would be the location of their first venue: a drive-in theater, the 84th & Center, which opened the following year. In ensuing years, other drive-ins were built in Lincoln and Omaha, and temporary acquisitions were made in Texas
as well.
In 1967, Douglas opened its first indoor theater in Omaha, the Cinema Center, which remained in operation until the company sold to Marcus
in 2008. Three theaters were opened in Lincoln shortly thereafter: the Cinema Twin, in September 1971 (first showing Summer of '42
and Le Mans
), Douglas 3, in March 1973 (first showing 2001: A Space Odyssey
, The Sting
and Serpico
) and Plaza 4, in April 1973.
In the early 70's the Jerry Lewis Theater complex in Omaha was purchased and the name was changed to the "Maplewood Twin Cinema." The the "Q-Twin Drive-in" and the "Q-4 Cinemas" were built and operated on 120th and Q Streets in Omaha.
In 1989, the Edgewood 3 theater opened in uptown Lincoln, at 56th & Hwy 2. It was remodeled, and reopened on 4 April 2003, to include three additional screens and stadium seating. Having six screens, it also dropped the "3" from its title.
On 21 November 1997, the East Park theater at 66th & 'O' in Lincoln re-opened after remodeling. It was once part of a small indoor mall, which had been converted into strip shops.
On 4 February 2003, then-mayor of Lincoln Don Wesely announced plans for Douglas Theatres to build a $15 million, 14-screen megaplex downtown. On 8 August, demolition began to raze most of the buildings on the block bordered by 11th, 12th, O and P streets. After over a year of construction, The Grand opened on 19 November 2004. It took the place of four smaller theaters: the Lincoln, which was destroyed to partially make way for the Grand, as well as the Cinema Twin, Douglas 3 and Plaza 4, which closed the night before the opening of the Grand. The Douglas 3 was destroyed in October 2006 to make way for an urban park http://www.lincolnjournalstar.com/articles/2006/10/04/local/doc45230039d166a308354989.txt which is also a public wireless hotspot. The other two theaters remain vacant in downtown Lincoln . The Grand includes over 3,000 stadium seats, and an arcade, "The Vault", which features a 60,000-pound vault door purchased from Wells-Fargo.
Douglas Theatres has a total of 100 screens in its present configuration of theaters, which are:
On 26 March 2008, it was announced that Marcus Theatres of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
will buy 7 Douglas Theatres, along with the name for $40.5 million. Cinema Center and Q-Cinema 9 in Omaha
will continue to be owned by Douglas Theatres, with Q-Cinema 9 closing before summer, and Cinema Center closing sometime between October '08 and February '09. http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10293927
At midnight on 3 April 2008, Q-Cinema 9 closed its doors forever. The final Douglas location, the Cinema Center, closed its doors in January 2009.
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
chain in Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, USA, operating in both Lincoln
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
and Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. It was the 38th largest cinema chain in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
The company was formed in 1952, by Russell Brehm and then-Senator Roman Hruska
Roman Hruska
Roman Lee Hruska was a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Nebraska. Hruska was known as one of the most vocal conservatives in the United States Senate during the 1960s and 1970s.-Life and career:...
. Russell Brehm and Senator Roman Hruska
Roman Hruska
Roman Lee Hruska was a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Nebraska. Hruska was known as one of the most vocal conservatives in the United States Senate during the 1960s and 1970s.-Life and career:...
wanted to build an entertainment company for Nebraska, by Nebraskans. The founders settled on naming the company "Douglas" because Omaha, in Douglas County
Douglas County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 463,585 people, 182,194 households, and 115,146 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,401 people per square mile . There were 192,672 housing units at an average density of 582 per square mile...
, would be the location of their first venue: a drive-in theater, the 84th & Center, which opened the following year. In ensuing years, other drive-ins were built in Lincoln and Omaha, and temporary acquisitions were made in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
as well.
In 1967, Douglas opened its first indoor theater in Omaha, the Cinema Center, which remained in operation until the company sold to Marcus
Marcus Corporation
The Marcus Corporation is a publicly held company headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company operates two principal divisions: Marcus Theatres and Marcus Hotels and Resorts. One of the company's principal assets, Baymont Motels, was sold to La Quinta Corporation in 2003...
in 2008. Three theaters were opened in Lincoln shortly thereafter: the Cinema Twin, in September 1971 (first showing Summer of '42
Summer of '42
Summer of '42 is a 1971 American coming-of-age drama film based on the memoirs of screenwriter Herman Raucher. It tells the story of how Raucher, in his early teens on his 1942 summer vacation on Nantucket Island, off the coast of New England, embarked on a one-sided romance with a woman, Dorothy,...
and Le Mans
Le Mans
Le Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
), Douglas 3, in March 1973 (first showing 2001: A Space Odyssey
2001: A Space Odyssey (film)
2001: A Space Odyssey is a 1968 epic science fiction film produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick, and co-written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, partially inspired by Clarke's short story The Sentinel...
, The Sting
The Sting
The Sting is a 1973 American caper film set in September 1936 that involves a complicated plot by two professional grifters to con a mob boss . The film was directed by George Roy Hill, who previously directed Newman and Redford in the western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.Created by...
and Serpico
Serpico
Serpico is a 1973 American crime film directed by Sidney Lumet. It is based on the true story of New York City policeman Frank Serpico, who went undercover to expose the corruption of his fellow officers, after being pushed to the brink at first by their distrust and later by the threats and...
) and Plaza 4, in April 1973.
In the early 70's the Jerry Lewis Theater complex in Omaha was purchased and the name was changed to the "Maplewood Twin Cinema." The the "Q-Twin Drive-in" and the "Q-4 Cinemas" were built and operated on 120th and Q Streets in Omaha.
In 1989, the Edgewood 3 theater opened in uptown Lincoln, at 56th & Hwy 2. It was remodeled, and reopened on 4 April 2003, to include three additional screens and stadium seating. Having six screens, it also dropped the "3" from its title.
On 21 November 1997, the East Park theater at 66th & 'O' in Lincoln re-opened after remodeling. It was once part of a small indoor mall, which had been converted into strip shops.
On 4 February 2003, then-mayor of Lincoln Don Wesely announced plans for Douglas Theatres to build a $15 million, 14-screen megaplex downtown. On 8 August, demolition began to raze most of the buildings on the block bordered by 11th, 12th, O and P streets. After over a year of construction, The Grand opened on 19 November 2004. It took the place of four smaller theaters: the Lincoln, which was destroyed to partially make way for the Grand, as well as the Cinema Twin, Douglas 3 and Plaza 4, which closed the night before the opening of the Grand. The Douglas 3 was destroyed in October 2006 to make way for an urban park http://www.lincolnjournalstar.com/articles/2006/10/04/local/doc45230039d166a308354989.txt which is also a public wireless hotspot. The other two theaters remain vacant in downtown Lincoln . The Grand includes over 3,000 stadium seats, and an arcade, "The Vault", which features a 60,000-pound vault door purchased from Wells-Fargo.
Douglas Theatres has a total of 100 screens in its present configuration of theaters, which are:
- East Park (Lincoln) - Sold to Marcus Theatres
- Edgewood Cinema (Lincoln) - Sold to Marcus Theatres
- Lincoln Grand (Lincoln) - Sold to Marcus Theatres
- SouthPointe Cinema (Lincoln) - Sold to Marcus Theatres
- 20 Grand (Omaha) - Sold to Marcus Theatres
- Maplewood Twin Cinemas (Omaha) - Closed
- Cinema Center (Omaha) - Closed
- Q-Cinema 9 (Omaha) - Closed
- Q-Twin Drive-in (Omaha) - Closed
- Twin Creek Cinema (Omaha) - Sold to Marcus Theatres
- Village Pointe Cinema (Omaha) - Sold to Marcus Theatres
On 26 March 2008, it was announced that Marcus Theatres of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
will buy 7 Douglas Theatres, along with the name for $40.5 million. Cinema Center and Q-Cinema 9 in Omaha
Omaha
Omaha may refer to:*Omaha , a Native American tribe that currently resides in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Nebraska-Places:United States* Omaha, Nebraska* Omaha, Arkansas* Omaha, Georgia* Omaha, Illinois* Omaha, Texas...
will continue to be owned by Douglas Theatres, with Q-Cinema 9 closing before summer, and Cinema Center closing sometime between October '08 and February '09. http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10293927
At midnight on 3 April 2008, Q-Cinema 9 closed its doors forever. The final Douglas location, the Cinema Center, closed its doors in January 2009.