The following is a reference / historical listing of the roadshow presentations of Seven Wonders of the World in the United States and Canada.
Seven Wonders of the World was the third feature-length travelogue produced in the large, deeply-curved-screen Cinerama format. The film was directed by Tay Garnett, Paul Mantz, Andrew Marton, Ted Tetzlaff, and Walter Thompson. Its world premiere was held April 10th, 1956, at the Warner in New York City.
Seven Wonders of the World was presented exclusively in Cinerama-branded cinemas. The print type was 26fps 6-perf 35mm x 3 plus 35mm magnetic fullcoat interlocked 7-channel audio.
The presentations cited in 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 advanced admission pricing, reserved seating, an overture/intermission/entracte/exit music, and an average of only ten scheduled screenings per week. Souvenir program booklet were sold, as well, and, in some locales, the films soundtrack album.
Out of the hundreds of first-run films released in North America during 1956, Seven Wonders of the World was among only four given deluxe roadshow treatment.
PART 1: THE CINERAMA / ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENTS (reserved seat policy / 3-panel Cinerama presentation)
Opening date YYYY-MM-DD
locale cinema (duration in weeks) [notes]
1956-04-10
New York, NY Warner (76) 1956-04-19
Pittsburgh, PA Warner (47) 1956-04-24
Philadelphia, PA Boyd (68) 1956-04-26
St. Louis, MO Ambassador (76) 1956-05-01
Dallas, TX Melba (55) 1956-06-07
Cincinnati, OH Capitol (77) 1956-08-07
Minneapolis, MN Century (83) 1956-08-14
Detroit, MI Music Hall (79) 1956-08-27
Boston, MA Boston (64) 1956-08-29
Buffalo, NY Teck (58) 1956-11-20
San Francisco, CA Orpheum (68) 1956-12-12
Chicago, IL Palace (70) 1956-12-27
Washington, DC Warner (55)
1957-02-20
Miami (Miami Beach), FL Roosevelt (19) 1957-04-03
Montreal, QC Imperial (61) 1957-04-21
Atlanta, GA Roxy (7) 1957-06-05
Los Angeles, CA Warner Hollywood (69) 1957-06-12
Oklahoma City, OK Warner (12) 1957-08-21
Kansas City, MO Missouri (35) 1957-08-21
Seattle, WA Paramount (23) 1957-12-19
Baltimore, MD Town (15)
1958-01-22
Cleveland, OH Palace (30) 1958-07-22
Toronto, ON University (18) 1958-07-28
Syracuse, NY Eckel (15) 1958-08-14
Vancouver, BC Strand (19) 1958-10-03
Honolulu, HI Princess (10) 1958-11-16
Montreal, QC Imperial (5) [Version Francaise]
1959-05-13
Pittsburgh, PA Warner (3) [return run] 1959-08-31
Cleveland, OH Palace (3) [return run] 1959-10-13
Long Island (Syosset), NY Syosset (27) 1959-11-12
Vancouver, BC Strand (2) [return run]
1960-12-25
Newark (Montclair), NJ Clairidge (23) 1960-12-25
Detroit, MI Music Hall (22) [return run] 1960-12-25
San Francisco, CA Orpheum (14) [return run]
1961-02-17
Houston, TX Rivoli (7) 1961-02-22
Boston, MA Boston (12) [return run] 1961-04-01
Montreal, QC Imperial (14) [return run] 1961-04-12
Minneapolis, MN Century (8) [return run] 1961-04-25
Milwaukee, WI Palace (24) 1961-05-23
Los Angeles, CA Warner Hollywood (16) [return run] 1961-05-24
Albany, NY Hellman (6) 1961-06-06
Toledo, OH Paramount (18) 1961-06-14
Indianapolis, IN Indiana (25) 1961-06-16
Columbus, OH Grand (17) 1961-07-13
Louisville, KY Rialto (14) 1961-10-04
Chicago, IL Palace (15) [return run / seats not reserved] 1961-10-13
Memphis, TN Palace (13) 1961-10-20
Denver, CO Cooper (32) 1961-11-16
Kansas City, MO Empire (9) [market return run] 1961-11-21
Omaha, NE Cooper (22) 1961-11-22
Providence, RI Cinerama (22)
1962-01-17
Jacksonville, FL 5 Points (7) 1962-01-18
Rochester, NY Monroe (8) 1962-01-18
Salt Lake City, UT Villa (18) 1962-01-19
El Paso, TX Capri (8) 1962-01-24
Wichita, KS Uptown (16) 1962-02-01
Norfolk, VA Rosna (16) 1962-02-02
Dallas, TX Capri (3) [market return run] 1962-02-16
Oklahoma City, OK Cooper (5) [market return run] 1962-02-21
Scranton, PA Strand (8) 1962-03-23
Charlotte, NC Carolina (11) 1962-03-28
Hartford, CT Cinerama (27) 1962-04-02
Miami, FL Florida (17) [market return run] 1962-04-11
Portland, OR Hollywood (14) 1962-05-25
Toronto, ON Eglinton (3) [market return run] 1962-05-31
Nashville, TN Crescent (18) 1962-07-18
Tampa, FL Palace (13) 1962-07-25
Salt Lake City, UT Villa (4) [return run] 1962-08-22
Erie, PA Strand (10) 1962-09-13
Chattanooga, TN Brainerd (8) 1962-09-26
Akron (Cuyahoga Falls), OH Falls (8) 1962-10-04
Birmingham, AL Ritz (11)
1963-03-06
Fresno, CA Warner (12) 1963-10-11
New Orleans, LA Cinerama (9) 1963-11-28
Honolulu, HI Cinerama (2) [market return run]
1964-03-11
Rockland County (Nanuet), NY Route 59 (4) 1964-05-06
Los Angeles (Inglewood), CA Century Drive-In (5) [market return run] 1964-10-21
Albuquerque, NM Fox Winrock (5)
1965-01-15
Sacramento, CA Esquire (6) 1965-04-28
Wichita, KS Uptown (4) [return run] 1965-05-26
San Diego, CA Cinerama (10)
PART 2: CINERAMA MARKETS / VENUES IN WHICH SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD DID NOT PLAY
Dayton, OH Dabel Phoenix (Scottsdale), AZ Kachina
This information has been principally referenced from film industry trade publications and regional newspaper promotion, with thanks to Al Alvarez, Claude Ayakawa, Jim Barg, Kirk Besse, Raymond Caple, Nick DiMaggio, Sheldon Hall, William Hooper, Bill Huelbig, Mark Huffstetler, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, Mark Lensenmayer, Matthew Lutthans, Stan Malone, Gabriel Neeb, Jim Perry, John Sittig, David Strohmaier, Bob Throop, Joel Weide and Vince Young.
International presentations of this title have not been accounted for in this article.
If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor. | More in 70mm reading:
in70mm.com's Cinerama page
Travel Log of "Seven Wonders of the World"
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 |