“Cinerama’s Russian Adventure”: The North American Engagements

“With the plunk of a balalaika you’re in Russia…a world in itself. With the whirl of a ballerina…you’re on stage in the Bolshoi ballet. With the zoom of a helicopter…you’re over the icy-breathed North Pole. With a whoosh of a harpoon…you fight the killer whale. With the excitement of CINERAMA…you’re part of the most wondrous show of all.”

The following is a reference / historical listing of the large-format and large-aperture presentations of "Cinerama’s Russian Adventure” in the United States and Canada.

The United Roadshow Presentations release was produced by Thomas Conroy, Harold J. Dennis and J. Jay Frankel and directed by Boris Dolin, Roman Karmen, Vasily Katanyan, Solomon Kogan, Leonid Kristi and Oleg Lebedev. The prologue and narration was written by Homer McCoy. The film featured 6-perf, 3-panel-originated, Cinerama-compatible Kinopanorama footage originally shot for several Russian projects and was brought to the United States by the state department’s cultural exchange program. The world premiere of the American cut, which featured Bing Crosby as host and narrator, was held March 29th, 1966, at McVickers in Chicago. (The full on-screen and promotional title is “Bing Crosby in Cinerama’s Russian Adventure.”)

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 [though, in this instance, this motion picture was never given 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/entr’acte/exit music. A souvenir roadshow program booklet was sold, as well.

Out of the hundreds of films released in North America during 1966, “Russian Adventure” was among only nine given deluxe roadshow treatment and among only seven released with 70mm prints (three from 65mm origination, three blow-ups, and one converted from 3-panel Kinopanorama/Cinerama).

Opening date YYYY-MM-DD … locale — cinema (duration in weeks) [notes]

3-PANEL CINERAMA
1966-03-29 … Chicago — McVickers (11)

CINERAMA-BRANDED 70MM
1966-03-30 … Denver — International 70 (5)
1966-03-31 … Detroit — Music Hall (12)
1966-03-31 … San Francisco — Golden Gate (7)
1966-03-31 … Toronto — Glendale (10)
1966-04-01 … Atlanta — Georgia (6)
1966-04-01 … St. Louis — Cinerama (12)
1966-04-01 … Seattle — Cinerama (13)
1966-04-07 … Nashville — Crescent (3)
1966-04-09 … Milwaukee — Southgate (10)
1966-04-13 … New York — Warner (13)
1966-04-20 … Louisville — Showcase 1 (4)
1966-04-26 … Pittsburgh — Warner (6)
1966-04-27 … Cincinnati — Capitol (5)
1966-04-27 … Toledo — Showcase 1 (4)
1966-04-29 … New Orleans — Cinerama (8)
1966-05-03 … Los Angeles — Warner Hollywood (13)
1966-05-11 … San Diego — Center (6)
1966-08-17 … Dallas — Capri (1)
1966-08-24 … Portland — Hollywood (4)
1966-09-21 … Kansas City — Empire (7)
1966-09-21 … Salt Lake City — Villa (4)
1966-09-28 … Boston — Boston (7)
1966-11-02 … Montreal — Imperial (29)
1966-11-03 … Minneapolis (St. Louis Park) — Cooper (7)
1966-12-25 … Providence — Cinerama (3)

1967-01-18 … Columbus — Grand (4)
1967-01-25 … Wichita — Uptown (5)
1967-02-08 … Newark (Montclair) — Clairidge (6)
1967-09-20 … Hartford — Cinerama (6)

1968-10-23 … Fresno — Warnor (6)

The information included in this article was principally referenced from film industry trade publications and regional newspaper promotion. Special Thanks: Jerry Alexander, Claude Ayakawa, Jim Barg, Raymond Caple, Nick DiMaggio, Sheldon Hall, William Hooper, Bill Huelbig, Mark Huffstetler, Bill Kallay, Bill Kretzel, Ronald A. Lee, Mark Lensenmayer, Robert Morrow, Jim Perry, Bob Throop, Joel Weide, Vince Young.

International 70mm presentations of this title have not been accounted for in this work.

If you believe this article contains any errors or omissions, please consider emailing the author or editor.