“Song of Norway”: The North American Roadshow
Engagements |
Read more at in70mm.com The 70mm Newsletter |
| Compiled by: Michael Coate | Date: 07.02.2022 |
 "Song
of Norway" co-world premiere advert, The New York Times, 4th November 1970
The following is a reference / historical listing of the roadshow presentations of Song of Norway in the United States and Canada. These were the earliest and arguably best cinemas in which to experience this motion picture. The presentations cited in this work were hard ticket roadshow engagements and were special, long-running, showcase presentations in major cities prior to the film being exhibited as a general release. Much like a stage production, these 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. Prints utilized during the films roadshow release, depending on the venue and booking terms, were (1) 70-millimeter with discrete magnetic six-channel stereophonic sound, (2) reduction-printed 35-millimeter mag-optical (discrete magnetic four-channel stereophonic and optical monaural), or (3) reduction-printed 35-millimeter with optical monaural sound. Out of the hundreds of films released during 1970, Song of Norway was among only five given deluxe roadshow treatment and among only eleven released with 70mm prints (four from 65mm origination plus seven blow-ups). The ABC Pictures presentation of an Andrew and Virginia Stone production and Cinerama release was directed by Andrew L. Stone and starred Toralv Maurstad and Florence Henderson and was based upon the music of Edvard Grieg. The multi-city world premiere of Song of Norway was held November 4th, 1970 in Oslo, New York and Toronto. The reserved-seat policy, in some instances, was relaxed during the latter weeks of the run. Any non-roadshow portion of such an engagement has been included in the duration figure. Also note in cases where a 70mm print was booked that some engagements included in this listing may have been presented in 35mm during the latter week(s) of their engagement due to contractual terms or print damage (and the distributors unwillingness to supply a 70mm replacement print. As well, the reverse may have been true in some cases whereas a booking began with a 35mm print because the lab was unable to complete the 70mm print order in time for an opening-day delivery or the exhibitor negotiated a mid-run switch to 70mm. In such cases, any 35mm portion of the engagement has been included in the duration figure. Opening date YYYY-MM-DD Locale Cinema (duration in weeks) 1970-11-04 New York Cinerama (21) 1970-11-04 Toronto Glendale (22) 1970-11-10 Los Angeles Cinerama Dome (35) 1970-12-16 Detroit (Southfield) Americana (15) 1970-12-18 Calgary Chinook (7) 1970-12-18 Edmonton Westmount (7) 1970-12-18 Montreal York (9) 1970-12-18 Ottawa Nelson (9) 1970-12-18 Vancouver Ridge (10) 1970-12-18 Winnipeg North Star 1 (7) 1970-12-21 Hartford Cinerama (17) 1970-12-21 Kansas City (Overland Park) Glenwood I (16) 1970-12-21 San Diego Capri (22) 1970-12-21 San Francisco Regency II (12) 1970-12-22 Boston Saxon (9) 1970-12-22 Chicago (Northbrook) Edens 2 (7) 1970-12-22 Chicago (Oak Brook) Cinema 150 (15) 1970-12-22 Rochester (Penfield) Riviera (16) 1970-12-22 St. Louis (Richmond Heights) Esquire (11) 1970-12-23 Charlotte Carolina (9) 1970-12-23 Cleveland (Woodmere) Village (9) 1970-12-23 Dayton McCook (14) 1970-12-23 Houston Windsor (12) 1970-12-23 Miami (Miami Beach) Sheridan (26) 1970-12-23 Oklahoma City Tower (10) 1970-12-23 Salt Lake City Centre (15) 1970-12-23 Syracuse Eckel (8) 1970-12-24 Buffalo (Amherst) Plaza North (8+) 1970-12-25 Albany Madison (8+) 1970-12-25 Atlanta Phipps Plaza (9) 1970-12-25 Baltimore (Towson) Hillendale (11) 1970-12-25 Birmingham Eastwood (8+) 1970-12-25 Cincinnati Carousel (12) 1970-12-25 Columbus Cinestage (19) 1970-12-25 Dallas Wilshire (10) 1970-12-25 Denver Aladdin (20) 1970-12-25 Des Moines River Hills (9) 1970-12-25 Honolulu Cinerama (9) 1970-12-25 Indianapolis Eastwood (10) 1970-12-25 Jacksonville Cedar Hills (8+) 1970-12-25 Louisville Penthouse (7) 1970-12-25 Memphis Paramount (10) 1970-12-25 Milwaukee Strand (12) 1970-12-25 Minneapolis Academy (13) 1970-12-25 New Orleans Saenger-Orleans (9) 1970-12-25 Omaha Indian Hills (10) 1970-12-25 Philadelphia Mark I (12) 1970-12-25 Phoenix Cine Capri (19) 1970-12-25 Portland Hollywood (21) 1970-12-25 Providence (East Providence) Four Seasons I (8+) 1970-12-25 San Jose Century 21 (17) 1970-12-25 Seattle Cinerama (19) 1970-12-25 Washington MacArthur (9) 1971-02-03 Sacramento Esquire (10) 1971-02-10 Newark (Upper Montclair) Bellevue (21) 1971-02-10 Long Island (Woodbury) Cinema 150 (12) 1971-02-12 Fort Lauderdale (Deerfield Beach) Ultravision 2 (15) 1971-02-19 Tampa Palace (11) 1971-02-24 Richmond Willow Lawn (12) 1971-03-05 London Park (5) 1971-03-05 Quebec City Cinema Ste-Foy Salle Alouette (4) 1971-03-10 San Antonio Fox Twin 1 (9) 1971-03-17 Albuquerque Fox Winrock (5) 1971-03-17 Toledo Colony (6) 1971-03-?? Tulsa Fox (4+) 1971-04-07 Ogden (Riverdale) Cinedome 70 North (7) 1971-04-07 Pittsburgh Kings Court (4+) 1971-04-09 Las Vegas Parkway (7) 1971-04-09 Tucson El Dorado (7) SUBSEQUENT 70MM ENGAGEMENTS (non-reserved seating / general-release policy) 1971-05-19 Colorado Springs, CO Cinema 150 (6) [D-150] 1971-06-11 Des Moines, IA River Hills (1) [Cinerama] 1971-06-16 Little Rock, AR Cinema 150 (4) [D-150] 1971-06-16 Wichita, KS Uptown (11) [Cinerama] 1971-06-18 Des Moines, IA Capri (1) 1971-06-23 Austin, TX Americana (3) 1971-06-23 Brooklyn Center, MN Brookdale (2) 1971-06-25 Winnipeg, MB Grant Park (1) 1971-07-07 Vienna, VA Vienna (2) 1971-07-08 Springfield, IL Esquire (4) 1971-07-14 Willingboro, NJ Fox (2) 1971-07-23 Knoxville, TN Capri-70 (6) [Cinerama] 1971-07-29 Florence, SC Capri (1) 1971-08-06 Columbia, SC Richland Mall (1) 1971-09-15 Raleigh, NC Ambassador (2) [Cinerama] 1971-10-06 Charlotte, NC Carolina (1) 1971-10-13 Dallas, TX Cine 150 (1) 1971-10-28 Odessa, TX Grandview (1) 1972-06-23 Toronto, ON Cinesphere (1) [70mm festival] 1972-10-11 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Pacific (3) 1972-12-01 Houston., TX Gaylynn (1) 1973-08-01 Toledo, OH Renaissance Valentine (1) 1973-10-31 Hartford, CT Cinerama (1) 1975-10-01 Wichita, KS Uptown (1) Special Thanks: Jerry Alexander, Jim Barg, Herbert Born, Ray Caple, Bill Kretzel, Mark Lensenmayer, Stephen Leigh, Matt Lutthans, Kenneth Mitchell, Robert Morrow, Jim Perry, Vince Young, and an extra special thank-you to all of the librarians who helped with this project. International roadshow 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: Motion pictures photographed in Super Panavision 70 & Panavision System 65 70mm Cinemas in North America Chronological premiere list of major 70mm films Month by month premiere list of wide gauge and 3-strip films 70mm Engagements 70mm Blow Up List Dolby Stereo |
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