This document provides a brief history of movie theaters in the United States: - The first public film exhibition was in 1896 at Koster & Bials Music Hall in New York, while the first theater exclusively showing films was Vitascope Hall in New Orleans later that year. - Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, opening in 1927, has hosted thousands of famous film premieres and offers tours of its iconic theater. - The first drive-in theater, allowing viewers to watch movies from their cars, opened in 1933 in New Jersey and revolutionized the movie-going experience. - The Silent Movie Theater in Los Angeles, opened in 1942, is the only theater dedicated exclusively to silent films and has

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THE NATION’S FIRST FROM COAST TO COAST
SILENCE | On April 23, 1896, New York City opera house Koster & Bials Music
Hall hosted the first public exhibition of motion pictures in the US. The New York
Times reported “vociferous cheering” by audiences well before the short film
was even over. However, the first theater to exclusively show films was Vitascope
Hall in New Orleans, which opened later that year in June.
A classic film favorite is the world famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Opening
in 1927 with the premiere of silent film The King of Kings, the theater has since
been the venue for thousands of star-studded movie premieres. Next time you’re
in LA, opt for a walk-through tour for a modest fee of $5.
Car and movie enthusiast Richard Hollingshead combined his two passions—
cars and movies—and patented Drive-In Theater in 1933. In Camden, New
Jersey, patrons enjoyed movies at 25 cents per car and per person. Texas wasn’t
too far behind, opening up the third drive-in in the country—and the first in
Texas. The Galveston Drive-In Short Reel Theater opened in 1934, which had
hitching posts next to the audio speakers for those on horseback.
After more than a decade of a silent film lull, John Hampton opened The Silent
Movie Theater in 1942 in Los Angeles—the only one in the US—which showcased
a smorgasbord of films staring legendary silverscreeners Charlie Chaplin, Mary
Pickford, Laurel & Hardy and Rudolph Valentino. In ’97, the new owner Laurence
Austin was shot and killed by a hitman—hired by Austin’s business partner who
plotted to seize the inheritance. Closed the following year and reopened in ’99,
the theater continues to attract a series of silent film enthusiasts and well-
known actors—David Bowie, Johnny Depp and Bruce Springsteen to name a few.
If that doesn’t impress you, tales of ghost sightings might.
The first megaplex movie theater, AMC Grand 24, was built in Dallas in ’95,
wowing families with larger than life silver screens, plush stadium seating and
surround sound. This later set the trend for paid parking and never-ending
popcorn lines.
4 Grauman’s Chinese Theatre
6925 Hollywood 323.461.3331
Los Angeles, California
manntheatres.com/chinese
5 The Silent Movie Theater
611 North Fairfax 323.655.2510
Los Angeles, California
silentmovietheatre.com
4
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