Indian Hills Theater facts for kids

The Indian Hills Theater was a special movie theater in Omaha, Nebraska, built in 1962. It was famous for showing movies in a super wide-screen format called Cinerama. The theater had the biggest movie screen of its kind in the whole United States! Sadly, even though many people, including famous Hollywood stars, tried to save it, the theater was torn down in 2001. A company called Nebraska Methodist Health System wanted the land for a parking lot.

Building a Special Movie Theater

The Indian Hills Theater cost about $1 million to build in 1962. It was designed by an architect named Richard L. Crowther. He made sure every part of the theater was perfect for the Cinerama movie experience. The building was shaped like a cylinder (a big round tube) with a flat roof.

Inside the Theater

The main movie room was round and could hold 810 people. There were seats on the main floor and a smaller section upstairs called a balcony. The theater was also designed to be easy for people using wheelchairs to get around.

The most amazing part was the huge, curved screen. It was about 35 feet 3 inches (10.74 m) tall and 110 feet (34 m) wide! Imagine a screen that big, curving around you like a hug. It went from the floor all the way to the ceiling. This was the largest indoor movie screen in the United States when it was built. The screen was made of 2,500 thin strips of tape.

To make the sound amazing, there were 20 speakers placed all around the screen and even at the back of the theater. For Cinerama movies, three special projectors were needed. They were set up in three different rooms on the main floor.

Later Changes and Demolition

Over the years, the Indian Hills Theater added more screens. In 1978, a smaller theater called "Cameo" was built next to it. Then, in 1987, two more small theaters were added.

In 2000, the main theater got new sound, new seats, and a new screen. But in July 2001, the Cameo and the two other smaller theaters were torn down. The main, famous Indian Hills Theater was demolished the very next month.

What Was a Night at the Indian Hills Like?

Going to the Indian Hills Theater in 1962 was a very fancy experience, almost like going to an opera! You would call ahead to buy your tickets, which were for specific seats, like at a concert.

When you arrived, a doorman would open the car door for you. You would pick up your reserved tickets at the box office. Then, an usher, dressed in a tuxedo, would walk you into the movie room and show you to your seats with a flashlight.

The snack bar was different too. They only sold a special orange drink and imported candies. You weren't allowed to take your drinks or snacks to your seats. As you entered the theater, you would hear the movie's music playing from the speakers behind the screen.

The Cinerama Experience

When the lights dimmed, the curtains would open to show the giant curved screen. The movie image would almost fill your entire view, making you feel like you were right inside the film! The special sound system, with speakers all around, made the experience even more real, almost like a 3D movie. During a break in the movie, people would gather in lounges, the lobby, or on the patio.

From Cinerama to Other Films

The last Cinerama movie shown at the Indian Hills Theater was How the West Was Won. It played for 42 weeks until March 1964. After that, the theater started showing regular first-run movies using a single projector in 70 mm or 35 mm formats. For example, in 1968, 2001: A Space Odyssey was shown there and advertised as a "Cinerama" film, even though it wasn't filmed with the Cinerama process.

Why Was This Theater So Important?

Cinerama was a special wide-screen movie format invented by Fred Waller. Before Cinerama, movies were shown on flat, almost square screens, and the sound was simple. Cinerama used three cameras and three projectors to show three film images side-by-side on a deeply curved screen. This made the picture look incredibly real.

The curved screen was designed to trick your eyes, making you feel like you were part of the movie. The advanced sound system also made everything feel more real. Because of Cinerama, the movie industry started using wide screens and stereo sound as the new normal.

Unique Cinerama Theaters

At its most popular, there were over 200 theaters around the world that could show Cinerama films. Most of these were older theaters that were changed to fit the Cinerama system. However, ten theaters were built especially for Cinerama movies.

Three of these special theaters, called "Super-Cineramas," were built almost exactly alike: one in Denver (the Cooper Theater) in 1961, one in Minneapolis (also a Cooper Theater) in 1961, and the Indian Hills Theater in Omaha in 1962.

Today, only three theaters in the world can still show Cinerama films: the Martin Cinerama Theater in Seattle, the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, and a theater in Bradford, England. Only the theater in England regularly shows Cinerama movies.

The Best Cinerama Theater

The Indian Hills Theater was considered the best Cinerama theater ever built. It was the last "Super-Cinerama" theater, and its design was very modern and practical. Its unique round shape made the Cinerama experience even better. Its curved screen was the largest ever put in a Cinerama theater. The other two "Super-Cinerama" theaters were torn down to make way for new buildings.

A filmmaker named David Strohmaier, who made a documentary about Cinerama, said the Indian Hills Theater was truly special because of its round design and huge screen. It was the best example of Cinerama design and technology.

Efforts to Save the Theater

In the summer of 2001, the Nebraska State Historical Society said that the Indian Hills Theater was so important to movie history that it should be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This would have helped protect it.

Theater Closes Down

On September 28, 2000, the theater closed because the company that owned it, Carmike Cinemas, went out of business. The last movie shown was Turn It Up.

In April 2001, it was announced that the theater was sold to Nebraska Methodist Health System. This company wanted to use the land for a parking lot. Many people tried to convince them to save the theater. Ed Reitan, an Omaha native and expert in film restoration, asked them to save the main Cinerama theater to use as an auditorium, but his requests were not heard.

A Group Tries to Lease It

A group of Cinerama fans, called the "Indian Hills Investment Group," tried to lease the theater from Nebraska Methodist. They wanted to reopen it for regular movies and special Cinerama showings. This group included Larry Karstens from Omaha, Matt Lutthans from Washington, and Rich Vincent from Denver.

After many tries, they finally got a meeting on June 20, 2001. Later that day, at a press conference, the CEO of Nebraska Methodist announced that the theater would be torn down by the end of the summer. He said it didn't make sense to spend money to keep it open.

The Preservation Society Forms

After this news, the Indian Hills Theater Preservation Society was started. They wanted to save the theater. Famous people from Hollywood, like Kirk Douglas, Charlton Heston, and Janet Leigh, wrote letters to the local newspaper to support saving the theater. Film historian Leonard Maltin even appeared in TV and radio ads asking people to help.

However, the CEO of Nebraska Methodist refused to consider any other plans besides tearing down the theater.

Last-Minute Effort to Make it a Landmark

On August 8, 2001, a meeting was held with the Omaha Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission. They were trying to decide if the Indian Hills Theater should be named an "Omaha Landmark." If it became a landmark, it would be protected from being torn down.

Filmmaker David Strohmaier said in a video that the Indian Hills was "the finest venue for wide-screen films in the world." The Commission voted to recommend that the theater be named a landmark.

Demolition Day

But on August 20, 2001, before the Omaha City Council could even vote on the landmark recommendation, Nebraska Methodist tore down the theater. Matt Lutthans, one of the people who tried to save it, said, "When the wrecking ball hit, I literally cried, it was such a disappointment." He added that the space is now "a beautifully paved, empty parking lot. Just sickening."

Some of the theater's items, like parts of the screen and seats, were given to Larry Karstens and other local arts groups.