Help
Add this page to your book
Show book (0 pages)
Suggest pagesHarkins Theatres
 |
This article relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Please add citations from reliable sources. (January 2010) |
 |
|
| Type | Private subsidiary of Harkins Enterprises |
|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment (movie theaters) |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Founder(s) | Dwight "Red" Harkins |
| Headquarters | Scottsdale, AZ |
| Area served | Southwestern United States |
| Key people | Dan Harkins, Owner & CEO, Mike Bowers, President & COO |
| Owner(s) | Dan Harkins |
| Employees | 2,100 (as of August 2006) |
| Parent | Harkins Enterprises, LLC |
| Website | http://www.harkinstheatres.com |
Harkins Theatres is a movie theater chain with locations throughout the Southwestern United States. Harkins Theatres is privately owned and operated by its parent company, Harkins Enterprises, LLC. The company currently operates 30 theaters with 428 screens throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] In The Beginning- Dwight "Red" Harkins
In 1931, at the age of sixteen, Dwight Harkins left Cincinnati, Ohio, on his Harley Davidson motorcycle for Hollywood. Dwight planned to pursue a role in one of the new "talkies." By the time he arrived in Tempe, Arizona, he could no longer afford to continue his quest. After several years in Tempe, he sought out a new career dream operating a grand movie-house. In 1933, he opened the State Theatre in Tempe. It is speculated that at the time, he was the youngest movie theater operator in the world[citation needed].
[edit] Expansion and innovation
In 1940, Harkins opened the College Theatre (currently Harkins Valley Art). The theater contained new innovations such as glow-in-the-dark carpet, headphones for the hearing impaired, and automatic drinking fountains.
In 1948 Dwight Harkins opened the Saguaro Theater.
The last theatre opened by Dwight was the Camelview Theatre in 1973.
In the 1950s he helped change the broadcasting industry by developing a type of FM multiplex radio. Later, he helped launch the first radio station capable of transmitting multi-track sound.
Harkins continues to innovate by constantly updating its theaters with the most up to date projection and sound equipment. In 1997, Harkins Superstition Springs 25 was the first theater in Arizona to obtain THX Certification in all 25 auditoriums. In addition, all theaters currently have a digital pre-show system powered by Kodak. In 2005 and 2006, several Disney DLP projectors were installed at Arizona Mills 25 with IMAX, Arrowhead Fountains 18, and the Moreno Valley 16, and a new Harkins opened up near Casa Grande in November, 2007.
Harkins Theatres also offers daycare service in many theaters.
[edit] Dan Harkins
In 1974, Dwight Harkins died, leaving the company to his eldest son, Dan Harkins. At that time the company was near bankruptcy. After reworking the company, Dan extensively expanded the theatre chain from five locations in the Phoenix area to the current 30 locations in 5 states - Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Arizona and Southern California.
[edit] Acquisitions
In the late 1980s, Harkins acquired several theatres operated by Mann Theatres. Most of the theatres acquired were a result of a lawsuit. In 1988, Harkins re-opened the Cine Capri theatre in Phoenix. The original Cine Capri had the largest screen in Arizona, measuring more than 70 feet (21 m) long. The theater could not escape the nearby growth, however. Despite over 200,000 signatures in an effort to save the theatre led primarily by KTAR's Pat McMahon, the theater was demolished in 1997. Dan Harkins stated that the theater would be rebuilt. In 2003, the new version of the Cine Capri theatre opened at the Scottsdale 101 14 multiplex. Due to the popularity of the Cine Capri, Harkins also built a Cine Capri Theater at its Bricktown (Harkins Theatres)|Bricktown 16, Northfield (Harkins Theatres)|Northfield 18, and Southlake Town Center 14 locations. Harkins has now opened up a second Cine Capri in the Phoenix area at the newly opened Tempe Marketplace 16 in Tempe Arizona. In November 2009, Harkins Theatre collaborated with the Tyler Zencka enterprise.
On December 10, 2009, Harkins Theatres began to lease the IMAX theater right next to its own theater at Arizona Mills from IMAX Corporation. That location was immediately renamed the Harkins Arizona Mills Luxury 25 with IMAX. Currently, plans are under review to have the current IMAX theatre undergo a major renovation to reflect the Harkins brand, and bring it in line with existing Harkins facilities.
Harkins' IMAX Theatre shows first run films made available in IMAX format on the same day as the film opens in other theatres across the country. The first to have been shown in the newly acquired theater was James Cameron's highly anticipated new motion picture Avatar (2009 film) from 20th Century Fox in IMAX 3D.
[edit] Expansion into other states
In 2004, Harkins Theatres opened its first theatre outside of Arizona in Oklahoma City. The success of the theatre led to expansion into Colorado, Texas, and California in 2006.
[edit] Foreign art and film program
The Harkins Art Film Society brings unique films to the theatre chain. Harkins Valley Art and Harkins Camelview 5 are dedicated to foreign and independent films. Also, Harkins hosts the Phoenix Film Festival each year at the Scottsdale 101 Cine Capri location and the DeadCENTER Film Festival at the Oklahoma City Bricktown 16 location.
[edit] Loyalty Program
Harkins Theatres sells souvenir cups and logo t-shirts each year with a different movie-related theme. If customers purchase the cup, they can bring it back to receive $1.00 refills for the year. If they wear the shirt, they receive a free medium sized popcorn during each visit throughout the year as well. A percentage of the profits go to the Phoenix Children's Hospital.[1]
[edit] Trivia
- Before the opening of each new theatre, Dan Harkins and his family have a handprint dedication ceremony similar to that at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. He then proceeds to purchase the very first ticket.
- A premiere of The Bourne Ultimatum was held in downtown Oklahoma City on July 31, 2007, at the Harkins Theatres Bricktown 16[2] to benefit The Children's Center, located in suburban Bethany. The film was shown simultaneously on three screens. Star Matt Damon was at the event to greet guests.
- The world premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine was held at Tempe Marketplace 16 on April 27, 2009.
[edit] Main Competitors
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.phoenixchildrens.com[specify]
- ^ "The Bourne Ultimatum Oklahoma City Premiere". The Oklahoman. http://newsok.com/article/3083167/?print=0. Retrieved 2007-07-14.
