Chautauqua Cinema
Encyclopedia
The Chautauqua Cinema is an independent movie theater
located in historic Higgins Memorial Hall on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution
in Chautauqua, New York
in the United States
. Higgins Hall is a contributing property
in the Chautauqua Institution Historic District.
in cooperation with the Chautauqua Institution began screening films. In 1938 Higgins Hall was leased to Joseph and Margaret Woodburn who ran it privately. In 1956 the business was bought by Robert and Jessamine Schmidt of Mayville, NY whose family runs it to this day.
sound and seats 350 people. The Cinema shows a wide variety of films during a nine week summer season that runs parallel to Chautauqua Institution’s summer season. The films shown are a select program, including independent films, foreign films, documentary films and classics as well as some major Hollywood titles. The Chautauqua Cinema is closed during the off-season.
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
located in historic Higgins Memorial Hall on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution
Chautauqua Institution
The Chautauqua Institution is a non-profit adult education center and summer resort located on 750 acres in Chautauqua, New York, 17 miles northwest of Jamestown in the western part of New York State...
in Chautauqua, New York
Chautauqua, New York
Chautauqua is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, U.S. . The population was 4,666 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Chautauqua Lake. The traditional meaning remains 'bag tied in the middle'...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Higgins Hall is a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
in the Chautauqua Institution Historic District.
History
Built in 1895 Higgins Hall was used as a meeting and performance hall until 1916 when the Community Motion Picture BureauCommunity Motion Picture Bureau
During World War I, the Community Motion Picture Bureau was an American organization that "would supply about four thousand picture shows a week to YMCA, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Jewish Welfare Board, Knights of Columbus or any other accredited organization supplying entertainment for troops."...
in cooperation with the Chautauqua Institution began screening films. In 1938 Higgins Hall was leased to Joseph and Margaret Woodburn who ran it privately. In 1956 the business was bought by Robert and Jessamine Schmidt of Mayville, NY whose family runs it to this day.
Current status
The Chautauqua Cinema has 35mm and digital projection, Dolby DigitalDolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
sound and seats 350 people. The Cinema shows a wide variety of films during a nine week summer season that runs parallel to Chautauqua Institution’s summer season. The films shown are a select program, including independent films, foreign films, documentary films and classics as well as some major Hollywood titles. The Chautauqua Cinema is closed during the off-season.