[Back to Page 2]

PART 2: THE ROADSHOW ENGAGEMENTS — UNITED STATES & CANADA

What follows is a list of the known domestic theatrical “hard ticket” roadshow engagements of The Sound of Music, arranged chronologically by date of premiere. The duration of the engagements, measured in weeks, has been included to illustrate the film’s popularity.

These roadshow engagements of The Sound of Music were exclusive engagements that preceded any general-release exhibition. Out of hundreds of films released during 1965, The Sound of Music was among only ten given deluxe roadshow treatment in the United States and Canada. Many of these presentations were screened in 70-millimeter with six-track stereophonic sound; the rest were shown in 35mm reduction prints (many with stereophonic sound). Much like a stage show, these bookings featured reserved seating, an advanced admission price, were shown an average of only ten times per week, and included an intermission. Souvenir program booklets were sold, as well.

• 1965-01-15 ... Minneapolis, MN – Mann (sneak preview test screening)
• 1965-01-16 ... Tulsa, OK – Brook (sneak preview test screening)

• 1965-03-02 ... New York, NY – Rivoli (93 weeks)
• 1965-03-10 ... Los Angeles (Beverly Hills), CA – Fox Wilshire (94)
• 1965-03-10 ... Toronto, ON – Eglinton (146)
• 1965-03-17 ... Boston, MA – Gary (83)
• 1965-03-17 ... Chicago, IL – Michael Todd (93)
• 1965-03-17 ... Detroit, MI – Madison (98)
• 1965-03-17 ... Miami (Miami Beach), FL – Colony (82)
• 1965-03-17 ... Philadelphia, PA – Midtown (93)
• 1965-03-17 ... Vancouver, BC – Ridge (99)
• 1965-03-17 ... Washington, DC – Ontario (97)
• 1965-03-18 ... Montreal, QC – Seville (98)
• 1965-03-18 ... San Francisco, CA – United Artists (93)
• 1965-03-24 ... Atlanta, GA – Martin Cinerama (89)
  
• 1965-03-24 ... Baltimore, MD – New (91)
• 1965-03-24 ... Cleveland, OH – Ohio (91)
• 1965-03-24 ... Dallas, TX – Inwood (91)
• 1965-03-24 ... Denver, CO – Aladdin (112)
• 1965-03-24 ... Milwaukee, WI – Strand (97)
• 1965-03-24 ... Minneapolis, MN – Mann (95)
• 1965-03-24 ... Providence (Warwick), RI – Warwick (86)
• 1965-03-24 ... Salt Lake City, UT – Utah (95)
• 1965-03-31 ... Buffalo, NY – Teck (79)
• 1965-03-31 ... Calgary, AB – Odeon (72)
• 1965-03-31 ... Charlotte, NC – Carolina (79)
• 1965-03-31 ... Cincinnati, OH – International 70 (79)
• 1965-03-31 ... Edmonton, AB – Varscona (114)
• 1965-03-31 ... Honolulu, HI – Kuhio (81)
• 1965-03-31 ... Houston, TX – Alabama (90)
• 1965-03-31 ... Indianapolis, IN – Lyric (94)
• 1965-03-31 ... Phoenix, AZ – Vista (115)
• 1965-03-31 ... Richmond, VA – Willow Lawn (86)
• 1965-03-31 ... St. Louis, MO – St. Louis (83)
• 1965-03-31 ... San Diego, CA – Loma (133)
• 1965-03-31 ... Seattle, WA – 5th Avenue (117)

• 1965-04-01 ... Winnipeg, MB – Kings (88)
• 1965-04-06 ... Tulsa, OK – Brook (79)
• 1965-04-07 ... Columbus, OH – Northland (84)
• 1965-04-07 ... Dayton, OH – Dabel (105)
• 1965-04-07 ... Des Moines, IA – Capri (113)
• 1965-04-07 ... Jacksonville, FL – 5 Points (31)
• 1965-04-07 ... Louisville, KY – Rialto (64)
• 1965-04-07 ... Memphis, TN – Paramount (79)
• 1965-04-07 ... Norfolk, VA – Riverview (115)
• 1965-04-07 ... Oklahoma City, OK – Tower (82)
• 1965-04-07 ... Omaha, NE – Dundee (118)
• 1965-04-07 ... Pittsburgh, PA – Nixon (106)
• 1965-04-07 ... Portland, OR – Fox (116)
• 1965-04-07 ... San Antonio, TX – North Star Mall I (82)
• 1965-04-07 ... Tampa, FL – Palace (77)
• 1965-04-15 ... Orlando, FL – Beacham (60)
• 1965-04-15 ... Rochester, NY – Monroe (85)

• 1965-05-27 ... Atlantic City, NJ – Virginia (79)
• 1965-05-27 ... Fort Worth, TX – Palace (21)
• 1965-05-28 ... Syracuse (DeWitt), NY – Shoppingtown (76)

• 1965-06-18 ... Albany, NY – Hellman (30)
• 1965-06-23 ... Akron (Fairlawn Village), OH – Village (91)
• 1965-06-23 ... Asbury Park, NJ – Paramount (76)
• 1965-06-23 ... Hartford (West Hartford), CT – Elm (77)
• 1965-06-23 ... Nashville, TN – Belle Meade (69)
• 1965-06-23 ... New Haven (Hamden), CT – Cinemart (73)
• 1965-06-23 ... Newark (Upper Montclair), NJ – Bellevue (100)
• 1965-06-23 ... Oyster Bay (Syosset), NY – Syosset (78)
• 1965-06-23 ... Scranton, PA – West Side (53)
• 1965-06-23 ... Toledo, OH – Princess 70 (91)
• 1965-06-23 ... Worcester (Shrewsbury), MA – White City (53)
• 1965-06-23 ... Youngstown, OH – State (51)
• 1965-06-30 ... London, ON – Hyland (73)
• 1965-06-30 ... Ottawa, ON – Nelson (55)
• 1965-06-30 ... Sudbury, ON – Century (14)

• 1965-07-07 ... Columbia, SC – Carolina (22)
• 1965-07-14 ... Harrisburg, PA – Eric (68)
• 1965-07-14 ... Kansas City, MO – Midland (75)
• 1965-07-16 ... Chattanooga, TN – Brainerd (31)
• 1965-07-21 ... Portland (Westbrook), ME – Cinema I (68)
• 1965-07-21 ... Savannah, GA – Savannah (12)
• 1965-07-21 ... Wichita, KS – Boulevard (49)
• 1965-07-22 ... Birmingham, AL – Eastwood Mall (17)
• 1965-07-22 ... Grand Rapids, MI – Midtown (71)

• 1965-08-03 ... El Paso, TX – Pershing (17)
• 1965-08-04 ... Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine (16)
• 1965-08-04 ... Sioux City, IA – Cinema (47)
• 1965-08-06 ... Cedar Rapids, IA – Times 70 (65)
• 1965-08-06 ... Lexington, KY – Kentucky (16)
• 1965-08-11 ... Greenville, SC – Carolina (15)
• 1965-08-11 ... Raleigh, NC – Ambassador (61)
• 1965-08-11 ... Winston-Salem, NC – Winston (44)
• 1965-08-13 ... Columbus, GA – Beverly (13)
• 1965-08-18 ... Erie, PA – Plaza (21)

• 1965-09-22 ... Beaumont, TX – Liberty (12)
• 1965-09-22 ... Corpus Christi, TX – Tower (12)
• 1965-09-22 ... Eugene, OR – Fox (26)
• 1965-09-22 ... Knoxville, TN – Park (45)
• 1965-09-22 ... Little Rock, AR – Capitol (13)
• 1965-09-22 ... Sacramento, CA – Crest (59)
• 1965-09-22 ... Spokane, WA – State (54)
• 1965-09-23 ... Augusta, GA – Daniel Village (19)
• 1965-09-23 ... Macon, GA – Grand (14)
• 1965-09-29 ... Tucson, AZ – Catalina (45)

• 1965-10-06 ... Fall River, MA – Durfee (37)
• 1965-10-06 ... Springfield (West Springfield), MA – Showcase 2 (36)
• 1965-10-14 ... Las Vegas, NV – Fox (24)
• 1965-10-20 ... Fargo (Moorhead, MN), ND – Moorhead (53)
• 1965-10-20 ... New Orleans, LA – Orleans (56)
• 1965-10-27 ... Hamilton, ON – Century (38)
• 1965-10-27 ... Springfield, IL – Lincoln (23)
• 1965-10-28 ... Charleston, SC – Riviera (13)
• 1965-10-28 ... Fort Wayne, IN – Jefferson (55)
• 1965-10-29 ... Evansville, IN – Washington (33)

• 1965-11-03 ... Fitchburg, MA – Saxon (16)
• 1965-11-10 ... Davenport, IA – Coronet (74)

• 1965-12-23 ... Colorado Springs, CO – Cooper 70 (40)
• 1965-12-24 ... Austin, TX – Varsity (22)
• 1965-12-25 ... Allentown, PA – Boyd (45)
• 1965-12-25 ... Binghamton, NY – Capri (27)
• 1965-12-25 ... Boise, ID – Ada (11)
• 1965-12-25 ... Canton, OH – Palace (42)
• 1965-12-25 ... Champaign, IL – Co-Ed II (26)
• 1965-12-25 ... Fresno, CA – Warner (33)
• 1965-12-25 ... Green Bay, WI – West (39)
• 1965-12-25 ... Jacksonville, NC – Iwo Jima (12)
• 1965-12-25 ... Lubbock, TX – Village (41)
• 1965-12-25 ... Lynchburg, VA – Warner (19)
• 1965-12-25 ... Manchester, NH – Strand (27)
• 1965-12-25 ... Montgomery, AL – Empire (18)
• 1965-12-25 ... Newport News, VA – Newmarket (41)
• 1965-12-25 ... Reno, NV – Crest (19)
• 1965-12-25 ... Roanoke, VA – Grandin (39)
• 1965-12-25 ... Shreveport, LA – Broadmoor (35)
• 1965-12-25 ... Sioux Falls, SD – Cinema (44)
• 1965-12-25 ... Utica, NY – Uptown (26)
• 1965-12-25 ... Williamsport, PA – Rialto (27)

• 1966-01-19 ... Madison, WI – Hilldale (39)
• 1966-01-21 ... Palm Beach, FL – Paramount (20)
• 1966-01-26 ... Mobile, AL – Loop (25)
• 1966-01-26 ... Pensacola, FL – Rex (12)
• 1966-01-28 ... Bristol, TN – Paramount (17)

• 1966-02-02 ... Melbourne (Cocoa Beach), FL – Fine Arts (29)
• 1966-02-02 ... Reading, PA – Fox (41)
• 1966-02-02 ... Tallahassee, FL – State (8)
• 1966-02-04 ... Daytona Beach, FL – Beach (16)
• 1966-02-09 ... Quebec City (Ste-Foy), QC – Cinema Ste-Foy Salle Alouette (43)
• 1966-02-11 ... Wheeling, WV – Victoria (20)
• 1966-02-16 ... Lawrence, MA – Showcase 1 (36)
• 1966-02-18 ... Halifax, NS – Paramount (19)
• 1966-02-18 ... Tuscaloosa, AL – Capri (15)
• 1966-02-23 ... Charleston, WV – Capitol (17)
• 1966-02-23 ... Huntington, WV – Orpheum (18)
• 1966-02-24 ... Kingston, ON – Hyland (13)

• 1966-03-03 ... Flint, MI – Palace (17)
• 1966-03-03 ... Kalamazoo, MI – Capitol (16)
• 1966-03-03 ... Lansing, MI – Gladmer (16)
• 1966-03-18 ... Victoria, BC – Odeon (24)
• 1966-03-23 ... Billings, MT – Babcock (27)
• 1966-03-23 ... Jackson, MS – Paramount (12)
• 1966-03-24 ... Amarillo, TX – Esquire (17)
• 1966-03-24 ... Harlingen, TX – Rialto (12)
• 1966-03-24 ... Tyler, TX – Arcadia (14)
• 1966-03-30 ... Great Falls, MT – Civic Center (13)
• 1966-03-30 ... Hagerstown, MD – Colonial (13)
• 1966-03-30 ... Johnstown, PA – State (11)
• 1966-03-30 ... New London, CT – Capitol (14)
• 1966-03-30 ... St. Joseph, MO – Fox East Hills (13)
• 1966-03-30 ... Springfield, MO – Gillioz (13)
• 1966-03-30 ... State College, PA – Nittany (10)
• 1966-03-30 ... Topeka, KS – Grand (13)
• 1966-03-31 ... Waco, TX – 25th Street (10)

• 1966-04-06 ... Charlottesville, VA – University (16)
• 1966-04-06 ... Yakima, WA – Yakima (19)
• 1966-04-07 ... Baton Rouge, LA – Paramount (22)
• 1966-04-07 ... Kitchener (Waterloo), ON – Waterloo (22)
• 1966-04-07 ... Monroe, LA – Eastgate (16)
• 1966-04-07 ... Quincy, IL – State (10)
• 1966-04-07 ... Spartanburg, SC – Palmetto (14)
• 1966-04-08 ... Rockford, IL – Times (25)
• 1966-04-14 ... Wichita Falls, TX – State (10)
• 1966-04-21 ... Abilene, TX – Queen (14)

• 1966-05-25 ... Albany, NY – Hellman (return engagement, 9 [39])
• 1966-05-25 ... Wildwood, NJ – Ocean (19)
• 1966-05-27 ... Myrtle Beach, SC – Gloria (17)

• 1966-06-15 ... Duluth, MN – Duluth (23)
• 1966-06-15 ... Grand Forks, ND – Forx (24)
• 1966-06-22 ... Columbia, MO – Cinema (15)
• 1966-06-22 ... Lancaster, PA – Fulton (20)
• 1966-06-23 ... Dubuque, IA – Strand (23)
• 1966-06-29 ... Brockton, MA – Westgate Mall I (39)
• 1966-06-29 ... Hyannis, MA – Center (14)
• 1966-06-29 ... Louisville, KY – Penthouse (moveover from Rialto, 15 [79])
• 1966-06-30 ... Lethbridge, AB – Paramount (11)
• 1966-06-30 ... Thunder Bay (Fort William), ON – Capitol (11)

• 1966-07-01 ... Peoria, IL – Beverly (23)
• 1966-07-12 ... San Jose, CA – Century 22 (67)
• 1966-07-27 ... Altoona, PA – Capitol (12)
• 1966-07-27 ... South Bend, IN – River Park (34)

• 1966-08-31 ... Trenton (Fairless Hills, PA), NJ – Eric (28)

• 1966-09-21 ... Anchorage, AK – Fireweed (12)
• 1966-09-21 ... Brandon, MB – Strand (4)
• 1966-09-21 ... Oakland, CA – Roxie (35)
• 1966-09-21 ... Regina, SK – Capitol (16)
• 1966-09-21 ... Stockton, CA – Ritz (18)
• 1966-09-22 ... Belleville, ON – Belle (7)
• 1966-09-22 ... Brantford, ON – Odeon (6)
• 1966-09-22 ... Moncton, NB – Paramount (6)
• 1966-09-22 ... North Bay, ON – Capitol (5)
• 1966-09-22 ... Peterborough, ON – Paramount (10)
• 1966-09-22 ... Prince George, BC – Parkwood (4)
• 1966-09-22 ... Sarnia, ON – Odeon (10)
• 1966-09-22 ... Sault Ste. Marie, ON – Algoma (5)

• 1966-10-05 ... Monterey, CA – Steinbeck (25)
• 1966-10-05 ... Wilmington, DE – Cinema 141 (41)
• 1966-10-12 ... Burlington, VT – State (20)
• 1966-10-12 ... Wilkes-Barre (Edwardsville), PA – Gateway (19)
• 1966-10-13 ... Cornwall, ON – Capitol (4)
• 1966-10-20 ... Brockville, ON – Capitol (5)
• 1966-10-20 ... Timmins, ON – Victory (4)
• 1966-10-20 ... Windsor, ON – Park (22)
• 1966-10-26 ... Chelmsford, MA – Rte. 3 Cinema II (12)
• 1966-10-26 ... Cumberland, MD – Strand (9)
• 1966-10-26 ... Maynard, MA – Fine Arts (5)

• 1966-11-02 ... St. Louis (Ellisville), MO – Ellisville (16)
• 1966-11-02 ... St. Louis (Moline Acres), MO – Lewis & Clark (12)
• 1966-11-09 ... Boston, MA – Paris (13)

• 1966-12-21 ... Bridgeport (Trumbull), CT – United Artists (26)
• 1966-12-21 ... Fredericksburg, VA – Victoria (11)
• 1966-12-21 ... Harrisburg, PA – Eric (return engagement, 8 [76])
  
  
• 1966-12-21 ... Lebanon, PA – Colonial (8)
• 1966-12-21 ... Petersburg, VA – Bluebird (6)
• 1966-12-23 ... Guelph, ON – Palace (4)
• 1966-12-23 ... Hickory, NC – Carolina (9)
• 1966-12-23 ... Montreal (Pointe-Claire), QC – Fairview Twin (16)
• 1966-12-23 ... Niagara Falls, ON – Seneca (7)
• 1966-12-23 ... St. Catharines, ON – Pen Centre (15)
• 1966-12-23 ... Saskatoon, SK – Paramount (18)
• 1966-12-23 ... Tacoma, WA – Temple (12)
• 1966-12-25 ... Los Angeles, CA – Carthay Circle (moveover from Fox Wilshire, 23 [117])
• 1966-12-26 ... Medicine Hat, AB – Monarch (6)
• 1966-12-26 ... Prince Rupert, BC – Totem (4)
• 1966-12-26 ... Saint John, NB – Paramount (8)
• 1966-12-28 ... St. John’s, NF – Capitol (7)
• 1966-12-29 ... Red Deer, AB – Paramount (4)

• 1967-01-12 ... Oshawa, ON – Regent (8)
• 1967-01-13 ... Wilmington, NC – Manor (10)
• 1967-01-18 ... Kamloops, BC – Paramount (6)
• 1967-01-26 ... Red Deer (Lacombe), AB – Lux (moveover from Paramount, 4 [8])
• 1967-01-27 ... Durham, NC – Center (12)

• 1967-02-01 ... Montreal, QC – York (moveover from Seville, 7 [105])
• 1967-02-02 ... Greensboro, NC – Terrace (18)
• 1967-02-08 ... Vancouver (West Vancouver), BC – Park Royal (moveover from Ridge, 11 [110])

• 1967-03-23 ... Montreal, QC – Versailles (moveover from York, 7 [112])

The music (and the money coming in) didn’t end with the roadshow release. Beginning in late 1966, 20th Century Fox placed The Sound of Music into a “Special Selective Engagement” release, which was, essentially, a modified roadshow in that the bookings were area exclusives with reserved performances, scheduled showtimes, and higher-than-normal admission prices. The distinction between this stage of its release and the original roadshow release is that seats, in most situations, were not reserved. It was at this stage that most small and mid-sized cities that did not run the film on a reserved-seat basis first played the film. It was also during this stage that many large cities began their first of numerous return engagements. The majority of these engagements were shown in 35mm.

The “General” release (“Continuous Performances at Popular Prices”) followed the “Special Selective” release in mid-to-late 1967, depending on the market, and it wasn’t until 1968 that many tiny one- or two-theater towns or drive-in theaters played the film for the first time. The film, amazingly, remained in circulation through the summer of 1969, at which time several theaters ran a “Farewell” engagement. Ultimately, The Sound of Music played over 9,000 engagements during its record run of four and a half years.

In North America, the film was officially re-released during 1973 and 1978 and in a limited 25th anniversary re-release during 1990. The film’s network television debut broadcast was in 1976, and its first home-video release was in 1979. In recent years “Sing-A-Long” presentations have become popular, and in 2001 the film was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

And…if you thought the performance of The Sound of Music in the United States and Canada was impressive, keep reading!

[On to Page 4]

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4