Dort Mall Cinema - Flint MI 

Address: 3750 S Dort Hwy
City: Flint
State: MI
Zip: 48507
County: Genesee
Open: 1968
Capacity: 850
Owner History: General Cinema
Theater Type: Shopping Center - Early Multiplex
Number of visits to this page: 12657
Disclaimer:

Please note that location entries may feature older photos or post card views that may not represent the current appearance, features, addresses, phone numbers, or contact names of the attraction. This site is intended to be a historical as well as current record of various attractions but it is not always possible to have up-to-date information due to the vast number of locations featured here. We ask you consult the propietor for current information.

General Information:

Source: David Kingham

I was the manager of the Dort Mall Cinema in 1976. As I recall the capacity was about 425 + 425 after it had been split. The splitting ruined the place - it was badly proportioned - long, narrow and tall. The bingo hall mentioned in a previous message was put in part of the former Zodys store. It was when they were trying to revive the property, re-naming it "The Small Mall". The remodeling saw the theatres marquee removed from the front of the mall, split in half, and put up on a post out by the road.

Info Updates:
2/11/2008 - Bob Naismith
Norman Christenson was the manager in late 1976 and had only been there about month or two before he hired me as his assistant manager. Norman lasted another six months before quitting. This left me holding down the fort. This wouldn't have been a problem except I already had a full-time job and another part-time job besides working many hours at the theater. They had me keep it going until they hired a new manager, Doug Lonsbury. Doug and I become good friends, even after I left a couple years later. He moved on to Chicagoland area to manager a huge multi-screen cinema later.

The Dort Mall Cinema was a great place. Movies were doing well at the then "Small Mall". When we had a big movie, we would have two big lines leading way out and around the corner deep into the mall area. It was a fun place to work.

As David mentioned above, both theaters were like bowling alleys and weren't the best place to watch a movie in old movie house style, but the screens were bigger than most multi-cinemas of that day. Sound was excellent and the concession stand served the best of products. General Cinema did a good job operating the place. They had the Green Acres Cinema in Saginaw and us in Flint, along with several cinemas in the Detroit area at the time.
 Photos:15
Dort Mall Cinema - Old Photo
Old Photo
Dort Mall Cinema - Concession Counter
Concession Counter
Dort Mall Cinema - Entrance
Entrance
Dort Mall Cinema - May 11 2022
May 11 2022
Dort Mall Cinema - May 11 2022
May 11 2022
Dort Mall Cinema - May 11 2022
May 11 2022
Dort Mall Cinema - May 11 2022
May 11 2022
Dort Mall Cinema - May 11 2022
May 11 2022
Dort Mall Cinema - May 11 2022
May 11 2022
Dort Mall Cinema - May 11 2022
May 11 2022
Dort Mall Cinema - 1975 Article On Twinning
1975 Article On Twinning
Dort Mall Cinema - 1976 Ad
1976 Ad
Dort Mall Cinema - 1979 News Mention
1979 News Mention
Dort Mall Cinema - 1982 Article On New Screens
1982 Article On New Screens
Dort Mall Cinema - 1983 Article On Closing
1983 Article On Closing
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