A Nostalgic Look Back at Denver’s Iconic Cooper Cinerama Theater
For old-school Denverites, the memory of the Cooper Cinerama Theater holds a special place in the city’s cultural history. Opened in 1961, this legendary theater once stood proudly at 960 S. Colorado Boulevard in Glendale, where a Barnes & Noble now sits. But long before the big-box bookstores, it was the Cooper Cinerama’s curved screen that captivated audiences, offering a truly immersive cinematic experience that wrapped viewers in sights and sounds until its closure and demolition in 1994.
Back in the 1960s, Denver was a smaller city, and the Cooper Cinerama was a major attraction. It wasn’t just a place to watch a movie; it was a full-fledged experience. As Shannon Stanbro of Historic Modern Denver describes it, “Cinerama was a special, full immersion, surround-sound movie experience. Seeing a Cinerama film at The Cooper was equivalent to visiting a major tourist attraction like Disneyland.” The theater required tickets to be purchased in advance, with reserved seating, making each visit feel like an event. Tourists would even plan to include a visit to the Cooper as part of their Denver itinerary. The theater’s three-projector setup made the most of the Cinerama technology, delivering films with a visual and auditory impact that was rare for its time.
The Cooper’s charm wasn’t just in its screen; it was also in the thoughtful design of the theater itself. From the bold, eye-catching signage that welcomed moviegoers to the spacious lobby that drew in the attention of drivers on Colorado Boulevard, every detail was meticulously crafted. Renowned architect Richard Crowther was the mastermind behind this design. Crowther, who made Denver his home in the 1940s, was known for his innovative commercial projects, including updating ticket booths at Lakeside Amusement Park.
But Crowther’s creativity didn’t stop at theaters and commercial spaces. He was also a pioneer in sustainable home design, utilizing passive solar techniques that harnessed Colorado’s abundant sunlight. His vision was ahead of its time, and one of his energy-efficient homes recently hit the market in Cherry Creek with a hefty $2.2 million price tag—a testament to his lasting influence on Denver’s architectural landscape.
Though the Cooper Cinerama Theater is long gone, its impact on Denver’s cultural history and its legacy in the world of cinema remains. For those who remember its grand screen and unforgettable movie nights, the Cooper is more than a lost building—it’s a piece of Mile High history that will forever be missed.
