THE FIRST-RUN ENGAGEMENTS
What follows is a chronological reference listing of The Last Picture Show’s openings in the key markets of the United States and Canada. The emphasis is on the largest and earliest markets in which the film played. The information is designed to provide a sense of the film’s rollout in the early stage of its release in what the industry considers the important and higher-grossing locales.
The presentations of The Last Picture Show were in 35mm (1.85:1 aspect ratio) with monaural audio.
Opening Date YYYY-MM-DD … City — Cinema [notes]
- 1971-10-02 … New York – Lincoln Center [New York Film Festival]
- 1971-10-03 … New York – Columbia I
- 1971-11-04 … Los Angeles – Chinese [FILMEX]
- 1971-11-10 … Boston – Abbey I
- 1971-11-10 … San Francisco – Vogue
- 1971-11-17 … Los Angeles – 4 Star
- 1971-12-19 … Chicago – Esquire
- 1971-12-22 … Philadelphia – Cinema 19
- 1971-12-25 … Washington – Fine Arts
- 1972-01-26 … Denver – Centre
- 1972-01-26 … Kansas City – Embassy 1
- 1972-01-26 … Kansas City – Embassy 2
- 1972-01-26 … Phoenix (Scottsdale) – Camelback Mall
- 1972-01-26 … Sacramento – Sacramento Inn II
- 1972-01-26 … San Jose – Century 22B
- 1972-01-26 … Seattle – Cinema 70
- 1972-01-28 … Fresno – Manchester Mall
- 1972-01-28 … San Diego – Capri
- 1972-02-02 … Des Moines – Fleur 1
- 1972-02-02 … Detroit – Studio New Center
- 1972-02-02 … Detroit (Birmingham) – Studio 4
- 1972-02-02 … Detroit (Dearborn Heights) – Fairlane
- 1972-02-02 … Memphis – Park
- 1972-02-02 … Miami – Kendall Mall Twin II
- 1972-02-02 … Miami – Westchester
- 1972-02-02 … Miami (Fort Lauderdale) – Sunrise I
- 1972-02-02 … Miami (Miami Beach) – Normandy
- 1972-02-02 … Miami (North Miami Beach) – 167th Street Twin I
- 1972-02-02 … Miami (North Miami Beach) – 167th Street Twin II
- 1972-02-02 … New Haven (Orange) – Showcase 2
- 1972-02-02 … Oklahoma City – Shepherd Twin 1
- 1972-02-02 … Omaha – Cinema Center II
- 1972-02-02 … Providence – Avon
- 1972-02-04 … Portland – Broadway
- 1972-02-04 … St. Louis – Stadium I
- 1972-02-04 … St. Louis (Clayton) – Shady Oak
- 1972-02-04 … Toronto – York I
- 1972-02-04 … Tucson – Fox
- 1972-02-09 … Dallas – Delman
- 1972-02-11 … Austin – Varsity
- 1972-02-11 … Charlotte – Manor
- 1972-02-11 … Minneapolis (St. Louis Park) – Cooper
- 1972-02-16 … Houston – Delman
- 1972-02-16 … New Orleans (Metairie) – Sena Mall
- 1972-02-16 … Salt Lake City (South Salt Lake) – Century 22
- 1972-02-17 … Cincinnati – 20th Century
- 1972-02-17 … Pittsburgh – Kings Court
- 1972-02-18 … Atlanta – Fine Art
- 1972-02-18 … Indianapolis – Loews Twin 1
- 1972-02-23 … Cleveland – Detroit
- 1972-02-23 … Cleveland (Cleveland Heights) – Cedar Lee
- 1972-02-25 … Buffalo (Amherst) – Boulevard Mall II
- 1972-02-25 … Montreal – Cote-des-Neiges 1
- 1972-02-25 … Ottawa – St. Laurent Odeon I
- 1972-02-25 … Vancouver – Coronet
- 1972-03-01 … Baltimore (Randallstown) – Liberty I
- 1972-03-01 … Baltimore (Towson) – Hillendale
- 1972-03-01 … Hartford – Rivoli
- 1972-03-01 … Hartford (Manchester) – Theatre East
- 1972-03-01 … Las Vegas – Guild
- 1972-03-01 … Louisville – Showcase 3
- 1972-03-01 … Rochester – Paramount
- 1972-03-01 … St. Paul – World
- 1972-03-01 … St. Petersburg – Tyrone
- 1972-03-01 … Syracuse (DeWitt) – Mini 1
- 1972-03-03 … Columbus (Whitehall) – Cinema East
- 1972-03-03 … San Antonio – North Star Mall II
- 1972-03-03 … Tampa – Palace
- 1972-03-08 … Jacksonville – Town & Country
- 1972-03-09 … Richmond – Capitol
- 1972-03-10 … Fort Worth – Opera House
- 1972-03-10 … Orlando – Northgate 3
- 1972-03-15 … Milwaukee (West Allis) – Southtown
- 1972-03-15 … Norfolk – Showcase 2
- 1972-03-15 … Norfolk (Virginia Beach) – The Movie Theatres Twin 1
- 1972-03-15 … Spokane – United Artists 1
- 1972-03-15 … Toledo – Franklin Park 4
- 1972-03-15 … Tulsa – Delman
- 1972-03-22 … Akron (Cuyahoga Falls) – Falls
- 1972-03-22 … Dayton – Ames
- 1972-03-30 … Calgary – Uptown
- 1972-03-31 … Edmonton – Avenue
- 1972-03-31 … Winnipeg – Garrick Two
- 1972-04-05 … Albuquerque – Lobo
- 1972-04-05 … Wichita – Mall
- 1972-04-07 … Birmingham – Village East 2
- 1972-04-07 … Nashville – Belcourt II
- 1972-04-12 … Corpus Christi – Deux Cine II
- 1972-04-12 … El Paso – Fox Bassett Center
- 1972-04-12 … Honolulu – Waikiki 1
- 1972-04-12 … Little Rock – Capitol
- 1972-04-14 … Colorado Springs – Chief
It should be noted the engagements cited above represent only a fraction of the film’s bookings. Not cited are bookings in smaller markets and lower-population locales, expansion waves in larger markets, second-run, re-issue, international, etc. What you also won’t find in the listing is an entry for October 22nd, the date numerous sources erroneously claim was the film’s U.S. release date.
