Midfield Theater

The Midfield Theater was a cinema on Bessemer Superhighway in Midfield across from Western Hills Mall. It was opened by opened by Jack Heffman in February 1967. The ribbon cutting was attended by Midfield mayor M. B. Breland, Bessemer mayor Jess Lanier, former mayor Cooper Green and others. (Governor Lurleen Wallace had to cancel because of her mother's illness). The first film shown was The Busy Body with Sid Caesar. The first manager was Jimmy Pepper.

In its original configuration, the theater had 966 "lounger rocking chair" seats, upholstered in gold fabric with deep gold carpets and draperies on all four walls. The room was equipped with hidden speakers for stereo sound and the projection room had both 35mm and 70mm projectors.

Between 1972 and 1974 the Midfield Theater, now part of the Cobb Theaters chain, was divided into twin cinemas and renamed Cobb Midfield 2. In June 1983 an expansion brought 4 additional screening rooms into service, and it became Cobb Midfield 6. Cobb closed the theater when their lease expired in February 1996.

References

• "Luxurious theater opens in Midfield." (February __, 1967) Birmingham News.
• Gordon, Robert K. (February 21, 1996) "The Last Picture Show: Midfield cinema closing leaves western area without theater." Birmingham News.
• Evans Criswell. Historical Information:Alabama:Birmingham at Movie Theatre Information.