The First 30 US Theaters
Although there is some conflicting information on seemingly official documentation of exact starting dates, the US locations listed below make up the first 30 theaters to play The Rocky Horror Picture Show as a weekly, ongoing midnight-only movie. Some articles mention the figure 30 specifically as the number of theaters showing Rocky Horror by the end of 1977, other say "around 30" theaters. While researching the topic,(at the time of this writing) 31 theaters were found with starting dates in 1976-1977. The following year saw an explosion of additional theaters, with over 200 known locations by the end of 1978. In 1983, Southern California alone had 50 theaters showing midnight screenings indicating the peak of the trend.
1977 was a milestone year for The Rocky Horror Picture Show as it slowly went from failure to breaking even to modest profit according to Variety.
Waverly Theater - New York, (4/3/76)
Varsity Theatre - St Louis, MO (3/76-4/76) Began as prime-time feature in March 1976, and became midnight-only in April 1976.
Riverside Twin II - Austin, TX (5/12/76)
New Yorker - New York City, NY (7/76)
Gentilly Orleans Theater -New Orleans, LA (9/3/76)
TLA Cinema - Philadelphia, PA (1/77)
Strand Theatre - Ocean Beach, CA (3/77)
Art Theatre - New Brunswick, NJ (4/77)
The Sombrero Playhouse - Phoenix, AZ (4/77)
Village Theater, Dallas, TX (4/29/77)
Sherman Theater - Sherman Oaks, CA (5/77)
Graceland Twin Cinema - Columbus, OH (6/10/77)
Tiffany Theater - West Hollywood, CA (6/10/77)
Alabama Theater - Houston, TX (6/11/77)
Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO (6/25/77)
Grove Art Cinema - Miami, FL (7/2/77)
Neptune Theatre - Seattle, WA (7/29/77)
State Theatre - Pittsburgh, PA (8/19/77)
Heights Arts - Cleveland, OH (8/19/77)
University Theater - Baton Rouge, LA (8/19/77)
Strand - San Francisco, CA (8/19/77)
Cove Theater - Hermosa Beach, CA (8/19/77)
Balboa Theatre - Newport Beach, CA (8/19/77)
Northwest - San Antonio, TX (9/9/77)
Riverside Twin I - Austin, TX (9/16/77)
Valley Art Theater - Tempe, AZ (9/77)
Proctor's Theatre- New Rochelle, NY (9/23/77)
UC Theatre - Berkeley, CA (9/23/77)
Loft Cinema - Tucson, AZ (10/77)
Rialto Theatre - South Pasadena, CA (11/77)
Key Theatre - Washington, DC (12/2/77)
