We submit for your approval our first example of a so-called At-Mall cinema. Northgate Theatre, at Seattle's NORTHGATE CENTER, was a part of the open-air mall's physical structure, but was not accessible from its "Miracle Mall" shopping concourse.

Towne Theatre, at Greater Philadelphia's LEVITTOWN SHOP-A-RAMA, was built as part of the shopping center's second construction phase. A third would follow. This At-Mall venue was built as a freestanding structure in the mall's periphery.

Towne Theatre showed its first feature, Twentieth Century Fox's "River of No Return," in June 1954. The film starred Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum.
Photo from http://www.boxoffice.com / "Tinseltoes"

Above, we have a representation of one of (if not) the first In-Mall cinemas in America. It was a charter tenant in New Jersey's CHERRY HILL CENTER, which held its grand opening in October 1961. The theatre, dedicated in April 1962, was entered from the fully-enclosed shopping concourse.

The Northland Cinema, at Columbus, Ohio's NORTHLAND CENTER, also opened directly onto the shopping concourse. The open-air mall and its movie house commenced operation in August 1964.