The Greenwich and Hudson were at 121 Christopher Street. The Village was at 115 Eighth Avenue. I don’t have anything on a Greenwich at eighth Avenue although that may have been a name change for the Village after the Christopher Street location became the Hudson.
It appears the Village has a richer movie past than I thought. I have entered the Greenwich Village Theatre (Sheridan Square) but I am looking for more info on the Greenwich (Christopher), Village (8th Ave), Rose (Bleecker & Thompson), Film Charas (10th Ave) and Casino (2nd Ave).
Wikipedia lists it as opening in 1953 as Theatre de Lys but that was just a remodel of the movie theatre. New York Map Portal dates the building to 1940 so I suspect it was rebuilt then.
I was always under the impression The Saint served only overpriced juice and people brought their own stash.
The city seemed to feel that second avenue was already too congested and they did not want movie crowds blocking the sidewalk.
The Hell’s Angels seem to rule that area as their headquarters were on 3rd street. The local police kept their distance. I believe this is still the case today.
Among the problems that kept Cineplex Odeon from creating a multiplex here was a demand by the city that the entrance be moved to 6th Street, not 2nd Avenue, a requirement opposed by local residents for obvious reasons.
I do not recall any concerns about preserving the interior since that had been already dramatically altered during its time as The Saint.
I went in several times for water tank inspections while Cineplex held the lease. At the local police’s request, the Hell’s Angels were our security guards.
1776, THE STING and FANTASIA were, of course, revivals.
I think it is very telling that even SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT failed at RCMH as it was succeeding elsewhere. New Yorkers are not above watching a redneck romp but we will not tolerate wholesomeness!
It’s amazing that with all that sight and sound they still manage to crank out some of the most mind numbingly stupid documentaries in recorded history.
Brice, I do remember Dennis and Tim. The Omni six and four were across from each other and had separate GM’S for a while. Phil Singleton; an ego looking for a man.
THE SUNSHINE BOYS ran until January 22, 1976
March 12- May 12, 1976 ROBIN AND MARIAN
May 13- June 3, 1976 THE BLUE BIRD
June 4- June 17, 1976 1776
June 18- July 28, 1976 HARRY & WALTER GO TO NEW YORK
July 29- Sept 15, 1976 SWASHBUCKLER
Sept 16- October 6, 1976 PAPER TIGER
October 7- November 3, 1976 A MATTER OF TIME
November 4-January 12, 1977 THE SLIPPER AND THE ROSE
March 3- March 30, 1977 MR. BILLION
March 31 – April 27, 1977 THE LITTLEST HORSE THIEVES
April 28- May 18, 1977 THE STING
May 19- June 29, 1977 SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT
June 30- September 15, 1977 MacARTHUR
November 3- January 11, 1978 PETE’S DRAGON
March 2- April 16, 1978 CROSSED SWORDS
April 27- May 17, 1978 THE SEA GYSPSIES
May 18- June 21, 1978 FANTASIA
June 22- August 2, 1978 MATILDA
August 3- ? THE MAGIC OF LASSIE
November 2- January 17, 1979 CARAVANS
March 8 â€" April 25, 1979 THE PROMISE
Ed, if you click on ‘advanced search’, then ‘theatre search tool’ and highlight all three boxes, you will find such an option. Theatres like the chameleonesque Movieland on 47th street would be lost without it.
A Rose Theatre shows up in a 1923 Paramount Week ad as located on Bleecker and Thompson. Could this have been the Luxor, Garrick or even an early version of the Bleecker Street Cinema?
Louis, I am pretty sure that ad appeared way after the Sheridan was shuttered and they used an old photo.
“2001: A pace Odyssey” ran at the Sheridan (advertised as Cinerama although it was a single projector version) from May to November, 1968. It was then replaced by “Finain’s Rainbow”. There were several revival showings, usually in 70mm as part of “MGM’s Fabulous Four” which included “Doctor Zhivago”, “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Gone With The Wind”.
The Sheridan closed in late 1972 after a long run of “Fiddler On The Roof” and then reopened briefly in 1973 for “Deep Throat” until that film was banned in Miami Beach within weeks. “Throat” then played across bay for years.
Warren, do you know what names M & S stood for? Perhaps a search of the owners may reveal more.
The Paramount ads have addresses for some of the other missing theatres you mention. They do list the Bronx AFTER the north Manhattan locations so you can tell the cut-off point.
The way I understand it, the Hall represented wholesome entertainment at a time when a G rating was the kiss of death at the box office. Distributors did not want their movies associated with being that squeaky clean
The Greenwich and Hudson were at 121 Christopher Street. The Village was at 115 Eighth Avenue. I don’t have anything on a Greenwich at eighth Avenue although that may have been a name change for the Village after the Christopher Street location became the Hudson.
It appears the Village has a richer movie past than I thought. I have entered the Greenwich Village Theatre (Sheridan Square) but I am looking for more info on the Greenwich (Christopher), Village (8th Ave), Rose (Bleecker & Thompson), Film Charas (10th Ave) and Casino (2nd Ave).
LM, I show a Village movie theatre at that address in 1919 but it is not listed here yet.
Wikipedia lists it as opening in 1953 as Theatre de Lys but that was just a remodel of the movie theatre. New York Map Portal dates the building to 1940 so I suspect it was rebuilt then.
There was also a Greenwich Theatre at this address in 1923 which may pre-date this building.
According to Terry Miller’s book GREENWICH VILLAGE AND HOW IT GOT THAT WAY, the structure that houses the IFC Center was once a church.
If this is so, the Waverly was that rarest of animals; a church that became a movie theatre.
I was always under the impression The Saint served only overpriced juice and people brought their own stash.
The city seemed to feel that second avenue was already too congested and they did not want movie crowds blocking the sidewalk.
The Hell’s Angels seem to rule that area as their headquarters were on 3rd street. The local police kept their distance. I believe this is still the case today.
Does anyone have any recollection of the Harlequin Caffe Playhouse running films in 1960?
View link
Among the problems that kept Cineplex Odeon from creating a multiplex here was a demand by the city that the entrance be moved to 6th Street, not 2nd Avenue, a requirement opposed by local residents for obvious reasons.
I do not recall any concerns about preserving the interior since that had been already dramatically altered during its time as The Saint.
I went in several times for water tank inspections while Cineplex held the lease. At the local police’s request, the Hell’s Angels were our security guards.
In 1984 screen two was briefly advertised as the Agee.
View link
1776, THE STING and FANTASIA were, of course, revivals.
I think it is very telling that even SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT failed at RCMH as it was succeeding elsewhere. New Yorkers are not above watching a redneck romp but we will not tolerate wholesomeness!
It’s amazing that with all that sight and sound they still manage to crank out some of the most mind numbingly stupid documentaries in recorded history.
Brice, I do remember Dennis and Tim. The Omni six and four were across from each other and had separate GM’S for a while. Phil Singleton; an ego looking for a man.
THE SUNSHINE BOYS ran until January 22, 1976
March 12- May 12, 1976 ROBIN AND MARIAN
May 13- June 3, 1976 THE BLUE BIRD
June 4- June 17, 1976 1776
June 18- July 28, 1976 HARRY & WALTER GO TO NEW YORK
July 29- Sept 15, 1976 SWASHBUCKLER
Sept 16- October 6, 1976 PAPER TIGER
October 7- November 3, 1976 A MATTER OF TIME
November 4-January 12, 1977 THE SLIPPER AND THE ROSE
March 3- March 30, 1977 MR. BILLION
March 31 – April 27, 1977 THE LITTLEST HORSE THIEVES
April 28- May 18, 1977 THE STING
May 19- June 29, 1977 SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT
June 30- September 15, 1977 MacARTHUR
November 3- January 11, 1978 PETE’S DRAGON
March 2- April 16, 1978 CROSSED SWORDS
April 27- May 17, 1978 THE SEA GYSPSIES
May 18- June 21, 1978 FANTASIA
June 22- August 2, 1978 MATILDA
August 3- ? THE MAGIC OF LASSIE
November 2- January 17, 1979 CARAVANS
March 8 â€" April 25, 1979 THE PROMISE
Ed, if you click on ‘advanced search’, then ‘theatre search tool’ and highlight all three boxes, you will find such an option. Theatres like the chameleonesque Movieland on 47th street would be lost without it.
I will look into the late seventies RCMH.
A Rose Theatre shows up in a 1923 Paramount Week ad as located on Bleecker and Thompson. Could this have been the Luxor, Garrick or even an early version of the Bleecker Street Cinema?
Ed, if you check out the post from Ron3853 on Jul 18, 2004 at 8:26am you will find he did a great job covering that.
Louis, I am pretty sure that ad appeared way after the Sheridan was shuttered and they used an old photo.
“2001: A pace Odyssey” ran at the Sheridan (advertised as Cinerama although it was a single projector version) from May to November, 1968. It was then replaced by “Finain’s Rainbow”. There were several revival showings, usually in 70mm as part of “MGM’s Fabulous Four” which included “Doctor Zhivago”, “Ryan’s Daughter” and “Gone With The Wind”.
The Sheridan closed in late 1972 after a long run of “Fiddler On The Roof” and then reopened briefly in 1973 for “Deep Throat” until that film was banned in Miami Beach within weeks. “Throat” then played across bay for years.
If showing “Deep Throat” was not undignified enough, this ad sure was an insult to this roadshow palace.
View link
Colony opening program, January 1935.
View link
Here is a link to the photo featured in “By the El”
View link
Get a load of British chain VUE’s bean bag screen….
View link
I made a mistake on the intro to this theatre. The opening film was “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”, not “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Warren, do you know what names M & S stood for? Perhaps a search of the owners may reveal more.
The Paramount ads have addresses for some of the other missing theatres you mention. They do list the Bronx AFTER the north Manhattan locations so you can tell the cut-off point.
The way I understand it, the Hall represented wholesome entertainment at a time when a G rating was the kiss of death at the box office. Distributors did not want their movies associated with being that squeaky clean