Billie Holiday used her own pianist, Bobby Tucker, for this engagement. Count Basie, standing at far left, just conducted the band during Holiday’s “sets.”
The Strand’s corner display sign at 47th Street was promoting “Life With Father” at the newly named Warner Theatre (ex-Hollywood) at Broadway & 51st Street.
On the last day of a two-day tour of Loew’s neighborhood theatres, Jerry Lewis performed two shows, first at twelve noon and later at 9:00 pm after he’d finished his Brooklyn visits.
The “old lady” at the Sheepshead was probably called “matron,” not “maiden.” In those days, cinemas were required to employ a matron licensed by the city to supervise a section where children had to sit if they were unaccompanied by an adult. The so-called “children’s sections” were only open on non-school days, and in some cases, for a few hours after schools closed for the day.
The Trans-Lux East had its grand opening on the night of April 10th, 1963, with the invitational premiere of “The Ugly American.” The Marlon Brando starrer started continuous performances the next day, in a dual engagement with the Rivoli Theatre in midtown.
The shocking melodrama seemed an illogical choice for the Roxy’s Christmas holiday presentation, but broke box office records despite more appropriate competition from “The Bells of St. Mary’s” at Radio City Music Hall.
This followed a successful trial run of the 3-D version at Loew’s Metropolitan in downtown Brooklyn. The MGM musical had been shown “flat” in its premiere engagement at Radio City Music Hall.
“Kiss Me Kate” had previously been shown “flat” at Radio City Music Hall due to technical considerations. After a successful run at the Metropolitan, the 3D version moved on to the Loew’s neighborhood circuit.
During this period, the Egyptian rarely had exclusive runs of new movies. “The Postman Always Rings Twice” also opened on the same day (5/07/46) at the downtown Los Angeles Theatre and at the Fox Ritz in Mid-Wilshire.
A “bonus” at all three cinemas was a Tom & Jerry Technicolor cartoon, “Trap Happy.”
“The Trial” also opened on February 20th at the Guild 50th Street in Rockefeller Center. This was the shared American premiere engagement for the B&W adaptation of Franz Kafka’s classic.
The “new” RKO 23rd Street first opened on the night of February 19th, 1963, with the invitational premiere of Orson Welles' “The Trial,” and with star Anthony Perkins among many celebrities in attendance. Regular continuous performances started the next day. NYC was in the grip of a prolonged “strike” against the major newspapers, so the cinema’s premiere passed largely unnoticed.
Billie Holiday used her own pianist, Bobby Tucker, for this engagement. Count Basie, standing at far left, just conducted the band during Holiday’s “sets.”
“Coming” at bottom means photo taken prior to 7/16/48 opening day.
The Strand’s corner display sign at 47th Street was promoting “Life With Father” at the newly named Warner Theatre (ex-Hollywood) at Broadway & 51st Street.
Ticket prices were increased for this engagement only, with a top of $1 for adults at night and all day on Saturday and Sunday.
Continuous performances of the RKO Radio release started the next day.
On the last day of a two-day tour of Loew’s neighborhood theatres, Jerry Lewis performed two shows, first at twelve noon and later at 9:00 pm after he’d finished his Brooklyn visits.
The theatre was built simultaneously with the midtown Loew’s State, which had opened the previous month.
The “old lady” at the Sheepshead was probably called “matron,” not “maiden.” In those days, cinemas were required to employ a matron licensed by the city to supervise a section where children had to sit if they were unaccompanied by an adult. The so-called “children’s sections” were only open on non-school days, and in some cases, for a few hours after schools closed for the day.
The Trans-Lux East had its grand opening on the night of April 10th, 1963, with the invitational premiere of “The Ugly American.” The Marlon Brando starrer started continuous performances the next day, in a dual engagement with the Rivoli Theatre in midtown.
To preserve the décor above the marquee, the vertical sign was installed further down the block.
The shocking melodrama seemed an illogical choice for the Roxy’s Christmas holiday presentation, but broke box office records despite more appropriate competition from “The Bells of St. Mary’s” at Radio City Music Hall.
Sinatra was in such demand at the time that he could contract for only one week at the Chicago Theatre.
Year is incorrect. “Up Goes Maisie” with Frank Sinatra on stage opened at the Chicago Theatre on May 17th, 1946.
The Jamaica was dark at the time, awaiting the arrival of “Diamond Lil,” which was in its final day at the Brighton in Brooklyn.
The Grand was considered the top Loew’s theatre in the Bronx until the arrival of the larger and more sumptuous Paradise on the Grand Concourse.
This followed a successful trial run of the 3-D version at Loew’s Metropolitan in downtown Brooklyn. The MGM musical had been shown “flat” in its premiere engagement at Radio City Music Hall.
“Kiss Me Kate” had previously been shown “flat” at Radio City Music Hall due to technical considerations. After a successful run at the Metropolitan, the 3D version moved on to the Loew’s neighborhood circuit.
World premiere engagement opened December 14th, 1944…The movie was in Technicolor, the dominant process then and in limited wartime supply.
Elliptical dome still had original chandelier.
During this period, the Egyptian rarely had exclusive runs of new movies. “The Postman Always Rings Twice” also opened on the same day (5/07/46) at the downtown Los Angeles Theatre and at the Fox Ritz in Mid-Wilshire. A “bonus” at all three cinemas was a Tom & Jerry Technicolor cartoon, “Trap Happy.”
$23,000 would be equivalent to about $181,000 in 2016.
“The Trial” also opened on February 20th at the Guild 50th Street in Rockefeller Center. This was the shared American premiere engagement for the B&W adaptation of Franz Kafka’s classic.
The “new” RKO 23rd Street first opened on the night of February 19th, 1963, with the invitational premiere of Orson Welles' “The Trial,” and with star Anthony Perkins among many celebrities in attendance. Regular continuous performances started the next day. NYC was in the grip of a prolonged “strike” against the major newspapers, so the cinema’s premiere passed largely unnoticed.
Yes, “1776” did return in the bicentennial year of 1976 for two weeks only as replacement for the disastrous “Blue Bird,” keeping the same stage show.
The B&W comedy had previously played at Radio City Music Hall, with support from a stage revue.