Also known as the Pussycat, the Paramount in its later years as a porn palace, had some live shows.
LINDA LOVELACE was advertised as appearing at the Paramount in the mid seventies. In one of her many contradicting biographies (ORDEAL) she claims the event was cancelled in advance as it was never financed once she ran away from Chuck Traynor and she was sued for over $30,000 for cancelling. If this should happen to be true, the Miami Herald ad implies that she:
a)cancelled at the last minute.
b)the ad was placed to set her up for the suit for not showing up.
“A plot 100 by 158 on Myrtle Avenue bewteen Madison and Cypress Avenue, Brooklyn has been purchased by Levy Brothers as a site for a vaudeville theatre planned to seat 2,500 persons.
Thomas Lamb is the architect.”
135-45 Northern Boulevard maps well as the RKO Plaza LLC.
I think the other 99% of non-New Yorkers who may visit this site eventually deserve the most accurate information we can find EVEN MORE when this buiding perishes. Satellite maps online do not do cross streets.
Yes, the Royale ran GIGI before it moved over to the Sutton.
I have a list of a number of obscure Manhattan sites that played movies at some point. There was even a novelty restaurant where you sat in a car and watched the movie as if in an indoor drive-in (Can’t remember the name but it was located near Tribeca).
I will post the list of unlisted theatres when I get a chance. Maybe it will jog some memories.
Not only is Lost Memory good in his speculation, I found proof that he is correct in a January 10, 1973 article about the pipe bombing of the Paree Theatre at 753-9 Seventh Avenue.
“The same owner also owns the Doll Theatre at 719 Seventh Avenue.”
It appears it was already there as early as November of 1972
I had my doubts whether the Doll showed movies but that photo in RobertR’s first post proves it. SUMMER OF SUZANNE dates it to 1976 if it was a recent release.
Here a description of the title logo sign materials from the Gramercy link.
“Sometimes the company would buy professionally made cut outs that were in the same typeface as the movie poster. These were foam-core letters, painted, and then nailed or stapled onto wooden frames, that were then wired through holes in the little tracks on the marquee. These could be as wide as the marquee and, while not particularly heavy, could be unwieldy, especially in the wind. They looked very spiffy and were used in the last years of the 1970s and early ‘80s, when the Gramercy went first run.” (Peter Damian)
I can’t do better than that. The distributors were rebilled for this and at some sites for plastic backlit logos such as the one teh Ziegefld still uses. They also took care of many poster window and internal displays.
I now understand that a concession stand divided the two lobbies and that Cineplex Odeon moved it to combine the two sides during their infamous faux-marble refit.
As a Bollywood site it was the New York outlet for Eros films, one of the two main distributors of Indian films. It appears these theatres have a history of distribution owners.
John, WHO’S THAT KNOCKING AT MY DOOR? premiered at the Carnegie Hall in September of 1969. You most likely saw LONESOME COWBOYS at the nearby 55th St. Playhouse earlier that year.
THE HARRAD EXPERIMENT, best known for a nude Don Johnson, showed in early August of 1973 on subrun.
I remember when Cineplex Odeon ran the Carnegie Hall and Jackie Reynal booked and ran the Carnegie Screening Room. They shared the same box office but charged different prices. Cineplex eventually bought out her lease and renamed the second screen Carnegie Hall 2.
From the opening ads it looks like RKO took the two existing theatres and remodeled the lobby to a common box office when they launched the twins. The previous theatres were primarily used by Avco Embassy and National General film distributors, respectively so they could guarantee themselves a lucrative east side run when the Baronet/Coronet and Cinema 1 & 2 were tied up with long runs.
The Gateway was one of the flagships of the Wometco chain in the 50’s and 60’s and, as Ft. Lauderdale’s most luxurious theatre, it often played exclusive runs and roadshow engagements. Many first-run films were brought to Miami and the Gateway just after their Manhattan premieres in order to catch the snowbirds on vacation.
It was often dated with the prestigious Carib on Miami Beach.
Also known as the Pussycat, the Paramount in its later years as a porn palace, had some live shows.
LINDA LOVELACE was advertised as appearing at the Paramount in the mid seventies. In one of her many contradicting biographies (ORDEAL) she claims the event was cancelled in advance as it was never financed once she ran away from Chuck Traynor and she was sued for over $30,000 for cancelling. If this should happen to be true, the Miami Herald ad implies that she:
a)cancelled at the last minute.
b)the ad was placed to set her up for the suit for not showing up.
Thanks LM. I want a vitual tour of the Roxy!
Slight correction the above. The item ran on Februry 19, 1916 not 9. My typing skills suck.
This from the New York Times February 9, 1916.
“A plot 100 by 158 on Myrtle Avenue bewteen Madison and Cypress Avenue, Brooklyn has been purchased by Levy Brothers as a site for a vaudeville theatre planned to seat 2,500 persons.
Thomas Lamb is the architect.”
Ed, I think the Mini was a converted storefront.
It operated in 1973-74 at 732 Seventh Avenue.
Map it!
135-45 Northern Boulevard maps well as the RKO Plaza LLC.
I think the other 99% of non-New Yorkers who may visit this site eventually deserve the most accurate information we can find EVEN MORE when this buiding perishes. Satellite maps online do not do cross streets.
Yes, the Royale ran GIGI before it moved over to the Sutton.
I have a list of a number of obscure Manhattan sites that played movies at some point. There was even a novelty restaurant where you sat in a car and watched the movie as if in an indoor drive-in (Can’t remember the name but it was located near Tribeca).
I will post the list of unlisted theatres when I get a chance. Maybe it will jog some memories.
If there are guidelines, I haven’t found them. Some submissions just don’t make it.
The Earl Carroll showed movies intermittently from 1928 to 1930 and then again in 1934 as the Casino.
I have not tried listing it since the Ambassador, with a longer history of motion picture exhibition, was not accepted.
Your bells are right. That is the Earl Carroll address!
Not only is Lost Memory good in his speculation, I found proof that he is correct in a January 10, 1973 article about the pipe bombing of the Paree Theatre at 753-9 Seventh Avenue.
“The same owner also owns the Doll Theatre at 719 Seventh Avenue.”
It appears it was already there as early as November of 1972
My cinema treasures interlude of lust occured between 2:13am and 2:16 am sometime on August 14 1982. I think there was plaster.
Can any one please tell me something more about plaster.
My compliments to the NYT and whomever asked for correcting history!
This is good news.
Now about the war on terrorism…
Correction: RATAS DEL ASFALTO at the Cine and SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER at the Embassy make it most likely 1978.
I had my doubts whether the Doll showed movies but that photo in RobertR’s first post proves it. SUMMER OF SUZANNE dates it to 1976 if it was a recent release.
The Orleans is mentioned on the Strand link as it was part of that theatre originally.
Here a description of the title logo sign materials from the Gramercy link.
“Sometimes the company would buy professionally made cut outs that were in the same typeface as the movie poster. These were foam-core letters, painted, and then nailed or stapled onto wooden frames, that were then wired through holes in the little tracks on the marquee. These could be as wide as the marquee and, while not particularly heavy, could be unwieldy, especially in the wind. They looked very spiffy and were used in the last years of the 1970s and early ‘80s, when the Gramercy went first run.” (Peter Damian)
I can’t do better than that. The distributors were rebilled for this and at some sites for plastic backlit logos such as the one teh Ziegefld still uses. They also took care of many poster window and internal displays.
I guess since Alger Hiss lived in the Village as well they could have just used the Sheridan.
Check out the cool Rudolph Abel cloak and dagger stuff at this site. The European may be among those listed.
View link
I now understand that a concession stand divided the two lobbies and that Cineplex Odeon moved it to combine the two sides during their infamous faux-marble refit.
As a Bollywood site it was the New York outlet for Eros films, one of the two main distributors of Indian films. It appears these theatres have a history of distribution owners.
Francesca, if you mean Alger Hiss, his son’s book of memoirs is called A VIEW FROM ALGER’S WINDOW.
John, WHO’S THAT KNOCKING AT MY DOOR? premiered at the Carnegie Hall in September of 1969. You most likely saw LONESOME COWBOYS at the nearby 55th St. Playhouse earlier that year.
THE HARRAD EXPERIMENT, best known for a nude Don Johnson, showed in early August of 1973 on subrun.
Jacquie and Sid can both be found on www.imdb.com
I remember when Cineplex Odeon ran the Carnegie Hall and Jackie Reynal booked and ran the Carnegie Screening Room. They shared the same box office but charged different prices. Cineplex eventually bought out her lease and renamed the second screen Carnegie Hall 2.
Ed, I think the second Eastworld on 61st street was the BYRON – FIRST AVENUE SCREENING ROOM – ART EAST location at 110 East 1st Avenue.
In the 90’s there was also a Westworld gay porn venue on West Side Highway near Christopher Street.
It is possible that Cineplex Odeon combined the two lobbies.
From the opening ads it looks like RKO took the two existing theatres and remodeled the lobby to a common box office when they launched the twins. The previous theatres were primarily used by Avco Embassy and National General film distributors, respectively so they could guarantee themselves a lucrative east side run when the Baronet/Coronet and Cinema 1 & 2 were tied up with long runs.
Ed, John, that WAS the opening day name for the Manhattan Twin. It became the RKO 59th Street Twin later.
The Gateway was one of the flagships of the Wometco chain in the 50’s and 60’s and, as Ft. Lauderdale’s most luxurious theatre, it often played exclusive runs and roadshow engagements. Many first-run films were brought to Miami and the Gateway just after their Manhattan premieres in order to catch the snowbirds on vacation.
It was often dated with the prestigious Carib on Miami Beach.