Here is the newspaper ad for Luchino Visconti’s 1943 Ossessione when it made its belated commercial American premiere at the D. W. Griffith in June 1977.
In the autumn of 1902, the legendary Italian stage actress Eleonora Duse performed in a series of plays (in Italian) at the Tremont Theatre, as part of an American tour. She opened with D'Annunzio’s La Gioconda and was also seen in La città morta. Seats commanded high top prices, with the first three performances being sold at auction.
In September 1964, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow played in first-run at the Majestic Theatre, day-dating with the Shipyard Drive-In on Allens Avenue near the Cranston city line. The Italian-made film, starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, was very popular.
In September 1964, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow played in first-run at the Shipyard Drive-In, day-dating with the downtown Majestic Theatre. The Italian-made film, starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, was very popular.
In her memoir Memories of a Catholic Girlhood, Mary McCarthy wrote of her Aunt Rosie, who at one point had managed the musical events at the Metropolitan Theatre:
“Thanks to her theater connection, she had known Houdini and the Great Alexander and could explain the magicians' acts by the fact that there was a trap door on the Metropolitan Theatre’s stage.”
My first visit here was on February 20, 1984 shortly after the place opened. I wrote that it was the ‘new’ Sack Copley Place and that I saw the “Where’s Boston?” slide show, Fellini’s And the Ship Sails On, and Diane Kurys' Entre Nous.
When Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria had its American premiere here in October 1957, the film was known simply as CABIRIA during the first days of its run.
When the 1961 Luciano Salce film Il federale (The Fascist) opened at the Metropolitan, the audiences were so large that the normally closed third balcony had to be opened to meet the demand. This information is given on the Italian DVD for the movie. Il federale featured Ugo Tognazzi, Georges Wilson, and Stefania Sandrelli.
In 2000 the new owners of the theatre, Trainor Entertainment, refurbished the place a good deal before it reopened in June as the Limelight Cinemas. But by 2001, less than a year later, the theatre was forced to close because the lease was not renewed. It closed for good on April 22, 2001. Information on the place as well as some photos taken during the renovation can be seen HERE.
KatK,
Are you sure about the “invitation only” for the Frenzy premiere? Were there two events, one invitational and one public? I went for what was billed as the American premiere (not world premiere) at the Sack57 on June 20, 1972. I wrote about it in my diary. I had no problem buying a ticket for $10 that afternoon for the evening premiere. That was a high admission price at the time but it was a benefit of some sort, as I recall. The show began at 8:30 with Hitchcock introducing the film. He accepted a Paul Revere award from the sponsoring group. Amusingly, he commented, “I’d have trouble getting on the horse.”
Here is a vintage postcard, mailed in 1912, showing Bank Street with the Columbia Theatre on the left. At the bottom of the vertical marquee with the name “Columbia” are the words “moving pictures.”
Here is a report in the Harvard Crimson on the day of the informal opening of the University Theatre on October 30, 1926 to invited guests. The theatre would formally open the following day to the general public. The first film presentation was The Midnight Sun with Laura La Plante and Pat O'Malley. The online report has it weirdly as “The Mad in his Sun…Stirrings Laura La Planet.”! Uh huh, yeah.
Publicity from 1988: The Family by Ettore Scola.
This 1931 filming of Leoncavallo’s opera I pagliacci played at the Uptown/Columbus in February 1934. It was supposedly the first opera ever filmed.
Flyer for Luchino Visconti’s 1943 Ossessione at the Renoir.
Here is the newspaper ad for Luchino Visconti’s 1943 Ossessione when it made its belated commercial American premiere at the D. W. Griffith in June 1977.
This obscure film from Italy (La Fuga, about a lesbian relationship), played here in March 1966.
In the autumn of 1902, the legendary Italian stage actress Eleonora Duse performed in a series of plays (in Italian) at the Tremont Theatre, as part of an American tour. She opened with D'Annunzio’s La Gioconda and was also seen in La città morta. Seats commanded high top prices, with the first three performances being sold at auction.
The legendary Italian stage actress Eleonora Duse made her American debut in this theatre on January 23, 1893 with La Dame aux camélias a.k.a. Camille.
In September 1964, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow played in first-run at the Majestic Theatre, day-dating with the Shipyard Drive-In on Allens Avenue near the Cranston city line. The Italian-made film, starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, was very popular.
In September 1964, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow played in first-run at the Shipyard Drive-In, day-dating with the downtown Majestic Theatre. The Italian-made film, starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni, was very popular.
In her memoir Memories of a Catholic Girlhood, Mary McCarthy wrote of her Aunt Rosie, who at one point had managed the musical events at the Metropolitan Theatre:
“Thanks to her theater connection, she had known Houdini and the Great Alexander and could explain the magicians' acts by the fact that there was a trap door on the Metropolitan Theatre’s stage.”
My first visit here was on February 20, 1984 shortly after the place opened. I wrote that it was the ‘new’ Sack Copley Place and that I saw the “Where’s Boston?” slide show, Fellini’s And the Ship Sails On, and Diane Kurys' Entre Nous.
When Fellini’s Nights of Cabiria had its American premiere here in October 1957, the film was known simply as CABIRIA during the first days of its run.
I found this vintage color photo of the Garrick Theatre. I presume it is the same one under discussion here. Is it?
This photo from the Library of Congress Flickr account looks like it might show the Dewey Theatre of this listing. Click “all sizes” to expand.
The Brattle Theatre is “back from the brink,” according to this Boston Globe article.
The program booklet for the American premiere of Antonioni’s Eclipse in December 1962 at the Little Carnegie.
The Italian film of Rossini’s comic opera Cenerentola (Cinderella) played here in 1953.
When the 1961 Luciano Salce film Il federale (The Fascist) opened at the Metropolitan, the audiences were so large that the normally closed third balcony had to be opened to meet the demand. This information is given on the Italian DVD for the movie. Il federale featured Ugo Tognazzi, Georges Wilson, and Stefania Sandrelli.
In 2000 the new owners of the theatre, Trainor Entertainment, refurbished the place a good deal before it reopened in June as the Limelight Cinemas. But by 2001, less than a year later, the theatre was forced to close because the lease was not renewed. It closed for good on April 22, 2001. Information on the place as well as some photos taken during the renovation can be seen HERE.
KatK,
Are you sure about the “invitation only” for the Frenzy premiere? Were there two events, one invitational and one public? I went for what was billed as the American premiere (not world premiere) at the Sack57 on June 20, 1972. I wrote about it in my diary. I had no problem buying a ticket for $10 that afternoon for the evening premiere. That was a high admission price at the time but it was a benefit of some sort, as I recall. The show began at 8:30 with Hitchcock introducing the film. He accepted a Paul Revere award from the sponsoring group. Amusingly, he commented, “I’d have trouble getting on the horse.”
Here is a vintage postcard, mailed in 1912, showing Bank Street with the Columbia Theatre on the left. At the bottom of the vertical marquee with the name “Columbia” are the words “moving pictures.”
…and the Harvard Crimson article on the opening of the Kendall.
Harvard Crimson article on the history of the theatre at the time of its closing in 1980.
Here is a 1925 Harvard Crimson piece on plans to build a theatre in Harvard Square. It would be completed in 1926 as the University Theatre.
Here is a report in the Harvard Crimson on the day of the informal opening of the University Theatre on October 30, 1926 to invited guests. The theatre would formally open the following day to the general public. The first film presentation was The Midnight Sun with Laura La Plante and Pat O'Malley. The online report has it weirdly as “The Mad in his Sun…Stirrings Laura La Planet.”! Uh huh, yeah.