Paramount Theatre

I never knew the Beatles played a benefit here in 1964
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The Beatles Perform on Stage in 1964
Original caption: 9/21/1964-New York, NY- England’s famed mop-haired quartet, the Beatles, is in the spotlight during charity performance before an audience of screaming Beatlemaniacs (foreground) and dowdy Park Avenue matrons at New York’s Paramount Theatre here 9/21. The performance by the Beatles, who sang their “swan song” in the U.S., will benefit the United Cerebral Palsy and the Retarded Infants Services. The musicians are (l to r): Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr on drums.

Thanks Bill, between shows we could see the crowds outside the theatre beginning to form for the big moment.When I try really hard I can still hear fanfare and great main title music in four track stereo. As Mr.Hope would say, “thanks for the memories”

Bill Thanks for that ad, actually if memory serves I saw it on new years Eve, we watched it twice then joined the crowd outside in Times Square to ring in the new year. Do you have the date of that ad? Id like to be sure it was the movie we saw that new years eve.
Perhaps Warren knows the playdate

The Paramount was part of this 1964 showcase starring Robert Goulet. It was called “Honeymoon Hotel”. Is it my imagination or were the majority of the 60’s showcases star studded sex comedies?
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Here is a side view of the present marquee
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The Martin & Lewis stage shows were incredible. The audience was falling out of their seats laughing. We caught them at the Paramount & then later up Broadway at the Capital theatre. I never saw anything like this before or since, just electric & ecstatic.
You never knew who you might run into around the Paramount. One day I was waiting backstage for my sister & decided to step outside. It was daytime and almost no one was on 44th street. A tall thin lady, all dressed in black, started walking towards me from the Sardi’s restaurant. As she got closer I could see that it was Eleanor Roosevelt. She said hello as she passed & I remember there was almost no one on the street. No secret service or anything. Is this a great country or what?

Thanks Vincent, I’m glad you enjoyed the Martin and Lewis event. That was my show.

Jerry is recovering from Pulmonary Fibrosis, and has been working to lose all the weight he gained from the steroids which saved his life. He’s been through a lot in the past ten years, but is still plugging along.

Jerry has photos of that publicity stunt in front of the theater. He was wearing the full doorman’s outfit, hat and all!

He had been an usher there in the early 1940’s.

“Birth of the Blues” opened on 10 December 1941, just a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The air raid drill that TC mentions must have been one of the first in those panicked days that followed. It’s an eerie and foreboding atmosphere. As the war effort took off, Times Square would become a lively venue for selling war bonds and for entertaining on-leave servicemen-and-women.

That is a great picture, TC. So is the one of “The Robe” at Grauman’s Chinese. Thanks.

I recall ads for the Carol Lynley version of “Harlow” saying it was in Electronovision. I think that’s a fancy way of saying it was shot on videotape.

I don’t think this photo has been posted yet:
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Caption: View from above a subway station facing north on Times Square at 43rd Street showing the Paramount Theater just after an air raid drill, New York City, 1941.

Thanks Ernie. I sort of remember something more from them,I know they weren’t just one hit wonders.

It’s not the greatest copy but here is the ad from the Electronovision version of “Hamlet”. It seems to have opened on Broadway at the RKO Palace. Look how they tried to make it classy by playing it twice a day even in the burbs.

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