Palladium Times Square
1515 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
1515 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
32 people
favorited this theater
Showing 451 - 475 of 573 comments
Wishfull thinking Acevedo, but I doubt Sam jackson could care less about The Astor. I guess whatever memories we all have of the Astor will have to stay in our memories cause there ain’t a dam thing we can do. It’s all about money.
About the Loews State theater closing. Again, which theater is that, is that the one buried in the Virgin Record store and is that the Old State Theater site??
I guess I’ll throw my two cents into the Great Astor Plaza Memorial Discussion. While there’s a special place in my heart for the golden age palaces, the more modern Astor Plaza and Ziegfeld are truly the theatres of my youth. The most vivid movie-going experiences of my life happened in the big cozy room of the Astor. Everyone seems to remember the opening sequence of “Star Wars”, with the intro crawl and the Star Destroyer roaring overhead. How about the STANDING OVATION the jump into hyperspace used to get? The nervous laughter as the growl of the Death Star trash compactor monster rippled 360 degrees around the audience in gut-rumbling Dolby? “ Is there something alive in here?” I did my first movie war-whooping during the asteroid chase in “the Empire Strikes Back,” was first dazzled by the credit-sequence of “Superman”, thrilled to the Old Testament lightning spearing the Nazis at the end of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”… all at the Astor.
Here’s a thought. Hollywood stars like to imagine that they can a big difference in the world… well here’s Samuel Jackson’s chance to do some good. I’ve heard him reminisce more than once on talk shows how blown away he was when he caught “Star Wars” at the Astor Plaza back in the day, and so felt honored to star in the prequels and become part of the heritage…. someone should tap him on the shoulder and let him know he can help save a piece of his own heritage as a young impressionable wannabe in NYC… maybe the Astor can become the flagship of the Jackson Cineplex Chain? Just a thought…
I guess, per John’s initial post, now there might be a reason to see ‘Shrek 2’ ;–) In addition to two sites in Times Square, the second tale revolving around the giant green ogre is scheduled to open at the Beekman and First and 62nd Street Cinemas in Midtown East.
PS (to John, or anyone else who might be in the know) – is there any word on a closing time for the Loews State? Loews Cineplex has been looking to shake that albatross loose for at least three years and the talk has been (at least according to William’s post in which he first brought forth to this site the bad news about the Astor Plaza) that that house would be shuttered sometime this calendar year.
You are correct.
I just looked on the site and that is the same place.
Fantastic inside.
Does he mean the Loew’s 175th Street Theatre??
I never heard of it
The theatre will be closing around the first week in August.
Afraid that I can not reveal my source, but it is very reliable.
Has anyone here been in the United Palace Theatre on 175th street and Broadway? I believe it is also an old Loew’s Theatre.
I was inside recently. It has been maintained very well and as nice as the Ziegfield.
Its up to went the lease on the theatres is up and when MTV starts to build on the site. Most of the time they will wait till the lease is up or if they want the property early they will pay the leasee a large amount to leave early for the site. Looks like MTV is just waiting for the lease to end right now. But they are doing work in the building right now.
Again.. ANy wor don WHEN the Astor Plaza will be closing and if it is definite or speculation or rumor?
Can someone tell me how to start a new topic? I can’t figure it out and would like to post something. You can e mail me at Just reference cinema treasures in the subject line so I don’t think it’s spam.
Mike
no one ever mentions the Paris Theatre. The terrific single screen wonder across from the Plaza Hotel. I saw “Hans Christian Andersen” there in 1953 when it was day dating with the Criterion. The Paris shows fine foreign and independent films sometimes sharing with the downtown Sunshine Cinemas… I am sure the Paris will live on forever!
Maybe we shoould all get together and contact Loews and see if we can at least get them to salvage the State. I don’t know at this point how much good it would do to try and save the Astor Plaza. I saw in an earlier post a comment about the Forum/Movieland. From what I saw in 2000 when I was in NYC, that theater is now a restaurant called the Roxy Deli. I don’t remember seeing a hotel there.
Mike
Bill…for your research…in 1990…2 70MM presentations played in North NJ…Far and Away…and Dick Tracy at the Loews 6 plex in Wayne….I saw them both….ALSO IN 1983 at the Loews in Wayne I saw a 70mm print of Staying Alive..I believe Ghandi(1982) played in 70MM also at the Loews but it needs confirmation.
Many posters are annoyed about us getting off track about the Astor. I believe that this site seems to be our main office or gathering hall. Anyone agree?
I’m always impressed by the breadth of your knowledge, William. One minor correction about the Warner Twin/Strand, though – it was actually replaced by 1585 Broadway, the office tower which houses part of JP Morgan Chase’s Manhattan operations, among other white-collar tenants. The Central Theatre (a.k.a., Forum, Forum 47th Street, and Movieland, among other names during its years of operation), which stood on the southwest corner of Broadway and 47th Street, was demolished in 1998 and replaced by the midtown branch of Ian Schrager’s W Hotels.
With property values at a premium in Times Square/Midtown area in Manhattan. It would have been a very hard time to make money with some of those larger single screen theatres. With theatre companies replacing older theatres with more modern ones. This is before the real plex type theatres opened, you only had twins or triplexes. Even if someone had saved them for a few extra years. They would have had to change features every week to make some money. Where in studios wanted films to play first run for a selected number of weeks in high traffic markets. Thats what Metropolitan did in downtown Los Angeles with those palaces. But with that the theatres were not generally maintained well. Look at the sizes of those theatres we lost in Times Square area.
Roxy 5886 seats, replaced with a office building.
Capitol 5486 seats, replaced with a office building.
Paramount 3664 seats, gutted for office space.
Warner (Strand) 2720 seats, tri-plexed, replaced by hotel.
State 3339 seats, twinned, replaced by office building.
Rivoli 2092 seats, twinned, replaced by office building.
Criterion 1657 seats, plexed, gutted for retail.
Astor 1135 seats, replaced by a hotel.
Victoria 811 seats, replaced by a hotel.
Looking at the list the three largest houses, were replaced by offices. The Roxy and the Capitol theatres were just too large for their chains to hold on to. Their chains (Fox & Loew’s)would have had to cut them up to make extra screen space. Because a few years ago Magic Johnson Theatres (Sony/Loew’s) was going to make a like a 16-20 screen plex out of the Loew’s Kings in Brooklyn. They would have had to cut that theatre all up to get that kind of screen count. The only thing left would have been the lobby. Look how they cut the Loew’s Jersey, Paradise and the Metropolitan theatres. You lost or covered up the many of the theatres features in these conversions. Many times the theatre chains think of these older theatres as white elephants. In Hollywood, United Artists was all set in making the Egyptian Theatre their new flagship theatre by doing what Pacific Theatres did to the Cinerama Dome. But they could not get important zoning changes done by the Los Angeles City Council. They were going to add an 8-10 screen plex to play along side the main theatre and add food and other Hollywood type attactions for that block. They couldn’t get the passing votes, so they dropped and let the Egyptian rundown.
Rhett: Thanks for the info on the Cinema 46, even though this thread is about the Astor. :)
RE: It was 1975 and yes, they didn’t really advertise the audio so you can imagine the surprise to a 14 year old when these films blasted off the screen. (Tommy and Hindenburg).
I bet it was incredible! I remember jumping out of my seat during the 70mm presentation of “Star Wars,” from the blast of the Star Wars theme, to Luke getting attacked on the bluff by a Tuskin Raider. Quite extraordinary.
RE: research for 70MM in NJ….Cinema 46 did play 1941, in 70MM 6 track. other 70MM at the Cinema 46…in the early 80’s…Superman II, Outland, Poltergeist…I saw them all there…
Thanks for the info on these. I’m only up to 1978 on my research.
RE: If you ever get to Montclair State University, they have a good microfilm set.
I have a friend who lives in Cedar Grove, so maybe after I visit her, I can visit the Monclair State University library. Last year, I went to the movies with her and she took me to the old Cinema 23. Cool theater, except for it being chopped into more auditoriums.
I’m bummed that I didn’t go to the Astor Plaza to see “Gangs of New York” last year during my visit to Manhattan. Another fine movie theater soon to be destroyed.
Yes the Warner Hollywood (Mark Hellinger) (Times Square Church) was built as a Movie Palace but most of its life it was a top rank Broadway Musical Stage Theatre. That is the only reason it survived or it would have met the fate like the other Times Square Movie Palaces. It also has landmark status which the big Times Square Movie Palaces did not.Disney was interested in purchasing or leasing this theatre but the church has been reluctant to give it up.The Warner Hollywood is very ornate like the Large Movie Palaces.Broadway may return here one day but I doubt movies ever will.Times Sqaure top rank movie palaces The Roxy,Capitol,Paramount,
Warner(Strand),State,Rivoli,Criterion,Astor,Victoria are all gone. A few legit theatres that showed movies for a period Lunt-Fontanne,Palace,Broadway,Mark Hellinger(Church)are still with us.All the 42nd St theatres that have been restored New Amsterdam,American
Airlines(Selywn),Victory and creative re-use such as The Empire,Ford Center(elements of both Lyric and Apollo but really a new theatre).The Liberty and Times Square are awaiting some sort of renovation.All the 42nd Theatres were built for stage but a good deal of there life they were movie theatres showing 1st and 2nd run and porn but wouldn’t be in the same league as the Times Square Movie Palaces.
The Mayfair(Columbia,De Mille,Embassy 2,3,4)is still there but wasn’t in the same class as the other Times Square Movie Palaces.The only reason this building is still there is the income from the Billboards.The landlord wants 1 Million a year for the Mayfair Theatre which means movies are out. Does this theatre still have a stage? Many theatres of this size around 1500 tore out there stage to put in the larger screens for the roadshow pictures of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Again Loews Jersey is a movie palace which should be supported. The only big Movie Palaces left in NYC with the Exception of Radio City,Beacon,and Loews 175th St are found in the Bronx,Queens,and Brooklyn.brucec
Nice that a church can lay out $14 million.
The Warner Hollywood Theatre would be the best theatre to return to movies, but as Warren said its currently a church. The Times Square Church bought the building awhile back for around 14 million. The theatre is well maintained and treated well. I live next door to it, so I see it every day. As the Biltmore Theatre got restored last year. The only two theatres just sitting in the area are the Mayfair and the rotting Times Square Theatre on 42nd. They recently put up a construction barrier, so you can’t see the inside rotting away.
In response to leases in Times Square. The Rivoli was owned by United Artists and sold the property for about 17 Million which they used to build a multiplex in NY/New Jersey area which probably has itself closed due to competition from the megaplex. Times Square leases were always expensive or they were owned by the the theatre companies. The land value in midtown is a little different than the land value on Broadway in Downtown LA. The movie palaces downtown are around due to lack in investment and development along broadway, It wasn’t by grand design. In fact LA focused on investing on the new downtown around Bunker Hill which saved all the buildings around Broadway. I think the time is coming where the city will start focusing on Broadway and the Spring St area which is the heart of the old downtown. I think this area should become a special investment zone and major credits given to restoring the major buildings in this area. I think LA should not build any new theatres and use the historic ones they have left. I realize that Times Square had economic realities but why didn’t they give air rights above the historic movie palaces that were left like they did with the historic broadway theatres in the area. Its amazing to me not one of the major movie palaces are left in Times Square. I guess because Radio City was saved the city thought that was enough. The Astor Plaza is getting all this print because its the last large single screen left in Times Sqaure. It wasn’t the best of the theatres Times Square once had but its the only one that is left.brucec
Bill…..Quinaphonic-Quadraphonic…It was 1975 and yes, they didn’t really advertise the audio so you can imagine the surprise to a 14 year old when these films blasted off the screen. (Tommy and Hindenburg)
Re: research for 70MM in NJ….Cinema 46 did play 1941, in December 1979 in 70MM 6 track. It says in the ads which is why I’m one of the few who still likes the flick. It was a good experience watching it. Cinema 46 did advertise 4 track stereo in the later 70’s ….Macarthur….The Car…. other 70MM at the Cinema 46…in the early 80’s…Superman II, Outland, Poltergeist…I saw them all there…
If you ever get to Montclair State University, they have a good microfilm set.
Van Helsing is at the Astor….while at a bunch of other theaters….they probably didn’t have too big a house….it’s going under soon?? anyone have a date yet?? will it last through the end of the Summer or year??
A lot people are trying to preserve this entertainment district. But progress has been slow in getting a real night life into the Broadway area. The Staples Center has brought sports and people into the area. But no one stays late or goes over to Broadway really late at night. It looks like people that stay in the downtown area stay just west of Pershing Square, which is two blocks from Broadway. Metropolitan Theatres ran all of those theatres, till the profits were gone. Its hard to keep large single screen theatres operating with only 10-12 people for each show. When I worked in Los Angeles, I saw all those houses full every weekend and busy during the week.
But with cable/video/DVD’s and parking in the area, just costs to
much.
In Times Square people are here to sight see and eat and go to a show. The night life in Los Angeles is mainly in Hollywood, Sunset Blvd (West Hollywood), Westwood and Santa Monica areas. People have gone west for their entertainment. But when they program those Best
Remaining Seats series into the palaces of downtown they sell out
every series each year. Another problem is that these theatres are no longer owned by the chains that operated them. That was the case with some Fox West Coast operated theatres. The theatre was owned by
the chain but was later sold and the chain leased the theatre during
the 50’s & 60’s at long term and low leases. So maybe that was the
case with a lot of those single Times Square theatres. The property
owners saw all those extra zero’s on those checks. More than he
could make with a leased theatre. In those years it was easier to
get permits to raze a building. In Westwood, California, two of Mann
Theatre’s jewels the Village and Bruin theatres are not owned by the
chain. They are leased to them by the Skouras Family.
Its to bad the movie palaces in Times Square didn’t get the attention that the Astor Plaza is receiving. I heard very little when the Rivoli,Warner and State were torn down in the 1980’s. By the way Loews State was very successful right to the end. The best collection of movie palaces is on the the other broadway in LA. There are about 12 historic movie palaces still standing and many are in pretty good condition. The city of LA has designated this area as an historic theatre district. Here are the following historic theatres on Broadway in LA
1. United Artists
2. Orpheum
3 Rialto
4. Loews State
5. Globe
6. Los Angeles
7. Palace
8. Roxie
9. Arcade
10.Cameo
11.Million Dollar
12.Tower
Note: The Warner Downtown,Mayan,and Belasco are a few blocks away
Loews State was the most successful movie palace on the street and the Los Angeles the most beautiful. The Orpheum is in the best shape having finished a 4 million renovation a couple of years ago. The least successful movie palace on the street was the United Artists. The largest Downtown movie palace the Paramount was torn down in the 1960’s but wasn’t located on Broadway. It was the hispanic population that kept these theatres humming during 1960’s thru the 1980’s. I think a major focus should be in preserving this entertainment district that has survived all these years.brucec
The stereo prints of “Hindenburg” were presented in 4-Track Magnetic stereo. The Los Angeles engagement at the Bruin Theatre was 4-track Mag. “Tommy” is a harder one research sound formats. Because the first run engagements were presented in Quintaphonic Sound which used a 4-track Mag print. But you need a special decoder for the playback of the full soundtrack. The Los Angeles engagement was at the Fox Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills in Quintaphonic Sound and also Orange Cinedome in Orange, Ca.. They only made a limited number of decoders for that format. “Tommy” was released in 70mm (blow-up) 6-Track Stereo Sound, a year or two after the first run.
Rhett:
“Re: Tommy and the Hindenburg. I can’t say they were 70MM (I didn’t either) I was commenting on the sound.”
My response isn’t meant to be sarcastic, but a movie playing in “6-Track” in the mid-‘70s would imply it being from a 70mm print.
“I don’t recall 70MM presentations from the Cinema 46, but in 1975 those 2 films (Tommy being the first) introduced me to a whole new level of moviegoing…being a stereophinic track.They had 4 track stereo presentations or possibly 6 track.”
“Tommy” was more than likely presented in Quintaphonic Sound a 4-channel stereo mix. A buddy of mine recalls seeing it at the old Orange (CA) Cinedome and being blown away by the soundtrack.
“The Hindenburg” is one of those mystery titles in regards to its soundtrack. I don’t remember seeing any indications of “4-track” stereo presentations in the papers of the day…at least not yet. I spoke to director Robert Wise a few years ago, and he said there were no 70mm prints made of the film. That of course doesn’t mean that possibly 35mm mag stereo prints were made.
“In my research there’s really no advertising of the audio.”
The 1970s was a strange time for presentation notations in the newspapers, as you’ve seen. Every once in a while, you could see an indication of what a film was being played in, i.e. “4-track” or _“4-channel” 35mm presentations. Most of the time, presentation was left to 70mm or Universal’s Sensurround (for a short time).
The first 70mm presentation that I can remember was “Star Wars” at the Orange Plitt City Center Theater. I saw “Gone With The Wind” in the mid-‘70s when there were a number of 70mm re-releases of that film, but I don’t recall when I exactly saw it or which theater. I was pretty young at the time.