The building has been cleaned up (except the graffiti covered vertical sign) and has reopened as a supermarket. The owners have a large wall honoring the history of the theatre with some lovely pictures and posters. You can easily make out the theatre highlights and projection booth.
Went to this theatre for the first time today. I don’t know about the smaller auditoriums but theatre #1 was very nice. Curtains! When do we have curtains anymore? Very nice size screen too. Not much info on the site about the current quality of the theatre but I was impressed.
While The Paradise never had a traditional 3-D marquee, it was built with not one, but two flat against the wall signage marquees. These must have been very difficult to maneuver because in the 1960’s the upper sign was bricked up and the lower one was replaced with a hugh while electric sign which lit up the whole area. You can see both versions in the links to the theatre. As I said, currently there is nothing at all which contributes to the darkness. Also there were originally sun beam lights (gorgeous) but in lieu of replacing these lights ugly yellow rays were painted. Again no illumination. .
I drove by the night of the concert last week. Big crowd getting ready to go in. But there wasn’t much lighting on the front of the theatre. Half of the theatre name lettering was out and they haven’t got a marquee of any kind, just a long hanging poster. They really need to do a facelift on the front.
I was there about three weeks ago and nothing was going on. I hope you are right. I’ll check again this weekend. And my eyesight is just fine. Thanks for caring.
Sorry, But the above website provided by Rabbit is not for the Loew’s Paradise, but a cabaret theatre in Florida.
I live near the Paradise and drive by often and it’s just sitting there waiting to be vandalized. I grew up going to that theare in the ‘50s, '60s & 70s and after all the work put in to restore it, to see it not being used is heartbreaking. Does ANYONE know anything about what’s really going on there?
I haven’t been in this theatre in years, but I do remember what a dump it was. Back then. Recently I went back, only because “Every Little Step” was only playing there. I went with much trepidation. What a wonderful surprise! This theatre is now a joy to go to. New paintjob, carpeting, seats, sound system and even digital projection. I’ve now been back a few times. If only parking were better. My question, of course is, if Clearview can do it to this theatre, why not to their god-awful nearby Cinema 100 in Greenburg?
You’re right, Peter. I forgot about the seats which face where the center of the screen used to be! Has Clearview ever built a new theatre of their own? I try to never go there. Why does it seem that all art theatres in this area are dumps? The least objectionable right now is National Amusements' All Westchester which usually puts 2 screens aside for artier fare. (By the way, I buy pre-paid tickets thru Working Advantage for $6.50 with no expiration date. But I’ll be damned if I’ll pay $11.00)
Firstly, thankfully we have a full time art theatre in Westchester. Actually that is the only nice thing to say about this theatre. Very poorly designed. One auditorium has a screen so large that it is virtually impossible to watch a subtitled movie without constantly cranking your head up and down. And that’s from the rear of the theatre. Then there are the two auditoriums that are slightly raked but the screen is so high that you leave with as stiff neck. You must sit in the last row of these theatres but that means you’re sitting next to the entrance door that opens with the hall lights literally hitting you in the face. This might have been a nice place as a single screen but now it just an embarresment. But they do have a new candy stand and free parking. God I miss the Fine Arts in Scarsdale.
Actually my story has a kinda happy ending for me. A sympathetic usher came over to me after the “Coke Coupon” incident and asked me if I wanted the phone number to the regional director of LOEWS to complain. I said ‘sure’ and he writes the number on the back of a business card. Here comes the cool part. The business card read: ‘Would you like to be a Loew’s Mystery Shopper’ with an e-mail address! Long story short, I was a Mystery Shopper for two years which gave me a pair of tickets every two months and $10 in coupons to use at the candy stand! And I got to pick the theatre! (No I didn’t choose the Palisades but the 42nd Street E-Walk!) So I guess complaing can sometimes pay off.
I no longer go to this theatre. You need to be a mountain climber to get to the seats it is raked so steeply, which also makes the screens seem like they are right on top of you. But worse of all is that if you are handicapped you are really in trouble. I’ve taken my Dad there a few times and wheelchair seating is at the bottom of the screens. He had to crank his head almost 80 degress to see the film. (After a screening of “The Queen” there happened to be a manager in the auditorium and asked him to sit in the front seat to see if he could see a film that way. He refused.) Even better, a few years back my Mom tried to climb a few rows up and did so with a lot of help. But after the film she fell down the stairs trying to leave. There was no usher to be found. I finally gor her going and went to the customer service to complain to the manager. His reply? “The theatres are built up to code”!!! And gave me a Coke coupon. Unbelievable! And now they’ve raised the price to $12 ($9 matinees!) Just not worth the trouble! Avoid it!
I worked at the Fordham for two years while I was in college. Best job ever! It was single screen then. But it was the early 1970’s and we had some pretty crappy films. While the gorgeous Paradise had “The Godfather” and the Valentine had “The French Connection” we showed (honest to God) “A Town Called Bastard” with Lee Van Cleef. I did get to roam around the catwalks and the old dressing rooms. WOW! So much memorabilia just collecting dust. There was a large three sided marquee, the center part jutted out onto busy Fordham Road. It took a good two hours to change. RKO would send a graph paper telling us exactly what it should read. One time we were showing “Child’s Play” (not the Chucky movie). Two hours of ladders, wooden planks and, as I recall, it was raining. The manager checked all three sides after all the work was done, gave the ok and all the equipment was put away. That’s when I pointed out that the film starred Robert Preston and not Preston Foster. Someone got two hours of OT to do the marquee over again. Good times!
The building has been cleaned up (except the graffiti covered vertical sign) and has reopened as a supermarket. The owners have a large wall honoring the history of the theatre with some lovely pictures and posters. You can easily make out the theatre highlights and projection booth.
This was never an AMC Theatre. After General Cinema went under this became (and still is) a Clearview Cinemas theatre.
Great photos. Now if only more events were scheduled there.
Does anyone know why the show was cancelled?
Went to this theatre for the first time today. I don’t know about the smaller auditoriums but theatre #1 was very nice. Curtains! When do we have curtains anymore? Very nice size screen too. Not much info on the site about the current quality of the theatre but I was impressed.
While The Paradise never had a traditional 3-D marquee, it was built with not one, but two flat against the wall signage marquees. These must have been very difficult to maneuver because in the 1960’s the upper sign was bricked up and the lower one was replaced with a hugh while electric sign which lit up the whole area. You can see both versions in the links to the theatre. As I said, currently there is nothing at all which contributes to the darkness. Also there were originally sun beam lights (gorgeous) but in lieu of replacing these lights ugly yellow rays were painted. Again no illumination. .
I drove by the night of the concert last week. Big crowd getting ready to go in. But there wasn’t much lighting on the front of the theatre. Half of the theatre name lettering was out and they haven’t got a marquee of any kind, just a long hanging poster. They really need to do a facelift on the front.
I went to the website yesterday (10-21) and it was fine. Today. I get that server problem. Probably just a computer glitch.
I think I will drop by. And, hey, no offense taken.
I was there about three weeks ago and nothing was going on. I hope you are right. I’ll check again this weekend. And my eyesight is just fine. Thanks for caring.
Sorry, But the above website provided by Rabbit is not for the Loew’s Paradise, but a cabaret theatre in Florida.
I live near the Paradise and drive by often and it’s just sitting there waiting to be vandalized. I grew up going to that theare in the ‘50s, '60s & 70s and after all the work put in to restore it, to see it not being used is heartbreaking. Does ANYONE know anything about what’s really going on there?
I haven’t been in this theatre in years, but I do remember what a dump it was. Back then. Recently I went back, only because “Every Little Step” was only playing there. I went with much trepidation. What a wonderful surprise! This theatre is now a joy to go to. New paintjob, carpeting, seats, sound system and even digital projection. I’ve now been back a few times. If only parking were better. My question, of course is, if Clearview can do it to this theatre, why not to their god-awful nearby Cinema 100 in Greenburg?
Justin: What is “Xanadu”?
You’re right, Peter. I forgot about the seats which face where the center of the screen used to be! Has Clearview ever built a new theatre of their own? I try to never go there. Why does it seem that all art theatres in this area are dumps? The least objectionable right now is National Amusements' All Westchester which usually puts 2 screens aside for artier fare. (By the way, I buy pre-paid tickets thru Working Advantage for $6.50 with no expiration date. But I’ll be damned if I’ll pay $11.00)
Firstly, thankfully we have a full time art theatre in Westchester. Actually that is the only nice thing to say about this theatre. Very poorly designed. One auditorium has a screen so large that it is virtually impossible to watch a subtitled movie without constantly cranking your head up and down. And that’s from the rear of the theatre. Then there are the two auditoriums that are slightly raked but the screen is so high that you leave with as stiff neck. You must sit in the last row of these theatres but that means you’re sitting next to the entrance door that opens with the hall lights literally hitting you in the face. This might have been a nice place as a single screen but now it just an embarresment. But they do have a new candy stand and free parking. God I miss the Fine Arts in Scarsdale.
Actually my story has a kinda happy ending for me. A sympathetic usher came over to me after the “Coke Coupon” incident and asked me if I wanted the phone number to the regional director of LOEWS to complain. I said ‘sure’ and he writes the number on the back of a business card. Here comes the cool part. The business card read: ‘Would you like to be a Loew’s Mystery Shopper’ with an e-mail address! Long story short, I was a Mystery Shopper for two years which gave me a pair of tickets every two months and $10 in coupons to use at the candy stand! And I got to pick the theatre! (No I didn’t choose the Palisades but the 42nd Street E-Walk!) So I guess complaing can sometimes pay off.
I no longer go to this theatre. You need to be a mountain climber to get to the seats it is raked so steeply, which also makes the screens seem like they are right on top of you. But worse of all is that if you are handicapped you are really in trouble. I’ve taken my Dad there a few times and wheelchair seating is at the bottom of the screens. He had to crank his head almost 80 degress to see the film. (After a screening of “The Queen” there happened to be a manager in the auditorium and asked him to sit in the front seat to see if he could see a film that way. He refused.) Even better, a few years back my Mom tried to climb a few rows up and did so with a lot of help. But after the film she fell down the stairs trying to leave. There was no usher to be found. I finally gor her going and went to the customer service to complain to the manager. His reply? “The theatres are built up to code”!!! And gave me a Coke coupon. Unbelievable! And now they’ve raised the price to $12 ($9 matinees!) Just not worth the trouble! Avoid it!
I worked at the Fordham for two years while I was in college. Best job ever! It was single screen then. But it was the early 1970’s and we had some pretty crappy films. While the gorgeous Paradise had “The Godfather” and the Valentine had “The French Connection” we showed (honest to God) “A Town Called Bastard” with Lee Van Cleef. I did get to roam around the catwalks and the old dressing rooms. WOW! So much memorabilia just collecting dust. There was a large three sided marquee, the center part jutted out onto busy Fordham Road. It took a good two hours to change. RKO would send a graph paper telling us exactly what it should read. One time we were showing “Child’s Play” (not the Chucky movie). Two hours of ladders, wooden planks and, as I recall, it was raining. The manager checked all three sides after all the work was done, gave the ok and all the equipment was put away. That’s when I pointed out that the film starred Robert Preston and not Preston Foster. Someone got two hours of OT to do the marquee over again. Good times!