Comments from bamtino

Showing 51 - 75 of 178 comments

bamtino
bamtino commented about Jade Cinema on Sep 11, 2005 at 11:00 am

I believe the address for this theatre was 202 Canal Street, New York, NY, 10013.
In 1976, it was known as the Chung Kou Theater and was showing Jaws with Chinese subtitles.
If this is, in fact, the same theatre, it appears to only have been known as the Jade (Pozin’s Jade Cinema) from 1968-1971.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Manhattan 1 and 2 on Sep 11, 2005 at 10:02 am

The address of this theatre was 220 East 59th Street, New York, NY, 10022.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Mecca Theatre on Sep 11, 2005 at 9:35 am

Purchased by MetLife, for the aforementioned building of Stuyvesant Town, in 1943, the theatre’s address was 227-241 Avenue A, New York, NY 10009 (?).
Since the address, and indeed, the section of Avenue A upon which it rested, no longer exists, it will not map properly and I can’t be certain of the zip code.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Park & 86th Street Cinemas on Sep 11, 2005 at 9:20 am

The address for this location appears to have been 1280 (actually, 1280-1288) Lexington Avenue, New York, NY, 10028.
According to DOB records, the capacity was 861 in 1971, 887 in 1973, and 806 in the late 1980s.
Though the address is identical to that of the RKO 86th Street Theatre, the theatres are properly listed separately, since they existed in different buildings, which existed in different decades, at the same address.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Hammerstein's Victoria Theatre on Sep 11, 2005 at 8:29 am

An addendum to my previous comment: I’ve got no dog in this race. I was just curious about the answer to Warren’s inquiry. (In other words, I had no knowledge of the theatre’s history, other than that provided in the previous posts of others, before doing some investigation in the Times.)
The only reason I’d posted the theatre’s address earlier in the day was my frustration in conducting zip code searches on the site and failing to turn up theatres in their proper locations. I’m working on a list of exact addresses for ALL Manhattan theatres, just to avoid the embarrassment of making any more duplicate Add-A-Theatre additions (as I recently did with the Hollywood, AKA Avenue A theatre).

bamtino
bamtino commented about Hammerstein's Victoria Theatre on Sep 11, 2005 at 8:15 am

Vitagraphs and “vitagraphic views” are listed as part of the Victoria’s program in the New York Times at least as early as 1905.
According to the Times of 10/23/1910, Hammerstein’s Roof Garden, with an entrance separate from that of the Victoria and with installation of radiators and a moving picture screen, began a program of motion pictures interspersed with vaudeville on the previous day.
The March 4, 1913 edition of that paper makes reference to moving pictures of Scott’s South Pole expedition being exhibited as part of the Victoria’s bill.
On 1/16/1914, the paper reported, “Another moving-picture drama dealing with the white slave traffic was closed yesterday by the police. The newest film to come under the ban was "A Victim of Sin,” which has been one of the features of the programme at Hammerstein’s Victoria Theatre. The picture was withdrawn yesterday afternoon, and William Hammerstein announced last night that he would not attempt to show the picture again.“
Off-topic, but of interest (at least to me), Houdini was performing in both the Victoria and the Roof Garden in July of 1914.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Irving Place Theatre on Sep 10, 2005 at 10:17 pm

From the New York Times of December 1, 1888, the day of the theatre’s opening:
“Entrance to the outer lobby is had through two large double doors. The lobby is handsomely decorated in the Romanesque style with Celtic bands. The floor is of Italian white marble tiles. The work on the walls is mainly in bronze and gold. The wainscoting is entirely of Italian mosaic marble, and the ceiling is of panels of cherry. The minor lobby is reached through three wide swinging doors, heavily carved. Here the decorations are of a greenish bronze, bordered with friezes of deep red. The ceiling is composed of numerous little disks, partially concealed by a network of leaves. It is tinted so as to present an arched appearance. Two stairways of Italian marble lead to the balcony. The auditorium entrance will be hung with heavy amber-hued portieres.
The seating capacity of the orchestra and two balconies is upward of 1,100. There are five boxes on either side, draped with sashes of rose draperies, lined with old gold. The decorations of the auditorium throughout suggest warmth, the main walls, seats, and carpets being of red. The walls begin in a deep red, over which is a pattern in lighter shades of red and gold, ending in a deep frieze under a cornice of Romanesque style. Above this is a cornice decorated richly, on which are shields bearing the names of the great musical composers and dramatic authors. The fronts of the balconies are decorated with friezes in white and gilt.
The curtain, painted by Carl Geiger for the Karl Theatre in Vienna at a cost of about $2,300, represents the triumphal entry of the muses. The house will be lighted by electricity. The ceiling is more richly decorated than any other part of the house. It is divided up into panels connected by bands and streamers. The prevailing colors are yellow, red, and greenish bronze. The proscenium arch is decorated in a similar manner. The stage is 40 feet wide and 70 feet deep, and the proscenium opening is 34 by 38 feet.”

Originally known as the Amberg German Theatre and later just Amberg’s Theatre, the theatre was located at 118 East 15th Street, New York, NY 10003 (alternate address: 11 Irving Place). The style was Spanish-Moorish. Home to German-language legitimate productions, the names was changed to Irving Place Theatre on May 1, 1893.

From May 1918 until 1921, the theatre was home to Maurice Schwartz’s Yiddish Art Theatre Players. A 1920s burlesque house, the theatre was showing motion pictures in the 1930s. It was allegedly the first U.S. theatre to host a film festival when, in 1942, the operator programmed a series of films originating in the Allied nations of Russia and France. Still showing film at least as late as 1952, the theatre was converted to a warehouse in 1962 before finally being demolished and replaced by the Zeckendorf Tower in 1985.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Hammerstein's Victoria Theatre on Sep 10, 2005 at 8:57 pm

Like the Rialto which was later built upon its site, this theatre should be listed with an address of 1481 Broadway, New York, NY 10036. (The full address was 1473-1481 Broadway and this site is now alternatively known as “1 Times Square.”)

bamtino
bamtino commented about Grand Central Theatre on Sep 10, 2005 at 8:32 pm

Though it won’t really map properly, I believe the address should be listed as 33 Grand Central Terminal (Main Concourse, opposite Track 17), New York, NY 10017.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Carnegie Hall Cinema on Sep 10, 2005 at 8:17 pm

I suppose that, for the sake of proper mapping, the address of this theatre should be listed as 881 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Garrick Cinema on Sep 9, 2005 at 2:38 am

According to a 5/10/1963 NY Times article, double-decked playhouses were to open at this address in September, 1963. The basement theatre was to be known as the Baby Broadway Theatre, with seating for 204 and devoted to variety acts and cabaret, while the upper theatre, called the Little Broadway, would seat 299, feature a proscenium stage, and host both legitimate theatre and art-house film fare. Irving Kay was the architect. By the time of its opening, the main theatre had been re-dubbed the Little Fox Theatre. In the autumn of 1964, it became known, for a brief time, as the Nickelodeon Theatre, before becoming the Garrick in November of that year.

bamtino
bamtino commented about 'Recent Comments' Feature Offline on Sep 1, 2005 at 5:06 am

Also, perhaps elimination of the photo displays in the “favorites” area and elimination of the poll might be better ways to improve the site’s performance.
(Personally, I come here for the comments much more than to discover if 10 people think Herbie is the best all-time movie car.)

bamtino
bamtino commented about 'Recent Comments' Feature Offline on Sep 1, 2005 at 4:55 am

Call me crazy, but for quite a while it’s been my belief that, in order to restore the “Add a photo” feature and improve the site’s overall performance, Mr. Melnick and Mr. Crowley should tell the members (if not all users) how much it would cost to do so and request donations for that purpose.

bamtino
bamtino commented about New Law Theatre on Aug 30, 2005 at 11:13 pm

I’ve now found references to the theatre, as a motion picture exhibitor, as early as 1923.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Boro Theatre on Aug 30, 2005 at 11:11 pm

The theatre, as the Miracle, was open and showing films by at least 1921.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Loew's Commodore Theater on Aug 30, 2005 at 10:27 pm

The theatre first opened on 9/2/1926. It was a movie theatre.
It was said to have been built at a cost of $2 million and to have contained seating for 4000. It was part of the Mayer & Schneider circuit.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Odeon Theatre on Aug 29, 2005 at 7:46 pm

In 1930, it resumed Yiddish performances after years of exclusively exhibiting films.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Chuan Kung Music Palace Theatre on Aug 29, 2005 at 2:23 pm

The 1931 Certificate of Occupancy for the facility showed a total seating capacity of 556 (411 floor and 146 balcony, plus a small allowance for standing room!).
It was also known as the World Theater for a time.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Apollo Theatre on Aug 29, 2005 at 12:47 pm

The theatre was closed by May, 1954.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Apollo Theatre on Aug 29, 2005 at 12:21 pm

Loew’s was still operating this theatre as late as 1953. A NY Times display ad for 2/26/1953 shows that they were playing the Doris Day film, “April in Paris.”

bamtino
bamtino commented about Pagoda Theater on Aug 29, 2005 at 10:48 am

I believe the theatre actually opened a few days later, on June 1, 1964, and that the seating capacity was only 492.
Demolished in 1992, the site is now home to the Glory China Tower office building.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Sun Sing Theatre on Aug 29, 2005 at 10:44 am

Opened as a home to both Yiddish vaudeville and motion pictures in 1911, the Florence Theatre, the exact address of which was 75-85 East Broadway, ended its existence as the Sun Sing in 1993.
A renovation in 1938 took the theatre’s capacity from 980 to 916 seats (and reports from the 1920s seem to indicate that, during that decade, it may have accommodated as many as twice that number).
By 1942, the theatre had been rechristened the New Canton Theatre and featured performances of Chinese opera and variety acts. In 1950, the facility was again re-dubbed, this time as the Sun Sing Theatre, and took to exhibiting Chinese language films, sometimes with English subtitles.
In 1960, the theatre was scheduled for demolition when faced with the addition of an upper deck to the Manhattan Bridge far above. However, city engineers were able to save the theatre and the adjoining retail space, through the use of innovative bridge supports which only caused the theatre’s seat count to be reduced, this time to 676.
In 1972, the theatre began to feature a mixed program of film and stage performances. It finally closed in 1993.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Costello Theatre on Aug 29, 2005 at 9:39 am

By the way, this theatre should be listed as being located in “New York, NY.”

bamtino
bamtino commented about New Delancey Theatre on Aug 29, 2005 at 9:11 am

This single-level, stageless theatre opened as the New Delancey in 1922. Seating, according to the Department of Buildings, was 1076.

bamtino
bamtino commented about Ruby Theatre on Aug 29, 2005 at 7:24 am

The theatre was still in operation in 1937.