Paramount Theatre
1501 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
1501 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
35 people
favorited this theater
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Tinseltoes: you always post such fascinating and important information. Thank you SO much for sharing!
On this day in 1949, the Paramount made history as the first and only theatre anywhere to present “live” TV coverage of a Presidential Inaugural Address and that night’s Inaugural Ball. Harry S. Truman was starting his second term in office, and his first as an elected President (he’d been Vice-President when FDR died in 1945). The Paramount’s TV coverage, of course, was in B&W, and projected on the same screen used for movies. The speech was telecast at noon, and the ball starting at 10:00pm. In between, the Paramount presented its current program, with Paramount’s B&W “The Accused” (Loretta Young-Robert Cummings) on screen, and the Mills Brothers, comedian Jean Carroll, and Ray McKinley & His Orchestra topping the stage bill. The Paramount’s usual ticket prices prevailed.
On this day in 1944, one of the funniest movies of all time, Preston Sturges' “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek,” starring Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton, opened its world premiere engagement at the Parmount Theatre. The B&W Paramount release somehow managed to get Production Code approval for its audacious treatment of wartime morals and illegitimate babies (in this case, sextuplets born to a dizzy blonde who can’t remember the name of the father). The Paramount’s stage bill was topped by Johnny long & His Orchestra, jazz pianist Hazel Scott, and comedian Gil Lamb.
On this first day after Christmas in 1952, families heading to midtown Manhattan to see a movie combined with a stage show had five to choose from:
Paramount Theatre, Doris Day & Ray Bolger in the Technicolor “April in Paris,” with Sarah Vaughan, Illinois Jacquet & His Orchestra, and Stump & Stumpy on stage;
Capitol Theatre, Errol Flynn & Maureen O'Hara in the Technicolor “Against All Flags,” with Johnnie Ray, Ray Anthony & His Orchestra, Gary Morton, and Georgia Gibbs;
Roxy Theatre, Clifton Webb in the Technicolor “Stars and Stripes Forever,” and the first skating revue on the newly installed Ice Colorama Stage;
Radio City Music Hall, Esther Williams in the Technicolor “Million Dollar Mermaid.” with “The Nativity” and “Season’s Greetings” on stage;
RKO Palace, Boris Karloff in the B&W “The Black Castle,” and 8 Vaudevile Acts.
The Warner Theatre (ex-Strand) was temporarily closed for conversion to Cinerama.
On this night in 1949, Cecil B. DeMille’s “Samson and Delilah” opened its world premiere engagement at the Paramount and Rivoli Theatres with celebrity-studded performances covered by radio, TV, and newsreels. Continuous showings started the next day. Due to the Technicolor spectacle’s running time of 128 minutes, the Paramount’s stage show was shorter than usual, presenting only Russ Case and His Orchestra and Chorus. At the Rivoli, patrons received a bonus of magnascopic projection of the climactic scene in which Samson destroys the pagan temple.
Anyone remember or have ever been to the Paramount around 59th st.
It was round and small street level box office, the theatre was about 200 feet below street…
The introduction’s second paragraph needs to be corrected. The Paramount Theatre closed forever on February 21st, 1966, following that day’s last screening of UA’s “Thunderball.” The James Bond adventure had opened there on December 21st, 1965, as part of an area-wide “Premiere Showcase” engagement (shared in Manhattan with the Sutton and Cinema II). As a promtional stunt, the Paramount exclusively showed “Thunderball” for 24 hours daily thrugh the Chistmas-New Year’s holiday season, then switched to a conventional schedule for the balance of the booking. Between “Carpetbaggers” and “Thunderball,” attempts were made to re-open the Paramount as a concert venue and then with a film/stage policy, but both failed.
The current marquee is only a simulation of the original marquee, not a “refurbishment,” and far from an exact copy. The original was removed around 1950, and replaced by a much more modern marquee with white glass background and changeable black silhouette letters.
The old Paramount was gutted for the NY Times. The space they used was large from the former theatre.
I saw it also but, they also had acts on stage at the Hard Rock..
It looked very large….anyone know if they are using the theatre shell of the old Paramount? has any of you been inside?
Just wondering….
On this day in 1948, the Paramount was in the midst of its 22nd Birthday Celebration, with “Miss Tatlock’s Millions” on screen and a stage show topped by Stan Kenton’s Orchestra with June Christy, comedian Red Buttons, and singer-pianist Nellie Lutcher. Starring John Lund, Wanda Hendrix, Barry Fitzgerald, and Monty Woolley, the B&W screwball comedy was reported to be the 715th feature to play at the Paramount Theatre since its 1926 opening, an average of 33 per year. Most, though not all, came from its parent company, Paramount Pictures, including this one.
I went to the Paramount in the 50’s to see Alan Freed and his shows. I do not believe they also showed ie during the rock,n roll engagements.
I do not believe they had a movie showing during the rock'n roll shows in the 50’s. As I remember, there was only as show.
On this day in 1936, the Paramount Theatre opened its 10th Anniversary Show, which included the world premiere engagement of Paramount’s B&W “Go West, Young Man,” with a legendary sexbomb seeking satisfaction from Randolph Scott, Warren William, and Lyle Talbot (though not simultaneously). On stage, the Paramount presented Al Donahue & His Orchestra, Paul Draper, Jack Powell, and Louise Massey & Her Westerners. An added birthday treat was “Sindbad the Sailor,” a Paramount two-reel “Popeye” cartoon in Technicolor with 3-Dimensional effects.
I have fond memories of that Gleason show, I took my parents to see it and my mother talked about it for months.
Here is the original ad.
View link
On this day in 1954, “Drum Beat,” an Alan Ladd western in CinemaScope and WarnerColor, opened its NYC premiere engagement as the Paramount’s Thanksgiving holiday offering. But the big excitement was on the stage, with six performances daily by Jackie Gleason and the entire cast of his CBS television show, including Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, the 32 June Taylor Dancers, and the 50 members of the “Music for Lovers Only Orchestra.” Doors opened at 8:00am, with the last complete stage/screen show starting at midnight.
In the late 50,s at the Paramount how is this lineup for a concert?On the marquee,In Person Alan Freed & Holiday of Stars, Fats Domino, Jeery Lee Lewis,The Everly Brothers,Buddy Holly and the Crickets,The Rays,Danny and the Juniors,Paul Anka,on the screen “Its Great to be Young”. September 1957.
Yes, I did mean “North.” “Lost in Alaska” is where I wish that Sarah Palin would get, preferably under an avalanche.
Sorry William I meant to write Tinsletoes had the title wrong.
I believe he meant “North” and not “Lost”
vito, your ad post has the same title as I posted “North to Alaska”.
I am sure William meant “Noth To Alaska"
Here is the original ad
View link
Tinseltoes, you must mean “North to Alaska”. “Lost in Alaska” is a Abbott & Costello film.
Fifty years ago today, “Lost in Alaska,” a sprawling outdoor epic in CinemaScope and color starring John Wayne, Capucine, Stewart Granger, Ernie Kovacs, and teen rage Fabian, opened its NYC premiere engagement at the Paramount Theatre, which had replaced the now demolished Roxy as a showcase for 20th Century-Fox releases. From 5 to 6:00pm that day only, Fabian himself hosted an “After School Coke Party” in the Paramount’s lobby, handing out autographed photos while some of his hit recordings were played discreetly in the background.
Wasn’t CALAMITY JANE the last feature film/stage show combo at the Paramount? I believe there were occasional stage attractions after that, but this ended the weekly combo shows.
On this day in 1953, the Paramount Theatre opened its “Happy 27th Birthday Show” with WB’s Doris Day-Howard Keel Technicolor musical, “Calamity Jane,” on screen and a stage presentation featuring the Ames Brothers, Pupi Campo & His Orchestra, Clifford Guest, and the Peiro Brothers. The very next day, Howard Keel would also turn up on the screen of Radio City Music Hall with the opening of MGM’s “Kiss Me Kate” (which was accompanied, of course, by a stage show).
On this day in 1938, “If I Were King,” starring Ronald Colman in one of his most unforgettable performances as poet-adventurer Francois Villon, opened its world premiere engagement at the Paramount Theatre. Stage support was provided by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra, featuring Edythe Wright, Jack Leonard, the Titan Trio, and Gil Lamb, as well as the extra added attraction of Connie Boswell, “America’s Swing Sweetheart.” Don Baker was the the Paramount’s resident organist at the time.