Liberty Ave in the 70s was porn alley! Anything you wanted. Theatres, adult arcades,where you had to be 18 and you paid a quarter to enter the adult arcade section through a turnstile. And maybe because I was young,it never seemed all that dangerous. Ah youth!
A question, for anyone. I know that the Roadshow engagements of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, WEST SIDE STORY, and FUNNY GIRL played downtown. But,can someone explain why the Roadshow engagements of STAR!, OLIVER!,THE LION IN WINTER and others played in Shadyside or Squirrel Hill?
In the building, street level on either side of the theatre entrance were stores,one being a jewlery shop if I remember correctly. And nest door,where the Rent-A-Center is now, was an Italian restaurant where the usher staff would go on break to grab a drink or something to eat
GAILY,GAILY,and THE REIVERS were two other early 1970s attractions, and an engagement of the film Z was also in the 70s. The dressing areas for employees were upstairs, for men,a room by the mens room,and for females,a room by the ladies room. The managers office was located on the lobby level,and from within that office you could walk into the box office. After the evening show began,and the box office was closed,the manager counted the evening receipts. When they were counted, a deposit was made up, and two of us walked to the bank across the street to put the money in the night depost box.
restrooms were located in the lodge/balcony area, and in addition to the candy counter on the main level,there were also vending machines from which you could buy candy as well
it was not the corner property,but it was on the left as you entered, way before where the Waldbaums is now.
I used to go as a kid , before it was twinned. I recall seeing THEY SHOOT HORSES, DONT THEY? there
I lived across the street from the theatre from 1985-1990. Would look out my window to see how long the line was before going out. Saw Aliens here, also Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Mystic Pizza, The Wizard of Oz and Fantasia. I loved being able to just walk across the street to the movies!
lived UWS in the 70s and 80s, loved this theatre.The revivals, the audience, all of it. Judy Garland,A Star is Born, Julie Andrews as the Star! and so many more
I seem to recall a big inaugural opening with The Poseidon Adventure. A few other big films after that , then the twinning and the real big decline of Times Square-no one in their right mind went to a movie theatre on Broadway.
Now ABC Studios and Sephora
As a young kid from LI,I had a chance to experience this theatre,a summer camp trip to see The Bible.Huge, huge theatre.
Years later I was here in either Loews State 1 or 2 for various screenings of Oliver!, Love Story, The Owl and the Pussycat, and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
This was a great neighborhood theatre. In the 70s and 80s when I lived on the UWS, I would attend films here. Among them were Fedora, and Please Remember My Name. That Barnes and Noble is now gone, replaced by a Century 21
Phone number for the theatre was CI 7-1699.There are glimpses of the Rivoli marquee at night in the opening credits of an ABC television show from 1967 called N.Y.P.D..A police car is crusing down Broadway at night-rather quickly- and the theatre appears on the left side of the screen,right after a shot of The Winter Garden,where Mame was playing at the time.
The theatre also shows up in an Al Pacino film, cant recall the title,but Al is walking down Broadway late at night,and walks under the marquee of the Rivoli, Star! was playing there at the time, so late 1968 to early 1969 is the time frame
I loved this theatre from the moment I saw it at age 13 in 1968, The film Star! was playing its Roadshow Engagement and the theatre was decked out!. That was always the good thing about the Rivoli,the marquee and outdoor displays for the roadshow engagements were great.
I was only in the theatre once, in 1969 to see Sweet Charity. If I recall correctly there was an orchestra level as well as a lodge and balcony. And ushers to seat you.
Over the years I took many pics of the theatre, of course for Star!, but also for Sweet Charity, Hello, Dolly! and a little something called Justine.
It really upset me when the theatre was twinned, and then torn down for that awful skyscraper w/ Carolines Comedy Club on street level.
went to a studio preview of Shirley Valentine here. Studio passed out comment cards to us as we entered to be returned as we left the theatre.
Although the theatre was modern and non-descript, the above ground entrance/marquee was interesting. Nice to enter before descending into the bowels of NYC
Summer 1969 I saw Krakatoa East Of Java at the Virginia. I have pics of the theatre then but am unable to upload.
Film was show in 70MM-Stereophonic sound.
Some other summer 1969 info, the Ice Capades were getting ready for their engagement at Convention Hall, and Gary Lewis and the Playboys were the Headliners at the Steel Pier
bigjoe59 -Some roadshow info- at the Criterion- 1967 Thoroughly Modern Millie,1968 Funny Girl,
At the Rivoli-1961 West Side Story, 1963 Cleopatra, 1968 Star!, 1969 Sweet Charity, 1970 Hello, Dolly!
At the RKO Palace-1969 Goodbye Mr. Chips
At Loews State 1- 1968 Oliver!
At Loews State 2-1968 Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang
In 1968 Finians Rainbow had a roadshow engagement at the Warner which by then had split to 3 theatres-cant recall if Finians played The Penthouse or the Cinerama.
Sat in the lodge, taken to the seats by an usher. Loved it. After Funny Girl I wasnt in the theatre again until they multi-plexed it. A night showing of a Streep film, ruined by screaming, crying kids. I never returned after that.
saw my first big roadshow here when i was a kid. 1968 Funny Girl. I loved it. Show curtain overture, intermission,souvenir program, the works. I was hooked on roadshow engagements!
Liberty Ave in the 70s was porn alley! Anything you wanted. Theatres, adult arcades,where you had to be 18 and you paid a quarter to enter the adult arcade section through a turnstile. And maybe because I was young,it never seemed all that dangerous. Ah youth!
I admit it, in the 1970s as a college student I paid visits to both these theatres. The things that went on, all I can say is WOW!
of course JAWS. We used to stand in the upstairs rehearsal hall of Heinz Hall and see the long, long lines that had snaked around the block onto Penn
A question, for anyone. I know that the Roadshow engagements of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, WEST SIDE STORY, and FUNNY GIRL played downtown. But,can someone explain why the Roadshow engagements of STAR!, OLIVER!,THE LION IN WINTER and others played in Shadyside or Squirrel Hill?
In the building, street level on either side of the theatre entrance were stores,one being a jewlery shop if I remember correctly. And nest door,where the Rent-A-Center is now, was an Italian restaurant where the usher staff would go on break to grab a drink or something to eat
GAILY,GAILY,and THE REIVERS were two other early 1970s attractions, and an engagement of the film Z was also in the 70s. The dressing areas for employees were upstairs, for men,a room by the mens room,and for females,a room by the ladies room. The managers office was located on the lobby level,and from within that office you could walk into the box office. After the evening show began,and the box office was closed,the manager counted the evening receipts. When they were counted, a deposit was made up, and two of us walked to the bank across the street to put the money in the night depost box.
restrooms were located in the lodge/balcony area, and in addition to the candy counter on the main level,there were also vending machines from which you could buy candy as well
around 1969, 1970 I recall seeing GONE WITH THE WIND,and THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE here
it was not the corner property,but it was on the left as you entered, way before where the Waldbaums is now. I used to go as a kid , before it was twinned. I recall seeing THEY SHOOT HORSES, DONT THEY? there
September 11, 1978, as per The Village Voice, 2001: A Space Odyssey was playing at the UA Rivoli Theatre in 70 MM-6 Track Stereo
I lived across the street from the theatre from 1985-1990. Would look out my window to see how long the line was before going out.
Saw Aliens here, also Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Mystic Pizza, The Wizard of Oz and Fantasia. I loved being able to just walk across the street to the movies!
lived UWS in the 70s and 80s, loved this theatre.The revivals, the audience, all of it. Judy Garland,A Star is Born, Julie Andrews as the Star! and so many more
I seem to recall a big inaugural opening with The Poseidon Adventure. A few other big films after that , then the twinning and the real big decline of Times Square-no one in their right mind went to a movie theatre on Broadway. Now ABC Studios and Sephora
As a young kid from LI,I had a chance to experience this theatre,a summer camp trip to see The Bible.Huge, huge theatre. Years later I was here in either Loews State 1 or 2 for various screenings of Oliver!, Love Story, The Owl and the Pussycat, and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever
This was a great neighborhood theatre. In the 70s and 80s when I lived on the UWS, I would attend films here. Among them were Fedora, and Please Remember My Name. That Barnes and Noble is now gone, replaced by a Century 21
A re-issue of Gone With The Wind was the attraction before the Gala Premiere of Star! which was on October 22, 1968
Phone number for the theatre was CI 7-1699.There are glimpses of the Rivoli marquee at night in the opening credits of an ABC television show from 1967 called N.Y.P.D..A police car is crusing down Broadway at night-rather quickly- and the theatre appears on the left side of the screen,right after a shot of The Winter Garden,where Mame was playing at the time. The theatre also shows up in an Al Pacino film, cant recall the title,but Al is walking down Broadway late at night,and walks under the marquee of the Rivoli, Star! was playing there at the time, so late 1968 to early 1969 is the time frame
I loved this theatre from the moment I saw it at age 13 in 1968, The film Star! was playing its Roadshow Engagement and the theatre was decked out!. That was always the good thing about the Rivoli,the marquee and outdoor displays for the roadshow engagements were great.
I was only in the theatre once, in 1969 to see Sweet
Charity. If I recall correctly there was an orchestra level as well as a lodge and balcony. And ushers to seat you.
Over the years I took many pics of the theatre, of course for Star!, but also for Sweet Charity, Hello, Dolly! and a little something called Justine. It really upset me when the theatre was twinned, and then torn down for that awful skyscraper w/ Carolines Comedy Club on street level.
went to a studio preview of Shirley Valentine here. Studio passed out comment cards to us as we entered to be returned as we left the theatre. Although the theatre was modern and non-descript, the above ground entrance/marquee was interesting. Nice to enter before descending into the bowels of NYC
Summer 1969 I saw Krakatoa East Of Java at the Virginia. I have pics of the theatre then but am unable to upload. Film was show in 70MM-Stereophonic sound.
Some other summer 1969 info, the Ice Capades were getting ready for their engagement at Convention Hall, and Gary Lewis and the Playboys were the Headliners at the Steel Pier
Summer 1969 Funny Girl was playing at the Center.I have pics but am unable to upload
in the summer of 1969 Oliver! was playing at the Shore. I have pics I took ,but am unable to upload
bigjoe59 -Some roadshow info- at the Criterion- 1967 Thoroughly Modern Millie,1968 Funny Girl, At the Rivoli-1961 West Side Story, 1963 Cleopatra, 1968 Star!, 1969 Sweet Charity, 1970 Hello, Dolly! At the RKO Palace-1969 Goodbye Mr. Chips At Loews State 1- 1968 Oliver! At Loews State 2-1968 Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang In 1968 Finians Rainbow had a roadshow engagement at the Warner which by then had split to 3 theatres-cant recall if Finians played The Penthouse or the Cinerama.
Hope this was helpful
Sat in the lodge, taken to the seats by an usher. Loved it. After Funny Girl I wasnt in the theatre again until they multi-plexed it. A night showing of a Streep film, ruined by screaming, crying kids. I never returned after that.
saw my first big roadshow here when i was a kid. 1968 Funny Girl. I loved it. Show curtain overture, intermission,souvenir program, the works. I was hooked on roadshow engagements!