Here’s a rare individual ad for the Audubon from November, 1948. “Zelane” was a psychic who made frequent tours of neighborhood theatres, advising patrons individually in a section of the lounge and not from the stage: View link
Is the introduction address correct? A current Barnes & Noble store south of this location has an address of 1972 Broadway. Also, buildings on the east side of Broadway have even numbers, not odd numbers.
Here’s a closer view of the original Capitol signage. Note the “capitol dome” symbols at the top of the vertical and on the marquee, which were later junked when the theatre was re-named: View link
Congratulations to the phantom amnesiac for chalking up at least 30,209 postings, which is considerably more than the current 24,378 theatre listings at Cinema Treasures. One might wonder how the person does it. With help from neuroenhancers?
“Paul McCartney & Friends,” including Ringo Starr, grossed $894,930 in a single performance at RCMH on April 4th. Held for the benefit of the David Lynch Foundation, the concert attracted a “sell-out” crowd of 5,816, with tickets priced at $500, $325, $225, and $75, according to the April 25 issue of Billboard Magazine.
2009 marks the 30th anniversary of RCMH’s final Easter holiday presentation of a movie with stage show. The package opened March 8th, 1979, with Universal’s PG-rated tearjerker, “The Promise,” starring Kathleen Quinlan & Stephen Collins, on screen. The two-part stage show consisted of “The Glory of Easter” and “Easter in New York,” produced and directed by John Henry Jackson and featuring the Rockettes, Choral Ensemble, special guest artists, and the Symphony Orchestra. For a copy of an ad, which is too large to display here, please e-mail me at .com.
The Bluebird is listed in the 1926 FDYB, but the name, which was widely used for pioneer cinemas, suggests that it dates back much earlier than that. Might have started as a penny arcade or nickelodeon. The 1926 listing has the name as two words: Blue Bird.
The stage revue policy at the Rivoli in 1926 was just a temporary measure, designed as a testing ground for John Murray Anderson, Frank Cambria, and others who would be producing the stage shows at the new Paramount Theatre when it was completed later that year. After the Paramount opened in November, the Rivoli closed down for two weeks for removal of the stage equipment and preparation for a new policy of “prestige” roadshow films. The first booking was Paramount’s seafaring epic, “Old Ironsides,” which was projected at the Rivoli in Magnascope on what was advertised as “The largest screen in the world” and ran for four months through April, 1927. By that time, the Rivoli had acquired still another rival in the Roxy Theatre and changed to a continuous-run policy at popular prices, starting with Paramount’s “Chang.”
The Beacon is seeking to hire a Vice President & General Manager. For details, go to http://beacontheatre.com/, click on “Employment” at the bottom of the homepage, and enter job #2009-68.
Here are new links to exterior views. The first two show the entrances on Third Avenue and around the corner on 58th Street. The one on 58th Street was the original, but reduced to an auxiliary entrance when the Third Avenue was added. The third view shows the modernized Third Avenue entrance: View link View link View link
Here are new links to auditorium views. Please note that Proctor’s 58th was built simultaneously with Thomas Lamb’s atmospheric Keith-Albee in Flushing, Queens, but had about 200 more seats: View link View link
It’s a pity that American Classic Images has so few interior photos of theatres. One might assume that the buildings existed only for the sake of holding a marquee. As some sage once said, “You can’t tell a book by its cover.”
Thanks to JF Lundy for forwarding this link, which shows the Grand Opera House corner vertical sign in process of removal. The larger vertical above the Eighth Avenue marquee that was shown in my link above of 4/5/09 had already been removed. View link
Here’s a rare individual ad for the Audubon from November, 1948. “Zelane” was a psychic who made frequent tours of neighborhood theatres, advising patrons individually in a section of the lounge and not from the stage: View link
In November, 1948, this became a Trans-Lux theatre with first-run imports. The address used was 346 East 72nd Street: View link
Is the introduction address correct? A current Barnes & Noble store south of this location has an address of 1972 Broadway. Also, buildings on the east side of Broadway have even numbers, not odd numbers.
Shouldn’t the introductory link to the “official” website be removed? If you click on it, you just arrive at a blank spot in cyberspace.
“Still Kicking Up Her Heels on 42nd Street”:
View link
Here’s a closer view of the original Capitol signage. Note the “capitol dome” symbols at the top of the vertical and on the marquee, which were later junked when the theatre was re-named: View link
Congratulations to the phantom amnesiac for chalking up at least 30,209 postings, which is considerably more than the current 24,378 theatre listings at Cinema Treasures. One might wonder how the person does it. With help from neuroenhancers?
Large theatres are those with 3,000 seats or more. I would hardly call the Greenport “large.” Theatres of under 1,000 seats are “small.”
“Paul McCartney & Friends,” including Ringo Starr, grossed $894,930 in a single performance at RCMH on April 4th. Held for the benefit of the David Lynch Foundation, the concert attracted a “sell-out” crowd of 5,816, with tickets priced at $500, $325, $225, and $75, according to the April 25 issue of Billboard Magazine.
2009 marks the 30th anniversary of RCMH’s final Easter holiday presentation of a movie with stage show. The package opened March 8th, 1979, with Universal’s PG-rated tearjerker, “The Promise,” starring Kathleen Quinlan & Stephen Collins, on screen. The two-part stage show consisted of “The Glory of Easter” and “Easter in New York,” produced and directed by John Henry Jackson and featuring the Rockettes, Choral Ensemble, special guest artists, and the Symphony Orchestra. For a copy of an ad, which is too large to display here, please e-mail me at .com.
The Bluebird is listed in the 1926 FDYB, but the name, which was widely used for pioneer cinemas, suggests that it dates back much earlier than that. Might have started as a penny arcade or nickelodeon. The 1926 listing has the name as two words: Blue Bird.
The stage revue policy at the Rivoli in 1926 was just a temporary measure, designed as a testing ground for John Murray Anderson, Frank Cambria, and others who would be producing the stage shows at the new Paramount Theatre when it was completed later that year. After the Paramount opened in November, the Rivoli closed down for two weeks for removal of the stage equipment and preparation for a new policy of “prestige” roadshow films. The first booking was Paramount’s seafaring epic, “Old Ironsides,” which was projected at the Rivoli in Magnascope on what was advertised as “The largest screen in the world” and ran for four months through April, 1927. By that time, the Rivoli had acquired still another rival in the Roxy Theatre and changed to a continuous-run policy at popular prices, starting with Paramount’s “Chang.”
The Beacon is seeking to hire a Vice President & General Manager. For details, go to http://beacontheatre.com/, click on “Employment” at the bottom of the homepage, and enter job #2009-68.
A capsule history and early photo as the Capitol Theatre can be found here: View link
Here are new links to exterior views. The first two show the entrances on Third Avenue and around the corner on 58th Street. The one on 58th Street was the original, but reduced to an auxiliary entrance when the Third Avenue was added. The third view shows the modernized Third Avenue entrance:
View link
View link
View link
Here are new links to auditorium views. Please note that Proctor’s 58th was built simultaneously with Thomas Lamb’s atmospheric Keith-Albee in Flushing, Queens, but had about 200 more seats:
View link
View link
Management now seems to be under the control of this company, according to NYC Property Search: View link
Entrance as shoe store: View link
The best views of the Alabama are at its official website, which includes this one of the auditorium:
View link
An auditorium photo and mentions of the Panida Theatre can be found in this article from yesterday’s magazine section of The New York Times: View link
The operation of the Mayfair Theatre switched from Loew’s to the Brandt circuit in 1947. To receive an e-mail with more details, please contact .com.
It’s a pity that American Classic Images has so few interior photos of theatres. One might assume that the buildings existed only for the sake of holding a marquee. As some sage once said, “You can’t tell a book by its cover.”
Thanks to JF Lundy for forwarding this link, which shows the Grand Opera House corner vertical sign in process of removal. The larger vertical above the Eighth Avenue marquee that was shown in my link above of 4/5/09 had already been removed.
View link
“GabeDF,” I would appreciate it if you refrained from posting links to my Photobucket photo album. Thanks!
It’s too bad that the ACM photo is so over-exposed. It looks much better when computer “rejuvenated.”