Just six months after its press preview at Loew’s Lexington, “Some Like It Hot” finally returned for a full engagement. The B&W comedy didn’t open until the end of March at Loew’s State, where it enjoyed a substantial run before neighborhood dates could be negotiated and confirmed.
Film turned out to be “Some Like It Hot,” in its first screening for the New York press corps, including newspapers, national and local magazines, trade journals, and radio-TV. Turning up unannounced were
Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller, also seeing the B&W comedy for the first time.
Today marks the 60th anniversary of the grand opening of the modernized Loew’s State on March 29th, 1959, which happened to be the Easter Sunday of that year. “Some Like It Hot,” the premiere attraction, had an invitational performance the night before, with Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller among the honored guests. Ad displayed here
The former child star and the shapely starlet were a torrid romantic couple at the time, and capitalized on the publicity with a national vaudeville tour. They eventually married in December, 1937, but landed in divorce proceedings a year later.
The Gates was the third large Loew’s to open since that summer, preceded in Manhattan by the flagship State in Times Square and the 83rd Street on the Upper West Side. All three had Thomas W. Lamb as architect.
Management hoped to benefit from hordes of shoppers coming to 14th Street/Union Square to prepare for Easter Sunday, which fell on April 5th that year.
The Technicolor epic was still running in midtown Manhattan at the Capitol (continuous performances) and Astor (two-a-day). In March, the Capitol will switch to “Northwest Passage,” though the Astor will continue indefinitely with “GWTW” but with continuous performances. Following the Metropolitan, “GWTW” will make a gradual tour of Loew’s neighborhood houses.
At the time, the Palace was being operated by Odeon Theaters of Canada, Ltd., which also ran the Capitol, Royal, Savoy, Windsor, and York in Hamilton, according to The Film Daily Year Book of 1944.
The “Lucy & Desi” teaming had started its New York visit at Radio City Music Hall, followed by a stop-over in downtown Brooklyn at Loew’s Metropolitan before moving on to neighborhood theatres.
Bronx-born Mae Kwestel changed her name to Mae Questelle when she started working in vaudeville as a singer and voice mimic, and later to the briefer Mae Questel (same pronunciation in all cases).
The Capitol and other theatres with a check mark were also presenting the latest chapter of “Captain Video,” Columbia’s 15-episode serial inspired by the already legendary TV program.
Followed a hugely-successful engagement in midtown Manhattan at the Roxy Theatre, another of William Fox’s increasing numbers of properties in the Greater NYC area and beyond.
The one-week engagement came at a time when the USA was just emerging from a banking shut-down that caused the worst crisis since the “Wall Street Crash” of 1929.
The Music Hall changed programs the day before (March 16th), while the New Roxy retained its “King Kong” offerings. The two showplaces were the nearest first-run cinemas to Friday’s annual parade route on Fifth Avenue, which attracted a reported 400,000 spectators. How many attended the Music Hall or New Roxy afterwards is unknown.
This was the 12th program change for the Music Hall since the start of its screen/stage policy in January of that year.
Just six months after its press preview at Loew’s Lexington, “Some Like It Hot” finally returned for a full engagement. The B&W comedy didn’t open until the end of March at Loew’s State, where it enjoyed a substantial run before neighborhood dates could be negotiated and confirmed.
Candid shots taken during the preview screening of “Some Like It Hot” at Loew’s Lexington.
Film turned out to be “Some Like It Hot,” in its first screening for the New York press corps, including newspapers, national and local magazines, trade journals, and radio-TV. Turning up unannounced were Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller, also seeing the B&W comedy for the first time.
Today marks the 60th anniversary of the grand opening of the modernized Loew’s State on March 29th, 1959, which happened to be the Easter Sunday of that year. “Some Like It Hot,” the premiere attraction, had an invitational performance the night before, with Marilyn Monroe and husband Arthur Miller among the honored guests. Ad displayed here
The wide-angle photo was taken during rehearsals for the two nights of concerts, which explains the vacant seats.
The former child star and the shapely starlet were a torrid romantic couple at the time, and capitalized on the publicity with a national vaudeville tour. They eventually married in December, 1937, but landed in divorce proceedings a year later.
The Gates was the third large Loew’s to open since that summer, preceded in Manhattan by the flagship State in Times Square and the 83rd Street on the Upper West Side. All three had Thomas W. Lamb as architect.
Management hoped to benefit from hordes of shoppers coming to 14th Street/Union Square to prepare for Easter Sunday, which fell on April 5th that year.
The opening of the Pix Theatre brought a quick end to this attempt to bring more movies to the surrounding area. One wonders if it found a buyer?
The Technicolor epic was still running in midtown Manhattan at the Capitol (continuous performances) and Astor (two-a-day). In March, the Capitol will switch to “Northwest Passage,” though the Astor will continue indefinitely with “GWTW” but with continuous performances. Following the Metropolitan, “GWTW” will make a gradual tour of Loew’s neighborhood houses.
“Popular” prices were lower than “roadshow,” but higher than “regular.”
At the time, the Palace was being operated by Odeon Theaters of Canada, Ltd., which also ran the Capitol, Royal, Savoy, Windsor, and York in Hamilton, according to The Film Daily Year Book of 1944.
The “Lucy & Desi” teaming had started its New York visit at Radio City Music Hall, followed by a stop-over in downtown Brooklyn at Loew’s Metropolitan before moving on to neighborhood theatres.
Bronx-born Mae Kwestel changed her name to Mae Questelle when she started working in vaudeville as a singer and voice mimic, and later to the briefer Mae Questel (same pronunciation in all cases).
Glendale Cinerama featured in the top left corner of 20th Century group advertisement.
The Capitol and other theatres with a check mark were also presenting the latest chapter of “Captain Video,” Columbia’s 15-episode serial inspired by the already legendary TV program.
Followed a hugely-successful engagement in midtown Manhattan at the Roxy Theatre, another of William Fox’s increasing numbers of properties in the Greater NYC area and beyond.
Production of the Technicolor musical sparked a romantic affair between Betty Grable and Harry James that intensified into marriage in July, 1943.
Fifty-five cents would be equivalent to about $6.50 in 2019.
Opened on the Valentine’s Day of that year.
The one-week engagement came at a time when the USA was just emerging from a banking shut-down that caused the worst crisis since the “Wall Street Crash” of 1929.
The Music Hall changed programs the day before (March 16th), while the New Roxy retained its “King Kong” offerings. The two showplaces were the nearest first-run cinemas to Friday’s annual parade route on Fifth Avenue, which attracted a reported 400,000 spectators. How many attended the Music Hall or New Roxy afterwards is unknown.
Famous Players' first new cinema since the end of WWII opened on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th).
Highlights of two nights of concerts were later released by Century Records as a direct-to-disc LP “George Wright Plays The Chicago Theatre Organ.”