Loew's Paradise Theatre
2413 Grand Concourse,
Bronx,
NY
10468
2413 Grand Concourse,
Bronx,
NY
10468
55 people
favorited this theater
Showing 176 - 200 of 799 comments found
Here are new direct links to ads from Bronx newspapers for the 1929 grand opening and the Paradise’s 1973 re-birth as twins:
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Yes, guys. Let’s keep the discussion civil here.
Warren, please refrain from making personal attacks against other users. You may feel justified, but the “be nice” rule applies here. If you don’t have anything nice to say, just don’t comment.
We have the same goal here. Let’s remember we’re using this site to save and document movie theaters… not attack each other.
Disagreeing about theater related comments is one thing, but you’ve chosen to make this personal. I’ve sent an email to management asking if something can be done about your constant harassment and childish behaviour on this website. Hopefully some sort of disciplinary action will be taken.
Ken (aka “Lost Memory”), you need to learn to double-check sources, because many of your claims about release dates just ain’t true. MGM’s “Marianne” was released in October, 1929. Its first engagement in the NYC area was an exclusive one at the Captiol Theatre in midtown Manhattan starting on October 18th. I don’t know how long that run lasted, but at least one week. After that, “Marianne” played the Loew’s circuit, but not necessarily immediately after the Capitol. Circuit theatres like the Paradise played movies from other studios besides MGM, so there were sometimes delays in new films reaching the neighborhoods after they finished their Broadway runs.
The exact U.S. release date that I found for Marianne is August 24, 1929. I don’t know if Marianne was the opening day movie. A 1929 opening ad was posted above but the link no longer works.
If the theater opened in September 1929, I guess they played the Davies film as soon as they opened, unless it was a re-release.
Marianne with Marion Davies was released in August of 1929.
These two photos are in the Ben Hall book, “Best Remaining Seats”. The exterior photo is circa 1929. No date for the interior view. As always, apologies if these photos have already been posted:
http://tinyurl.com/2tq8r3
http://tinyurl.com/3djlhm
Thanks, Howard, for posting the “theater vs. theatre” passage from CT’s guides. Hopefully that settles this tempest in a teapot. As for the management of the Paradise mispelling the word… both spellings are acceptable according to the Miriam-Webster and American Heritage dictionaries. No need to insult the folks in charge of the Paradise for no good reason.
And thanks, Ken, for at long last providing a proper and fitting introduction for this great palace!
Wonderful introductory comments! Just one correction; the interior of the Paradise as well as it’s facade is landmarked.
The Paradise’s stage shows were dropped in 1935, which was in the midst of the Great Depression, not “after” it.
In an otherwise splendid introduction, I question the description of the renovated Paradise as “a Latino theatre and special events venue.” I don’t quite get that bit, except as relates to the predominant ethnicity of the Fordham neighborhood in which the Paradise is situated.
I haven’t seen anything in the events booked so far — or on the theater’s official website — that would justify describing the Paradise as a specifically Latino venue.
Incorrect spelling of “theatre”? Thats funny.
The new description for this “theater” is great. Thanks Ken.
Many thanks are due Ken Roe for the wonderful new Introduction posted yesterday! Previously, there was NO introduction.
Judging by the few presentations so far at the Paradise, I don’t think that the current ownership knows its ass from its elbow, so their incorrect spelling of “theatre” doesn’t surprise me. Their usage of “Utopia” in connection with “Paradise” is further proof of their ineptitude. Another of their acquisitions, the Russian Tea Room in midtown Mahattan, is reportedly on the verge of closing due to negative reviews and low attendance.
The website for this theater does mention Utopia’s Paradise Theater when you click on event calendar. This article mentions, “Utopia’s Paradise Theater, as it is now called….”. This website also refers to this theater as “Utopia’s Paradise Theater”. Is “Utopia’s” part of this theaters official name? It probably is, but using the guidelines given to us, the name should remain Paradise Theater. As far as I’m concerned, this theaters name is now correct and we can move on to something else.
I can’t speak for long time advocates of the Paradise, but if somebody came to us (Friends of the Boyd in Philadelphia) and said they’d fund millions for the restoration, but contrary to Opening in 1928 (Boyd Theatre), it will be Boyd Theater, we’d be thrilled!
Any of you harping on this trivial point who didn’t actually fund the restoration of the Paradise? The funds did not come from Loews either (vintage photo posted in Intro.
This site has so many incorrectly spelled listings that I guess one more won’t make any difference. Perhaps the introductory photo of the Paradise’s exterior could be airbrushed so that the spelling in the signage conforms.
Ed, as to theater vs US and theatre for the British, no, they did not.
You can find the Guidelines by visiting “Add Theaters”
Theater vs Theatre
When a theater name contains “theatre” or “theater”, use the name provided by the theater in question. Do not deviate from a theater’s official name or listing.
When referring to a theater in the generic sense, always use “theater” â€" unless you are referring to a theater by its name.
For European theaters, as well as those in Australia, the term “cinema” should be used instead of “theater” or “theatre”.
Didn’t Patrick and Ross post a news item recently about new format guidelines for theatre (that’s my choice of spelling for the generic use of the word) descriptions, wherein they formally announced that CT would adopt the American custom of spelling the word with “er” at for US cinemas and with the appropriate “re” for cinemas in the UK? If so, I think that pretty much settles the issue as to the generic use of the word to describe the building. I would think that those guides also apply as defaults for the name of any particular cinema where the “official” spelling of the name can not be verified.
For the Paradise, we do have the official website as our guide – and therefore the “er” prevails.
I’ve read too many comments above- and on other theater pages, about the “theater” vs. theatre" spelling. ENOUGH! Please- NO more debates about this trivial point. This movie palace was saved, restored, and reopened! That should be enough.
The official website says Paradise Theater, with no “Utopia” in front.
Thats funny, but it doesn’t change anything.
Only women expect. Men suffer through it.
I don’t have a problem. Maybe your the one with the problem. I never said that the name “Paradise” was spelled incorrectly. And who says that the appropriate spelling of the word is “theatre”? As I wrote a number of times here, the name at the top of this page is supposed to match the name on the theaters website. The word theater at the top of this page does not match. You were quick to point out that the word “theatre” in the ad that you posted on the Glory Theatre listing did not match the spelling of the word “theater” that was at the top of that page. The Glory Theatre listing was updated within minutes to reflect the spelling in the ad. I expect no less for the Paradise Theater.
The name “Paradise” is spelled correctly, so what’s your problem? Has it ever occurred to you that the people responsible for the website might have made an error, or don’t know the appropriate spelling of the word “theatre” in relation to “Paradise,” or may not even be aware that the word has two spellings?