I believe that made for TV movie was on NBC, not HBO. I took a picture of the Loew’s marquee when they were filming it. The scene outside the Loew’s takes place at the start of the film.
When the bowling alley was put in all the theatre decor was taken out. I bowled there also. The alley was destroyed in a fire in the late 1970’s and was never rebuilt.
There was a large furniture store next to the Oriental that was also taken over by Marshals. The Oriental luncheonette was there until the theatre closed. I know when they started work converting the building I saw bulldozers in the orchestra section so the ground floor is probably gone. I would guess the balcony and cieling of the auditorium could still be intact. The Russian manager would not know (or care) about the status of the theatre.
Thanks, I always wondered if there was an orchestra pit elevator in that theatre. Wish you had taken some pictures. It was a great place to watch a movie.
My last visit to the Deluxe was in Feb.1974 although I do not remember what film I saw. It was a Friday night and they had a pretty large crowd. Theaterat is right, the Deluxe was always a lot cleaner then the Benson. I remember films always sounding and looking good there also. It’s a shame it became a “porno” house the last 20 years it was open. Glad to hear that the last legitimate film to play there was “Gone With The Wind”.
My mistake, I meant the main entrance was put in the side wall. None of the walls were destroyed. There was a third floor constructed above the original roof. Since I live near the Deluxe I was able to follow the reconstruction from when it started. I wish I had taken a picture of the theatre before the work started.
If you look at the building now there is no way you would know it was once a theatre. It looks like a totally new building. The main entrance is where the side wall of the theatre was.
I hope some day they open the balcony so we can all experience the acoustics. For now the echo reminds me of being in the Loews Oriental before it was split into three theaters.
There is a scene from an episode of the 1985 “Twilight Zone” show that was shot right in front of this theatre. You can see the ticket booth, marque and posters clearly.
Last month I saw “Thief Of Bagdad” & “Robin Hood” at the Loews and the prints looked and sounded great. Those films were technicolor and were made at about the same time as GWTW so why can’t a print of GWTW be made to look as clear as those films?
I saw GWTW at Radio City in 1989 when they had a special 50th anniversary event. I could swear that print looked better then this 1999 “restored” print.
Another problem with the GWTW print was there were several spots were the film must have had splicing because the sound would skip a line of dialogue here and there. I would have wanted to see Ben-Hur but it was not listed to start until 7:30 and the Loews has a habit of starting the films 5-10 minutes later then they say. This happened on Sunday. I wish they had played Ben-Hur Staurday afternoon and Rocky (a shorter film) at night.
The tour guides told me as a rule, on the weekends when they have services you can go into the theatre but they will not give the full tour or demonstrate the atmospheric effects. You must have been there on a rare Sunday where nothing was happening. They must have better hot chocolate during the week also. Mine tasted alright.
“Independence Day” opened at the Ziegfeld. “Titanic” was at the Astor Plaza. The sound for “Titanic” was better at the Astor then any other theatre I saw it at.
Thanks Jim for that information. If The Paradise ever opens I will go there to see it. If you want see the inside of The Stanley, the tours are only given during the week. Not weekends. And they will give the tour regardless to how many people show up for it. I was the only one on the tour when I went there and I had 2 guides!
Took the tour of the “Stanley.” What a great theatre! When they show the slides the lights are darkened in the theatre and the atmospheric effects (Stars and Clouds) are demonstrated. I wonder if this is the only theatre left that still has these effects in working order. After the tour you can get a set of postcards (at no charge) of the interior of the theatre.
I believe the proscenium is still there but the stage is completely gone as is the entire orchestra section.
I believe that made for TV movie was on NBC, not HBO. I took a picture of the Loew’s marquee when they were filming it. The scene outside the Loew’s takes place at the start of the film.
In the early seventies they briefly played regular films at this theatre. I remember seeing “The Magic Christian” there.
Why not have a William Castle film festival. That would cover all these films and one more, “Mr. Sardonicus”.
Lets not forget “The Tingler”. With the electrafied seats!
When the bowling alley was put in all the theatre decor was taken out. I bowled there also. The alley was destroyed in a fire in the late 1970’s and was never rebuilt.
There was a large furniture store next to the Oriental that was also taken over by Marshals. The Oriental luncheonette was there until the theatre closed. I know when they started work converting the building I saw bulldozers in the orchestra section so the ground floor is probably gone. I would guess the balcony and cieling of the auditorium could still be intact. The Russian manager would not know (or care) about the status of the theatre.
Thanks, I always wondered if there was an orchestra pit elevator in that theatre. Wish you had taken some pictures. It was a great place to watch a movie.
I know I was there in 1974 so there could have been a transition period where they showed both types of films.
My last visit to the Deluxe was in Feb.1974 although I do not remember what film I saw. It was a Friday night and they had a pretty large crowd. Theaterat is right, the Deluxe was always a lot cleaner then the Benson. I remember films always sounding and looking good there also. It’s a shame it became a “porno” house the last 20 years it was open. Glad to hear that the last legitimate film to play there was “Gone With The Wind”.
The shoe repair store was included in the new structure. It was part of the building.
My mistake, I meant the main entrance was put in the side wall. None of the walls were destroyed. There was a third floor constructed above the original roof. Since I live near the Deluxe I was able to follow the reconstruction from when it started. I wish I had taken a picture of the theatre before the work started.
If you look at the building now there is no way you would know it was once a theatre. It looks like a totally new building. The main entrance is where the side wall of the theatre was.
I saw “Titanic” at the Astor the last night it played there. I would guess the problems Bobt had with the sound were corrected by then.
I hope some day they open the balcony so we can all experience the acoustics. For now the echo reminds me of being in the Loews Oriental before it was split into three theaters.
There is a scene from an episode of the 1985 “Twilight Zone” show that was shot right in front of this theatre. You can see the ticket booth, marque and posters clearly.
Last month I saw “Thief Of Bagdad” & “Robin Hood” at the Loews and the prints looked and sounded great. Those films were technicolor and were made at about the same time as GWTW so why can’t a print of GWTW be made to look as clear as those films?
I saw GWTW at Radio City in 1989 when they had a special 50th anniversary event. I could swear that print looked better then this 1999 “restored” print.
Another problem with the GWTW print was there were several spots were the film must have had splicing because the sound would skip a line of dialogue here and there. I would have wanted to see Ben-Hur but it was not listed to start until 7:30 and the Loews has a habit of starting the films 5-10 minutes later then they say. This happened on Sunday. I wish they had played Ben-Hur Staurday afternoon and Rocky (a shorter film) at night.
The tour guides told me as a rule, on the weekends when they have services you can go into the theatre but they will not give the full tour or demonstrate the atmospheric effects. You must have been there on a rare Sunday where nothing was happening. They must have better hot chocolate during the week also. Mine tasted alright.
“Independence Day” opened at the Ziegfeld. “Titanic” was at the Astor Plaza. The sound for “Titanic” was better at the Astor then any other theatre I saw it at.
There is no stage at this time. It was taken out years ago and replaced by bleacher seating for the sporting events held there.
Does this mean they plan to put the stage and orchestra seats back in?
Thanks Jim for that information. If The Paradise ever opens I will go there to see it. If you want see the inside of The Stanley, the tours are only given during the week. Not weekends. And they will give the tour regardless to how many people show up for it. I was the only one on the tour when I went there and I had 2 guides!
Took the tour of the “Stanley.” What a great theatre! When they show the slides the lights are darkened in the theatre and the atmospheric effects (Stars and Clouds) are demonstrated. I wonder if this is the only theatre left that still has these effects in working order. After the tour you can get a set of postcards (at no charge) of the interior of the theatre.