Astor Theatre

The Astor's close relationship with Loew's-MGM started in the late 1920s and ended in 1946, when Loew's State, directly opposite the Astor on Broadway, dropped vaudeville and started showing many of the major MGM releases that were previously showcased at the Astor. Probably the most famous MGM release to premiere at the Astor was "Gone With the Wind," which was shown there on a two-a-day reserved seat policy simultaneously with continuous run showings at the much larger Capitol Theatre at Broadway & 51st Street...The Astor was also noted for the huge billboard space above its entrance and marquee, which always advertised its current movie. When the theatre was modernized in 1959, the advertising space was expanded to include the similar space above the adjacent Victoria Theatre, starting with the dual engagement of "The Vikings." The sign was as wide as that entire block of Broadway between 45th & 46th Streets.

Where can I possibly find pictures of the interior of the Astor? Any suggestions?

thanks,
Ellis

"Lost Broadway Theatres," by Nicholas Van Hoogstraten, has B&W photos of the original and 1959 "modernized" interiors.

Why doesn't this site offer a listing for the Astor's Times Square mate, the Victoria Theater on the corner of B'way and W. 46 Street?

The Victoria was originally the Gaiety which lives on today as the Gaiety male burlesque house(I am not making this up) across the street.

BoxOfficeBill-
The Victoria is listed on this site, under its most recent name, the Embassy 5.
http://www.cinematreasures.org/theater/2945/
We generally list theaters by their most recent name as a rule on Cinema Treasures. Unfortunately, at this time, there is no way of cross-referencing former theater names.

Bryan Krefft
Cinema Treasures

Bryan and Vincent-
Thanks for the cross-references. Am I right that Minsky's B'que played at the Gaiety--or did it play at the former Gotham a block north on W 47? As a movie theater, the Victoria held a distinguished record. It underwent renovations in the 40s that used the former stage space for seating and brok e through the rear wall to add an extension to the building. Shimmering steel medalions covered the red-velvet walls. CinemaScope required further modification of the narrow proscenium to accommodate the screen. From the late-40s through the mid-60s films included Joan of Arc, Born Yesterday, A Star Is Born (day-dating at the Paramount), Paths of Glory, Dr. Strangelove--no mean listof goodies. Box Office Biill.

To add to Box Office Bill's list, I believe that when It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World ended its year-long Cinerama run at the Warner, it moved to the Victoria, which is where I saw it. Don't know if this was an exclusive engagement, though - it was probably part of what they called "Premiere Showcase" in those days.

The two Gaiety's are the same in name only. The present one, located above Howard Johnson's restaurant, was never a playhouse or moviehouse, to my knowledge.

In the new book, "Times Square Style," there's a wonderful full-page B&W photo of the Astor's exterior during the 1945 engagement of Hitchock's "Spellbound." Above the marquee is a huge rectangular sign with electrified lettering and a giant eye with Ingrid Bergman's face in the pupil. And on the roof of the building is a billboard solely devoted to "Bergman The Incomparable," with four portraits of her and a replica of the "Oscar" that she received for her previous movie ("Gaslight").

Thanks, Warren—that's a terrific book. The billboards at the Astor and Victoria were magnificent in the late 40s and early 50s. For the most part, they used bulb-lit block majuscules with a few minimally painted figures behind them. At the Astor, I remember “Enchantment” (Dec. ’47) spelled out three times and blinking on and off in dizzying combinations (at the age of five, I didn’t know what the word meant); “Harvey” (Dec. ’50) spelled out to the right of a thirty-foot representation of James Stewart and the bunny; and “Limelight” (Nov. ’52) spelled out beneath the face of an old, wistful Charles Chaplin. At the Victoria, I recall “The Third Man” (Feb. ’50) spelled out to the right of Orson Welles’s hulking shadow; and a near-copy of the latter for "The Man Between” (Dec. ’53) with a neon-circling bicycle substituting for Welles. The most elaborate one was for “Quo Vadis” at the Astor (Nov. ’51), with a forty-foot high representation of Deborah Kerr tied to a circus stake left of the title, a smaller Peter Ustinov plucking his lyre right of it, and a top and bottom border of flickering neon flames as Rome burned. Nearly as elaborate was one for “Joan of Arc” at the Victoria (Nov. ’48), with the facial representation of an armour-clad Ingrid Bergman calling for infantry over her shoulder, to the left of the title. If I’m right, the much duller block-long painted-ad sign first advertised an automobile trade-show at the Colosseum in Fall, ’55. BTW, “Times Square Style” provides a rare color photo of a stage show at the Roxy, on page 35, upper right, with sixteen Roxyettes balancing themselves on beach balls, while a jazz band (Louis Armstrong?) plays behind them; as a kid, I had a post-card of that image, which identified it as a Roxy performance.

Anyone have an idea where I can get a list of major films that played at both the Astor & Victoria theatres? Already know about GONE WITH THE WIND, THE BIG PARADE, THE BROADWAY MELODY and SPELLBOUND, but would like to find out the names other major films that opened at the 2 theatres. Its for a project we are working on at the New York Marriott Marquis. One of our ballrooms is named for the Astor Theatre. Thanjs in advance.

I doubt if a list of all the movies that played the Astor has ever been published. You would probably have to do some arduous research by going through the bound volumes of New York Times movie reviews, year by year, starting from 1925, when the Astor switched from stage plays to movies. You could also do it by going through the grosses reported for NYC theatres in weekly Variety, but that would be just as time consuming. But is this really necessary? Why do we need to know every movie shown at the Astor? If they weren't shown there, they would have been shown somewhere else.

C'mon, Warren. He only wants some major films that played here, and you could probably give him a short list off the top of your head. Help a brother out!

in an old book I have called The New York Times Goes To The Movies, it shows Gone With The Wind opened here and the Capital on Dec 19, 1939. The Astor had reserved seats and the Capitol didn't. Other films were
The Apartment-June 15, 1960 (Also at the Plaza)
The Best Years of Our Lives - Nov 22, 1946
The Champ- Nov 10, 1931
Dr. No- May 29, 1963 (Also at the Murray Hill)
Dinner At 8- World Premiere Aug 23, 1933
Grand Hotel- April 13, 1932
The Great Dictator-Oct 16 1940 Also at the Capital. The Astor had reserved seats and the Capitol didn't
A Hard Days Night-August 12, 1964 (Also at the Trans Lux East)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame- Sept 3, 1923
On The Beach- Dec 18, 1959
On The Waterfront-July 28, 1954
The Phantom Of The Opera- Sept 7, 1925
Rebel Without A Cause- Oct 26, 1955
Sergeant York-Jul 2, 1941
The date may be slightly off. i took the date from the NY Times review.

The Marriott Corp can well afford to pay a skilled researcher to do the leg work (or, rather, to let his or her fingers do the walking) through the NYT or Variety serials. Warren has already provided the key leads. Heaven knows such bibliographic talents get little recognition, even as mamouth corporations squander millions on trivial, self-enchanted pursuits. And heaven knows they frequently resort to quick and greedy grabs at info-facts to satisfy their wants. And heaven help the researcher who messes up this Astor/Victoria project from my reminiscent perspective: one single mistake will get him or her laughed off this page.

Mikeoaklandpark-- Those are accurate data, and others could supplement them with dozens more. But why give Marriott the fruit of your labors scott-free?

During the 1930s and up until around the end of WWII, the Astor played many of the major MGM releases that didn't open at the Capitol or Radio City Music Hall. Two that I recall are "Meet Me in St. Louis" and "Bathing Beauty" (Esther Williams' first starring movie). Because of its association with the Capitol on "Gone With the Wind," it also shared the New York premiere of MGM's "Quo Vadis,"
although by that time the Astor no longer played as many MGM releases as before because some of them went to Loew's State to compensate for its dropping of vaudeville.

Right--from the late '40s through the '60s, neither the Astor nor the Victoria were wedded to any particular studios, but both played prestigious products from all of them. If you scan through a list of films nominated for Academy Awards in those years, an at least perceived if not real barometer of quality, you'll find that most of these films played at the Astor, Victoria, or Rivoli.

Good for you BOBill. The Marriott Marquis is one of the greatest architectural tragedies to ever happen to this city. The theater is a disgrace. The fact that a great NY block was destroyed still has me sputtering in disbelief. Tom tell your selfich greedy employers to cough up some of their ill gotten gains and pay you to do the work you want other people to do. Better yet ask Ed Koch!

Right, Vincent. I've earlier mentioned from memory titles of films played at the lamented Astor and Victoria but, until Marriott pays blood money, shall refrain silently from doing so again, except perhaps in code designed for readers who already know a lot about movies. For example, if I mentioned "the film that played at the Victoria and won an academy award for color cinematography in 1947," you'd know that it was the picture in which a true-blue six-time unrewarded AA nominee played a nun in the Himalayas, right? I'm not being, um, Narcissistic here. I may be BO Bill, but old-time Popeye fans will think of Marriott as BO Plenty.

And to add some bad taste it seems that the Marriott's grand atrium makes a perfect place for suicides. Could they be architectural students?

Warren & Mikeoaklandpark – Thank you for taking the time to actually read my inquiry. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I will have a base as to where to look up the information that I am interested in. Mike, you certainly went out of your way to include a list, which is most appreciated, but you didn’t really have to do that. I am more than willing to do the research myself.

I am brainstorming with some other associates, who also have an interest in the history of Times Square, on ways to enhance the character of the building, which is finishing up a major renovation. The meeting rooms are named for Broadway theaters, playwrights and various areas of the city. The Astor Ballroom is the only one named for an old Broadway movie theatre. (After it did time as a legit house.) This is an in-house project that Marriott International (there is no Marriott Corporation), is not involved in. (Much the same as in-house projects I did when was managing for General Cinema.)

FYI, the loss of the Astor, Victoria, Helen Hayes, Morosco & Bijou Theaters is attributed to John Portman & Associates, not Marriott. Portman developed, designed and built the hotel and hired Marriott to manage the building. (The Nederlanders operate the Marquis Theater.) Host Marriott later bought the hotel from Portman, at which time it started, with The New York Times and others, the Times Square Business Improvement District. (Now know as the Times Square Alliance.)

By the way BoxOfficeBill, everyone on this site should know that Deborah Kerr, who had to wait until 1993 to get a Life Achievement Award from the Academy, was the star of BLACK NARCISSUS.

Isn't the Astor Ballroom named for the Astor Hotel, which is far more famous and legendary than the Astor Theatre? The latter was so-named because of its proximity to the hotel, which occupied the entire blockfront on Broadway between 44th & 45th Streets.

The Astor Plaza Building was already named for the hotel. The powers that be at the time decided to name the ballroom after the theatre.

I don't think so. The Astor Hotel's ballroom was world-famous. Many major social events were held there over the decades.

The ballroom at the Astor Hotel was world-famous, but management at the Marquis in 1985 didn't want to name one of the rooms after another hotel, even if that hotel was no longer there. The same reson there is not a room named after the Piccadilly Hotel that stood between the Music Box & the Morosco. They equated Times Square with theaters, not other hotels.

Many Tony Awards presentations where held at the old Astor Hotel Ballroom. For many years, the Broadway Ballroom at the Marquis hosted the post-Tony Awards banquet.

I don't know when pioneer exhibitor Walter Reade became owner of the Astor, but he lost it in May, 1935, when he defaulted on his mortgage payments and the theatre became the property of City Investing Company, which went on to own it for many decades but leased it to various operators. Within hours of Reade vacating the premises, the Astor's interior was invaded by vandals who caused $50,000 in damages, ripping all the seats from the floors, destroying the screen, spraying all the walls with the theatre's fire extinguishers, etcetera. Walter Reade was arrested for allegedly masterminding the attack, but he was released on $5,000 bail and was eventually acquited of the charge. City Investing repaired the damage and leased the Astor to a syndicate headed by Joseph Plunkett, which re-opened the theatre on August 21, 1935, with the premiere engagement of DeMille's "The Crusades." In October, 1937, a new management company (reportedly jointly owned by the Loew's and United Artists circuits) took over the lease, closed the Astor for a month of refurbishing, and re-opened on November 9 with Samuel Goldwyn's "The Hurricane." This version of the Astor apparently remained until 1959, when it underwent a total renovation at the cost of $800,000 under the supervision of architect John J. McNamara, who had done the recent modernization of Loew's State just across Broadway from the Astor. The costs were shared 50-50 by City Investing, which still owned the theatre, and United Artists Corporation, which ran it. The revamped Astor opened December 17th, 1959, with Stanley Kramer's "On the Beach." Among its most striking features was a blue terrazo sidewalk, which started at the curb with Broadway and extended through the entrance doors and became the floor of the first lobby. The sidewalls of the new auditiorium were graced by two huge abstract murals by Buffie Johnson entitled "New York Summer Nights," which the artist painted in her studio in 224 sections and then assembled in the theatre.

I remember those blue sidewalks! Except when I saw them, they were the floor of a souvenir shop. By the time I got to Times Square the Astor was closed, although I knew that the shop had once been a theater, or at least its lobby. I wish I had the wherewithal to try to get a peek inside, but I didn't.

Warren-- whew! that's quite a tale of the thuggish '30s. I remember the '37-'59 decor of the Astor as being curtained-over with pale blue draperies. The entire proscenium was covered by them, and they extended over the tapered area where box-seats had been (the boxes had been removed). There are photos of the pre-'37 Astor in Nicholas von Hoogstraden's book about theater architecture, no? The wide screen that the Astor installed in '53 was much too big for the theater-- so big that an annoying shutter flicker spoiled every film I saw there from then until "On the Beach." (A few weeks ago I vowed not to name films on this page, but now that I've broken my own rule I'll mention Rita Hayworth in "Separate Tables" and Katherine Hepburn in "The Rainmaker."among thosepresentations.) Thanks for this incursion into the Astor's history.

Does anybody remember like me that when they were tearing down the marquee one saw that underneath was the curved frame of the marquee that one sees in photos of the exterior of the theater from the early 30s? Who would have thought that it still existed for 50 years hidden away.

Caption:
"Advertising for a filmed stage show, MGM's "Hollywood Revue", included live chorus girls on the massive theater marquee of the Astor Theater in New York City in August 1929".

Photo:
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/PALACE/spectacle.jpg

I was reading the NYT for April 30, 1939, the opening day of the New York World's Fair. At that time, the Astor was in its 22nd week with MGM's British-made "Pygmalion." Among the other midtown bookings were "Dark Victory" and "Salute to Spring" stage show at RCMH; "Confessions of a Nazi Spy" and stage show headed by Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians at the Strand; "Man of Conquest" at the Capitol; "Wuthering Heights" at the Rivoli; "The Lady's From Kentucky" with stage show headed by Henry Busse & Band, Lanny Ross, and Billy Gilbert, at the Paramount; "The Return of the Cisco Kid" and stage show at the Roxy; "Blondie Meets the Boss" at Loew's Criterion; and the second-run "Ice Follies of 1939" at Loew's State, with Eleanor Powell topping the vaudeville bill. At the Roxy, the adult admission was 25 cents until 1PM "every day, any seat." Tickets for children under 12 were 15 cents at all times.

So how did a Goldwyn/Wyler film like Wuthering Heights miss the Music Hall and what was Powell at her height as an MGM star doing headlining a vaudeville bill for a second run feature at the State?

In that era, the movies at Loew's State were usually second-run after opening at the Capitol or Paramount. Vaudeville was the main drawing card, so it made sense to have a star of Eleanor Powell's calibre as headliner. Among others on the same bill was singer-pianist Frances Faye...In the week beginning January 1, 1942, Loew's State had the second-run "Smilin' Through," with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, described as "The Sweethearts of Stage & Screen," topping the vaudeville program.

When "Gone With the Wind" had its first NYC public showings at the Astor & Capitol on December 20, 1939, this was some of the midtown competition: "Balalaika" and Christmas stage show, at Radio City Music Hall; "Everything Happens at Night" and stage show, Roxy; "Gulliver's Travels" and stage show, Paramount; "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" and stage show, Strand; "Destry Rides Again," Rivoli; "The Cat and The Canary" (second-run ) and vaudeville, Loew's State; "Nick Carter, Private Detective" (last day) and advance showings of the next day's opener, "Reno," Loew's Criterion; the second-run "Roaring Twenties" & "The Honeymoon's Over," RKO Palace. That night, the New Belmont Theatre on West 48th Street hosted the American premiere of the French import, "Last Desire" (Raimu, Jacqueline Delubac). Other first-run "foreign" films were "Citadel of Silence" (with Annabella) at the Pix, and the Soviet puppet feature, "The Golden Key," at the Cameo, both on West 42nd Street. The World 49th Street was in its ninth week with "Harvest."

What an incredible year, that 1939!

Check out the neon on the Astor and Victoria, you will never see the likes of it again.

http://www.nytimes.com/nytstore/photos/newyork/amusements/NSAP277.html

Here is the Astor again in 1948.

http://www.nytimes.com/nytstore/photos/newyork/buildings/NSAP487.html

Last night in NYC on "Classic Arts Showcase" on the CUNY-TV channel, I saw a most extraordinary film clip-- in color!-- showing the exteriors of most of the Broadway-Times Square movie theatres in 1943. It was apparently part of a non-theatrical short made by Don Kelly under the title of "The Magic City" or "A Look at Manhattan." The credits went by so fast that I couldn't read them all. I'm posting about it here because the Astor was among those shown, with MGM's "The Human Comedy" as the current attraction. The adjacent Gaiety was then known as the Laffmovie, with a marquee that had only the electrified name on all sides, apparently to save the expense of changing attraction boards for its frequent changes of program. Also shown were two different views of stage shows, probably taken in the Roxy and/or RCMH. Both were of a line of chorus girls dancing. I wonder if it's possible to buy a copy of this film? I did a search on the Internet, but couldn't find anything. The Broadway-Times Square sequence was preceded by one filmed in Central Park, and was followed by scenes of Wall Street.

I saw that film on CUNY, too. Fascinating look at New York, in startling color.

A NY Times ad for 10/5/52 shows the Astor playing Warner Bros. "The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima" in its 7th spectacular week.

The just released 2 disc DVD of East of Eden contains a 15 minute TV special of the World Premiere at the Astor Theater. You see some nice views of Time Square and the Astor Marquee. However, what is really nice is that about 9 minutes into the show they switch to inside the theater where you see some great views of the auditorium as the cameraman scans back and forth across the theater.

August 1941 the Astor was playing the MGM hit "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" with Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman.

A 1944 view of the exterior of the Astor (advertising "Kismet" with Marlene Dietrich) can be seen here.

In July, 1962, the Astor was the first of the major Broadway first-run theatres to participate in a "Premiere Showcase" engagement, where the movie opened simultaneously in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island and Westchester County. The movie was UA's "Birdman of Alcatraz," with Burt Lancaster. In Manhattan, the film also opened at the Trans-Lux 85th Street. The other theatres were the Kingsway, Brooklyn; Luxor, Bronx; Meadows, Queens; Green Acres, Valley Stream; the Plainview, Plainview; the Huntington, Huntington; Colony, White Plains; Brandt's Yonkers, Yonkers; and the Starlite Drive-In, Croton-on-Hudson. In its first five days, "Birdman of Alcatraz" grossed $193,577. This was only the second "Premiere Showcase" booking, preceded by UA's "Road to Hong Kong," which grossed $135,001 in its first five days but with 13 theatres instead of the 11 for "Birdman."

As an art historian, I'm duly impressed by all the knowledge and insight evident in the postings on this site. So I'm turning to all of you to see if I can get some help with my current research. I'm currently working on a book on the Pop artist James Rosenquist; some of you may know that Rosenquist was a billboard painter in New York City in the 1950s. My sense is that he worked on some of the major Times Square billboards; I've seen a photograph of one he did for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, which a caption indicates was done in 1957 at 49th St. and Broadway (any guesses as to which theatre that was?). In any case, I'm particularly interested in a 1959 painting by Rosenquist titled "Astor Victoria." It's a mostly abstract canvas of paintstrokes and hatchmark with some fragmentary letters - probably supposed to represent a close-up view of a billboard. But after reading the posts on this site I'm struck by the timing of the painting, since the posts indicate that the Astor Theatre was modernized in 1959. So, my questions: 1) Was there an "Astor Victoria" theatre, or are those two entirely separate theatres? 2) Depending on the answer to #1, could "Astor Victoria" refer to the billboard shared between the two theatres, which I'm assuming would have been on B'way between 45th & 46th? If so, when was that enlarged billboard first used? 3) Did the 1959 modernization of the interior of the Astor theatre also affect the exterior in any way? I'm asking these questions because I think Rosenquist was concerned with the modernization of NYC and the destruction of its architectural past, and this may be registered in his paintings of the time. (He also painted a 1962 painting entitled "Mayfair," which I'm also thinking referred to the Mayfair theatre; hadn't this been recently modernized as well?) Sorry for the long post - any information you can provide would be greatly appreciated. You can also e-mail me at michael.lobel@purchase.edu if that's easier for you. Many thanks! -Michael Lobel, Assistant Professor, SUNY Purchase

Nice close up image from 1955:

http://imagesrvr.epnet.com/embimages/imh/mptv/full/mptv00242150.jpg


Source: MPTV

To Mlobel
See the first(Warren's) posting on this page.
One of the most iconic of all NY photos is the shot of James Dean in Times Square with 20,000 Leagues on the Astor marquee.
The Astor and the Victoria were two separate theaters which had their own billboards until unification.

saw 'There's A Girl In My Soup' here.

Vincent et al. - Thanks for the helpful replies. Just so I get this right, even after the 1959 modernization the Astor and Victoria were still two separate theatres, yes? (That is to say they were two distinct physical spaces.) But they shared the same enlarged billboard? Was it always dual engagement, or did they at times show different films? I know this is pretty specific, but does anyone know when exactly (what months) the Astor was shut down for the modernization? It seems like it was a pretty radical modernization, both interior and exterior; I've seen photos of the original theater (James Dean, etc.), but does anyone know of photos taken after the modernization? Thanks!

One place to turn for a photo of the modernized Astor auditorium, mlobel, is the 1997 edition of Nicholas Van Hoogstraten's book, 'Lost Broadway Theatres'. Several copies are available throughout the NYPL system (http://www.nypl.org); if you want to purchase one, I'd recommend checking any Shakespeare & Company, Barnes & Noble, or Borders location in the city (the Strand, which would normally be my personal first choice, only has in stock at the moment one copy of the 1991 edition, which I cannot attest contains the same photo as the 1997 edition).

The Astor and the Victoria were two separate theaters until Marriott slaughtered them.
The street long sign above them often advertised films that played at neither theater. However it seems that Loews State across the Street would advertise there frequently(The Bible, Dr Dolittle, the Godfather, Great Gatsby etc.)

TC - Excellent photo of the Astor

Please see my post of January 26, 2005, for info about the modernization of the Astor, which did require the theatre to be closed while the work was going on.

I am interested in finding out some information about the Gaiety theater, and wondered if anyone knows much about it's history or could direct me to a book that does. It seems like it went through a bunch of changes in the late 30's and early 40's. I've seen pictures with the Minsky name, and a big burlesque sign. Then it's simply the Gaiety with smaller letters on the marquee that I couldn't make out in the photo (c. 1938). I also read from an earlier posting that it was Laffmovie by 1942. Can anyone clarify what type of place this was - stage, theater, etc - and what changes it went through?

Joe-Boston,MA;
The Gaiety Theatre is listed here http://cinematreasures.org/theater/2945/

More information about the remodeling of the Astor (and also about the 1948-1949 remodeling of the Victoria -- a/k/a the Gaiety) can be found in "New York, 1960" by Robert A.M. Stern (the famous architect) et al.

On page 441, there is a photo of the interior of the Astor after the 1959 remodeling. It shows the fantastic abstract mural, "New York Summer Night," by Buffie Johnson that covered the eggshell (?) interior of the theater like wall paper. (I believe it was made up of hundreds of smaller panels.)

On page 442 of this book, Stern et al. have a paragraph or two that discusses the remodeling of the theater with some detail.

From the Stern book, as well as from some other sources (like a Hagstom map I have and the William Morrison book, "Broadway Theatres: History and Architecture," that is mentioned on the Victoria/Gaiety page), here's my understanding of the relationship of the Astor to the Victoria:

The bulk of the auditorium of the Astor Theater was really on 45th St. The seats faced to the west, away from Broadway. (If I recall correctly, the emergency exits along the left side of the orchestra level of the auditorium led directly out onto 45th St.) There was a small, thin office building filling in the space between the back of the auditorium and Broadway. A "tunnel entrance lobby" led through the ground floor of the office building, from Broadway to the back of the orchestra of this auditorium.

The bulk of the Victoria (Gaiety) Theater was really on 46th St., and, in this case, the auditorium faced to the south. A small, thin office building filled in the space between the auditorium and Broadway itself. As with the Astor, a tunnel entrance lobby went through the ground floor of the office building -- but in the case of the Victoria it appears to have led to the left side of the auditorium, rather then to the back of the auditorium.

The 46th St. facade of the Victoria Theater was very handsome, and I wonder if this was the original main entrance to the theater when it was a "legit" theater, and if the Broadway entrance (through the office building) was a secondary entrance -- or even a later addition. (I believe there is a photo of this facade in the William Morrison book.)

From various photographs that I've seen (I don't recall exactly where, however), it seems that each of the office buildings originally had a small billboard and that these billboards became larger and larger over time. Eventually both office buildings were covered by the very same billboard, and the very last billboard was enormous -- it covered the entire blockfront and even, I believe, wrapped around to the sides of the buildings. (This is the billboard that advertised, among other movies, "The Bible.")

Looking back at my own feelings, and looking at old photographs of what was there in the early days, this billboard was actually too large in my opinion. For one thing, since it was a painted billboard (and not one made up of lights, for instance) it was kind of drab and ugly. But even if it had been made of lights, I still think it was too large as it towered over Times Sq. -- at its narrowest point, yet! -- and made you feel like you were at the foot of a gigantic ugly wall. Looking at the photos of old Broadway, I think the Times Sq. was much nicer before this gigantic billboard -- in the earlier photos, Times Sq. still look like a real city intersection, and it still had some sort of human scale.

When the Victoria was remodeled in 1948-1949 (see the Victoria / Gaiety page for more details), the theater was extended and enlarged by moving the rear stage wall further back to add more seats. This put the screen of the Victoria virtually on the right side wall of the Astor Theater.

When the Astor Theater was remodeled (not sure if this was the 1959 remodeling), the Astor was extended and enlarged in a similar way, I believe. (This info is mentioned on the the Bijou Theater page of Cinema Treasures.)

From my vague recollections of the Broadway area in the early 1960s, it seems to me that the remodeling of the Victoria Theater is a rare example of a wonderful, fully worthwhile remodeling job. (In my opinion, remodeling jobs usually destroy the integrity and beauty of a design without creating anything nearly as good as what was destroyed.) Whenever I would go to Times Sq. area, it was a real treat to walk by the Victoria, and I always wanted to go see a movie at this theater -- although, for some reason I never wound up going to the Victoria until the early 1970s when a friend took me to a press preview of "A Man Called Horse" [correct name?].)

As a number of commentators have mentioned, the interior of the theater was brought out to the street in this redesign. This was done, by carrying the wallpaper (the abstract mural, "New York Summer Night") out of the auditorium, through the entrance lobby and out to the area beneath the marquee. They also did this, I think, with the Venetian glass terrazzo flooring. I believe both the wallpaper mural and the Ventian glass terrazzo flooring were abstract compositions that used lots of cobalt blue, lots of black and maybe some bits of red(?).

All of this was very jazzy, modern glamorous (especially to a kid) in a early 1960s kind of way.

A picture of the box office / ticket lobby of the Victoria can be seen on page 447 of the Stern book, and it seems that Edward Durrell Stone created a somewhat similar, but more modest, effect in his 1948-1949 remodeling of the Victoria. If I recall correctly, in the photo it seems like the lights beneath the marquee also extend into the tunnel entrance lobby.

Here is most of the interesting stuff on the Astor Theater from "New York, 1960":

"On December 17, 1959, the fifty-three-year old Astor Theater (George Keister, 1906) was reopened after undergoing a million-dollar renovation to transform it into what was described as a 'complete composition in abstract art.' [there is a footnote that cites a number of sources] . . . . As redesigned by John McNamara, the veteran theater architect, and the artist Buffie Johnson, the theater now presented Times Square with a marquee of tiny, twinkling white lights that brought to glittering life a sidewalk of Venetian glass terrazzo squares. The same flooring was carried through to the lobby, which also contained a twenty-five-by-ten foot continuation of Johnson's "New York Summer Night, a huge abstract oil painting covering both side walls of the auditorium. Forty-five feet high and ninety-seven feet long, it was made up of 209 sections executed in a range of blues, intersected by a network of black lines and white, yellow and red spotches."

The book also mentions that, "The remodeled interior featured a cantilevered mezzanine in place of the old boxes and a new proscenium installed to accommodate the fifty-by-twenty-foot wall-to-wall screen, which could be configured as either flat or curved in accordance with the projection requirements of a given film."

By the way, although this book may seem like a coffee table-type book, it is also a scholarly and well-researched book. Nevertheless, in a work of this size (the last page of text is page 1,213!) there are bound to be errors and oversimplifications, and I believe I have found a few myself. Apparently a good portion of the info comes from things like contemporary newspaper accounts, for instance, and such accounts can themselves be inaccurate, poorly written or poorly edited. So although I think most of what they say is accurate, chances are that it is second- or third-hand info -- and written up by people who aren't necessarily theater or movie buffs.

Benjamin--

Thanks for a smartly worded and largely correct summary. I'd modify a few details and ambiguities in paragraphs 11-13.

"The Astor was extended and enlarged in a similar way": The Astor was enlarged in a similar way by virtue of eliminating the stage (as had been done to the Victoria in '48), but it was not extended. Instead, the entire interior was gutted, the second balcony removed, the proscenium and stage area removed, and the remaining space, rather squarish and boxy, received a modern treatment with accoustic walls and mural design.

The Victoria was enlarged by gutting the proscenium and box seats, eliminating the stage, and extending the stage wall out toward the Astor and Bijou by about 12 feet. But the second balcony remained, and so did the original curve to the side walls as they reached out to where the proscenium had been; the rake in the orchestra floor remained so that it first descended, then rose slightly as it approached where the orchestra pit had been, and then dipped again and descended toward the new screen area. The effect was odd, as the floor level consequently waved down and up and down again. The rake at the renovated Astor was conventional and had evidently been completely refigured after the gutting.

"The Victoria Theater is a rare example of a wonderful, fully worthwhile remodeling job": These words seem to me to describe the Astor rather than the Victoria, for the reasons given above. The Victoria's antiquated second balcony (I remember its wooden floors creaking when I saw "Paths of Glory" and "Dr. Strangelove" there in their original runs), the curvature of its walls, and the make-do raking represented compromises that the remodeling of the Astor did not make.

"The interior of the theater was brought out to the street in this redesign": You mean the Astor, not the Victoria. The latter's tunnel entrance wrapped around a cigar-store fronting on B'way, and then (as you correctly describe in par. 6) opened onto the left side of the rear orchestra promenade (whose exit doors in turn opened on to W. 46 Street, as it the Booth theater a block away (see "The Pillowman": it's truly great, a cracked rewriting of Shakespeare's "Tempest").

The Hagstrom map for the Astor and Victoria is not accurate to scale. When you say that the bulk of the Victoria was on 46 Street, that's not true: only the rear wall faced that street; the bulk of the theater then reached inward with a long narrow thrust to the south, not at all squarish as was the Astor.

A final comment about Bryan Krefft's informative initial description on this page: It identifies the Astor's predominant colors as red, gold, and ivory. That might have been true when the theater opened. By the time I first visited it in the late '40s, it had received a Yale Blue drapery treatment that covered the entire proscenium and box-seat walls (with box-seats removed). The ivory and gold of the ceiling and remaining walls had faded, or were barely visible in the dimly lit interior. The '59 renovation of course deployed blue, black, and green as you describe.

Yes, the books by Stern and Morrison are wonderful. Thanks for bringing them to our attention.

There were indeed a few instances in my July 18th post where I was thinking "Astor" but typed out "Victoria"! Thanks BoxOfficeBill for pointing it out. (I proofread my post a few times, but this mistake never really registered.) Here's the corrected (and also slightly amended and extended) version of that section:

Judging from my vague recollections of the Broadway area in the early 1960s, it seems to me that the remodeling of the Astor Theater is a rare example of a wonderful, fully worthwhile remodeling job. (Most remodeling jobs, in my opinion, usually destroy the integrity and beauty of a design without creating anything nearly as good as what has been destroyed.) Whenever I would go to Times Sq. area, it was a real treat to walk by the Astor, and I always wanted to go see a movie at this theater -- although, for some reason I never wound up going to the Astor until the early 1970s when a friend took me to a press preview of "A Man Called Horse.")

As a number of commentators have mentioned, the striking interior of the theater was brought out to the street in this redesign. This was done, by continuing the "wallpaper" (the abstract mural, "New York Summer Night") outside of the auditorium, through the entrance lobby and out to the area beneath the marquee. (From reading the account in the Stern book, though, it appears that they are saying that the "wallpaper" didn't quite continue out to beneath the marquee. This may be so. But I think the entrance to the theater was unusually open so that you did get this "effect." Plus, the terrazo flooring beneath the marquee did extend into the lobby, so that may have contributed to the inside/outside "effect.")

I believe both the wallpaper mural and the Ventian glass terrazzo flooring were abstract compositions that used lots of cobalt blue, lots of black and maybe some bits of red(?). (And as the Stern book mentions, it also contained spotches of yellow and white too.)

All of this was very jazzy and glamorous (especially to a kid) in an early-1960s modern kind of way.

A picture of the box office / ticket lobby of the neighboring Victoria can be seen on page 447 of the Stern book, and it seems that Edward Durrell Stone created a somewhat similar, but more modest, inside/outside effect in his 1948-1949 remodeling of the Victoria. If I recall correctly the photo in the Stern book correctly, it seems like the lights beneath the marquee also extend into the tunnel entrance lobby.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In terms of the location of the "bulk" of the Victoria Theater, what I really meant to say was that the no part of the theater's auditorium was really located on Broadway (its official address), and that if the theater auditorium could be said to "front" on any street at all, the bulk of the street frontage was on 46th St., instead -- just the way that no part of the Astor's auditorium was actually located on Broadway, but "fronted" on 45th St. instead. (Similarly, most of the theaters that were located "on" 42nd St. had entrances on 42nd St., but were really located "on" either 41st or 43rd Sts.)

However, it is, indeed, probably true that the short side of the Victoria faced the street, while the long side (especially after the extension) went into the block -- and that the long side of the Astor theater ran parallel to 45th St. while the short side went into the block. So, perhaps "bulk" isn't the right word to convey this meaning.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I was only guessing that the Astor was enlarged and extended in a way that was similar to that of the Victoria's enlargement because of the following in Bryan Krefft's intro on the Bijou Theater page:

"In 1959, when the next-door Astor was being remodeled and enlarged, it required cutting into the Bijou's auditorium and part of its stage, reducing seating to around 300."

I don't know the source of the info, so it is hard to determine its accuracy. But the extension onto the Bijou property, if it did happen at all, does seem to be rather dramatic, and it's hard to imagine why else they would have done it, especially since they were also eliminating the stage and backstage facilities of the Astor (rather than enlarging them).

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It's fascinating -- and very informative -- to hear BoxOfficeBill's more detailed first-hand recollections of both the Astor and the Victoria. I think he points out, directly and indirectly, a number of interesting things about these theaters (e.g., the rakes of the two auditoriums) that are overlooked by most books and articles.

And even where this info is available to some degree elsewhere, his info helps put the info into better perspective. For instance, even in photos, some of the strangeness of the Victoria remodeling (like the shape of the resulting auditorium) comes through. But sometimes it's hard to tell if the strangeness is a result of the photo or if it was really there and perceptible.

By the way, although the most common photo of the interior that I've seen [e.g., the one in the Stern book and elsewhere] does not show the existence of any balconies -- which makes the auditorium look even stranger (long, narrow, wierdly shaped) -- the photo in the Williamson book does show a bit of the front of both the first and second balconies. But it's also interesting to hear that the wooden floors of the remodeled Victoria's second balcony still creaked when BoxOfficeBill saw "Paths of Glory" and "Dr. Strangelove" there.

In the books I've read they mention that the Edward Durrell Stone remodeled interior of the Victoria was "decorated" with "wall paper" that was essentially "chain mail" made up of discarded metal film reels. I wonder how true this is -- and how much extra it cost them to keep this complicated, 3-D "wallpaper" clean and dust free?!

I also wonder about the remodeled marquees of the two theaters. In my recollection, they were identical theater marquee "models" (with the same ornatmental trim) that made the theaters seem like twins -- and both of these marquees also seemed to have a slight resemblence to the "twin" marquees that were installed at the Helen Hayes and Lunt-Fontanne around the corner on 46th St. All four marquees seemed to be modernized (circa the late 1950s) versions of ornate turn of the century metal and glass canopies that came out of a single manufacturer's catalog.

(My guess, if the marquees of the Astor and Victoria did, indeed, mirror one another and bear a resemblance to those around the corner, is that even if all four theaters were owned by different people, all four of the owners probably bought their marquee from the same manufacturer and this kind of marquee was his big seller at the time.)

Benjamin--

Yes, chain mail decorated the Victoria. I didn't mention that above, because I'd already written about it in a post on the Victoria's page. (That post appeared on 19 January '05; in looking for it, I found that the first substantive post I made in CinemaTreasures occurred one year ago today, 20 July '04--I'll light a candle on my tofu cake tonight.)

I variously identified the chain mail as "steel medallions" and "aluminum medallions" without inquiring further: Wm Morrison likely describes it, and his book might have been the one I referred to through memory last January (I vividly recall a detailed description of how the renovators broke trough the rear wall and extended the length into the alley behind the Astor and Bijou).

In any case, the wall was covered with red velvet, matching the red velvet traveler curtain on the stage-apron, and the chain mail sat as a skin over that covering. It gleamed in light reflected from the screen, bathing the house in a silvery glow with b&w movies and in an irridescent glow with color films. The effect was very unusual. I should also note that with the introduction of wide screen in '53, a few feet were sliced off each end of the narrow proscenium to accommodate the new format. Even still, the screen remained the smallest of any I remember in the major Times Square houses (I exclude the original Trans-Lux houses).

Yes, if memory again serves, the balcony floors were of old-fashioned (and quite creaky) wood--though I might be mistaken here. The overall impression that I retain conveys a sense of dissonance between the two largely unremodeled balconies and the '48 main floor renovation. The first film I saw at the Victoria was "Joan of Arc" in '49, a film that welded me to the fourteenth century for longer than it should have; the last was "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" in '68, chiefly because that day an earlier showing at the Beekman was sold out.

Marquees: yes, they mirrored each other in style, though the Astor's had greater length because the lobby's frontage on B'way was longer.

The Lunt-Fontanne: The oddest feature of that theater as both a movie house and as a playhouse, I recall, was the downward sloping, horizontally splayed beaux-arts cornucopias on each side of the proscenium, retained even after the '58 renovation eliminated the second balcony. Since I haven't been in that theater since the '99 renovation, I wonder what that job entailed. I wish there were a site like this for NYC live playhouses.

I worked for William B. Williams the legendary WNEW-Am deejay when I was in college. He did the narration for the 1968 re-issue trailer of "Around the World in 80 Days", which opened here at the Astor.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/AroundWorld80days1968re-issue.jpg

I worked for William B. Williams the legendary WNEW-Am deejay when I was in college. He did the narration for the 1968 re-issue trailer of "Around the World in 80 Days", which opened here at the Astor.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/AroundWorld80days1968re-issue.jpg

Main St To Broadway at the Astor
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/TorchSong.jpg

Here's a nice shot from 1955 of the Astor & Victoria. j

http://photobucket.com/albums/a56/42ndStreetMemories/?action=view¤t=TimesSquareAstorVictoria.jpg

Check out this unusual ad, under the one for "Kiss Me, Stupid" at the Astor.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/goldfarb.jpg

They're acting like "Goldfarb" was a movie the world was waiting for. Or maybe Fox knew it was a stinker, and figured an ad like this might drum up some curiosity in it?

Jerry, that is indeed a nice shot. That Saul Bass graphic on the Victoria marquee is so powerful, like all his graphics and logos. Apparently that's all that was indeed for people to know that the movie was "The Man With the Golden Arm".

That, plus the sign above the marquee that said the name of the picture.

By 1969 the Astor and Carroll Baker had seen better days
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/6da70f45.jpg

I see in the ad for the Carrol Baker picture that the Astor was listed as a Walter Reade theatre. I didn't know Reade booked this house.

Yes Reade operated it for a time late in the game.

During the Christmas holidays of 1950, both the Astor and the adjacent Victoria had the NYC premiere engagements of long-awaited film versions of Broadway stage hits. The Astor had Universal's "Harvey," with James Stewart replacing stage star Frank Fay, and the Victoria presented Columbia's "Born Yesterday," with Judy Holliday re-creating her original role (and going on to winning an 'Oscar'). On the stage, Holliday had been a last-minute replacement for Jean Arthur, who developed "cold feet" during the Boston tryout.

miracle of our lady of fatima=1952
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0086.jpg

miracle of our lady of fatima=1952
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0086.jpg

the story of will rogers-1952
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0087.jpg

20,000 leagues under the sea-1954
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0088.jpg

on the waterfront-1954
but look at the brodway plays
see all of them became movies
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0089.jpg

the rainmaker-1956
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0090.jpg

THESE THEATRE ADS appeared in a program booklet "Stadium Concerts Review" for Lewisohn Stadium, College of the City of New York, for July 29 to August 4, 1936. The concerts were by the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra. The small ads tout what was playing at several New York movie theatres. One of them was the Astor, which was in its fifth month with The Great Ziegfeld.

It would be nice as well to attach pictures of the Astor billboard with its various films. One of the all time greats of Times Square.
I would have loved to have seen the one for Queen Christina at night.

March of 1955 "East of Eden"
http://photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/?action=view¤t=BridgesatTokoRi.jpg

"Gone With the Wind" ended its original reserved-seat engagement at the Astor in October, 1940, after a run of 44 weeks and a reported attendance of 2.5 million people (which seems to me somewhat exaggerated). The next day, the Astor re-linked with the Capitol for Charles Chaplin's "The Great Dictator," with the Astor again with reserved seats and the Capitol running "grind." In those days, the Capitol presented movies only, but stage shows would resume in 1943 after an eight-year blackout.

Garbomania (1933): www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/gg1.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/gg2.jpg

November 28, 1944:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/meetme.jpg

Not one of the Astor's shining moments :)
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/DaytonsDevils.jpg

I didn't know Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler ("The Ballad of the Green Berets") ever made a movie. But there he is, in the cast of "Dayton's Devils".

Big baby (1956): www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/bigbaby.jpg

Ziegfeld dwarfed by Spud (1936): www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/astor.jpg

The big one! The apparent smear across the movie's title is actually a semi-transparent banner that said "All Seats Reserved":
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/biggie.jpg

Warren--
Splendid pix of the great old sign blazing with lights. The block-long newer version was a real disappointment with its harsh relected light. We can only wonder what colors the Ziegfeld and GWTW signs displayed, and what patterns of on-and-off blinking razzle-dazzle they sported.

New Year's Eve, 1936. Loew's State had Gable & Crawford in "Love on the Run" (a move-over from the Capitol) and vaudeville. The Gaiety was presenting Minsky's burlesque:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/lloyds.jpg

In Stanley Kubrick's 1955 film Killer's Kiss available on a nice DVD, there are extended night scenes of the Times Square area and its theatres. One gets clear views of the Victoria with a large display for The Man Between, the Astor with Queen of Sheba, and the Embassy Newsreel Theatre. There are snippets of more. That part must have been shot around November of 1953.

I remember going with my friends to the Astor as a teenager when it was remodeled in the late 1950's. I think I saw "ON THE BEACH" there.

"On the Beach" was the first movie shown at the "new" Astor, and opened just before Christmas in 1959.

I recently found a Playbill from May of 1981 in my collection that includes the following Q & A about the Astor from it's "Dear Playbill..." section:

Dear Playbill: While walking down B'way recently, I suddenly realized that the Astor Theater on the corner of 45th Street was gone. When did it disappear? Wasn't it once a legitimate theatre?
--- Melvin G. Lustig, West New York, N.J.
A: Although the Astor Theatre building still stands, the space was converted to a Flea Market emporium a few years ago. Yes, the Astor opened on September 21, 1906 as a legitimate theater. It housed such hits as George M. Cohan's "Seven Keys to Baldpate (1913), the first Pulitzer Prize Play "Why Marry?" (1917) and Fay Bainter in "East Is West" (1918). After 1925, it operated as a reserved seat, two-a-day movie house for the showing of prestigious films.


I also found a 1978 Playbill that lists in its Theater Guide productions playing at the Bijou, Morosco and Helen Hayes theaters - all of which were demolished in 1982 along with the Astor and Victoria movie theaters to make way for the Marriot Marquis Hotel. Some great reading material in these Playbills along with the ads for Pan-Am, TWA and long gone NYC restaurants and nightclubs (Hawaii Kai, Luchows, Mama Leone's). I posted some other references from these Playbills on the pages for the Lyric Theater and the 42nd Street Apollo here on the site.

In the new picture book on Dean there is a full page photo of the Astor marquee and billboard at the time of Eden.
Those individual billboards from the 30's to the 50's are wonderful but I remember as a boy seeing the block long billboard with The Bible, Dr Dolittle, Star and Krakatoa. They were pretty spectacular to me.

I recently saw the TVM "It's Good To Be Alive",(Roy Campanella story) on the Fox Movie Channel and during the opening credits there is a great shot of the Astor Theatre. In the background you can see the Victoria. Another quick scene shows the Harlem Theater. The film was made in the early 70's with Paul Witfield as Campy. A young Lou Gossett is also in the film. The real Campy bookends the story as he sits at a desk writing his life story. Also, in the opening credits are nice clips of Campy and the Brooklyn Dodgers.

MGM movies showcased at the Astor:
11/27/1925 - 'The Big Parade' - John Gilbert & Renee Adoree
09/23/1927 - 'The Student Prince' - Ramon Novarro & Norma Shearer
12/30/1927 - 'The Enemy' - Lillian Gish & Ralph Forbes
03/23/1928 - 'The Trail of 98' - Dolores del Rio & Ralph Forbes
08/03/1928 - 'White Shadows' - Monte Blue & Raquel Torres
11/16/1928 - 'Jimmy Valentine' - William Haines & Leila Hyams
02/08/1929 - 'The Broadway Melody' - Bessie Love & Charles King
06/14/1929 - 'The Hollywood Revue' - All Star Revue
12/20/1929 - 'Devil-May-Care' - Ramon Novarro & Dorothy Jordan
01/24/1930 - 'The Rogue Song' - Lawrence Tibbett & Catherine Dale Owen
06/27/1930 - 'The Big House' - Chester Morris & Wallace Beery
10/24/1930 - 'War Nurse' - Robert Montgomery & June Walker
12/26/1930 - 'New Moon' - Lawrence Tibbett & Grace Moore
02/06/1931 - 'Trader Horn' - Edwina Booth & Harry Carey
06/05/1931 - 'A Free Soul' - Norma Shearer & Leslie Howard
09/11/1931 - 'The Guardsman' - Alfred Lunt & Lynn Fontanne
11/15/1931 - 'The Champ' - Wallace Beery & Jackie Cooper
12/25/1931 - 'Hell Divers' - Clark Gable & Wallace Beery
04/15/1932 - 'Grand Hotel' - John Barrymore & Greta Garbo
09/02/1932 - 'Strange Interlude' - Norma Shearer & Clark Gable
11/11/1932 - 'Payment Deferred' - Charles Laughton
12/23/1932 - 'Rasputin and the Empress' - The Barrymores
03/17/1933 - 'The White Sister' - Helen Hayes & Clark Gable
04/28/1933 - 'Hell Below' - Robert Montgomery & Walter Huston
08/25/1933 - 'Dinner At Eight' - John Barrymore & Jean Harlow
11/17/1933 - 'Eskimo' - Travelogue
12/29/1933 - 'Queen Christina' - Greta Garbo & John Gilbert

You can view some nice images of movie material here. Most are souvnir programs and most are for sale. I have posted here a real nice photo of some man stanging under the astor sign for spellbound.
http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n94/irajoel/

you can also view my entire inventory for sale at
www.cinemagebooks.com
email me at irajoelirajoel@yahoo.com

The Duke at the Astor:
McHilarious! - Daily News 11/25/63

According to imdb.com, this one opened in the UK in February, 1963, a full 9 months before coming to the States! A bit odd for a Wayne vehicle, wouldn't you say?

No, I don't think it was "a bit odd." It was just good business sense. Wayne was making more movies than he probably should have in those days. Their releases had to be spaced out, or he would have been competing against himself.

That never occurred to me, Warren. Good point. Just a friendly note here - I'd feel just as informed by your comment and a bit less like I've been chastised if you didn't use the quotations in your response. Seriously, just a friendly note - I don't want to start a war and I'm sure you didn't intend any condescension. But a courteous tone goes a long way towards stemming possible ill will.

Ed: I felt the same way when I found out that "How the West Was Won" had its world premiere in London in November 1962, then had several more 1962 openings in Europe, Japan and Australia before finally coming to the US in February 1963. It didn't even open in New York until April. An unusual release pattern, but I'm sure MGM and Cinerama had their reasons.

Right, Bill. I forgot about HTWWW. I think Warren's suggestion makes sense. Of course, these days, it is not uncommon to see several different Jude Law or Cuba Gooding, Jr, movies opening up within weeks of each other. Neither of those actors are even half the star John Wayne was in his hey day, but you get the point. Perhaps the example of Robert DeNiro (who has been quite ubiquitous in recent years) is a better comparison.

Hi, I've been reading this page with some interest, particularly the pieces about the Astor Mural. You might be interested to know that Buffie Johnson, the artist who painted the murals, died in New York on Augist 11 2006 at the excellent age of 94. Buffie was still painting up until about five years ago when her sight sadly failed. There is no detailed biography available about this once important abstract artist and I am hoping to include her in a book I am writing about a group of avant-garde artists who were active in the 1940's. I wonder if anybody knows what happenned to the mural, which was said to be the largest in the world at the time it was assembled. As it was made up of over 200 smaller panels, does anybody know where any of these might be? Have you looked in your loft..?

The following is quoted from the obituary of Buffie Johnson published in The New York Times on September 2, 2006: "In the late 1950's, Ms. Johnson was commissioned to paint a huge abstract mural for the Astor Theater on Broadway at 45th Street. Comprising more than 200 45-foot-high panels, the mural, in deep blues, evoked the city at night. The panels were returned to her when the theater was demolished in 1982."

Thanks Warren, I don't think much of the accuracy in the NYT obit however. The murals cannot have been made up of 200 panels each 45 feet high. My info is that each panel was 10 feet high. If they were 45 feet, where on earth would the artist have stored them once they were returned?

Sugs, if you doubt the accuracy of the claim in the obituary, I suggest that you send an e-mail to nytnews@nytimes.com They will usually investigate and print a correction if they find that the account was wrong.

Thanks Warren I'll give it a go, but am checking my source first, would hate to have to ask the NYT to print a correction of a correction!

The September 11, 2006 issue of The New York Times carried the following correction on page A2: "An obituary on Sept. 2 about the artist Buffie Johnson misstated the dimensions of the panels that made up the mural she painted for the Astor Theater in New York in the late 1950's. Although the finished mural was 45 feet high, each of its 224 panels measured roughly 5 feet by 10 feet; the panels themselves were not 45 feet high."

Yeah, that's what I thought, and I didn't even have to notify the NYT of their mistake! Was that you Warren, or one of Buffie's friends? Or did the NYT spontaneously admit to a mistake..?

My compliments to the NYT and whomever asked for correcting history!
This is good news.

Now about the war on terrorism...

Pause for reflection..
Back to the good news...
In case anyone is interested, Buffie Johnson's work is still represented by the Anita Shaplosky Gallery, NY, who showed an original panel from the Astor Mural in an exhibition in 2002 celebrating Buffie Johnson's 90th birthday. As we know, the panel was not 45 feet high.

We will never see films presented in such a classy way like this again
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/GoneWiththeWindpread.jpg

Another great GWTW ad
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/alldressedupGWTW.jpg

In the Spring of 1955, I was an aspiring artist, living in Greenwich Village. I worked nights at the Astor Theater as an usher/doorman. My job was to strut up and down under the big marquee, all dressed up like an admiral, and spout out the following lines in a loud voice: "Step right this way, ladies and gentlemen! Next show begins in 15 minutes! Immediate seating in the balcony! Tonight we have "East of Eden", with James Dean, Julie Harris and Raymond Massey!" I think I saw "East of Eden" 16 times. James Dean was my hero. On my breaks I would sit on the curb in front of the Astor with the manager of the nearby hot dog stand, smoking cigarettes and watching the girls go by. After my shift ended, about 2 o'clock in the morning, I'd walk all the way back downtown to the little 2-room apartment on West 4th Street that I shared with my best buddy, a boxer who earned his money sparing at Stillman's gym. i still have my pay envelope from the Astor. I was pleasantly surprised to find your interesting site, and to see how much interest there still is for the Astor and the old Times Square.
Dodger G

Dodger, I wonder if you ushered any celebs to their seats? I don't just mean film stars, as an aspiring artist you may have recognised some of the big names in the avant-garde, Pollock, Motherwell, de Kooning perhaps? Maybe even Lee Krasner, Dorothea Tanning or Buffie Johnson. Did you make it as an artist?
Sugs

Sugs, I can't remember dealing with any "celebs". Unfortunately, I started work at the Astor about 2 months after James Dean attended the Premier there of "East of Eden", so I never got to meet my hero. To answer your question -- my interests now are in writing. I am presently writing a book on the cultural history of the U.S. since WWII.

Dodger, a shame you missed James Dean. Maybe you got to walk on the same red carpet. And the cultural history of the US since WWII... just a small topic then! How many volumes do you plan to write? I've not finished the research for my book after almost two years and I'm only looking at one exhibition.

What wonderful comments about the Astor Theatre. You folks know your New York Broadway theaters. I am hoping that you experts can answer my question. Where is the CT listing for the first Helen Hayes Theatre? I have looked under the different theater names (the Fulton, the Folies-Bergere), but have found no listing. Please advise me as to the Helen Hayes Theatre listing? Thank you for your assistance.

To Steve Fredrick- a theatre will not be found here in Cinema Treasures if movies were never presented in it... I never saw a show at the Astor, but I remember it in the 1970s when there was a "flea market" inside the auditorium. The seats had been removed and there were rows of tables. You entered thru the fire exit doors on the left auditorium wall.

To Ron Salters, re: the Astor - What a sad, ignoble ending for such a true Cinema Treasure.

Christmas 1954
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/20000Leauges.jpg

Here's an interesting view shot from behind the spectacular signs across the street from the Astor, circa 1967.

This was scanned from a New York Daily News Sunday Magazine edition devoted to Times Square.

By the time of this 1974 photo, the Astor had been turned into a flea market. I can't make out the booking at the adjacent Victoria. "The Godfather: Part II" was being shown across the street at Loew's State: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/astorflea.jpg

Variety, August 12, 1959

Broadway Astor’s 800G Facelift

“In a change of plans, United Artists and City Investing have dropped the idea of combining the Astor Theatre and the Bijou on Broadway into a single house. Instead, a complete renovating job will be done on the Astor alone. It’ll run to $800,000, the cost to be shared 50-50 by UA and City Investing.

Seating capacity of the Astor will be cut to 1001 from the present 1100 and the new wide screen will measure 50ft. by 27ft. The third balcony will be eliminated and the mezzanine section will be extended...It’ll reopen on Dec. 17 with the preem of ‘On the Beach’, the Stanley Kramer production. “

Artists and Models of 1924 at the Astor Theater.

This is an ad for the "Prisoner of Zenda" at the Astor Theater.

The Astor Theatre in Times Square opened on Sept. 21st. 1906.

This 1946 view shows the Astor already grinding away in the early morning with "The Best Years of Our Lives," which ran nearly three hours and was the longest movie to play there since "Gone With the Wind." The adjacent Victoria, with the British import, "Witness to Murder," had not yet opened its doors for the day:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/bestyears.jpg

The second paragraph in the introduction is misleading. The Astor Theatre wasn't exactly "next" to the Astor Hotel. They were separated by West 45th Street. The hotel occupied the entire blockfront of Broadway between 44th and 45th Streets. The theatre's entrance on Broadway was just above 45th Street, and the Astor shared that blockfront between 45th and 46th Street with some stores and the Gaiety (later Victoria) Theatre.

The 1912 Italian silent spectacle Quo Vadis? opened at the Astor Theatre in early 1913. It was promoted as a "gorgeous $150,000 production."

Warren and Dodger G.

I submitted a while back how I ushered at the Valencia Theatre in Jamacia, NY when I was in Junior High School. When I went to my sophmore year at Boy's High my twin brother and I got a job at the Astor Theatre in 1953. The movie "Stalag 17" was playing at the Asor and I believe that "The Moon is Blue" was playing at the Victoria. During the 3.5 years working full time during the summer and full weekends during school. It was an exciting period.

Because my brother and I were tall we were doorman as well as ushers with the white gloves and sharp uniforms. We had the opportunity to work all the world premiers including "East of Eden", "On the Waterfront", "The Star is Born" and many more. We were even called in from school to be the doorman for the opening of "Guys and Dolls" at the Capitol Theatre where they used doorman from all the different theatrs including the Paramount, Loew's State, Criterion and the Roxy. Had met Bob Hope, Marilyn Monroe, Shelly Winters, Raymond Massey, George Montgomery, Karl Malden amd many more.

I still vividly remeber the smells, the feeling of the air conditioning, the alley between the Astor and Victoria and best of all the stairs to the locker room. A lot of fond memories. By 1958 my brother and I worked professionally with Bob Hope and I had a wonderful career in theatre and television. Working there was a great place for a fledgling actor. Nearly every Saturday morning Karl Malden would drop by 1545 to Kermit Bloomgarten's office. He would always call me "Butch"! Lee Strassberg me tho 1545 to teach some of his classes. Ben Gazzara, Shelly Winters, Richard Davalos would be some of the attendees. A few years later I would be studying with Lee Strasberg. Funny world!

I still remember the managers...Mr. Bloom, Mr. Cusack, Mr. Shaeffer, Mr. Whitney, Captain of ushers, Ms. Camarda and Mr. Gallagher. I can go on forever about working there. A lot of fond memories.

Dodger G if you could give me a line at rbarry@actorsplace .org would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to place you. I was there when you were working.

Thanks!

Roy Barry

To Roy Barry -- I cannot respond to the email address you posted. Do you have another?

Roy, welcome back! As I said once before, I remember you and your brother from Loew's Valencia, when Bernard Zelenko was the manager. I was on the daytime ushering staff and you were on nights, as I recall. Ida Magerkirth was chief of service during the day and Frank Keene at night. I joined in May, 1953, so you must have left soon after that, since "Stalag 17" opened at the Astor around that time, though it had a long run. It didn't reach the Valencia until that fall, but we did a huge business since it was the first Queens booking and exclusive for the borough.

To Roy Barry -- Sorry, my fault. I left out a letter. I've just sent a new email to the correct address.
Dodger

To Roy Barry -- It was great to read your posting. I stil can't seem to get an email to that address, so here's the info in a nutshell. Although we must have worked together, the reason you can't remember me is most likely because I didn't work at the Astor that long -- probably only a matter of weeks. However, I do have a pay envelope dated May 18, 1955 from City Entertainment Corporation and a handwritten note to a Mr. Helsinger(?)from "Gallagher" which reads: "This will introduce Mr. G---. He starts tonight as usher."
I own 2 DVDs that feature the 1950s Astor pretty prominently : Kubrick's "Killer's Kiss", and Kazan's "East of Eden". On the East of Eden premier section, there are some good closeups of the ushers and doormen. I wonder if you are in these pictures? Thanks again for your posting. I have great memories of those times.
Dodger

Warren and Dodger,

My brother and I worked at the Astor Theater from July 15, 1953 to August of 1956. I was a doorman for the East of Eden premiere. I saw a clip in the Marilyn Monroe video-bio that showed a glimpse of me when she arrived. I'm not sure which premiere it was. I would love to know where I can get a copy of the DVD you mentioned. My email is info@actorsplace.org The website to our studio is www.actorsplace.org They sure were great times. Broadway had an energy then it does not have now. I was younger at that time and maybe I saw things with new-opened eyes. I'm happy that the Times Square area has cleaned up. It was a real mess for a long time. Miss the old Gaety Deli and Hectors!

Roy

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Roy, the Times Square district has been cleaned up, but in the process lost all of its character. Today, it reminds me of a combination of the Las Vegas Strip and any of the Disney theme parks. Herds of people just wandering around and gawking also make it resemble a human zoo. Most of them seem to be tourists and the rest from outer space. Whenever I must go there to a show or to shop at Virgin Music, I can't get away fast enough.

Warren,

I feel the very same way. I was lucky to do my Broadway work in the 60's and 70's. The biggest problem then was the porno problem. The theaters were great without implanted microphones on the actors. It definitely was a different world. My wife and I just finished directing "Stalag 17" the play. Doing it was a blast, especially brining me back to the 50's when I worked at the Astor when Stalag was playing.

Your image of Las Vegas is a true depiction of how Times Square is today. But when I think of the alternative of the trash that 42nd Street was for a long time...I would rather have it the way it is today. Thanks for the comments!
Roy

Roy, I guess that you had left the Astor by the time of this photo from August, 1958. The movie played simultaneously at the Victoria (which is just out of view) and took over the entire billboard space above the two theatres. Across Broadway, Loew's State had Jerry Lewis in "Rock-A-Bye Baby." I can't make out what's playing at the Criterion:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/summer1958.jpg

SOUTH PACIFIC at the CRITERION.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS at the RIVOLI
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI at the Palace.

Warren,

I wasn't in town for the whole summer of 1958. It's funny how the streets look not as attractive if they are not wet. Something about
night shots,especially in B&W need the wet look. So many films do that when they are shooting at night.

I saw the "East of Eden" premiere from the two-disc set of East of Eden's DVD. Things have improved so much since then directorily (meaning the TV coverage of the premiere). The segment of the premiere did not do justice for a world premiere that was televised and on radio at the same time. I always have the visual of "Singin in the Rain" as the ultimate premiere. I can be seen in the footage of disc number 2. I'm the one by the curb in the full shot waiting for the next car to arrive. Later they have a good shot of Ron Greenwald, Tommy Harris and Johnny O'Neil. In the Marilyn Monroe video of her life there is a short segment that is shown from the area where I was. I could be seen briefly but the other guys got a full picture. I worked the world premiere of "A Star is Born" and Monroe came to that also. She dropped her hankechief when coming out of the Limo. I had the honor of giving it to her people. If anyone know if there is any film coverage of that premiere I would be most grateful.

Looking at all this as a 16 year old going on seventeen seeing all the celebrities and never knowing that I would be working with a few of them in my career in theater. One that comes to mind is Carol Channing. I left the show "Coco" with Hepburn to spend nearly a year in London with Carol Channing. My guess at that time was who is Carol Channing? I wasn't aware of her status when I worked that premiere. What does a kid from Brooklyn know! See ya!

Roy

Does anyone know the name of the newsreel theater that was located on Broadway? I know there was one that was replaced by the Cinerama theater, but there was alittle one near the Astor, Horn and Hardart and Hectors? I'm trying to remember the name. Thanks!
Roy

The nearest newsreel thatre to the Astor was the Embassy, on the opposite side of Brodway in the same block as the Palace. There eas also a Trans-Lux 49th Street newsreel theatre on the same side of Broadway as the Astor.

What theater did "Singin in the Rain" premiere? Was it Radio City?

Correct. March 27, 1952.

Yes,"Singin' in the Rain" was the Easter movie at Radio City Music Hall in 1952. A few months ago, I displayed an ad at the RCMH listing, but I'm not sure if it's still up. If you can't find it, contact me privately and I'll send it to you.

This is a photo of an Astor Theater with a date given of 1929. I hope that its this theater.

Two Shows Daily, All Seats Reserved. All evenings, $1.10 to $2.20. Weekday matinees, 75 cents to $1.10. Saturday, Sunday, and holiday matinees, 75 cents to $1.65:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/astor1239.jpg

Whe I was a doorman during High School years 1952-56 the early show was 85 cents and the after 5pm show was $1.10 - $1.25. I remember having a date and going to the Capitol Theater to see "From Here to Eternity" and the ticket was $1.80. I was completely wide-eyed when I saw that price. That time you could go the the "Gaety Deli" on 46th Street and get a humongous Corn Beef Sandwich for 75 cents. Or you could go to "Hectors Cafeteria" and get the Friday Fish Cakes and Spaghetti for 60 cents. I was only making 95 cent an hour though! If I remember correctly Stalag 17 was playing at the Astor.

I can't give an exact date for this photo, but "The Rose Tattoo" opened at the Astor Theatre on December 12, 1955 and held-over into 1956. The movie at the adjacent Victoria Theatre, which is identified on the marquee only by its famous Saul Bass logo, opened December 15, 1955, and also held-over into 1956: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/astorrose.jpg

Since the marquee mentions Oscar nominations, that places the photo after February 19, 1956 and before March 13 when MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS opened at the Astor. Magnani won that year on March 21. Sinatra didn't win for the movie with the Saul Bass logo.

The film at the Victoria was "THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM"; Frank Sinantra, Kim Novak, Eleanor Parker, Darren McGavin, Arnold Stang. It was previewed around Thanksgiving in 1955, and opened in January of 1956. I was working there during my High School years as a doorman for both theaters and was a senior at Boy's High in Brooklyn. "MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS" was at the Astor Theater prior to "THE ROSE TATTOO". Earlier on this site I gave a history of my experiences working there at the Astor & Victoria. They both were owned by the same company (Cty Entertaiment Corporation) and had a interlocking alley between both theaters. Great time!

Leroy, I think your memory is playing games. How could MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS have played prior to THE ROSE TATTOO when it opened in March 1956? The sign over the theatre in the photo even announces the date.

THE ROSE TATTOO opened in December 1955 as Warren stated.

I'm sorry for the mistake...but that to was previewed prior to the opening. I am not crazy! Must be a more gentle way of communicating!

Is it necessary to excoriate someone for a slight memory lapse about two movies shown at the Astor more than half a century ago? "The Rose Tattoo" ran about three months. "Meet Me in Las Vegas," an expensive MGM musical that had been rejected by Radio City Music Hall, lasted only a few weeks.

In all fairness, I'd hardly consider AlAlvarez' remarks to be an excoriation of leroyelliston. And the suggestion that one's memory might be playing tricks need not be taken as a questioning of one's sanity. My thanks to both Leroy and Al for sharing their facts and insights here for us to enjoy. Warren, your contributions to CT have been immeasurable, but you must admit that when the mood strikes, you are more than capable of administering some expert excoriation of your own!

Hey! Why don't we write a play...maybe we can make a movie of this? I should have not re-acted the way I did. Let bygones be bygones! However memories get distorted it's still a great experience to reminisce those days. During the 4 years I worked at the Astor and Victoria theaters (Friday 4-10, Saturday 9:45 to 5, Sunday 11:45 to 5, full-time summer months) they would show sneak previews shown especially at the Astor theater.

I remember vividly the previews (not premieres) of East of Eden, On the Waterfront, The Big Knife, The Star is Born, Meet Me In Las Vegas, Main Street to Broadway and many more. The big moguls of the Movie Companies, reviewers ...etc, would attend. Customers would get the privilegeg of seeing two films for the price of one. The Criterion and Loew's State would also do the same. It was always be shown on a Monday or Tuesday with the the attendees filling out the questionaires given when they entered.

There was a film with Willaim Holden made based on the novel "The Magnificent Bastards", but the film had a different name. Many of Hollywood's big names at that time came to see this film at preview. "The McConnell Story" starring Alan Ladd and June Allyson also had the same experience. That film also had a big studded premiere. Had an embarrassing experience working that World Premiere. I was the doorman opening the limo doors when they pulled up in front of the Astor. It was alway mayhem with the photographers and the press. Sometimes the limos would come in en masse making the shuffling of opening the doors difficult. One of the limos had Natalie Wood and her mother. When the limo arrived I let out Natalie Wood and her mother, not knowing that there was someone else in the limo ready to depart. To my chagrin I closed the door on Tab Hunter as he was ready to get out. He chuckled and was very amused...but I was more or less embarrassed. I was only seventeen and something like that seemed more tragic that what it really was. Years later I had the opportunity to meet him and told him the story and again he chuckled. He also confided that that period in Hollywood was all publicity. He eneded up doing some good work later in his career. There was a film he did with Sophia Loren that I thought was one of his best films.

My wife who is 10 years younger doesn't seem to feel the importance of that era. She loves to hear the stories of my experiences. I have an older brother who worked the Copacabana when Jules Podell ran the club. I keep telling him he should write a book about the machinations that went on there. Sorry getting long-winded!

The William Holden film based on "The Magnificent Bastards" was "The Proud and the Profane," co-starring Deborah Kerr. The Paramount release opened at the Astor Theatre on June 13th, 1956, according to the website of The New York Times.

That's it! They couldn't use the title of the book. There was a big to do about Holden doing this part. I thought it was a good film!

Good grief! Thanks Ed.

For the record, I was just trying to narrow the scope for the date on the photo. My memory plays tricks on me all the time and I don't think I am crazy either, but I can contribute by looking some stuff up easily at my end.

I wasn't born yet when Leroy was a doorman at the Astor & Victoria and I would not think of belittling his valuable first-hand accounts in any way.

I never make mean spirited comments as I am just not wired that way.

Sorry! The title is "The Proud and Profane," not "The Proud and the Profane." The WWII drama was supposed to be Paramount's answer to "From Here to Eternity," and even had one of its stars, Deborah Kerr. Filmed in B&W VistaVision, it did good business but never became an Oscar-winning blockbuster like "FHTE."

Okay! Let's all go out for a beer! I'll have Sasparilla...gave it up 9 months ago. The best thing I ever did!

Roy

The Astor and Victoria were often advertised in tandem, but with distinctly different lettering for their names. The Astor tended to get the better movies, due to its prestigious history and larger seating capacity: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/astovic.jpg

Here's a 1932 view of billboard displays at the Astor and Gaiety. Note the massiveness of the Astor Hotel beyond the Astor Theatre:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/astorgaiety.jpg

Here is an October 1955 ad from the NYT:
http://tinyurl.com/3c94xj

Here is an August 1929 photo from the Ben Hall book, "Best Remaining Seats":
http://tinyurl.com/375plz

Here is a November 1946 ad from the NYT:
http://tinyurl.com/24bxsz

Here is a November 1931 ad from the NYT:
http://tinyurl.com/22rhlq

The Champ was released on November 9, 1931.

https://cid-971728a0f4dc1e5d.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/Cinema

Picture of my brother and myself as ushers at the Astor & Victoria theaters from 1953-56

Leroy, I would love to see that photo, but I'm not a member of that server. I remember you both as ushers at Loew's Valencia in Jamaica, which was just before the Astor & Victoria. Could you send me a copy privately at Warrengwhiz@nyc.rr.com?

Hi again Leroy. As I mentioned previously, I worked at the Astor as an usher for a short time in May, 1955 -- East of Eden. I would also love to see that photo. Thanks.
rogergardner@verizon.net

Here is a July 1941 ad from the NYT:
http://tinyurl.com/3drh5u

Here are new links to exterior views of the Astor Theatre:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/astor.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/biggie.jpg

wow. Thanks Warren. Great pictures. Especially that Gone with the Wind one. I saved both. You're a treasure trove of info. Good work.
rg

What a weird buzz I got wandering into the Astor's former shell after it had become that flea market. The place was abuzz but junky. You can't get that buzz, I think, unless the shell of the old structure is the same and you can remember clearly how it had been when it was a moviehouse (the ticket-taker was just about here, the screen was against that wall over there, etc.).
Our memories are valueless to just about anyone who didn't experience these grand old movie emporiums firsthand, but Cinema Treasures is a treasure trove of shared recollections by people who can revivify and amplify one's own fading memories. Thank you, one and all. -- Ed Blank

Well said, Ed Blank. Well said.

Thanks, Dodger. Your memories of the Astor are invaluable. Since rediscovering this website a couple of weeks ago I've been reading it compulsively, usually well into the night. I've been checking the blogs for every theater in every city I've ever visited. Best page-turner I've ever read.
If I can ever tear myself away from the many dozens of Manhattan theater blogs, I want to make contributions to nearly 100 Pittsburgh area theaters listed. Most of those blogs are very spare; some have no entries at all.
The downside of the Manhattan blogs is that can take hours to wade through. The one for Radio City Music Hall must be the "War and Peace" of movie blogs.
I'm grateful we have this gift - this forum in which to exchange tidbits.
Aside: One of the neatest coincidences when the Astor and the Victoria were grinding profitably was when each had a new big hit starring Bill Holden. He was side by side starring in "Stalag 17" at the Astor and "The Moon Is Blue" at the Victoria. -- Ed Blank

If I remember correctly The Moon Is Blue caused quite a stir -- it all seems so silly now.

It's funny that you mentioned "Stalag 17" and the "Moon is Blue". In July of 1953 I became one of those unique ushers at the Astor Theatre and its sister hheatre the Victoria. "Stalag 17" was playing and right after I began working there in came t"The Moon is Blue" where they dared say the word "pregnant". We were considered one of the smaller theatres that had heart. At that time the Roxy, the Capitol, the Strand were all going strong. Of all the theatres there was something different about the Astor and Victoria. Our uniforms were unique, bright and vivid!

There was a positive energy in the 50's that we don't have anymore.
The 1545 Broadway entrance was behind the box office of the Victoria. I remember Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Paul Newman, Shelley Winters, Elia Kazan, Lee Strasberg, Burt Lancaster and many others going into the 1545 building. Kermit Bloomgarten had his office in the 1545 Building as well as Stasberg. For a kid at 15 it was something beyond magic.

Maybe it was my youth, but I cherish the expeiences I had and feel extremely lucky to have been there!

It wasn't just your youth Leroy. They were special times that are gone now with those beautiful buildings.

Photo February 1929 "Broadway Melody" at Astor:
http://ziegfeldgirl.multiply.com/photos/album/19/NYC_Vintage_Photos_1920s#42

Leroy, If I may correct the record without offending, I think the word the bluenoses found most objectionable in "The Moon Is Blue" was "virgin" (in a nonreligious context).
Also, there was an infamous exchange that I think went:
She: "Do you mind if I take off my shoes and stockings?"
He: "You can take off anything you like."
Fifty-five years ago, that raised eyebrows.

Ed,

You are absolutely correct! I believe there was another film that used the word "pregnant" and created a stir among the religious groups.

Can you believe how much we have changed! Remarkable!

Not one, but two 4-star reviews for the same picture on the same page, 12/20/1939. Has this ever happened before or since?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/windreview.jpg

It still pains me to read about the destruction of 5 theaters for the construction of the Marriott Marquis back in 1982. I am a staunch theater preservationist, but more importantly I am an even stronger believer is a safe, vibrant, clean and growing city that can offer a wonderful urban environment in which to live in and visit.

Sadly, the New York of the 70's and 80's was one of steep decline, out of control crime, massive arson, infrastructure that was falling apart and subways covered wall to wall in graffiti that you were lucky to see since many cars also had no operable lighting. There was a massive outflow of the city's middle class and corresponding increase in the city's poor.

42nd Street and Times Square was ground zero for this cesspool and the theater district was dying a slow, agonizing death. Something had to be done. The destruction of those theaters brought a new, huge convention hotel to the center of Times Square that bought new life to this moribound area. It encouraged other hotels and office buildings to follow. The complete closure and renovation of all of the theaters on 42nd Street continued the path. Thanks to that process we now have a restored New Amsterdam (arguably the most beautiful of New York's theaters) in addition to The New Victory, The Hilton and American Airlines theaters. This, on a street that back in the 70's and 80s was considered the single most dangerous block in the country!

Today, Times Square is criticized by some as having "lost its character" and resembling Las Vegas. To those people, I say "Go to downtown Detorit where you can have all of the character you want"

I for one, love living in a city where you can ride the subway comfortably at midnight, stroll down almost any street in complete safety, shop at the many department stores that remain downtown (unlike virtually any other city), and attend the theater in a district that has been astoundingly reborn, revitalized and for the most part renovated since the early 90's.

I do not equate "character" with drug addicts, prostitutes, brothels, trash, graffiti and whatever else Times Square had in the 70's and 80's.

We've saved Times Square and New York! While we've lost many theaters we in New York still have an embarassment of riches. Now, we need to concentrate our efforts to protect and restore the theaters we still have left.

Good intelligent comments Lius V. How can anyone disagree with you? I would only point out that a few of us are remembering a time before the 70s and 80s, back in the 50s, when -- at least in my memory -- it really did have character and even 42nd St. wasn't that bad. I used to walk home to West 4th St. in the Village from the Astor at 2AM and not think twice about it. Of course I was 18 and knew I would live forever. All progress it seems comes with a price; but as you point out so well, the price of losing some theaters that had already all but died in order to cleanup New York City was probably a fair one.

It is so true! The 70's and 80's were a horrible period for the entertainment area. Prior to the 70's I had an apartment on West 45th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue. Never once did I ever feel in danger until the late 60's when everything really began to fall apart. This led me to move further uptown to West 57th Street and then to the upper Westside where things were slightly less disgusting. All I can say is the Times Square of today is a blessing. Still I remember how it was in the 50's and early 60's and it was great! We should be extremely happy what we have today...a rejuvenated theater distrct for all to enjoy.

You know, I was thinking after I wrote my post above that in the future, if Times Square once again degenerated into a crime filled wasteland, today's youth would tell stories about how wonderful Times Square was at the turn of the 21st Century! They would say, "Remember the Toy's R Us Ferris Wheel, the MTV studios?, The Hard Rock and Planet Hollywood cafes?"

Personally, I don't don't think we'll ever go backward. I would agree with dodger and leroyelliston that the 50's and early 60's were probably wonderful. It was before my time. But that wasn't what Times Square had become in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. We needed to be rescued from that!

I never thought I'd live to see the day when Hell's Kitchen would become a truly "Hot" neighborhood where many people desired to live, but it has in fact happened. It's happended in Park Slope, Harlem, Chinatown, The Financial District, the East Village, The Lower East Side, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, I could go on and on.

In my opinion, making Times Square into what it is today greatly contributed to the overall image of the city as a whole as a desireable place to live and work. If they could "fix" Times Square then this city is capable of amazing things. And so it is!

This link may be good for but a short time; shows in large detail the Astor entry under marquee in 1933.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1933-ART-DECO-ASTOR-MOVIE-THEATER-GRETA-GARBO-CAR-PHOTO_W0QQitemZ140232594846QQihZ004QQcategoryZ18824QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

Great pic! Thanks J.F. Lundy.
rg

Well-heeled crowd for the middle of the Depression.

Right. lol I didn't think of that.
rg

In case the Ebay link doesn't last long, maybe this one will still work.

Thanks, Lost Memory. That was nice of you.
rg

Garbo's films always attracted people from the upper class "smart set." Also, in those days, most people, regardless of income, "dressed up" when they went to the first-run midtown movie theatres. That 1933 photo was apparently taken during the year-end holidays, as Christmas wreaths are draped on the marquee.

That's right Warren. I remember my parents and I dressing up to go to movies in the forties. Most people did. It was a big event, similar perhaps today to going to a Broadway show -- although, nowadays people don't even dress up for that all the time, do they?

We are a casual pedestrian society without a sense of protocol or should I say a sense of regalia? I can remember going to the Capital Theater to see "From Here to Eternity" with my date and sitting upstairs in a packed lodge/balcony and never once did I feel unconforatble. No one selfishly in tune with their own agenda, and on top of it, most of us were clean and well dresssd for the occasion.

I remember not letting people in sleevless T-Shirts at the Astor and Victoria theaters. The ushers would continuously monitor their
section every few minutes just to make sure nothing disruptive is happening. Again...another era. I still enjoy the day even if it is not like it was.

I was at the "Actor's Studio" recently and one of the Studio's teacher/director/coach was there. We worked together at the Astor theater in 1954 to 1956. We both ended up with careers in theater/film/television. We discussed our experiences and it seem sensorily that it was just yesterday. I was blessed to have the opportunity to be there at that time.

Since QUEEN CHRISTINA premiered on December 26 and that photo shows a Roll Royce in front, this is most likely a shot of the World Premier crowd and hardly representative of the the average movie-goer in 1933.

Garbo had a large following of gay men, which seems substantiated by that 1933 photo. Males seem to far outnumber the females. Note particularly the three men wearing fedoras at the center of the photo. Two are an obvious "couple," and the third is holding a dog in his arms. I guess that he intended to check it in the Astor's kennel.

Wow. You can determine the sexual inclinations of men from just looking at an 85 year old photograph? Fabulous gaydar!

My guess is that they are studio heads and members of the press who were mostly men at the time. As for their sexual habits, I'll leave that to more talented contributors.

Mr. Alvarez's arithmetic seems as unreliable as his grammar and spelling. 1933 was seventy-five years ago, not eighty-five.

My mistake. I got my education reading fabricated dead star biographies written by hack writers who plagiarized gossip columns and then sold the info as their own at discount book racks.

Hey guys. Back on track -- the pic was great, and your combined knowledge of this subject is truly impressive. Thank you all.
rg

Keep the sniping off these pages. Thank you.

Does anyone know why films like "On the Waterfront" and "A Star is Born" were put into smaller theaters like the Astor and Victoria and not in a larger theater like the Capital...Paramount? Warner Brothers showed "Battle Cry" at the Paramount and I believe " A Star is Born" was a Warner picture also! Those two films had huge audiences.

"A Star Is Born" opened originally at both the Paramount and Victoria, and continued at the Victoria after the Paramount engagement ended. The Astor was considered a "prestige" house, and much sought after for movies with artistic pretensions. If you had a movie that might win Oscars and other awards, you would try to open it at the Astor. If you couldn't get the Astor, you might settle for the Victoria, which had fewer seats and a less distinguished history. Under previous names, it had been home to burlesque, "laffmovies," and other things.

Thanks! I don't remember that "A Star was Born" was at the Paramount.

Behind the screen at the Victoria were signs that said; Gaety Theater. What was interesting about the Astor and Victoria was that the General Manager's office was between both theaters. Managers shared the managing of both theaters. John Cusack was the GM, Wally Schaffer, Leonard Bloom, Charles Whitney; we had the Chief of Ushers, Bart Gallagher, Captain of Ushers; Adelle Camarda. All were related in someway to politics (Kennedy's) and theater (playwright, television...etc) Interseting group of people. I have an outline of a play I was beginning to write based on this unique group of individuals. It's somewhere in the attic turning brown I guess! Maybe someday!

Here is a night view, the feature is "Boulder Dam". Circa 1936.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1936-NEW-YORK-ZIEGFIELD-CHEVROLET-SIGN-NY-THEATRE-PHOTO_W0QQitemZ140253234173QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item140253234173&_trkparms=72%3A635%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14.l1318#ebayphotohosting
It is an E-bay sale image and may not be at this URL for long.

Great shot! In the 50's where the "Maxwell Coffee" stood became a "Cardinal Tie" store, popular for reasonably priced ties. In between "Cardinal" and the "Astor" was "Tyson's Ticket Agency" for all events in Manhattan. Around the corner from "Minsky's Gaety" theater, later to come the "Victoria Theater", was a famous deli called the "Gaety Deli" that supplied the greatest sadwiches in NYC. Better than the "Stage Deli"or the "Carnegie Deli"! They were more or less tourist places. The "in crowd" favored the "Gaety". Most of the Broadway actors would patronize the Gaety plus a few "Damon Runyon" characters. I remember being in there with Ben Gazarra, Shelley Winters, Elia Kazan and Bob Fosse.

The "Astor" had almost a secret entrance to the "Bijou Theater" around the corner on 45th Street from the Astor's 3rd balcony. By being a part of this website has brought back a lot of memories! And I must say very enjoyable memories at that! I cannot express the excitement of that period. Maybe my youth saw things from a youthful perspective but I am sure it was in reality a wonderful period. I also want to thank all of you for all your great input. Thanks!

I believe that the deli was called "Gaiety," but I agree that it had the best (and biggest) sandwiches in NYC at the time. It was so tiny that much of its business was take-out and delivery. Unfortunately, the owners got greedy and decided to build a new and much larger Gaiety on West 47th, along with a Gaiety East on Lexington Avenue near 55th or 56th Street. Both went bust within a few years.

The Gaiety East was one of the great delis of my growing up on the Upper East Side...it was still there albeit in decline in 1973 having dined and dated there before The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz

Some wonderful photos of the Astor's exterior signs can be found in the Second Quarter 2008 issue of Marquee, published by Theatre Historical Society of America. Among the spectacular displays shown are those for "On the Waterfront," "Quo Vadis," "Melody Time," "Outcast of the Islands," "The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima," "Here Comes the Groom," and "Valentino." There's also a view of the block-wide sign that the Astor shared with the Victoria for "The Vikings." A subscription to Marquee is part of annual membership in THSA. Details can be found at www.historictheatres.org

New York Premiere of East of Eden
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/310/2032/1600/dean4.jpg

Wow. Thank you Robert R. what a great picture.
As I mentioned in an earlier conversation I worked there during East of Eden as an usher. That photo means a lot to me. thanks.
Roger G.

Here's an article of mine on this subject.
rg

http://thedragonbox.blogspot.com/

I was the doorman for the world premiere of that film. I was only 17 and was chosen for that position becaise of my height. Dodger (Roger C) did you work that premiere? I remember Ronnie Greewald, Tommy Walsh and Marilyn Fried. I have a Pathe news reel of that premiere and the ABC telecast of the premiere. Television was sure in it's infancy! I opened the door for Marilyn Monroe'e limo. She sure was a beauty! i was surprised that she was relatively short...I think 5' 6". Great time!

I changed my posting name from leroyelliston to roybarry.

Hi Leroy. We've talked before. No, unfortunately I didn't come to work there until about two months after that premier, but East of Eden was showing while I was there. I believe I mentioned that I still have a pay envelope from there dated May 1955.
Roger

The glory days

Robert,

I was working that day at the Victoria theater. My twin was at the Astor that day. Remember it as though it was yesterday. Sad to see the Astor Hotel. As I keep saying..."great times!"

This November 1944 photo from Life magazine shows more detail of the photo posted by Bryan Krefft on 6/21/05:
http://tinyurl.com/5t4npl

Here is a February 1954 photo, from the Life collection:
http://tinyurl.com/5qzbjs

The link to the Life magazine photo was originally found by a new member named "misterboo". Your thanks should go to "misterboo" for the photo. Welcome to Cinema Treasures "misterboo".

Thanks for both photos "misterboo".

He whose memory got lost, I don't recall you ever thanking the scrapbook owners whose hard work you perpetually post links to. And I sincerely doubt that you have the courtesy to first ask their permission to do so.

The theatre's marquee (in archive footage) recently had a small appearance in The Express. The film showing was a reissue of Stalag 17 (the scene takes place in 1961).

RE: "Warren". This has all been explained to you numerous times. The owner of the photos name is included with the photo. You must be the one with the "lost memory".

To all -- I just got diagnosed with acute leukemia, so I won't be around too much longer. But I didn't want to just disappear without thanking you all for all of the hard work you have put into this wonderful site. As some of you know I actually worked at the Astor in 1955, so these pics and your memories are invaluable to me. Please know that your diligent research is appreciated more than I can say.
Respectfully,
Roger W. Gardner (Dodger)

Roger
My prayers are with you.

I'm sending good thoughts your way as well, Roger. Take care and all the best...

Take care, Roger.

Here is another Life photo, this time from 1946:
http://tinyurl.com/5r4d46

Thanks to "misterboo" for the Life Magazine photo link.

Will you please stop these "misterboo" spam postings? They're really annoying!

Thanking someone is not considered to be "spam". It is being courteous and polite.

Lost Memory: are YOU "misterboo"? I've never seen that name anywhere on these pages except in your posts.

People that hide behind an alias are a bit odd. What are they afraid of in using their real name?

LOL

No Bill, I can assure you that I am not "misterboo". If I was, those photos would have all posted by ME.

Why are they odd Bob? Care to elaborate.

Bill....Just so you know that he does exist:

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/2363/

Roger,

My prayers are also with you! We worked together at the Astor Theater when Broadway was Broadway. It had it's Damon Runyonesque broadly stated with colorful broad strokes of joy. I am glad we had the oppotunity. God Bless!

Roy

Here is a 1951 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/5f6tsk

As luck would have it, the Astor Theatre was in the midst of the New York premiere engagement of "The Babe Ruth Story" when the "Sultan of Swat" died in August, 1948. Out of respect, on the day of Ruth's funeral, the Astor stayed closed until the services were over.

From the NYT, 7/8/48:

'BABE RUTH' PREMIERE SET; Film Story of Famed Bambino Opens at Astor July 26

"The Babe Ruth Story" will have its world premiere at the Astor Theatre on Monday, July 26, with all proceeds from the initial showing going to the Babe Ruth Foundation, recently formed to aid under-privileged children throughout the country.

This is from the Ellensburg Daily Record on July 27, 1948:
http://tinyurl.com/9kvxum

This is a circa 1925 photo.

In 1944, Esther Williams made a real splash in Times Square when her first starring movie, "Bathing Beauty," played its NYC premiere engagement at the Astor Theatre:
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=Times+Square+source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3DTimes%2BSquare%2Bsource:life%26start%3D100%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN&imgurl=64f0d7ead8714ced

Renewing link.

A 1939 photo of the Astor can be seen here.

Great shot. Can't quite see the Victoria marquee. Looks as if "Prince (something)" is playing.

Ed, in 1939, that other theatre was known as the Gaiety and presenting "girlie" shows (use of the word "burlesque" had been outlawed in NYC). "Prince" is probably the first six letters of the billing for a performer known as Princess Something or Other...It's a pity that the CT "alert" system has been suspended. I only stumbled on your post today, or I would have commented earlier.

Here is a 1956 photo. I've been having trouble scrolling through some of these larger entries, so if it's already here somewhere I apologize.
http://tinyurl.com/pp5e9q

March 1943 "Human Comedy" at the Astor, "Saludos Amigos" at the Globe:http: //www.shorpy.com/node/6231?size=_original

http://www.shorpy.com/node/6231?size=_original

Love ken's 1956 photo since it shows the "capitol" name in a distance, which is the way I always remember it, in the distance. Was only inside it once.

JF Lundy's link also gives an ultra-rare view of the Gaiety during its brief life as Laffmovie (a branch of the Laffmovie on W. 42nd Street). The Gaiety/Laffmovie would soon be re-named Victoria.

The 1936 photo posted on 8/2/08 has resurfaced:
http://tinyurl.com/klbcm6

Sylistically the marquee looks like the one at the Hard Rock.

1945 photo W.45 Street Box Office Line:
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=NYC+Theaters+1940s+source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNYC%2BTheaters%2B1940s%2Bsource:life%26ndsp%3D21%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN&imgurl=d6c10d9167996c2a

http://www1.dailynewspix.com/sales/largeview.php?name=N1984944.jpg&id=23693&lbx=-1&return_page=searchResults.php&searchDisplay=A&numFields=1&Button=%3CSPAN%3ESearch%3C/SPAN%3E&start=-2713888800&end=-267912001&dayFrom=1&monthFrom=1&yearFrom=1884&dayTo=5&monthTo=7&yearTo=1961&location_0=allmeta&bool_0=AND&Button=%3CSPAN%3ESearch%3C/SPAN%3E&page=1

Opening night for GWTW. Warren reports "A reserved-seat roadshow at the Astor Theatre, simultaneous with continuous performances at the Capitol Theatre"

Above photo of opening night at the Astor of GWTW from 19 December 1939.

This 1944 photo comes courtesy of LIFE . . .
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=00ab066ddb10db0d&q=movie%20theater%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmovie%2Btheater%2Bsource:life%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26start%3D120

Nice 1946 color night shot from LIFE Archives,
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=2d8895532787c7a1&q=marquee%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmarquee%2Bsource:life%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D18

Here is an undated color photo from Life:
http://tinyurl.com/nofahs

Nice photo. Too bad the other guy didn't get a chance to post it.

This is an ad for "Lifeboat" in it's 8th week at the Astor.

another fine photo, this one dated 1944,

http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=65990b3ec6fe6f80&q=NYC%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNYC%2Bsource:life%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DN%26start%3D120

This is a September 1925 ad for "The Phantom of the Opera".

Where on earth did you find a 1925 ad and why were you looking for it in the first place.

I wasn't specifically looking for that ad. I just happened to come across a number of old ads. If I was looking for that particular ad, I probably wouldn't have found it. Some of the ads are difficult to read and I won't post those. Ads can be a good research tool. They tell us that a theater was showing movies on a certain date, the name of the theater at that time and some ads will include an address or location. The movie playing at the time of the ad might not be too interesting but the rest of the information can be useful. My favorite ads are opening day ads but they are usually more difficult to find.

Okay, that's the why. How about the where. So many of the New York dailies are gone - World, Telegram, Sun, Herald, Tribune, Brooklyn Eagle, LI Press/Star Journal, Mirror, etc.

That is the difficult question to answer. These ads are not coming from one source. You can try a Google search for old movie ads and you might find some. Old ads can be more difficult to find than photos.

Another color view courtesy of LIFE -
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=d486a272db0167e9&q=times%20sqaure%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtimes%2Bsqaure%2Bsource:life%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D72

Here's a link to a great photo by Ruth Orkin that shows Times Square at the time of the 1939 New York World's Fair. To assist tourists, MGM had set up an information booth on a traffic island in front of Loew's Inc. headquarters at 1540 Broadway. I can't make out the attractions at Loew's State, but the Astor had "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," which would later win an 'Oscar' for Robert Donat as best actor of that year:
http://www.orkinphoto.com/img/bike_trip/times_square-lg.jpg

The Astor would have been 103 on Sept. 21. Opened Spet. 21, 1906

Aw, come on. That's almost as bad as having a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas eve which we do in my church.