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  Discover. Preserve. Protect.
Also known as Loew's Cine

Loew's Orpheum Theatre

New York, NY
168 E. 86th Street
, New York, NY 10128 United States
(map)
Status: Closed/Demolished
Screens: Twin
Style: Unknown
Function: Unknown
Seats: 2230
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Thomas W. Lamb
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
Loew's Orpheum Theatre opened on October 19, 1913. A Kimball 2 manual 20 rank organ was installed in 1915. It was twinned in July 1968, with the former balcony being named Loew's Cine.

The theater closed in November 1989 and was demolished.

In November 1991, a new 7-screen Loews Orpheum Theatre opened on the site, which remains open in 2010.
Contributed by William Gabel


YOUR COMMENTS

 
For much of its life, the Orpheum was one of the most important theatres of the Loew's circuit, which built it with Thomas W. Lamb as architect. While still operated by Loew's, it was sub-divided, but later totally demolished to make way for a new multiplex with entrance around the corner on Third Avenue. In its heyday, the Orpheum and the nearby RKO Proctor's 86th Street were the two leaders of that area and played the movies in their first neighborhood runs.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Feb 26, 2004 at 1:51pm
I missed this theatre I've visited this theatre in it's last days around 1986 or 1989 before the demolition. It was a twin at the time with two seperate entrances. Theatre one was entered on 86th street and the canervous theatre 2 was entered at 3rd ave were the now totally rebuilt theatre enters at. I like theatre 2 it was large and was the balcony section of the theatre when it was a single screen it was a shame that they tore this gem down. it mirrored the Loew's state downtown which was also a gem.
posted by savage on Mar 15, 2004 at 8:29am
My neighborhood movie house for a time c. 1985. Seemed to play a lot
of comedies, low budget and otherwise (HAMBURGER U. etc.) Known
as a 1st run house earlier.
posted by Alan V. Karr on Mar 20, 2004 at 7:54pm
The name of this theatre was Orpheum, not The Orpheum, though it should really be listed as Loew's Orpheum, since Loew's built and operated it for all of its life.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Mar 21, 2004 at 7:24am
The theatre did have entrances on both 86th St. and Third Avenue. Last time I remember seeing it was 1989; The Abyss was playing there. There were a lot of theaters on 86th St., but now it seems the only ones are the new Loews Orpheum and a City Cinemas quad on 86th between Second and Third. Other theatres were around 86th and Lexington and Park. The new Loews Orpheum is reminiscent of an IND subway station. It has three levels--theatres on the first and third levels, and an empty middle level. This was an early 1990s construction and it features a sloped floor, but no stadium style seating. Because there are no movie theatres between 86th Street and East Harlem, 86th St. is a bit of a playground for younger latinos, and a lot of the movies that come to this theatre appeal to a teen and young adult audience, whereas the City Cinemas theatre around the corner has more "art movie" fare for the Upper East Side crowd.
posted by sethkino on Nov 2, 2004 at 9:13am
The original Orpheum closed in November of 1989, with one of its final offerings being the Eddie Murphy-Richard Pryor flick, 'Harlem Nights'; the 'new' Orpheum opened sometime in 2001.
posted by DBrenson/br91975 on Nov 2, 2004 at 10:23am
This Orpheum reopened in 1994...The original Orpheum I remember as a single screen seeing How the West Was Won, Major Dundee, Cat Ballou and a few others before it was twinned around 1967...the second theater Loews Cine had its entrance around the corner on 3rd Avenue out of the old balcony while the Orpheum retained its 4 aisle entrance on the ground floor...Loews eventually made it easy and renamed them as Loews Orpheum 1 and 2...Fond memories of the twin as well mutliple viewings of The French Connection, as well as Cactus Flower, See No Evil, Ryan's Daughter on one side and The Valachi Papers and others on the other...Many years later I was able to see the end of the original Orpheum living around the block on 89th st and still enjoy pictures like Lethal Weapon 2, Indiana Jones 3, The Abyss, U2 Rattle and Hum
posted by SethLewis on Nov 2, 2004 at 11:58am
Most theatres are referred to as 'the' - small t - "I went to the Orpheum". Proper English, I suppose, would be "I went to the Orpheum Theatre", except in Brooklyn, where "Yo, I went to 'da Loweez" would be considered the proper statement. <grin>
posted by dave-bronx on Nov 2, 2004 at 1:16pm
Thanks for the correction, Seth; don't know what I was thinking, typing '2001' instead of 1994 in my original comment...
posted by DBrenson/br91975 on Nov 2, 2004 at 1:37pm
From the vintage picture of part of the auditorium of this theater in the Daily New last Friday if you lived on the upper east side you had a great movie palace right there and didn't need to go to Times Square.
It looked pretty spectacular.
posted by Vincent on Nov 16, 2004 at 2:06pm
Dave-Bronx-- In the Bronx, you might have said, "Yo, I went to 'da Loweez" (at least since the '80s, when "Yo" took root). My wife grew up near the Orpheum. During the '60s in that neighborhood, they pronounced it "Low's Orrrrrph'yum" (no "Loweez"). In Brooklyn where I grew up, we said, "Yeah, Oy wen' ta Loweez" (but no "th'" or "da" with "Loweez," at least from the '40s to the '60s, though "da" or "deh" with the theater's given name if stripped of "Loew's"). Mostly we said, "Oy wen' teh deh Alpoyne" or "teh deh Bay Ridddge."
posted by BoxOfficeBill on Nov 23, 2004 at 10:51am
LOL!
posted by dave-bronx on Nov 23, 2004 at 12:31pm
It's strange - when I talk about the modern Loew's multiplexes all over Manhattan and northern New Jersey I pronounce it "Lows", but whenever I go to the Loew's Jersey movie palace in Jersey City, I can't help calling it the "Loweez", which is what I called it 45 years ago.
posted by Bill Huelbig on Nov 23, 2004 at 12:44pm
So which is correct? What did the corporation call it in LB Mayers time and what does it call it today?
posted by Vincent on Nov 23, 2004 at 1:32pm
I have seen old Loew's instruction manuals that tell employees to discourage the use of "loeweez", because the "company's name is Loew's, which rhymes with 'shows'" so it would appear that then, as now, the correct pronounciation is "Loews" not "Loeweez". The whole "Loeweez" thing seems to be a New York area phenomenon. Loew's theaters in other cities always seem to be pronounced "Loews".
posted by Ian M. Judge on Nov 23, 2004 at 1:45pm
The circuit once had a slogan that the name "Loew" should be pronounced "Low, as in low prices."
posted by Warren G. Harris on Nov 23, 2004 at 1:52pm
German "oe" sounds like English "er," and "w" sounds like "v"; so, in the old country, "Loew" would be pronounced "Lerv" (and "aue" = "oi": as in the famous Bavarian beer, "Lerven-broi," nicht wahr?). But whoever said, "I'm going to Lerv's State," even outside the NY-area? Auf deutsch, "Loew[e]" means 'lion,' which is why Leo roared as the curtains parted at every Loweez theater. After all these years, Oy'm not gonna roll back my greater NY version--that's the way God made it.
posted by BoxOfficeBill on Nov 23, 2004 at 3:37pm
First film at the new Loews Orpheum in 1968 (with, as the ads said, "rocking chair seats")was "THE DETECTIVE" with Frank Sinatra. The Loews Cine opened in 1968 with "KISS THE OTHER SHEIK". It bombed so badly that they rushed in "HANG 'EM HIGH", day-dating with the Victoria, in Times Square.
posted by Don Rosen on Dec 17, 2004 at 5:20pm
In the 1940's and early 50's, it was single auditorium with single 86th Street entrance.
posted by John S. Rogers on Jan 14, 2005 at 2:45pm
The Orpheum was part of this Premiere Showcase double bill of Jerry Lewis in "The Pastsy" and Sean Flynn recreating his dads role in "Son of Captain Blood".
posted by RobertR on Jul 1, 2005 at 5:46am
here is the link
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/JerryLewisisThePatsy.jpg
posted by RobertR on Jul 1, 2005 at 5:49am
"The Patsy" & "Son of Captain Blood" was NOT a "Premiere Showcase" presentation. You will note that the ad just says "Showcase," a generic word that anyone could use. "Premiere Showcase" was a registered trademark of United Artists Corporation, and could not be used for showcases of other distributors.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Jul 1, 2005 at 6:08am
Ah OK, I was just looking through ads and see that Paramount was using the term "Diamond Showcase" in the mid 60's.
posted by RobertR on Jul 1, 2005 at 7:25am
From the 1968 annual report of Loew's Theatres:

"Loew's Orpheum, located at Third Avenue and 86th Street in New York City, was converted into two theatres during the fiscal year: Loew's Orpheum (downstairs) and Loew's Cine (upstairs), resulting in two fine first-run theatres.

"So-called 'piggy back' theatre construction demonstrates how imaginative collaboration among exhibitors, architects, builders and decorators can result in the creation of two distinct properties out of one, to make more efficient and profitable use out of cubic space in high land-cost areas.

"We intend to continue to expand our theatre division through construction of new theatres, as well as duplexing in appropriate situations.

"Loew's is proud to be in the vanguard of the trend-setting movement for future center-city and suburban shopping center theatre design."
posted by Ron Newman on Jul 1, 2005 at 12:47pm
In January, 1913, while the Orpheum was still under construction, the roof suddenly collapsed, sending 400 tons of steel, masonry and concrete, as well as the surrounding scaffolding, plunging to the ground. Fortunately, the 125 members of the work crew had left for the day, and there were no deaths or injuries. The theatre's opening, which had been scheduled for February 12th, was considerably delayed. An investigation suggested that the collapse might have been triggered by nearby underground excavations for the Lexington Avenue subway line.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Jul 12, 2005 at 12:31pm
The Orpheum's address is incorrect, but I don't know what the actual was. The north side of East 86th Street has odd numbers, not even. The nearby Loew's 86th in the same block was #163. The Orpheum might have been 167 or 169, but I'm only guessing.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Jul 13, 2005 at 6:28am
If I recall correctly, The Childrens Place occupies the space where the old Orpheum's entrance was. The address of that store is 173 E. 86th St.
posted by dave-bronx on Jul 13, 2005 at 7:34am
Sorry, but I recalled Incorrectly - I drove by there after work tonight and a Sprint Store occupies the the old entrance - and the address is 169 E.86 St. The Sprint store is part of the apartment building that contains the new Orpheum 7-plex.
posted by dave-bronx on Jul 13, 2005 at 9:33pm
I grew up on 86th and York Ave. I must have gone to the Orpheum 100 times. That was a time that there were 5 movie houses within 2 blocks of each other. Us kids used to refer to the Orpheum as the "big Lows" and the Loew's 86, just down the block, as the "little Lows". Just across the street was another little "third run" movie house (name is on the tip of my tongue; was it the Trans-Lux?). On the other side of Third Avenue (I can still see the "El")was a small marqueeless place that specialized in German movies. I wonder how many of the German restaurants and shops between Second and Third still survive? On the NE corner of Lexington and 86th was the RKO which rivaled the Orpheum in size. As I recall they played the Twentieth Century Fox and WB films while the Loews played MGM. There was always a double bill, newsreel and a cartoon. Movies changed on Wednesday. Kids paid 25 cents for matinees and 35 cents in the evening. I remember a pina colada fruit drink place on the NW corner of Third and 86th, a great german hot dog joint with the best sauerkraut and german style mustard on the SE corner, a Woolworth 5&10 on the NE corner with its competitor, a WT Grant store right next door. While German establishments prevailed on 86th all you had to do was turn the corner on Third, going either north or south and it seemed like there was one Irish bar right after another. Most of the people living in the area were first or second generation German or Irish and their kids always seem to be going out with others from the other immigrant background. I live out west now and haven't been back to the old neighborhood for almost 35 years. I bet that not too much survives and the whole area has become gentrifed and very expensive.
I went to PS 30 just a couple of blocks north of 86th and Third. Hey, I'm getting completely off track here but just wanted to close by saying that, like many, I took my childhood advantages for granted and even thought of myself as a little deprived. I miss the "big Lows", the RKO, and the "lil Lows" along with the Metropolitan Museum of Art (visited it a thousand times), the Museum of Natural History along with a dozen other museums (they were always FREE and sort of a New Yorker's birthright), Central Park, Carl Schurz Park, John Jay pool, the Third Ave. EL and the Staten Island Ferry (both just 5 cents), the great East River bridges, Coney Island (when Steeplechase was there), Brighton Beach, and affordable theater (as little as 5 dollars). We just don't know what we have until we are far away from it, or it is inacessible or unaffordable or just plain gone. C'est la vie.
If you are an ole' Yorkville type drop me a line at vinton1@verizon.net
posted by vinton on Jul 16, 2005 at 5:33am
Thanks, Vinton. That was quite an evocative picture of a very different New York that's almost gone. Some of the places you mentioned are still the same and are still going strong, but there's been one small improvement: the Staten Island Ferry is now a free ride both ways.
posted by Bill Huelbig on Jul 18, 2005 at 4:05am
FIFTY YEARS ago, when all the great LOEW'S theatres were alive and well in New York, I remember the Loew's display ad always had this footnote: "VODVIL at ORPHEUM" (misspelling Vaudeville). It was at that time the ONLY Loew's in New York still having live stage shows as an added attraction.
I attended LOEW'S ORPHEUM just once. They were playing EMPIRE STRIKES BACK downstairs and THE SHINING upstairs. Asking top dollar admission price of $5.00, matinee & evening, adult & child, all shows were sold out beyond capacity. So why did LOEW'S give up on it?
posted by rlvjr on Jul 20, 2005 at 7:02pm
Pina Colada Fruit Drink Place? You must mean PAPAYA KING
posted by hdtv267 on Aug 5, 2005 at 6:35am
The "vodvil" (often used as a alternate to "vaudeville" to save space in advertising) at the Orpheum in those days was only one night a week, usually a Monday or Tuesday to boost attendance. Loew's made big bucks by selling the original property, which had been built in 1913 and was in decaying condition. At least they replaced it with a new multiplex, so the neighborhood didn't lose a theatre.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Aug 5, 2005 at 7:11am
I loved the old Orpheum...There's an usher working at the "new" Orpheum who is left-over from the old days...just a tidbit ;-)
posted by Movieguy718 on Sep 1, 2005 at 9:29pm
A Kimball organ Size 2/20 was installed in the Orpheum Theater in 1915.
posted by Lost Memory on Sep 29, 2005 at 4:49am
I saw all the original "Star Wars" movies here back in the 70s and 80s, as well as "The Omega Man," "The Man Who Would Be King," and "The Prisoner of Second Avenue." Also saw some Indiana Jones movies here. To my recollection, the very last movie I saw here was "Young Sherlock Holmes" around 1985 or '86. Saw other stuff here too over many years, as I grew up in the area. I remember the 86th street entrance, the big marquee and the flashing light bulbs underneath. The entrance on Third Avenue was less flashy, and there was a high escalator taking patrons up to the second floor, where the auditorium was, or at least where the balcony was...for many years there was a somewhat dated and tacky 1960s mural in this Third Avenue lobby, consisting of simple graphic images and symbols mounted on a lot of square boards that were supposed to resemble film frames (I think). The only image I remember clearly is Mickey Mouse...My dad, upon taking me to see The Omega Man here, saw this mural and said Mickey was The Omega Mouse.
For a while on 86th street after the demolition, the new space that was built in the space that used to be the long lobby entrance for the Orpheum, was a Coconuts store, but that is now gone too I think.
posted by davebazooka on Oct 10, 2005 at 7:09am
The X rated "Inga" was one of those early porno cross over hits that got a wide release in circut houses. Here it is playing Loew's Cine
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/Corruption.jpg
posted by RobertR on Oct 22, 2005 at 9:18am
My Dad took me here (the only time I've been) in June of '77 to see "Star Wars" during its initial run. I remember we were shut out of one screening and purchased tickets for the following show a couple of hours later. To kill time, we went across the street to a diner/restaurant which had big windows that looked directly across to the theater marquee. I can't recall the details too vividly. I think the marquee was on 3rd Ave and I recall after eating that my dad and I rushed back across the street to get a decent spot on the rapidly growing ticket-holder's line.

As there was so much time before they would start letting us in, my Dad agreed to let me take a stroll around the neighborhood while he held our place on line - I was 12 years old and this was the first time I would be taking a stroll in the City all by myself. So, I headed east on 86th Street with a goal of making it all the way to the East River. Ultimately, I found a park stood in my way of getting to the water's edge (Carl Schurz Park where the mayor's residence at Gracie Mansion is located, I would later learn) and had to make a retreat back towards the theater. When I got back to 3rd Ave and could see the line was moving into the theater, I got a bit nervous. When I made my way to the entrance, I found my Dad waiting there and a bit peeved that he had to let a lot of people in ahead of him as he waited for me. I remember accepting his anger and being thankful that he was more upset that I mosied around oblivious to time then he was nervously wondering whether I had gone missing somewhere in the big bad City (he may well have fretted over that prospect, but if so, he certainly didn't let on to me about it).

Once inside, I recall the theater was quite large with a center orchestra section and two narrower sections on either side. I don't recall the decor, but the hues were dark and I seem to recall a red curtain in front of the screen. The seats were plush and we wound up sitting on the right aisle in the center section about 3/4 of the way back. There may have been a break in the sections with a cross-aisle closer to the screen, but I can't recall exactly as we sat more to the rear. I thought there was a balcony, but I realize now this might have just been the lower ceiling former by the former loge/mezzanine that had been converted to the separate Loew's Cine auditorium.

Anyway... it was nice to stroll down memory lane here. Thanks for the indulgence.
posted by Ed Solero on Dec 12, 2005 at 9:41am
Thanks for posting your memory, EdSolero...being born and raised right there, I know exactly the route you took to Carl Schurz Park, which I used to call "The Mayor's House" because when I was very young I could not pronounce "Carl Schurz" easily. I saw all the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies at this theatre and it seems just like yesterday!
posted by davebazooka on Dec 12, 2005 at 10:30am
VODVIL TONITE!: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/ads1947.jpg
posted by Warren G. Harris on Mar 20, 2006 at 4:24am
Shouldn't LOEWS CINE be added to the former names here even though it only referred to part of the building?
posted by AlAlvarez on Apr 1, 2006 at 10:38pm
Nora Ephron's "The Last Picture Show":
www.nytimes.com/2006/04/07/opinion/07ephron.html
posted by Warren G. Harris on Apr 7, 2006 at 12:37pm
Please Please Please, if anyone has pictures of the interior or exterior of this theater in the 70s and/or 80s, could you post them or email them to me at BEEKS26@aol.com Or if you know where I might be able to find such photos, I'd be very grateful.
posted by Yorkville on Jul 15, 2006 at 10:29pm
Why is this theatre listed as "closed/demolished?" I was at the AMC/Loews Orpheum 7, as listed in the "Times." The theatre is on the West Side of Third Avenue, between 86th & 87th Streets. The Papaya King is on the corner.

I went to this theatre for the first time in nearly a decade last night to attend an advanced screening of BEETHOVEN'S COPYIST. It was only the second time in 25 years I've seen a movie in this theatre or in or around 86th Street. I was in a basement, or sub-basement two flights down, theatre to see the screening. It is so deep if anyone threatens to nuke us, I think I'd head over to this theatre.

The films screening weren't drawing because as we were filing in, no one, not a soul, was in line to buy tickets for the other offerings, some of which were starting at the same time as the free screening.

I haven't been to many free screenings in recent years, but security was ultra tight. I felt I was getting on a plane as two security guards searched everyone going in, waving a wand over us. They didn't want anyone recording the proceedings. And during the middle of the film a security guard stood next to the screen and looked over the crowd using what looked like night vision goggles.



posted by hardbop on Nov 3, 2006 at 5:56am
Well this thread is for the original Loew's Orpheum Theatre, which later became a twin theatre that was located at that site. That's why it's listed as "closed/demolished", your on the wrong thread for your comments.
posted by William on Nov 3, 2006 at 9:04am
Which closed in November of 1989, and the new one which you went to opened around 1994.
posted by William on Nov 3, 2006 at 9:08am
Here are a few shot from 1978 and a few from 1983 of the exterior.

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_new_york_orpheum.htm

posted by William on Nov 3, 2006 at 10:31am
The theatre is still open as a sevenplex. The old theatre was torn down and rebult. AMC operates the theatre which Loews made a sevenplex. Theatres 1-3 are on street level and 4 thur 7 are on the basement. The best screen is Theatre 7. Loews did a bad job with 1 thru 6 because it has walkway going directly down the center aisle.
posted by RideThe CTrain on Dec 17, 2006 at 4:51pm
One my earliest memories was going there with my mother and Aunt as a very young child. We sat in the first row of the balcony where they could smoke,to see "Lili"(?) with Leslie Carone. I remember it was a carnival flim where in the end as she was walking down a counrty lane,the hand puppets from earlier scences became life size apparations that walked along with her and sang. Scared me silly.We went to the Horn & Harnet next door and I got to put the nickels in the pie machine as a treat. When I got older I would go to Saturday
double feature matinees without parents where we had to sit in the Childrens section the far right front area of the orchestra. The matron sat in the last row of that section made us keep our feet off the back of the chairs and had the power to eject us if we misbehaved. It was a beautiful theater.
posted by EastsideEddie on Mar 22, 2007 at 3:24pm
According to a NYT June 9, 1969 article, a grenade was thrown at the Loews Orpheum the day before at 4:00am. Slight injuries were cause to three person passing by in a taxicab by shattered glass from six large windows.

Although the police could not prove the link, the LOEWS CINE side of the complex was showing the controversial Jack Palance film about Che Guevara, CHE!.

Cuban Nationalists had denounced the film earlier in the week and demonstrations against the film had taken place at the Penthouse Theatre in Times Square.

The name LOEWS CINE should be listed here as a previous name for twin two.
posted by AlAlvarez on Apr 1, 2007 at 2:31am
When "Strait-Jacket" opened in 1964, Joan Crawford (along with Dorothy Kilgallen) appeared onstage at the Orpheum, which was still a proud member of the Loew's family. She talkd about the upcoming "Charlotte" project with Davis. Alas, when "Charlotte" did play there, Joan was no longer in it.

Bobmarshall
posted by bobmarshall on Jul 11, 2007 at 7:15pm
this is a great thread. Two questions: 1) wasn't there another theater on the south side of 86th across from RKO? If so, what was it's name? 2) (ok maybe this counts as 3)...anyway, I thought RKO stood for Radio Keith Orpheum. Is that Orpheum any relation to the Orpheum or Loew's Orpheum fame? Thanks, Randolph Dad Uncle Randy
posted by RandolphDadUncleRandy on Sep 3, 2007 at 12:15pm
Loew's Orpheum was not named in honor of the Orpheum Circuit. In fact, the two companies were deadly rivals at the time Loew's Orpheum opened. I'm not sure of the derivation of the word "orpheum," but I think it was a name used for theatres long before the Orpheum Circuit existed...There were two cinemas on the south side of 86th Street between Lexington and Third Avenues, the Grande and Loew's 86th Street. Both are listed at CT.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Sep 4, 2007 at 6:49am
Greek mythology. Orpheus, "Father of songs".
posted by AlAlvarez on Sep 4, 2007 at 7:14am
This theater had its screens professionally cleaned by 1570 Cinema Services 10/15/07 (www.1570cinemaservices.com). We have the address as 1538 Third Street.
posted by Mike Q. on Dec 1, 2007 at 6:34pm
Mike Q. -

You would do well to read the comments above your own - the Loew's Orpheum discussed on this page was demolished a few years back. You are no doubt referring to the modern replacement AMC/Loews Orpheum. Thanks for promoting your business, though.
posted by Ian M. Judge on Dec 1, 2007 at 9:32pm
Mike, for the theatre cleaned by the service company, the address is 1538 Third Avenue, not "Third Street." Third Street is in Greenwich Village.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Dec 2, 2007 at 7:20am
There was also a great Automat on 86th Street, along with Barney Google, Lorelei, Kleine Konditorei, Cafe Geiger, and Jager House around the corner, etc. The Museum of the City of New York on Fifth Avenue and 103rd Street has along an exhibit on old toys, a mural painted by a guy who had grown up in the area, showing many of the old sites including the old Loews 72nd Street which was really unique. They also have an Automat exhibit.
posted by oldjeff on Jan 12, 2008 at 12:44am
February 10, 1981 - Fort Apache The Bronx and </i>Stir Crazy</i> are playing.
posted by mp775 on Apr 17, 2008 at 8:52am
The off-shoot Loew's Cine, with a separate entrance on Third Avenue, had its grand opening on July 29th, 1968, with an MGM Italian import, "Kiss The Other Sheik," starring Marcello Mastroianni and Pamela Tiffin. The new cinema was a gift from Loew's to NYC moviegoers to partially compensate for the loss of the Capitol, which would close in September for demolition.
posted by Warren G. Harris on Aug 15, 2008 at 8:50am
The seven-screen incarnation opened on November 22nd, 1991 with The Addams Family (on two screens), Curly Sue, Prospero's Books, Little Man Tate, The Fisher King, All I Want For Christmas (matinees only) and The Butcher's Wife (evenings only).
posted by KingBiscuits on Aug 19, 2008 at 7:16pm
Is the living and breathing theatre KingBiscuits referring to not listed?
posted by AlAlvarez on Aug 19, 2008 at 8:19pm
Sorry, I thought they were the same theatre but a different creation.

Yes, the seven screen theatre is not listed.
posted by KingBiscuits on Aug 21, 2008 at 6:49pm
Holy Crow that view of the Orpheum as the Loweez takes me back!! On the left is a sliver of the Horn & Hardart Automat, which fascinated me as a kid. I remember this Loew's fondly, but do not remember it ever looking the way it looks as the twin in the second photo. All I remember is that long after the demolition, the space formerly occupied by the Loew's entrance lobby had become a Coconuts, which is now also gone. All our old neighborhoods are becoming unrecognizable.
posted by davebazooka on May 27, 2009 at 11:51am
The Orpheum Twin photo shows the Third Avenue entrance. The photo with Jerry Lewis on the marquee shows the 86th Street entrance before the Orpheum's interior was sub-divided.
posted by Warren G. Harris on May 27, 2009 at 1:18pm
Was that the same entrance used for the Cine?
posted by AlAlvarez on May 27, 2009 at 2:32pm
The Third Avenue entrance was the one used for Loew's Cine.
posted by Warren G. Harris on May 27, 2009 at 3:02pm
Many years ago I recall my father telling me that the old Beck's Shoe store on Third Avenue was originally the side entrance to the original Loew's Orpheum. Since he went to that theater during the 1930's and 1940's there is good reason to believe he was correct about that. I remember Beck's and recall that it did have a marquee.
posted by jeffg718 on May 28, 2009 at 5:23pm
Yes, it's very possible that the Orpheum originally had an auxiliary entrance on Third Avenue. That was certainly true of its main rival, the RKO 86th Street, which had an auxiliary entrance on Lexington Avenue. Both theatres were designed by Thomas Lamb, though the Orpheum was four or five years older.
posted by Warren G. Harris on May 29, 2009 at 5:56am
Anyone have any pictures from inside the theaters? Preferably the main theater? I have a lot of great memories of going to this theater in the late 70's through the 80's and would love to see the inside one more time...
posted by Yorkville on Jul 26, 2009 at 5:31pm
Cool pictures and history.
posted by tlsloews on Nov 28, 2009 at 4:24pm
This Orpheum opened in 1918.
posted by AlAlvarez on Jan 14, 2010 at 8:09pm
Loved Orpheum 1 in my childhood during the 70s to early 80s. Remember seeing Star Wars 1-3 (Ep. 4-6), Superman, Alien, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Fog (80) and many others big and small. At Orpheum 2 I remember flicks like Start Trek 2 and The Black Hole. After seeing a movie at one of these theaters we would go to Flaming Embers for their salad, burger and baked potato.
posted by PassedPawn on Jan 20, 2010 at 6:42pm
I began a ritual of driving an hour into New York to see 70MM engagements ever since experiencing Star Wars at the Orpheum in ’77. During that period, a lot of the old “palaces” were still around and I was fortunate enough to have visited all of them before they were plexed or demolished. The big house 1 at the Orpheum was always my favorite. Perhaps not as plush as some of its contemporaries (I vaguely recall a red curtain and purple upholstery), but it made up for it in presentation. At that time the “biggest” movies usually were booked at the Orpheum uptown and the Loews Astor Plaza in midtown for their 70MM engagements (unless they went to Walter Read’s Ziegfeld), which seemed to be driven by the studios (for instance, 20th Century Fox product always seemed to end up at Loews). Although the Astor Plaza was considered the more “premier” theater of the two because of its capacity and location, I always thought projection and sound to be superior at the Orpheum. I believe they were still using carbon arcs in the lamp houses yielding a pleasing bright image - as compared the Astor Plaza which always seemed under-lamped to me. The Orpheum’s sound system usually sounded great – fuller and less strident in the upper midrange in comparison to the Astor or the Ziegfeld. I also recall them as having way oversized surrounds (mostly Altec A-7s) which always lent an impressive sense of envelopment when called for.
posted by PH on Jan 26, 2010 at 11:50am
PH you make a great point about the sound system at Orpheum 1. Very full sound with lots of impact. I still have fond memories of how great Raiders of the Lost Ark sounded there.
posted by PassedPawn on Jan 26, 2010 at 12:48pm
The opening date is still wrong.

It was October 19, 1913.

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9B0DE6DB133FE633A2575AC1A9669D946296D6CF
posted by AlAlvarez on Jan 26, 2010 at 4:56pm
Coll phots Tinseltoes.
posted by tlsloews on Feb 17, 2010 at 11:18am
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