Circus Cinema
1604 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10019
1604 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10019
3 people
favorited this theater
Another one of the adult cinemas that once florished in Times Square. The Circus Cinema closed in 1996.
Contributed by
Robert R
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 28 comments)
You and me both, Seymour. We could have had so much fun cruising the Big Apple together.
Actually, I just wish I could get to know you. You’re an incredibly gorgeous man!
Here’s a close-up of the marquee of the Circus Cinema advertising a triple-X triple feature.
Calling AlAlvarez!!! A member of CT (Hollywood90038) sent me some video he shot back around 1990/91 that shows a small porn theater around the corner from the Circus Cinema that was named “World Theater” per the marquee signage. This would have been on the south side of 49th Street just east of Broadway – adjacent to the RKO Video that was on that corner. I’ll have a screen-shot showing the small triangular marquee to post here tomorrow.
I’ve always been confused about the location of the more famous World 49th Street – thinking it was on the short block between 7th and B'way and on the south side of the street. Of course, that theater (the former Punch and Judy) was between 6th and 7th on the north side of 49th. Now I guess I know why – I must have had this marquee in my mind’s eye! I suppose once the original World theater was forced out by its landlords (Rockefeller Center) in favor of a mainstream house run by Embassy, perhaps the World management might have opened this small converted space as replacement? Any recollections out there?
Love Dreams on the marquee, 5/7/81
Here is a July 1986 photo from Life Magazine. The Circus is on the left. The link is courtesy of CT member “misterboo”.
And seen on the left side of the photo is the marquee for the alternate World Theatre I referenced in my posting of 9/11/2007 just above. The original World Theatre (nee Punch and Judy) was located a block to the east and on the other side of the street. Anyone remember anything about this place? Almost certainly a storefront or office space conversion – but did it open as the World upon the ouster of the original World Theatre management by Rockefeler Centre? Or had it been opened under another name?
Ed, here is a story about David Copperfield, the magician, shutting down teh Circus and Pink. This may be the current site of the Playwright Tavern.
View link
Here is a screen capture from the TV series Taxi showing this theater’s marquee at right. It’s from a first-season episode titled Hollywood Calling.
A sort of karaoke-cabaret establishment called Spotlight Live opened at the former Circus Cinema in 2007. The concept was a restaurant and nightclub where patrons were encouraged to take the stage and enjoy their “15 minutes of fame,” while cameras would broadcast their performances to passersby via a jumbo-tron screen positioned over the street entrance on Broadway. Interesting idea, but didn’t appear to have sufficient appeal, and the club has since closed its doors.
Here’s a link that offers a good description and interior photos of the place.
Evidently, there was a “private penthouse” for parties of up to 175, which may have been in the former Big Top Theatre space. Judging from some of the event photos on the site, the spirit of exhibitionism certainly carried over from the old days!
The Spotlight Live club is now closed. A few years back an underage party goer was found dead on the roof of the club. She had been murdered by a club employee. Other incidents of violence had occured at the club prior to that. Signage for the club is still up at the now empty site