Claremont Theatre

3338 Broadway,
New York, NY 10031

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Comfortably Cool
Comfortably Cool on September 3, 2018 at 2:09 pm

Two recent color photos of the exterior are currently displayed in an article at the “Forgotten New York” website, which also contains a link to the historic Thomas Edison footage. Starts here

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on July 21, 2011 at 7:40 pm

That YouTube clip is terrific! Looks like it was a packed house for those Edison photoplays. Would have hated to be seated behind some of those ladies hats that were seen parading out in the clip. Also noticed a couple of baby-carriages being strolled out the door – I guess bringing infants to a movie theater isn’t such a recent development after all! Although, I’d forgive the parents in this clip since I’m guessing cinema-going etiquette may have yet been fully established at this point.

Nice long shots of the building at the end, also.

Here’s a link to the video that should work.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on May 31, 2011 at 11:30 pm

Well TV ownership was insignificant until the fifties and the main flight to the suburbs also occurred after the war.

You left out the competition from new palaces with live entertainment at depression prices.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on May 31, 2011 at 8:55 pm

thanks to Al A. for his learned assessment on the subject. in fact your reply prompts an additional question on my part. as i understand it the golden age of movie palace building was approx. 1910 thru say 1941? now of all those theaters it would be interesting to find out of the three reasons listed below percentage wise which caused the most movie theaters to close.

a)the Depression or b)t.v. sucking the life out of the movie biz or c)the neighborhood “changing”

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on May 31, 2011 at 3:54 am

My guess would be the depression. Some theatre owners couldn’t discount enough to compete.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on May 31, 2011 at 2:03 am

certainly a quite attractive theater at least the exterior. one simple question- the theater closed in 1933 long before the advent of television which sucked the life out of the movie business or the “changing” of the neighborhood. so why did it close after only 19 years?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on February 21, 2010 at 1:19 am

The Claremont circa 1913.

View link

Ace
Ace on November 2, 2007 at 6:13 am

A scene from the recent Denzel Washington/Russell Crowe movie “American Gangster” was filmed inside the Claremont Theater. Seeing as the story it set back in 1970’s Harlem, all filming locations were set up to mimic the time period. In the particular scene featuring the Claremont, Frank Lucas (played by Denzel) and his mentor/boss Bumpy Johnson (played by Clarence Williams III) are having a conversation while walking down to the corner of 135th and Broadway (the Claremont’s entrance). They then enter the Claremont (set up to be a circa-‘70’s electronic store with old-school TV’s and furniture) through double glass doors. That’s all I saw from the preview unfortunately. Looks like they decked up the inside of the Claremont real nice to film that scene, but I never caught when they were filming it. Subsequently the Claremont was obviously shuttered again and returned to being used as storage space.

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on November 1, 2006 at 11:12 pm

WurliTzer Theatre Pipe Organ, Opus 23, a 2 manual/4 rank was shipped to this theatre in 1913. It was reposesssed by the WurliTizer company. It was rebuilt as Opus 114, a style 1SP and shipped on December 14, 1916 to the Race (Irvine) Theatre in Chicago. The last that was know the organ still exisits and is playable at a seminary in Lisle, Illinois.

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on July 16, 2006 at 2:00 pm

Here are two photographs I took of the Claremont Theatre in June 2006:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/190807270/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/190807717/

An interesting observation I note in the Edison film, is that almost all the audience departing the theatre are turning to their right to go uptown. Only a few turn left.

Ace
Ace on July 16, 2006 at 10:55 am

Apparently, Thomas Edison filmed a short, silent film circa 1915, filming the theater’s entrance as moviegoers were exiting the theatre, presumably after a movie. Here’s the clip, pretty interesting:

http://memory.loc.gov/mbrs/awal/4185.mpg

This building truly deserves to have been designated a landmark. Though some renovation of what’s left of the theatre is recommended at least by me, perhaps also some good use being made of the property.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on June 18, 2006 at 1:38 am

Here’s the direct link to the NY Times article. Not sure if that link will work for you if you don’t have an account (whch is free, by the way). Unfortunately, only the current photo accompanies the online article. The print version included a vintage shot of the theater as well. I’ll see if I can get a good scan and post it here.

bamtino
bamtino on December 6, 2005 at 11:02 pm

The two-story theatre building occupied the entire block between 134th and 135th streets (with 90 feet of frontage on each).