Lido Theatre

1763 Amsterdam Avenue,
New York, NY 10031

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Additional Info

Architects: Harrison G. Wiseman

Previous Names: Bluebird Theatre, Ramona Theatre, Teatro Granada

Nearby Theaters

Lido Theatre

The Bluebird Theatre opened in 1921 with seating for 600. By 1930 it had been re-named Ramona Theatre. On May 27, 1938, the facility’s name was changed to Teatro Granada and it instituted a program of second run Spanish language films. After another name change, the Lido Theatre was sold to Dr. Alvin A. Childs in 1951.

Rechristened as the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ, Dr. Childs' Pentecostal church hosted the funeral service of Malcolm X on February 27, 1965. In 1974, the house of worship was yet again renamed, this time as the Childs Memorial Temple, and it continued to serve the Sugar Hill community. It was demolished in 2020.

Contributed by Damien Farley

Recent comments (view all 8 comments)

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on September 27, 2007 at 10:12 am

It was still listed as the Bluebird Theatre in the 1926 edition of Film Daily yearbook, but by the 1930 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as the Ramona Theatre.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on September 24, 2010 at 4:05 am

The 1993 NYCLPC Landmark Designation Report for the Jaffe Theatre (now City Cinemas Village East) listed the Bluebird Theatre among the other Manhattan works of architect Harrison G. Wiseman.

Comfortably Cool
Comfortably Cool on April 1, 2016 at 6:39 am

Still remembered for holding the funeral service of Malcolm X in 1965, the Childs Memorial Church of God in Christ is being prepared for demolition, according to recent news reports. The ground site will be used for a 10-story apartment building on the north end, and a new and much larger church on the south end.

iatse311
iatse311 on December 29, 2018 at 9:12 pm

Iris theater?

http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/s/rqhz45

in the 1940 tax photo

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on December 30, 2018 at 9:46 am

Interesting find, IATSE311! The titles on the marquee (“Con Las Alas Rotas” and “Tango Bar”) are from Argentina.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on August 17, 2020 at 11:03 am

Hello-

I find it interesting that this theater instituted a policy of Spanish Language films as early as 1938. had the “demographics” of the neighborhood changed that much by as early as 1938?

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on August 18, 2020 at 3:01 pm

Hello-

I don’t think your tone was necessary, I was just asking a question. the theaters in the Bronx that switched to Spanish language films was years later than 1938.

Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith on March 28, 2021 at 6:11 pm

The theater has been demolished in the past year and is now an empty lot.

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