Crown Gotham Theatre

A photo shortly before closure here:–

GOTHAM CINEMA

The TransLux East was singular for its intimate sense of luxury with its posh red and gold appointments and classical architectural details. When it reopened as the Gotham this was lost and was replaced with a sleek, yet cold ambiance. Other than Last Tango In Paris, the TLE could never compete with Cinema 1 or the Coronet for the exclusive mainstream bookings. The fourwalling of Caligula, and subsequent distribution patterns probably reuined it as a prime first run venue.

Architect was Drew Eberson. The Greek sculpture were copies from the ruins of various Greek buildings of the fifth century. They were executed by Mr. Shirley W. E. Simmons, a noted sculptor at the time. The 600-seat house actually cost $350,000 by one report. Other credits were:

Air cond: Carrier
Carpet: Alexander Smith
Decorator: Peggy Eberson
Draperies, curtain track: Novelty Scenic
Marquee: Adler, Artkraft Strauss
Lamphouses: Strong
Projector/soundhead: Century
Rectifiers: Ashcraft
Screen: Trans-Lux (of course)
Seats: Heywood-Wakefield

Penthouse East should be an aka name here.

The “East” was most likely used to avoid any confusion with the Penthouse in Times Square which changed its name in 1975 to the Cinerama-2 and had no affiliation to Guccione.

This confirms what Warren has already posted:

NY Times Apr 12, 1963

TRANS-LUX EAST IS OPENED HERE; New $500,000 Film House on 3d Avenue Seats 600

“A lavish, new movie theater, the Trans-Lux East opened yesterday morning, with the premiere of "The Ugly American,” at 969 Third Avenue, on the east side of the street directly between 57th and 58th Street".

Did he call it the Penthouse West in some sort of pornographic answer to Bill Graham’s great Fillmore rock venues?

Here’s an ad for Guccione’s “Caligula” from December 1980 boasting of the film’s “11th record-shattering month in NY!” Huh? Didn’t roadshow films in the late ‘50’s and early '60’s run well over a year in a few instances?

For Mature Audiences Only

The film was still being four-walled at the temporarily re-christened “Penthouse East”, but the movie clock from that day’s paper (check out the “Movie Directory” at the bottom center of the image below) clearly shows that it had already widened its distribution to a number of nabe houses like the Center in Sunnyside and the Walker and Kent in Brooklyn:

Movie Clock Daily News 12/14/80

Interesting how the Penthouse East listing says “Exclusive Engagment” even though the movie was in several other NYC theaters. Perhaps exclusive to Manhattan?

When this originally opened as the Trans-Lux East, the interior decor was a modern interpretation of ancient Greek. A replica of the Winged Victory stood in the lobby. Decorative sculptured panels on the auditorium walls depicted works of Myron, Paedias, and Praxiteles. Wall coverings in the lobby and lounges were created from rubbings taken from the ruins of the Acropolis. The color scheme throughout was red and gold. A mezzanine section had only 95 seats. At the rear of it, patrons were able to watch the projection machines in operation through a glass-paneled booth.

This was a nice little house, not up to the Baronet or Cinema 1 & 2 in the 70’s. I saw the original “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” back in the 70’s on a sold out Saturday afternoon. Years later to an empty house, “The Doctor and the Devils” a sorta homage to Hammer films starring Timothy Dalton. I remember the unusual balcony being very small that jutted out on the sides by the walls.

Saw ‘Last Tango In Paris’ here. They used oversized ‘souvenir’ type tickets for this engagement.

I always liked this theatre. THey showed some good arty movies there, like “Enemies, a Love Story,” and “Remember the Paradise.” I used to have a friend next door who worked for Fox, and she gave me passes to premieres, and most of them were at the Gotham. It attracted a nice, well-mannered crowd that went well with the carpeted swankiness of it all.

Crown currently operates the New York 1 & 2 at 66th and 2nd, booking it with an odd pastiche of top-run and second-tier major studio product (with a heavy Paramount and Miramax accent), minor indie product, and move-overs from other Midtown East houses.