Manhattan 1 and 2
220 E. 59th Street,
New York,
NY
10022
220 E. 59th Street,
New York,
NY
10022
4 people
favorited this theater
This was an interesting theater less for its architecture — although its curved marquee had its merits but for its chequered history and how tough it was to make a go of it sometimes in the 70s.
Opened in 1967 as the Pacific East/Avco Embassy East – yes one name for each screen as East side companions to Pacific’s Cinerama/Penthouse twins on Broadway.
Seth Lewis writes, “I remember seeing Steve McQueen in The Reivers at the Pac East.” The other screen was largely dedicated to films from Joseph E. Levine’s Avco Embassy distribution.
This brand lasted maybe two or three years when the RKO Stanley Warner chain rebranded them as the East 59th Street Twins with an odd mix of hard/soft core porn and later (with yet another logo) of MGM programming (on a circuit known as 4 Star Theatres) and Cinerama Releasing / American Interntaional blaxploitation fodder.
In the original incarnation the theater did have an interesting two tone square marquee and probably some of the brightest interior colours for the time. The end of the 70s was the theatre’s saddest point, turning to hard-core male and female porn as the EastWorld Twin (there was a WestWorld in several locations near Broadway).
In 1979, Cinema 5 soon to be taken over by RKO Stanley Warner gave it another go by renaming this theatre the Manhattan 1 and 2 and a fair mix of first run programming – some mainstream and some art.
Again this was a house that never really had the same cachet as its brothers on the avenue.
Cineplex Odeon tried a discount policy here in the mid-90s. Before it closed in 1998 the theatre was screening Bollywood films. It was torn down a couple of years later.
Contributed by
SethLewis
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Recent comments (view all 60 comments)
Here is a 1971 photo.
As the Manhattan 1 & 2.
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KingBiscuits is correct. Actor George C. Scott leased one of the theatres for 1 year to show his movie. The girl I was seeing at the time dragged me to it. I also saw “Story of Joanna” here. it was a decent theatre from what I recall.
I went there a few times during the 1980s. I saw “Superman II,” Clint Eastwood in “Sudden Impact,” Connery as Bond in “Never Say Never Again,” and the first “Scream” film. (I remember I had to wait on a line outside for Connery’s return as Bond. Too bad it was such a mediocre film.) I don’t remember that many specifics of the theatre although those pictures Ed put up did bring back some memories. I do remember that the theaters were not that big and I’m not sure just how comfortable the seats were.
Operating as the all-male Spartan theatre in 1978 with male dancers and “3 male erotic films” while Eastworld was the other screen.
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In the 1971 photo it looks like Dennis Hopper under the marquee. Can’t believe no one else noticed.
It does!
Yeah it looks like Dennis.
I think it is Dennis!
December 1971, MGM releases Ken Russells “The Boyfriend” starring Twiggy at the RKO 59th St Twin