Symphony Space/Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre
250 W. 95th Street,
New York,
NY
10025
250 W. 95th Street,
New York,
NY
10025
11 people
favorited this theater
This classic art house opened in 1931 as a 299-seat neighborhood movie house on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
By the 1960’s, the Thalia Theatre had become an intellectual staple for the community (and even appeared in Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall”) . It remained popular until it closed in 1987.
The Thalia opened a lower Manhattan theater (called the Thalia SOHO) to satisfy the need for indie and art house pictures, but it found little success and eventually closed.
Today, Symphony Space, an arts and cultural organization is bringing the Thalia Theatre back to life by incorporating the old theater into its newly redesigned complex.
Contributed by
Ross Melnick
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Recent comments (view all 105 comments)
Thank you again.
My Grandmother, Gladys DiPillo, managed the Thalia for 20 years. In the late 60’s and early 70’s I ushered there in the Summer and changed the marquee every night for the Summer Film Festival. She was delighted because I wouldn’t misspell anything as others had done in the past to her great embarrassment as it would stay up there all day! When she played Fellini’s “8 ½” the marquee would read “812” since she didn’t have a “½”. I couldn’t stand for that so I fashioned a “½” by sawing other pieces and gluing them together. It looked great! She loved it. As an Usher I remember having to urge patrons only to smoke in the last 10 rows which was the smoking section. Making them either put the cigarette out or making them move to the back didn’t win me any popularity contests. I have such stories of the place and really miss it. It’s nice that so many of you feel the same. If you have any questions, I would be happy to try to answer them.
LeslieW
Do you have a copy of the summer festival at the Thalia, back in the ‘60’s? I have been trying to find one for a very long time
I believe I might! I’ll have to go through some boxes over the next week or so. Please remind me if you don’t hear from me by mid-month. Regards…
LeslieW…Hav you had a chance to see if you have one of the old programs from the Thalia Summer festival of double features??
No luck yet. I asked my Mother who also worked the Box Office on occasion and she hasn’t got anything. I’ll try a few more places. I’m anxious to find something also. It would bring back some fond memories. I’ll keep in touch if I find something.
bobob,
The Village Voice carried ads for the Thalia back in the sixties. It may take some google archive searching but this issue, for example, shows “THE TITAN”, “THE IDIOT”, “THE ETERNAL MASK”, “ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO”, “THE NIGHT WATCH”, “BLACK ORPHEUS”, “LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD”, ANIMAL FARM", “CHARLIE CHAPLIN SHORTS”, “THE LEOPARD”, “NIGHT AND FOG”, “THE LAW”, and “THE DOLL” one week in July 1965.
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I remember it well. I saw all of them since they were played every year, however, if I have any Programs(s) at all, I’m not hopeful that it would go back to ‘65. Keep in touch…..
LesW — I have a full program schedule from the Thalia’s summer festival from 1969. It’s good, totally readable. Do you want me to scan it and send it to you? Or photocopy and mail it to you? Let me know.
That would be wonderful! If you can scan it and email it to me I would be most appreciative. My email address is Happy New Year!