Rivoli Theatre
1620 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10019
1620 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10019
32 people
favorited this theater
A “sister” to the nearby Rialto Theatre, this lost theatre was a palatial early delight and once one of the grandest theatres on the east coast. The Rivoli Theatre opened December 28, 1917 with Douglas Fairbanks in “A Modern Musketeer”.
In its middle years, the Rivoli Theatre was one of New York City’s finest ‘roadshow’ theatres and was converted to 70mm Todd-AO with a deeply curved screen by Michael Todd for his feature, “Oklahoma!” which had its World Premiere on October 13, 1955 and was shown for 51 weeks. Other World Premieres of 70mm films included “Around the World in 80 Days”(October 17, 1956 and was showcased for 103 weeks), “The Big Fisherman”(August 4, 1959), “West Side Story”(October 18, 1961 and was screened for 77 weeks), “Cleopatra” (June 12, 1963 and was shown for 64 weeks), “The Sound of Music”(March 2, 1965 and was screened for 93 weeks), “The Sand Pebbles”(December 20, 1966), “Hello Dolly”(December 16,1969), “Fiddler on the Roof”(November 3, 1971) and “Man of La Mancha”(December 11, 1972).
The 1950’s deeply curved screen was enormous and generated the illusion of peripheral vision. The Rivoli Theatre, along with the nearby Capitol Theatre, showed event films and both movie houses showed “2001” on their giant screens. Patrons also recall that the sound quality of the six track stereo was as impressive as it’s visuals.
After it was twinned in December 1981, and the curved screen was removed. It became the United Artists Twin from October 26, 1984. One of the last features to play there was Richard Haines' low budget movie, “The Class of Nuke ‘Em High”. It was closed as the United Artists Twin in June 1987.
Where urban blight had at once shuttered, but saved the Rivoli Theatre from development, a turn around in the city’s fortune made the site too tempting for developers. The Rivoli Theatre, one of the greatest of all New York City theatres, was demolished after closing in June 1987. It has been replaced by a black glass skyscraper.
Contributed by
Richard Haines, William Gabel
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 824 comments)
In Ross Melnick’s book “AMERICAN SHOWMAN” he mentions that Roxy had been using scent at the Rialto in December 1916.
Pictured in 1948 in a two-page trade ad that also includes signage for the Roxy and Mayfair: Boxoffice
I love the JAWS marque…I was MGR. during that time..My question is where did that photo come from and props to you…
The Rivoli Theatre can be seen in the opening crane shot of the film “My Favorite Year” (MGM/UA, 1982) starring Peter O'Toole. The movie is set in 1954 and the marquee to the Rivoli is emblazened with a display for the classic Vincent Price horror film “House of Wax” (Warner Brothers, 1953) presented in “3 Dimension.” The slogan reads: “Every thrill of its astounding story comes off the screen right at you!” The key art on the marquee shows a line of chorus girls and a shadowy figure kidnapping one of them. I actually worked on “My Favorite Year” as a production assistant for the New York location shooting (under New York unit producer A. Kitman Ho — who went on to produce such films as “Wall Street,” “JFK,” “Platoon,” and “Born on the Fourth of July”). I remember well the day of the crane shot outside the Rivoli Theatre (at Broadway and 50th Street) because I was such a huge Vincent Price fan and a fan of “House of Wax.” I remember discussing our love of the film with the movie’s director Richard Benjamin and the production designer Charles Rosen (a fellow North Carolina native who had production designed the 1978 remake of “The Invasion of the Body Snatchers”). There was also a sidewalk newsstand on that block that was decorated with period 1954 magazines and newspapers. During the lunch break, it was my job to guard the newsstand — and, let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. Many tough New York pedestrians were rushing by, blindly plopping down coins to purchase the daily newspaper, not realizing that these newspapers were mockups of 1954 newspapers. I kept having to stop them from just grabbing them. I literally got into tugs of war with more than one annoyed passerby. Lots of other pedestrians were trying to buy tickets for “House of Wax” at the Rivoli boxoffice and got extremely miffed when they were told that “House of Wax” was not really playing there and that the marquee had been mocked up for a new movie being shot that day. Instead of laughing it off as if they’d just been punk’d on “Candid Camera,” most of these jaded New Yorkers were simply pissed by the inconvenience. So much for the glamor of filmmaking. And, luckily, no one was hurt during the melee.
Just put Great Waldo Pepper Marque photo and partial Program with guest list.
“House of Wax” played its NYC premiere engagement exclusively at the Paramount Theatre in Times Square, with Eddie Fisher heading the stage show. So much for Hollywood Historical Accuracy!
Thanks for that insight Sam. “My Favorite Year” is one of my favorite movies. I had to chance to tell that to Mark-Linn Baker when he was performing off broadway a few years back. When he asked my favorite, telling him “Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” he didn’t seem to mind.
I saw “The Last Starfighter” at one of the Rivoli Twins in July, 1984. I was aware “South Pacific” had played a long run there in Todd-AO, having transferred from the Criterion. Whilst being impressed by the cinema I was in, I wish I’d seen the large theatre in its 70mm. heyday. All the above info. is fascinating and I now know just how important the Rivoli was.
Thanks indeed Sam Irvin for your story about MY FAVORITE YEAR. I remember passing the Rivoli (fall of 1981 maybe?)when that faux HOUSE OF WAX sign was waiting to be hoisted to its spot in front of the real marquee. I was quite confused and intrigued as to what this was all about. It wasn’t until I went to see MY FAVORITE YEAR the following October (at the Paramount Theatre at Columbus Circle) and saw the opening sequence that I put two and two together.
Never made it to a road show in the Rivoli but was there for Jaws on Saturday night 10:30 show high up in the rafters second day of release…a great audience experience highlighted by a lady in a very very green suit – a hostess from Air Pistachio as per my friend JC’s comments United Artists never really got the good Broadway bookings after that – most went to Loews Astor Plaza and State or the Criterion multiplex…the house met a sad end as the United Artists 1 and 2