Plaza Theatre
42 East 58th Street,
New York,
NY
10022
42 East 58th Street,
New York,
NY
10022
14 people
favorited this theater
The Plaza Theatre opened on January 20, 1930, and was designed in a Tudor style. This theatre later had a modern style that somewhat mirrored the Beekman Theatre with it’s rising balcony toward the back. It had a decent sized screen and sound. The curtains closed after every presentation. I saw “Crossing Delancey” there, and a year before it closed I saw the indie film “Straight Outta Brooklyn” there. It was on a side street and was hard to find. It’s amazing how that theatre stayed in business.
It closed in January 1996 and became some kind of tourist attraction showing films about New York like the old New York Experience used to do in Rockefeller Center. That later stopped and now it’s home to an Asian sushi restuarant named Tao.
Contributed by
jamal p. Savage
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Recent comments (view all 142 comments)
…so well expressed, Astyanax, and I agree!
During the time I worked there Mr. Lopert brought over a foreign language film called “The Hunger”. It had to be the most boring film I ever saw. The typical audience consisted of no more than 5 people. I recall Mr. Evans saying that even for Mr. Lopert this film was pretty far out there.
Vinniep: What years did you work at the Plaza? Do you know what happened to Robbie? Arthur Marx? Polly? Mr. Evans?
I may have been the 6th person who saw the Hunger, but not at the Plaza, but at the Kips Bay with a double feature with a Viveca Lindfors film, Night Games. Both were dark, b/w, depressing, Scandinavian films, Per Oscarsson received accolades for his acting in the Hunger. Would certainly not want to sit through either one of these again.
The opening date in the introduction needs correcting. The Plaza actually opened 83 years ago tonight, on January 20th, 1930. I’ve posted an ad in the Photos Section.
Starting with “Gold Diggers of Broadway,” the feature movies were sub-run and supported by short subjects. Programs changed once a week on Saturday. The Plaza’s screen when fully opened filled the proscenium, and could handle wide-angle systems such as Grandeur.
Well done, Tinseltoes…thanks for posting!
NY’s Channel 13 had abroadcast this weekend of the original Bedazzled with Dudley Moore & Peter Cook. This little gem, not to be confused with the recent re-make, was the quintessential film to premiere at the Plaza.
I worked there after graduating high school in 1963 and left after graduating college in 1967.
Vinnie, do you remember anyone who lived next door? Do you remember the kid who kept his bike in the alley on the west side of the building and was friendly with Robbie, Mr. Evans and Mr. Marx?