East 86th Street Cinemas

Photos from 2009 of the East 86th Street Cinema: 1, 2

In 1999, The New York Times published this article about the rather complex history of the building at this address (the article will probably vanish from the Internets soon if The Times decides to put its content behind a pay wall, so if you aren’t a Times subscriber read it while it lasts.)

The original building at 210 E. 86th Street, built for the Musical Mutual Protective Union in 1904 and designed by architects Trowbridge & Livingston, was replaced by a modern building in 1966, but the greater part of the East 86th Street Cinemas is located behind the surviving facade of an annex built on 85th Street in 1919, which was designed by the same architects. The entrance to the theater is in the 1966 building on 86th Street.

I don’t know who designed the 1966 building, but the architect for the 1999 renovation of the theater into a four-plex was John W. Averitt, Averitt Associates, who was best known for designing live performance spaces but who did at least three renovation projects for City Cinemas. The others that I know of were the City Cinemas Village East and the Murray Hill cinema, both done earlier than the 86th Street Cinemas.

Above photo, a really rare image until recently, is posted courtesy of Warren.

As the 86th st. East.

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Here is a list of films that were shown at the 86TH STREET EAST from 2002 to today.

¼/02- The Royal Tenenbaums
1/18/02- Snow Dogs
2/1/02- Birthday Girl
2/15/02- Super Troopers
3/1/02- 40 Days and 40 Nights
3/22/02- E.T.:The Extra-Terrestrial-The 20th Anniversary
3/22/02- Sorority Boys
3/29/02- The Rookie
4/5/02- High Crimes
4/5/02- National Lampoon’s Van Wilder
4/26/02- Life or Something Like It
5/3/02- Deuces Wild
5/3/02- Hollywood Ending
5/17/02- About A Boy
5/24/02- Insomnia
6/7/02- Bad Company
6/21/02- Lilo & Stitch
6/21/02- Minority Report
7/12/02- Halloween: Resurrection
7/12/02- Reign of Fire
8/2/02- Signs
8/7/02- Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
8/9/02- Full Frontal
8/16/02- Possession
8/23/02- The Good Girl
9/20/02- The Banger Sisters
9/27/02- Sweet Home Alabama
10/11/02- Brown Sugar
10/11/02- Spirited Away
10/25/02- Paid in Full
10/25/02- The Truth About Charlie
11/1/02- The Santa Clause 2
11/8/02- Frida
11/22/02- The Emperor’s Club
11/27/02- Solaris
12/6/02- Analyze That
12/13/02- Drumline
12/13/02- The Hot Chick
1/3/03- About Schmidt
1/10/03- Antwone Fisher
1/10/03- The Pianist
1/17/03- A Guy Thing
1/17/03- Kangaroo Jack
1/24/03- Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
1/31/03- The Recruit
2/14/03- Daredevil
2/14/03- The Jungle Book 2
2/14/03- The Quiet American
2/21/03- Gods and Generals
3/14/03- Willard
3/21/03- Piglet’s Big Movie
4/4/03- DysFunkTional Family
4/4/03- A Man Apart
4/4/03- What A Girl Wants
4/25/03- Confidence
5/2/03- The Lizzie McGuire Movie
5/9/03- A Mighty Wind
5/23/03- The In-Laws
6/6/03- Whale Rider
6/13/03- Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd
6/20/03- Alex & Emma
TBA 2003- Swimming Pool
7/9/03- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
7/18/03- How to Deal
7/25/03- Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
8/6/03- Freaky Friday
8/15/03- American Splendor
8/15/03- Freddy vs Jason
8/15/03- Open Range
9/19/03- Cold Creek Manor
9/19/03- Lost in Translation
9/19/03- Secondhand Lions
9/26/03- Duplex
10/17/03- Mystic River
10/17/03- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
10/17/03- Veronica Guerin
10/24/03- Scary Movie 3
11/7/03- Elf
11/14/03- Looney Tunes: Back in Action
11/26/03- Bad Santa
11/26/03- The Haunted Mansion
12/12/03- Love Don’t Cost A Thing
12/17/03- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
12/25/03- Cold Mountain
1/9/04- My Baby’s Daddy
1/16/04- Monster
1/16/04- Torque
1/23/04- The Butterfly Effect
2/25/04- The Passion of the Christ
2/27/04- Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
Feb. 2004- The Triplets of Belleville
3/5/04- Hidalgo
3/12/04- Spartan
3/26/04- Jersey Girl
3/26/04- Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
4/9/04- The Alamo
4/16/04- Kill Bill Vol 2
4/30/04- Godsend
4/30/04- Laws of Attraction
5/14/04- Troy
6/16/04- Around the World in 80 Days
6/25/04- Fahrenheit 9/11
6/25/04- The Notebook
7/7/04- King Arthur
7/16/04- Before Sunset
7/16/04- A Cinderella Story
7/30/04- Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
8/13/04- Yu-Gi-Oh: The Movie
8/20/04- Open Water
8/27/04- Hero
9/1/04- Vanity Fair
9/10/04- Cellular
9/17/04- Mr. 3000
10/8/04- The Motorcycle Diaries
10/8/04- Raise Your Voice
10/15/04- Shall We Dance?
11/5/04- The Incredibles
11/10/04- The Polar Express
11/12/04- After the Sunset
11/24/04- Finding Neverland
12/8/04- Blade: Trinity
12/17/04- The Aviator
1/7/05- White Noise
1/21/05- Hotel Rwanda
1/28/05- Alone in the Dark
1/28/05- Million Dollar Baby
2/18/05- Son of the Mask
3/11/05- Hostage
3/11/05- Robots
3/18/05- The Upside of Anger
3/24/05- Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
4/22/05- King’s Ransom
4/22/05- A Lot Like Love
5/6/05- Kingdom of Heaven
5/13/05- Monster-In-Law
6/3/05- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
6/10/05- The Adventures of SharkBoy and LavaGirl in 3-D
6/10/05- Mr. & Mrs. Smith
6/22/05- Herbie: Fully Loaded
7/1/05- Rebound
7/8/05- Dark Water
7/15/05- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
7/15/05- Wedding Crashers
7/29/05- Sky High
8/12/05- The Great Raid
8/17/05- Supercross: The Movie
8/26/05- The Brothers Grimm
8/31/05- The Constant Gardener
9/2/05- The Transporter 2
9/9/03- The Man
9/16/05- Lord of War
9/23/05- Proof
9/30/05- A History of Violence
10/7/05- In Her Shoes
10/21/05- North Country
11/4/05- Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
11/11/05- Derailed
11/11/05- Pride & Prejudice
11/18/05- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
12/9/05- The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
12/21/05- Cheaper by the Dozen 2
12/25/05- Wolf Creek
1/6/06- Grandma’s Boy
1/13/06- Glory Road
1/13/06- Hoodwinked
1/20/06- Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World
1/27/06- Big Momma’s House 2
2/3/06- Something New
2/10/06- Curious George
2/17/06- Date Movie
2/17/06- Eight Below
2/24/06- Running Scared
3/3/06- Dave Chappelle’s Block Party
3/10/06- The Hills Have Eyes
3/17/06- V for Vendetta
3/24/06- Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector
3/31/06- Ice Age: The Meltdown
3/31/06- Thank You for Smoking
4/7/06- Take the Lead
4/21/06- American Dreamz
5/5/06- Hoot
5/12/06- Just My Luck
5/19/06- Poseidon
5/19/06- See No Evil
6/6/06- The Omen
6/16/06- The Lake House
6/16/06- Nacho Libre
7/7/06- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest
7/14/06- You, Me, and Dupree
7/21/06- Clerks II
7/21/06- My Super Ex-Girlfriend
7/28/06- Scoop
8/4/06- The Night Listener
8/11/06- Pulse
8/18/06- Snakes on a Plane
8/18/06- Trust the Man
8/25/06- The Illusionist
8/25/06- Invincible
9/1/06- Lassie
9/1/06- The Wicker Man
9/8/06- Hollywoodland
9/15/06- Confetti
9/15/06- Everyone’s Hero
9/22/06- Jackass Number Two
9/29/06- The Science of Sleep
10/6/06- The Departed
10/20/06- Flicka
10/20/06- The Prestige
11/3/06- The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause
11/10/06- A Good Year
11/22/06- Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny
12/1/06- The Nativity Story
12/1/06- Turistas
12/8/06- Blood Diamond
12/15/06- Charlotte’s Web
12/15/06- Eragon
12/22/06- We Are Marshall
1/5/07- Children of Men
1/5/07- Code Name: The Cleaner
1/5/07- Freedom Writers
1/12/07- Arthur and the Invisibles
1/12/07- Pan’s Labyrinth
1/26/07- Epic Movie
1/26/07- Seraphim Falls
2/2/07- Because I Said So
2/9/07- Hannibal Rising
2/14/07- Music and Lyrics
2/23/07- The Number 23
2/23/07- Reno 911: Miami
3/2/07- Zodiac
3/9/07- 300
3/16/07- I Think I Love My Wife
3/23/07- The Last Mimzy
3/30/07- The Lookout
4/4/07- Firehouse Dog
4/5/07- The Reaping
4/13/07- Disturbia
4/13/07- The Hoax
4/20/07- Fracture
4/27/07- The Invisible
5/4/07- Lucky You
5/18/07- Shrek the Third
6/1/07- Mr. Brooks
6/15/07- Fantastic Four: Rise of thr Silver Surfer
6/15/07- Nancy Drew
6/22/07- You Kill Me
6/29/07- Sicko
7/11/07- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
7/20/07- Hairspray
7/27/07- The Simpsons Movie
8/3/07- Hot Rod
8/10/07- Rush Hour 3
8/17/07- The Invasion
8/17/07- The Last Legion
8/24/07- Resurrecting the Champ
8/29/07- Balls of Fury
8/31/07- Halloween
9/7/07- Shoot ‘Em Up
9/14/07- Mr. Woodcock
9/21/07- Eastern Promises
9/21/07- The Hunting Party
9/28/07- Trade
10/5/07- Into the Wild
10/5/07- The Seeker
10/12/07- Michael Clayton
10/19/07- Gone Baby Gone
10/19/07- Rendition
11/2/07- Bee Movie
11/9/07- Fred Claus
11/9/07- No Country for Old Men
11/21/07- Hitman
12/7/07- The Golden Compass
12/14/07- Alvin and the Chipmunks
12/21/07- Atonement
12/21/07- P.S. I Love You
¼/08- One Missed Call
1/11/08- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
1/18/08- 27 Dresses
1/25/08- Cassandra’s Dream
2/1/08- Over Her Dead Body
2/14/08- Jumper
2/14/08- The Spiderwick Chronicles
2/29/08- Semi-Pro
3/7/08- 10,000 B.C.
3/14/08- Never Back Down
3/19/08- Under the Same Moon
3/21/08- Drillbit Taylor
3/21/08- Shutter
4/4/08- Nim’s Island
4/4/08- The Ruins
4/11/08- Street Kings
4/25/08- Harold & Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay
5/9/08- Speed Racer
5/9/08- What Happens in Vegas
5/30/08- Sex and the City
6/6/08- Kung Fu Panda
6/13/08- The Happening
6/20/08- Get Smart

The movies that were shown in this theatre are from these following
movie studios:

Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks SKG (16)
Beuna Vista Pictures <Touchstone/Hollywood/Disney/Miramax> (72)*
20th Century Fox/Fox Searchlight/Fox Atomic (52)
Universal Pictures (10)
Lionsgate/Artisan (11)
MGM (4)
Warner Bros./Warner Independent (51)
New Line Cinema/Picturehouse (47)
Focus Features/Rogue Pictures (15)
Weinstein Co. (12)
Newmarket Films (3)
Yari Film Group (2)
Other (5)

The 86TH STREET EAST is another favorite theater of mine.

*The studio that has shown the most movies at this theater.

Soon after the USA entered World War II, the Casino switched to showing movies produced in the Soviet Union. Some pre-war German films were later revived at the Casino if they were deemed to be free of Nazi propaganda: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/casinosoviet.jpg

That photo really tells a story, Warren. I wonder if the Cameo faced a similar scenario during the cold war?

I have to make a correction on the above message. Above the theater was a dining room and above the dining room on the third floor was the ballroom.

Basement———Bowling Alley
First Floor—-Theater
Second Floor—Dining Room
Third Floor—-Ball Room
Sorry about the mixup.

The double feature playing at the Casino in Warren’s 1963 photo must have been reissues, because “Monpti” had its New York premiere on 4/20/59 and “Confess, Dr. Corda” on 10/23/60.

If memory serves correct, Munio Podhorzer’s import company was called the “Casino Film Exchange”. His imports would usually play their first run at the 86th Street Casino and be reviewed by the New York Daily News. After a week or so, they would move on to the Wagner Theater in Ridgewood and then on to the Irvington in Irvington, NJ. I presume that, from that point on, they then went on to other US cities that had sizeable German speaking populations such as Chicago, Milwaukee, etc.

Woodrow Wilson gave a famous speech at a “dollar dinner” at the Yorkville Casino in 1912. I suspect that this was at a banquet hall in the same building as the cinema.

There was apparently a cinema at this site prior to the one that opened in 1934. The 1926 Film Daily Year Book lists the Yorkville Casino, with 1,000 seats, at this same address. I suspect that it was part of a larger building also known as the Yorkville Casino that had other entertainment venues on its premises. The German cinema known as the Casino may not have occupied the same space as the larger theatre listed in the 1926 FDYB. The owner of the 1934 Casino said it was converted from a union meeting hall that had only wooden benches for seating.

That is one interesting photo. I never saw anything of this theatre. I believe the film Monpti (phonetic German for the French phrase “mon petit”) and starring Romy Schneider, had bookings in other more “mainstream” art houses in a subtitled verion.

Here’s a 1963 newspaper image of the theatre’s entrance:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/6e479e71.jpg