Baronet and Coronet Theatre

993 3rd Avenue,
New York, NY 10022

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Cineplex Odeon, Island Theater Circuit, Loews Cineplex, Walter Reade Theatres

Architects: John J. McNamara

Previous Names: Queen's Theatre, Arcadia Theatre, Baronet Theatre, Coronet I and II

Nearby Theaters

News About This Theater

Cinema 1, 2, 3 and Coronet 1 & 2 - 2001

The Queen’s Theatre was opened prior to 1914 and was still operating in 1928. It was operated by the Queen’s Theater Co. In 1929 it was renamed Arcadia Theatre. Around 1951 it had been renamed Baronet Theatre. In late-1962 a second screen, the Coronet Theatre, was built on top of the Baronet Theatre and it was renamed Baronet and Coronet Theatre. The former Baronet & Coronet was once one of the hottest places to see first run films on New York’s Upper East Side during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Cineplex Odeon renovated the theatres and combined the entrance on June 16, 1989. With a total seating capacity of 918, the Baronet Theatre had 418-seats and the Coronet Theatre had 600-seats.

Sadly, it’s once famous façade and reputation declined in the past 25 years and the theatre finally closed in September 13, 2001, as the Coronet I and II. The old Baronet & Coronet lettering and crowns could still be seen through decades of dirt caked on to its fading exterior.

The theatre has been demolished to make way for an office building.

Contributed by Ross Melnick

Recent comments (view all 192 comments)

milanp
milanp on July 5, 2021 at 2:13 pm

Ahhhh, the Coronet. Sigh. Along with Cinema 1, it was arguably the most prestigious location in NYC–maybe America–to open a movie back in the ‘60s and '70s. Just consider some of the now-classic films that had their “exclusive” Manhattan engagement there back in the day: “Taxi Driver,” “Shampoo,” “Midnight Cowboy,” “The Last Detail,” “The Deer Hunter,” “The Turning Point,” “Paper Moon,” “Harold and Maude,” “The Landlord,” “Zabriskie Point,” “Five Easy Pieces,” “Brewster McCloud,” “Where’s Poppa?,” “Being There,” “Bound for Glory” (I guess you could say it was the “Ashby House”), etc., etc. I’d include “The Graduate,” of course, but it played day-and-date with Walter Reade’s Lincoln Art on 57th Street for most of its run. And “Chinatown” which was d&d with a B'way house.

Joseph Angier
Joseph Angier on January 6, 2022 at 8:39 pm

Re the dave-bronx post: Thanks! Until now, I’d heard about that 35/70mm projector, but I didn’t know it had a name (Cinemeccanica). Back in 1982 I had a meeting with Nestor Almendros about a project he was trying to get off the ground, but he had just come from viewing “Sophie’s Choice”(he was the DP) at the Cinema I and was screaming bloody murder about these awful dual 35/70 projectors which he thought made both formats look terrible. (It was the first I’d heard about them.)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on January 7, 2022 at 2:48 am

The Coronet opened in late 1962. It was still under construction when Boxoffice of September 3 mentioned the project in an article about twin cinemas, several of which were slated to open or begin construction over the next several months. Rugoff’s Cinema I and II down the block from the Baronet had already opened on July 25.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on January 8, 2022 at 1:54 pm

The screen in The Coronet was huge. They had great tan curtains that rolled up.

Marcy Starnes
Marcy Starnes on January 16, 2022 at 2:13 pm

The introduction to this article, leaves out an important piece of history, that the theater was owned by the Walter Reade Organization, circa 1960s through approximately 1989. I remember the “Dollar Trilogy ” with Clint Eastwood playing
there in the early to mid sixties. They were great movies.

Marcy Starnes
Marcy Starnes on January 16, 2022 at 2:16 pm

themazin you must have managed under Cineplex Odeon. I have also been a Theater Manager too. It was one of my most fondest times.

Marcy Starnes
Marcy Starnes on January 16, 2022 at 2:22 pm

milanp, the Baronet Coronet was part of The Walter Reade Organization, a chain of approximately 10 theater. Several of the films, you mentioned played at their other locations, most notably the Little Carnegie. They were great films, with SRO crowds, all weekend.

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on January 17, 2022 at 12:05 pm

The Coronet had the exclusive showing of The Deer Hunter.

Marcy Starnes
Marcy Starnes on January 26, 2022 at 12:40 pm

ride the train the Coronet opened in late 1962.

ScreenClassic
ScreenClassic on January 8, 2023 at 1:51 am

jwmovies, the theatre you’re thinking of that has three screens is not the Baronet and Coronet (which is actually further to the right in the picture, displaying the banner featuring the movie Shrek on its front above the theatre’s marquee (which identifies it at this point as Coronet I & II).

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