United Palace of Cultural Arts

For reasons unknown, this seems to be the least documented (photographically) of the ‘Wonder’ theatres.

I drove by this place on Saturday night (after visiting Loew’s Jersey) on my way up Broadway to 177th Street – it looks like a cross between a temple and a fortress, especially in the dark. Given its somewhat intimidating late-night surroundings, it seems a rather appropriate combination!

Huzzah, Ken! I could get lost for hours in this one theater alone, let alone all of Upper Broadway. I simply must get up there one day when I have no other agenda but to stroll and photograph.

What? No KenRoe photos of the 175th? Don’t let me down, Ken… Passed by again yesterday on my way home from The Cloisters. Had there been an easy parking spot in sight, I’d have pulled over and filled my digital camera’s memory card with images. I grabbed a fleeting shot from my car window while stopped at the traffic light… but I hesitate to even post it. Of course, I won’t let that stop me:

Smile as you pass

I definitely was smiling. I need to get into this theater some day.

Does the congregation of this church use the original theater organ for their services, or has that been removed and replaced?

That seems about right, Ken. There is a venue on 176th and St. Nicholas that shows up in the NY Times as playing movies but then switches to boxing matches in the early 40’s when the US enters the war. It can’t be this theatres since Loews 175th Street was open and showing films during this same period. It is possible that the St. Nicholas Palace had boxing events while the “Annex” or “Garden” continued with movies and concerts. By all indications this seems to have been a very active section of Manhattan at least until after the war or whenever the Major Deegan cut-off the Bronx. There was skating rinks, bowling and concerts nightly along with the movies, fights, music halls and plays.

Al; The 1926 Film Daily Yearbook lists a Palace Theatre, 1326 St. Nicholas Avenue, New York, NY with a seating capacity of 574. It isn’t currently listed on Cinema Treasures (under the Palace name)

Is United Palace (above) a theatre name? Also, does anyone know about a Palace Theatre and annex on St. Nichol showing movies from around 1918-1922?

There is a new CD just released that features Lee Erwin playing the Robert-Morton Theatre Organs at Loew’s 175th and Loew’s Kings. The Kings Wonder Morton recording on the CD is of the organ’s farewell concert. More info at http://www.gstos.org/TheWondersOfItAll.htm

Thanks Greenpoint, so people can access it again, but they must have changed the page address since I posted that message. My link used to work….

I took the “scenic” route home from Sleepy Hollow, NY, the other day via Route 9 which eventually becomes South Broadway in Yonkers and then Broadway when it crosses into the Bronx. Anyway… passed a number of former theaters on the trip including this magnificent structure. I had never seen it in person before and I was kind of stunned by how imposing a building it is! As you approach from the north, you notice the stylish arched iron-work of the balcony fire escapes and then the huge structure that houses the lobby and foyer (where the vertical Loew’s sign remains attached). The theater occupies nearly all of the trapezoidal block bounded by Broadway, 175th Street, Wadsworth Ave and 176th street with the entrances on the corner of Broadway and 175th. The auditorium runs parallel to Wadsworth Ave so the building sort of angles away from Broadway as it runs to the north with a row of tax-payer storefronts filling out the Broadway frontage. I have to get myself inside with my camera one Sunday (services at 2:45pm according to the marquee).

While coming down Broadway, I passed a couple of theaters in Yonkers (I believe one was the RKO Proctor, and then the Park Hill further to the south) and at least one in the Bronx (the former RKO Marble Hill). I was surprised at how large the old Coliseum building was at 181st Street. I also recall a building up around 204th street in Manhattan that appeared to have been a theater at one time. Anyone know what this might have been?

It’s nice to see they even left the vertical sign up! EVen if they took the letters off.

Thanks Robert!
It looks good. I notice the Veritcal Loew’s sign is still there, minus the letters.