Thanks RobertR, I have a view of these on an old postcard c.1985 the Rivoli Theatre is playing “Lifeforce”, the RKO Warner Twin Theatre is playing ?? title un-readable and “Mad Max 3-Beyond Thunderdome”, the Circus Cinema has a tag line on the marquee ‘Get Into the Hottest Indoor Spot of All" ?? title un-readable.
The Circus Theatre was located on the East side of Broadway, one block South of the Rivoli Theatre and across the street from the Strand Theatre (which at the period of time the Circus Theatre was operating-mid 1970’s to mid 1980’s-was named the RKO Warner Twin).
I believe that the Circus Theatre could have been two screens, or even two seperate theatres in the same building known as Circus Theatre and Big Top Theatre. One screening straight porn, the other gay porn.
The Philharmonic Hall was opened on 19th June 1939 as a concert hall to replace the earlier 1849 built Philharmonic Hall that burnt down in 1933 while renovation work was being carried out. The new Philharmonic Hall had the additional (and unusual for a concert hall) advantage of being fully equipped with built-in cinema facilities.
These include a fully equipped projection booth (35mm & 16mm), a (now)unique Walturdaw unit weighing 7 Tons, that consists of a screen and a decorated proscenium equipped with screen curtains, which is housed below stage and rises up from beneath the stage (Only 3 were manufactured, one installed in St. Petersburg, Russia and the other in an Arab state, neither of which are thought to be in working order today). The concert organ is also installed on a revolve lift which can be played under stage or at stage level.
Regular screenings of Classic movies occur every few weeks and the entire building has the ‘look’ of an art deco Odeon style cinema of the 1930’s with concealed lighting hidden in troughs and rib coves in the ceiling and walls and a typical cinema look exterior. All fixtures and fittings from door handles to etched glass panels and light fittings are original to the building, which qualified it to become a Grade II Listed building.
OK, it may not be a ‘purpose built full time cinema’, but physically, it sure is a good representation of one and being it still continues to screen movies, it deserves to be listed here on Cinema Treasures.
The ABC was quadrupled in 1975 and had an 850 seat cinema in the former circle and 3 screens in the former orchestra stalls which seated 346, 284 and 231. The main screen in the former balcony closed in May 1991. The 3 smaller screens continued until they were closed on 20th January 2000.
The Philharmonic Hall is also equipped with a Rushworth & Dreaper 3 Manual concert organ. It was originally opened by noted organist Quentin MacLean in 1939. The organ is still played prior to the start of regular film nights at the ‘Phil’.
When the Ritz/ABC was split into 3 screens in 1977 they were located in the former balcony and seated 313, 187 and 150. The former orchestra stalls level was converted into a bingo hall.
These 3 screens were re-branded Odeon in 2002 and closed on 10th July 2003. The space has been gutted, but the Gala Bingo Club is currently still open in the former stalls level.
Listed as the St. James Theatre in the 1941 edition of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 1,789 (1,818 seats in the 1943 edition of F.D.Y.).
The 1941 and 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook have this theatre listed as the Triboro Theatre, 165 E. 125th Street, Manhattan with a seating capacity of 571 (closed).
In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as open again (same seating capacity)
Opened as the Picture Palace Theatre in 1912, it was designed by architect John Priestly Briggs from the office of Frank Matcham & Co. The original seating capacity was 708.
It was still shown as operating as an independent cinema in 1963 and 1965, known as the Palace Cinema with 626 seats. It closed on 12th July 1977 and was sold to Rushmoor Council and was leased out, re-opening on 26th December 1977.
By the time of its final closure with the screening of regular films on 30th September 1985, it had been given Grade II Listed status. It remained derelict until Spring 1989 when plans were put forward to spend £1m on a facelift and conversion into a nightclub. This continues today (2005), under the name of Cheeks Nightclub
In the 1940 edition of the Film Daily Yearbook it is listed as the Wisterial Theatre (closed). The 1943 edition of F.D.Y. has it open, same name with 400 seats.
It had been re-named the Sierra Madre Theatre by 1952 and that years edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives a seating capacity of 390.
Thank you for your considerate thoughts Patrick. I too wish all my fellow Cinema Treasures users here in the UK a safe and valued life today and in the future. I am sure we will get through this.
KenRoe in London. UK
TC; I can’t help much on this one as I don’t have records for the 1920’s NJ theatres. I do have from 1940 through to 1950 listings which only show two theatres in Red Bank: the Carlton (now Count Basie) and the Strand Theatre, Broad Street that had 1,000 seats in 1940 and 821 in 1943 & 1950.
The Emprire Theatre, Red Bank, NJ is listed in the 1914/15 edition of American Motion Picture Directory (no street or full address is given). The Lyric and the Majestic are listed as the other two theatres in town at that time
Thanks RobertR, I have a view of these on an old postcard c.1985 the Rivoli Theatre is playing “Lifeforce”, the RKO Warner Twin Theatre is playing ?? title un-readable and “Mad Max 3-Beyond Thunderdome”, the Circus Cinema has a tag line on the marquee ‘Get Into the Hottest Indoor Spot of All" ?? title un-readable.
The neon name on the marquee was Circus Cinema.
The Circus Theatre was located on the East side of Broadway, one block South of the Rivoli Theatre and across the street from the Strand Theatre (which at the period of time the Circus Theatre was operating-mid 1970’s to mid 1980’s-was named the RKO Warner Twin).
I believe that the Circus Theatre could have been two screens, or even two seperate theatres in the same building known as Circus Theatre and Big Top Theatre. One screening straight porn, the other gay porn.
The Philharmonic Hall was opened on 19th June 1939 as a concert hall to replace the earlier 1849 built Philharmonic Hall that burnt down in 1933 while renovation work was being carried out. The new Philharmonic Hall had the additional (and unusual for a concert hall) advantage of being fully equipped with built-in cinema facilities.
These include a fully equipped projection booth (35mm & 16mm), a (now)unique Walturdaw unit weighing 7 Tons, that consists of a screen and a decorated proscenium equipped with screen curtains, which is housed below stage and rises up from beneath the stage (Only 3 were manufactured, one installed in St. Petersburg, Russia and the other in an Arab state, neither of which are thought to be in working order today). The concert organ is also installed on a revolve lift which can be played under stage or at stage level.
Regular screenings of Classic movies occur every few weeks and the entire building has the ‘look’ of an art deco Odeon style cinema of the 1930’s with concealed lighting hidden in troughs and rib coves in the ceiling and walls and a typical cinema look exterior. All fixtures and fittings from door handles to etched glass panels and light fittings are original to the building, which qualified it to become a Grade II Listed building.
OK, it may not be a ‘purpose built full time cinema’, but physically, it sure is a good representation of one and being it still continues to screen movies, it deserves to be listed here on Cinema Treasures.
The ABC was quadrupled in 1975 and had an 850 seat cinema in the former circle and 3 screens in the former orchestra stalls which seated 346, 284 and 231. The main screen in the former balcony closed in May 1991. The 3 smaller screens continued until they were closed on 20th January 2000.
The Philharmonic Hall is also equipped with a Rushworth & Dreaper 3 Manual concert organ. It was originally opened by noted organist Quentin MacLean in 1939. The organ is still played prior to the start of regular film nights at the ‘Phil’.
When the Ritz/ABC was split into 3 screens in 1977 they were located in the former balcony and seated 313, 187 and 150. The former orchestra stalls level was converted into a bingo hall.
These 3 screens were re-branded Odeon in 2002 and closed on 10th July 2003. The space has been gutted, but the Gala Bingo Club is currently still open in the former stalls level.
The Pavilion Cinema closed on 29th September 1956. The office block which was later built on the site is named Campbell House.
Here is an early postcard view of the exterior of the Olympia Theatre from its music hall days View link
jbn6773:
Thanks for the correction (regarding bingo hall use) and for the up-date on the recent history of this important cinema building.
I believe the Caesars Palace and Joe Pools bar operations closed down in around 2002 and the building has remained empty and unused since then.
The Odeon closed on 16th March 2000. It was demolished in January 2003 and two retail units built on the site, one of which is an HMV store.
The Alexandra Cinema closed on 25th March 1967 and became a Star Bingo Club for many years. It was demolished in 1986.
Listed as the St. James Theatre in the 1941 edition of Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 1,789 (1,818 seats in the 1943 edition of F.D.Y.).
The 1941 and 1943 editions of Film Daily Yearbook have this theatre listed as the Triboro Theatre, 165 E. 125th Street, Manhattan with a seating capacity of 571 (closed).
In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as open again (same seating capacity)
The Triboro Theatre located on 125th Street, Harlem was known as the Gotham Theatre, already listed here http://cinematreasures.org/theatre/6523/
Opened as the Picture Palace Theatre in 1912, it was designed by architect John Priestly Briggs from the office of Frank Matcham & Co. The original seating capacity was 708.
It was still shown as operating as an independent cinema in 1963 and 1965, known as the Palace Cinema with 626 seats. It closed on 12th July 1977 and was sold to Rushmoor Council and was leased out, re-opening on 26th December 1977.
By the time of its final closure with the screening of regular films on 30th September 1985, it had been given Grade II Listed status. It remained derelict until Spring 1989 when plans were put forward to spend £1m on a facelift and conversion into a nightclub. This continues today (2005), under the name of Cheeks Nightclub
In the 1940 edition of the Film Daily Yearbook it is listed as the Wisterial Theatre (closed). The 1943 edition of F.D.Y. has it open, same name with 400 seats.
It had been re-named the Sierra Madre Theatre by 1952 and that years edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives a seating capacity of 390.
The 1950 edition of Film Daily Yearbook gives a seating capacity of 749.
Thank you for your considerate thoughts Patrick. I too wish all my fellow Cinema Treasures users here in the UK a safe and valued life today and in the future. I am sure we will get through this.
KenRoe in London. UK
TC; I can’t help much on this one as I don’t have records for the 1920’s NJ theatres. I do have from 1940 through to 1950 listings which only show two theatres in Red Bank: the Carlton (now Count Basie) and the Strand Theatre, Broad Street that had 1,000 seats in 1940 and 821 in 1943 & 1950.
The Emprire Theatre, Red Bank, NJ is listed in the 1914/15 edition of American Motion Picture Directory (no street or full address is given). The Lyric and the Majestic are listed as the other two theatres in town at that time
The Harber Theatre designed by the Boller Brothers in 1951. It could have been a re-model of the Liberty Theater?
It was still operating in 1987 according to the original edition of the book ‘The Movie Lovers Guide to New York’ by Richard Alleman.
Apparently the Ditmas Theatre burnt down in the late 1940’s. Could be that the owners didn’t notify the listers on F.D.Y. straight away.
The Villa Theater opened in 1938 and closed in 1978. It was demolished in 1983.