The Van Buren Theater is a low rise single storey structure which barely rises to the height of the El train tracks. It is located on the corner of Broadway and Van Buren Street (actual given address in F.D.Yearbooks is 1216 Broadway). It is also listed at this address and operating as a movie theatre in the 1914/15 edition of American Motion Picture Directory.
For many years it was in use as a bedding/mattress warehouse and I managed to gain entry and take a look around the building a couple of years ago. There was still quite a lot of architectural decoration to be seen and traces of the proscenium opening were visible between piles of matresses.
It was currently empty when I viewed it a few weeks ago in June 2005. There is a ‘To Lease’ sign on the building for future use as storage.
I have no records of an Idle Hour Theatre in Detroit. There is no theatre by this name in any Film Daily Yearbooks that I have (between 1941 and 1950), nor is there a theatre by this name in the Stuart Galbraith IV book “Motor City Marquees”.
I do however see there was the Atlas Theatre, 15832 Plymouth Road, Detroit, which maps out 3 blocks west of Greenfield Avenue. The Atlas Theatre, opened in 1939 and has its own page listing on Cinema Treasures.
The theatre looks the same today, minus signage and a blank marquee. Also, it looks like the exterior has been re-painted recently.
I was passing by with a group of other cinema enthusiasts the other week and taking exterior photo’s when a side door opened and the care-taker came out and invited us inside. Very nice lobby and auditorium and the original proscenium arch and painted mural on the ceiling are still intact.
The Acme Theater was advertised in its later years as the only ‘American-Soviet Kino’, playing Russian movies. The address was 50 East 14th Street and the Film Daily Yearbook for 1926 give a seating capacity of 600. In the 1930 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as having 597 seats.
The Mount Eden Theater is mentioned as being ‘planned or under construction’ in the 1927 edition of Film Daily Yearbook (published in 1926), so a December 1926 opening is feasible. It was a project of Milnat Realty Corp. and had a planned seating capacity of 1,700. Later editions of F.D.Y. give a seating capacity of 1,745.
The exterior of the theatre looks great. All terra-cotta stonework cleaned, even the brickwork on that massive rear wall has been steam cleaned and years of graffitti removed (although already some has re-appeared on the lower sections). The signage with the Paradise name is all freshly painted. It looks almost ready to open. There are still workmen doing repairs in the front lobby and main entrance to the theatre.
I can’t wait to see a show there when I return to NYC.
Thanks TC;
Time is running out on me for this current trip to NYC (I leave for LA on Monday) but thanks for the offer of a ride around and directions to some NJ theatres. Hopefully we can do this together next time I am over next year?
I have done the Stanley, New Jersey tour a couple of times. It is wonderful. I also went to see the movies at the Leow’s, New Jersey last week, plus touring the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan theatres. Still many more to go. Too little time, too many theatres!
Let me know if you ever come over to London…that goes for any other Cinema Treasures posters on here!
Now called the Playhouse Theatre. When I passed by the other day it was closed (nothing being staged) and the building is up for sale. It seems like it is a multiple use building with the Cafe Wha? restaurant in the basement, a theatre at first floor level and a reheasal space above
lostmemory;
I have just returned from taking a look at the Peerless Theatre. To my trained eyes, it is definitely the original building still there, currently in use as a church. The facade matches with others in the block along Myrtle Avenue and the rear of the auditorium (screen end) viewed from Waverly Avenue is certainly the original theatre auditorium. I took photos of both the entrance facade and auditorium exterior.
The Peerless Theatre opened pre-1920 and closed in 1961.
Well, I finally got to Passaic today, hoping to take in a movie at the Montauk Theatre, but found it to be ‘closed for renovation’. This must be quite a recent closure as there was no rubbish such as cigarette ends etc behind the roller shutter on the main entrance (which has a bus stop right outside), and the front glass doors were still freshly clean. Letters were still on the marquee proclaiming ‘New Policy. Top Films Mon & Thurs. Doors open 12.
At least I got to see the exterior of this ‘Cinema Treasure’ and just wish I had been in the USA a few weeks earlier so that I could have got inside.
If anyone is local to Passaic/NJ or NYC on Cinema Treasures, can you keep an eye on this one for us please.
Movies return to the former Warner Theatre next Wednesday 15th June 2005 for one night only when the Rita Hayworth movie “Cover Girl” is being screened as part of the LA Conservancy ‘Best Remaining Seats’ series of films ‘Classic films in Classic Theatres’.
The screening will be held in the former orchestra level of the theatre (1,100 seats). The balcony was split into 2 screens and access to the public cannot be given to this area of the theatre. I believe all tickets are sold out.
I stopped by today and took several exterior photos. The facade has been ‘modernised’ by having steel skin attached to it. The marquee now gives a re-opening date of 17th June 2005.
bway;
The theatre you mention above with photo’s, located at 882 DeKalib Avenue is the Palace Theatre which opened in 1913. By 1917 it was known as the Empire Theatre operated by C&S Amusement Company. It had disappeared from listings by 1926.
I will give it its own listing by adding it as a new theatre to the site.
The Van Buren Theater is a low rise single storey structure which barely rises to the height of the El train tracks. It is located on the corner of Broadway and Van Buren Street (actual given address in F.D.Yearbooks is 1216 Broadway). It is also listed at this address and operating as a movie theatre in the 1914/15 edition of American Motion Picture Directory.
For many years it was in use as a bedding/mattress warehouse and I managed to gain entry and take a look around the building a couple of years ago. There was still quite a lot of architectural decoration to be seen and traces of the proscenium opening were visible between piles of matresses.
It was currently empty when I viewed it a few weeks ago in June 2005. There is a ‘To Lease’ sign on the building for future use as storage.
I have no records of an Idle Hour Theatre in Detroit. There is no theatre by this name in any Film Daily Yearbooks that I have (between 1941 and 1950), nor is there a theatre by this name in the Stuart Galbraith IV book “Motor City Marquees”.
I do however see there was the Atlas Theatre, 15832 Plymouth Road, Detroit, which maps out 3 blocks west of Greenfield Avenue. The Atlas Theatre, opened in 1939 and has its own page listing on Cinema Treasures.
The theatre looks the same today, minus signage and a blank marquee. Also, it looks like the exterior has been re-painted recently.
I was passing by with a group of other cinema enthusiasts the other week and taking exterior photo’s when a side door opened and the care-taker came out and invited us inside. Very nice lobby and auditorium and the original proscenium arch and painted mural on the ceiling are still intact.
The Granada Theatre opened in 1927.
Richard;
Which one of the three architects listed on the link you gave, is responsible for the Capitol Theatre?
The church moved out of this theatre around 6 months ago and the building is currently closed/unused.
The Acme Theater was advertised in its later years as the only ‘American-Soviet Kino’, playing Russian movies. The address was 50 East 14th Street and the Film Daily Yearbook for 1926 give a seating capacity of 600. In the 1930 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as having 597 seats.
The Mount Eden Theater is mentioned as being ‘planned or under construction’ in the 1927 edition of Film Daily Yearbook (published in 1926), so a December 1926 opening is feasible. It was a project of Milnat Realty Corp. and had a planned seating capacity of 1,700. Later editions of F.D.Y. give a seating capacity of 1,745.
Listed in the 1941 edition of Film Daily Yearbook as the Robert Treat Theatre with a seating capacity given as 600.
I was outside this theatre a few weeks ago and the name on the building is; Brooklyn Heights Cinemas I & II
Stripped out=All vestiges of the theatre interior have been removed.
I have found the opening year of the Peerless Theater was 1914.
The exterior of the theatre looks great. All terra-cotta stonework cleaned, even the brickwork on that massive rear wall has been steam cleaned and years of graffitti removed (although already some has re-appeared on the lower sections). The signage with the Paradise name is all freshly painted. It looks almost ready to open. There are still workmen doing repairs in the front lobby and main entrance to the theatre.
I can’t wait to see a show there when I return to NYC.
Thanks TC;
Time is running out on me for this current trip to NYC (I leave for LA on Monday) but thanks for the offer of a ride around and directions to some NJ theatres. Hopefully we can do this together next time I am over next year?
I have done the Stanley, New Jersey tour a couple of times. It is wonderful. I also went to see the movies at the Leow’s, New Jersey last week, plus touring the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan theatres. Still many more to go. Too little time, too many theatres!
Let me know if you ever come over to London…that goes for any other Cinema Treasures posters on here!
Now called the Playhouse Theatre. When I passed by the other day it was closed (nothing being staged) and the building is up for sale. It seems like it is a multiple use building with the Cafe Wha? restaurant in the basement, a theatre at first floor level and a reheasal space above
lostmemory;
I have just returned from taking a look at the Peerless Theatre. To my trained eyes, it is definitely the original building still there, currently in use as a church. The facade matches with others in the block along Myrtle Avenue and the rear of the auditorium (screen end) viewed from Waverly Avenue is certainly the original theatre auditorium. I took photos of both the entrance facade and auditorium exterior.
The Peerless Theatre opened pre-1920 and closed in 1961.
The Tuxedo Theater is still in use today as a post office.
The Oxford Theatre is currently used as a school; PS 315. The address on the building is 2246 Jerome Ave, Bronx, NY.
The site of this theatre is now an empty lot.
Well, I finally got to Passaic today, hoping to take in a movie at the Montauk Theatre, but found it to be ‘closed for renovation’. This must be quite a recent closure as there was no rubbish such as cigarette ends etc behind the roller shutter on the main entrance (which has a bus stop right outside), and the front glass doors were still freshly clean. Letters were still on the marquee proclaiming ‘New Policy. Top Films Mon & Thurs. Doors open 12.
At least I got to see the exterior of this ‘Cinema Treasure’ and just wish I had been in the USA a few weeks earlier so that I could have got inside.
If anyone is local to Passaic/NJ or NYC on Cinema Treasures, can you keep an eye on this one for us please.
Movies return to the former Warner Theatre next Wednesday 15th June 2005 for one night only when the Rita Hayworth movie “Cover Girl” is being screened as part of the LA Conservancy ‘Best Remaining Seats’ series of films ‘Classic films in Classic Theatres’.
The screening will be held in the former orchestra level of the theatre (1,100 seats). The balcony was split into 2 screens and access to the public cannot be given to this area of the theatre. I believe all tickets are sold out.
bt91975;
The Fox(former Iris) still sits vacant and boarded up. It is the Ritz further along the boulevard that is now in use as a Latino church.
I’m going there today and will report back.
I stopped by today and took several exterior photos. The facade has been ‘modernised’ by having steel skin attached to it. The marquee now gives a re-opening date of 17th June 2005.
bway;
The theatre you mention above with photo’s, located at 882 DeKalib Avenue is the Palace Theatre which opened in 1913. By 1917 it was known as the Empire Theatre operated by C&S Amusement Company. It had disappeared from listings by 1926.
I will give it its own listing by adding it as a new theatre to the site.