Opened as the Ware Theatre on 8th December 1920, the original seating capacity was for 1,200. From the 1930’s until 1976 it was part of the E.M. Loew Circuit and was re-named Cabot Theatre sometime after 1950.
A couple of years ago I went into the bank (former lobby of the Commodore Theatre) and they had a small history display on the theatre.
I am lucky to have a set of audio cassette tapes that were recorded on the last night of the Saint Disco. The Saint was famous even here in London,UK as one of the worlds best disco’s. Sadly, I never went into the building on my visits to New York.
Daisygirl;
The question has already been answered fully in the above posts. It was filmed at the Eros Cinema, Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly Circus, London (Exteriors only, the interior sequences were filmed in a studio mock-up). “Witness” was released in 1985, the year that the Eros closed and the Eros Cinema had been screening soft core porn movies for many years. It never had played mainstream movies in its entire life as it was originally a Newsreel cinema, followed by a cartoon and shorts cinema and then porn. If memory serves me right “Witness” had its West End premier run at the Empire Theatre, Leicester Square.
Shrewsbury is a town 180 miles from London and the only Odeon Cinema on Shaftesbury Avenue in London is what is now called the Odeon Covent Garden, formally the Saville Theatre/ABC/Cannon Cinema.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook’s,1941 and 1943 as having a seating capacity of 800. Operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary M.A. Lightman.
Sorry Ron, non of the Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have give an actual street address for the Morton, Dorchester,MA. Maybe John Toto who posted the theatre could enlighten you with the exact location?
This was originally known as the Moore Theatre, listed in the Film Daily Yearbook,1941 with a seating capacity of 1,200. In the 1943 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as closed. It became a legitimate playhouse for many years until 1976 when work began to re-model it into an art house cinema with an Egyptian theme.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks as being in Dorchester,MA. It opened in 1926 with 1,960 seats and by 1943 was listed as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc, under their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski.
The Granada Theatre opened in 1929 and had a seating capacity of 2,239. It first closed in 1976 as a single screen cinema and was put up for sale. Obviously the new owners converted it into a triplex.
Opened in 1929 with a seating capacity of 2,000. It was still operating in 1976 and is listed as having played Italian shows on Sundays only since 1966. There were plans to re-install the cloud, star and traveling moon effects machine back into the theatre in the mid-1970’s.
The Reo Theatre is listed in the 1941 Film Daily Yearbook (address given as Pitkin & Stone). Later F.D.Y.’s give the correct address as listed here. Seating capacities vary from 516 to 596.
The Beacon Theatre opened on 15th October 1927 with the First National Picture;“Life of Riley” starring Charles Murray plus a Vaudeville show. It was equipped with an Austin 3Manual/11Rank theatre organ and had 1,613 seats.
In early 1975 the Glenn Miller Orchestra gave a concert at the Beacon Theatre, Port Washington and over 1,000 attended. It is noted at the time, that the Austin organ had been partially restored and was being used for public performances.
Evidently this was soon to change when the theatre was split into several screens.
The Riviera Theatre was torn down in 1975, the reason given was the lack of $40,000 needed for repairs to the roof. In the Film Daily Yearbook,1941 it was listed as having a seating capacity of 950.
There is a photo of the lobby of the Albee-Boston Theatre in the THSA Marquee magazine Vol 7 #3. Taken in 1944-45 it has adverts for the RKO picture “Zombies on Broadway” with Cab Calloway and his band appearing on stage. The architect is given as Thomas Lamb.
The theatre on the photo with palm trees and Alan Freed on the marquee lettering is actually the Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles.
Thanks for that info Richard, and TJ too. My e-mail address is on my profile here to send your pictures. Looking forward…..
Opened as the Ware Theatre on 8th December 1920, the original seating capacity was for 1,200. From the 1930’s until 1976 it was part of the E.M. Loew Circuit and was re-named Cabot Theatre sometime after 1950.
The RKO Keith’s Theatre closed in around 1966.
I have notes that the RKO Proctors closed in 1968 and ran as a bingo hall into at least the mid 1970’s.
The Yonkers Theatre was demolished in 1975.
A couple of years ago I went into the bank (former lobby of the Commodore Theatre) and they had a small history display on the theatre.
I am lucky to have a set of audio cassette tapes that were recorded on the last night of the Saint Disco. The Saint was famous even here in London,UK as one of the worlds best disco’s. Sadly, I never went into the building on my visits to New York.
Daisygirl;
The question has already been answered fully in the above posts. It was filmed at the Eros Cinema, Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly Circus, London (Exteriors only, the interior sequences were filmed in a studio mock-up). “Witness” was released in 1985, the year that the Eros closed and the Eros Cinema had been screening soft core porn movies for many years. It never had played mainstream movies in its entire life as it was originally a Newsreel cinema, followed by a cartoon and shorts cinema and then porn. If memory serves me right “Witness” had its West End premier run at the Empire Theatre, Leicester Square.
Shrewsbury is a town 180 miles from London and the only Odeon Cinema on Shaftesbury Avenue in London is what is now called the Odeon Covent Garden, formally the Saville Theatre/ABC/Cannon Cinema.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook’s,1941 and 1943 as having a seating capacity of 800. Operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary M.A. Lightman.
The La Porte Theatre was demolished in early 1978.
Sorry Ron, non of the Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have give an actual street address for the Morton, Dorchester,MA. Maybe John Toto who posted the theatre could enlighten you with the exact location?
The Regent was still being listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s, 1941 and 1943 as ‘closed’. The seating capacity given is for 500.
The Film Daily Yearbook.1950 gives the address of the Loew’s Aldine as 808 Market Street, the Grand Opera House is listed as at 818 Market Street.
The Aldine is listed in the 1941 edition of F.D.Y as having 1,819 seats.
This was originally known as the Moore Theatre, listed in the Film Daily Yearbook,1941 with a seating capacity of 1,200. In the 1943 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as closed. It became a legitimate playhouse for many years until 1976 when work began to re-model it into an art house cinema with an Egyptian theme.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks as being in Dorchester,MA. It opened in 1926 with 1,960 seats and by 1943 was listed as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc, under their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski.
It closed in 1966 and was demolished in 1976.
The Granada Theatre opened in 1929 and had a seating capacity of 2,239. It first closed in 1976 as a single screen cinema and was put up for sale. Obviously the new owners converted it into a triplex.
Opened in 1929 with a seating capacity of 2,000. It was still operating in 1976 and is listed as having played Italian shows on Sundays only since 1966. There were plans to re-install the cloud, star and traveling moon effects machine back into the theatre in the mid-1970’s.
Opened as the Capitol Theatre in August 1928.
The Film Daily Yearbook,1930 edition gives a seating capacity of 1,612.
The Reo Theatre is listed in the 1941 Film Daily Yearbook (address given as Pitkin & Stone). Later F.D.Y.’s give the correct address as listed here. Seating capacities vary from 516 to 596.
It is not listed in the 1957 edition of F.D.Y.
Film Daily Yearbook’s (1940-1950 editions) give a seating capacity of 1,015 for the Suburban Theatre.
The Beacon Theatre opened on 15th October 1927 with the First National Picture;“Life of Riley” starring Charles Murray plus a Vaudeville show. It was equipped with an Austin 3Manual/11Rank theatre organ and had 1,613 seats.
In early 1975 the Glenn Miller Orchestra gave a concert at the Beacon Theatre, Port Washington and over 1,000 attended. It is noted at the time, that the Austin organ had been partially restored and was being used for public performances.
Evidently this was soon to change when the theatre was split into several screens.
The Riviera Theatre was torn down in 1975, the reason given was the lack of $40,000 needed for repairs to the roof. In the Film Daily Yearbook,1941 it was listed as having a seating capacity of 950.
There is a photo of the lobby of the Albee-Boston Theatre in the THSA Marquee magazine Vol 7 #3. Taken in 1944-45 it has adverts for the RKO picture “Zombies on Broadway” with Cab Calloway and his band appearing on stage. The architect is given as Thomas Lamb.
The Film Daily Yearbook,1941 and 1943 editions give the seating capacity as 1,946. In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. seating is given as 1,905.