New Yorker Theatre

Belated American premiere of a French and Italian film on the same 1965 program. Rouch and Fellini.

Can anyone tell me if Elmer Gantry (1960) played at the New Yorker—or any other theater in the same Upper West Side neighborhood—in 1960?

In the 80s it played the Rocky Horror Show at midnight on weekends, with a couple of comic shorts as intro. The “Savannah” co-op now stands on the property.

A 1960 revival of “Sunset Boulevard"
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The introductory description is in error, I believe, about the closing date of this theater. I never attended a movie here, but during the period in the early ‘80’s when I would frequently take in screenings all over town I can recall being aware of the New Yorker’s exsitence on Broadway and 88th Street for revival fare. It was a theater I wanted to visit, but never had the opportunity.

Anyone have specific information regarding the approximate date of its closing?

In response to some of the comments above—Lost is quite right. The Ed Sullivan Theater opened as the Hammerstein in 1927 (Cary Grant, when he was still known as Archie Leach, appeared in Golden Dawn, the first show to play there.) However, CBS RADIO started broadcasting from the theater about ten years later after Major Bowe’s switched from NBC to CBS. The CBS Radio Playhouse, or whatever it was called, was converted for televison in 1950 and was called CBS Studio 50. As it happens, The Honeymooners did originate from this facility when it was part of Jackie Gleason’s CBS television program, but the stand-alone half-hour version of The Honeymooners were filmed a few years later at the Adelphia on 54th Street (which became the George Abbott Theatre.) And contrarary to popular opinion, in 1948, when Ed Sullivan’s Toast of the Town first went on the air, it originated from the Maxine Elliott Theater on 39th Street and stayed for a couple of years before moving to Studio 50. I know this is confusing, but I think I have tmy chronology correct. But the question I have is why are these postings on the New Yorker’s page???

This photo of the New Yorker Theater with owner Dan Talbot appeared in The New York Times on April 21, 1972 and is credited to Meyer Liebowitz.
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There are four theaters total in Annie Hall:

Diane Keaton’s first appearance is when Woody is waiting for her outside the Beekman. Ingmar Bergman’s Face to Face is playing. They walk in and because Annie (Diane Keaton) was late, the movie has already been on for two minutes nad Woody “can’t walk in in the middle of the movie.” So they go to the New Yorker to see Sorry and the Pity, which they’ve both already seen. Later Woody is seen leaving the Paris, which is playing Children of Paradise. At the end of the movie, Woody is standing with Sigourney Weaver underneath the Thalia’s marquee which shows Sorrow and the Pity spelled out in plastic letters.

In Manhattan Woody leaves “Cinema Studio” and I haven’t been able to find this theater.

Nope, it was the New Yorker. I used to work there and I used to watch the filming from my 7th floor window across the street!

The Olympia is gone; it was torn down during spring, 2003.

I lived directly across the street from the New Yorker from 1955-1978. I worked at the theatre in the 70’s, as a cashier ( we had one turnstyle with a foot break ) and consession stand. In the theatre we had a big book on a little stand, situated under a small light. In that book one could list suggestions and complaints, etc. One can only wonder if the suggestions and complaints were headed. I do remember very often, folks would state to “FIX THE PROJECTORS!” I was in the projection booth a couple of times. The projectors had bakelite handles. The manager’s office was under the stairs. Lots of famous upper West Siders came in to the theatre. I watched ( from my 7th floor window ) Woody Allen filming Annie Hall. I took a sad photo of an Art Deco candy machine being loaded on the back of a pick up truck.

Walter Reade bought the theatre from Dan Talbot indeed. I met Dan several times. He can still be reached if you look up New Yorker Films on the web. I was a sad day when Walter Reade took over. The West Side ( to me ) was never the same. Too bad so many of the great theatres on the “Subway Circuit” and other theatres like the Metro and New Yorker, Loew’s 83rd, etc. have met their end.

I will forever associate this theatre with the American commercial premiere showing of Luchino Visconti’s masterful 1948 LA TERRA TREMA, not shown in the U.S. until 1965. On October 12th I went to the Vatican Pavilion at World’s Fair in the afternoon, the New Yorker that evening. So I saw Michelangelo’s Pieta' and Visconti’s LA TERRA TREMA for the first time in one day! I was overwhelmed by the film, the magnificent uncut print that was shown. I was a frequent visitor to the New Yorker and had a great deal of respect for Dan Talbot, who ran it. He should be canonized for the work he did with that theatre.

It was in the New Yorker lobby that Woody Allen pulled Marshall McLuhan from behind a billboard in Annie Hall.