Beacon Theatre
2124 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10023
2124 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10023
24 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 159 comments
Another classic shot
View link
Here is a 1967 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/dfoygg
if
I ever recover from this cursed stroke,i’m gonna talk with Mr. Dolan about other theatres of interest for sure.
I too was disappointed that there wasn’t more emphasis on the “history” of the theater and I also turned it off about half way through because I got tired of all the old people saying the same thing over and over. I taped it so I will see the rest of it, but I’m sure it won’t get better.
I understand that this is produced by MSG and that they probably had a very small budget, but I still think it should have had more history and less yapping.
That said, it appears that MSG has done an exemplary job at the Beacon and I tip my hat to James Dolan and his staff. Personally, I think the Dolans have practically driven Cablevision , the Knicks, the Rangers, and the Garden into the ground, but the one business line where I feel they have done a great job is at Radio City and The Beacon. Now, if we could only get Jimmy Dolan to visit the Loew’s Kings in Brooklyn!
i turned off the TV half way through the show – i was looking for more detail on the forenics and research of the restoration. I always loved the accoustics at the beacon …to each their own.
And by the way, it never had good acoustics, contrary to what was said. They even admitted as much when showing how they’ve now put speakers practically everywhere to shore up the acoustical shortcomings. It was always distorted on the low end to my ears. But it looks like the modern technology will help.
Bravo, Al, for your observations about the short-sightedness and lack of research and information in faux documentaries. I’ve seen few “documentaries” in theaters in the past 20 years that weren’t simply love letters to their subjects.
I waited with much anticipation for the MSG show. But, as is typical with MSG “docs”, it was mostly talking heads. And the era covered was mostly the last 15 years. Not only was there barely a mention of the entire history, they barely even touched on any of the rock shows presented there in the 70’s. Hello, the Beacon didn’t open in 1989, but that was about as much history covered. The writers of this show would have done well to read every single post above, and then present a more balanced approach to the entire history of the building. The same rock stars saying the same things over and over was pretty much what you got. But it certainly doesn’t hurt to promote the beautiful restoration going forward. Looks like they did a fantastic job on the renewel. I want to go to a show now just to see what they did in person.
Tonight, Thursday at 10pm on MSG Network, there is a 1 hour special on the restoration of this beauty. Should make for interesting viewing. I’ll be watching.
FYI. Van Morrison had just complete two sold out shows at the Wamu Theater a few day before. This was just a continuation of that engagement.
Renewing link.
Article in today’s NYTimes Arts section on the Allman Brothers annual residency at the newly refurbished Beacon. It marks their 40th year together and the 20th playing at the Beacon. View link
Beacon seating – LuisV is correct, the beacon does have 2,829 seats. The incorrect 2,600 number came from previous mgnt (not cablevision).
I agree that the exterior is not worthy, but i believe that the interior is; especially when combined with the history of move premieres held here over the years and its status as the lone theater continuing to show movies. As I understand it, the theater is under long term lease to Clearview and is owned by the billionaire owner of the Alliance/Bernstein tower next door. I wouldn’t be surprised if he would go along with a landmarking.
Sorry, to other readers….I realize this is the Beacon’s page and not The Ziegfeld.
Not going to happen.
Ziegfeld exterior is plain.
Landmarking the interior won’t ensure movies being shown- they could change it to restaurant, retail, etc.
If the owner wanted to donate it to a nonprofit foundation….then the economics of continued movie use might be better over time.
Agreed!!!!!!!
p.s. Howard, how do you feel about a potential landmarking of the Ziegfeld as a premier example of a palace of its time in addition to its long history of movie premieres in New York?
Yes, yes, I am thrilled with the Ziegfeld’s beauty each time I enter to see a movie and very happy to have the experience. I just don’t say “Oh my!” there as much as I do when I visit the Loew’s Jersey in Jersey City.
Thanks Howard, I very much value your opinion and I would totally agree that theaters with architecture such as The Hollywood, Roxy, New Amsterdam, Beacon, and all of the Loew’s wonder theaters were more beautiful and opulent than The Ziegfeld. However, the Ziegfeld’s interior, in my opinion, is beautiful in its own right. I don’t compare it to the other styles that preceeded it. I feel the same way about Radio City. No one can say that Radio City isn’t one of the most beautiful and spectacular theaters ever built, but I would be hard pressed to compare it to The Roxy for example. I just find them so different. We don’t need to pick one over the other. We can apprecate them as the best of their type.
LuisV, with respect, I disagree. Pre-WW2 movie palaces had different styles, ranging from neoclassic styles to atmospheric or exotic, to Art Deco. The New Amsterdam was built before the movie palace era, as Art Nouveau. The current Ziegfeld Theatre’s interior (the exterior being plain) clearly a neoclassic style. And, JodarMovieFan is right on the button- the Ziegfeld isn’t nearly as grand, as ornate, as palatial, as the Beacon. The Ziegfeld does have its own important history of film presentation and premieres, but judging from the photos, the Beacon has way more awesome architecture. Lamb’s Hollywood Theatre (which I have visited) is also more awesome.
JodarMovieFan….The interior of the Beacon is indeed beautiful, but I don’t think you can compare The Beacon and palaces like The New Amsterdam and Loew’s Wonder Theaters to modern palaces like The Ziegfeld and even the Art Deco splendor of palaces like Radio City and The Center. They are totally different styles that should stand on their own as magnificent examples of their genre.
Wow, what a gorgeous interior. I take it this theater won’t show movies, again? What a shame, it looks a helluva lot better inside than the Ziegfeld.
BTW, the 360 view works great fullscreen on my Mac. You should have the latest flash install for your platform.
Hey Lost have you ever been in the Beacon? How about the Kingsway Cinema in brooklyn?
Maybe it’s your video/graphics card. Who knows.
I’m on a PC. I’ll just have to try a library computer, or a friend’s, and see what happens.
Ziggy are you on a Real PC or a Mac? Somethings like this panorama will work on a PC but not always work on a mac.