Palace Theatre
160 W. 47th Street,
New York,
NY
10036
160 W. 47th Street,
New York,
NY
10036
23 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 50 of 295 comments
How was that presentation of Ben Hur? Large screen? Excellent 65mm print? Sound? Was screen slightly tilted up as somebody said it was for Kwai? I’ve only seen musicals at the Palace so though it was a movie theater for decades it’s hard for me to imagine it.
First time was 5th row on the center aisle for Bacall in Applause. More than a year after it opened and she played it like it was opening night. Pure electricity. Years later I was helping her in a store and she was kind of unpleasant so I decided not to tell her how great she was. I thought she would have bitten my head off.
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I had tickets for a matinee of the Ben-Hur rerelease the day after Judy Garland died. when you entered the lobby right before the theater proper they had portraits of all the great stars that had played the Palace. Garland’s had a black wreath around it.
Comment added on photo of roadshow booking of Ben-Hur
Stripping it down and making it a multiplex.
Just kidding, I believe it’s landmarked, so there will be no interior changes.
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as I asked a while back what changes if any are being
made to the auditorium itself?
1953 photo courtesy Library of Congress.
https://www.loc.gov/resource/ihas.200186339.0?st=gallery
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thanks to robboehm for your reply. my astonishment was not so much on the length of TDOAF’S reserved seat rum at the Palace but that in S.F. it wasn’t even a roadshow run at all. it has always fascinated me why a studio would open a film on a roadshow run in one city but not others. I always assumed if a film opened on a roadshow run in Manhattan it did so I every city it opened in.
bigjoe59-NYC has a large Jewish population. That was probably a factor in the level of popularity.
YouTube link with the premiere of “Citizen Kane” in 1941, and a link with one exterior photo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94Yxv_jik_k
https://www.historytoday.com/archive/premiere-citizen-kane
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I find it fascinating how classic Oscar winning films faired in different markets. for example The Diary of Anne Frank played here on a two performance a day reserved seat engagement for was it 6? months. in San Francisco the film’s sole 1st run engagement was a 2 week one at the Fox where it ran on a continuous performance basis.
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what changes if any are they doing to the theater’s
auditorium?
Palace Theater photo added to gallery, circa 1940 NYC Tax Photo.
Blah…!
Dozens of photos and renderings in that link to IMBY but I didn’t see any of the proposed new 47th Street entrance and marquee…
The last remaining movie palace in Times Square should have been left in it’s place. What an insult to New Yorkers! I guess fire escape evacuation is not important anymore. There’s a reason for street level fire escapes. The safety and protection of lives. I hope the owners are below the THEATRE WHEN THEY RAISE IT, SHOULD IT FALL, IT SHOULD FALL ON THEM!
Really TERRIFIC article about the plan and technology being used to raise the Palace. The theatre will also receive a good deal of long overdue maintenance and technology upgrades in the process. Long and comprehensive article, but it contains lots of photos and illustrations. Quite an amazing project!
https://newyorkyimby.com/2015/11/palace-theater-to-be-lifted-29-feet-for-expanded-facilities-and-retail.html
Is there any word or information on how long this theater will be closed to do this really stupid redevelopment. Raising the theater to make retail space underneath is the most stupid idea I ever heard of. I can' only hope the building survives. It is a legend in Times Square.
1982 Getty Image, Palace in the background.
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/men-mack-truck-in-motion-on-construction-lot-site-news-photo/50609936
There were no newspaper movie clocks then and the RKO listings did not have show times, so I can’t tell.
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to Al A. I see what you mean by it being sold as a
light comedy based on the critics quotes you quoted.
another question about 55 Days at Peking. you said based on the screening times given in the ad for its run at the Trans Lux 85 St. that theater probably didn’t use an intermission. now the other day I was listening to the 55 Days….. soundtrack album and it does have a track titled “Intermission”. so did the Palace run it with an intermission?
bigjoe, they used quotes that described the film as “a joyous hit” and “rich in humor”. I am sure the locals knew exactly what that story was about.
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to Al A.. you have been most helpful with replies to my many questions but I simply can not believe TDOAF was sold in Miami as a light comedy. that would have been an insult to any Holocaust survivors living in the Miami area.
In Miami Beach it was sold as light comedy, so go figure!
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recently I watched TDOAF on blu-ray and its a quite well made touching film. i don’t know if its non- success every place except NYC and Miami is a sign of subliminal anti-semitism or people just didn’t want too see such a depressing film no matter how good is was.
Variety stated back then that THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK had bombed everywhere except New York and Miami Beach.