Techman, I watched many movies at the Jackson and Colony as well as the three mentioned. If I recall, I saw both Kiss Me, Kate, and Dial M for Murder in 3D at the Jackson. The Colony screened more ‘art’ fare; I know I saw at least one Ingmar Bergman film there (in a mostly empty room). Used to eat lunch next door at the Woolworth’s.
The Earle was the premier “art” movie house in Jackson Heights, always showing the finest independent and foreign movies. Here’s a list of what I remember seeing there: Hiroshima Mon Amour, And God Created Woman, Medium Cool, Alfie. And God .. featured Brigitte Bardot and you had to be at least 16 to see it. I lied about my age and the eager ticket seller let me in. Not a bad movie, actually, very daring for its time. The theater was a beautiful deco piece and very well maintained. That all changed when it turned into a porn venue; it was probably the raunchiest movie house in the neighborhood, the Fair and Polk running close.
As kids, we used to eat in the great Kosher deli next door, then see a movie at the Jackson. Here’s a list of movies I saw there: The Long Gray Line, Kiss Me, Kate (3D), Dial M for Murder (3D), Ben Hur, Vertigo, Porgy and Bess, Ship of Fools, Judgment at Nuremburg, Freud.
I grew up in Jackson Heights in the 1950s and saw a few movies at the Colony, including High Noon, Disney’s The Living Desert, and at least one of Ingmar Bergman’s films. The Colony was one of two “art houses” in the neighborhood, the other being the Earle on 74th Street.
went to the Polk many times as a kid. They had a good Saturday kid’s matinee, as did the Boulevard and Fair. I think the last time I went to the Polk, it had already been converted into a porn house, the third theater in Jackson Heights so transformed (along with the Earle and Fair). On the next block, also on 37th Avenue, was the fabulous Dragon Seed Restaurant, which had one of the first stereophonic music systems in the city. On Mondays, when the restaurant was closed, the owner opened it to neighborhood audiophiles. Great neighborhood!
I think the Pike may have been the little theater next to (and connected to) the Capri. I was there on the day workers ripped off the old silver screen. The buildings are still intact and have been remodeled into an art gallery.
There are likely thousands of photo links on this site that no longer work. Has anyone found a solution? Can’t photos be uploaded to this site and stored here?
Does anyone remember seeing Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder at the Jackson in the 1950s? If so, was it screened in 2D or 3D? I seem to recall it being shown in 3D ..
It’s not a great theater, but it’s very nice and hasn’t been overrestored, so you still feel like you’re in an old theater. The current projection/sound system is first rate; it’s a pleasure to see movies there.
That’s interesting, because I contacted Friends of the Loew’s last week to ask whether the original plaque was still in place! Haven’t yet heard from them …
I should mention that there is no signature or other identification of the artist of the bust.
Thanks to Warren Harris for the 1929 article from the New York Times.
At the time of Loew’s death in 1927, 144 theaters had been completed and 24 more were in construction. It is likely (though unconfirmed) that each of those 168 theaters had a memorial plaque installed in 1929. I wonder how many of the original plaques are still in place …
Unfortunately, this is how the theater looked BEFORE the addition of the marquee. It’s a beautiful building and the entry was quite elegant. That’s now gone.
Techman, I watched many movies at the Jackson and Colony as well as the three mentioned. If I recall, I saw both Kiss Me, Kate, and Dial M for Murder in 3D at the Jackson. The Colony screened more ‘art’ fare; I know I saw at least one Ingmar Bergman film there (in a mostly empty room). Used to eat lunch next door at the Woolworth’s.
The Earle was the premier “art” movie house in Jackson Heights, always showing the finest independent and foreign movies. Here’s a list of what I remember seeing there: Hiroshima Mon Amour, And God Created Woman, Medium Cool, Alfie. And God .. featured Brigitte Bardot and you had to be at least 16 to see it. I lied about my age and the eager ticket seller let me in. Not a bad movie, actually, very daring for its time. The theater was a beautiful deco piece and very well maintained. That all changed when it turned into a porn venue; it was probably the raunchiest movie house in the neighborhood, the Fair and Polk running close.
As kids, we used to eat in the great Kosher deli next door, then see a movie at the Jackson. Here’s a list of movies I saw there: The Long Gray Line, Kiss Me, Kate (3D), Dial M for Murder (3D), Ben Hur, Vertigo, Porgy and Bess, Ship of Fools, Judgment at Nuremburg, Freud.
I grew up in Jackson Heights in the 1950s and saw a few movies at the Colony, including High Noon, Disney’s The Living Desert, and at least one of Ingmar Bergman’s films. The Colony was one of two “art houses” in the neighborhood, the other being the Earle on 74th Street.
went to the Polk many times as a kid. They had a good Saturday kid’s matinee, as did the Boulevard and Fair. I think the last time I went to the Polk, it had already been converted into a porn house, the third theater in Jackson Heights so transformed (along with the Earle and Fair). On the next block, also on 37th Avenue, was the fabulous Dragon Seed Restaurant, which had one of the first stereophonic music systems in the city. On Mondays, when the restaurant was closed, the owner opened it to neighborhood audiophiles. Great neighborhood!
The PBS American Masters documentary on Elia Kazan (mentioned above) was shown again tonight. There was a nice exterior view of the Commodore marquee.
Here’s a link to a remembrance and photo of Loew’s State Memphis: http://www.memphistechhigh.com/memphis/memories/state.html
Here’s a remembrance and photo of Loew’s Palace in Memphis: http://www.memphistechhigh.com/memphis/memories/palace.html
The Theatre Historical Society in Elmhurst, IL, already has one of these.
I think the Pike may have been the little theater next to (and connected to) the Capri. I was there on the day workers ripped off the old silver screen. The buildings are still intact and have been remodeled into an art gallery.
The 1959 photo has been moved to the following website:
http://yfrog.com/h80mohj
There are likely thousands of photo links on this site that no longer work. Has anyone found a solution? Can’t photos be uploaded to this site and stored here?
Here’s a photo of the Loew’s Bay Ridge c.1959
http://twitpic.com/3gz4o4
Does anyone remember seeing Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder at the Jackson in the 1950s? If so, was it screened in 2D or 3D? I seem to recall it being shown in 3D ..
There was a nice video of the marquee of the Bama in the Joan Baez documentary that aired last night on PBS.
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There are great Technicolor views of the Chicago in these 1948 short documentaries:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaMGqzkNwLY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pi9VrrVLMn0
It’s not a great theater, but it’s very nice and hasn’t been overrestored, so you still feel like you’re in an old theater. The current projection/sound system is first rate; it’s a pleasure to see movies there.
That’s a big piece of paper .. a stack of movie posters, perhaps?
That’s interesting, because I contacted Friends of the Loew’s last week to ask whether the original plaque was still in place! Haven’t yet heard from them …
I should mention that there is no signature or other identification of the artist of the bust.
Thanks to Warren Harris for the 1929 article from the New York Times.
At the time of Loew’s death in 1927, 144 theaters had been completed and 24 more were in construction. It is likely (though unconfirmed) that each of those 168 theaters had a memorial plaque installed in 1929. I wonder how many of the original plaques are still in place …
I’ve now listed this on eBay
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Unfortunately, this is how the theater looked BEFORE the addition of the marquee. It’s a beautiful building and the entry was quite elegant. That’s now gone.