Nova Theatre

The Bunny is discussed in this April 2003 article:
http://tinyurl.com/583cf7

NOVA movie list from 2002

1/18/02- Snow Dogs
1/25/02- Kung Pow: Enter the Fist
2/8/02- Collateral Damage
2/8/02- Rollerball
2/15/02- John Q
2/15/02- Return to Never Land
2/22/02- Queen of the Damned
3/1/02- We Were Soldiers
3/8/02- All About the Benjamins
3/15/02- Ice Age
3/15/02- Resident Evil
3/15/02- Showtime
3/22/02- Blade II
3/29/02- Clockstoppers
4/12/02- Changing Lanes
4/12/02- Frality
4/19/02- The Scorpion King
4/26/02- Jason X
5/3/02- Spider-Man
5/24/02- Spirit: Stallion of the Cimmaron
5/31/02- The Sum of All Fears
5/31/02- Undercover Brother
6/7/02- Bad Company
6/14/02- Scooby-Doo
6/14/02- Windtalkers
6/21/02- Juwanna Mann
6/21/02- Lilo & Stitch
6/28/02- Hey Arnold The Movie
7/3/02- Like Mike
7/12/02- Halloween: Resurrection
7/12/02- Reign of Fire
7/17/02- Eight Legged Freaks
7/26/02- Austin Powers in Goldmember
8/2/02- Martin Lawrence Live Runteldat
8/7/02- Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams
8/9/02- XXX
8/23/02- Undisputed
8/30/02- FearDotCom

I’m so sad that the NOVA is gone.

I hope you’ll like my list.

Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/2zd74t

Wow, what an influz of new information! Good job guys. I thought things had dried up around here……….

Interesting story on the “Tapia” name, and how the Nova inherited it’s marquee. As far as the neighborhood itself, the theater was and is located on Hamilton Heights, which at the start of the 20th Century was apparently occupied by Whites until they began leaving in the ‘30’s and '40’s as African-Americans began moving West into Harlem. Beginning in the '50’s Hispanics and Latin Americans gradually began moving into the area until it became a predominently Hispanic area by the '80’s (which is when Jesus Nova took over the Tapia). I dunno exactly about the history of the demographics in this neighborhood, but I’m guessing that’s about right.

Also interesting is how the Bunny incarnation of the theatre had a rooftop theater during warmer weather. Very novel idea. Don’t know if it survived into it’s later incarnations, I doubt it did.

There was a theater on Fort Washington Avenue, right at the begining of the Avenue. It was practically right behind the Rio. It is still there as a church. I have forgotten the name. Do you remember?

Thanks,

Movieplace

My previous post appears to be missing, but anyway, the Tapia name I was enquiring about appears in ads in the early seventies.

Alvarez, I wrote to you a couple days back. Hope you got it.

Wow, I’d really like to see a scan of that photo if you guys get your hands on the book.

Looking at the photo of the Nova at the top of the page, I also wonder if that was the facade’s original paint scheme. I bet it was (considering the New Coliseum has never been painted) and the new proprietors painting the facade entirely tan only added insult to injury.

Ace: I can’t recall for certain, and I don’t have access to my books right now so I can’t check, but I think there was a period photo of Manhattan’s Bunny Theatre in David Naylor’s “American Picture Palaces.” Maybe somebody reading this who has the book at hand can check it and respond. I do know I’ve seen a photo of this theatre in one book or another, and Naylor’s book is the most likely.

Ace, I can confirm that it was still operating as the Bunny (and Bunny Roof) well into the thirties. By the late forties and early fifties it was known as the Dorset.

The sixties and seventies remain a mystery to me but by 1981 it was already the Nova and it became a twin around 1989-1990.

I’d been hoping to hear from someone who had ties in one way or another to the Nova. (See my post from this past September 2nd.) Even though I never saw a film at the Nova, I was saddened when it closed – to think a movie theatre could last 89 years and then, in a matter of months, just disappear into the streetscape and become just another 99-cent store… what a shame. When did your father work there, Lissy? Are there any memories he’d be willing to share?

Thanks for answering my questions; I’d long wondered about those booking and advertising policies and it’s great to finally have some clearance. Again, thank you…

An agreement is made with all studios for first run and second run along with the contracts you get when you first open. I operate several theaters one is a twin and we have “Racing Stripes”. Warner states that when we got the picture when hade to keep it four weeks. We got the movie January 14th on the National
Release date. We could not split the movie for the first three weeks. This Friday it will show with a split with “National Treasure” which we are bringing back for one showing nightly. ”Racing Stripes “ will still show twice on weekdays and three times this weekend.