The first new motion picture in Times Square, New York City, in more than 30 years is scheduled to open December 12, according to Los Angeles-based National General Theaters, Inc. The $1.5 million, 1445-seat theater is incorporated in a new 34-story office building at 1500 Broadway, on the east side between 43rd and 44th Streets.
The theater and its decor were designed by architect Drew Eberson. The marquee was designed by Ben Mayer Design, Inc, Los Angeles, and built by the Artkraft-Strauss Sign Corp. of New York City. Opening attraction will be the world premiere of 20th Century Fox’s “The Poseidon Adventure”.
“Love Is a Funny Thing”, the new Claude LeLouch motion picture, has been selected to be the premier attraction at the newly constructed Doheny Plaza Theater when it opens in June. The United Artists release stars Jean Paul Belmondo and Annie Girardot. The Doheny Plaza, a 575 seat house, is on Doheny Drive south of Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.
Lippert’s crystal ball, from the LA Times dated 8/25/68:
New Concept Puts Theaters in Shop Marts
The days of the big downtown movie palaces are numbered, believes Robert L. Lippert, operator of 58 theaters from Oregon to the Mexican border. “Young moderns do not want to leave their neighborhoods to see movies now”, he said. “And they especially do not want to send their youngsters to Saturday matinees in congested downtown areas”.
Lippert, who plans to open the 275-seat Showcase Theater next month in Oakland’s suburban Rockridge Shopping Center, said shopping center theaters are a new concept of motion picture presentation. “The theaters are easily accessible by car, with no parking problems, and they are frequented by young people in the community with the same interests”, he said.
The new theater will feature the continental seating style which eliminates center aisles and provides a full view of the screen at all times. Architect was Gale Santocono.
According to the LA Times, Fred Miller began showing “talkie films” in Spanish in August 1930.At that time the theater was called the “California International Theater”.
Whittier to Have Well Equipped Motion Picture Theater
Whittier’s new theater, the Scenic, will open for business next Monday, presenting “The Ladder of Lies”. The Scenic is the venture of three well-known Whittier men, Truman C. Berry, J.H. Gwin and E.C. Siler. These men have for some time been operating the Gale, which will also be continued by them as an evening house. The new house will probably offer daily matinees.
The new theater seats 1500 people and represents an outlay of $150,000. It is located on East Philadelphia Street, a block and a half from the business center of the city.
Work on Quake-Proof Theater Scheduled to Start Next Month
Construction of a quake-proof theater building at a cost of $25,000 will be started here soon after June 1, it was announced today by W.J. Zimmerman, who formerly operated two show houses in this area. The theater will be completed and in operation by September 1, he said, giving Lynwood the first motion-picture house it has had since March 10 of last year, when the earthquake destroyed the Lynwood Theater.
The new structure, to be located at Long Beach Boulevard and Lynwood Road, will be of steel and concrete construction, 50x138 feet in size. It will be erected by the Lynwood Theater Corporation, recently organized. Zimmerman has leased the building and will operate it.
No, the archives won’t allow me to copy the text. There’s also no way to post the actual page. I would have to get a scanner but I’ve never gotten around to that.
The Mexican bar could have been anything. The ballet school might have been a supermarket. Some car dealerships from the 40s were built like that as well, except the front of the building would be glass.
Sorry about that. This was a shoot-and-run type of photo as I wasn’t inclined to stop and walk around. If I’m back there again, I will take a better photo.
The Atlantic was showing adult films in January 1975. Open 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. The LA Times ad shows four theaters, all exhibiting the same film (Pistolero – rated X) but I don’t know if all four were part of the same chain:
Advertised at Pacific & Florence in the LA Times on 1/15/75. Interesting to see a whole ad page of adult theaters – that was already abolished when I started reading the Times in 1984.
Maybe I’m interpreting the Linda Lea bio wrong on the Bronzeville page, but it sounds like it was an African-American theater when it re-opened in 1945.
From the LA Times, dated 11/5/72:
Times Square to Get New Movie House
The first new motion picture in Times Square, New York City, in more than 30 years is scheduled to open December 12, according to Los Angeles-based National General Theaters, Inc. The $1.5 million, 1445-seat theater is incorporated in a new 34-story office building at 1500 Broadway, on the east side between 43rd and 44th Streets.
The theater and its decor were designed by architect Drew Eberson. The marquee was designed by Ben Mayer Design, Inc, Los Angeles, and built by the Artkraft-Strauss Sign Corp. of New York City. Opening attraction will be the world premiere of 20th Century Fox’s “The Poseidon Adventure”.
This is from the LA Times, dated 3/20/70:
“Funny Thing” Will Open Plaza Theater
“Love Is a Funny Thing”, the new Claude LeLouch motion picture, has been selected to be the premier attraction at the newly constructed Doheny Plaza Theater when it opens in June. The United Artists release stars Jean Paul Belmondo and Annie Girardot. The Doheny Plaza, a 575 seat house, is on Doheny Drive south of Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills.
North Jersey, feh. South Jersey rules.
Lippert’s crystal ball, from the LA Times dated 8/25/68:
New Concept Puts Theaters in Shop Marts
The days of the big downtown movie palaces are numbered, believes Robert L. Lippert, operator of 58 theaters from Oregon to the Mexican border. “Young moderns do not want to leave their neighborhoods to see movies now”, he said. “And they especially do not want to send their youngsters to Saturday matinees in congested downtown areas”.
Lippert, who plans to open the 275-seat Showcase Theater next month in Oakland’s suburban Rockridge Shopping Center, said shopping center theaters are a new concept of motion picture presentation. “The theaters are easily accessible by car, with no parking problems, and they are frequented by young people in the community with the same interests”, he said.
The new theater will feature the continental seating style which eliminates center aisles and provides a full view of the screen at all times. Architect was Gale Santocono.
According to the LA Times, Fred Miller began showing “talkie films” in Spanish in August 1930.At that time the theater was called the “California International Theater”.
From the LA Times, 6/26/20:
Whittier to Have Well Equipped Motion Picture Theater
Whittier’s new theater, the Scenic, will open for business next Monday, presenting “The Ladder of Lies”. The Scenic is the venture of three well-known Whittier men, Truman C. Berry, J.H. Gwin and E.C. Siler. These men have for some time been operating the Gale, which will also be continued by them as an evening house. The new house will probably offer daily matinees.
The new theater seats 1500 people and represents an outlay of $150,000. It is located on East Philadelphia Street, a block and a half from the business center of the city.
OK, this is from the LA Times, May 20, 1934:
Lynwood to Get $25,000 Film House
Work on Quake-Proof Theater Scheduled to Start Next Month
Construction of a quake-proof theater building at a cost of $25,000 will be started here soon after June 1, it was announced today by W.J. Zimmerman, who formerly operated two show houses in this area. The theater will be completed and in operation by September 1, he said, giving Lynwood the first motion-picture house it has had since March 10 of last year, when the earthquake destroyed the Lynwood Theater.
The new structure, to be located at Long Beach Boulevard and Lynwood Road, will be of steel and concrete construction, 50x138 feet in size. It will be erected by the Lynwood Theater Corporation, recently organized. Zimmerman has leased the building and will operate it.
If you look at the 4th picture down from the five I posted on 6/16, you can see the Front Door as well.
No, the archives won’t allow me to copy the text. There’s also no way to post the actual page. I would have to get a scanner but I’ve never gotten around to that.
The Mexican bar could have been anything. The ballet school might have been a supermarket. Some car dealerships from the 40s were built like that as well, except the front of the building would be glass.
Sorry about that. This was a shoot-and-run type of photo as I wasn’t inclined to stop and walk around. If I’m back there again, I will take a better photo.
Too much thinking for me this early in the morning, Joe. Maybe later. Here is the LAPL photo from 1933:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics48/00058879.jpg
This sounds like the same group that ran the theaters in Philly when I lived there. Sam Eric and all those. Can anyone confirm?
The Atlantic was showing adult films in January 1975. Open 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. The LA Times ad shows four theaters, all exhibiting the same film (Pistolero – rated X) but I don’t know if all four were part of the same chain:
Atlantic
Buena Vista (Huntington at Buena Vista in Duarte)
Valley (6749 Lankershim in No. Hollywood)
Venus (2226 E. Colorado, Pasadena)
Advertised at Pacific & Florence in the LA Times on 1/15/75. Interesting to see a whole ad page of adult theaters – that was already abolished when I started reading the Times in 1984.
Is the theater clothing-optional?
Advertised as the New Starland in the LA Times on 1/22/36.
Advertised as the Egyptian in the LA Times on 1/22/36.
An usherette remembers:
http://tinyurl.com/yr2vja
It’s just a guess. John Gielgud was her nephew, I think.
Maybe I’m interpreting the Linda Lea bio wrong on the Bronzeville page, but it sounds like it was an African-American theater when it re-opened in 1945.
That solves that. Thanks.
Thanks to Ken Roe for presumably supplying the FDY information.
If you were wondering:
http://tinyurl.com/3b2z4k
Interesting site. There are 30 Buffalo theaters, all told.