Very interesting, Vinnie. Please do share more memories of the Plaza.
By the way, Preminger’s response to which picture was his favorite or made him proudest, etc., was always, “My latest one.” When you’ve made “Laura,” “The Man With the Giolden Arm,” “Anatomy of a Murder” and “In Harm’s Way,” among others, you can’t pass off “Hurry Sundown” or “Skidoo” or “The Human Factor” as the answer to that question.
Truly it’s absurd to plant big trees on certain urban business streets. It’s no service to anyone. Even the trees don’t look right when they’re brushing up against marquees and blocking windows. Common sense be damned.
Not sure if it’s just me, but I haven’t been able to open that file last night or throughout this morning, Yorkville. Would really like to see the photo.
In conjunction with efforts to raise money to renovate and resurrect the Denis, three movies are being shown this summer outdoors at the nearby Parse Way (covered) Pavilion on Washington Road.
“Bringing Up Baby” will run at 9 p.m. June 27, the locally made “The Bread, My Sweet” at 9 p.m. July 25 and “Mad Hot Ballroom” at 9 p.m. Aug. 29.
Very good news. The theater appeared to be in fine condition when I attended during its earlier resurrection. It’s just so difficult to compete for today’s audience with first-run multiplexes. Young moviegoers especially no longer relate to the concept of waiting to see a film at a lower price. It’s all about oopening days and opening weekends no matter what the cost.
The Enright was closed from mid-June 1953 (“Desert Legion” & “Off Limits”) through Christmas 1953 (“Mogambo” & “Blowing Wild”).
It closed again after the mid-May 1957 double bill of “Battle Hymn” and “Rock, Pretty Baby,” unless you count the “live” closed-circuit fights telecast a night or two later.
I believe there was some indication that it was just closed temporarily (a common practice in the moviehouse business), but The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Havold V. Cohen dropped a line into one of his daily columns saying the Enright (probably) wasn’t ever really going to reopen.
The only night it did function again after that was for another one-nighter closed-circuit telecast of boxing matches (daydating with the Penn, the Stanley and the Harris – those three being Downtown) highlighting a title bout between Carmen Basilio and Sugar Ray Robinson on or about March 29, 1958.
Does anyone know when the Fine Arts stopped functioning as a moviehouse and even possibly its final film attraction?
And is it still boarded up?
Would a passerby recognize it as a former moviehouse? (Many old theaters had a telltale architecture.)
GabeDF, Coincidental to your posting of a silent video showing “The Bells of St. Mary’s” on the RCMH marquee, that was the answer to a pricey question on “Millionaire” recently: What was the movie indicated in the background when Michael and Kay left a theater in “The Godfather”? (Or words to that effect.) I always thought that was a good choice by Francis Ford Coppola, not just because it was period-appropriate but because it seemed so suitable a choice for that idealistic couple just before the moment when he began evolving into the future Corleone don.
That stage production of “The Chosen” surprisingly lasted for just six performances, Jan. 6-10, 1988, although the marquee signage probably was in place for the final month or two of 1987 and may have stayed up for many weeks after the play closed
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 miss visiting the Arcade. Final owner Stanley “Zundy” Kramer still lives in the area. Nice guy. And a true “character” in the traditional sense of colorful people who are quoted and remembered favorably.
Very interesting, Vinnie. Please do share more memories of the Plaza.
By the way, Preminger’s response to which picture was his favorite or made him proudest, etc., was always, “My latest one.” When you’ve made “Laura,” “The Man With the Giolden Arm,” “Anatomy of a Murder” and “In Harm’s Way,” among others, you can’t pass off “Hurry Sundown” or “Skidoo” or “The Human Factor” as the answer to that question.
Thank you, Mike. I look forward to whatever contributions you can make to the history (and even existence of) Augusta indoor and outdoor theaters.
Renewing link.
Truly it’s absurd to plant big trees on certain urban business streets. It’s no service to anyone. Even the trees don’t look right when they’re brushing up against marquees and blocking windows. Common sense be damned.
Not sure if it’s just me, but I haven’t been able to open that file last night or throughout this morning, Yorkville. Would really like to see the photo.
In conjunction with efforts to raise money to renovate and resurrect the Denis, three movies are being shown this summer outdoors at the nearby Parse Way (covered) Pavilion on Washington Road.
“Bringing Up Baby” will run at 9 p.m. June 27, the locally made “The Bread, My Sweet” at 9 p.m. July 25 and “Mad Hot Ballroom” at 9 p.m. Aug. 29.
Very good news. The theater appeared to be in fine condition when I attended during its earlier resurrection. It’s just so difficult to compete for today’s audience with first-run multiplexes. Young moviegoers especially no longer relate to the concept of waiting to see a film at a lower price. It’s all about oopening days and opening weekends no matter what the cost.
The Enright was closed from mid-June 1953 (“Desert Legion” & “Off Limits”) through Christmas 1953 (“Mogambo” & “Blowing Wild”).
It closed again after the mid-May 1957 double bill of “Battle Hymn” and “Rock, Pretty Baby,” unless you count the “live” closed-circuit fights telecast a night or two later.
I believe there was some indication that it was just closed temporarily (a common practice in the moviehouse business), but The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Havold V. Cohen dropped a line into one of his daily columns saying the Enright (probably) wasn’t ever really going to reopen.
The only night it did function again after that was for another one-nighter closed-circuit telecast of boxing matches (daydating with the Penn, the Stanley and the Harris – those three being Downtown) highlighting a title bout between Carmen Basilio and Sugar Ray Robinson on or about March 29, 1958.
“The Desperate Hours” would have opened at the Criterion in October 1955 and possibly played much/most of November.
There is nothing on the site of the former Enright. All of the shops have been razed. It’s a vacant lot.
Does anyone know when the Fine Arts stopped functioning as a moviehouse and even possibly its final film attraction?
And is it still boarded up?
Would a passerby recognize it as a former moviehouse? (Many old theaters had a telltale architecture.)
“The Old Man and the Sea” played for four soft weeks (27 days, to be precise) at the Warner.
Hi, Denny. The Hollywood was a Warner theater but not a John P. Harris theater. They were rival circuits here.
Thanks for those, Denny. Miss the marquees, if not the spelling on the Colonial’s.
Do they remove all – perhaps 4,000 – orchestra auditorium seats? That seams like a tremendous effort for a two day rental.
GabeDF, Coincidental to your posting of a silent video showing “The Bells of St. Mary’s” on the RCMH marquee, that was the answer to a pricey question on “Millionaire” recently: What was the movie indicated in the background when Michael and Kay left a theater in “The Godfather”? (Or words to that effect.) I always thought that was a good choice by Francis Ford Coppola, not just because it was period-appropriate but because it seemed so suitable a choice for that idealistic couple just before the moment when he began evolving into the future Corleone don.
That stage production of “The Chosen” surprisingly lasted for just six performances, Jan. 6-10, 1988, although the marquee signage probably was in place for the final month or two of 1987 and may have stayed up for many weeks after the play closed
Loved those busy old marquees on 42nd Street.
It is indeed.
Thanks for the many fine Manhattan marquee shots, Al.
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 miss visiting the Arcade. Final owner Stanley “Zundy” Kramer still lives in the area. Nice guy. And a true “character” in the traditional sense of colorful people who are quoted and remembered favorably.
Great shot. Can’t quite see the Victoria marquee. Looks as if “Prince (something)” is playing.
Renewing link.
Renewing link.