There is some wrong information about this theatre above.
It went from being the Midtown 99th Street porno house to the Metro Cinema in late 1982, a Talbot run repertory house.
It was restored and became the Metro Twin in 1986 while still one of Talbot’s New Yorker theatres, but having already gone mainstream first-run for several years with occasional quirky titles.
In 1987 Cineplex Odeon took over, re-did the lobby in faux marble, and re-opened with similar programming.
The story above about bed sheets and funeral chairs is repeated in the movie “The Brothers Warners” as urban legend on how the Warner Brothers started their exhibition business. I suspect it is all fabrication.
The introduction implies that Clearview had to divest of some locations during the Loews takeover of Cineplex Odeon. In actuality, Loews had to divest of some of its locations, allowing Clearview to take over this one.
Another Mayfair Theatre operated in the early seventies at 235 West 46th street in the Paramount Hotel. It alternated between Vaudeville, plays, and films. The film programs were mainly in Yiddish or with Jewish appeal and the theatre may have been operated by remnants of the old White Rats Vaudeville Union.
These little guys spent a fortune buying TV ads for their films just to get theatres to book them. The theatres that failed to pay or paid late hurt them more than the competition from major studios. These exploitation titles kept many small theatres open during the dull months by filling empty seats, albeit with some really bad films. The ad campaigns cost more than the movies themselves so not paying them made their cash flow impossible to maintain. These deadbeat theatres were the same who complained about product shortages.
We sold out a 900 seat theatre in Miami Shores with “Beyond The Door” on opening weekend that had not been sold out since the fifties. A lady passed out during the film and had to be taken away by ambulance. That unplanned event made the film even more popular on the weekdays. By week two the place was empty.
A lot of theatre operators behaved that way back in the seventies. They paid the majors but screwed the independent distributors that didn’t have another film they wanted coming up.
Sometimes even the majors didn’t see their share for six months. Since product came out during summer and Christmas, the boxoffice receipts from one season paid for the previous one. Withholding prints was one way to get paid something.
Still listed as open in the 1959 Film Daily Yearbook and operated by Leo Brecher.
Checkout the Loew’s Yorkville page for more details on the theatre Loew’s on this block.
/theaters/12586/
The 1959 Film Daily Yearbook lists a Brandt 86th Street. If this was the only Brandt on 86th Street then it was open that late.
Mark Rivest has the only photo I have seen of the Stanley marquee. Check page 63 of his Manhattan collection.
http://movie-theatre.org/usa/ny/NYC/readmanhattan
There is some wrong information about this theatre above.
It went from being the Midtown 99th Street porno house to the Metro Cinema in late 1982, a Talbot run repertory house.
It was restored and became the Metro Twin in 1986 while still one of Talbot’s New Yorker theatres, but having already gone mainstream first-run for several years with occasional quirky titles.
In 1987 Cineplex Odeon took over, re-did the lobby in faux marble, and re-opened with similar programming.
How about “Stiletto” or if you saw them in 1972, “Carnal Knowledge”.
This was still open in 1994.
The story above about bed sheets and funeral chairs is repeated in the movie “The Brothers Warners” as urban legend on how the Warner Brothers started their exhibition business. I suspect it is all fabrication.
Does anyone know the last year it showed movies?
The First Film Forum was at 256 west 88th Street. I am not sure when they had screenings here although I do not doubt they probably did.
http://www.filmforum.org/mission.html
The Juliet 1 & 2 opened in late December 1970 with “The Aristocats” and closed in June 1976.
Loew’s New York Twin opened on March 2, 1979 With “Norma Rae” and “Fast Break”.
If this was closest movie theatre to the El train station then it was already there by 1915.
Opened as the Columbia 1 & 2 in October 1971.
Became the Gemini 1 & 2 in July 1978.
Became the Gemini 1, 2 & 3 in June 1996.
Became the 64th & 2nd 1, 2 & 3 in October 1996.
This opened on April 8, 1981 with Fellini’s “City Of Women”.
The introduction implies that Clearview had to divest of some locations during the Loews takeover of Cineplex Odeon. In actuality, Loews had to divest of some of its locations, allowing Clearview to take over this one.
Another Mayfair Theatre operated in the early seventies at 235 West 46th street in the Paramount Hotel. It alternated between Vaudeville, plays, and films. The film programs were mainly in Yiddish or with Jewish appeal and the theatre may have been operated by remnants of the old White Rats Vaudeville Union.
Does anyone know anything else about it?
“Rock was, and is, a black-eye on the soul of Western Civilization.”
LOL. I thought it was disco.
It’s those crazy kids having another of their Led Zeppelin Hootenannys.
There was a circular entrance and box office at ground level with an LED wrap-around sign. The theatre itself was under ground.
This closed March 26, 1995 as the Sony Columbus Circle. The Loew’s name should be removed here as it was called that for less than a year.
Closed in May 1997 after a run of “Waiting For Guffman”.
These little guys spent a fortune buying TV ads for their films just to get theatres to book them. The theatres that failed to pay or paid late hurt them more than the competition from major studios. These exploitation titles kept many small theatres open during the dull months by filling empty seats, albeit with some really bad films. The ad campaigns cost more than the movies themselves so not paying them made their cash flow impossible to maintain. These deadbeat theatres were the same who complained about product shortages.
We sold out a 900 seat theatre in Miami Shores with “Beyond The Door” on opening weekend that had not been sold out since the fifties. A lady passed out during the film and had to be taken away by ambulance. That unplanned event made the film even more popular on the weekdays. By week two the place was empty.
A lot of theatre operators behaved that way back in the seventies. They paid the majors but screwed the independent distributors that didn’t have another film they wanted coming up.
Sometimes even the majors didn’t see their share for six months. Since product came out during summer and Christmas, the boxoffice receipts from one season paid for the previous one. Withholding prints was one way to get paid something.
“Beyond The Door” was a BIG drive-in hit.
This closed as Loew’s Festival in August 1994 with “Four Weddings and a Funeral”.
This intro needs to updated.
“The Eastside Cinema actually opened on January 21, 1973. Its premiere attraction was "Under Milk Wood."
posted by DamienB on Nov 10, 2005 at 12:58pm”