I found some indications that the Apollo ran movies from 1919-1922, 1934-1953 and 1970-1977, albeit between shows and sometimes matinees only. Does anyone know if they ran any in the fifties and sixties?
The Victoria was still open as a single screen in 1977 and run by Loews. By 1978 it was closed.
In late 1986 it emerges as the Harlem Movie Center 5, run by Cine 42. It closed again in 1990 and re-opened in 1992 as the Harlem Victoria 5 run by Lesser. By 1994 it was closed again.
The National opened in 1972, was twinned in 1982 and closed in 1998.
Cineplex Odeon closed it for tripling in 1987, an aborted attempt when the landlord refused to allow it. The wall was never put up and the landlord hoped Cineplex Odeon would negotiate to leave instead as he no longer wanted a movie theatre there. It re-opened as a remodeled twin.
The last movie ad I could find for the Riviera was for a martial arts and exploitation double feature of “The Screaming Tiger” and “Black Mama, White Mama” in November of 1973.
Although the Riverside did have a long run of “American Graffiti”, it was still open after that and was showing a double feature of “The Super Cops” and “White Lightning” in May of 1974, which may have been the last bookings.
Before this became the German Tobis Kino it was Das Deutschen Sprecfilm theatre by early 1932. Prior to that it may have even been closed for a few years after a projection booth fire in March of 1929.
I can’t find any record of it ever being called the UFA Cosmopolitan. In fact, the UFA Cosmopolitan from 1923 to 1931 was the International on Columbus Circle.
“When you talk about 42nd Street YOU ARE talking about all of Times Square.”
On what planet? 42nd Street has been in crises since 1934. Times Square thrived after WWII but the Deuce went to hell, even while still beautiful. Just around the corner off just west of seventh Avenue, Times Square changes. Always for the worse.
41st street is a loading dock alley and it was never anything but sleaze. No one wants that Nederlander Theatre even now. I went by Monday afternoon and even the outside is disgrace. Next up is a country western musical based on Johnny Cash and Elvis. (Yeah, that’ll work!)
Most Broadway shows that don’t lose money open away from 42nd street for a reason.
I see the grosses in Variety and I often get free tickets to the Selwyn when they need to fill the house. None of these shows have been very successful, nor may I add, very good. They ARE bombing.
The Roundabout made sure “Cabaret” opened on 54th street at Studio 54.
I was talking about 42nd street, not all of Times Square. Times Square property has always thrived even during the worst of times. Those four office towers at each corner of 42nd are full of empty offices. The newest one has one single tenant signed so far. The state guarantees their profits so they have no incentive to reduce rents.
Before eviction, as a group, the theatres on 42nd street, including those running 24 hours a day, grossed more than all other Manhattan theatres put together. That is why they were given first-run releases. Since they were owned by the operators they were extremely profitable and that is why it cost taxpayers so much to buy them out.
41st street is still a no-man’s land. The Nederlander is filthy dump that has rightfully never been restored because it was always a dump. It has run one profitable show (RENT) in forty years. The squalor of the site added to the mood of the play. Maybe they could revive URINETOWN because the last two Neil Simon shows bombed so badly the first one closed early and the second one never opened.
The Selwyn (American Airlines) looks pretty much the way it always did before with faded murals, inch thick patchwork paint jobs, and dusty walls. It was NOT lovingly restored the way the New Amsterdam and Victory were and it has not had a single hit since re-opening.
The Hilton had been dark for two years now. Even YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN lost money here. The delay of SPIDERMAN was caused by investors dropping out due to a lack if advance sales.
Compare these three stinkers to any other Broadway house and you will see they are jinxed.
Like all of 42nd street, stores open, fail, close and get replaced. The wheels will keep turning as long as taxpayers foot the landlord’s bills.
I am not just pining away for a lost street of violence. It also had great personality, interesting buildings and a wonderful history. If you have been to fabricated places like to E-walk Los Angeles and Downtown Disney Orlando you know how soul less and annoying they can be. But they are profitable. 42nd street is now phony, soul less, and already looking a bit tired.
My point is that the new 42nd street has no personality AND no profit.
Broadway has far more theatres than Broadway producers and those new 42nd street locations are closed 80% of the year because they are last in the pecking order of choice. Only the New Amsterdam and Victory have worked.
I hope I am wrong because I live in the neighborhood but what I see is a rapidly aging tourist park already getting sleazy by economic hardship. The fiberglass is just not holding up and the hustlers and the porn are just a block away.
The Times Square and Liberty will never be theatres again as there no legal access for sets and no practical use for movies. The other two (American and Hilton) are basically all-new white elephants with a string of dismal boxoffice failures.
The Rialto 1 & 2 stopped showing porno in 1976 and was never involved in the redevelopment program.
Evicting Cine 42 alone cost New York tax payers $8.4 million. Like many other of these deals, the space was given to Disney to use for free.
When these rent contracts start running out watch the street become a ghost town again.
Of course not. There used to be over a dozen classic theatres there. Only the New Amsterdam and the Empire lobby remain viable. The others were gutted or demolished.
For this effort New York State tax payers paid billions to the private investors who finance Cuomo and Guliani’s political campaigns.
There were only about six porno businesses on 42nd street, the red light district. There are now over 200 in Manhattan alone although few are theatres. It was win/win for everyone except movie theatres.
I found some indications that the Apollo ran movies from 1919-1922, 1934-1953 and 1970-1977, albeit between shows and sometimes matinees only. Does anyone know if they ran any in the fifties and sixties?
The Victoria was still open as a single screen in 1977 and run by Loews. By 1978 it was closed.
In late 1986 it emerges as the Harlem Movie Center 5, run by Cine 42. It closed again in 1990 and re-opened in 1992 as the Harlem Victoria 5 run by Lesser. By 1994 it was closed again.
The Rivoli was twinned in December 1981.
On October 26, 1984 it was remodeled and re-opened as the United Artists Twin, no longer using the Rivoli name.
In June 1987 this historic palace closed with “Munchies” and “Creepshow 2”.
The Regent re-opened and was still showing movies in 1964.
The intro needs some adjusting.
The Criterion went from a single screen to five in March 1980. It was never a twin.
In 1981 it added a sixth screen and in 1991 a seventh.
This intro has several wrong dates.
The National opened in 1972, was twinned in 1982 and closed in 1998.
Cineplex Odeon closed it for tripling in 1987, an aborted attempt when the landlord refused to allow it. The wall was never put up and the landlord hoped Cineplex Odeon would negotiate to leave instead as he no longer wanted a movie theatre there. It re-opened as a remodeled twin.
This closed in late 1953 after a run of “So Big” and “The Moonlighter”.
The last movie ad I could find for the Riviera was for a martial arts and exploitation double feature of “The Screaming Tiger” and “Black Mama, White Mama” in November of 1973.
Although the Riverside did have a long run of “American Graffiti”, it was still open after that and was showing a double feature of “The Super Cops” and “White Lightning” in May of 1974, which may have been the last bookings.
This was turned into a supermarket during the war from late 1942 to 1944. By 1945 it was a theatre again.
Closed in May 1985 after a run of “JUST OF THE GUYS” and “A PASSAGE TO INDIA”.
In August 1963 it was still open.
In 1942 it went from Garden to Grande.
The last film was “The Robe” in Christmas 1953.
In 1929 the building was leased to Ye Office Tavern but it appears to have returned to movies by at least 1936.
As the UFA Cosmopolitan, this location was German films until at least 1931.
Before this became the German Tobis Kino it was Das Deutschen Sprecfilm theatre by early 1932. Prior to that it may have even been closed for a few years after a projection booth fire in March of 1929.
I can’t find any record of it ever being called the UFA Cosmopolitan. In fact, the UFA Cosmopolitan from 1923 to 1931 was the International on Columbus Circle.
/theaters/2936/
This closed in early November 1984 after a subrun showing of “Teachers”.
“When you talk about 42nd Street YOU ARE talking about all of Times Square.”
On what planet? 42nd Street has been in crises since 1934. Times Square thrived after WWII but the Deuce went to hell, even while still beautiful. Just around the corner off just west of seventh Avenue, Times Square changes. Always for the worse.
41st street is a loading dock alley and it was never anything but sleaze. No one wants that Nederlander Theatre even now. I went by Monday afternoon and even the outside is disgrace. Next up is a country western musical based on Johnny Cash and Elvis. (Yeah, that’ll work!)
Most Broadway shows that don’t lose money open away from 42nd street for a reason.
I see the grosses in Variety and I often get free tickets to the Selwyn when they need to fill the house. None of these shows have been very successful, nor may I add, very good. They ARE bombing.
The Roundabout made sure “Cabaret” opened on 54th street at Studio 54.
According to the New York Times, from 1924 to 1958 it was a full time movie house. In 1958 it switched over to legitimate shows.
In 1964 it switched back to movies as the York with only 299 seats. By summer 1968 it was closed.
In 1966 a comedy club called Mr. Laffs was operating at 1185 First Avenue, so the original Victor must been scaled down at some point.
I was talking about 42nd street, not all of Times Square. Times Square property has always thrived even during the worst of times. Those four office towers at each corner of 42nd are full of empty offices. The newest one has one single tenant signed so far. The state guarantees their profits so they have no incentive to reduce rents.
Before eviction, as a group, the theatres on 42nd street, including those running 24 hours a day, grossed more than all other Manhattan theatres put together. That is why they were given first-run releases. Since they were owned by the operators they were extremely profitable and that is why it cost taxpayers so much to buy them out.
41st street is still a no-man’s land. The Nederlander is filthy dump that has rightfully never been restored because it was always a dump. It has run one profitable show (RENT) in forty years. The squalor of the site added to the mood of the play. Maybe they could revive URINETOWN because the last two Neil Simon shows bombed so badly the first one closed early and the second one never opened.
The Selwyn (American Airlines) looks pretty much the way it always did before with faded murals, inch thick patchwork paint jobs, and dusty walls. It was NOT lovingly restored the way the New Amsterdam and Victory were and it has not had a single hit since re-opening.
The Hilton had been dark for two years now. Even YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN lost money here. The delay of SPIDERMAN was caused by investors dropping out due to a lack if advance sales.
Compare these three stinkers to any other Broadway house and you will see they are jinxed.
Like all of 42nd street, stores open, fail, close and get replaced. The wheels will keep turning as long as taxpayers foot the landlord’s bills.
Does anyone know if the Orleans closed at the same as the other two? In 1987?
I am not just pining away for a lost street of violence. It also had great personality, interesting buildings and a wonderful history. If you have been to fabricated places like to E-walk Los Angeles and Downtown Disney Orlando you know how soul less and annoying they can be. But they are profitable. 42nd street is now phony, soul less, and already looking a bit tired.
My point is that the new 42nd street has no personality AND no profit.
Broadway has far more theatres than Broadway producers and those new 42nd street locations are closed 80% of the year because they are last in the pecking order of choice. Only the New Amsterdam and Victory have worked.
I hope I am wrong because I live in the neighborhood but what I see is a rapidly aging tourist park already getting sleazy by economic hardship. The fiberglass is just not holding up and the hustlers and the porn are just a block away.
I forgot the Victory.
The Times Square and Liberty will never be theatres again as there no legal access for sets and no practical use for movies. The other two (American and Hilton) are basically all-new white elephants with a string of dismal boxoffice failures.
The Rialto 1 & 2 stopped showing porno in 1976 and was never involved in the redevelopment program.
Evicting Cine 42 alone cost New York tax payers $8.4 million. Like many other of these deals, the space was given to Disney to use for free.
When these rent contracts start running out watch the street become a ghost town again.
Of course not. There used to be over a dozen classic theatres there. Only the New Amsterdam and the Empire lobby remain viable. The others were gutted or demolished.
For this effort New York State tax payers paid billions to the private investors who finance Cuomo and Guliani’s political campaigns.
There were only about six porno businesses on 42nd street, the red light district. There are now over 200 in Manhattan alone although few are theatres. It was win/win for everyone except movie theatres.