Times Square Theatre
217 W. 42nd Street,
New York,
NY
10036
217 W. 42nd Street,
New York,
NY
10036
27 people
favorited this theater
Showing 176 - 200 of 204 comments
During the 60’s, the New Amsterdam, Harris and Anco Theatres were operated by Cinema Circuit Corp. Their other New York Theatres were the Ace and Burland & Prospect in the Bronx and the Astor in Brooklyn and Park Hill in Yonkers.
Once again, no mention of what is probably the most least talked about theatre on The Deuce, the Cine 42. Can be seen in the movie Taxi Driver and is currently still in tact, and in existence. It is however the most hidden theatre on 42nd as it’s whole facade is completely blanketed by giant disney lion king billboards. Even the new 42nd companies website has no mention of it. In its map of the area, it includes it as part of the New Amsterdam. Which begs my question, what are they doing with this space!
Is there any way to retrieve the bookings information on the 42nd Street Theaters, back in the 50s-60s, especially the Empire, Anco, Times Sqaure, Victory, Liberty? I went through the NY Times microfiche at the library and found some mention of the more mainstream New Amsterdam, Lyric, Harris, Selwyn but nothing on the others. Thanks for any info. Jerry 42nd Street Memories
BruceC, the New Amsterdam, Harris and Anco were not under the Brandt banner; I don’t know who ran those three. But Brandt had the Victory, Lyric, Times Square, Apollo, Selwyn, Liberty and Empire.
Jerry, I was there from about 1973 until the bitter end…at the Movieplex (in the old Roxy Burlesque site.) I would come up on the 7th Avenue exit, next to the newstand (which is still there). As my eyes swept the street the first marquees I’d see would be the Rialto and Victory, then the Lyric, and then I’d finish my initial sweep looking straight ahead at the New Amsterdam. Damn!
The Brandt organization kept these theatres up for decades. The New Amsterdam was in better shape under Brandt than it was under the Nederlanders.brucec
saps, the thrill of coming up on the subway on 8th avenue, having a hot dog (with mustard relish) and pulpy orange drink, then turning the corner toward the Selwyn is something I will never forget. Your right about the marquees hawking the double/triple features. When were you there? Jerry 42nd Street Memories
This is an edited repost of something I recently addded to the New Amsterdam page:
It was a thrill to come up out of the subway on Wednesday (and later Friday) mornings, make the U-turn onto 42nd Street, and see all those wonderful marquees with their breathless descriptions of the new double and triple bills awaiting inside. I loved seeing 9:00am movies at rock-bottom prices instead of going to college classes!
TJ, it was a great thrill as a kid, in the 50s-60s, to go up to The Deuce. Since then didn’t advertise, you never knew what goodies you’d find. They had some creative programming before the porno-Kung Fu-slasher onslaught. Each theater pretty much had a niche. The Times Square theater was a haven for the western fan, like me. Jerry 42nd Street Memories
Thanks for the tip! I was able to watch the special last night on TC. Enjoyed seeing all the pics from the old days. I wish I could’ve seen Times Square and 42nd St. before they changed and tore down so many of the old theaters. I had to laugh about the Toys R Us store though. Isnt that out of business allready. (another theater replaced!).
Most of the old 42nd St movie theaters can currently be seen on a Travel Channel show focusing on Times Square. The clips of the Deuce are during the mid-70s and current timeframes. It was shown on December 26. So it should be still in its rotation.
Jerry 42nd Street Memories
The Ecko Unlimited company has now placed large banners covering the front of theatre to announce the coming of their new store in future.
Photos dated 1986 and 2001 of the exterior of the Times Square Theatre can be found on the cover of the book ‘Times Square Roulette’ by Lynne B. Sagalyn. (The boxy, 1950s era marquee that once broadcast the Times Square’s current attractions to Deuce passersby was removed in mid-April of 1996.)
Saw a big rat stuck to a glue trap here once. It cried throughout the show; not a pretty sound.
I should have added….images from the 50’s-60’s. Jerry
Where can I find images of the outside of the theater…..marquee, box office…etc. Thanks, Jerry
Who’s idea was it to paint this place that awful green?
My friend Steve Young used to be the District Manager for Brandt theatres. He has a million great stories about these houses. I wish he would get on-line and share his memories.
I’m looking for photos of the interior of this theater. Does anyone know where I can find some?
Thanks. I thought they moved only the lobby.Wow can u imagine a whole theater that is now serving as a lobby. Technology.
A minor correction is in order. The entire Empire structure – lock, stock, and barrel – was moved; its former auditorium now serves as the lobby for the AMC megaplex which surrounds it.
The kung fu movies were playd at the Empire through the early 80’s. AMC took the lobby and front of the Empire and relocted it down the block which is where the Anco used to be. Brandt theaters ran the Empire, Selwyn,Anco, Times Square, Victory. The Neederlnder organization (Palace, Marquis, Lunt Fontaine, Richard Rogers, Neederlander) ran the New Amsterdamn.
Here you go, JB. This was the line-up in the 50s/60s.
On the North side, going from West to East:
Selwyn (usually showed 1st run films a week after The Lyric),
Apollo (foreign)
Times Square (western re-releases)
Lyric (1st run double features)
Victory (re-releases, usually action or Bowery Boys. Great double features)
On the South Side, going East to West:
New Amsterdam (1st Run double features)
Harris (usually a week after the New Amsterdam)
Liberty (some new stuff, mostly re-releases)
Empire (great re-releases; creative bookings. Believe they went Kung Fu triple features)
Anco (more great re-releases, sometimes picked up shows after the Harris if they were popular….e.g., Night of the Living Dead)
Check out my site…www.42ndstreetmemories.com for a shot of The Deuce. Jerry
I am looking for a listing of all movie theaters that were located on 42nd street around 1969 to late 1980’s, that played kunfu movies and others.If you have any information I would greatly appreaciated.
The Times Square featured mostly western double features in the 50s & 60s. Usually a combination of two Audie Murphy films, or recent low budget “B” westerns with George Montgomery, Scott Brady, Rory Calhoun, etc. No John Wayne stuff here. The lobby was extremely small and they displayed movie heralds of coming attractions over the ticket taker. The theater was the center of the 5 on the North side of the street, situated between the Apollo and the Lyric. Jerry the K
The stage had basically a brick box built on it. That was the store. The stage house was very much restorable.