Embassy 1,2,3 Theatre
707 7th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10036
707 7th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10036
39 people
favorited this theater
Showing 176 - 200 of 1,094 comments
Techman707, you are correct, but the Capitol name was not changed back until later in the year so the early ads suggested a Cinerama presentation.
Hey techman707… It is true that those latter day souvenir booklets were not made to accompany a two-a-day hard ticket engagement, but the booklets themselves were very much in the same style and content as those old, classic roadshow souvenirs. I know, because I actually have a pair of vintage booklets – one for “HOW THE WEST WAS WON” and the other for “IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD.”
The HTWWW booklet is distinct from others that I own, because it originally came in a hard cover (unfortunately, lost over the years by youthful neglect). Not sure how may other program booklets were that extravagant. Did they typically charge for the booklets during the Roadshow era? Or were they handed out, complimentary?
“This may possibly account for bigjoe’s Cinerama conundrum.”
Now I’m beginning to become confused.-LOL “Loew’s Cinerama was just what they called the Capitol after they installed the three booths and Cinerama equipment. It not as though there was actually ANOTHER "real theatre” called “Loew’s Cinerama” in New York.
“CHEYENNE AUTUMN” opened on December 23, 1964 on a two shows a day (three on weekends) roadshow basis at the Capitol. It did run a NYT full page ad on October 4, 1964 announcing the holiday opening at the Loews Cinerama. This may possibly account for bigjoe’s Cinerama conundrum. It ran until February 23, 1965 when it was replaced by “LOVE HAS MANY FACES”, a wide release.
Upon further investigation it appears I was correct. Cheyenne Autumn did have its “World Premiere” at the The Lincoln Theater, 1615 Central Avenue in downtown Cheyenne, Wyoming on October 1, 1964. It opened at the Capitol on October 3, 1964, however, I still don’t remember the film running “2 A Day” at the Capitol. I do recall the new screen installation for the premiere of John Sturges “The Hallelujah Trail” a few months later in June of 1965. They converted the theatre (curtaining off the entire top balcony and even the sides on the lower balcony) to run “The Hallelujah Trail” in single projector 70mm Ultra Panavision 70 (the replacement for 3 projector Cinerama). It wasn’t until the end of 1965 when “Doctor Zhivago opened that the Capitol FINALLY had a REAL ROADSHOW “2 A Day” WINNER! I again defer to Al Alvarez who has a good source of accurate information and wonder what he knows about it. I know my memory has been becoming very poor recently, especially my short term memory, but my long term memory is usually very good.
to techman 707-
I asked around so to speak and Cheyenne Autumn’s premiere engagement at the Loew’s Capitol was a traditional roadshow engagement with 2 shows during the week and 3 on the weekend. unfortunately it didn’t have a healthy or long run. still since it was a traditional premiere roadshow engagement I just can’t imagine it not having a souvenir program regardless of the length of said engagement.
I really don’t count those as “real” souvenir programs because those pictures weren’t roadshows. Speaking of the Lynbrook Theatre, did any of you see Doctor Zhivago when it ran there in 70mm as a 2 a day roadshow?
Oh, I know, Mike. I’m now a Lynbrook resident, these last 7 years plus. I’ve been back on a few occasions, and those are most definitely the same seats I remember from 1979!
UA Lynbrook still has the same sticky candy counters and the same broken seats. And maybe even some old programs lying around…! You can go re-live your youth, but at premium prices.
Techman707… thanks for that info. That is what I thought, based on the slope on the floor I noticed when I snapped those pics of the demolition site.
As for programs… They actually outlasted the Roadshow era, well into the 1980’s and probably – with diminishing frequency – the very early ‘90’s. I still have my souvenir booklets for the original Star Wars trilogy, several Roger Moore-era Bond flicks, Warren Beatty’s Reds, and even Rocky II! A few of those were purchased at first run engagements in Times Square, but I recall some of them being available even at the candy counters of some of the local neighborhood theaters, like Century’s Green Acres, Sunrise Cinemas, and the UA Lynbrook.
Thanks Al! I figured you would have the answer.
There were many pictures that had premieres in the UK as Roadshows and had souvenir books but didn’t have here.
I believe that Cheyenne Autumn had its premiere in Cheyenne,, Wyoming and might have had souvenir books there, but not everywhere else. GIGI “might have had a book when it was at the Royale (or Bernard B. Jacobs, if you like that sound better….I don’t). -LOL
“GIGI” programs are easily found on ebay. “CHEYENNE AUTUMN” not so easy.
A long way from New York, but can definitely confirm “Gigi. had a souvenir programme during its Roadshow engagement at the Metro Bourke St. in Melbourne, Australia in 1958.
It was the Royale (with an e) Theatre, now the Bernard B. Jacobs.
You bring up an interesting point with GIGI. I don’t recall ever seeing a souvenir book for GIGI when it played at the Royal (but just because I didn’t see one doesn’t mean there wasn’t one) I know that when it was moved over to the Sutton, I’m certain there wasn’t any.
As for “Cheyenne Autumn” my recollection was that it was NOT a “2 A Day Roadshow” at the Capitol (although it WAS Super Panavision 70 and run in 70mm there), so there might not have been any “official” souvenir book (there was big issue about how the U.S. treated the Indians as a result of the film).
Finally, “The Diary of Anne Frank”. Once again, while I could be wrong, I just don’t recall the film run as a “2 A Day Roadshow” at the RKO Palace. As a result, there wouldn’t have been an “official” souvenir book.
Maybe Al Alvarez might have more information on this.
to techman 707-
thanks for your reply about roadshow engagements having souvenir programs. the reason I ask is simple. I have approx. 135 souvenir programs in my collection starting with the one for the 1925 silent version of Ben-Hur. most I bought at the theater when I saw the film others at memorabilia shops in Manhattan and L.A..to which with all the memorabilia shops I’ve been too and all the online sites selling such stuff I have never come across souvenir programs for such prominent roadshow engagements as The Diary of Anne Frank(RKO Palace),Cheyenne Autumn (Loew’s Capitol)and Gigi which played the Royal which was normally a legit theater. these are just a few of the prominent roadshow engagements in the 17 year period mentioned for which I have never come across a souvenir program. so I wondered if quite possibly they didn’t have one hence my question.
Ed Solero,
Ed, the DeMille’s (Embassy, Mayfair, Columbia, etc. :) )screen was located toward 6th Avenue, with the left and right sides between 47th & 48th Streets. You entered the theatre auditorium from the 7th Avenue side. I believe that looking at the marquee, the projection booth was the 5th or 6th floor. The main booth window (a floor to ceiling window that opened all the way and had a round bar running through the center to prevent someone from falling out on 7th Avenue. :)
Astyanax,
Radio City was late in installing 70mm equipment and when they finally installed them (Airport was their first full time 70mm presentation), the “Roadshow Era” was nearly over.
However, even had installed 70mm equipment in the beginning, the size of Radio City or the Roxy, both 6000 seat theatres, would not be able to support such long runs because of their size. Every Roadshow doesn’t turn out to be a “West Side Story” or even a Doctor Zhivago. If these things were predictable, they probably would have been able to make money with those large theatres. My own opinion is that while Radio City and the Roxy were spectacular theatres, because of their size, I don’t think either would have made a good Roadshow Theatre.
bigjoe59,
In the 17 year period you refer to, ALL those theatres also ran run of the mill films, some that were good and some that were bad. I believe (in addition to my own memory), all “Roadshow” films (films that ran ONLY twice a day, except for Wednesdays when they virtually all ran 3 times a day). I can’t remember ANY Roadshow that didn’t have souvenir or presentation program booklet. At one time I collected them myself.
Of course RCMH was always in a class by itself, but how was it that durring this period movie palaces like the Paramount or the Roxy were not selected for roadshow presentations?
Hello-
my fellow posters have always been most kind in answering my questions. this time I have a good one on a subject that I find interesting.the prime roadshow period was the Oct. 1955 opening of “Oklahoma” at the Rivoli thru the Dec.1972 opening of “The Man of La Mancha” also at the Rivoli. now in this a bit over 17 year period the studios heavily used 7 Times Square theaters for their roadshow engagements(Criterion, Loew’s State, RKO Palace,Demille,Warner, Rivoli and the Loew’s Capitol). which is where my question comes in. Regardless of how good a film turned out to be if a film played at one of these 7 theaters it can be classified as a prominent release. so can anyone think of a prominent roadshow engagement at any of the 7 theaters named above that did not have a souvenir program? every roadshow engagement I ever went to had a souvenir program so I can’t imagine a prominent roadshow run not having one.
BobFurmanek, Is there anyway to post those pictures in a resolution so you can read the article? Thanks.
I’ve just added a three page article from the theaters opening in 1930. The images are on the photo page.
Another couple of shots posted, that I took a week or so ago. The shed doors located directly in front of the old theater entrance, were open and I was able to take a shot of the open space clear to what might have been the back wall of the auditorium (meaning, the farthest wall from Seventh Ave.
Having never seen a movie at this Embassy, I do not know how the theater was oriented with respect to the building’s footprint. However, as I was standing there, I could see where the floor began to slope down and away towards the back. You can’t make it out as well in the photos, as you could with the naked eye, standing in that doorway.