Ziegfeld Theatre
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
131 people
favorited this theater
Showing 201 - 225 of 4,511 comments
Hello-
I should have been more precise in my question. when I asked what was the last time the studios used the Ziegfeld for an exclusive 1st run Manhattan engagement I should have said those special one or two week runs of say Dreamgirls, The Princess and the Frog and Nine before they opened wide don’t count. I mean a regular open ended run.
The last exclusive run was “Nine” for one week.
Hello to All- as much as I try not to think about it makes me sad whenever I think of the fact that the last single screen movie palace in Manhattan as closed. the interesting point being that the 1st movie palace built in Manhattan the Regent at 116 St. and Lenox Ave. is still with us. though its been a church for 46? years I hear they’ve kept the interior at least in darn good shape.
which got me thinking. after their debut at Koster and Bial’s Music Hall in April of 1896 movies took off like wildfire. now no movie theaters existed so for the first few years of the biz whatever picture houses existed in Manhattan were music halls, vaudeville or even legitimate theaters that were converted to show movies. but what was the very 1st theater built brick by brick from the ground up with the intent of being a picture house to use the old term.
OK, thanks.
I’ve added a comment to the photo so it would confuse everybody else, too.
Howard: that was in response to bigjoe59 asking for the TV listings for a certain day in 1950. Nothing to do with the Ziegfeld, but I didn’t know how else to post the image so he could see it.
Bill, on Feb 8 you added a “Leading Events Today” item to the photo gallery but I don’t see Ziegfeld relevance. Was something cut off the item or what don’t I understand?
I’d like to add 1974’s “That’s Entertainment” to the list. Somehow that movie was a perfect fit for the Ziegfeld. A year later, “Tommy” gave the Ziegfeld’s sound system a spectacular workout the likes of which it would never have again.
I took Mike’s advice and watched “Marooned” on TCM yesterday, making believe I was seeing it in the Ziegfeld.
maybe Dreamgirls in 2007 but don’t tell me a short period of time doesn’t count. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/listen-dreamgirls-begins-roadshow-engagement-at-nycs-ziegfeld-dec.-15-137050
to Howard B. –
you are quite knowledgeable so I have a question
that I can’t remember the answer to. what was the
last “big” studio film to have an exclusive
Manhattan engagement at the Ziegfeld?
Also, Gandhi (1981) was shown for 31 weeks, another famous film showcased prominently here!
That’s a subjctive determintion, but I was the one who added the movies in the 2nd to last paragraph of the Intro so I will say that Ryan’s Daughter, Cabaret, Close Encounters, and Apocalpyse Now (the original run)were among the most famous new movies that were showcased for a long period of time at the Ziegfeld. Also if by expanded version of Apocalpyse Now, you mean Redux, that was issued only in 35mm & in NYC, at the Astor Plaza.
What movie was the most famous out of all the movies to play at this theater? I say to me I think of the Star Wars movies that started with the Special Editions and continued through the prequels and then Episode VII. Sadly its sister theater in Chelsea will show Episode VIII and IX for the foreseeable future. I sadly didn’t get to go to this theater like my dad did back when movies that came out started out at this theater. He actually enjoyed watching Apocalypse Now in split surround 70mm dolby stereo on a decent size screen. I got to experience it the same way on DVD in both the original cut that was shown at this theater and the expanded version in the 70mm ratio. The bluray release of AN shows the movie in HD in its correct 35mm ratio.
The first movie to play here – Marooned – is on TCM this afternoon at 5:45pm (eastern). Watch it on your laptop or iwatch and weep for what we’ve lost…
Would like screenings at the Hollywood, now church http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/312
I wonder now where premieres and screenings will be held? Other than HUGE spaces like Radio City or the Beacon there are no 1000-1500 seat auditoriums. The Broadway legit houses should make some money during their dark periods and make their theaters available. After all Gigi played roadshow at the Royale
OMG, I just posted the saddest pic in the photo section
Interesting article. ast customers would’ve have purchased & cherished the end chairs with Z on them! It also looks like from that article that the neat sconces remain in the auditorium. It would be a shame if they too are trashed. Others took better photos of the chairs, but I’ve got photos of the sconces in my gallery here https://www.flickr.com/photos/howardbhaas/albums/72157634640390968
Link to article in the NY Daily News about the seats being ripped out and thrown into the garbage: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/ziegfeld-theater-seats-thrown-closure-article-1.2526011
Hello-
to Al A.– I don’t subscribe to the N Y Times so does registering for their website cost $$$? I try not to let my friend stump me but I don’t see spending $$$ to get the answer.
to Bill H.– seeing Ryan’s Daughter at the Ziegfeld was a true movie going experience. most especially during the storm sequence when the villagers are trying to bring the guns ashore.
also seeing The Rose and Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 70mm at this theater was perfect.
I also saw a special screening of Gandhi in 70mm which the late Richard Attenborough attended. I spoke to him after and said he’d better get his Oscar speech for Best Director ready. he thanked me graciously for my thought but said he didn’t want to get his hopes up.
Joe, I envy you seeing Ryan’s Daughter at the Ziegfeld. Of all the great movies that played there, that’s the biggest one that got away from me. I finally got to see it in 70mm at the Walter Reade Theater in 2012, but there’s only one Ziegfeld.
bigjoe59:
I posted the NYC TV listings for that date in 1950 in the Photos section of the Ziegfeld page, but I couldn’t find the name of the movie.
I wonder how many movies the Ziegfeld has shown from its opening until its closing…excluding rereleases.
to Al A.–
thanks for the info. I saw Ryan’s Daughter twice possibly three times during its run at this theater. I’m surprised they never sold a souvenir program.
you have helped me in the past with questions I have posted so I hope you can do so again. I have a friend who e-mails questions to se how good my Internet searching skills are but I am stumped on this one. he asked me what movie was shown on all NYC t.v. stations on January 22, 1950. do you have any idea where I can find this info? thanks in advance.
Seeing that closed logo and hearing how quickly they started taking the theater apart still hurts. But thanks to everyone for the photos, and film listings.
While I saw a couple films there during the 2008 NYFF that I don’t recall for sure, with those lists I believe I was able to remember all the normal theatrical releases I saw there (from Independence Day to Spectre)