I thought I had one of the corner sign with the crack running through the word Psycho and on the bottom it had the line about not being admitted after the start. I have so many different drives, I can;t find anything anymore.
I’d like to see a photo of the corner sign when they ran “Those Magnificent Men In There Flying Machines”. It was a mototized sign with a pair of legs spinning around.
I haven’t found one yet. Since Al says that the Mark opened in December 1976 (I have no reason to doubt that. I just believed it was 1975 because of when Clark went out) but the theatre apparently stayed closed until it was opened as the Mark I, II and III. So from December 1976 until he says it became the Embassy would only be a year total, so you must have just missed it. I’ll keep looking for the photo of the Marquee of the Mark.
The Google link I posted above is the Beverly Theatre now. My problem is I can’t find it on CT. Can you tell me what it’s listed as? I did the twin installation of the Beverly back in 1973-4.
Tinseltoes, Have you seen the Beverly Theatre in Brooklyn here? I can’t seem to be able to find it. It’s closed and here’s a Gooogle link http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=&aq=&sll=40.643485,-73.978904&sspn=0.000396,0.001007&ie=UTF8&rq=1&ev=p&radius=0.03&split=1&t=h&ll=40.642777,-73.979402&spn=0,0.016115&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.642998,-73.978959&panoid=yEEiLKSH7nO1YXOMh1_OHA&cbp=12,348.67,,0,-23.25
There’s a number of them. I noticed a few, but, Tinseltoes had already remarked about it and I believe knows more about which ones need correcting. I’m sure that when he sees this post he will let you know. I know the CORONA THEATRE, Queens was way off and needs to be set to the corner of Junction Blvd & Roosevelt Ave. The Google shot of the Palace Theatre, NY is blocked by construction. I just can’t recall the others off the top of my head (I know I’m becoming senile).
Right,I managed to find the right view, but you can’t update it. Although in most cases I would rather remember them the way they looked BEFORE, rather then the nightmare that exists now.
Thanks for the update Tinseltoes. I see you’ve been going through a number of theatres pointing out that where they’re using Google Maps, the locations are incorrect. It’s too bad WE can’t update those locations.
Tinseltoes, You’re right, the map location is totally wrong. The Corona Theatre is (was) at Roosevelt Avenue & Junction Blvd. Besides Loews Plaza, which was at 100th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, the closest theatre is (was) the Polk Cinema at 92nd Street & 37th Avenue.
A little known fact was that the Corona Theatre was used by Mike Todd for a number of Todd/AO tests…go figure.
The description isn’t quite accurate. I worked as a projectionist at the DeMille Theatre in Manhattan until 1974 when it was closed due to a fire. In the beginning of 1975 I went to work at Century’s Prospect in Flushing. At that time it had recently been TWINNED. I was the projectionist in the downstairs auditorium, which was untouched after the twinning. The theatre had two projection crews, one for upstairs and one for downstairs and ran reels in both theatres. Sometime in 1977 I was asked to switch jobs with one of the projectionists at the RKO Alden in Jamaica (across the street from Loews Valencia) because the Alden was being turned into a quad and the projectionist who worked there was afraid to run platters (he had worked the Alden as a single for 40 years and was 90 years old). About a year after I switched with him they decided to split the Prospect’s downstairs theatre making it a triplex and installed platters in all 3 theatres. Now, there was only one crew for all 3 theatres, requiring the projectionists to run all 3 theatres going up to the original upstairs booth as well as running the 2 downstairs theatres. The climb to the upstairs booth could give a healthy person a heart attack, it was a pretty high climb. John Conway, the 90 year old projectionist I had switched with, having no choice, learned platters and worked at the Prospect, climbing the steps, with no problems until it closed. I believe he was about 99 when it closed.
The last picture I saw just showed the entire lot with plywood around it. I sure that at this point there must be some kind of building there now. This whole city has been turned into real sh!t over the last 20 years. Maybe the carpetbagger, Bloomberg, and “Rudy the 9/11 hero” think it’s better, but I don’t.
It would have been sometime during 1975 I believe. I even think someone once posted a picture here of the marquee with MARK I, II and III on it. If I come across a picture of it I’ll post it.
bigjoe59, After I left the Demille I was only back to the theatre one time to see the tri-plexing job and after looking at it I had NO DESIRE to ever return to that abortion again. It did have the “Mark I, II and III on the Marquee, but, as I’ve said, it was only a short time before Elson took over and renamed it with the Embassy name.
edblank, The entire time I worked at the DeMille I NEVER saw any rats. However, we once had a power loss and I had to go down into a sub-basemant where the main fuses were and DID see a rat there. However, I don’t think there’s a builing in Manhattan that hasn’t or doesn’t have rats somewhere in the basements. But when you see them in a balcony, that’s an infestation. The theatre was kept VERY clean during the time Walter Reade operated the theatre.
As for the balcony, while it is (or was) VERY steep, it also gave every patron an unobstructed view of the screen, which was especially important when they ran 70mm. The balcony of the DeMille would have made a great Imax Theatre. I try not to think about all the beautiful theatres that have been destroyed here in NY, it’s a real crime. For the people that have never seen them, they don’t miss them.
bigjoe59, You could have missed it being called the Mark I, II and III because it was only open with that name for a short period of time. After that when Peter Elson took it over it was renamed the Embassy 2, 3 and 4.
Al, “Once Is Not Enough” could have run in September, but I wouldn’t call it a “move over” from the Astor Plaza since it played along with 25 other theatres listed in a film company ad.-LOL
As for the “Walking Tall”, the only thing I’m certain of is that it ran at the DeMille before the fire, while the theatre was still being operated by Walter Reade. After the fire, the theatre was closed for nearly a year and re-opened with “Once Is Not Enough”. Clark only had the theatre for a few months as I recall. Under a deal with the union he wasn’t supposed to use the balcony, but from day one there were more people sitting in the balcony then in the orchestra and was a constant battle. It was after the theatre closed under Clark that I left. At one point, Hank Rosenberg, the owner of the twin theatres (I can’t remember the name of the theatres) a few doors down to the left of the DeMille was also looking to buy the building and multiplex the theatre.
Peter Elson (Guild Enterprises) was the last operator of the Embassy 2,3,4 (former DeMille). After Clark was thrown out it was triplexed in the worst butchering of a movie theatre I’ve ever seen and for a short time before Elson took it over itwas called the Mark I,II and III.
All I can say is that with the exception of the Rivoli, which had Norelco AAII Todd/AO projectors, the DeMille had the second best 70mm projectors and had a great 70mm projection and sound with their Cinemamechanica Victoria X projectors. The sound was enhanced for the 70mm showing of “Concert for Banladesh”. None of the other roadshow houses mentioned were worth a damn after being multiplexed. Fortunately, the Capitol didn’t have to suffer that fate and was beautiful and had great 70mm projection until the end.
It’s interesting to note that unlike many other cities throughout the country that STILL HAVE a few restored examples of a movie palace still existing, New York has DESTROYED ALL OF THEM. The only thing left that even comes close is the Music Hall and at one point they wanted to tear that down. If someone were to ask me of a good example of a movie palace in New York, the only theatre near the midtown area left would be the Beacon Theatre, which is like a mini Roxy Theatre. The preservation of historical theatres in NYC stinks!
Al, that’s definitely not correct. As I said, BEFORE it ever became the Embassy 2,3,4 (or whatever numbers they called them), it was reopened after the fire by Leonard Clark as a SINGLE theatre. As I said, he opened with “Once Is Not Enough”. The picture played along with a bunch of other theatres in a company ad. After Clark screwed the two owners, Koppel & Levine, the theatre closed again (which is when I left) and THEN was reopened as a (poorly designed) triplex. I am certain up until Clark was thrown out because after that, friends of mine had a deal to purchase the building from Koppel & Levine and were negotiating with Krim & Benjamin from UA to open the theatre and run UA product exclusively, but the deal fell through after a meeting with James Velde a UA V.P.
Al, Yes, the fire was not too long after “Walking Tall”. Your right about it being sub-run because I recall it being a used print. We usually got a new prints and a backup print. If you know when “That’s Entertainment” left the Ziegfeld, that was the night of the fire. It was supposed to be moved over to the DeMille the next day. The night before I had changed over all the gates and lenses to 70mm and the print of “TE” was supposed to be brought over in the next morning. When I came out of the subway that morning I saw there was nothing on the marquee and then the stagehand told me about the fire. Other than the smell of smoke, the booth and the projectors weren’t damaged at all. Most of the damage was in the second floor lobby.
Al, while I’m not sure of the exact date, I’m absolutely certain I ran the original “Walking Tall” at the DeMille and I believe it would have to be earlier than 1974. The reason I believe it had to be before 1974 is because in late 1973 or early 1974 is the year of the fire and the theatre didn’t open again until somewhere around June 1974 under the management of a guy named Leonard Clark who also ran one theatre on 42nd Street. When the DeMille reopened after the fire, the first picture was “Once Is Not Enough”, of that I am positive.
“Being able to preview one’s comment is crucial, in my opinion.”
I agree completely. A way to edit or delete your own post would be nice also.
I thought I had one of the corner sign with the crack running through the word Psycho and on the bottom it had the line about not being admitted after the start. I have so many different drives, I can;t find anything anymore.
Saps-I posted the Psycho picture before I saw your link. Thanks, it actually has the picture I wanted.
I’d like to see a photo of the corner sign when they ran “Those Magnificent Men In There Flying Machines”. It was a mototized sign with a pair of legs spinning around.
Some day all the posts will be HD video.-LOL
Check the Photos. Too bad there aren’t any really good color photos.
bigjoe59-
I haven’t found one yet. Since Al says that the Mark opened in December 1976 (I have no reason to doubt that. I just believed it was 1975 because of when Clark went out) but the theatre apparently stayed closed until it was opened as the Mark I, II and III. So from December 1976 until he says it became the Embassy would only be a year total, so you must have just missed it. I’ll keep looking for the photo of the Marquee of the Mark.
The Google link I posted above is the Beverly Theatre now. My problem is I can’t find it on CT. Can you tell me what it’s listed as? I did the twin installation of the Beverly back in 1973-4.
That’s the theatre I originally posted a few post up.
Tinseltoes, Have you seen the Beverly Theatre in Brooklyn here? I can’t seem to be able to find it. It’s closed and here’s a Gooogle link http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=&aq=&sll=40.643485,-73.978904&sspn=0.000396,0.001007&ie=UTF8&rq=1&ev=p&radius=0.03&split=1&t=h&ll=40.642777,-73.979402&spn=0,0.016115&z=16&layer=c&cbll=40.642998,-73.978959&panoid=yEEiLKSH7nO1YXOMh1_OHA&cbp=12,348.67,,0,-23.25
There’s a number of them. I noticed a few, but, Tinseltoes had already remarked about it and I believe knows more about which ones need correcting. I’m sure that when he sees this post he will let you know. I know the CORONA THEATRE, Queens was way off and needs to be set to the corner of Junction Blvd & Roosevelt Ave. The Google shot of the Palace Theatre, NY is blocked by construction. I just can’t recall the others off the top of my head (I know I’m becoming senile).
Right,I managed to find the right view, but you can’t update it. Although in most cases I would rather remember them the way they looked BEFORE, rather then the nightmare that exists now.
Thanks for the update Tinseltoes. I see you’ve been going through a number of theatres pointing out that where they’re using Google Maps, the locations are incorrect. It’s too bad WE can’t update those locations.
Tinseltoes, You’re right, the map location is totally wrong. The Corona Theatre is (was) at Roosevelt Avenue & Junction Blvd. Besides Loews Plaza, which was at 100th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, the closest theatre is (was) the Polk Cinema at 92nd Street & 37th Avenue.
A little known fact was that the Corona Theatre was used by Mike Todd for a number of Todd/AO tests…go figure.
The description isn’t quite accurate. I worked as a projectionist at the DeMille Theatre in Manhattan until 1974 when it was closed due to a fire. In the beginning of 1975 I went to work at Century’s Prospect in Flushing. At that time it had recently been TWINNED. I was the projectionist in the downstairs auditorium, which was untouched after the twinning. The theatre had two projection crews, one for upstairs and one for downstairs and ran reels in both theatres. Sometime in 1977 I was asked to switch jobs with one of the projectionists at the RKO Alden in Jamaica (across the street from Loews Valencia) because the Alden was being turned into a quad and the projectionist who worked there was afraid to run platters (he had worked the Alden as a single for 40 years and was 90 years old). About a year after I switched with him they decided to split the Prospect’s downstairs theatre making it a triplex and installed platters in all 3 theatres. Now, there was only one crew for all 3 theatres, requiring the projectionists to run all 3 theatres going up to the original upstairs booth as well as running the 2 downstairs theatres. The climb to the upstairs booth could give a healthy person a heart attack, it was a pretty high climb. John Conway, the 90 year old projectionist I had switched with, having no choice, learned platters and worked at the Prospect, climbing the steps, with no problems until it closed. I believe he was about 99 when it closed.
PROSPECT – R-I-P
The last picture I saw just showed the entire lot with plywood around it. I sure that at this point there must be some kind of building there now. This whole city has been turned into real sh!t over the last 20 years. Maybe the carpetbagger, Bloomberg, and “Rudy the 9/11 hero” think it’s better, but I don’t.
Take my word for it, the Polk has been demolished. -R-I-P
It would have been sometime during 1975 I believe. I even think someone once posted a picture here of the marquee with MARK I, II and III on it. If I come across a picture of it I’ll post it.
bigjoe59, After I left the Demille I was only back to the theatre one time to see the tri-plexing job and after looking at it I had NO DESIRE to ever return to that abortion again. It did have the “Mark I, II and III on the Marquee, but, as I’ve said, it was only a short time before Elson took over and renamed it with the Embassy name.
edblank, The entire time I worked at the DeMille I NEVER saw any rats. However, we once had a power loss and I had to go down into a sub-basemant where the main fuses were and DID see a rat there. However, I don’t think there’s a builing in Manhattan that hasn’t or doesn’t have rats somewhere in the basements. But when you see them in a balcony, that’s an infestation. The theatre was kept VERY clean during the time Walter Reade operated the theatre.
As for the balcony, while it is (or was) VERY steep, it also gave every patron an unobstructed view of the screen, which was especially important when they ran 70mm. The balcony of the DeMille would have made a great Imax Theatre. I try not to think about all the beautiful theatres that have been destroyed here in NY, it’s a real crime. For the people that have never seen them, they don’t miss them.
bigjoe59, You could have missed it being called the Mark I, II and III because it was only open with that name for a short period of time. After that when Peter Elson took it over it was renamed the Embassy 2, 3 and 4.
Al, “Once Is Not Enough” could have run in September, but I wouldn’t call it a “move over” from the Astor Plaza since it played along with 25 other theatres listed in a film company ad.-LOL
As for the “Walking Tall”, the only thing I’m certain of is that it ran at the DeMille before the fire, while the theatre was still being operated by Walter Reade. After the fire, the theatre was closed for nearly a year and re-opened with “Once Is Not Enough”. Clark only had the theatre for a few months as I recall. Under a deal with the union he wasn’t supposed to use the balcony, but from day one there were more people sitting in the balcony then in the orchestra and was a constant battle. It was after the theatre closed under Clark that I left. At one point, Hank Rosenberg, the owner of the twin theatres (I can’t remember the name of the theatres) a few doors down to the left of the DeMille was also looking to buy the building and multiplex the theatre.
Peter Elson (Guild Enterprises) was the last operator of the Embassy 2,3,4 (former DeMille). After Clark was thrown out it was triplexed in the worst butchering of a movie theatre I’ve ever seen and for a short time before Elson took it over itwas called the Mark I,II and III.
All I can say is that with the exception of the Rivoli, which had Norelco AAII Todd/AO projectors, the DeMille had the second best 70mm projectors and had a great 70mm projection and sound with their Cinemamechanica Victoria X projectors. The sound was enhanced for the 70mm showing of “Concert for Banladesh”. None of the other roadshow houses mentioned were worth a damn after being multiplexed. Fortunately, the Capitol didn’t have to suffer that fate and was beautiful and had great 70mm projection until the end.
It’s interesting to note that unlike many other cities throughout the country that STILL HAVE a few restored examples of a movie palace still existing, New York has DESTROYED ALL OF THEM. The only thing left that even comes close is the Music Hall and at one point they wanted to tear that down. If someone were to ask me of a good example of a movie palace in New York, the only theatre near the midtown area left would be the Beacon Theatre, which is like a mini Roxy Theatre. The preservation of historical theatres in NYC stinks!
Al, that’s definitely not correct. As I said, BEFORE it ever became the Embassy 2,3,4 (or whatever numbers they called them), it was reopened after the fire by Leonard Clark as a SINGLE theatre. As I said, he opened with “Once Is Not Enough”. The picture played along with a bunch of other theatres in a company ad. After Clark screwed the two owners, Koppel & Levine, the theatre closed again (which is when I left) and THEN was reopened as a (poorly designed) triplex. I am certain up until Clark was thrown out because after that, friends of mine had a deal to purchase the building from Koppel & Levine and were negotiating with Krim & Benjamin from UA to open the theatre and run UA product exclusively, but the deal fell through after a meeting with James Velde a UA V.P.
Al, Yes, the fire was not too long after “Walking Tall”. Your right about it being sub-run because I recall it being a used print. We usually got a new prints and a backup print. If you know when “That’s Entertainment” left the Ziegfeld, that was the night of the fire. It was supposed to be moved over to the DeMille the next day. The night before I had changed over all the gates and lenses to 70mm and the print of “TE” was supposed to be brought over in the next morning. When I came out of the subway that morning I saw there was nothing on the marquee and then the stagehand told me about the fire. Other than the smell of smoke, the booth and the projectors weren’t damaged at all. Most of the damage was in the second floor lobby.
Al, while I’m not sure of the exact date, I’m absolutely certain I ran the original “Walking Tall” at the DeMille and I believe it would have to be earlier than 1974. The reason I believe it had to be before 1974 is because in late 1973 or early 1974 is the year of the fire and the theatre didn’t open again until somewhere around June 1974 under the management of a guy named Leonard Clark who also ran one theatre on 42nd Street. When the DeMille reopened after the fire, the first picture was “Once Is Not Enough”, of that I am positive.
Garth, I know that I ran the original “Walking Tall” with Jo Don Baker at the DeMille theatre around 1972 or 1973.
tlsloews-I live not too far from the Queens Theatre and pass by it often, however, I’d like to remember it like in the picture posted on 1/18/2007.