Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 2,326 - 2,350 of 3,427 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Hialeah Theatre on Aug 9, 2008 at 1:17 pm

From 1982 to 1985 this was renamed the Palm Avenue apparently to avoid confusion with the GCC Hialeah Cinema on 49th street.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gala Twin Cinemas on Aug 9, 2008 at 1:13 pm

This operated again in 1983-84 as the Miami Twin with Spanish language and subtitled films.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Dade Theatre on Aug 9, 2008 at 1:05 pm

The Dade was open until 1950 and perhaps later.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Boulevard Theatre on Aug 9, 2008 at 12:54 pm

This was aka the Pussycat. The Kitty Kat was a short-lived name for screen two.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gables Triple on Aug 9, 2008 at 10:33 am

Plitt Gables should be added as an aka name here as it operated as that from 1980 when it was tripled until 1984 when it was sold to Wometco.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Swap Shop Drive-In on Aug 9, 2008 at 10:14 am

In 1970 the Thunderbird and Gold Coast experimented by adding indoor mini theatres to the properties which played mostly ‘adult’ movies.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Dixie Drive-In on Aug 9, 2008 at 10:08 am

The address was 146 S. Dixie Highway.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ultravision Theatre on Aug 8, 2008 at 12:19 am

The address is:
823 S. Federal Highway and the building can be seen on this Google satellite map.

View link

It’s the one that looks like three water tanks.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Wometco's 167th Theatre on Aug 7, 2008 at 5:42 pm

The address was 295 NE 167th street.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Warnor Theatre on Aug 7, 2008 at 3:10 pm

The Warnor, not Warner in Ft. Lauderdale:

View link

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Palm Springs Twin One & Two on Aug 7, 2008 at 2:03 pm

The address was 419 West 49th Street.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Dadeland Triplex on Aug 7, 2008 at 11:24 am

The address was 7740 S.W. 88th Street across from the one time national headquarters for Burger King.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Providers of weekly box office info on Aug 7, 2008 at 9:41 am

Write to me at

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Providers of weekly box office info on Aug 7, 2008 at 12:25 am

Nope. Back in NYC. Steve is still there.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Providers of weekly box office info on Aug 6, 2008 at 10:31 pm

Those Variety lists are by film, not theatre. I think the Empire with 25 screens will always trump El Capitan after opening week of a movie.

As a resident of Times Square I assure you that New Yorkers who live in Hell’s Kitchen go to the 42nd street theatres regularly. Many other New Yorkers have multiplexes closer to home. Many are, sadly, unaware of what the Ziegfeld offers to make the extra effort.

Doesn’t EDI still operate an online movie gross service?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paris Theatre on Aug 6, 2008 at 4:26 pm

The Marty Kaplan I knew owned an ad agency that did advertising and PR for Warner Bros. and those topless faux-French flesh and feather reviews that played in high class Miami Beach Hotel ballrooms in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. He may have also represented talent.

The Paramount Antitrust case had ruled that companies such as Loews and Paramount (Publix, then ABC Florida State Theatres)could not build or buy new theatres first getting without government approval as they had been monopolizing the industry. This put them at a disadvantage in lucrative growing markets such as South Florida where new theatres deals were still hot.

Marty would build the theatres, open them and then sell them off once the courts approved. I don’t know who fronted the cash or whether there were behind the scenes contracts. I do know he was well liked and respected in the industry. I don’t know whether he was the same man associated with the Paris.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paris Theatre on Aug 6, 2008 at 10:36 am

Could this be a Marty Kaplan you are referring to? Was involved with building the Bay harbor and Plantation theatres?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 777 Theatre on Aug 5, 2008 at 10:04 am

The Moulin Rouge porn triple operated from this address in 1985. Does that jog any memories?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avenue Playhouse on Aug 4, 2008 at 11:41 pm

In early 1937 there was a 47th Street Cinema operating at 104 West 47th Street and showing Irish films. Could this have been the Miami?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Aug 4, 2008 at 9:51 pm

The Globe was showing movies between shows at least as early as 1915 when it premiered ‘The Whirl of Life".

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paris Theatre on Aug 4, 2008 at 8:40 pm

This became the Paris in 1961.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Town Theatre on Aug 4, 2008 at 6:48 pm

The Town was already operating in 1949 and closed in 1974.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Strand Theatre on Aug 4, 2008 at 6:42 pm

I think the name here should be changed to Sun-Sun Cinema which was the actual name in 1975. I can’t find any record of the ‘Sun Theatre’ name.

The Strand was already showing movies in 1924.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about State Theatre on Aug 4, 2008 at 6:32 pm

The State was already operating in 1934 and closed in 1950.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ritz Theatre on Aug 4, 2008 at 6:27 pm

The Ritz was already operating in 1934 and shut down in 1964.