Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 2,351 - 2,375 of 3,427 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Rio Theatre on Aug 4, 2008 at 5:10 pm

The Dixie was already operating in 1949. It became the Rio in 1965 and closed in 1979.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Le Jeune Drive-In on Aug 4, 2008 at 4:54 pm

The Le Jeune had room for 800 cars and operated from at least 1949 to 1970.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Essex Theatre on Aug 4, 2008 at 4:35 pm

The Essex closed in 1977 and was already operating by 1949.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Coral Way Drive-In on Aug 4, 2008 at 4:16 pm

The Coral Way only had room for 250 cars. It was already open by 1949 and closed in 1977.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Lib-City & Palm Drive-In on Aug 4, 2008 at 4:08 pm

The 22nd Avenue shut down sometime in 1969.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Arrow Drive-In on Aug 4, 2008 at 4:07 pm

The Arrow address was 3007 N. State Road 7. It operated from 1962 to 1978.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Lib-City & Palm Drive-In on Aug 4, 2008 at 4:04 pm

The address for this drive-in was 6900 N.W. 22nd Avenue. It had room for 700 cars.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bijou Theatre on Aug 1, 2008 at 12:43 pm

Images of the Bijou can be found here;

http://www.ibdb.com/VenueImages.asp?Id=1065

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's New York Theatre and Roof on Aug 1, 2008 at 11:50 am

There is a slight spelling error in the intro.

“The Olympia’s other playhouse, the LYRIC, was re-named Criterion.”

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 21st Adult Theatre on Jul 30, 2008 at 3:06 pm

The actual address was 2039 Collins Avenue.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about United Palace of Cultural Arts on Jul 29, 2008 at 11:46 am

In August 1966 this theatre was part of the Loews circuit release of the Spanish film “Every Day Is A Holiday”, known around the world as “Cabriola” and starring child star Marisol. Released as a co-feature to “Born Free” on a wide sub-run break, the project was designed to launch Marisol into the U.S. market by hiring Mel Ferrer to direct and dubbing the film into English using Marisol herself in both languages. Although the egomaniacal Ferrer claimed to have discovered her, Marisol was already the top Spanish box office star in the world and this was her eighth film. Her previous films had played only in Spanish language theatres in the US.

In a rare recent interview, the reclusive and retired Marisol (Pepa Flores) claims that Ferrer was cold and distant but that his wife, Audrey Hepburn could not have been more supportive when visiting the set, giving Marisol beauty tips and even sending her to Paris for a haircut with a recommended stylist.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Metropolitan Theatre on Jul 29, 2008 at 10:37 am

Since “The People vs. Dr. Kildare” was advertised to follow and then delayed a week, I doubt that “A Woman’s Face” was held as only as filler.

Now to more recent history.

Loews sold the theatre under the provision that it would not remain a movie house. The buyer had arranged to flip it over to a third party who did not have a contract with Loews but had already agreed to lease it to Cineplex Odeon. Although Loews threatened to sue when the CO house was announced, nothing ever came of it.

When CO went in, the theatre still had the original wooden seats, a testament to how neglected some Loews houses were in the late eighties. These seats had mostly been destroyed to avoid any possibility of an immediate re-opening by anyone else. This actually expedited the remodel as CO had no intention of opening the place “as is”. Loews got the last laugh, though. Although the theatre was often busy, CO never made a profit due to high rent it had agreed to.

In October 1993 there was a gang shooting inside screen one which lead to several innocent bystanders getting hurt. The local media latched on to the story as another example of Hollywood product leading to teenage violence and blaming the film, (”Judgment Night”) for inciting the shooting. The following day picketers lined up in front of the theatre demanding it be closed.

In reality, the trailers were still running at the time of the shooting and the film had not yet started. I don’t think the Met ever really recovered from that incident and the politically motivated scandal it generated.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Roxy Theatre on Jul 28, 2008 at 9:36 pm

The Gayety was at 2004 Collins and was mostly a Burlesque strip club that rarely showed movies.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Astor Theatre on Jul 28, 2008 at 7:45 pm

My mistake. I got my education reading fabricated dead star biographies written by hack writers who plagiarized gossip columns and then sold the info as their own at discount book racks.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Metropolitan Theatre on Jul 28, 2008 at 7:36 pm

That must be why the ads read: “FIRST PICTURE IN YEARS TO HOLD A THIRD WEEK AT THE MET!”

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Astor Theatre on Jul 28, 2008 at 2:54 pm

Wow. You can determine the sexual inclinations of men from just looking at an 85 year old photograph? Fabulous gaydar!

My guess is that they are studio heads and members of the press who were mostly men at the time. As for their sexual habits, I’ll leave that to more talented contributors.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Metropolitan Theatre on Jul 28, 2008 at 2:25 pm

…at the theatre this page is about.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Metropolitan Theatre on Jul 28, 2008 at 10:40 am

“They called her the scarfaced she-devil!”

“A Woman’s Face” was a first-run move-over from the Capitol and this was the first suburban run of the film, with “Washington Melodrama” as a co-feature. The run included the Loews Jersey City and Newark theatres but since it ran for record three weeks it overlapped with the circuit break.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 44th Street Theatre on Jul 27, 2008 at 4:23 pm

The 44th Street roof showed movies in 1920 as the NORA BAYES.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Capitol Theater on Jul 27, 2008 at 3:30 pm

This was called the Capitol from 1972-1974.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Absinthe House Cinematheque on Jul 27, 2008 at 2:35 pm

Also known as the Merry Go Round as both theatre and cinema.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Suniland Triple on Jul 27, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Suniland becomes a twin.

View link

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 79th Street Twin II Cinema on Jul 27, 2008 at 2:25 pm

Here is a Star Twin ad. I have not added the theatre since I cannot find an actual address.

View link

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Miami Gardens 183rd Cinema on Jul 27, 2008 at 2:19 pm

I don’t recall this ever being known just as the 183rd street. It did open as the Jerry Lewis Cinema in 1972.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gala Twin Cinemas on Jul 27, 2008 at 2:16 pm

The Gala Twin opened in 1972 as a subrun house but quickly switched to porn when it stumbled onto DEEP THROAT which had recently been banned from Miami Beach’s Sheridan. Located in an incorporated part of Dade County, no city official had the jurisdiction to shut the Gala down.