In 1971, when The Miami Herald would not accept more than a two inch by one column ad for the X-rated “A Clockwork Orange”, ABC Forida State Theatres and Warner Brothers resorted to full page ads for the soundtrack album and the publication of THE ORANGE TIMES magazine.
A cover of THE ORANGE TIMES is linked below. View link
The Rialto II in the basement appears to have operated from 1968 to the mid-seventies. Since the main Rialto never closed one has to wonder where the space came from. Perhaps it was the old restaurant/TV studio space mentioned in Jerry Korvac’s post on Aug 15, 2006?
Warren, TESS was running in 22 Manhattan locations on December 25, 1922. It was running in 33 Manhattan locations sometime during that week. I never stated they were first runs.
Good action. Yes! Interesting special effects. Yes!
Memorable dialogue? Did we see the same movie?
Take out the F word and you practically have a silent movie.
This theatre opened with subrun films because Odeon and Famous Players would not allow Cineplex access to first run films and Canada did not have trade regulations to stop the duopoly.
Garth Drabinski followed the early AMC policy of playing just what he could get and the theatre was still a huge success. The megaplex innovation received enough backing that he was able to finance the takeover of Odeon (hence Cineplex Odeon) and therefore access to first-runs.
The success of his Beverly Hills Cineplex also eventually led to financing to enter the U.S. market in a big way. The involvement of MCA/Universal also allowed him the deep pockets to buy up huge chains of U.S. theatres such as Plitt and RKO.
Good story, Chuck, but this trend is not new. For example, during Christmas 1922 Mary Pickford’s TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY was playing at over 20 theatres in Manhattan alone. That was around one-fifth of all the available screens.
Back in the late eighties there was a Harlem gang known as THE TRANSFORMERS. Among their exploits was standing in movie lines in numbers of up to 200. Once the ticket taker opened the screen for seating, one member would scream “Tranformers transform!” and a rabble of teenagers would storm the entrance, knocking down and hurting the ticket taker and movie-goers in the process.
The National, like most Times Square theatres, was often the recipient of this group’s attention and judging from Ed Blanks post above, it had already started by 1980.
To answer an old question (LeonLeonidoff on Mar 24, 2008 at 1:07pm), “South Pacific†moved here in October 1958 in order to accommodate the roadshow run of WB’s “The Old Man and the Sea†at the Criterion. Magna Distributors, Todd â€"AO and the theatre agreed to pull “Around the World in 80 Days†after two years in order to make room for “SP†with the Todd-AO presentation. The contract for “80 Days†at the Rivoli had run out anyway.
I assume WB would not let the Criterion off the hook and “80 Days†had recently opened other roadshow runs in the greater NY market anyway. It opened a “popular price†run in the city at Loews by Thanksgiving of that year.
In 1971, when The Miami Herald would not accept more than a two inch by one column ad for the X-rated “A Clockwork Orange”, ABC Forida State Theatres and Warner Brothers resorted to full page ads for the soundtrack album and the publication of THE ORANGE TIMES magazine.
A cover of THE ORANGE TIMES is linked below.
View link
The Rialto II in the basement appears to have operated from 1968 to the mid-seventies. Since the main Rialto never closed one has to wonder where the space came from. Perhaps it was the old restaurant/TV studio space mentioned in Jerry Korvac’s post on Aug 15, 2006?
The into address of E. 79th street should be changed to E. 76th street.
Warren, TESS was running in 22 Manhattan locations on December 25, 1922. It was running in 33 Manhattan locations sometime during that week. I never stated they were first runs.
Life is not an argument. Get some help, man!
Roxy Twin should be added as an aka here.
The Museum of the City on 103rd street and Fifth Avenue has the following inscription on their exhibit about motion pictures:
“Movies started when ‘The Birth of a Nation’ opened at the Liberty Theatre in 1915.”
A bit misguiding, isn’t it?
Good action. Yes! Interesting special effects. Yes!
Memorable dialogue? Did we see the same movie?
Take out the F word and you practically have a silent movie.
This advertised in a 1921 Paramount Week ad as the Palace & Annex.
Advertised as showing movies in 1929 and 1935.
There was a Grant theatre on 116th street by 1920 (listed here as Jewel). This may however been known as the Nile in 1921.
For several years the Paramount Week ads featured a Schuyler Theatre at 251 West 82nd street and therefore on Broadway, not Columbus. Were there two?
This was already showing movies in 1919 according to a Paramount Week ad in the NYT.
A Paramount week ad from 1919 lists a Globe Theatre at 3rd Avenue and 119th St. Could this have been the Stadium?
A 1919 Paramount week ad features an Avenue theatre at 145th street and 8th Avenue. Could this have been the Odeon?
This theatre opened with subrun films because Odeon and Famous Players would not allow Cineplex access to first run films and Canada did not have trade regulations to stop the duopoly.
Garth Drabinski followed the early AMC policy of playing just what he could get and the theatre was still a huge success. The megaplex innovation received enough backing that he was able to finance the takeover of Odeon (hence Cineplex Odeon) and therefore access to first-runs.
The success of his Beverly Hills Cineplex also eventually led to financing to enter the U.S. market in a big way. The involvement of MCA/Universal also allowed him the deep pockets to buy up huge chains of U.S. theatres such as Plitt and RKO.
A CASTLE theatre was showing movies at this address in 1919. Could it be the same building as the Garrick?
Was this the same as the Roxy Twin at one point?
Advertised as the Broadway Photoplay in 1919.
Good story, Chuck, but this trend is not new. For example, during Christmas 1922 Mary Pickford’s TESS OF THE STORM COUNTRY was playing at over 20 theatres in Manhattan alone. That was around one-fifth of all the available screens.
I guess what goes around comes around.
Back in the late eighties there was a Harlem gang known as THE TRANSFORMERS. Among their exploits was standing in movie lines in numbers of up to 200. Once the ticket taker opened the screen for seating, one member would scream “Tranformers transform!” and a rabble of teenagers would storm the entrance, knocking down and hurting the ticket taker and movie-goers in the process.
The National, like most Times Square theatres, was often the recipient of this group’s attention and judging from Ed Blanks post above, it had already started by 1980.
“The Old Man and the Sea” played for only ten weeks, but I am sure WB had a deal even before “SP” came into play.
The Rivoli may have been more attractive due to the extra seats.
To answer an old question (LeonLeonidoff on Mar 24, 2008 at 1:07pm), “South Pacific†moved here in October 1958 in order to accommodate the roadshow run of WB’s “The Old Man and the Sea†at the Criterion. Magna Distributors, Todd â€"AO and the theatre agreed to pull “Around the World in 80 Days†after two years in order to make room for “SP†with the Todd-AO presentation. The contract for “80 Days†at the Rivoli had run out anyway.
I assume WB would not let the Criterion off the hook and “80 Days†had recently opened other roadshow runs in the greater NY market anyway. It opened a “popular price†run in the city at Loews by Thanksgiving of that year.
What “facade” was there to destroy here?
Bunche Park is near Miami Lakes and may now be part of that city.
Rialto East and Rialto III should be added as AKA names here.