The policy on Cinema Treasures seems to be to give a venue its latest name. Amusing hypothesis: if before the Roxy Theatre closed, it had been a porno theatre for a few weeks under the name “Pussycat Palace”, would it have to be listed here as “Pussycat Palace” rather than the Roxy???
posted by Gerald A. DeLuca on Mar 24, 2004 at 11:19am
Well the Adonis had it’s name for 15 years, but was changed on here to Tivoli.
What kind of run was the Tivoli on before it became the Adonis. I can answer some questions about the Adonis, I once worked for the owner who at the time had the Cinema Village and DW Griffith.
I never understood why Century’s closed the Baldwin, I thought they owned the building. This was around the time they closed alot of places prior to the takeover by Almi-RKO.
Is this the theatre that the owner of the Avenue U opened when he lost that theatre? He started off playing art moveovers and then went commercial films for $3. I cant recall the name. It is like across the street from Dangerfields? If this is the one, it had alot of different names over the years.
Now that the Cinemas are being torn down dont be suprised if the Griffith goes back to first run pictures. It’s hard to believe how under-screened the East side has become.
They are always taking the titles off to put up “Happy Birthday Eggbert” or whoever is having a birthday there. I was only in this theatre once and do not recall alot. It suprises me nobody else tried to open the RKO Lawrence since that whole area is under screened.
Salisbury though is very close to Centurys Roosevelt Field. The thing is in the years before VCR’s neighborhood X theatres were grossing $10,000 to $20,000 a week. Many of the X titles were flat rate rental and if they were a percentage, it was alot less then the minimum 30-40% you paid on second run. I know a few people who became millionaires from running porn.
Suprisingly the Ridgewood was still in top notch condition when UA sold it to the Diaz brothers around 1978. The curtains still worked and were used before and after each film.
The 70’s were such a stagnant time for theatres. The neighborhood houses were in their last days as cable and VCR’s started killing them one by one. I remember when Loews opened the 34th Street Showplace, which was the first new Manhattan theatres in eons. A few years later it was considered a white elephant in theatre design, dark and depressing.
Rudy
Thanks so much for sharing these great memories. What a shame this place could not have survivied.
Was this built as a twin or converted?
The policy on Cinema Treasures seems to be to give a venue its latest name. Amusing hypothesis: if before the Roxy Theatre closed, it had been a porno theatre for a few weeks under the name “Pussycat Palace”, would it have to be listed here as “Pussycat Palace” rather than the Roxy???
posted by Gerald A. DeLuca on Mar 24, 2004 at 11:19am
Well the Adonis had it’s name for 15 years, but was changed on here to Tivoli.
I remember before this went porno it was playing the same kind of double bills you would see on 42 St. Action, horror and kung-fu.
Sound balcony-esque to me LOL
What kind of run was the Tivoli on before it became the Adonis. I can answer some questions about the Adonis, I once worked for the owner who at the time had the Cinema Village and DW Griffith.
Thats it the Art East, I cant remember if he tried commercial movies first and then went art or the other way around.
I wish they would change the name back.
I never understood why Century’s closed the Baldwin, I thought they owned the building. This was around the time they closed alot of places prior to the takeover by Almi-RKO.
Is this still a first run house? I wonder why Pacific got rid of it?
In the old days 90% of straight XXX features were on 35mm and almost all of the gay ones were on 16mm.
Is this the theatre that the owner of the Avenue U opened when he lost that theatre? He started off playing art moveovers and then went commercial films for $3. I cant recall the name. It is like across the street from Dangerfields? If this is the one, it had alot of different names over the years.
So they never adapted for Cinemascope? Does this mean they only ran flat films?
Don’t they also own Long beach?
Now that the Cinemas are being torn down dont be suprised if the Griffith goes back to first run pictures. It’s hard to believe how under-screened the East side has become.
They are always taking the titles off to put up “Happy Birthday Eggbert” or whoever is having a birthday there. I was only in this theatre once and do not recall alot. It suprises me nobody else tried to open the RKO Lawrence since that whole area is under screened.
Salisbury though is very close to Centurys Roosevelt Field. The thing is in the years before VCR’s neighborhood X theatres were grossing $10,000 to $20,000 a week. Many of the X titles were flat rate rental and if they were a percentage, it was alot less then the minimum 30-40% you paid on second run. I know a few people who became millionaires from running porn.
I also never recall regular movies playing here. I think this may have been X since the 70’s.
I think the gay screen of Manhattan 1 & 2 was the Spartan.
Warren
Does the Kings still have electric service? I was only in the theatre one time to see “The Way We Were” and would love to see it again.
Suprisingly the Ridgewood was still in top notch condition when UA sold it to the Diaz brothers around 1978. The curtains still worked and were used before and after each film.
The 70’s were such a stagnant time for theatres. The neighborhood houses were in their last days as cable and VCR’s started killing them one by one. I remember when Loews opened the 34th Street Showplace, which was the first new Manhattan theatres in eons. A few years later it was considered a white elephant in theatre design, dark and depressing.
At Loews Raceway they run the promos before the film on video and the quality is very good but it does not have the kick that film does.
Great exterior, but why the heck would anyone wood panel a theatre lobby???????????
I always remember this as an all male porno house. Does anyone know when it stopped showing regular films? Had to be before the early 70’s.