I’m a retired member of IATSE LOCAL 306 New York Projectionists union. I ran the projectors at the Beekman theater during the World Premiere of “The Poseidon Adventure”.
I worked overtime in the morning, as a licensed “Operator” had to be on duty in the Projection booth when the technician cut the special aperture plates for the 3 projectors so that this wide screen presentation would fit the screen perfectly.
There were 3 projectors. We made a “changeover” from one machine to another every 20 minutes which no one noticed. Just so you know…projector #3 had the last sprocket roller held together with a RUBBER BAND! So much for the fancy East Side Art house!
–Alan Mandel
My Dad Paul was the manager of the Anco theater during the mid to late 1950’s. There was a robbery there in 1959 during a showing of Shootout at the OK Corral! He also managed the Prospect theater in the Bronx before that for Cinema Circuit!
As far as I can remember, the ANCO played mostly action and adventure films with some Sci-fi mixed in. It didn’t have a candy stand, just vending machines. I think it was painted pink inside!? The usher Chris sold Ice Cream from a tray during the intermission.
It was owned by Cinema Circuit. The partners were Mark I. Finklestein and Max Cohen. Cohen’s daughter was ANNA COHEN! So they named it AN—CO after his daughter!
I’m a retired member of IATSE LOCAL 306 Projectionists union. I ran the projection of the opening of this theater with World Premiere of The Last Picture Show to FULL houses of 610 people, —and another 610 lined up around the block to see this film.
One night, management had asked for a “snipe” (a public service notice-NO SMOKING) to be spliced into the film in the black between the end and the credits. When I came on duty for the Saturday night show the DIRECTOR Peter Bogdanovich (& girlfriend -lead actress Cybil Shepherd!) were in the audience! The District manager told me if Bogdanovich ever saw this, he would die!
I quickly spliced OUT the “snipe”, but since I was splicing in black, there were NO frame lines. I was lucky to even get it out, much less keep the film in frame.
Well, film ends and goes to black. As credits with quick scenes of lead actors comes on—FILM JUMPS OUT of Frame for a second. I quickly pulled it back in frame while holding the loop in the projector.
Peter Bogdanovich lead actress Cybil Shepherd come up into the projection booth and ask me what happened? I told them about the snipe, and they were relieved that this would NOT happen again. Both main an Backup prints of the film were then edited correctly!
My dad and his partners ran the Fairmount Theater from 1960—1969. It was a beautiful theater.
A few years later they bought the Deluxe theater on Tremont and Belmont, a block away. Dad was a great manager and showman. They turned both theaters into money makers.
It’s was heyday of great films, 1960-1969.
What actors! What directors! What films!
There were movie theaters all over the Bronx—
the RKO Chester, the Vogue, the Loew’s Elsmere, the Fairmount, the Deluxe, the Crotona, the Art, the Devon, the Dover, the Ascot, the Loew’s Paradise, the RKO Fordham, the Valentine, the David Marcus, the Palace, the Earl, The Ogden, and many others.
I’m a retired member of IATSE LOCAL 306 New York Projectionists union. I ran the projectors at the Beekman theater during the World Premiere of “The Poseidon Adventure”. I worked overtime in the morning, as a licensed “Operator” had to be on duty in the Projection booth when the technician cut the special aperture plates for the 3 projectors so that this wide screen presentation would fit the screen perfectly. There were 3 projectors. We made a “changeover” from one machine to another every 20 minutes which no one noticed. Just so you know…projector #3 had the last sprocket roller held together with a RUBBER BAND! So much for the fancy East Side Art house! –Alan Mandel
My Dad Paul was the manager of the Anco theater during the mid to late 1950’s. There was a robbery there in 1959 during a showing of Shootout at the OK Corral! He also managed the Prospect theater in the Bronx before that for Cinema Circuit! As far as I can remember, the ANCO played mostly action and adventure films with some Sci-fi mixed in. It didn’t have a candy stand, just vending machines. I think it was painted pink inside!? The usher Chris sold Ice Cream from a tray during the intermission. It was owned by Cinema Circuit. The partners were Mark I. Finklestein and Max Cohen. Cohen’s daughter was ANNA COHEN! So they named it AN—CO after his daughter!
I’m a retired member of IATSE LOCAL 306 Projectionists union. I ran the projection of the opening of this theater with World Premiere of The Last Picture Show to FULL houses of 610 people, —and another 610 lined up around the block to see this film. One night, management had asked for a “snipe” (a public service notice-NO SMOKING) to be spliced into the film in the black between the end and the credits. When I came on duty for the Saturday night show the DIRECTOR Peter Bogdanovich (& girlfriend -lead actress Cybil Shepherd!) were in the audience! The District manager told me if Bogdanovich ever saw this, he would die! I quickly spliced OUT the “snipe”, but since I was splicing in black, there were NO frame lines. I was lucky to even get it out, much less keep the film in frame. Well, film ends and goes to black. As credits with quick scenes of lead actors comes on—FILM JUMPS OUT of Frame for a second. I quickly pulled it back in frame while holding the loop in the projector. Peter Bogdanovich lead actress Cybil Shepherd come up into the projection booth and ask me what happened? I told them about the snipe, and they were relieved that this would NOT happen again. Both main an Backup prints of the film were then edited correctly!
Didn’t someone alter the sign on the marquee so the letters OEW and ELANCY were OFF so it read LSD! This was during the psychedelic late 1960’s!
—Alan
My dad and his partners ran the Fairmount Theater from 1960—1969. It was a beautiful theater.
A few years later they bought the Deluxe theater on Tremont and Belmont, a block away. Dad was a great manager and showman. They turned both theaters into money makers.
It’s was heyday of great films, 1960-1969.
What actors! What directors! What films!
There were movie theaters all over the Bronx—
the RKO Chester, the Vogue, the Loew’s Elsmere, the Fairmount, the Deluxe, the Crotona, the Art, the Devon, the Dover, the Ascot, the Loew’s Paradise, the RKO Fordham, the Valentine, the David Marcus, the Palace, the Earl, The Ogden, and many others.