To answer SPearce, I believe that the theater that you referred to is the Loft which was located near the U of A at 6th and Fremont. Its current inception is the Loft Cinema which is listed in Cinema Treasures. Several years ago, the Loft Cinema took over the building that used to be the Showcase on Speedway Blvd. near Country Club Road. It is a non-profit run by a foundation. It shows mainly independent and art films and has a good following. This was the only theater in Tucson to show the Piaf film last year. There are two auditoriums, the larger one is downstairs and a smaller one is in what was once the balcony.
The Fox Tucson is located on Congress Street just west of Stone Avenue in downtown Tucson. It was closed from the mid 1970’s until early 2006. It has been fully restored and is used for concerts as well as movies. This weekend the fully restored version of a 1950’s John Wayne western, “Hondo” is being shown. It is being presented in its original 3D version.
Located just a few blocks south of the Loews Burnside and perhaps a half a mile east of the Park Plaza both of which showed films that were first run for the Bronx (except for Loews Paradise), the Jerome was a second run house.
I remember seeing films at the Lyceum back in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s when I worked at a nearby camp during the summer. I also went to similar theaters- The Starr in Rhinebeck, a few miles to the south of Red Hook and the Plains in Pine Plains, probably about 15 miles to the east of Red Hook on the other side of the Taconic Parkway. At that time all of these were quiet little towns.
I haven’t been in the region in many years but I understand that they have become virtual suburbs of NYC.
I am not completely certain of this since I have never seen a photo of the Fox Phoenix, but the photo above looks to me to be one of the Fox Tucson. Can anyone either confirm this or confirm that the photo is of the Fox Phoenix?
Tonight (Halloween) the Fox is featuring a couple of great horror films- The Shining and the Exorcist. This weekend they will have a Mexican Film Festival. It is really great to see that the management is offering a variety of presentations. The Fox is one of the venues that will anchor the Rio Nuevo Project, an attempt to lure folks to downtown Tucson.
I visited the Fox for a concert. The theater is beautifully restored. It is being used in varied ways- classic films, cine mexicano, live concerts, etc.
I lived in the area from the mid 1950’s through the 1960’s. During that time I would describe the Heights as being an “art” theater. Most of the pictures shown there were foreign films. This is probably why it could compete with nearby theaters like the RKO Colisuem, Loews 175th Street, Lane and Empress (aka Astral).
When I was a college student in the early 1960’s, I worked in an ice cream parlor across the street from the Earl named Addie Vallins. On Saturday nights we used to get a crowd when the movie ended. Being around the corner from Yankee Stadium, sometimes a few of the Yankee players would come in for ice cream. Thanks for the photos KenRoe.
Richard, I remember many of these theaters. I attended PS77 near the Ward and remember getting tickets at the school for Saturday matinees. This was in the very early 50’s. The Ward was near the Elder Avenue Station of the Pelham IRT. In 1952 we moved to the Westchester Square area and I spend many an afternoon in the Square. I also remember the Interboro which was in the Throggs Neck area of the Bronx. By the late 1950’s we moved to University Heights and the Park Plaza and Ogden were the closest theaters to where I lived. By the mid 1950’s, I don’t believe that the Square or Ogden were part of the Skouras circuit- I believe they were “indies.” As a matter of fact, when I first moved to the West Bronx in early 1956, the Ogden was not operating. It reopened shortly after that and often showed triple bills including horror films (Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, etc) and comedies such as the Bowery Boys series. I, too, vaguely remember the Bronx Home News. Didn’t the New York Post take it over?
Richard, I remember the Skouras Pilgrim too. I do not understand your reference to “RKO, Albee Westchester Square, etc.” The Buhre Avenue station of the Pelham Bay IRT line is two stations north of the Westchester Square station. Why the mention of RKO and Albee?
I seem to recall that by the late 1940’s, early 1950’s most theaters had air conditioning. As a young child, I visited this theater once sometime before 1952 and it wasn’t air conditioned.
When I moved into the neighborhood in February of 1956, this theater was closed. Sometime after that it reopened. Often triple features were shown in the afternoon- Bowery Boys, Tarzan, etc. Then second run double features were shown in the evening.
In the early 1950’s when I was attending P.S. 77, which was a few blocks from the Ward Theater, I recall getting a series of tickets at school for Saturday morning shows with features especially suited for young children.
Prior to its closing, the Lane usually showed pictures that were running in the Loew’s theaters in the Bronx and Queens. These pictures usually were shown two weeks earlier at the Loew’s 175th Street Theater a few blocks south of the Lane. On the same side of 181st Street on the same block to the east of the Lane was another theater called the Empress. Its name was changed to the Astral in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. This theater was unique in the sense that you entered it at the side of the auditorium in the middle.
Back in the 1950’s I recall that the Ascot was part of a small chain of theaters called “J.J. Bronx.” Other theaters in the chain were the Earl and Luxor (showed same films as RKO’s in the Bronx) and the Jerome, Kent, Surrey and Casino (showed second and third run double bills). These seven theaters were part of the chain for a number of years. Other theaters joined the chain for shorter amounts of time. They included the Mount Eden, Park Plaza (ex-Skouras), Burnside and Fairmount (ex-Loew’s). In the late 1950’s or early 1960’s the Hillside and Willard (ex-Loew’s)in Queens joined the group and the name was changed to “J.J. Theaters.
I lived in a four family house about a half mile from the Whitestone Drive-in (i952 to 1946). We had an unobstructed view of the screen from our bathroom and kitchen windows. We could see the film without sound of course. I remember that when Cinemascope was introduced the screen was added on to to allow for the new technology.
To answer SPearce, I believe that the theater that you referred to is the Loft which was located near the U of A at 6th and Fremont. Its current inception is the Loft Cinema which is listed in Cinema Treasures. Several years ago, the Loft Cinema took over the building that used to be the Showcase on Speedway Blvd. near Country Club Road. It is a non-profit run by a foundation. It shows mainly independent and art films and has a good following. This was the only theater in Tucson to show the Piaf film last year. There are two auditoriums, the larger one is downstairs and a smaller one is in what was once the balcony.
The Fox Tucson is located on Congress Street just west of Stone Avenue in downtown Tucson. It was closed from the mid 1970’s until early 2006. It has been fully restored and is used for concerts as well as movies. This weekend the fully restored version of a 1950’s John Wayne western, “Hondo” is being shown. It is being presented in its original 3D version.
Located just a few blocks south of the Loews Burnside and perhaps a half a mile east of the Park Plaza both of which showed films that were first run for the Bronx (except for Loews Paradise), the Jerome was a second run house.
I remember seeing films at the Lyceum back in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s when I worked at a nearby camp during the summer. I also went to similar theaters- The Starr in Rhinebeck, a few miles to the south of Red Hook and the Plains in Pine Plains, probably about 15 miles to the east of Red Hook on the other side of the Taconic Parkway. At that time all of these were quiet little towns.
I haven’t been in the region in many years but I understand that they have become virtual suburbs of NYC.
I am not completely certain of this since I have never seen a photo of the Fox Phoenix, but the photo above looks to me to be one of the Fox Tucson. Can anyone either confirm this or confirm that the photo is of the Fox Phoenix?
Tonight (Halloween) the Fox is featuring a couple of great horror films- The Shining and the Exorcist. This weekend they will have a Mexican Film Festival. It is really great to see that the management is offering a variety of presentations. The Fox is one of the venues that will anchor the Rio Nuevo Project, an attempt to lure folks to downtown Tucson.
I visited the Fox for a concert. The theater is beautifully restored. It is being used in varied ways- classic films, cine mexicano, live concerts, etc.
I lived in the area from the mid 1950’s through the 1960’s. During that time I would describe the Heights as being an “art” theater. Most of the pictures shown there were foreign films. This is probably why it could compete with nearby theaters like the RKO Colisuem, Loews 175th Street, Lane and Empress (aka Astral).
When I was a college student in the early 1960’s, I worked in an ice cream parlor across the street from the Earl named Addie Vallins. On Saturday nights we used to get a crowd when the movie ended. Being around the corner from Yankee Stadium, sometimes a few of the Yankee players would come in for ice cream. Thanks for the photos KenRoe.
The Fox is showing some classic films several nights each week.
BrooklynJim- Re your June 12 posting, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was originally released in 1954. That was a strange pairing for sure.
Richard, I remember many of these theaters. I attended PS77 near the Ward and remember getting tickets at the school for Saturday matinees. This was in the very early 50’s. The Ward was near the Elder Avenue Station of the Pelham IRT. In 1952 we moved to the Westchester Square area and I spend many an afternoon in the Square. I also remember the Interboro which was in the Throggs Neck area of the Bronx. By the late 1950’s we moved to University Heights and the Park Plaza and Ogden were the closest theaters to where I lived. By the mid 1950’s, I don’t believe that the Square or Ogden were part of the Skouras circuit- I believe they were “indies.” As a matter of fact, when I first moved to the West Bronx in early 1956, the Ogden was not operating. It reopened shortly after that and often showed triple bills including horror films (Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, etc) and comedies such as the Bowery Boys series. I, too, vaguely remember the Bronx Home News. Didn’t the New York Post take it over?
Richard, I remember the Skouras Pilgrim too. I do not understand your reference to “RKO, Albee Westchester Square, etc.” The Buhre Avenue station of the Pelham Bay IRT line is two stations north of the Westchester Square station. Why the mention of RKO and Albee?
I seem to recall that by the late 1940’s, early 1950’s most theaters had air conditioning. As a young child, I visited this theater once sometime before 1952 and it wasn’t air conditioned.
When I moved into the neighborhood in February of 1956, this theater was closed. Sometime after that it reopened. Often triple features were shown in the afternoon- Bowery Boys, Tarzan, etc. Then second run double features were shown in the evening.
I seem to recall that the Valentine had a very strangely shaped marquee. It seemed to be in the shape of a half of a heart.
In the early 1950’s when I was attending P.S. 77, which was a few blocks from the Ward Theater, I recall getting a series of tickets at school for Saturday morning shows with features especially suited for young children.
Prior to its closing, the Lane usually showed pictures that were running in the Loew’s theaters in the Bronx and Queens. These pictures usually were shown two weeks earlier at the Loew’s 175th Street Theater a few blocks south of the Lane. On the same side of 181st Street on the same block to the east of the Lane was another theater called the Empress. Its name was changed to the Astral in the late 1950’s or early 1960’s. This theater was unique in the sense that you entered it at the side of the auditorium in the middle.
Back in the 1950’s I recall that the Ascot was part of a small chain of theaters called “J.J. Bronx.” Other theaters in the chain were the Earl and Luxor (showed same films as RKO’s in the Bronx) and the Jerome, Kent, Surrey and Casino (showed second and third run double bills). These seven theaters were part of the chain for a number of years. Other theaters joined the chain for shorter amounts of time. They included the Mount Eden, Park Plaza (ex-Skouras), Burnside and Fairmount (ex-Loew’s). In the late 1950’s or early 1960’s the Hillside and Willard (ex-Loew’s)in Queens joined the group and the name was changed to “J.J. Theaters.
I lived in a four family house about a half mile from the Whitestone Drive-in (i952 to 1946). We had an unobstructed view of the screen from our bathroom and kitchen windows. We could see the film without sound of course. I remember that when Cinemascope was introduced the screen was added on to to allow for the new technology.