Regency Theatre

1987 Broadway,
New York, NY 10023

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Showing 1 - 25 of 86 comments

theamazin
theamazin on June 21, 2023 at 12:05 pm

I used to manage the Regency Theater in the early 90s when it was part of the Cineplex Odeon chain. I was there as they built the Lincoln Square theater across the street. I knew the Regency’s days were numbered once the completed that multiplex. The Regency was a cozy little theater. I enjoyed my time there, but I left because I was robbed at gunpoint and vowed never to work with cash again.

Mike (saps)
Mike (saps) on April 4, 2022 at 6:58 pm

When Loews Lincoln Square opened in 1994 the Regency Theatre found itself in what proved to be a losing battle for major studio films.

It’s sadly ironic that nowadays clearances are a thing of the past and the Regency could easily be playing the same titles as the big guy across the street…

ridethectrain
ridethectrain on July 4, 2021 at 2:55 pm

Please update, theatre closed March 4, 1999. Last film Elizabeth

jre
jre on February 6, 2018 at 12:09 pm

Spent many hours in that theatre watching all the classic bogart films, astaire and rogers, dietrich. wizard of oz on the big screen. some of my most cherished memories. we need another movie house like this, people still love the old movies. no netter place to watch the mgm musicals. very magical place if this is what you loved.

ryan79
ryan79 on October 26, 2017 at 1:04 am

most memorable time was being introduced to films of Preston Sturges and the film Holiday with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. the revival houses of the sixties through eighties were great.

Gabi Gonzalez
Gabi Gonzalez on April 16, 2017 at 2:20 pm

Hello fellow movie theater lovers,

I’m doing a project for my photojournalism class at NYU about closed down independent movie theaters in New York. I hope to gain information about people’s past experiences at these movie theaters, recollections of favorite memories or not so great experiences, perhaps economical insight, contacts with owners/managers, etc. On a larger level, I hope my project is able to show the significance of the role that these establishments play in our city and the importance of keeping them afloat.

If anyone would be willing to answer a few questions via email about your personal memories at the theater, please let me know! It could be as simple as recounting a favorite movie you remember seeing back when it was open. I would greatly appreciate your insight.

You can contact me at:

Thanks,
Gabi

Ben Davis
Ben Davis on March 24, 2017 at 2:28 pm

The Regency is one of the repertory movie theaters of the past that is highlighted in my recently published book, “Repertory Movie Theaters of New York City: Havens for Revivals, Indies and the Avant-Garde, 1960-1994.” It’s listed in Amazon and www.mcfarlandpub.com.

moviebuff82
moviebuff82 on March 17, 2017 at 6:41 pm

When Cineplex Odeon took over the older chains such as RKO-Stanley Warner-Century (owned by the Almi Group, a company known for art house movies and tv shows) as well as Brandt Theatres and Plitt, it marked a milestone for the Canadian theatre exhibitor as it expanded to other states two years after the merger of Cineplex (which owned a 14 screen theater in Beverly Hills in the USA) and Canadian Odeon theaters. It became even bigger when it merged with Sony-owned Loews Theatres 11 years later until the combined company filed for chapter 11, unlike AMC, which bought the company five years later from Onex.

SharonK
SharonK on November 28, 2016 at 7:24 pm

Loved this theatre in the mid-1970s, it always had a fantastic slate of great old Hollywood films. Saw Waterloo Bridge, Philadelphia Story, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, Unfaithfully Yours, among many other great movies. I love opera and I also remember seeing Interrupted Melody here, about the opera singer Marjorie Lawrence. Fabulous theatre.

vindanpar
vindanpar on November 1, 2015 at 5:12 pm

Frank Rowley was one of the great contributors to the New York revival house scene of the 70s and 80s.

A bit aloof and serious but nice when you approached him to ask about upcoming festivals.

He had a wonderful evening with Robert Wise who was with Portia Nelson at the Gramercy. One of the last evenings in NY with one of the giants of the studio era.

And those summer MGM festivals were out of this world. But on the weekends you had to get there very early or end up on the standby line which was almost as long as the ticket holders line.

The Regency was one of the best things about New York for movie lovers during those decades.

Alfredovu
Alfredovu on November 11, 2014 at 8:07 am

You can find a lot of related original Newspapers ads here:

http://warholfilmads.wordpress.com/

Hope you´ll like it Regards Alfredo

SethLewis
SethLewis on October 21, 2014 at 6:14 pm

This was the theatre in the famous Seinfeld Junior Mints episode where Elaine would rather buy candy than race to her then boyfriend’s hospital bedside…a great repertory and art house pre Cineplex Odeon…a brave effort at a single screen art house in CO days but with far less charm…shame that this one and the nearby 62nd and Broadway could not have been annexed into the Lincoln Plaza art house family

johnnyc404
johnnyc404 on October 21, 2014 at 5:28 pm

I loved this movie house. It held many wonderful memories for me, back in the seventies. I love the old films, and, the Regency delivered in a BIG way. I remember one summer, the MGM festival. WOW! The enjoyment of watching those musical classics on the Big screen, most often attended by enthusiastic dancers & singers & actors. The thunderous applause after each number. It sent chills to my spine, and it made it feel as if I was witnessing Astaire, Kelly & Garland IN PERSON!! I also remember one special evening when I just missed getting tickets to ( “North By Northwest” & “Thin Man” )…Me & my friends had to wait on line for several hours ( for the next show )..well, there was an old fashioned gin mill next door, we wound up taking turns running in and out. By the time I got into the theatre I was flying, and, had to struggle to stay awake! Funny!! I wish I could go back to those wonderful times..Johnny

headwaiter
headwaiter on September 10, 2013 at 4:12 pm

I remember this theatre as a revival theatre back in the mid and late 70’s and I used to drive in from New Jersey to see movies her. I remember seeing Gone With The Wind, Going My Way and several Marx Brothers movies. I miss this theatre very much.

cblanc10708
cblanc10708 on August 30, 2013 at 4:40 pm

Does anyone have a copy of an old film program from the Regency that can be scanned and emailed to me.. Thanks

theamazin
theamazin on June 18, 2013 at 4:53 am

I managed the Regency from March 1990 until Oct of ‘93 when I was robbed there at gunpoint. Scary moment. The theater has the smallest manager’s office I’ve ever seen. While I worked there I watched the construction of Loews Lincoln Square across the street that would eventually lead to the Regency’s demise. It was a sweet little theater.

Wellington1
Wellington1 on April 20, 2013 at 3:32 am

In the 1970s they held amazing summer-long festivals. I remember at least one MGM retrospective, and at least one devoted to classic Warner Brothers films. I think Olivia deHavilland showed up at their screening of ANTHONY ADVERSE.

missfedora
missfedora on March 27, 2012 at 6:52 pm

In the 1970s I lived on West 68th and was a regular patron of the Regency. Like MarkieS, I remember the Bette Davis/Joan Crawford festival and my friend and I would arrive an hour before showtime because of the long lines extending around the corner.

rivoli157
rivoli157 on November 13, 2011 at 2:00 pm

lived UWS in the 70s and 80s, loved this theatre.The revivals, the audience, all of it. Judy Garland,A Star is Born, Julie Andrews as the Star! and so many more

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 24, 2011 at 8:05 pm

Thanks for the clarification. I must have been reading the split screen version of “The Chelsea Girls” history. There’s some site called WarholStars.org , which has the film also at a place called the Cinema Rendezvous on 12/01/66. But I think following the Regency’s run. After some deal was cut with a group called the Art Guild, who ran a small chain of theaters.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez on May 24, 2011 at 7:41 pm

David, although “CHELSEA GIRLS” had a successful year end run at the Regency in December 1966, it had already premiered in September of that year at the Film-maker’s Cinematheque on 41st street where it showed for several weeks to great acclaim.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on May 24, 2011 at 7:26 pm

Well, I can’t believe that this topic never came up, but let’s give the Regency Theatre what is probably it’s most famous 15 minutes. I was watching some long documentary called “Andy Warhol’s Factory People”. Which chronicled the revolving door of characters & projects that passed through the artist’s New York loft in the `60’s. Bizarre, in-house films were apparently just one aspect of that.
Turns out Warhol’s film “The Chelsea Girls” not only played at the Regency, but premiered there as well. In the piece I caught a nighttime shot of the Regency, ablaze with that film’s title on the marquee. Perhaps Warhol’s influence or the Regency’s proximity to his loft aided in it’s use as a venue for the film.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on October 12, 2010 at 3:14 pm

According to the header on this theatre it would have opened in 1931.