Circus Cinema
1604 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10019
1604 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10019
5 people
favorited this theater
Another one of the adult cinemas that once flourished in Times Square. The Circus Cinema closed in 1996.
Contributed by
Robert R
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Recent comments (view all 31 comments)
Here is a screen capture from the TV series Taxi showing this theater’s marquee at right. It’s from a first-season episode titled Hollywood Calling.
A sort of karaoke-cabaret establishment called Spotlight Live opened at the former Circus Cinema in 2007. The concept was a restaurant and nightclub where patrons were encouraged to take the stage and enjoy their “15 minutes of fame,” while cameras would broadcast their performances to passersby via a jumbo-tron screen positioned over the street entrance on Broadway. Interesting idea, but didn’t appear to have sufficient appeal, and the club has since closed its doors.
Here’s a link that offers a good description and interior photos of the place.
Evidently, there was a “private penthouse” for parties of up to 175, which may have been in the former Big Top Theatre space. Judging from some of the event photos on the site, the spirit of exhibitionism certainly carried over from the old days!
The Spotlight Live club is now closed. A few years back an underage party goer was found dead on the roof of the club. She had been murdered by a club employee. Other incidents of violence had occured at the club prior to that. Signage for the club is still up at the now empty site
The 1984 movie MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON with Robin Williams has a scene showing this theatre. It seems that 12 years later, the theatre closes?
I remember being on a high school class trip to the city. We were coming down Broadway and were walking under some scaffolding as we approached this corner. As we emerged into the daylight, what did greet our tender eyes than the marquee of the Circus Cinema, proudly announcing its current attraction: ANAL INTRUDERS.
After our jaws dropped we all starting laughing, and needless to say our catchphrase for the rest of the day, and for some time afterwards, was “Anal Intruders,” which is also to this day my go-to name when I need to make up a porno title.
1984 photo added, photo credit Ghislian Bonneau.
Summer 1984 photo as the World added, photo credit Jacob R Clark.
1971 screen grab from “The French Connection” added.
Circus Cinema on the left.
I just noticed that there were 652 seats in this theater, which is unusual for a storefront conversion common to many of the porno spots in the area. I wonder if this was this a former theater or nightclub before becoming the Circus Cinema?
Mike, I concur. Always thought it was more than one of the storefronts that popped up. There is a CT contributor who often posts tax photos of a location. Maybe they could find an early one of this location.