Columbia Theatre
1324 Amsterdam Avenue,
New York,
NY
10027
1324 Amsterdam Avenue,
New York,
NY
10027
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Harris Theatrical Enterprises
Architects: Simeon D. Eisendrath
Previous Names: Pershing Theatre
Nearby Theaters
This was listed as the Pershing Theatre in the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook. It was on the west side of Amsterdam Avenue between 125th Street and LaSalle (or 123rd Street).
In the 1930 edition of Film Daily Yearbook it had been re-named Columbia Theatre, a name it retained until closing in the early-1950’s. The 1951 Film Daily Yearbook gives a seating count of 590. I believe it was demolished in around 1954.
I remember it from my childhood back in the early-1950’s when it played ‘family’ movies. I don’t remember it surviving the urban renewal around that time that built the projects on the south side of 125th Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Broadway. I just remember going to the Saturday kids programs.
Contributed by
Lou Roque, Ken Roe, Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 4 comments)
I wish my Grandparents were still with us so I could ask them about this theater. I remember my Grandfather used to play “448” for the daily lotto number because my Grandmother lived at 448 W. 125th Street in the late 1930’s when they were dating. That address was on the block between B'way and Amsterdam that was bulldozed to make way for the projects that also claimed this theater. I imagine they might have enjoyed a few dates at the Columbia.
According to the NYT, a man shot himself in the chest here in November 1929 which may have triggered the name change in order to escape the notoriety of the suicide.
http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/view/search?QuickSearchA=QuickSearchA&q=Pershing+Theatre&search=Search