Liberty Theatre
234 W. 42nd Street,
New York,
NY
10036
234 W. 42nd Street,
New York,
NY
10036
19 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 162 comments
I just posted a pic I found on the Internet showing the sign being removed. I was wrong about one thing, the Lethal Weapon advertisement on the Liberty marquee was for the Selwyn Theatre. Guess the Liberty had already been shuttered for good. I know that within a year or so, only the Harris Theatre would remain in operation out of all the original 42nd Street grindhouses.
That board had seen a lot of different signs on it over the years - I remember the faded/peeling “42nd St Movie Center” sign during most of the time I frequented - but there was also the lavish (for the times) Make Them Die Slowly signage up there during that engagement. The pic with the vintage looking “Why Pay More” signage is from 1989, when Bronson’s Kinjite movie came out. That would have been around the time the Durst Organization took over from the Brandt’s - which probably explains why the entrance gates were rolled down. The Dursts probably did a bit of cleanup in the theater, and spruced up that big sign to signal the change in ownership. When the sign was taken down off the marquee back in 1992 (with Lethal Weapon III playing), it was still in the same condition. The Dursts probably didn’t expect the city to be moving forward so quickly and brutally with eminent domain on those newly acquired (and still profitable) grindhouses!
There is also something odd about the photo posted on April 3, 2022: Was the “Why pay more” signage up during the end times of the Brandt theaters? If so, I must have missed that last bit of showmanship…
It is/was Ripley.
Ridley’s? Thought it was Ripley’s all of these years….
This haunted house experience is called “Terror” and will be in the space from Sept 29-Nov 6th.
Using 20,000 square feet of space, it must be using some areas of the former theatre and in typical Times Square promo way it claims
“Terror Haunted House is a combination of groundbreaking 4-D experience housed in an authentically recreated haunted environment which produces the most Immersive Horror experience to date. You will hear, see, smell, and feel the fear.”
Well, the Ridley’s Odditorium that had been housed in the former lobby closed last year, but this year that space is being used for a haunted house attraction.
Hello-
the intro at top makes it appear this theater never showed films till 1933. which of course not true. this theater held the exclusive first run engagements of some of the most prominent films of the silent era. The Birth of a Nation, Intolerance and The Thief of Baghdad among them.
1953 ad posted in photos
The opening ads for BIRTH OF A NATION state “all seats reserved”.
According to the ads posted performances were two a day with a variety of prices through the various sections so I assumed it was reserved seats available in advance.
While both Birth of a Nation and Intolerance had long, exclusive runs at this house, it seems neither had the reserved-seat, hard ticket sales that were a feature of most “road show” engagements.
I’m surprised there is no mention in the overview of this being a roadshow house for films in the teens much like the George M Cohan Theater in the 20s. Unless I am mistaken and please let me know if I am this theater held either the world or at least the New York premieres of Birth of a Nation and Intolerance. Sacred ground for a movie buff.
42ndStreetMemories, you say you didn’t pay $2.00 in the 60s. As late as 1986 or even a couple of years later, the first show on a Saturday morning when the theaters opened at 10:00 AM was only $3.00. And that was often for double or even triple features! Oh, those were the days! I’d grab a coffee and danish from a shop on Broadway around the corner, then head down the duece to check out what was playing and be in my seat watching the first flick by 10:00 AM.
1986 photo added courtesy of Steve Thomas.
Actually, the Liberty’s original lobby became part of the Ripley’s Odditorium. Apparently there is still a connecting door between the two that’s kept locked. But it is possible to go through the restaurant into the auditorium.
The lobby may have been gutted (or demolished) but you can walk right through the restaurant to get into the auditorium…
The venue is listed as “a forgotten Broadway theatre” which is then further clarified on the ticketing page as “a long hidden Broadway theatre” at 233 West 41st Street. Looks like they’re using one of the old auditorium exit doors, since the Liberty’s lobby was demolished for an eatery.
Here’s the website that includes ticket info for the new production. The show, billed as an “immersive event” is called Ziegfelds Midnight Frolic and will begin in April for a very limited engagement.
Ziegfeld Frolics in 2015.
http://m.playbill.com/news/article/times-squares-liberty-theater-resurrected-as-playground-for-ziegfeld-and-the-follies-343364
So it seems the Famous Dave’s has closed (I went there once on a Friday night just after all the shows got out; it was pretty empty, so I’m not surprised.) But the front portion, where the bar is, is still operating as the “Liberty Diner”, while the main auditorium is available as a rental reception space. See libertytheaterny.com
Tinseltoes, you are a cinema treasure!
According to Cinema Treasures, New York City has a garment district and a midtown, but no Times Square.
I just posted two photos of the Liberty’s new interior. My daughter and son-in-law attended a Christmas party there last month. Being an old regular of The Deuce, I was thrilled that my daughter got to experience the Liberty albeit a somewhat altered version.
Wow Saps, what a great commentary! I will have to make it there soon to have me some Famous Dave’s Grub. It’s not realisitic to expect any of New York’s remaining Movie Palaces to be returned to showing films; as much as we all want at least ONE to be. That said, the next best thing is have them restored and put back into a use that the public is able to see the glory of what once was. A sample of how America used to spend its leisure time. I hope the restaurant is a great success as I prefer this use than any church. Of course, I still very much appreciate the churches that have saved some of our best palaces and restored them so that future generations can enjoy them. A special thank you to the churches that saved the Stanley in Jersey City, the Valencia and the Elmwood in Queens, the Gates and Metropolitan in Brooklyn, and of course, the 175th Street and Hollywood Theatres in Manhattan. The theaters that were prolonged in life by conversion to Discos didn’t fare as well, BUT it did result in many of these palaces surviving way longer than they otherwise would have. I was because of these conversions that I had the chance to see such stunners as the Academy of Music (Palladium), Club USA (The Forum) Xenon’s (Henry Miller), The Saint (Loews Commodore) and, of course, the most famous of them all, Studio 54 (Gallo Opera House). Technically, Studio 54 doesn’t count because it was never a movie house, but in my mind, a theater is a theater and I hold all of the old Broadway Legit stages in equal high regard to the other palaces. But I digress. :–) I’m thrilled to have The Liberty back in the public realm. What’s next? The Times Square? Loew’s Canal? The Brooklyn Paramount? The Coliseum? RKO Keiths Flushing? RKO Keiths Richmond Hill? What other palaces are still hidden?
OMG, I stopped in today and it is effin' gorgeous! The former lobby is a seating area, with photos and programs from the old theater gracing the walls; the main auditorium is lovingly restored, to a point. The two balconies are there, and the side boxes and proscenium, and there is seating throughout.
There is a big modern-type chandelier but it doesn’t obscure the details in the ceiling. I only spent about three minutes there (the staff was very accomodating) and I can’t wait to return and leisurely take it all in.
And I can’t wait for our intrepid members to start posting photos here, so I can savor this true cinema treasure even more.
I saw many movies here, notably the cannibal holocaust/Ilsa/faces-of-death type of grindhouse gore that the Liberty seemed to specialize in, and it’s a real kick to be back. I’m truly over the moon about this.