RKO Warner Twin Theatre
1579 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
1579 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
41 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 378 comments
Two images starting with Vitaphone ad for “Don Juan” are not for this theatre, but for what was originally the Piccadilly at Broadway and 52nd Street and re-named as a Warner showcase and other brandings until finally demolished as Republic.
Click on link to see ads, articles, and pictures of the New York Warner theatre. Please do not copy to this site.
Something went wacky in posting the ad for “Khartoum” pre-sale for the Roadshow Engagement. It won’t allow me to post in the comment section the ticket prices….
Eves Mon-Thurs 8:30PM Loge $3.50 Orch $3.00 Balc $2.50
Eves Fri, Sat, Sun & Hol.Eves 8:30PM Loge $4.25 Orch $3.75 Balc $3.00
Matinees Mon-Thurs 2:00PM Loge $3.00 Orch $2.50 Balc $2.00
Matinees Sat, Sun & Hols. 2:00PM Loge $3.50 Orch $3.00 Balc $2.50
Sat & Sun 5:00PM Loge $4.25 Orch $3.75 Balc $3.00
Enlargeable 1948 photo via Alamy site.
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-new-york-city-street-scene-1948-1940s-color-kodachrome-key-largo-count-50612078.html?irclickid=0uy1rQRfAxyNRRbTNKyo-3UVUkA1r0UmIzOWTI0&utm_source=77643&utm_campaign=Shop%20Royalty%20Free%20at%20Alamy&utm_medium=impact&irgwc=1
The film of Porgy and Bess was not shown for years because the Gershwin estate suppressed it. I guess they hated it. It was shown at the Ziegfeld for a one time showing. The musical/opera is done regularly and was done at the Met last year.
The Houston Grand Opera production done on Broadway many years ago(done first at the Uris and then at the Mark Hellinger) was one of the greatest things I’ve seen in my life. There is a recording of it on RCA but it was better than what is captured on the recording. Still it’s worth having to hear Clamma Dale and Donnie Ray Albert.
I think they give the Strand credit instead of the Regent because unlike the Regent, it was an immediate success. Anyway, I think the brothers Moe and Mitchel Mark deserve a mention in the intro.
Hello-
to Al A.-
you are correct about me trying to find the 1st purpose built movie theater in Manhattan. the Regent on 135 St. predates this the Strand by a year.
On a question often asked on this site by bigjoe, a November 3, 1932, NYT obituary article on Moe Mark credits this location as the first purpose built non-nickelodeon motion picture theatre.
These random conversations are always a good opportunity to check out the recent photo additions.
Agreed, Al. How about Birth of a Nation? And there’s scads of dialogue in so many classic films that would make folks wince today (referring to Sam as a “boy” in Casablanca, Groucho referencing the song “That’s Why Darkies Were Born” in Duck Soup). I think we need to view these movies in the context of their times. But I also say it could be a factor in why the film has not received a restoration, and why you don’t see it on TV all that often anymore.
Although there are some ‘race’ issues in “PORGY”, they are no worse than many other older films such as “SOUTH PACIFIC”, “GONE WITH THE WIND” and “BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S”.
Could be. Or could be the original elements aren’t in good shape. Or a combination of the two. Porgy and Bess was revived on Broadway as recently as 2012.
Hello-
to Al A.- your replies are lways welcome. a question- you don’t think Porgy and Bess never having been released on home video has anything to do with being to use a current term “a problematic film”?
A PAL version from Spain is available but perhaps US rights are not. I know that in some cases the music and the film rights are owned by different companies who can’t agree on terms.
Hello-
to Al A.-
as always I thank you for your quick reply. as you said the print you saw was fine which prompts a question- why has it never been issued om home video?
I saw “PORGY” at the Ziegfeld in 2007 and the print was fine. https://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/porgy-and-bess-film-to-be-screened-at-nycs-ziegfel_11640.html
Hello-
recently I was thinking about all the roadshow engagements this theater hosted in the 1952-1972 period. many of the films won Oscars. then I realized all the films have been released on home video except Porgy and Bess. I then looked at the film’s Wikipedia page to find out a reason why. it states no good quality print of the film is known to exist. is that possible?
Hello-
to MSC77- thanks for the new link. it worked perfectly. a few comments/questions.
*after reading the article I’m assuming the reason the Todd-AO 70MM print of the original roadshow cut used in the festival wasn’t used for the blu-ray is it was too faded?
*also during this theater’s 70M festival in the late 70s what print was used for South Pacific the original Todd-AO roadshow cut or the general release print?
*The Agony and the Ecstasy is one of my favorite historical epics. it would have been amazing to see the original Todd-AO roadshow cut in 70MM on the large curved screen.
A reminder on how to link to another site in your comment… Between these brackets [ ] type in a name or title for the link (as MSC77 did with “this link”). Between these parentheses ( ) copy and paste the web address. There is no space between ] and(. After you click on Add Comment your link should go live.
Bigjoe59: Try this link instead.
As I (and others) have mentioned before, members posting links to articles as a courtesy (and to increase likelihood they get read) ought to make them clickable.
Hello-
I have tried the link to the article about the print of South Pacific shown at the film festival in Bradford, England twice and it doesn’t work. it would interesting to read the article.
Definitely NOT an ad for this Strand, a name that must be one of the most frequently used for theatres of all types.
Photo added
More info on the print of South Pacific that was shown in 2005 - https://in70mm.com/festival/bradford/year/2005/diary/index.htm
Below is what is said on Wikipedia about South Pacific.
The three-hour version, long feared lost, was rediscovered in a 70mm print owned by a collector. This print was screened in Bradford, England at the National Museum of Photography, Film, and Television on March 14, 2005.[9] When Fox (which by that time owned partial distribution rights to the film, including home video) learned of the print’s existence, it took it to the United States to reinstate the fourteen missing minutes and attempt to restore as much of the color as possible.