777 Theatre
777 8th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10036
777 8th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10036
6 people
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Appears to be closed now
Photo added
Correction to the above description: there’s only one 150ish seat theatre at this space. The other two blackbox theatre spaces mentioned are nearby at 8th & 43rd, and owned by the same company (Roy Arias Studios), so they’re on the same website, but those are not here. The current 777 theatre is really just on of the two former movie auditoriums converted to live theatre use, while Grey Line Sightseeing is still using the other one. (It’s also not a triplex, nor has it ever been.)
Sadly revival theatres are a distant memory of youth no only served by museums or treasures like the Film Forum…saw the great Aussie double bill of Breaker Morant and Gallipoli here in 1982 with a very full house
not too far from this theater…saw it on channel 2 news…https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB8QqQIoADAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewyork.cbslocal.com%2F2014%2F11%2F11%2Fsearch-on-for-men-who-robbed-store-in-diamond-district%2F&ei=54diVPX5AYWsyATEo4Ao&usg=AFQjCNEFqqeMVAwnPbYBjoeXXGisx8xzmg&sig2=rZASgJbx_sIYJUeEdVLqNA
Perusing the photos of the theater, and reviewing the comments history, I think the proper original name for this, as advertized on front of the marquee, was Hollywood Twin Cinema (not pluralized). The marquee appears unchanged from the 1976 image taken from “Taxi Driver,” to some of the early 1980’s images posted from its revivial days. At some point, it appears the marquee was updated to feature yellow lettering over black background (I recall this look on several theaters in the area towards the end of the line), and the name changed to Hollywood Twin Theater. During this period, the side boards for the individual auditoriums were labeled “Cine 1” and “Cine 2.” It also appears that it may have had a go as a Spanish language cinema during this time, as evidenced by this pic, posted by CT member William a couple of years back.
I found an old Hollywood Twin schedule flyer, that dates back to mid-September thru mid-October, 1981. I uploaded images of the flyer to the photo section, above. The full image shrinks down a bit too small to read, so I also uploaded a close-up of the top, plus a bit of the reverse side, showing what the prices were. Apparently, regular admission was $4.00 for a standard revival double feature. However, deep discounts were offered for package deals!
Surprisingly, many of the titles on the schedule were fairly recent releases – some from earlier in 1981 – although, typically paired with much older films. A lot of films from the 1970’s figured into this particular schedule, with only the pairings of “Grand Illusion” with “Paths of Glory,” and “All About Eve” with “A Letter To Three Wives” harkening back to Hollywood’s classic studio era.
the building of Worldwide Plaza at 49th-50th (1986-1989) improved the immediate area but it wasn’t until about 1996 or 1997 where i started to see a significant improvement. in the area.
as a teen in the late 70’s mostly when i would pass thru this block of Eighth it seemed quiet but i do recall one time i saw prostitution and drug addicted people on this block, so i always wondered what it was like normally.
I think the Hollywood Twin Cinema was right next to B Smiths. Moulin Rouge escapes me. the Lighting Store, Ray’s Pizza, further up I recall well.
was 47th/48th on 8th Avenue as prostitution- infested as it was down by the Port Authority or was it tamer? would you see it by the Ramada(now the Hilton Garden), Firehouse and Blarney Stone(now its the Social Bar)? if so did the hookers hang out in groups with pimps or was there less “traffic” up there?
didn’t B Smiths bar/restaurant open around 1986 on the NW corner of 47th and 8th? wasn’t there the Haymarket Saloon across the street near the corner of 47th?
LeonNorman1814, could you be confusing this with the Cine Twin and Jocx at 711 Seventh Avenue. That venue is listed here; http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/8365
New use.
http://www.royariasstudios.com/#!777-theatre/c1t44
The Night Shift had a separate address upstairs but the Moulin Rouge (3 screens, 1985) may have encompassed both.
As far as I know, the Night Shift Theater was a separately run theater above the Hollywood Twin.
I find viewing the new replacements on 8th to be dull because you don’t see any characters hanging around. The old shots of the Hollywood are cool because you can see how the surrounding area is a real red-light district with either characters, or no one there (‘cause many didn’t go there 'cause it was unsavory) and trash in the streets
View link
gotta remember the fire house across the street from the Hollywood. attached to the fire house was a row of dingy tenements and the upper windows were abandoned. there was some kind of nasty bar at 772.
Thanks for the pictures.
the guy wearing the brim hat standing next to the prostitute, would you say that could be a pimp(didn’t they wear such hats back in the day?)? the 3 of them seem huddled close together hard to tell if the prostitute is moving about her business or if she/he is hanging with the other 2 guys
excellent photo do you have more of this section? should be 1971 or after as the H'wood opened in 71
was the street activity and street people at 47th and 8th similar to 5 blocks to the south at 42nd and 8th? or was it any tamer? would one be using the same level of caution at 47th as they would at 42 street?
www.frankjump.com/youngschmuck.html
this is that spot across the street from the Hollywood Cinema. The structure was abandoned for years for as long i can remember. There had to be some kind of hotel or meeting spot in there because there were always down and out people hanging there
if you look at my link to the glennkenny post that shows Robert DeNiro walking in front of the theater you will see the bldg that the Arby’s became is overflowing with trash in 1976. looks like maybe the Arby’s came later in to replace that mess.
so it was an Arbys in 1979? I wonder how long for because B Smith’s opened in 1986. Take a look at the little doorway under the marque it’s in a tawdry blue. There’s some kind of lettering it looks like it may say “all” so my next guess is does it say “all girls”? it definitely has that kind of look.