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Ziegfeld Theatre
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
131 people
favorited this theater
Showing 151 - 175 of 4,512 comments
This was THE PLACE. First film I saw here was THE JAZZ SINGER (1980) and the last was BLADE RUNNER FINAL CUT. What a tragedy that this palace is no more.
If this theater still played movies, me and my dad would have enough money to buy some tickets and go see a movie and reserve a seat like the good old days. The reserved seating for movies has been around since the roadshow era but has gained popularity by the major chains recently due to renovations of older theaters that have worn out seats. Imagine if the Ziegfeld had recliners had Bow Tie continued to operate it. Some of the bow tie theaters around the area have closed due to lease expirations.
Movieholic: that would have been a great way to save the Ziegfeld. If I was a billionaire, I’d have paid for it myself.
Though I’d only visited this amazing theater three times in the past two decades before it closed I still miss it terribly. It’s a shame the owners couldn’t find a way to keep it going. If it had gone the route of, say, the Egyptian in Los Angeles and focused strictly on revivals maybe it would have survived.
How sad that all we can do now is look back to the good old days at the Ziegfeld. To be honest, I never thought it would actually close. I always figured it would be saved by landmark status or something like that.
I just finished watching Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, and I had similar memories from when it was the Christmas 1975 attraction at the Ziegfeld, and how beautiful it looked and sounded from the 5th row.
Just finished watching Interstellar on fx and it brought back a flood of memories when I saw this movie here in 70MM. I could still picture myself and my wife sitting there with the awesome bright picture and amazing audio.
Hello fellow movie theater lovers,
I’m doing a project for my photojournalism class at NYU about closed down independent movie theaters in New York. I hope to gain information about people’s past experiences at these movie theaters, recollections of favorite memories or not so great experiences, perhaps economical insight, contacts with owners/managers, etc. On a larger level, I hope my project is able to show the significance of the role that these establishments play in our city and the importance of keeping them afloat.
If anyone would be willing to answer a few questions via email about your personal memories at the theater, please let me know! It could be as simple as recounting a favorite movie you remember seeing back when it was open. I would greatly appreciate your insight.
You can contact me at:
Thanks,
Gabi
I am so happy that I got to see the last 70MM film projected there “Interstellar”. The picture and sound was amazing. It is a shame this place couldn’t hang on.
Oh how i could visit the ziegfeld like my dad did back when big movies came out. It was very expensive when it first opened and it still was until they closed it down. No more Bow Tie cinemas in Manhattan anymore that are still called Bow Tie. That’s the state of moviegoing. There are other Bow Ties around the four boroughs and in NJ. I’d like to see the new management keep the famous Ziegfeld script and add in the ballroom name. I think it will get more crowded with all the extra space once it opens next year.
Not a day goes by where I don’t miss the Ziegfeld.
Opening paragraph of the NYTimes' review of Marooned:
IT seems fitting that a handsome, professional and future-minded space drama in fine color, like “Marooned,” should open a new jewel box of a theater, the Ziegfeld.
Bill, I really do hope that they keep the marquee and sign up when the new place opens, the building is a piece of history and touched so many lives
On the way to Radio City for Blazing Saddles on Thursday night, I passed by the Ziegfeld. Construction was still going on with whatever they’re turning the theater into, but it did still say Ziegfeld Theatre on the outside of the building, high up on the brick wall, and the marquee is still up. Maybe they’re going to keep them?
TCM did have an annual screening of classic movies for the rest of the country to coincide with their big festival, called The Road to Hollywood. Sadly, I don’t think they do it anymore. I was lucky enough to see All About Eve, To Kill a Mockingbird and Cabaret at the Ziegfeld, complete with Robert Osborne hosting special guests (Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Spike Lee), and all for free admission. Needless to say, all shows were filled to capacity.
I also saw The Birds in Huntington, Long Island, NY: Tippi Hedren on stage interviewed by Ben Mankiewicz in another sold-out show. Just the other night, Blazing Saddles with a live appearance by Mel Brooks sold out the almost 6,000-seat Radio City Music Hall. The audience for classic movies on the big screen is out there, and waiting for more events like these.
That is a wonderful idea! What is more important than the films themselves is the movie palaces that showed them. I am hoping that TCM will do an east coast version of their west coast yearly film festival. Maybe the Kings,Beacon,Radio City,175th etc. They rent the screens & projectors sometimes. Wouldn’t that be a thrill!!
Early tomorrow morning at 4am TCM is running this theater’s opening attraction Marooned.
By coincidence or design at 6:15am they are showing The Bitter Tea of General Yen, the opening attraction of Radio City Music Hall…
Hello-
i was a frequent patron at this theater starting with its debut film “Marooned”. to which in reference to Mikeoaklandpark’s post of 5/1116. from the very beginning this theater often closed for a week or two if no suitable film was available for a 1st run engagement but i never remember this theater ever showing films second run in the sense that they had exhausted their original engagement at other theaters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iafsHdTngyw
Spielberg like…….Why didn’t this come out 6 months ago?
No problem. I may try to do it myself but thanks for posting the 70mm engagements.
Movieholic…. I’m pleased you liked the Ziegfeld filmography and thanks for the suggestion. I’m afraid I have no interest, though, in putting together a similar filmography for the 34th Street Showplace. The best I could offer would be a list of the 70mm presentations that played there.
Nothing makes me angrier that this theatre had to close.
For someone interested in researching NY theatres, if you get a subscription to the NY Times, you can get access to the TIMESMACHINE which gives access to all papers from the very first issue to 2002. They frequently have discount prices.
Mike (saps) You’re probably right about the Loews 34th Street Showplace. For me, it would be fun to see the bookings since I went there more times than the Ziegfeld and Astor Plaza combined. If I can figure out how to do it myself I will.
I wonder if the Showplace was significant enough to warrant a full list… The single-screens Ziegfeld and Astor Plaza often had exclusive engagements and very long bookings, while the Showplace (if I recall correctly) was more of a neighborhood house playing day-and-date with many other theaters