Trans-Lux 85th Street Theatre
1144 Madison Avenue,
New York,
NY
10028
1144 Madison Avenue,
New York,
NY
10028
5 people
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rivest266, it did not post.
Opened on October 30th, 1938. Grand opening ad posted.
Saw Bullitt & Bonnie & Clyde double Secret of Santa Vittoria The Hot Rock (twice) and several others here throughout the 60s and 70s
This was an old school neighbourhood house for most of my lifetime mid-60s onwards with an interesting mix of programming…some soft-core day dating with Broadway, some showcase (WB, UA & Universal circuits) and at the end some first run And Saturday matinees with matrons!
You’ve got the wrong Trans-Lux, rickmarin. “CALIGULA” opened at the Trans-Lux East.
Caligula debuted here on February 1st, 1980
I am now almost 81 years old, but I loved to go to this theater when I was a kid. I lived in New York about 5 blocks away and on Saturday morning they played serials like “Perils of Pauline.” Comfortable and nice experience
I saw “Valentino” here on its premiere in 1977. Can’t say I recall any details about the theatre . But I do know I’ve never met another person who saw the movie.
I saw movies here as a kid, in the 70’s it was a GREAT theatre. I grew up on the West side, and on Saturday’s, I’d trek across the park to this Trans-Lux.
I remember when you walked in, there was like a ‘path’ – my memories a little fuzzy, but, it was a BIG theatre inside.
I saw movies here as a kid, in the 70’s it was a GREAT theatre. I grew up on the West side, and on Saturday’s, I’d trek across the park to this Trans-Lux.
I remember when you walked in, there was like a ‘path’ – my memories a little fuzzy, but, it was a BIG theatre inside.
I think Gristedes was still across the street, on the NW corner of Madison & 85th. Across Madison was the flower store that is still there, and next to that was Baskin & Robbins.
I grew up around the corner, and what I remember about the theater is that, perhaps between first-run movies, there were certain movies that they showed at the same time of year, every year, mostly for kids, I assume. Every year I saw: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown & A Charlie Brown Christmas; The Christmas that Almost Wasn’t; National Velvet; and some more I can’t remember now. As I recall, in the 60’s & 70’s when I was growing up in NYC, they didn’t change the movie every week or constantly open new ones — they might show something for a while, or bring back favorites, like this place did.
There were also matrons, and if the matron was there you could go in without your parents. They were incredibly strict.
“DEEP THROAT” actually went from the the Trans-Lux 85 to the 86th Street East. It did not show at the UA East 85th Street unless it was years later when it was making the rounds with “THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES” as a second feature.
I remember “Deep Throat” playing at the United Artists East 85th Street on First Avenue in the early 1970s, but not here at the Trans Lux on Madison.
posted by BobMaar on Sep 19, 2005 at 2:12am
“The film "Deep Throat” did indeed play at this theatre for four weeks and did record business. There was no neighborhood pressure to remove the film."
According to a Variety article there were petitioners in front of the theatre demanding that the film be removed and protest organizer William Diamond insisted that the film belonged on 42nd street.
Saw THE BLUE LAGOON here in 1980. Loved the theater and its elegent balcony.
The Trans-Lux was demolished in the 1990s. A luxury apartment tower replaced it.
No, the UA East Theatre is still in operation on First Avenue.
The Trans-Lux was on Madison Avenue and was closed in the early 90’s.
BobMaar
Is this now the UA East 85th Street theater?
Status: Unknown
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Art Deco
Function: Unknown
Seats: 586 (544 Main Auditorium 42 Balcony)
Chain: Trans-Lux
Architect: Thomas Lamb
Firm: Trans-Lux Theatres
Address: 1144 Madison Avenue Theatre entrance was located 20' off the northwest corner. Theatre exits were on 85th Street.
Theatre opened in 1937
Theatre ran children’s shows every Saturday afternoon during the 40’s, 50’s 60’s and 70'’s.
Theatre started as a News Reel with rear projection.
Founder of Trans-lux was: Percy Norman Furber who invented the rear projection screen. 1927 – Trans-Lux Rear-Projection Screen first used theatrically at the opening of the Roxy Theatre, New York City in 1927.
During the 70’s Trans-Lux in conjunction with the Metropolitan Museum of Art ran a series called “Tuesday Night at the Trans-Lux"
The theatre ran silent films and had a piano installed in the auditorium on the stage left side of the auditorium to accompany the playing of the film.
The lobby entrance looked like a Street in Paris and at first was a Cinema Cafe when the theatre was renovated in the early 1970’s.
The film “Deep Throat” did indeed play at this theatre for four weeks and did record business. There was no neighborhood pressure to remove the film.
Because of the theatres location New York Mayors Robert Wagner and John Lindsey were frequent visitors and would watch the films from the balcony.
Jackie Onassis who lived on the corner of 85th and Fifth Avenue would call the manager of the theatre when she wanted to see the film playing. The manager would meet her at the exit door a she and her guestd would be ushered the the dowmstairs lounge and await the beginning if the feature presentation.
The Trans-Lux 85th Theatre was closed in the mid-eighties.
Some of the employees worked at this theatre from the 40’s to the 80’s and were well known to local residents.
Judy’s last feature opened here on Premiere Showcase
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Does everyone remember Topo Gigio from the Ed Sullivan show? This is the only one to make it to the United States but over the years I think there have been six in Italy.
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Here is the ad for the first Premiere Showcase in 1962 that would destroy the movie business as it had been for the first 50 years. I also blew up the list of those first showcase theatres which were to improve on the next few showcases.
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For the holiday season of 1971 “The Hot Rock” opened exclusively in Trans-Lux theatres in Manhattan. Trans-Lux 85th St, Trans-Lux East and Trans-Lux West.
I saw “Scrooge” and “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” here when I was a kid. The “Scrooge” was a holiday re-release sometime in the 70s. The lobby had artificial building facades and latticework. Saw “Godzilla versus Megalon” here too I believe. 1976?