Wow! once again you Wowed me and probably every one on this site with your photos Warren. were they from THS. and if so do they have blueprints of these old theatres in there original form or is it possible to get blueprints of theatres of there oroginal or later forms.
wow! That was a great conversion who would ever thought in those days that you could convert an old department store an excisting structure into a movie palace.
Warren? The small portion that remains would you know what part of the building it’s at and if it anyway that it can be acced or glanced at through a peep whole or somthing I used to go to this theatre as a twin and I liked the moldings and the details of the downstairs cinema.
I went there Monday to see “The Interpreter” that’ll probably be the last time I get to see a film there I spent most of my time there gazing at the interior before it’s gone. they even have old photos from 1952 in the lobby by the box office that is a clear sign of a memorial to this place even before it’s hit by the wrecking ball.
the marquee is long gone but the structure is still standing. It’s a Duane Rade or Rite Aid wih a drop celiing on the ground floor. Some reminants of the theatre may exist above that drop ceiling
Has anyone been inside yet did they ruin the upstairs screen this theatre had descent sized screens for a present day outer borough twin theatre. I’m on vacation I’M going to visit it and post a report. the last film I saw there was “A Man Apart” in theatre 1 downstairs.
Wow it was that bad it’s a wonder how it out lived the Metropolitan, Rugby, and Duffield that had the same element patronizing them as well and partially led to there demise.
If i’m not mistaken I think as the Academy theatre the Apolla used to be the venue H.B.O. used to tape “Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam” with Martin Lawrence. I was in attendence during one taping the theatre looked much smaller than it did on television but I remember that domed ceiling and all the mouldings in the auditorium. When they tape when you are in the audience unless you are a V.I.P. you sat in the balcony section. Members of the production team, friends and family of either Russel Simmons, the comics that appeared on stage or Martin Lawrence, as well as the D.J. were seated in the orchestra section.
Now with this closed I think the 72nd st East will be the only theatre left that shows movies with curtains that open and close before and after each presentations. The Zigfield doesn’t count because you are still subjected to those annoying slide shows for the whole intermission before they open and close the curtains, which are a waste of time. Once again I know this feature at theatres mostly at single screens are totally unimportant to some but it important to me for it’s the the only thing we got left to the fabulous moviegoing experience of yesteryear.
It was a better twin than as a quad. they split the existing twin down the middle. which was already split when making the twin in the first place reducing patrons to seing a movie like they did in the mayfiar theatre downtown(a.ka Embasy 2-3-4) in the balcony theatres through a long tube that rises upward. I don’t know if any of the original remnants of the theatre remain in the other auditoriums I only went to auditorium 2 which is the right half of the old twins theatre 1 the old projection booth remain but was covered up with drapery on the side walls. one good thing they replaced the seats with a more comfortable plush seating. It looked like a patch up job on the ceiling. They also finally removed the big black illuminated sign that read R.K.O. Colisuem sign that hung on the 181st street side
hey marges welcome back. Could you please give any more info from your memory on this theatre, I mean Warren has a wealth of knowledge and is extremley reliable. But your family ran this theatre surely you have many more memories that you can share with us.
this was a very nice theatre as a twin I saw “Star Wars” as a kid only 8 or 9 yrs. young this theatre was breathtaken. I could only Imagine it during the single screen days. I saw it in the downstairs auditorium. I’ve went to this theatre quite a few times it wasn’t that bad a pretty cool nieghborhood theatre in fact if it were still open I’d still go there even though I live in Jersey. They could’ve done a lot with this theatre if anything this couldv'e been an arthouse.
I saw the movie “Splash” the Tom Hanks/Darryl Hannah movie and there’s a scene and it’s quite brief where he and Darryl Hannah are walking through Times Sq and they pass a movie theatre now they didn’t show the marquee but they showed the entrance and ticket booth maybe a quick glimpse of the lobby, now in the movie by ticket booth stated that this was the Loew’s Astor Plaza I think it mentiond it was a twin. but this can only be the Loew’s State when the movie came out like 1984/85 that was the only Loew’s twin that I knew of in times sq. and I know that lobby even at a glimpse as this was one of my favorite Times Sq theatres. can anyone out there that saw the movie confirm this please, but I’m pretty sure that this is the Loew’s State that Hanks/Hannah are walking in front of. not the Astor Plz as featured in the movie.
Wow! that’s amazing because I pass it every day and from the door before they covered the glass on the doors with paper you can see the former seating area and where the screen was. By the way why do the theatre owners or who ever is responsible for closing up a theatre for good always either put papers on the entrance doors or put some kind of covering on the dooway like smudge out the glass I don’t know if i"m saying it right but you can never see inside is this to prevent vandalism or something can somone explain.
br1975 you are right about the heavy Paramount and Miramax accent over at the ny 1&2 I think it used to belong to Loew’s not to long ago and at that time they also featured A lot of Paramount product as well. And thanks to Dave-bronx for the update on the Paris the first and only film I saw there was the Woody Allen film Alice with Mia Farrow. that was quite some time ago.
this theatre if I’m not mistaken had a simmular set up as the Paris a few blocks away wherin you enter on the balcony level and orchestra seating was in downstairs. The Tower East(72nd st east) has the sane set up although the balcony is split with the projection box in between. Can anyone confirm this.
I would like to see those phots as well don rosen I love that marquee of this theatre it was very unique my email is
Wow! once again you Wowed me and probably every one on this site with your photos Warren. were they from THS. and if so do they have blueprints of these old theatres in there original form or is it possible to get blueprints of theatres of there oroginal or later forms.
thaks warren for the photos of the columbia theatre which later became the sister cinema to this listing if i’m correct. they were fabulous.
Thanks Warren for that photo in my lifetime i’ve never experienced this theatre as a single screen.
Thanks Warren for that photo in my lifetime i’ve never experienced this theatre as a single screen.
wow! That was a great conversion who would ever thought in those days that you could convert an old department store an excisting structure into a movie palace.
Warren? The small portion that remains would you know what part of the building it’s at and if it anyway that it can be acced or glanced at through a peep whole or somthing I used to go to this theatre as a twin and I liked the moldings and the details of the downstairs cinema.
I went there Monday to see “The Interpreter” that’ll probably be the last time I get to see a film there I spent most of my time there gazing at the interior before it’s gone. they even have old photos from 1952 in the lobby by the box office that is a clear sign of a memorial to this place even before it’s hit by the wrecking ball.
thanks Don Rosen for the photo I enjoyed the memories.
the marquee is long gone but the structure is still standing. It’s a Duane Rade or Rite Aid wih a drop celiing on the ground floor. Some reminants of the theatre may exist above that drop ceiling
My e-mail adress Don is
DOn can you e-mail me some photos of the national primarily if you got an interior photo of theattre 2
Has anyone been inside yet did they ruin the upstairs screen this theatre had descent sized screens for a present day outer borough twin theatre. I’m on vacation I’M going to visit it and post a report. the last film I saw there was “A Man Apart” in theatre 1 downstairs.
Wow it was that bad it’s a wonder how it out lived the Metropolitan, Rugby, and Duffield that had the same element patronizing them as well and partially led to there demise.
I appreciate it Kenroe I will e-mail you in about 4 weeks
Kenroe is there any way that I can see those photos.I mean i’m gonna still contact T.H.s for photos but do you have any that you can share.
If i’m not mistaken I think as the Academy theatre the Apolla used to be the venue H.B.O. used to tape “Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam” with Martin Lawrence. I was in attendence during one taping the theatre looked much smaller than it did on television but I remember that domed ceiling and all the mouldings in the auditorium. When they tape when you are in the audience unless you are a V.I.P. you sat in the balcony section. Members of the production team, friends and family of either Russel Simmons, the comics that appeared on stage or Martin Lawrence, as well as the D.J. were seated in the orchestra section.
Now with this closed I think the 72nd st East will be the only theatre left that shows movies with curtains that open and close before and after each presentations. The Zigfield doesn’t count because you are still subjected to those annoying slide shows for the whole intermission before they open and close the curtains, which are a waste of time. Once again I know this feature at theatres mostly at single screens are totally unimportant to some but it important to me for it’s the the only thing we got left to the fabulous moviegoing experience of yesteryear.
It was a better twin than as a quad. they split the existing twin down the middle. which was already split when making the twin in the first place reducing patrons to seing a movie like they did in the mayfiar theatre downtown(a.ka Embasy 2-3-4) in the balcony theatres through a long tube that rises upward. I don’t know if any of the original remnants of the theatre remain in the other auditoriums I only went to auditorium 2 which is the right half of the old twins theatre 1 the old projection booth remain but was covered up with drapery on the side walls. one good thing they replaced the seats with a more comfortable plush seating. It looked like a patch up job on the ceiling. They also finally removed the big black illuminated sign that read R.K.O. Colisuem sign that hung on the 181st street side
hey marges welcome back. Could you please give any more info from your memory on this theatre, I mean Warren has a wealth of knowledge and is extremley reliable. But your family ran this theatre surely you have many more memories that you can share with us.
this was a very nice theatre as a twin I saw “Star Wars” as a kid only 8 or 9 yrs. young this theatre was breathtaken. I could only Imagine it during the single screen days. I saw it in the downstairs auditorium. I’ve went to this theatre quite a few times it wasn’t that bad a pretty cool nieghborhood theatre in fact if it were still open I’d still go there even though I live in Jersey. They could’ve done a lot with this theatre if anything this couldv'e been an arthouse.
I saw the movie “Splash” the Tom Hanks/Darryl Hannah movie and there’s a scene and it’s quite brief where he and Darryl Hannah are walking through Times Sq and they pass a movie theatre now they didn’t show the marquee but they showed the entrance and ticket booth maybe a quick glimpse of the lobby, now in the movie by ticket booth stated that this was the Loew’s Astor Plaza I think it mentiond it was a twin. but this can only be the Loew’s State when the movie came out like 1984/85 that was the only Loew’s twin that I knew of in times sq. and I know that lobby even at a glimpse as this was one of my favorite Times Sq theatres. can anyone out there that saw the movie confirm this please, but I’m pretty sure that this is the Loew’s State that Hanks/Hannah are walking in front of. not the Astor Plz as featured in the movie.
Wow! that’s amazing because I pass it every day and from the door before they covered the glass on the doors with paper you can see the former seating area and where the screen was. By the way why do the theatre owners or who ever is responsible for closing up a theatre for good always either put papers on the entrance doors or put some kind of covering on the dooway like smudge out the glass I don’t know if i"m saying it right but you can never see inside is this to prevent vandalism or something can somone explain.
br1975 you are right about the heavy Paramount and Miramax accent over at the ny 1&2 I think it used to belong to Loew’s not to long ago and at that time they also featured A lot of Paramount product as well. And thanks to Dave-bronx for the update on the Paris the first and only film I saw there was the Woody Allen film Alice with Mia Farrow. that was quite some time ago.
this theatre if I’m not mistaken had a simmular set up as the Paris a few blocks away wherin you enter on the balcony level and orchestra seating was in downstairs. The Tower East(72nd st east) has the sane set up although the balcony is split with the projection box in between. Can anyone confirm this.