Paramount Theatre
1501 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
1501 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
38 people
favorited this theater
Showing 226 - 250 of 508 comments
In Ed’s links above, the “circular lobby/vestibule” photo is virtually the same view as the Times' demolition view except that the Times' photo is from the ground floor level. The wall that appears to be windows in the 1926 view is actually two “lunettes” (mock windows) that are really mirrors heavily draped. In the demolition view the bare structural wall is the wall that the ‘mirror windows’ were hung on, and to the right in the demolition photo is the daylight pouring through the place where the great window with the stained glass ‘medallion’ was. A man I know was there during demolition and described the huge stained glass circle as “smashed,” so probably nothing of it remains. The same logo ‘medallion’ is seen in the 1926 view as parts of the ornate railing between the columns, and a section of that railing with medallion was for sale on eBay a while back, for those still looking for a souvenier of the theatre — see the comment about it above.
When the theater was gutted, the facade was completely stripped – including the marquee, the entrance, doors, windows, etc. That portion of the building was then rebuilt to match the motif you see on the rest of facade (with columns of triple paned windows and cast iron spandrels between floors), erasing all evidence that the theater entrance had ever existed. I don’t know if any of the glass work was saved (or more likely pilfered) during the demolition, but the pane with the 1501 address on the recreation is the approximate location of where the Paramount logo existed on the original.
There is a St. James Theater right down the block on the same side of W. 44th Street, which is a legitimate Broadway theater that currently houses the smash hit musical “The Producers.” Not sure if it’s the same theater mentioned in the book.
The exterior Time Square photo is really quite something…just gazing at it makes the scene almost come alive! I see where the stained glass area used to be and I assume that is where the 1501 Broadway address is now. Did they just cover it up or was it simply taken out and removed? If so, I wonder if it still exists?
In the book, Dean & Me a theatre by the name of St. James is mentioned so is (or was) that one in the NY/NJ area?
Ed: The Grand Foyer was certainly beyond grand! And I’m sure many of the Hard Rock Cafe patrons don’t know that Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis played the Paramount in the 10 years they were together! They’d know the Lewis name because of his MS Telethon, but not sure if many would know the name, Dean Martin. And thanks for posting the wonderful Paramount photos as I’m sure they brought many wonderful memories for many New Yorkers!
Sadly true about the Times' involvement in (at worst) and indifference to (at best) the destruction of the areas once great movie houses. Still… I can’t seem to live without reading the Arts & Leisure, Real Estate, Metro, City and Book Review sections each and every Sunday. Additionally, their movie reviews have routinely been the most literate and thoughtful among those of the City’s daily papers.
The French curve marquee was so great I hate to see part or all of it covered up.
Anybody have a list of VistaVision films that played at the Paramount?
Patsy… Check out my post of December 5th. I took a bunch of photos of the current facade and marquee as well as the storefronts and restaurants that now occupy the ground level of the 44th Street facade that once housed the backstage area. This is the area where those 1950’s crowds cheered for Lewis & Martin as they hung out of their dressing room window 6 stories up. The cut for the original stage door is still there (the 3rd photo in my post).
Meanwhile, here are some of Warren’s excellent photographic finds from previous posts:
Grand Foyer – This ran parellel to W. 43rd (through the exit doors on the left) with the doors leading to the auditorium on the right.
Circular Lobby/Vestibule – Entrance doors from Broadway can be seen on the lower level in the right in this picture (this is the space now used as an entrance by the Hard Rock Cafe – with the actual restaurant in the basement below).
VistaVision screen – A shot of the newly installed screen.
Exterior shot – You can see the deeper recess to the glass work above the original marquee here.
Yes, Warren above points out that no one would have dared to protest the destruction of the Paramount due to the power of the Times, a paper whose smug biases make the NY Post and the Village Voice seem like gentlemanly journals of measured good sense and reason.
Vincent: Interesting insight and now when I see photos and live scenes of Times Square I will know that the former and grand Paramount was once within its midst.
EdSolero: Found the link to your NY Times gutted photo as I thought maybe it was a different one. Thanks.
The New York Times was a great champion of the destruction of Times Square.
The great liberal compassionate paper wields its power like a mercenary tyrant.
“The recently replaced arched window above the marquee is much more shallowly set then the original arched window, which featured a stained-glass Paramount mountain in its center.” Where on this link is there a possible picture of the original arched window with the stained-glass mountain in the center?
RobertR: How does one view the NY Times photo of the Paramount being gutted on the site you listed 4/18/05? Would also like to view any and all interior photos if someone could direct me to where they are on this link. Thanks.
While scanning this link I read where the Paramount Mighty Wurlitzer is located today…..Wichita Kansas so glad to know that it is in existence somewhere!
The man in the photo with his construction hat on and his hands on his hips seems to say…..“All in a day’s work and just another job.”
Yes, what a shame!
That is one sad photo. What a shame.
Here’s a link to a NY Times photo (previously posted back on april 18th 2005) of the gutted auditorium/foyer space that became offices for the newspaper: View link
If the link brings you to a photo archive search page, the photo ID to enter in the search bar is NSAP266. Click on the image for larger view.
Patsy… the Paramount Theater designed by Rapp & Rapp existed within two buildings. The entrance vestibule and rotunda existed within the Paramount Building office tower that fronts Broadway & 7th Avenue at the southern end of Times Square between 43rd and 44th street. The spectacular grand foyer and auditorium existed within a seperate building behind the office tower with facades on both 43rd (the foyer side) and 44th (the stage side). Both spaces were completely gutted in the 1960’s, with the grand foyer and auditorium portion converted to office space for the New York Times – which was (and still is) headquartered in an adjacent building to the east at 249 W. 43rd. The former entrance and rotunda space that existed within the Paramount office tower on Broadway was converted to office/retail space.
A few years back, the retail and office space that had replaced the theater’s former entrance and vestibule was itself gutted for a new theme restaurant for the WWF. These renovations inculded a re-creation of the orignial five-story Paramount Theater facade and marquee (as depicted in photos I posted above and the one at the top of this page). This space is now leased by the Hard Rock Cafe (after the failure of the WWF restaurant). The old grand foyer and auditorium space is still occupied by offices of the New York Times. All traces of the original Rapp & Rapp theater were long ago lost to wrecking crews.
TomPaine: I am reading Dean and Me and would love to have you include on CT any information about M&L and their performances at the Paramount Theatre. Now that the location is a Hard Rock Cafe I wonder if the Cafe has photos of M&L on display and their connection to that theatre? Hope so! On page 144 it talks about their dressing room being on the 6th floor and that the Paramount’s stage door was on Forty-fourth Street. There was “a crowd of at least 20,000 people, waiting to catch a glimpse of us.” “Up in our dressing room, we’d throw up the sash, sit on the ledge, and bask in the excitement. We would yell jokes, sing (both of us!), play our horns, throw stuff down to the crowd: T-shirts, hats, handkerchiefs. And thousands upon thousands of black-and-white, five-by-seven publicity photos.” “The crowds were backed down Forty-fourth Street and around the corner onto Broadway.”
I just clicked on the Hard Rock Cafe link and viewed the color photo so I guess I answered my own question though still wonder why this theatre is listed as “Closed/Demolished”?
Is this Rapp and Rapp theatre a Hard Rock Cafe now or was it demolished according to the information given on this link at the top after the word…Status.
Such a shame that this Paramount is gone to make way for office space, but thanks to Jerry’s book about dear his friend, Dean Martin the Paramount lives again within the pages of Dean and Me.
After scanning this link for information on Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis I have read a few posts that mention these men and their historical connection to this Paramount. At the moment I am reading Dean and Me which mentions several other theatre appearances in their illustrious careers.