The Broadway/Colony showcased Vaudeville in the thirties and has presented some non-play stage shows since, such as Robin William and Elvis Costello performing live.
The site is full of useless drivel from people who think their posts are fascinating. Why are some observations more valid than others? Consider the value of this recent post:
(((“Little Women” ran three weeks at RCMH and was replaced on 12/7/33 by Universal’s “Counsellor-At-Law” (John Barrymore) and a stage show built around Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade.” Due to the nearly two-hour running time of “Little Women,” the stage show was brief, described in advertising as “Unusual” and with participation of the Symphony Orchestra, Choral Ensemble, Corps de Ballet, and Roxyettes. An ad from Saturday, 11/18/33 (third day of the engagement, has doors opening at 10AM, with the feature shown at 10:12, 12:35 PM, 2:58, 5:21, 7:44, 10:07, 12:06. The stage show was apparently dropped for the midnight screening.)))
Funny, the RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL link is full of boring trivia about lip-synching Rockettes' pre-recorded taps, failing set pieces, camel shit, failed gimmicky digital projectors and people waxing melancholy about events fifty years ago. Movies are no longer shown there.
The FAIR and CINEMA KINGS HIGHWAY go off to some closet because these living breathing cinemas attract a politically incorrect lifestyle that can tell us what is happening today.
Is CT a living site about cinema preservation or just a tombstone for failures that have failed to survive?
I found a New School for Social Research operating a drama workshop at the rooftop theatre at this address from 1940-1950 at a yearly cost of $9000. They ran another workshop at the President Theatre on 48th street. (NYT)
Footfall has always been a dubious figure in the industry with theatres keeping it secret so that comps, discounts, unsellable seats and footfall rent triggers did not get exposed.
You can get figures adjusted for inflation from boxofficemojo but for individual films, not theatres. Variety once speculated that BIRTH OF A NATION or DEEP THROAT, not GWTW, would probably hold the true attendance record.
The “Popular Price” run of CAVALCADE had already run two weeks in April of 1933 with no stage show but that may have been a planned engagement instead of a hold-over.
LITTLE WOMEN had a three week run advertising ‘an unusual 'Roxy’ stage show' in the NYT, but no headliner.
Let’s not underestimate the star power of Katherine Hepburn in 1933 or the fact that the film itself was a nationwide hit.
Once the nine-plex opened, this one woke up, although it was almost always given left overs. I remember exceptional grosses when they played the right film.
For example, Spike Lee had a fit over the limited seating at Chelsea for JUNGLE FEVER so MALCOLM X opened at triplex to exceptional numbers. I also recall a solid week of sell-outs for a four-wall rental of an African film called SANKOFA.
The product was also compromised by the decision to include Loews 19th Street into the same zone, effectively keeping many titles out of Chelsea.
For a while in the nineties the Chelsea Nine and the 23rd St West produced some of the highest grosses in the city presenting the Angelika and Lincoln Plaza a serious challenge for exclusives.
The Chelsea nine was the highest grossing Manhattan house for a short time until Lincoln Square came along.
Since distributors preferred the nine-plex to the triplex, it was redone to a twin and renamed Chelsea West so that it would have the largest and best auditorium in the area and become more interchangeable with its bigger brother.
I suspect that the short lifespan of new movies and an attendance drain from the West 34th street has lead to this latest eminent switch away from mainstream film.
This neighborhood and theatre are still pretty much better off now than ever in their history and the SVA is making a smart investment.
In September of 1990 Pathe lost their lease at this location. They decided to re-open elsewhere so they removed the marquee and moved out. Loews took over and renamed the location LOEWS FINE ARTS.
In late 1992 it became LOEWS PARIS FINE ARTS and by summer 1993 it was the PARIS once again without Loews' involvement. Either Pathe returned or the landlord bought the rights to the name, as it never did open elsewhere.
Advertisements and the marquee were changed and news stories are available along with a “goodbye” ad in the NYT from Pathe when they lost the lease.
This theatre last showed movies as the Art East in 1994. First Avenue Screening Room, Byron and East World were former names.
Odeon would never ban a film based on content. This is a film terms battle.
Opened in 1914
Tripled in December 1980
Quaded in June 1981
Twinned in November 1987
Closed in December 2002
Demolished in 2003
The 1987 re-opening party had a western theme since the theatre was on the West Side and the Canadians thought that would be clever.
There are small ads in the NYT (1980) for a Mini Cinema located at 1234 Second Avenue running classic films. Does anyone remember that theatre?
Nana Mouskouri 1977
You forgot Nana Mouskouri in 1977 or credit to IBDB.COM.
The Broadway/Colony showcased Vaudeville in the thirties and has presented some non-play stage shows since, such as Robin William and Elvis Costello performing live.
If the Arcade was replaced by the Studio due to fire shouldn’t these be separate listings instead of alternative names?
The into to this theatre should show that it was still showing films as late as 1948/49, as RobertR mentioned in his 2005 postings.
I respect all contributors to CT, drivel or otherwise. I will comment on those who constantly attack other contributors as trivial.
If you wish to list more show times for 1933 that is fine with me as well.
Doh! Had to look up “zen”.
The site is full of useless drivel from people who think their posts are fascinating. Why are some observations more valid than others? Consider the value of this recent post:
(((“Little Women” ran three weeks at RCMH and was replaced on 12/7/33 by Universal’s “Counsellor-At-Law” (John Barrymore) and a stage show built around Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade.” Due to the nearly two-hour running time of “Little Women,” the stage show was brief, described in advertising as “Unusual” and with participation of the Symphony Orchestra, Choral Ensemble, Corps de Ballet, and Roxyettes. An ad from Saturday, 11/18/33 (third day of the engagement, has doors opening at 10AM, with the feature shown at 10:12, 12:35 PM, 2:58, 5:21, 7:44, 10:07, 12:06. The stage show was apparently dropped for the midnight screening.)))
Funny, the RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL link is full of boring trivia about lip-synching Rockettes' pre-recorded taps, failing set pieces, camel shit, failed gimmicky digital projectors and people waxing melancholy about events fifty years ago. Movies are no longer shown there.
The FAIR and CINEMA KINGS HIGHWAY go off to some closet because these living breathing cinemas attract a politically incorrect lifestyle that can tell us what is happening today.
Is CT a living site about cinema preservation or just a tombstone for failures that have failed to survive?
I found a New School for Social Research operating a drama workshop at the rooftop theatre at this address from 1940-1950 at a yearly cost of $9000. They ran another workshop at the President Theatre on 48th street. (NYT)
Great shot, Oodygdin. It looks like MANHATTAN SCHOOL.
Greenwich Theatre and Greenwich Playhouse should be listed as alternative names for this location.
Movies will resume in the small screens once previews of BRIEF ENCOUNTER are over at the end of the month.
I understand the two smaller screens will still show first-run films during the run.
Footfall has always been a dubious figure in the industry with theatres keeping it secret so that comps, discounts, unsellable seats and footfall rent triggers did not get exposed.
You can get figures adjusted for inflation from boxofficemojo but for individual films, not theatres. Variety once speculated that BIRTH OF A NATION or DEEP THROAT, not GWTW, would probably hold the true attendance record.
The “Popular Price” run of CAVALCADE had already run two weeks in April of 1933 with no stage show but that may have been a planned engagement instead of a hold-over.
LITTLE WOMEN had a three week run advertising ‘an unusual 'Roxy’ stage show' in the NYT, but no headliner.
Let’s not underestimate the star power of Katherine Hepburn in 1933 or the fact that the film itself was a nationwide hit.
The 19th Street East has no stadium seating and seemed abandoned even during the Loews days.
The Village even without stadium seating has a better chance for a future with specialty films as it is far superior to most surviving area theatres.
The zones have fallen apart and except for 42nd street, product splitting is slowly disappearing.
Once the nine-plex opened, this one woke up, although it was almost always given left overs. I remember exceptional grosses when they played the right film.
For example, Spike Lee had a fit over the limited seating at Chelsea for JUNGLE FEVER so MALCOLM X opened at triplex to exceptional numbers. I also recall a solid week of sell-outs for a four-wall rental of an African film called SANKOFA.
The product was also compromised by the decision to include Loews 19th Street into the same zone, effectively keeping many titles out of Chelsea.
For a while in the nineties the Chelsea Nine and the 23rd St West produced some of the highest grosses in the city presenting the Angelika and Lincoln Plaza a serious challenge for exclusives.
The Chelsea nine was the highest grossing Manhattan house for a short time until Lincoln Square came along.
Since distributors preferred the nine-plex to the triplex, it was redone to a twin and renamed Chelsea West so that it would have the largest and best auditorium in the area and become more interchangeable with its bigger brother.
I suspect that the short lifespan of new movies and an attendance drain from the West 34th street has lead to this latest eminent switch away from mainstream film.
This neighborhood and theatre are still pretty much better off now than ever in their history and the SVA is making a smart investment.
The Bay Cinema will live in movie history after all with a cameo in LOVE STORY, of all films.
In the scene where Jenny and Oliver drive into New York you can see them drive by the Bay Cinema with the free standing marquee advertising FUTZ.
Susan, the Criterion you are looking for actually predates this one and can be found at: /theaters/16481/
On February 1, 1902 at 2pm that Criterion was presenting Leslie Carter in his new play “DU BARRY”.
In September of 1990 Pathe lost their lease at this location. They decided to re-open elsewhere so they removed the marquee and moved out. Loews took over and renamed the location LOEWS FINE ARTS.
In late 1992 it became LOEWS PARIS FINE ARTS and by summer 1993 it was the PARIS once again without Loews' involvement. Either Pathe returned or the landlord bought the rights to the name, as it never did open elsewhere.
Advertisements and the marquee were changed and news stories are available along with a “goodbye” ad in the NYT from Pathe when they lost the lease.