Opened as the Ritz Super Cinema in March 1935 with Helen Hayes and Brian Aherne starring in “What Every Woman Knows”, the original seating capacity was 1,508. The Ritz was badly damaged in an air raid in 1941 and didn’t re-open until October 1958.
It closed in 1984 but was re-opened under the control of the local Council in 1986 who leased it to Peter Walker a London businessman and cinema owner. Frustration over lack of funding for adding extra screens to be built on adjacent land ended Peter Walker’s lease and the cinema was taken over by Andrew West and then finally by Arrrow Cinemas. It closed on 11th April 1999 with the movie “L.A. Confidential”.
The Council put the building up for sale with a proposed use to build a multiplex, but there were no takers. In August 2001 the Ritz was demolished after being purchased by the Iceland supermarket chain who erected a new store on the site.
Jack;
Listed as the Russell Theatre in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1941-1950 (that I have) with a seating capacity of 660. The address given is 116 Jefferson Avenue (has there been a re-numbering?).
Also listed in F.D.Y. 1941-1950 is an East Point Theatre, 314 N. Church Street with 750 seats. Seems to me these are two different theatres.
Listed as the Riviera Theatre in Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have; editions 1941, 1943 and 1950. Seating capacity is given as 1,100 in the 1940’s and 606 in 1950.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook,1943 as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc, through their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski. The seating capacity is given as 1,000.
There are a couple of exterior photos 1. as the Capitol Theatre 2. as the Blue Mouse Theatre and an interior photo of the side wall and proscenium in the Theatre Historical Society of America publication ‘Marquee’ Volume 9 #3 which should be availbable from their archives. Details on their website http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/
In the same article there is an exterior and interior photo of the original Blue Mouse Theatre (ex Globe Theatre).
I do not have a date for demolition apart from the year 1977, but you may find more further details in the archives of the local newspaper or at a library/local history society.
Opened as the Ware Theatre on 8th December 1920, the original seating capacity was for 1,200. From the 1930’s until 1976 it was part of the E.M. Loew Circuit and was re-named Cabot Theatre sometime after 1950.
A couple of years ago I went into the bank (former lobby of the Commodore Theatre) and they had a small history display on the theatre.
I am lucky to have a set of audio cassette tapes that were recorded on the last night of the Saint Disco. The Saint was famous even here in London,UK as one of the worlds best disco’s. Sadly, I never went into the building on my visits to New York.
Daisygirl;
The question has already been answered fully in the above posts. It was filmed at the Eros Cinema, Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly Circus, London (Exteriors only, the interior sequences were filmed in a studio mock-up). “Witness” was released in 1985, the year that the Eros closed and the Eros Cinema had been screening soft core porn movies for many years. It never had played mainstream movies in its entire life as it was originally a Newsreel cinema, followed by a cartoon and shorts cinema and then porn. If memory serves me right “Witness” had its West End premier run at the Empire Theatre, Leicester Square.
Shrewsbury is a town 180 miles from London and the only Odeon Cinema on Shaftesbury Avenue in London is what is now called the Odeon Covent Garden, formally the Saville Theatre/ABC/Cannon Cinema.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook’s,1941 and 1943 as having a seating capacity of 800. Operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary M.A. Lightman.
Sorry Ron, non of the Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have give an actual street address for the Morton, Dorchester,MA. Maybe John Toto who posted the theatre could enlighten you with the exact location?
This was originally known as the Moore Theatre, listed in the Film Daily Yearbook,1941 with a seating capacity of 1,200. In the 1943 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as closed. It became a legitimate playhouse for many years until 1976 when work began to re-model it into an art house cinema with an Egyptian theme.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks as being in Dorchester,MA. It opened in 1926 with 1,960 seats and by 1943 was listed as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc, under their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski.
The Granada Theatre opened in 1929 and had a seating capacity of 2,239. It first closed in 1976 as a single screen cinema and was put up for sale. Obviously the new owners converted it into a triplex.
Opened in 1929 with a seating capacity of 2,000. It was still operating in 1976 and is listed as having played Italian shows on Sundays only since 1966. There were plans to re-install the cloud, star and traveling moon effects machine back into the theatre in the mid-1970’s.
Opened as the Ritz Super Cinema in March 1935 with Helen Hayes and Brian Aherne starring in “What Every Woman Knows”, the original seating capacity was 1,508. The Ritz was badly damaged in an air raid in 1941 and didn’t re-open until October 1958.
It closed in 1984 but was re-opened under the control of the local Council in 1986 who leased it to Peter Walker a London businessman and cinema owner. Frustration over lack of funding for adding extra screens to be built on adjacent land ended Peter Walker’s lease and the cinema was taken over by Andrew West and then finally by Arrrow Cinemas. It closed on 11th April 1999 with the movie “L.A. Confidential”.
The Council put the building up for sale with a proposed use to build a multiplex, but there were no takers. In August 2001 the Ritz was demolished after being purchased by the Iceland supermarket chain who erected a new store on the site.
Jack;
Listed as the Russell Theatre in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1941-1950 (that I have) with a seating capacity of 660. The address given is 116 Jefferson Avenue (has there been a re-numbering?).
Also listed in F.D.Y. 1941-1950 is an East Point Theatre, 314 N. Church Street with 750 seats. Seems to me these are two different theatres.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s 1941-1950 (editions that I have) with a seating capacity of 600.
The 4th Avenue Theatre opened in May 1947.
Thanks Irv, I will keep a look out for that book.
Listed as the Riviera Theatre in Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have; editions 1941, 1943 and 1950. Seating capacity is given as 1,100 in the 1940’s and 606 in 1950.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook,1943 as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc, through their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski. The seating capacity is given as 1,000.
There are a couple of exterior photos 1. as the Capitol Theatre 2. as the Blue Mouse Theatre and an interior photo of the side wall and proscenium in the Theatre Historical Society of America publication ‘Marquee’ Volume 9 #3 which should be availbable from their archives. Details on their website http://www2.hawaii.edu/~angell/thsa/
In the same article there is an exterior and interior photo of the original Blue Mouse Theatre (ex Globe Theatre).
I do not have a date for demolition apart from the year 1977, but you may find more further details in the archives of the local newspaper or at a library/local history society.
The theatre on the photo with palm trees and Alan Freed on the marquee lettering is actually the Wiltern Theatre, Los Angeles.
Thanks for that info Richard, and TJ too. My e-mail address is on my profile here to send your pictures. Looking forward…..
Opened as the Ware Theatre on 8th December 1920, the original seating capacity was for 1,200. From the 1930’s until 1976 it was part of the E.M. Loew Circuit and was re-named Cabot Theatre sometime after 1950.
The RKO Keith’s Theatre closed in around 1966.
I have notes that the RKO Proctors closed in 1968 and ran as a bingo hall into at least the mid 1970’s.
The Yonkers Theatre was demolished in 1975.
A couple of years ago I went into the bank (former lobby of the Commodore Theatre) and they had a small history display on the theatre.
I am lucky to have a set of audio cassette tapes that were recorded on the last night of the Saint Disco. The Saint was famous even here in London,UK as one of the worlds best disco’s. Sadly, I never went into the building on my visits to New York.
Daisygirl;
The question has already been answered fully in the above posts. It was filmed at the Eros Cinema, Shaftesbury Avenue, Piccadilly Circus, London (Exteriors only, the interior sequences were filmed in a studio mock-up). “Witness” was released in 1985, the year that the Eros closed and the Eros Cinema had been screening soft core porn movies for many years. It never had played mainstream movies in its entire life as it was originally a Newsreel cinema, followed by a cartoon and shorts cinema and then porn. If memory serves me right “Witness” had its West End premier run at the Empire Theatre, Leicester Square.
Shrewsbury is a town 180 miles from London and the only Odeon Cinema on Shaftesbury Avenue in London is what is now called the Odeon Covent Garden, formally the Saville Theatre/ABC/Cannon Cinema.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook’s,1941 and 1943 as having a seating capacity of 800. Operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary M.A. Lightman.
The La Porte Theatre was demolished in early 1978.
Sorry Ron, non of the Film Daily Yearbook’s that I have give an actual street address for the Morton, Dorchester,MA. Maybe John Toto who posted the theatre could enlighten you with the exact location?
The Regent was still being listed in Film Daily Yearbook’s, 1941 and 1943 as ‘closed’. The seating capacity given is for 500.
The Film Daily Yearbook.1950 gives the address of the Loew’s Aldine as 808 Market Street, the Grand Opera House is listed as at 818 Market Street.
The Aldine is listed in the 1941 edition of F.D.Y as having 1,819 seats.
This was originally known as the Moore Theatre, listed in the Film Daily Yearbook,1941 with a seating capacity of 1,200. In the 1943 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed as closed. It became a legitimate playhouse for many years until 1976 when work began to re-model it into an art house cinema with an Egyptian theme.
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks as being in Dorchester,MA. It opened in 1926 with 1,960 seats and by 1943 was listed as being operated by Paramount Pictures Inc, under their subsidiary Mullins & Pinanski.
It closed in 1966 and was demolished in 1976.
The Granada Theatre opened in 1929 and had a seating capacity of 2,239. It first closed in 1976 as a single screen cinema and was put up for sale. Obviously the new owners converted it into a triplex.
Opened in 1929 with a seating capacity of 2,000. It was still operating in 1976 and is listed as having played Italian shows on Sundays only since 1966. There were plans to re-install the cloud, star and traveling moon effects machine back into the theatre in the mid-1970’s.