Listed in bottom left corner, the Ziegfeld Theatre was just two weeks old at the time, having opened on December 17th with a reserved-seat engagement of “Marooned.”
The world’s two largest movie palaces opened new holiday programs on the same day. Trade reports declared the Music Hall the winner with a first week’s gross of $111,000 against the Roxy’s $78,500. But attendance at the Roxy exceeded that at the Music Hall, which had considerably higher ticket prices.
Complete program change followed a 13-day run of the Christmas presentation, which had “H.M. Pulham, Esq.” on screen. This was the first Yuletide season since the USA entered WW2.
The Paramount Theatre in NYC’s Times Square had become famous enough around the world to be mentioned in the ad. The Mae West comedy had its world premiere there in November as part of the Paramount’s 10th anniversary presentation. Ad displayed here
The Edna Theatre became world-famous on Christmas Day (12/25/19) when the cinema was spotlighted on the top half of the front page of The New York Times with a full-color, four columns wide photo of the exterior.
The image was part of a lengthy article describing how the small city of Edna has been overcoming the social and economic “fallout” from the closure of its Walmart store in 2018.
Incorrectly uploaded. This was the theatre in Columbus Circle originally known as Majestic and finally International. The CT listing can be viewed here
A mention in the travel section of The New York Times of 12/22/2019 reports this as “Bio Rio, a single-screen art-house cinema from the 1940s that opened a revamped bar and bistro in September.” An award-winning bartender, Josephine Sondlo, is currently resident. Website
here
Festivities at both the Paramount and Rivoli were covered by local TV stations. Bottom left photo shows Paramount Pictures President Barney Balaban and wife being welcomed. Buddy Rogers and wife Mary Pickford in center photo.
Cinemas in all five NYC boroughs that sold tickets to unaccompanied children were required by law to seat them in a reserved section under the supervision of a licensed matron.
MGM was also represented in that year’s Christmas Holiday Show at Radio City Music Hall, which had the Greer Garson-Walter Pidgeon drama, “Madame Curie,” on screen.
The ad promised a “Continuous 3 Hour Stage & Screen Show,” but didn’t specify the movie offerings, which were probably a “B” feature and/or short subjects.
Based on Terrence Rattigan’s play, “A Bequest to the Nation,” the historical epic was re-titled for its USA release. Ian Holm and Zoe Caldwell starred in the original stage version in London’s West End in 1970. But who would ever forget Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh as Admiral Nelson and Lady Hamilton in the 1940 classic that Winston Churchill proclaimed his favorite film of that war torn period?
An abundance of vintage film coverage of the 1939 premiere can be viewed on the internet, including some from MGM’s “News of the Day”
newsreel. Click here
The booking extended into the Loew’s circuit’s “January Festival” for the New Year of 1930.
Listed in bottom left corner, the Ziegfeld Theatre was just two weeks old at the time, having opened on December 17th with a reserved-seat engagement of “Marooned.”
“Heaven Can Wait” was a revival of a 1943 release.
Previous existence as Audubon not mentioned.
The world’s two largest movie palaces opened new holiday programs on the same day. Trade reports declared the Music Hall the winner with a first week’s gross of $111,000 against the Roxy’s $78,500. But attendance at the Roxy exceeded that at the Music Hall, which had considerably higher ticket prices.
Complete program change followed a 13-day run of the Christmas presentation, which had “H.M. Pulham, Esq.” on screen. This was the first Yuletide season since the USA entered WW2.
The Paramount Theatre in NYC’s Times Square had become famous enough around the world to be mentioned in the ad. The Mae West comedy had its world premiere there in November as part of the Paramount’s 10th anniversary presentation. Ad displayed here
Photo is very similar to another displayed here
The Edna Theatre became world-famous on Christmas Day (12/25/19) when the cinema was spotlighted on the top half of the front page of The New York Times with a full-color, four columns wide photo of the exterior. The image was part of a lengthy article describing how the small city of Edna has been overcoming the social and economic “fallout” from the closure of its Walmart store in 2018.
Incorrectly uploaded. This was the theatre in Columbus Circle originally known as Majestic and finally International. The CT listing can be viewed here
Tyrone Power & Maureen O'Hara in Technicolor, versus Greer Garson & Ronald Colman in B&W at Radio City Music Hall. Tough choice!
Shouldn’t listing be changed to Bio Rio, which is the current name. The “grafen” might have become too old-fashioned for the 21st century.
A mention in the travel section of The New York Times of 12/22/2019 reports this as “Bio Rio, a single-screen art-house cinema from the 1940s that opened a revamped bar and bistro in September.” An award-winning bartender, Josephine Sondlo, is currently resident. Website here
An ad for that dual engagement can be viewed here
Festivities at both the Paramount and Rivoli were covered by local TV stations. Bottom left photo shows Paramount Pictures President Barney Balaban and wife being welcomed. Buddy Rogers and wife Mary Pickford in center photo.
Cinemas in all five NYC boroughs that sold tickets to unaccompanied children were required by law to seat them in a reserved section under the supervision of a licensed matron.
Selling reserved seats for as far in advance as next Easter Week (April 13th-21st, 1968).
MGM was also represented in that year’s Christmas Holiday Show at Radio City Music Hall, which had the Greer Garson-Walter Pidgeon drama, “Madame Curie,” on screen.
The ad promised a “Continuous 3 Hour Stage & Screen Show,” but didn’t specify the movie offerings, which were probably a “B” feature and/or short subjects.
Based on Terrence Rattigan’s play, “A Bequest to the Nation,” the historical epic was re-titled for its USA release. Ian Holm and Zoe Caldwell starred in the original stage version in London’s West End in 1970. But who would ever forget Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh as Admiral Nelson and Lady Hamilton in the 1940 classic that Winston Churchill proclaimed his favorite film of that war torn period?
Some brief silent coverage in FULL COLOR of the 1939 world premiere can be viewed here
An abundance of vintage film coverage of the 1939 premiere can be viewed on the internet, including some from MGM’s “News of the Day” newsreel. Click here
A copy of the ad, plus two cents, would admit one person during weekday matinees.
Remembering the 80th anniversary today of the world premiere of “Gone With the Wind” at Loew’s Grand Theatre on December 15th, 1939. Ad displayed here
The stage show included the Broadway debut of 20-year-old Ruth Jones, now using the professional name of Dinah Washington.