Palace Theatre
160 W. 47th Street,
New York,
NY
10036
160 W. 47th Street,
New York,
NY
10036
23 people
favorited this theater
Showing 101 - 125 of 295 comments
On the day after the USA re-elected a black president, see how different things were back in 1959 and look for the listings for the 5 “Negro Theaters” in Miami, at the bottom left corner of the “Anne Frank” ad page.
Regarding the “light comedy” ad for The Diary of Anne Frank: it may sound strange to anyone who hasn’t seen it, but there are a lot of funny moments in that film, just as there was in the actual diary. It’s a beautiful film in every way, and it’s too bad the public rejected it the way they did.
I think that is an error on IBDB. APPLAUSE closed in May.
Frenzy had its NY premiere on June 21, 1972; accoring to IBDB, Applause played at the Palace until July 27, 1972.
Clarification needed.
According to Internet Broadway Database it seems that Sweet Charity in January 1966 was the theater’s re-launch by the Nederlanders as a legitimate house. But people here remember seeing movies at the Palace after that date, so it must have alternated between film and live productions.
“FRENZY” ran in 1972 after “CHIPS”.
Hello Again-
i have been under the impression for years that “Goodbye Mr. Chips” was the Palace’s last film. and that after the film’s roadshow run the Palace reverted to a legit theater and has stayed that way since the spring of 1970.
I saw Hitchcok’s Frenzy at the Palace in the early 70s. Was this before or after Mr. Chips? I am not sure, but they went back to legit soon after with Lauren Bacall in Applause.
Hello-
during the many times the Palace operated as as movie theater the only times i remember going there to see a film was the June 1969 roadshow re-release of “Ben-Hur” and the Nov. 1969 roadshow engagement of “Goodbye Mr. Chips”. while its not considered one of the great musicals i enjoyed GMC. i don’t know how long the film’s roadshow engagement lasted at the Palace but it was the last film to ever play the Palace. i wonder how soon after GMC’s run ended that they dismantled the film projecting equipment etc……
But just to be in that theater for a buck or so — and sometimes less! — I would have accepted a distorted screen.
Loved the original marquee that they had before the renovation.
Remember Pia Zadora? Years ago she played Anne Frank in a regional theater — don’t remember where. Her acting was so bad that when the Gestapo came into the annex the audience screamed, “She is in the attic, she is in the attic”.
Yes, the Nixon fell to the wrecking ball in 1975.
In reference to edblank’s comment about moviegoer’s sensing that the film would would be a long ordeal in a single confined set, that is, more or less, what director George Stevens wanted to do in order to simulate the time and tension spent in a claustrophobic environment by the Franks and the others in the “secret annexe.” If you go there (and I have been there), you will find it almost incredible that so many people could have occupied that small space (for many hours each day without speaking or moving) for as long as they did.
To heighten the effect, Stevens wanted to film in the standard screen ratio, but 20th-Century-Fox insisted that he use Cinemascope. So, in a number of scenes, he made the sides of the set appear very thick-walled to reduce the available acting space. The original running time was just a little shy of three hours, later cut down somewhat.
Edblank, I’m guessing that the “Nixon” (some name for a theatre-lol) hasn’t run film for MANY years, if it hasn’t already been demolished.
At the risk of going too far afield from the subject of Manhattan’s Palace Theatre, the film of “The Diary of Anne Frank” opened in Pittsburgh in May 1959 at the Nixon, the city’s main legit national touring company theater and one of two Downtown theaters (the Warner being the other) that shared the roadshow (reserved seat)films.
It was the Nixon, for example, that had the roadshow film engagements of “Guys and Dolls,” “South Pacific,” “West Side Story” and “The Sound of Music,” for example.
The “Anne Frank” movie was booked to stretch from May through the summer until the 1959-60 legit season began in the fall.
“Anne Frank” drew so poorly, though (less than $5,000 in its second, third and fourth weeks) that it closed after four days of its fifth week.
My guess as to what worked against the film version is that – whether as a higher-priced roadshow engagement or not – it “sensed” to moviegoers like a long slog in a single, confined set.
Tinseltoes, you and your boxoffice magazine are the best!!! A light comedy for “ANNE FRANK” WOW!! I can’t see it as a comedy…..First time in Palace was for Liza in a tribute show to her father and the “WILL ROGERS FOLLIES” which was a perfect show for that wonderful vaudville theater…
Wow, Al… That’s a pretty remarkable ad for this movie!
bigjoe, according to Variety “ANNE FRANK” only did well in New York and Miami Beach, which means it did not work without a significant Jewish audience. In Miami Beach it was advertised as a feel-good light comedy.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lF1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Nz8NAAAAIBAJ&pg=3256%2C4366891
Everyone had already seen the bootleg.
Hello Again-
thanks for the info. said info prompts another question. i always assumed when a film had a decent run in its original exclusive reserved seat engagement that said decent run was prompted by box office returns rather than any contractual obligation to run the film for x number of months regardless of the box office. therefore i’m hoping that the film’s 6 month run in its original reserved seat engagement was prompted by the box office.
the reason i asked the question is simple. assuming i correctly understood what i read online it appears the film’s sole exclusive first run engagement in San Francisco wasn’t even an reserved seat engagement but a two week run at the S.F.Fox.
“Anne Frank” opened on March 18, 1959 at the RKO Palace according to the IMDB.
bigjoe, “ANNE FRANK” played here for six months.
August 1965 saw the premiere of the Joseph E. Levine/Paramount production of HARLOW starring Carroll Baker. The film did not play long and the theatre after being bought by the Nederlanders quickly took the HARLOW marquee down and put up the SWEET CHARITY starring Gwen Verdon marquee-even though the stage musical was not to open until late 1966 or 67.
Those are two gorgeous pictures, Brian.
rivoli157, I agree with you. I HATE the way they used the air space above the Palace to build that hotel. All I can say in favor is that at least they didn’t demolish the theater, like they’ve done to the rest of them. I only wish they would have saved the Loew’s Capitol that way.