Embassy 1 Theatre
1560 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
1560 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10036
13 people
favorited this theater
Showing 101 - 125 of 125 comments
Seems this was advertised as Embassy 48 St. in 1977.
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My father took me to a film here years ago. It sure was a nice little house. It was in great shape considering the year was about ‘88-'89. No water damage, no insensitive paint jobs (I.E. the entire auditorium was not painted lemon yellow), vintage light fixures in the lobby. Definitely one of my best cinema experiences.
Kind of funny that I was so impressed by the features of this little house when Times Square once had such things as the Paramount.
Should “New Embassy” be included as an AKA above? Perhaps even “Newsreel” and “Embassy I”.
One of the all time great imports (scroll to the bottom of the clipping):
Fellini – Daily News 11/25/63
The film opened in the States in June of ‘63, per imdb, so I’m not sure if this is part of that initial engagement, a move-over or a late run.
Strange seats in this theater so low to the floor……….
HELP!!! I’m compulsive and have been losing sleep over this – I went on a walking tour of Times Square with the Theater Historical Society and I recall being told this theater was originally the first theater owned by a woman- she marketed the small theater to other society women rich enough to cough up the high ticket price… Anyone familiar with this? Thanks – SwankyJohn
The Embassy showing “The Hours of Love"
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My friend & I saw the worst movie I ever saw at this theater. I gave him back his $7.00 ! “Everybody Wins” starring Debra Winger.
Newsreels were produced until 1967, saps, but fewer and fewer first-run theaters carried them after 1962. Check this site:
http://history.acusd.edu/gen/newsreels/
Thanks for the wonderful historic theatrical pictures you contribute, Warren.
La Dolce Vita is from 1960; when did the newsreels stop?
This engagement must have been shortly after the newsreels stopped.
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The last movie I saw here was Pulp Fiction in 1994. It was a little worn by then, but still a fun place to see a film. Too bad movies aren’t still being shown, but at least it is mostly intact as the Times Square visitors center.
When I was a child,I used to go many times with my dad to the Embassy in the 1950’s. The showing included a newsreel and shorts. It was comfortable, cozy, and a nice looking little movie theatre.
In Stanley Kubrick’s 1955 film Killer’s Kiss available on a nice DVD, there are extended night scenes of the Times Square area and its theatres. One gets clear views of the Victoria with a large display for The Man Between, the Astor with Queen of Sheba, and the Embassy Newsreel Theatre. There are snippets of more. That part must have been shot around November of 1953.
The Embassy 4 in the ad is not this Embassy Theatre. It’s the old DeMille Theatre, which was the Embassy 2-3-4.
When Loew’s State had “A” bookings the Embassy would get the spillover Paramount releases and even when they opened at Loew’s they would move to the Embassy when a new film replaced it. I believe “48 Hrs” opened at the Guild, it was a huge suprise hit that seemed to play forever that year.
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THESE THEATRE ADS appeared in a program booklet “Stadium Concerts Review” for Lewisohn Stadium, College of the City of New York, for July 29 to August 4, 1936. The concerts were by the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra. The small ads tout what was playing at several New York movie theatres. One of them was for the Embassy News Theatre.
Except for the seats and curtin, that’s the way it looks now as the Visitor’s Center.
thaks warren for the photos of the columbia theatre which later became the sister cinema to this listing if i’m correct. they were fabulous.
Look at this great picture of the Embassy in it’s newsreel days, with the RKO Palace behind it.
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I went there today (thanks Warren for pointing this out). I felt like a total rube going in there. But whatever.
Boy, it’s tiny, alright. The lobby is actually more interesting looking than the theater itself. Very long and elaborate. Beautiful. I didn’t realize it was even IN the theater until I saw the the dome in the ceiling. It’s the size of some small theaters in multiplexes. I assume there was no balcony.
I did notice that there were doors in the rear of the auditorium that were sealed off. Not unusable, just painted so you felt you should not go in there. Can anyone fathom what they were for? I thought maybe they were for a long gone balcony but I don’t think so.
I think it’s a nice use for the theater. At least it’s not gone.
I have been in the New Embassy Theatre as a visitor’s Information Center. They have the entire history in plaques on the wall. The theatre looks tiny! You can see the screen and seating areas. “2001: A Space Odyssey” played here direct from the Cinerama Theatre. It must have been a terrible viewing experience. Other films playing here in the late 1960s…“Targets”; “All the Loving Couples” (X rated); “Sweden: Heaven and Hell” (X rated); “Secret Ceremony”; … I’ll think of others.
The Embassy Theatre seated 556 people.
The Visitor’s Center is located in the beautifully restored auditorium, not the lobby (which is also beautifully restored), and is surely worth a visit from every movie theater lover. So go already!