As per KenRoe’s comment of 11/13/04, the “Firm” should be listed as Funk & Wilcox.
Also, until Ian can be convinced to reveal more secrets (such as the building’s total capacity [all auditoriums]), the seat count listing should be changed to Unknown.
According to Laemmle’s website, they do not operate this theatre. Instead, it is a booking client which is actually run by Regency Theatres.
Official website is View link
Also, according to that site, the current name of the facility is Newport Beach Lido Theatre.
A three-story theatre building existed on the site as early as 1910. My research seems to indicate that this location had ceased to be a theatre by at least 1936.
As mentioned in the text, a motion picture theatre was definitely operational in 1921. However, records also show that the landlord, Academy Holding Corporation, purchased 291 East Houston in 1927 with the intention of combining it with their two adjoining buildings (283-287 E. Houston). They were proposing construction of a 1200 seat movie theatre on the 75x100 ft. plot.
As of 1923, this theatre was known as Loew’s Delancey Street Theatre. The full address was 140-146 Delancey. In February of ‘23, the theatre’s manager was busted in a “Blue Law” raid.
Loews Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth, NJ shares the same design as the Waterfront. However, during construction of that facility it was discovered that the theatre would not be able to acquire a liquor license and the mezzanine level sat empty, instead of housing the intended “Loews Club” area.
On Christmas Day, 2004, eight teens were arrested for disorderly conduct at this theatre when, according to local police, approximately nine hundred juveniles overran the theatre despite the presence of twelve police officers and two police dogs being paid by Loews Cineplex to provide security.
The theatre closed early, cancelling eight shows, and the local PD is requesting that the facility remain closed on Christmas and Easter in the future. LCE is, obviously, resistant to the suggestion.
The exact dates of operation were 11/23/1999 through 6/28/2001.
The 87,000-square-foot facility was built on the site of the former Greater Pittsburgh Drive-In Theatre and was designed by architect David Rockwell.
After undergoing an extensive renovation for the past 2 months, the theatre reopened today.
New screens have been installed, the entry-level restrooms have been remodeled, and leather seats (with increased legroom) have been installed in the two upper level auditoriums.
Definitely worth checking out.
A murder suspect, later found guilty, used attendance at this theatre as an alibi on January 5, 2005’s episode of Law & Order. He claimed to have been seeing a “French flick” with his girlfriend on the night the murder occurred.
The Rialto is actually January’s featured theatre. Great shot of the exterior lit up at night and “Rocky Horror” and “Concert for Bangladesh” being displayed on the marquee. (Pretty cool bookings!)
Jim, the Sunshine was definitely a Yiddish theatre, as were many other facilities throughout the Lower East Side neighborhood in which the theatre is located. However, the Sunshine was a motion picture theatre going by the name “Sunshine” before Mr. Darin was born. The National at 111-117 East Houston was still operational into the 1950s. I’m not sure when the 11 East Houston Yiddish National was operational.
RobertR: Why have you posted the City Cinemas note on this page? The Sunshine has no relationship at all to City Cinemas. (And you didn’t post such a note on the pages of those Manhattan theatres which that company does operate.)
The theatre’s exterior is featured in 2002’s Unfaithful, starring Diane Lane and Richard Gere. (Photos of Lane and her lover exiting the theatre are part of the evidence of her infidelity.)
Jim’s comment regarding Bobby Darin incorrectly identifies this theatre as the Yiddish National. By the time Darin was born in 1936, this facility had already been known as the Sunshine for nearly 20 years.
The Yiddish National was located at 11 East Houston Street. There was another, 1500-seat National, also known as the National Winter Garden, located at 111-117 East Houston. (This was also the site of the 299-seat Rooftop Theatre.) These theatres were used for live performances.
The Loews Palisades Center opened, with the 21 auditoriums which are currently in place, in April 1998. The theatre features two box offices with eight selling stations, four concession stands plus a coffee bar, and consistently high attendance.
Among the theatre’s opening features was Titanic which, despite having been in wide release for 4+ months at the time, attracted sold-out crowds.
Some seats have been lost since the theatre’s opening (a reduction from dave-bronx’s numbers above) due to remodeling which took place, in order to improve wheel chair accessibility, a few years into operation.
Since the site now exhibits “past names,” the names “Houston Hippodrome” and “Sunshine Theatre” should be displayed.
A zip code search (the theatre is located in 10002) does not return this theatre.
The current edition of the New York Press, the “Best of Manhattan 2004” issue, lists the 175th Street as “Best Movie Palace.” The description of the theatre can be found about halfway down the following webpage: View link
Personally, I think this NY Press designation, as well as the recent community outrage at the (fortunately short-term) closing of the Metro Twin, is evidence that the the dedication of the members of, and visitors to, CinemaTreasures and similar sites is having a positive cultural impact. Appreciation for these “treasures” is becoming more mainstream.
Another note on the 175th Street, from a daily commuter’s perspective: the dome of the theatre, with cross, is visible while traveling inbound on the George Washington Bridge. Check it out the next time you’re crossing the Hudson.
The Midtown, designed by the architecture firm of Boak & Paris, opened in 1933. From 1948 through April 1972, it was part of the Brandt circuit, featuring sub-run foreign and independent fare starting in the 1950s. It exhibited films such as Belle de Jour, Shame (and just about every other Bergman movie), Breathless, Hiroshima Mon Amour, Repulsion, L’Avventura, Straw Dogs, and Gimme Shelter, though never in exclusive engagements. After Brandt’s management, it operated as an adult film venue.
In 1982, its operation was taken over by Dan Talbot’s New York Cinemas and it was twinned. Renamed the Metro, it opened for business as an exhibitor of repertory art house fare on October 1, 1982. The facility’s HVAC system was overhauled and new bathrooms were installed in 1986.
On July 17, 1987, management of the theatre was assumed by Cineplex Odeon. Clearview Cinemas operated the theatre from December 1998 through August 26, 2004.
It is expected to be re-opened, with new seats and screens and under the management of Peter Elson, in November 2004.
The theatre’s Art Deco facade received landmark designation in 1989.
Regarding some of the other comments about this theatre:
1. If one discounts for occassional short-term closings which generally mark the history of old cinemas, the Metro is the 2nd-longest operating movie theatre in Manhattan, exceeded in age only by the New Coliseum, which opened 13 years earlier. I am excluding Radio City which, though it opened at the end of 1932, is not primarily a film exhibitor.
2. Regarding the Midtown moniker, I think there are two, likely related, explanations. First off, the theatre is located at the “approximate” halfway point on Manhattan’s north-south axis. There are about 120 blocks above, and 120 below, the Metro. Second, one must consider the context of the times in which the theatre was built. It began operation less than two years after the George Washington Bridge opened to traffic on 10/25/1931. The location of the Loew’s 175th Street theatre, opened in 1930, is evidence of the belief of the time that the GWB would transform upper Manhattan and, probably, result in the neighborhood in which the Metro is located becoming known and thought of as “Midtown.”
I believe the theatre is located in East Orange, NJ.
From that city’s mayor’s New Year’s 2004 Address:
“Renovations have begun to reopen the Hollywood Movie Theatre as a Five-Plex Cinema. Scheduled Opening set for the first quarter of 2004.”
Unfortunately, the same official has made similar statements, with accompanying timetables that have gone by the board, in the past. In January 2002, he said, “We will, I repeat, we will have the Hollywood movie theater opened in the next 15 to 18 months.” I haven’t been able to find any updated status on this project.
Historically, I can say that the theatre closed in the early 1970s but that, a few decades earlier, in 1940, it hosted the premiere of “Edison: The Man,” with Spencer Tracy in attendance.
The Route 35 Drive-In, previously known as the Loew’s Open Air Theatre, was actually located in Hazlet, NJ and operated from 1956-1991. National Amusements now operates the 12-screen Hazlet Multiplex Cinemas on that site, located at 2821 Route 35, Hazlet, NJ 07730.
Therefore, while a drive-in did once operate in Paramus (the Paramus Drive-In, which was just one of many that operated in the area), this theatre was not it. The Paramus Drive-In was located on Route 4, near the Route 4/Route 17 cloverleaf. (Route 35 is nowhere in the vicinity of Paramus.)
The address of this theatre should be changed to reflect this.
I believe that the seat count Ian provided accounts only for the big house (the original auditorium).
When it opened in 1926, the Commodore was the largest of the 10 movie theatres in operation on Second Avenue between Houston and 9th Street.
As per KenRoe’s comment of 11/13/04, the “Firm” should be listed as Funk & Wilcox.
Also, until Ian can be convinced to reveal more secrets (such as the building’s total capacity [all auditoriums]), the seat count listing should be changed to Unknown.
According to Laemmle’s website, they do not operate this theatre. Instead, it is a booking client which is actually run by Regency Theatres.
Official website is View link
Also, according to that site, the current name of the facility is Newport Beach Lido Theatre.
A three-story theatre building existed on the site as early as 1910. My research seems to indicate that this location had ceased to be a theatre by at least 1936.
As mentioned in the text, a motion picture theatre was definitely operational in 1921. However, records also show that the landlord, Academy Holding Corporation, purchased 291 East Houston in 1927 with the intention of combining it with their two adjoining buildings (283-287 E. Houston). They were proposing construction of a 1200 seat movie theatre on the 75x100 ft. plot.
As of 1923, this theatre was known as Loew’s Delancey Street Theatre. The full address was 140-146 Delancey. In February of ‘23, the theatre’s manager was busted in a “Blue Law” raid.
Loews Jersey Gardens in Elizabeth, NJ shares the same design as the Waterfront. However, during construction of that facility it was discovered that the theatre would not be able to acquire a liquor license and the mezzanine level sat empty, instead of housing the intended “Loews Club” area.
On Christmas Day, 2004, eight teens were arrested for disorderly conduct at this theatre when, according to local police, approximately nine hundred juveniles overran the theatre despite the presence of twelve police officers and two police dogs being paid by Loews Cineplex to provide security.
The theatre closed early, cancelling eight shows, and the local PD is requesting that the facility remain closed on Christmas and Easter in the future. LCE is, obviously, resistant to the suggestion.
The exact dates of operation were 11/23/1999 through 6/28/2001.
The 87,000-square-foot facility was built on the site of the former Greater Pittsburgh Drive-In Theatre and was designed by architect David Rockwell.
After undergoing an extensive renovation for the past 2 months, the theatre reopened today.
New screens have been installed, the entry-level restrooms have been remodeled, and leather seats (with increased legroom) have been installed in the two upper level auditoriums.
Definitely worth checking out.
A murder suspect, later found guilty, used attendance at this theatre as an alibi on January 5, 2005’s episode of Law & Order. He claimed to have been seeing a “French flick” with his girlfriend on the night the murder occurred.
The Rialto is actually January’s featured theatre. Great shot of the exterior lit up at night and “Rocky Horror” and “Concert for Bangladesh” being displayed on the marquee. (Pretty cool bookings!)
Official website:
View link
Jim, the Sunshine was definitely a Yiddish theatre, as were many other facilities throughout the Lower East Side neighborhood in which the theatre is located. However, the Sunshine was a motion picture theatre going by the name “Sunshine” before Mr. Darin was born. The National at 111-117 East Houston was still operational into the 1950s. I’m not sure when the 11 East Houston Yiddish National was operational.
RobertR: Why have you posted the City Cinemas note on this page? The Sunshine has no relationship at all to City Cinemas. (And you didn’t post such a note on the pages of those Manhattan theatres which that company does operate.)
The theatre’s exterior is featured in 2002’s Unfaithful, starring Diane Lane and Richard Gere. (Photos of Lane and her lover exiting the theatre are part of the evidence of her infidelity.)
Jim’s comment regarding Bobby Darin incorrectly identifies this theatre as the Yiddish National. By the time Darin was born in 1936, this facility had already been known as the Sunshine for nearly 20 years.
The Yiddish National was located at 11 East Houston Street. There was another, 1500-seat National, also known as the National Winter Garden, located at 111-117 East Houston. (This was also the site of the 299-seat Rooftop Theatre.) These theatres were used for live performances.
Please note my previous comment.
The Loews Palisades Center opened, with the 21 auditoriums which are currently in place, in April 1998. The theatre features two box offices with eight selling stations, four concession stands plus a coffee bar, and consistently high attendance.
Among the theatre’s opening features was Titanic which, despite having been in wide release for 4+ months at the time, attracted sold-out crowds.
Some seats have been lost since the theatre’s opening (a reduction from dave-bronx’s numbers above) due to remodeling which took place, in order to improve wheel chair accessibility, a few years into operation.
Since the site now exhibits “past names,” the names “Houston Hippodrome” and “Sunshine Theatre” should be displayed.
A zip code search (the theatre is located in 10002) does not return this theatre.
The current edition of the New York Press, the “Best of Manhattan 2004” issue, lists the 175th Street as “Best Movie Palace.” The description of the theatre can be found about halfway down the following webpage:
View link
Personally, I think this NY Press designation, as well as the recent community outrage at the (fortunately short-term) closing of the Metro Twin, is evidence that the the dedication of the members of, and visitors to, CinemaTreasures and similar sites is having a positive cultural impact. Appreciation for these “treasures” is becoming more mainstream.
Another note on the 175th Street, from a daily commuter’s perspective: the dome of the theatre, with cross, is visible while traveling inbound on the George Washington Bridge. Check it out the next time you’re crossing the Hudson.
The Midtown, designed by the architecture firm of Boak & Paris, opened in 1933. From 1948 through April 1972, it was part of the Brandt circuit, featuring sub-run foreign and independent fare starting in the 1950s. It exhibited films such as Belle de Jour, Shame (and just about every other Bergman movie), Breathless, Hiroshima Mon Amour, Repulsion, L’Avventura, Straw Dogs, and Gimme Shelter, though never in exclusive engagements. After Brandt’s management, it operated as an adult film venue.
In 1982, its operation was taken over by Dan Talbot’s New York Cinemas and it was twinned. Renamed the Metro, it opened for business as an exhibitor of repertory art house fare on October 1, 1982. The facility’s HVAC system was overhauled and new bathrooms were installed in 1986.
On July 17, 1987, management of the theatre was assumed by Cineplex Odeon. Clearview Cinemas operated the theatre from December 1998 through August 26, 2004.
It is expected to be re-opened, with new seats and screens and under the management of Peter Elson, in November 2004.
The theatre’s Art Deco facade received landmark designation in 1989.
Regarding some of the other comments about this theatre:
1. If one discounts for occassional short-term closings which generally mark the history of old cinemas, the Metro is the 2nd-longest operating movie theatre in Manhattan, exceeded in age only by the New Coliseum, which opened 13 years earlier. I am excluding Radio City which, though it opened at the end of 1932, is not primarily a film exhibitor.
2. Regarding the Midtown moniker, I think there are two, likely related, explanations. First off, the theatre is located at the “approximate” halfway point on Manhattan’s north-south axis. There are about 120 blocks above, and 120 below, the Metro. Second, one must consider the context of the times in which the theatre was built. It began operation less than two years after the George Washington Bridge opened to traffic on 10/25/1931. The location of the Loew’s 175th Street theatre, opened in 1930, is evidence of the belief of the time that the GWB would transform upper Manhattan and, probably, result in the neighborhood in which the Metro is located becoming known and thought of as “Midtown.”
I haven’t been able to find the exact address yet, but the theatre is on Central Avenue, near South Harrison Street, in East Orange, NJ.
I believe the theatre is located in East Orange, NJ.
From that city’s mayor’s New Year’s 2004 Address:
“Renovations have begun to reopen the Hollywood Movie Theatre as a Five-Plex Cinema. Scheduled Opening set for the first quarter of 2004.”
Unfortunately, the same official has made similar statements, with accompanying timetables that have gone by the board, in the past. In January 2002, he said, “We will, I repeat, we will have the Hollywood movie theater opened in the next 15 to 18 months.” I haven’t been able to find any updated status on this project.
Historically, I can say that the theatre closed in the early 1970s but that, a few decades earlier, in 1940, it hosted the premiere of “Edison: The Man,” with Spencer Tracy in attendance.
The Route 35 Drive-In, previously known as the Loew’s Open Air Theatre, was actually located in Hazlet, NJ and operated from 1956-1991. National Amusements now operates the 12-screen Hazlet Multiplex Cinemas on that site, located at 2821 Route 35, Hazlet, NJ 07730.
Therefore, while a drive-in did once operate in Paramus (the Paramus Drive-In, which was just one of many that operated in the area), this theatre was not it. The Paramus Drive-In was located on Route 4, near the Route 4/Route 17 cloverleaf. (Route 35 is nowhere in the vicinity of Paramus.)
The address of this theatre should be changed to reflect this.
An older photo (and another description) can be found on this page:
http://asburypark.net/news/choice/2000.html