The Tres Banderas was in Barrio Obrero. It was owned by the first wife of Rafael Ramos Cobián, Rita. He gave the theater to her together with the Paramount in Santurce and the Imperial and Borinquen also in Barrio Obrero as part of their divorce settlement. Cobián and Commonwealth Theaters leased the Paramount from her for $2000 a week, and her second husband, Jorge, operated the concession stand. The Paramount was the top money making cinema in PR, grossing an average of $12,000 a week and sometimes as much as $15,000 and $16,000 a week, a lot of money in the 1960’s. More than once, Cobián told me that one of his biggest mistakes was giving the Paramount to his first wife as part of the divorce settlement. After Commonwealth was sold to Wometco, Rita took the theater back and was managed and booked by Junior Cobián, a former VP at Commonwealth. Eventually Junior leased it to United Artists when UA opened the Cinema 150. UA tripled it and as we all know it was eventually closed and is now in the process of renovation.
I think it was definitely the F, a Llamas theater. The New San Juan was operated by the owners of the Rex, the old Delicias, at Fernandez Juncos and Parque,
I moved to NYC in 1970 and if I remember correctly, there was a Cosmo Theater between 3rd and Lexington on 116th Street, but I don’t remember if it was open and showing movies at the time.
Today, in one of Puerto Rico’s newspapers — Primera Hora — the mayor of Yauco is quoted as saying that the renovation of the Ideal is in its “final phase”.
A friend tells me the link that had the Paramount interior in disrepair prior to demolition and reconstruction does not have the pictures anymore. Sorry. I remember the interior was a shell full of garbage and debris. You could no tell where the orchestra section ended and the old stage started. I am guessing that maybe the Davis people thought that since the stage was under the office building, there were offices also in the stage area. Also, remember the theater was in hands of a government agency not theater people. Maybe the bureaucrats could not give an exact briefing to Davis of what was where. Just guessing.
I see, yes , you have a very good point. Maybe it was because the theater was in such state of disrepair. There is a page that shows the inside of the theater right before renovation. I’ll try to find it and post the link. Best, AGR.
Why, Davsot? On the janitor living quarters? The stage behind the screen had 2 levels of dressing rooms and Willie used the ones on the first level as his apartment. He was a terrific worker, had been with Cobian for many many years and was extremely honest — before ATMs he went to the bank, deposited my check and made withdrawals for me — so we looked the other way. The offices? Remember on the driveway to the parking there was an entrance to the office building. Cobian/Commonwealth Theaters had the offices there until we moved to the Cobian Center on Stop 23 next to the Radio City and Excelsior. Hope this clears any confusion. Best regards. As always, Andres,
The intro in the Davis site — above link — is wrong. The stage was never converted into office space. It was there behind the screen, empty. One of the janitors lived in the dressing rooms and management looked the other way. The offices were built above the stage. It was a six story narrow building. Rafael Ramos Cobian offfice took the entire 6th floor and there was a screening room on the 5th floor.
The Paramount will present live performances as far as I know. If you search the site below they have 2 pictures of the new auditorium which is bigger that the old auditorium since it looks like they raised the roof and extended it all the way into the parking lot that was behind the theater. It looks terrific but it is not “our” Paramount. Sorry I could not include a direct link, for some reason this the only way I could paste it.
I used to work in film exhibition in Puerto Rico and this Kolibay theater did not exist. Is probaby confused with the Holiday which is listed in CT as Cine Holiday in Santurce (not San Turce), a section of San Juan. Please eliminate this theater from your CT listings.
The Tres Banderas was in Barrio Obrero. It was owned by the first wife of Rafael Ramos Cobián, Rita. He gave the theater to her together with the Paramount in Santurce and the Imperial and Borinquen also in Barrio Obrero as part of their divorce settlement. Cobián and Commonwealth Theaters leased the Paramount from her for $2000 a week, and her second husband, Jorge, operated the concession stand. The Paramount was the top money making cinema in PR, grossing an average of $12,000 a week and sometimes as much as $15,000 and $16,000 a week, a lot of money in the 1960’s. More than once, Cobián told me that one of his biggest mistakes was giving the Paramount to his first wife as part of the divorce settlement. After Commonwealth was sold to Wometco, Rita took the theater back and was managed and booked by Junior Cobián, a former VP at Commonwealth. Eventually Junior leased it to United Artists when UA opened the Cinema 150. UA tripled it and as we all know it was eventually closed and is now in the process of renovation.
Registering.
I think it was definitely the F, a Llamas theater. The New San Juan was operated by the owners of the Rex, the old Delicias, at Fernandez Juncos and Parque,
Thanks, rrstar.
No tenÃa idea. No lo recuerdo de mi juventud. En esa época solo habÃan dos cines, el Ideal y el Ramily, ambos de la familia Pérez. A lo mejor el Star lo hicieron después que mi familia se mudó a San Juan. ¿Alguien sabe la dirección, la calle?
Registering.
Thanks, Al.
Registering
I moved to NYC in 1970 and if I remember correctly, there was a Cosmo Theater between 3rd and Lexington on 116th Street, but I don’t remember if it was open and showing movies at the time.
Registering.
I am not sure if I understand Wally 75’s question, but if he was a manager at the Rivoli, he should know the answer to his question. Am I wrong?
Registering.
Sorry for the typos on above comment.
This link about Carlos Gardel in Puerto Rico has the Ideal ha;fway through when you scroll down;
View link
No, Luis, no more details. It was a general interview with one question about how the renovation of the Ideal was coming along.
Today, in one of Puerto Rico’s newspapers — Primera Hora — the mayor of Yauco is quoted as saying that the renovation of the Ideal is in its “final phase”.
A friend tells me the link that had the Paramount interior in disrepair prior to demolition and reconstruction does not have the pictures anymore. Sorry. I remember the interior was a shell full of garbage and debris. You could no tell where the orchestra section ended and the old stage started. I am guessing that maybe the Davis people thought that since the stage was under the office building, there were offices also in the stage area. Also, remember the theater was in hands of a government agency not theater people. Maybe the bureaucrats could not give an exact briefing to Davis of what was where. Just guessing.
I see, yes , you have a very good point. Maybe it was because the theater was in such state of disrepair. There is a page that shows the inside of the theater right before renovation. I’ll try to find it and post the link. Best, AGR.
Why, Davsot? On the janitor living quarters? The stage behind the screen had 2 levels of dressing rooms and Willie used the ones on the first level as his apartment. He was a terrific worker, had been with Cobian for many many years and was extremely honest — before ATMs he went to the bank, deposited my check and made withdrawals for me — so we looked the other way. The offices? Remember on the driveway to the parking there was an entrance to the office building. Cobian/Commonwealth Theaters had the offices there until we moved to the Cobian Center on Stop 23 next to the Radio City and Excelsior. Hope this clears any confusion. Best regards. As always, Andres,
The intro in the Davis site — above link — is wrong. The stage was never converted into office space. It was there behind the screen, empty. One of the janitors lived in the dressing rooms and management looked the other way. The offices were built above the stage. It was a six story narrow building. Rafael Ramos Cobian offfice took the entire 6th floor and there was a screening room on the 5th floor.
Once posted the Paramount link above became a direct link so you can just click on it.
The Paramount will present live performances as far as I know. If you search the site below they have 2 pictures of the new auditorium which is bigger that the old auditorium since it looks like they raised the roof and extended it all the way into the parking lot that was behind the theater. It looks terrific but it is not “our” Paramount. Sorry I could not include a direct link, for some reason this the only way I could paste it.
http://robertdavisinc.com/sjpr.htm
Renewing link.
Registering.
I used to work in film exhibition in Puerto Rico and this Kolibay theater did not exist. Is probaby confused with the Holiday which is listed in CT as Cine Holiday in Santurce (not San Turce), a section of San Juan. Please eliminate this theater from your CT listings.