On April 27, 1952 a hold-up gone wrong resulted in the gunman firing a shot at the Victory cashier (who questioned whether the gun was real), missing her with the bullet getting embedded into the boxoffice door.
The two failed robbers then ran down the street while others went in pursuit. One man was shot in the abdomen and critically injured. The shooting robber was captured by the police but his accomplice escaped.
This may be the reason the Victory was closed that summer.
I think the riff-raff and the porn followed the anonymity made possible by the massive subway exchanges of Times Square. As you moved away from the Deuce it all dissipated.
The area declined rapidly after the US entry to WW II when the soldiers boosted the local street prostitution and gay cruising trade, but this was indeed the border of Hell’s Kitchen, a crime ridden Irish slum during the best of times. The Deuce started declining during the depression when the theatres all switched over to film and burlesque.
Although hard-core porn theatres like the Hollywood were a seventies invention, skin flicks and brothels were always around at some area locations.
It was almost everywhere but if you didn’t show a key, the hotel security would not let you past the front door after dark. There were small porn theatres and seedy bars down most side streets next to places like Sardi’s and the Edison.
I think the Deuce had more transient visitors looking for a movie or bite to eat where the Minnesota Strip was more decisively nasty but both could erupt into violence at a moment’s notice.
If you were not looking to do business on the strip you were most likely a lost tourist looking for your hotel, and therefore an even bigger target.
This site has some street by street history of the city.
Yes, that west side block is the one where you supposedly crossed the street to avoid the pimp and drug drama. I am not sure what the orange building was but the marquee notice for “NIGHT SHIFT Coming Soon” was not for a movie. It was for this theatre:
Eighth Avenue, from 42nd to 50th, was known as the Minnesota Strip. The name was derived from the myth that good girls from Minnesota, with intentions of Broadway stardom, became local hookers instead.
In the seventies it was wall to wall hookers for several blocks although by the eighties they were a little more discreet.
The nadir of the neighborhood was reportedly the block across from this theatre, where the Platinum luxury condominium now stands.
Miami Beach is basically made up of reclaimed swamp land and dredging and pumping is often still needed during heavy rains. I worked at the Sunny Isles theatre which was built on stilts upon dredged up swamp land. Although the theatre never flooded, the parking lot was sinking and we sometimes had to removed crabs and walking catfish out of the auditoria before opening for the day.
If you look at the photo on page 225 of the recent book “The Story of 42nd Street” you will see a demolition photo that shows what was salvaged. They were really insignificant small sections of wall.
On April 27, 1952 a hold-up gone wrong resulted in the gunman firing a shot at the Victory cashier (who questioned whether the gun was real), missing her with the bullet getting embedded into the boxoffice door.
The two failed robbers then ran down the street while others went in pursuit. One man was shot in the abdomen and critically injured. The shooting robber was captured by the police but his accomplice escaped.
This may be the reason the Victory was closed that summer.
I think the riff-raff and the porn followed the anonymity made possible by the massive subway exchanges of Times Square. As you moved away from the Deuce it all dissipated.
It was always better on 7th Avenue.
The area declined rapidly after the US entry to WW II when the soldiers boosted the local street prostitution and gay cruising trade, but this was indeed the border of Hell’s Kitchen, a crime ridden Irish slum during the best of times. The Deuce started declining during the depression when the theatres all switched over to film and burlesque.
Although hard-core porn theatres like the Hollywood were a seventies invention, skin flicks and brothels were always around at some area locations.
It was almost everywhere but if you didn’t show a key, the hotel security would not let you past the front door after dark. There were small porn theatres and seedy bars down most side streets next to places like Sardi’s and the Edison.
I think the Deuce had more transient visitors looking for a movie or bite to eat where the Minnesota Strip was more decisively nasty but both could erupt into violence at a moment’s notice.
If you were not looking to do business on the strip you were most likely a lost tourist looking for your hotel, and therefore an even bigger target.
This site has some street by street history of the city.
http://www.nysonglines.com/8av.htm#42st
Yes, that west side block is the one where you supposedly crossed the street to avoid the pimp and drug drama. I am not sure what the orange building was but the marquee notice for “NIGHT SHIFT Coming Soon” was not for a movie. It was for this theatre:
/theaters/20841/
Eighth Avenue, from 42nd to 50th, was known as the Minnesota Strip. The name was derived from the myth that good girls from Minnesota, with intentions of Broadway stardom, became local hookers instead.
In the seventies it was wall to wall hookers for several blocks although by the eighties they were a little more discreet.
The nadir of the neighborhood was reportedly the block across from this theatre, where the Platinum luxury condominium now stands.
This theatre, along with the Eltinge (Empire), Gaiety, and Irving Place, was temporarily shut down during the 1937 crackdown on Burlesque.
I found evidence in the NYT that the M & S Delancey and the New Delancey are the same theatre.
This entry is therefore redundant.
“Fist of Fury” ad for the Pagoda in 1972.
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So was it ever BLEEKER instead of BLEECKER?
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The Essex building today.
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I never understood why some movies would open at two Miami Beach locations and not in Miami itself. Some would do the opposite.
Were they such distinct markets then even with common newspapers?
Miami Beach is basically made up of reclaimed swamp land and dredging and pumping is often still needed during heavy rains. I worked at the Sunny Isles theatre which was built on stilts upon dredged up swamp land. Although the theatre never flooded, the parking lot was sinking and we sometimes had to removed crabs and walking catfish out of the auditoria before opening for the day.
This appears to have operated from 1980 to 1989. The 88th street location was open from 1970 to 1980.
This place is open and screening films weekly but apparently they are trying to keep it a secret, so don’t tell anyone.
http://www.tribecacinemas.com/TC_Home/
That 1976 aka should be Chung Kuo, not Chung Kou.
oops!
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This ad (bottom left) shows the Jefferson still open and showing porn in 1975.
The Film Daily Yearbooks list this as the Park Row in 1945 and the Silver Star in 1946.
At the bottom of this page is a mention of the “THE BLUE PEARL” being cancelled when the star had an accident.
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If you look at the photo on page 225 of the recent book “The Story of 42nd Street” you will see a demolition photo that shows what was salvaged. They were really insignificant small sections of wall.
Opening shortly at the Windsor…
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The American Musical at the Plaza.
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Some posters who were regular Apollo patrons found my previous suggestion that the theatre played art but sold sleaze, was offensive.
That photo is a perfect example. “THREE FORBIDDEN STORIES” was never advertised this way anywhere else except perhaps drive-ins.