Comments from Al Alvarez

Showing 151 - 175 of 3,432 comments

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Belmont Theatre on Jun 5, 2020 at 3:52 am

richardobrien on July 26, 2007 at 4:43 pm

There seems to be some confusion between the Belmont and the West Forty-Eighth Street theatre, which apparently was across the street at 124 West 48th Street. It had previously been Uncle Sam’s Music Hall, which Robert Benchley reviewed in the January 27, 1940 New Yorker. He found their show offensive, “not one a father could take his children to”. He did admit his protest was somewhat “vitiated by the fact that the child in question was at the moment towering over me from a height of six foot two and was accompanied by his wife”. Apparently undaunted, Uncle Sam’s continued on, and in the March 16th, 1940 Cue Magazine, advertised “She Gave Him All She Had”, and suggested audiences “hiss the villain”. Nevertheless, on May 12,1940 Uncle Sam’s became the 48th Street Music Hall, and initiated a run of silent movies. Many stars attended the festivities on the opening night, Walter Huston, Madge Evans, Gertrude Lawrence, etc. The silents continued until May 26, 1941. At times the theatre had free admission, the bucks apparently being brought in by beer, liquor and food. Richard O'Brien

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avenue Playhouse on May 29, 2020 at 12:13 am

Nice find! They sure look like the same building.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avenue Playhouse on May 28, 2020 at 11:44 pm

Steven, the windows above the 47th Street Cinema marquee you posted and the one over the Miami marquee sure do look similar.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Avenue Playhouse on May 28, 2020 at 9:08 pm

Steven, why don’t you post them here? I don’t see an entry for that cinema yet and it may have been this location.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on May 27, 2020 at 4:01 am

The Broadway League announced today that they do not expect to be back on stage before January. If so, and RADIO CITY follows that, sadly, there will be no Xmas show this year, for the first time.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bay Harbor 4 Theatres on May 26, 2020 at 9:38 pm

aeterna, it was twinned in 1980.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Odeon Luxe London Leicester Square on May 14, 2020 at 2:53 pm

I doubt it. There will always be a need for the shared communal experience. Cinemas will always exist in some form, as will pubs. I was often asked why I was going into a dying industry when I started as a cinema manager in 1974.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Adonis Theatre on May 2, 2020 at 5:16 pm

That seventies 3D process did not require any equipment. It used a silver screen and blue and red tinted glasses that cleared the overlapped images that were blurry when viewed without them.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Adonis Theatre on May 2, 2020 at 2:34 pm

I found this book link that refers to a 3D gay-porn film called “HEAVY EQUIPMENT” playing at the Eros. https://books.google.com/books?id=VKhqh3HFH8AC&pg=PA143&lpg=PA143&dq=3d+gay+film+heavy+equipment&source=bl&ots=h8c4jeLlNJ&sig=ACfU3U1ECbQDbcTFKv0hWgy1mX-HxLR1TA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjqxe2gpZXpAhX-mHIEHZVHD9wQ6AEwB3oECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=3d%20gay%20film%20heavy%20equipment&f=false

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Jerry Lewis Cinema on Apr 19, 2020 at 3:46 am

The Queens location is the Surfside Twin. I tried to link the CT page here for it but I got a SPAM alert.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gala Twin Cinemas on Apr 16, 2020 at 3:50 am

As Teatro Cuba it only presented live shows according to El Nuevo Herald.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gala Twin Cinemas on Apr 13, 2020 at 2:42 pm

I don’t think this was ever a Jerry Lewis Cinema. The nearby Astor and Miller Road were.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Varsity Six on Apr 8, 2020 at 3:48 am

This was the home of Phil Singleton’s AMC manager training academy in Florida.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 170th Street Cinema on Mar 31, 2020 at 2:46 am

GCC took over Loews in Florida in 1973 with the exception of the Bay Harbor and 167th St. Twins. Those two locations had a partner who refused to go along with the sale. Those two locations remained Loews.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 170th Street Cinema on Mar 30, 2020 at 3:47 pm

No one seems to have been charged with a crime.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 170th Street Cinema on Mar 30, 2020 at 1:48 pm

Police suspected that chemicals in a second floor print shop at the shopping center started the fire.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 170th Street Cinema on Mar 30, 2020 at 3:31 am

ridethectrain, it did re-open after that as a short-lived six-plex.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about New York Theatre on Mar 26, 2020 at 3:55 am

Poman, I can second your “Cine 43” claim in 1982-1983, it is in the DAILY NEWS archives. I have not yet found a Nuevo Cine listing. Were the films in Spanish?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Biscayne Park Theater on Feb 29, 2020 at 3:50 am

I found a Miami Herald ad for the Grand Opening January 15, 1926 for a live review called ‘FOUNTANIA AT MIAMI SHORES’ at East Dixie Highway and 125th Street, the inaugural attraction at the ‘newest amusement theatre". This seems to have been quite a fancy and sprawling amusement location with lots of bells and whistles I have yet to find any signs of movies having been shown.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Apollo North on Feb 15, 2020 at 8:33 pm

This was opened by an independent operator who also ran the other Apollo, Aladdin, America and Ambassador.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Warner Twin Theatre on Feb 7, 2020 at 2:13 am

I bought a DVD of “NORWAY” back in London that was probably a bootleg. The DVD had no ending but the film was dreadful anyway.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Sutton Theater on Feb 2, 2020 at 4:23 am

“THE BLUE MAX” in the photo section.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Palm Springs Twin One & Two on Feb 1, 2020 at 11:10 pm

rivest, the closest thing to an opening ad for the twin is in the November 21, 1973 Miami Herald, with SALTY the seal and his trainer appearing in person.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Rex Art Cinema on Jan 26, 2020 at 5:03 pm

Rivest, the Little River was the 79th Street Twin (Bard).

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Strand Theatre on Jan 25, 2020 at 9:30 pm

That older Strand was on Flagler Street and Miami Avenue.