The Adonis was built in 1921 on a lot at 839 Eighth Avenue, between 50th and 51st streets, and dubbed The Tivoli. It had an impressive Renaissance façade, and its large marquee became a distinctive fixture on the west border of the Theater District neighbourhood. It came complete with a grand lobby and a balcony flanked by solid two-story Ionic columns. With a seating capacity of 1,433 and an open-air “roof garden theatre” of 951 seats (which probably fell into disuse when the talkie era began), it was, as period advertising boasted, ideally suited for the presentation of “films, orchestra and grand opera soloists.” It also came equipped with a Kimball organ. Like most theatres, it changed ownership and booking policy through the decades, including a stint in the early ‘60s as a showcase for Spanish-language films.
Chelly Wilson took over the place in the early/mid ‘60s and ran it as a grindhouse. On March 4, 1975 she rechristened it The Adonis and began exclusively programming gay porn, winning praise from the trade publication Variety, which pegged it as the largest and most lavish gay porn theatre in NYC.
Wilson was one of the more colourful characters of Times Square, but she was also an ace businesswoman, and in 1968/69 added to her stable of smut cinemas by building The Capri and The Eros 1 from the ground up in what had been apartment buildings. These two classic mini-theaters, together with The Eros 2, which was later renamed The Venus, were clustered in the vicinity of Eighth Ave and 45th street. Titles like Virgin Flesh and Sex Deal adorned their marquees.
The Eros was a gay venue and had the honor of screening Heavy Equipment, a 3-D homo classic featuring Jack Wrangler and The Christy Twins, while The Capri and The Venus were for straights, or at least played hetero porn. As for the latter venue, it was, as Landis reported in Sleazoid Express, “so pitch black you couldn’t see your watch on your wrist” and “smelled of lavender mothballs.”
Good grief, what does a shooting “a few miles from this location” have anything to do with the AMC Newport Centre 11, and why should any follow ups be posted here…??
My first Joan Crawford picture…!
I wonder what Paul Allen’s will had to say about his intentions for the theater
So Paul Allen’s estate is f-cking up this theater?
This does not look like the Stanley theater that is in the other photos.
When this comment was made, School of Rock had just finished a three year engagement at this theater (1309 performances plus 31 previews).
Newspaper ad added to photos.
Newspaper ad added to photos
Newspaper ads added to photos
Movie ad added to photos
Two photo/clippings added
Brand new renovation but playing brand old movies…!
Photo added
The PBS show is being repeated today at 11:30am on channel 21 in the New York area
While we’re at it, two ads posted in photos, one as the Tivoli from February 1975 and one as the Adonis from March 1975
Found this website on the internet. Excerpt:
The Adonis was built in 1921 on a lot at 839 Eighth Avenue, between 50th and 51st streets, and dubbed The Tivoli. It had an impressive Renaissance façade, and its large marquee became a distinctive fixture on the west border of the Theater District neighbourhood. It came complete with a grand lobby and a balcony flanked by solid two-story Ionic columns. With a seating capacity of 1,433 and an open-air “roof garden theatre” of 951 seats (which probably fell into disuse when the talkie era began), it was, as period advertising boasted, ideally suited for the presentation of “films, orchestra and grand opera soloists.” It also came equipped with a Kimball organ. Like most theatres, it changed ownership and booking policy through the decades, including a stint in the early ‘60s as a showcase for Spanish-language films.
Chelly Wilson took over the place in the early/mid ‘60s and ran it as a grindhouse. On March 4, 1975 she rechristened it The Adonis and began exclusively programming gay porn, winning praise from the trade publication Variety, which pegged it as the largest and most lavish gay porn theatre in NYC.
Wilson was one of the more colourful characters of Times Square, but she was also an ace businesswoman, and in 1968/69 added to her stable of smut cinemas by building The Capri and The Eros 1 from the ground up in what had been apartment buildings. These two classic mini-theaters, together with The Eros 2, which was later renamed The Venus, were clustered in the vicinity of Eighth Ave and 45th street. Titles like Virgin Flesh and Sex Deal adorned their marquees.
The Eros was a gay venue and had the honor of screening Heavy Equipment, a 3-D homo classic featuring Jack Wrangler and The Christy Twins, while The Capri and The Venus were for straights, or at least played hetero porn. As for the latter venue, it was, as Landis reported in Sleazoid Express, “so pitch black you couldn’t see your watch on your wrist” and “smelled of lavender mothballs.”
PS, Joe, according to the inter-webs, that 3-D movie played at the Eros, not at the Adonis.
Ah, another silver screen classic brought to memory by the plucky and knowledgeable gurus of CinemaTreasures…
Take a look at this long, detailed and generously illustrated article from CNN
Good grief, what does a shooting “a few miles from this location” have anything to do with the AMC Newport Centre 11, and why should any follow ups be posted here…??
I wonder if all theaters named “Cameo” eventually showed porn…
Three pics posted in thread now added to photo section
Good photo, but wrong Globe theater
Variety item added to photos.
Or how about the Liberty (Birth of a Nation)?
Link to Seattle page
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/united-states/washington/seattle