Thanks 50s SNIPES…..Visited there several times from late 60s to mid 70’s when family owned a summer house near Lake Oscawana.
Great D-I double feature to end the era. Only thing better is to do what a NJ D-I did on their final night in the late 80s…..50’s sci-fi movies.
Can’t speak for the 70’s but the programming of the Times Square theatre in the 60’s was revivals of action movies that were more than 3-4 years old. Not 1st run.
Found weekly listings in New York and Cue magazines. Theater closed 4/28/1960 before the neighborhood was torn down for the ILGWU Co-ops.
Programming format in the 1950’s…..Thurs-Sat recent films 2 weeks after Loew’s Sheridan in nearby Greenwich Village, revivals Sun-Mon, Tues-Wed. Many WB re-issues, more foreign films than I expected.
From WWLTV, New Orleans:
A city commission that oversees historic preservation got out of the way Wednesday, declining to review a proposal to demolish two historic properties next to the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel a day after the city’s fire chief issued emergency demolition orders.
The Central Business District Historic District Landmarks Commission had three requests on its agenda for Wednesday to demolish properties adjoining the Hard Rock Hotel high-rise, which collapsed Oct. 12, killing three workers.
Two of those buildings are historic old theaters, including the Alamo Theatre, which was designed by noted architect Emile Weil, best known locally for designing the Byzantine-style, domed Touro Synagogue building Uptown in 1908.
I wish they had created a new record to this theater since it’s not the original Empire except for the facade. I have fond memories of the Empire and miss the postings for it pre-AMC.
I just uploaded a 1938 group photo from inside the RKO 23rd St. Does anyone recognize these folks. Gent on the right side looks like Douglas Fairbanks.
I just uploaded a photo from a 1959 NYT Sidney Poitier photo shoot across from the Victory. Good example of the types of double features on 42nd Street back in the day.
Thanks, HomecrestGuy. This was one of my local theaters and since the advent of the internet I have only found 32 bookings and 4-5 photos from 1940-1959.
NYer I searched for the same info and came up with Mark Stevens in “Time Table” which seems to fit the poster, along with the 8 Vaudeville acts. Program began March 16 1956 and ended a week later.
Just watched a HGTV program on the renovation of the theatre and the apartment above it which was complete by show’s end. What happened to the renovation, which they showed in process, and the opening of the theater?
My continuing search for anything on this theater has led me to a February 11-12, 1959 booking (the latest date that I can verify of the theater’s existence) of the re-release of KING SOLOMON’s MINES which had been making the rounds with SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS although the listing only mentioned one film.
wolftoy…..if you go to google images and type in “victory theater frankenstein and dracula” you will see a beautiful image of the marquee from around 1952.
Thanks 50s SNIPES…..Visited there several times from late 60s to mid 70’s when family owned a summer house near Lake Oscawana. Great D-I double feature to end the era. Only thing better is to do what a NJ D-I did on their final night in the late 80s…..50’s sci-fi movies.
Pike opened it after his opera house in Cincinnati burned down.
Can’t speak for the 70’s but the programming of the Times Square theatre in the 60’s was revivals of action movies that were more than 3-4 years old. Not 1st run.
Where was this ad run?
Audie Murphy, a 42nd Street favorite, appears on the Times Square theatre marquee with “7 Ways from Sundown”
Theatre can be seen down the block on the right hand side in this 1940 Shorpy picture https://www.shorpy.com/node/26140?size=_original#caption
I uploaded a picture taken this week at the former theatre. A bit of the history and original seats are on display.
Found weekly listings in New York and Cue magazines. Theater closed 4/28/1960 before the neighborhood was torn down for the ILGWU Co-ops. Programming format in the 1950’s…..Thurs-Sat recent films 2 weeks after Loew’s Sheridan in nearby Greenwich Village, revivals Sun-Mon, Tues-Wed. Many WB re-issues, more foreign films than I expected.
From WWLTV, New Orleans: A city commission that oversees historic preservation got out of the way Wednesday, declining to review a proposal to demolish two historic properties next to the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel a day after the city’s fire chief issued emergency demolition orders.
The Central Business District Historic District Landmarks Commission had three requests on its agenda for Wednesday to demolish properties adjoining the Hard Rock Hotel high-rise, which collapsed Oct. 12, killing three workers.
Two of those buildings are historic old theaters, including the Alamo Theatre, which was designed by noted architect Emile Weil, best known locally for designing the Byzantine-style, domed Touro Synagogue building Uptown in 1908.
In what year did they stop updating the billboards, with posters from coming attractions, above the Lyric?
I wish they had created a new record to this theater since it’s not the original Empire except for the facade. I have fond memories of the Empire and miss the postings for it pre-AMC.
I just uploaded a 1938 group photo from inside the RKO 23rd St. Does anyone recognize these folks. Gent on the right side looks like Douglas Fairbanks.
I just uploaded a photo from a 1959 NYT Sidney Poitier photo shoot across from the Victory. Good example of the types of double features on 42nd Street back in the day.
DavidZornig: I had saved one of the pix with the Times Square in the background and I just uploaded it. Thanks again.
Thanks for sharing, David. Love seeing photos of 42nd from my time there. And love playing the Name That Movie game with the marquees.
Thanks, HomecrestGuy. This was one of my local theaters and since the advent of the internet I have only found 32 bookings and 4-5 photos from 1940-1959.
NYer I searched for the same info and came up with Mark Stevens in “Time Table” which seems to fit the poster, along with the 8 Vaudeville acts. Program began March 16 1956 and ended a week later.
Just watched a HGTV program on the renovation of the theatre and the apartment above it which was complete by show’s end. What happened to the renovation, which they showed in process, and the opening of the theater?
Willburg145….. have you gone through the Photos section for the Empire. I know the iconic Diane Arbus balcony shot is there and possibly others.
historictheatres.org has the demolition date as September 1959. Has a ‘Closed" date of 1945 which is incorrect.
My continuing search for anything on this theater has led me to a February 11-12, 1959 booking (the latest date that I can verify of the theater’s existence) of the re-release of KING SOLOMON’s MINES which had been making the rounds with SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS although the listing only mentioned one film.
What year did LaffMovie become the Empire?
I don’t know. Kind of liked it better when I saw Navy vs. The Night Monsters or Astro Zombies there.
wolftoy…..if you go to google images and type in “victory theater frankenstein and dracula” you will see a beautiful image of the marquee from around 1952.
Does the B.B King club occupy any of the Times Square footprint?