OMG, the Cosmo! One of my favs growing up in Spanish Harlem. I remember seeing Jaws, Grease and others. Until recently you would’ve been able to see the name still written in the street outside the theater. Now it’s a clothing shop. Boo hoo hoo! Hey does anyone remember the Edison on 103rd & 3rd Ave? I remember they had a live show there with Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Iris Chacon.
Something in my soul reached out to find out what happened to the Olympia. After reading all the comments I can truly say that I am saddened that such a wonderful place was demolished. I understand the reasoning behind the action but it still hurts that a one of a kind (at least for me) theater was destroyed. I went there as a kid (my dad’s second job) and I even started working there when I was 15. I went from concessionist, cashier, matron to finally Asst. Manager. Now granted the pay was horrible but I still believe that working at the Olympia was truly an honor. I can still remember it when it was just one theatre and my favorite seat (first row of the balcony – center). I also remember the various other changes Olympia endured (2 theaters and then 4). With all the changes, the only thing that remained the same was the wallpaper. A black and white wallpaper depicting the stars of time far far away (chaplin, laurel & hardy, bogie, etc). I had wonderful times there and also remember the actors that honored me with autographs/pix when they came to see a movie (richard pryor, dudley moore, m. hemingway). Luckily, I have found another theatre that just like the Olympia holds some old world charm and character and just like Olympia, the price is right. $6 before 6pm. So, if you’re ever feeling a bit nostalgic, just take the 6 train to Parkchester and walk a few blocks past Ellie’s Diner to American Theatre. They too have wonderful wallpaper with the marx bros, ginger & fred. Besides that you can still see and sense the old world charm that so many new multiplexs lack. Anyway, that’s my two cents worth. To all of my Olympia customers I say, Thanks for making my years there happy ones. I don’t remember the name of my number one fan but I still remember your order “medium popcorn and large diet coke”. : )
OMG, the Cosmo! One of my favs growing up in Spanish Harlem. I remember seeing Jaws, Grease and others. Until recently you would’ve been able to see the name still written in the street outside the theater. Now it’s a clothing shop. Boo hoo hoo! Hey does anyone remember the Edison on 103rd & 3rd Ave? I remember they had a live show there with Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and Iris Chacon.
Something in my soul reached out to find out what happened to the Olympia. After reading all the comments I can truly say that I am saddened that such a wonderful place was demolished. I understand the reasoning behind the action but it still hurts that a one of a kind (at least for me) theater was destroyed. I went there as a kid (my dad’s second job) and I even started working there when I was 15. I went from concessionist, cashier, matron to finally Asst. Manager. Now granted the pay was horrible but I still believe that working at the Olympia was truly an honor. I can still remember it when it was just one theatre and my favorite seat (first row of the balcony – center). I also remember the various other changes Olympia endured (2 theaters and then 4). With all the changes, the only thing that remained the same was the wallpaper. A black and white wallpaper depicting the stars of time far far away (chaplin, laurel & hardy, bogie, etc). I had wonderful times there and also remember the actors that honored me with autographs/pix when they came to see a movie (richard pryor, dudley moore, m. hemingway). Luckily, I have found another theatre that just like the Olympia holds some old world charm and character and just like Olympia, the price is right. $6 before 6pm. So, if you’re ever feeling a bit nostalgic, just take the 6 train to Parkchester and walk a few blocks past Ellie’s Diner to American Theatre. They too have wonderful wallpaper with the marx bros, ginger & fred. Besides that you can still see and sense the old world charm that so many new multiplexs lack. Anyway, that’s my two cents worth. To all of my Olympia customers I say, Thanks for making my years there happy ones. I don’t remember the name of my number one fan but I still remember your order “medium popcorn and large diet coke”. : )