Loew's 83rd Street Quad
2300 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10024
2300 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10024
5 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Loew's Inc.
Architects: Thomas White Lamb
Styles: Adam
Previous Names: Loew's 83rd Street Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The 2,633-seat Loew’s 83rd Street Theatre was opened September 26, 1921 with Wallace Reid in “The Affairs of Anatol”. It was equipped with a Moller 3 manual 17-ranks organ. In 1926 the original organ was replaced by a Moller 3 manual 32 ranks organ.
It was converted into a triple screen theatre on June 25, 1975, then became a quad on August 4, 1978 with seating proved for 2,100: Screens 1 & 2 each had 500-seats and Screens 3 & 4 had 550-seats each.
On March 15, 1984 a new Loew’s 84th Street sixplex opened nearby and the Loew’s 83rd Street Quad was closed closed on April 11, 1984. It was demolished in June 1984. A high rise apartment building now stands on the site.
Contributed by
William Gabel
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 23 comments)
This theatre closed in May 1985 and not 1984 as stated in previous posts.
Beat the movie tax.
View link
Great picture AlAlvarez,F—– the taxes!!!Great history.
In the photo posted by Al, you can see that the lot next to the Quad has been cleared for construction of the 84th sixplex.
Thanks dave-bronx!
I was the last assistant manager at this theatre, splitting my time between the 83rd and the newly built 84th next door. The theatre seemed to know it was in it’s last days, as it seemingly just started to deteriorate on it’s own. A big patch of the ceiling plaster fell during a matinee in house 3 (lower level left), pipes started leaking, a strange smell developed, etc.
The employees had two locker room areas. The men were upstairs off the men’s room and the women were behind the screen in house 4 (lower right lobby). I had never gone back there. One day, during the final week of operation, I decided to explore and, armed with nothing more than my standard-issue Loew’s employee flashlight, I ventured behind the screen, curious as to what was actually back there.
Needless to say, I was floored. Bear in mind that I had started as an usher at this theatre in ‘84, fresh off the bus from KY, and had no idea what it’s past had been. I can indeed vouch that the boxes were gone but their structural imprints were still still visible. The stage, proscenium, and fly system were also intact. Don’t remember the piano, though. I went on to explore the dressing room floors. There was little to no light in this area, I was so scared! LOL They were pretty much empty, barely even being used for storage. (I found an old office desk in one of the rooms on the second floor, which eventually make its way back to my apartment on 85th St.)
The theatre remained open for the first couple of weeks after the 84th opened. We were supposed to close on a Thursday, but for some reason a decision was made to stay open through the weekend. I was told in an off-hand manner, but nobody bothered to tell the operator! I had no idea that he was a no-show until one of the six people who had showed up for a matinee of GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN came out to inquire…20 minutes after the movie should have started.
Anyway, I was there for the last day and I don’t remember a thing about it. The doors were locked and I continued on at the 84th, which had a very bumpy first several weeks due to to all sorts of electrical glitches.
Saw many films at this theatre before it closed as, it stayed open a few months after 84th Street 6 opened and closed before June 1985. The last film I saw at this theatre was Girls Just Want to Have Fun!
When did dolby get installed?
Please update, became a triplex on June 25, 1975 and a quad on August 4, 1978. Theatre closed on April 11, 1985, one month after the New Loews 84th Street 6 open. Seating was 500 seats screen 1 and 2 and screen 3 and 4 550 seats
There was still some original 1920’s “Metro-Goldwyn” black carpet with Leo the Lion in full sideways profile in one of the balcony exits in early 1980’s. The actress Butterfly McQueen lived nearby about that time and attended regularly when she was in the City. I did not like the 1970’s orange and cream paint that was in the lobby. I need to find my pictures from that time.