Paramount Columbus Circle
15 Columbus Circle,
New York,
NY
10019
15 Columbus Circle,
New York,
NY
10019
12 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cinema 5, Loews Cineplex, Loew's Inc., Paramount Pictures Inc., Sony Theatres
Firms: Carson, Lundin & Shaw
Previous Names: Paramount Theatre, Loew's Paramount Theatre, Loew's Columbus Circle, Sony Columbus Circle
Nearby Theaters
Nestled under the base of the former Gulf & Western Building which was the home of Paramount Pictures at the corner of Manhattan’s Columbus Circle, it featured mostly high profile films and Academy Award nominated features. The Paramount Theatre was opened on June 24, 1970 with “Catch 22”. It was taken over by Cinema 5 which were followed by Loew’s in 1981.
Before it closed on March 30, 1995, it screened the Tom Hanks film “Forrest Gump” which had stayed there for months.
The building above was sold to real estate mogul Donald Trump who converted it to a hotel and tower today. The theatre was the first to go – it was completely removed and is now an underground parking garage in the basement of the hotel. Today, there’s no sign that the theatre ever existed.
Contributed by
Jamal P. Savage
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 65 comments)
A class act of a theatre…Saw Little Big Man Murder on the Orient Express (Albert Finney) Eight Men Out The Manchurian Candidate (original re-issue) here
I always thought it was such an unique theatre being underground the way it was. But then that is what New York City is all about so it fit in quite well!!
Was this cinema equipped for 70mm? What was the screen size? Which Dolby processor?
Lionel, it was equipped for 70mm with six-track Dolby SR. I don’t know the screen size.
Thanks Al. If it was one of the few having Dolby SR for six-track magnetic sound on 70mm then it was truly a well equipped theater and I would assume the screen wasn’t that small vs auditorium size.
“Gettysburg” (1993) appears to have been the only 70mm presentation held here during the period it went under the Columbus Circle name. As the Paramount, they ran the following in 70mm: “Patton” (1972 return run), “The Blue Lagoon” (1980), “Divine Madness” (1980), “Quest for Fire” (1982), “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1983 return run), “The Star Chamber” (1983), “Gandhi” (1983 return run), “Amadeus” (1984), “A Chorus Line” (1985), “Spaceballs” (1987), “Willow” (1988), and “Dead Poets Society” (1989 moveover). A history/chronology of 70mm presentations and theaters in New York City can be found here.
Thank you M for your input about 70mm. Your articles and compilations have always been very enriching. I’m surprised to learn that The Star Chamber and Dead Poets Society benefitted from a 70mm release, quite unexpected in my opinion for films like these.
The name should be the Paramount. It was only Sony for a short time. I saw The Blue Lagoon here in 70MM
Please add to previous chains, it opened under Cinema 5 before Loews took the theatre over in the early 1980’s
Rugoff premiered some of his Cinema 5 releases. I recall seeing the Hellstrom Chronicles at this venue.