Bay Cinema
570 2nd Avenue,
New York,
NY
10016
570 2nd Avenue,
New York,
NY
10016
7 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Associated Independent Theatres Inc., Cineplex Odeon, Walter Reade Theatres
Architects: E.M. Pie
Previous Names: Kips Bay Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Kips Bay Theatre was opened on October 16, 1962 with Anthony Quinn in “Requiem for a Heavyweight”. This was a modern theatre which was surprisingly large on the inside but small on the outside. It was nestled in a small strip mall in the Kips Bay section of Manhattan. It had a decent size screen which often exhibited 70mm presentations.
This theatre was like a miniature version of the Beekman Theatre, which was about 30 blocks north. The curtains opened and closed before each presentation and was operated first by the Associated Independent Theatres Inc. chain, then Walter Reade Theatres and then by Cineplex Odeon, its final owner.
The first and only time I visited this theatre I saw the movie “Adventures in Babysitting” which was featured in the 70mm print. It was closed on January 6, 1994 and was dormant for a little while, then they demolished the whole strip mall to make way for the current AMC Loews Kips Bay 15.
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 42 comments)
I saw Monterey Pop here in 4-track mag. It was great. When I saw it later in Boston with the director present, it was in optical mono. A drag.
Please update, theatre opened on October 16, 1962 with Requiem for a Heavyweight
steve Lewis, since you worked there in the seventies, you must have known the Managers, John Crisman and Theresa Rosenberg.
I remember Theresa. I worked at the Festival. The Kips Bay and the Forum in Times Square were the only two theaters that played ET. It was shown in 70MM aspect ratio 1.85, but Spielberg required the masking not be closed. I saw the original letter from Universal Studios and Spielberg. I also saw Urban Cowboy here and a movie with Jill Clayborough. It’s My Turn. They did have great red curtains.
Mikeoaklandpark, I worked at the Festival too, mid seventies. Theresa was my mother, she passed away in 2015. I spent the late seventies to mid eighties working at the Little Carnegie Theater. I saw so many great movies, Taxi Driver, I met Jodie Foster. Later on, when I managed a theater in upstate New York, I learned projection on the three and five platter machines.
I must have known you Marcy. I was at the Festival from 80-late 83. My ex worked there. Joe Torres was a good friend of ours. Do you remember Maria Irene Cara’s mom who was a cashier at the Festival?
Mikeoaklandpark, I must have known you too! I started working at the Festival in 1980, after the Little Carnegie closed. I was there till about 1983, also. I had long blonde-ish hair. Sure, I remember Joe Torres, he was a nice guy. Are you still friends? I don’t remember a Maria, though.
Yep I remember you now we did know each other. My ex Benny Rivera worked there for years. Joe died about 20 plus years ago from lung cancer. There was also a Spanish girl that worked the box office Martha. I worked the whole engagement of Airplane. Every night I would pick up something new.
Mikeoaklandpark, I thought if I described myself, it would work. I am sorry, to hear that about Joe, smoking is so bad. My best friend took me to see Airplane, in an effort to cheer me up, after my boyfriend died. It was a really funny movie. I don’t remember Martha, either. I seem to not remember the cashiers very much. I did work there before in the seventies and remember the staff, more clearly, maybe since I was full time then. I remember Larry Belmonte, he was a very nice guy. What did you do when the theater closed?
Mikeoaklandpark, I was saddened by Irene Cara’s death and I was thinking about her Mother working there in the eighties. I’m sorry that I never met her.