Bay Cinema
570 2nd Avenue,
New York,
NY
10016
570 2nd Avenue,
New York,
NY
10016
7 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 42 comments
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.
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?
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 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.
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 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 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.
steve Lewis, since you worked there in the seventies, you must have known the Managers, John Crisman and Theresa Rosenberg.
Please update, theatre opened on October 16, 1962 with Requiem for a Heavyweight
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.
Opening ad;
View link
Closed on January 6, 1994.
Renewing link.
Man, I loved this theater, but it was so out of the way, I only went twice- They Live in ‘88 and Postcards From the Edge in '90. I do remember driving home from the airport a lot and passing it and craning my neck to catch what they were showing.
How interesting that the staff could not pop popcorn during the movies. That’s one of the things I miss from the old days: the sound and aroma of popcorn popping. I was a goner when my senses picked them up. Had to slip back to the lobby to make a purchase.
There was also a porno movie that had the porno star buck naked in the booth of the Bay Cinema. I actually showed that movie but alas was not there when they filmed it. I believe that it was Neeto theater productions that filmed that movie there.
The Bay Cinema will live in movie history after all with a cameo in LOVE STORY, of all films.
In the scene where Jenny and Oliver drive into New York you can see them drive by the Bay Cinema with the free standing marquee advertising FUTZ.
The exclusive reserved performance engagement of a film about a man in love with a pig. Ah, the sixties!
View link
Yes it was porno in the 70’s I was there working as a projectionist. It was run by neeteo (or neato) theaters and were a great company to work for. When Walter Reade took it over I was there showing the opening day through ET (that ran 6 months) until the early 80s.
I actually wrired the 8 track mag sound in that theater when they put dolby in. I kept that theater running great and we had great sound and presentation. I really miss the place but life goes on.
Saw the Joe Cocker film “Mad Dogs and Englishmen” in the early 70’s when the theater was called “Kips Bay”. That’s how it was advertised. I think it should be listed that way on this site, as I thought it was missing. Glad it’s here, anyway.
The Kip’s Bay Cinema (I always remember the word “KIP” in front of it, was a gigantic screened theater right near the East River. It did play The Endless Summer for quite a spell and was one of the few, selected, theaters to show ET when it first opened.
Warren, it was indeed always the KIPS BAY until the January 1978 Walter Reade take-over. The porn years started in 1971.
Jkane, prophetically advertised as THE FIRST ROGER CORMAN FILM FESTIVAL it was a precursor to the Kips Bay’s exclusive first run of “GAS”, starring Country Joe and the Fish.
AlAlvarez, thanks for the verification; didn’t realize it was that early. Wonder who programmed it. It was great fun seeing those ‘50s & '60s films on the big screen in a festival-like environment, even if the turnout was pretty weak. I believe the Museum of Modern Art had an AIP tribute a little later in the 70s, with Panic in Year Zero! & X—The Man With the X-Ray Eyes among the attractions.
JKane, according to the NYT, the Roger Corman festival ran in early 1971 at the Kips Bay.