Manhattan Theatre
213 Manhattan Avenue,
New York,
NY
10025
213 Manhattan Avenue,
New York,
NY
10025
1 person
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If this was closest movie theatre to the El train station then it was already there by 1915.
This theatre was already listed in a Paramount Week ad in 1918.
Still listed in the 1953 Film Daily Yearbook as an Ansell theatre, a chain that runs Spanish language theatres.
This theatre is mentioned in Rogelio Agrasanchez, Jr.’s excellent book MEXICAN MOVIES I N THE UNITED STATES.
It was turned into a Spanish language house by exhibitor Jeane Ansell in 1944.
A Manhattan Theatre on west 109th Street and Manhattan Avenue (213 Manhattan Avenue) was already running movies by 1918. Were there two different buildings on this location?
ifemorena how do I e-mail you directly? Can not find a e-mail address for you on this site. Please get back to me by E-mail to with phone number. I have been servicing theater for many years and may have info you need. John
yes, i am very interested in the theaters in new york city. I am a native new yorker and looking to open a theater in new york state next year. Do you know if there are any books with pictures of these old new york theaters? Please feel free to email me directly.
Yes the theater is only being used as a church. There are parts of the building where I have not been taken to. I hope to see the rest of the machinery areas shortly. I will post when I do. Is there anything you want more information? I will be visiting other old theaters in the city as time permits.
thanks, does that mean the theater is still being used as a church?
Yes there was a roof open air theater from day one when it opened. This year I was in the roof theaters projection room. There was nothing in it. There is a elevator that serviced the roof theater which has been closed for years. Many pigons in roof rooms. A health hazard. Hope to visit again. I will post it.
thanks. it seems like a lot of movie theaters have become churches and synogogues. i hope to see some convert back to movie theaters.
thanks. it seems like a lot of movie theaters have become churches and synogogues. i hope to see some convert back to churchs.
The theatre was once operated by Fox Metropolitan Playhouses. It was in operation by by at least 1928. I’ve seen some reports stating that it was a two-story brick structure, some that it was three-stories.
On this date in 1939, about 200 patrons were evacuated for 40 minutes while a fire that started on the roof was extinguished. (Apparently, a lit cigarette had been tossed under a wooden structure which had been built on the roof for open-air performances earlier in that decade.)
Current Department of Finance records, which should be taken with a grain of salt (they can be woefully out-of-date), show that the address' current “occupancy code” is that of a church/synagogue. In support of this designation, other web searches show the address as a Spanish church (Arca De Refugio).
what is there now?
i’d love to know as i am oftenin the area.
ifemorena