Comments from Al Alvarez

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Proctor's 58th Street Theatre on Sep 18, 2006 at 9:02 am

I can confirm Warren’s date. The old one closed in March 1928 and the new one opened for Christmas with TAXI 13.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paramount Theatre on Sep 16, 2006 at 11:14 am

Also known as the Pussycat, the Paramount in its later years as a porn palace, had some live shows.

LINDA LOVELACE was advertised as appearing at the Paramount in the mid seventies. In one of her many contradicting biographies (ORDEAL) she claims the event was cancelled in advance as it was never financed once she ran away from Chuck Traynor and she was sued for over $30,000 for cancelling. If this should happen to be true, the Miami Herald ad implies that she:

a)cancelled at the last minute.
b)the ad was placed to set her up for the suit for not showing up.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Sep 16, 2006 at 9:21 am

Thanks LM. I want a vitual tour of the Roxy!

Slight correction the above. The item ran on Februry 19, 1916 not 9. My typing skills suck.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Sep 16, 2006 at 7:13 am

This from the New York Times February 9, 1916.

“A plot 100 by 158 on Myrtle Avenue bewteen Madison and Cypress Avenue, Brooklyn has been purchased by Levy Brothers as a site for a vaudeville theatre planned to seat 2,500 persons.
Thomas Lamb is the architect.”

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Eros Theatre on Sep 14, 2006 at 9:15 pm

Ed, I think the Mini was a converted storefront.

It operated in 1973-74 at 732 Seventh Avenue.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Keith's Theatre on Sep 14, 2006 at 11:28 am

Map it!

135-45 Northern Boulevard maps well as the RKO Plaza LLC.

I think the other 99% of non-New Yorkers who may visit this site eventually deserve the most accurate information we can find EVEN MORE when this buiding perishes. Satellite maps online do not do cross streets.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Doll Theater on Sep 13, 2006 at 11:08 am

Yes, the Royale ran GIGI before it moved over to the Sutton.

I have a list of a number of obscure Manhattan sites that played movies at some point. There was even a novelty restaurant where you sat in a car and watched the movie as if in an indoor drive-in (Can’t remember the name but it was located near Tribeca).

I will post the list of unlisted theatres when I get a chance. Maybe it will jog some memories.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Doll Theater on Sep 13, 2006 at 8:46 am

If there are guidelines, I haven’t found them. Some submissions just don’t make it.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Doll Theater on Sep 13, 2006 at 8:02 am

The Earl Carroll showed movies intermittently from 1928 to 1930 and then again in 1934 as the Casino.

I have not tried listing it since the Ambassador, with a longer history of motion picture exhibition, was not accepted.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Doll Theater on Sep 13, 2006 at 6:25 am

Your bells are right. That is the Earl Carroll address!

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Doll Theater on Sep 13, 2006 at 5:47 am

Not only is Lost Memory good in his speculation, I found proof that he is correct in a January 10, 1973 article about the pipe bombing of the Paree Theatre at 753-9 Seventh Avenue.

“The same owner also owns the Doll Theatre at 719 Seventh Avenue.”
It appears it was already there as early as November of 1972

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Doll Theater on Sep 12, 2006 at 12:16 pm

My cinema treasures interlude of lust occured between 2:13am and 2:16 am sometime on August 14 1982. I think there was plaster.

Can any one please tell me something more about plaster.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Astor Theatre on Sep 12, 2006 at 12:09 pm

My compliments to the NYT and whomever asked for correcting history!
This is good news.

Now about the war on terrorism…

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Doll Theater on Sep 12, 2006 at 7:58 am

Correction: RATAS DEL ASFALTO at the Cine and SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER at the Embassy make it most likely 1978.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Doll Theater on Sep 12, 2006 at 7:55 am

I had my doubts whether the Doll showed movies but that photo in RobertR’s first post proves it. SUMMER OF SUZANNE dates it to 1976 if it was a recent release.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Sutton Theater on Sep 11, 2006 at 10:47 pm

The Orleans is mentioned on the Strand link as it was part of that theatre originally.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Movieland on Sep 11, 2006 at 5:24 am

Here a description of the title logo sign materials from the Gramercy link.

“Sometimes the company would buy professionally made cut outs that were in the same typeface as the movie poster. These were foam-core letters, painted, and then nailed or stapled onto wooden frames, that were then wired through holes in the little tracks on the marquee. These could be as wide as the marquee and, while not particularly heavy, could be unwieldy, especially in the wind. They looked very spiffy and were used in the last years of the 1970s and early ‘80s, when the Gramercy went first run.” (Peter Damian)

I can’t do better than that. The distributors were rebilled for this and at some sites for plastic backlit logos such as the one teh Ziegefld still uses. They also took care of many poster window and internal displays.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Keith's Theatre on Sep 9, 2006 at 11:13 pm

I guess since Alger Hiss lived in the Village as well they could have just used the Sheridan.

Check out the cool Rudolph Abel cloak and dagger stuff at this site. The European may be among those listed.

View link

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Manhattan 1 and 2 on Sep 9, 2006 at 8:31 am

I now understand that a concession stand divided the two lobbies and that Cineplex Odeon moved it to combine the two sides during their infamous faux-marble refit.

As a Bollywood site it was the New York outlet for Eros films, one of the two main distributors of Indian films. It appears these theatres have a history of distribution owners.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about RKO Keith's Theatre on Sep 9, 2006 at 7:42 am

Francesca, if you mean Alger Hiss, his son’s book of memoirs is called A VIEW FROM ALGER’S WINDOW.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Carnegie Hall Cinema on Sep 9, 2006 at 12:56 am

John, WHO’S THAT KNOCKING AT MY DOOR? premiered at the Carnegie Hall in September of 1969. You most likely saw LONESOME COWBOYS at the nearby 55th St. Playhouse earlier that year.

THE HARRAD EXPERIMENT, best known for a nude Don Johnson, showed in early August of 1973 on subrun.

Jacquie and Sid can both be found on www.imdb.com

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about 777 Theatre on Sep 8, 2006 at 6:11 am

I remember when Cineplex Odeon ran the Carnegie Hall and Jackie Reynal booked and ran the Carnegie Screening Room. They shared the same box office but charged different prices. Cineplex eventually bought out her lease and renamed the second screen Carnegie Hall 2.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Manhattan 1 and 2 on Sep 8, 2006 at 5:58 am

Ed, I think the second Eastworld on 61st street was the BYRON – FIRST AVENUE SCREENING ROOM – ART EAST location at 110 East 1st Avenue.

In the 90’s there was also a Westworld gay porn venue on West Side Highway near Christopher Street.

It is possible that Cineplex Odeon combined the two lobbies.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Big Cinemas Manhattan on Sep 8, 2006 at 3:42 am

From the opening ads it looks like RKO took the two existing theatres and remodeled the lobby to a common box office when they launched the twins. The previous theatres were primarily used by Avco Embassy and National General film distributors, respectively so they could guarantee themselves a lucrative east side run when the Baronet/Coronet and Cinema 1 & 2 were tied up with long runs.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Big Cinemas Manhattan on Sep 7, 2006 at 10:51 pm

Ed, John, that WAS the opening day name for the Manhattan Twin. It became the RKO 59th Street Twin later.