I have a few things to say. First to hardbop, the disco down 14th St. was the Palladium, not the Paramount. The other theater hulk one block east of Palladium was the Jefferson. Second, I really can’t stand the Union Square multiplex. It is the only one in Manhattan that I avoid at all costs. Those times that I do go it isn’t pleasant. The place is almost always filthy and not only the bathrooms. Though I’ve never seen mice there, I’m not surprised because there is trash everywhere. Second, on many occasions they have been “out” of certain concessions that I requested or they would say “We don’t have that here, you have to go to the other stand” This was infuriating since I had already waited a lengthy amount of time on line. I find customer service here is poor. Finally, I am past the age that I enjoy going to the theater with a bunch of college kids. My experience, and many of my friends agree, that Loew’s and AMC manage their theaters much better than this one. For now Regal has no incentive to change, many people decide to put up with it. I don’t. Ok, now I feel better! :–)
We’re not the ones putting our money where our mouth is. This theater has been vacant for years and no one has stepped forward with an idea for this space. If Catherine has a business plan for adaptive reuse of this space which preserves most(if not necessarily all) of its beauty, then we should support her. I think the job done with the Waverly’s transformation into the IFC is spectacular. Go on Catherine!!!!!
That’s the one! Sorry you didn’t have a chance to see it, but I think you got to see most of them. There are many that I never got to see which is why I so treasure the memories of the ones I did get to see.
Hi Ed, I don’t remember the name of the theater, but I know exactly where it was. I believe the club lasted until about 1996. It stood exactly where the W Times Square Hotel stands now. The entrance to the club was on the side street pretty much where the hotel entrance is now. There were two dance floors, the main one, was where the orchestra section was. The other was two levels higher though it was not part of a balcony. The upper dance floor was known as the Tierry Mugler room and was designed by its namesake. In additon, there was a wonderful roofdeck where you could see and hear the cacophany of Times Square. One of my favorite features of this club though was the winding slide that went from the balcony down to the orchestra level. For $1 you got a potato sack and slid down to the main action below. I miss those days! I guess I should find out the name of the theater so I can post this memory there.
I’m surprised the comments on this theater don’t talk more about its days as The Saint. It was the best disco in New York from 1981 until about 1991 or so. I’ve been to a lot of discos in New York and The Saint has to rank in the top ranks of anyone’s list. Not only was it fabulous to walk around the old theater between dances, but the owners of the club installed a planetarium dome where the orchestra section was. You entered this dome and the stars projected all around in addition to fabulous laser displays. What I also remember was the fact that no one was allowed on the dance floor while they had a drink in their hand. Since the dance floor was inside a dome there were only four entrances. Management had employees posted at each entrance. The result was an incredible dance space with no spilled drinks on the floor. And yes, there were times the club stayed open for more than 24 hours in a row. We loved it. There will never be another one like it! I feel very fortunate to have experienced it.
Oh the memories! I never attended the Palladium before it became a disco, but I spent many a night there when it did. It was a beautiful space and I don’t think there will ever be clubs again like the clubs of that era: The Saint (Fillmore East), Studio 54 and Club USA in Times Square. All old movie palaces that that were adapated to wonderful effect. The clubs of today can’t possibly compare. I will always treasure those memories. It’s odd. I treasure other theaters because I saw films there, but these I have a different affinity for because I danced there. I wish we still had all of them!
It’s great to hear that the ballroom has been restored, but does anyone have any pictures, before or after? I passed by the other day and from a distance the building had an abandoned look. Does any remnant of the lobby exist?
I have to stick up for Loew’s 34th St. This theater is Vastly superior in every way to Chelsea Cinemas, but one: Location!
My partner and I gladly walk the extra few blocks to this theater to enjoy the stadium seating, superior sound, sight lines and overall environment. Yes, the restroom situation is annoying, but I can live with it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this neighborhood and I think it makes excellent business sense for AMC to hold onto this complex. A 60 story luxural rental complex has broken ground around the corner and there is much more development on the way. Regarding RobertR’s comment that “Sadly someday these places will be remembered as treasures.”…. We don’t know what the future of theaters will be. Loew’s 34th may indeed be regarded as a True Cinema Treasure and I don’t think it’s sad. I truly enjoy watching movies here and ultimately that makes it a treasure, not along the lines of Radio City, Loew’s Wonder theaters and the Roxy, but a treaure nonetheless.
Does anyone know if there are any real plans for this theater? There is a lot of cultural development going on just a few blocks away centered on the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Majestic theater and Mark Morris Dance Theater studios. A new library is also scheduled for construction. Could this be included as part of that district?
Hi Jennifer, I grew up in Ozone Park and I went to many a movie at the Crossbay, the Lefferts and the Casino. The latter two next door in richmond Hill. These theaters were truly neighborhood theaters. I don’t have any recollection of these theaters having any truly remarkable or memorable architecture. They were just places to see movies. If you wanted “Atmoshphere” you went to the Valenica in Jamaica. Every time I went to a movie at the Valencia, the theater was as much a part of the experience as the film. I truly miss those days. While I miss the Valencia, I don’t miss the Crossbay, Casino & Lefferts. Not at all! The one truly memorable day at the Crossbay though was when I spent the whole day there with friends to see all five “Planet of the Apes” movies in a promotion called “Go Ape” in the mis 70’s! There was a lot of popcorn flying that day!
Hey Organized, please accept my heartfelt thanks for standing up way back when to save Radio City. I never got to see the Roxy or the old Penn Station and I always get a knot in my stomach that we lost 2 of the most incredible structures ever built before I had a chance to at least see them. I try to console myself with the knowledge that the loss of Penn Station in particular, enabled us to save Grand Central and Radio City, but it still hurts! Thanks again, Luis
I only had the oportunity to see 2 movies at Radio City in my youth. One was Disney’s “Follow me Boys” in the 70’s which was paired with what I believe was a 30 minute stage show with the Rockettes. The second was a special engagement of Fantasia in the late 70’s. I remember being so taken with this theater that when I heard they were considering tearing it down, I made a commitment to myself to lay before the bulldozers. Luckily, it never came to that, but I was unaware of how many other glorious theaters were lost because no one stood up. The sad reality is that there were so many wondrous theaters in the past that there is no economical way they could have been preserved into today’s world. The truly sad thing is that so few are still left. This web site has made that painfully clear. Thanks Cinema Treasures for doing such a great public service.
I think the trade for the Nederlander or Belasco would be ideal! These houses don’t compare to the Hollywood is grandeur, but would still work well as a house of worship. I like the Ziegfeld, but even if I didn’t, a trade for the Hollywood probably wouldn’t work. Mainly, I can’t imagine that Clearview Cinemas (corporate parent for the Ziegfeld) would be able to come up with much cash to entice the church to trade and I woldn’t trust Clearview to run the Hollywood as a first class operation. While it would be wonderful to see films here once again, the reality is that it would function and be properly maintained best as a venue for live theater.
Hey Ed, thanks so much for the pictures. They absolutely wonderful!
I have a new idea for returning this theater to legitimate use. This theater is one of the most beautiful remaining on the Great White Way. What if the Times Square Church “exchanged” this theater for another (with some cash thrown in). Surely the Schuberts, Nederlanders and Jujamcyn have theaters they would gladly trade to get a hold of this one. That way we get a beautiful performance space returned to the public and the church still has a meeting place and additional cash for their programs of good works.
Just the same, I wish they would keep the Loew’s name. There is so much history associated with this name, not only in New York, but nationwide, it would be a shame to lose it to an acronym. :–)
Wow, I haven’t been to the Broadway theater in many years. The 2 shows I rmember seeing there were “The Wiz” with Stepahie Mills in the eighties and “Miss Saigon” in the mid nineties. I have to say I am surprised to see the relative lack of ornamentation on this theater. Especially after just having popped my head on Sunday into the incredible “Hollywood” theater just around the corner. Thanks Ed for the pictures!
The Showplace closed because they opened the Loew’s Kip’s Bay 3,000 seat megaplex around the corner on 2nd Avenue and 31st St. which is also a great theater comparable to Loew’s 34th. Down the road, the Loew’s 34th St. theater will become more succesful as more people move to north Chelsea. It was just announced that a 60 story rental building has just started construction on W. 31st St. A sign of things to come!
With the BIG exception of the placement of the bathrooms (I also don’t know what they were thinking) I really like Loew’s 34th St. The actual theaters are very comfortable, have big screens, great sound and stadium seating. I live in Chelsea on 22nd St. and even though Clearview’s Chelsea Cinemas is only a block away, my partner and I (and many friends) routinely go up to 34th St because it is a superior theater.
My only guess as to why Loew’s put this megaplex only 8 blocks from their 42nd St property is the fear that another chain (Regal for example) might have opened there and provided additional competition in the area. So they took the site themselves. It will be interesting to see what divestments are made as AMC merges with Loew’s.
p.s. Does anyone know if the Loew’s name is disappearing? I really hope not.
This is one of the most beautiful theaters in New York! I happened to be passing by and the doors were open for a church service and I stopped in. It was incredible to see a movie palace still is beautiful condition! The church has done a wonderful job in taking care of this wondrous facility.
For many years this was a theater for Broadway productionsand was named the Mark Hellinger. I remember seeing the musical “Timbuktu!” with Eartha Kitt in the early 80’s. What a shame that it didn’t remain a live theater venue. I pray for the day that the church sells the theater back so that it can return to live theater. I want to publically thank and “Praise” the Times Square Church for its stewardship. Now that Broadway can support a “New” venue for theater, it would be amaazing if they could return it to its rightful use and use the proceeds to build a new church or fund good works.
I thought I’d reply to the question about a theater on Rockaway and Lefferts. I moved to South Ozone Park in 1970, just a few blocks away from this corner and there was no theater. More noteworthy,there was no evidence of there having been a theater at this site. It would have been a terrible place for a theater since the main commercial street for this area, Liberty Avenue was at least 6 blocks away.
Thanks Warren! Now it makes sense. I’m couldn’t beleive that someone like Eberson would design a theater like the Cross Bay. It would’ve been a big blotch on his resume.
I respect “saps” opinion that he mourns every closed theater, but I personally think only theaters of significant architectural or historical background deserve to be saved. “Significant” means many things to many people, but I doubt anyone would include The Cross Bay, the Casino and Lefferts (both in nearby Richmond Hill) in this category. These fall into the category of Ho Hum theaters. I now live in Chelsea in Manhattan and about 15 years ago, Cineplex Odeon opened the Chelsea Cinemas multiplex which, at that time was the largest in Manhattan. Now part of the Clearview chain, it falls into the Ho Hum category as well and, in my opinion, should be torn down and replaced with a modern theater complex similar to Loew’s Lincoln Square, 42nd St and 34th St. showplaces. These theaters are comforatable, have stadium seating, great sound and in the case of Lincoln Square, a unique achitectural element that recalls many of Loew’s movie palaces of the past.
Most of my friends only go to Chelsea Cinemas when it is too cold, or rainy to go to the other, much better theaters. We’d much rather walk up to 34th from 23rd at all other times.
I have a few things to say. First to hardbop, the disco down 14th St. was the Palladium, not the Paramount. The other theater hulk one block east of Palladium was the Jefferson. Second, I really can’t stand the Union Square multiplex. It is the only one in Manhattan that I avoid at all costs. Those times that I do go it isn’t pleasant. The place is almost always filthy and not only the bathrooms. Though I’ve never seen mice there, I’m not surprised because there is trash everywhere. Second, on many occasions they have been “out” of certain concessions that I requested or they would say “We don’t have that here, you have to go to the other stand” This was infuriating since I had already waited a lengthy amount of time on line. I find customer service here is poor. Finally, I am past the age that I enjoy going to the theater with a bunch of college kids. My experience, and many of my friends agree, that Loew’s and AMC manage their theaters much better than this one. For now Regal has no incentive to change, many people decide to put up with it. I don’t. Ok, now I feel better! :–)
Nope, The W is on the southwest corner of 47th and 7th! You must be thinking about the Embassy Suites Hotel that wraps around the Palace Theater.
We’re not the ones putting our money where our mouth is. This theater has been vacant for years and no one has stepped forward with an idea for this space. If Catherine has a business plan for adaptive reuse of this space which preserves most(if not necessarily all) of its beauty, then we should support her. I think the job done with the Waverly’s transformation into the IFC is spectacular. Go on Catherine!!!!!
That’s the one! Sorry you didn’t have a chance to see it, but I think you got to see most of them. There are many that I never got to see which is why I so treasure the memories of the ones I did get to see.
Hi Ed, I don’t remember the name of the theater, but I know exactly where it was. I believe the club lasted until about 1996. It stood exactly where the W Times Square Hotel stands now. The entrance to the club was on the side street pretty much where the hotel entrance is now. There were two dance floors, the main one, was where the orchestra section was. The other was two levels higher though it was not part of a balcony. The upper dance floor was known as the Tierry Mugler room and was designed by its namesake. In additon, there was a wonderful roofdeck where you could see and hear the cacophany of Times Square. One of my favorite features of this club though was the winding slide that went from the balcony down to the orchestra level. For $1 you got a potato sack and slid down to the main action below. I miss those days! I guess I should find out the name of the theater so I can post this memory there.
Which theater is this. There is no listing on this website for the DeMille.
I’m surprised the comments on this theater don’t talk more about its days as The Saint. It was the best disco in New York from 1981 until about 1991 or so. I’ve been to a lot of discos in New York and The Saint has to rank in the top ranks of anyone’s list. Not only was it fabulous to walk around the old theater between dances, but the owners of the club installed a planetarium dome where the orchestra section was. You entered this dome and the stars projected all around in addition to fabulous laser displays. What I also remember was the fact that no one was allowed on the dance floor while they had a drink in their hand. Since the dance floor was inside a dome there were only four entrances. Management had employees posted at each entrance. The result was an incredible dance space with no spilled drinks on the floor. And yes, there were times the club stayed open for more than 24 hours in a row. We loved it. There will never be another one like it! I feel very fortunate to have experienced it.
Oh the memories! I never attended the Palladium before it became a disco, but I spent many a night there when it did. It was a beautiful space and I don’t think there will ever be clubs again like the clubs of that era: The Saint (Fillmore East), Studio 54 and Club USA in Times Square. All old movie palaces that that were adapated to wonderful effect. The clubs of today can’t possibly compare. I will always treasure those memories. It’s odd. I treasure other theaters because I saw films there, but these I have a different affinity for because I danced there. I wish we still had all of them!
It’s great to hear that the ballroom has been restored, but does anyone have any pictures, before or after? I passed by the other day and from a distance the building had an abandoned look. Does any remnant of the lobby exist?
I have to stick up for Loew’s 34th St. This theater is Vastly superior in every way to Chelsea Cinemas, but one: Location!
My partner and I gladly walk the extra few blocks to this theater to enjoy the stadium seating, superior sound, sight lines and overall environment. Yes, the restroom situation is annoying, but I can live with it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this neighborhood and I think it makes excellent business sense for AMC to hold onto this complex. A 60 story luxural rental complex has broken ground around the corner and there is much more development on the way. Regarding RobertR’s comment that “Sadly someday these places will be remembered as treasures.”…. We don’t know what the future of theaters will be. Loew’s 34th may indeed be regarded as a True Cinema Treasure and I don’t think it’s sad. I truly enjoy watching movies here and ultimately that makes it a treasure, not along the lines of Radio City, Loew’s Wonder theaters and the Roxy, but a treaure nonetheless.
Does anyone know if there are any real plans for this theater? There is a lot of cultural development going on just a few blocks away centered on the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Majestic theater and Mark Morris Dance Theater studios. A new library is also scheduled for construction. Could this be included as part of that district?
Thanks ERD, (and Warren!)
It is truly beautiful and exciting to think that is might all still be there. But for how long?
Hi Jennifer, I grew up in Ozone Park and I went to many a movie at the Crossbay, the Lefferts and the Casino. The latter two next door in richmond Hill. These theaters were truly neighborhood theaters. I don’t have any recollection of these theaters having any truly remarkable or memorable architecture. They were just places to see movies. If you wanted “Atmoshphere” you went to the Valenica in Jamaica. Every time I went to a movie at the Valencia, the theater was as much a part of the experience as the film. I truly miss those days. While I miss the Valencia, I don’t miss the Crossbay, Casino & Lefferts. Not at all! The one truly memorable day at the Crossbay though was when I spent the whole day there with friends to see all five “Planet of the Apes” movies in a promotion called “Go Ape” in the mis 70’s! There was a lot of popcorn flying that day!
I don’t suppose anyone has any pictures of this theater, inside or out? My curiosity has been piqued.
Hey Organized, please accept my heartfelt thanks for standing up way back when to save Radio City. I never got to see the Roxy or the old Penn Station and I always get a knot in my stomach that we lost 2 of the most incredible structures ever built before I had a chance to at least see them. I try to console myself with the knowledge that the loss of Penn Station in particular, enabled us to save Grand Central and Radio City, but it still hurts! Thanks again, Luis
I only had the oportunity to see 2 movies at Radio City in my youth. One was Disney’s “Follow me Boys” in the 70’s which was paired with what I believe was a 30 minute stage show with the Rockettes. The second was a special engagement of Fantasia in the late 70’s. I remember being so taken with this theater that when I heard they were considering tearing it down, I made a commitment to myself to lay before the bulldozers. Luckily, it never came to that, but I was unaware of how many other glorious theaters were lost because no one stood up. The sad reality is that there were so many wondrous theaters in the past that there is no economical way they could have been preserved into today’s world. The truly sad thing is that so few are still left. This web site has made that painfully clear. Thanks Cinema Treasures for doing such a great public service.
I think the trade for the Nederlander or Belasco would be ideal! These houses don’t compare to the Hollywood is grandeur, but would still work well as a house of worship. I like the Ziegfeld, but even if I didn’t, a trade for the Hollywood probably wouldn’t work. Mainly, I can’t imagine that Clearview Cinemas (corporate parent for the Ziegfeld) would be able to come up with much cash to entice the church to trade and I woldn’t trust Clearview to run the Hollywood as a first class operation. While it would be wonderful to see films here once again, the reality is that it would function and be properly maintained best as a venue for live theater.
Hey Ed, thanks so much for the pictures. They absolutely wonderful!
I have a new idea for returning this theater to legitimate use. This theater is one of the most beautiful remaining on the Great White Way. What if the Times Square Church “exchanged” this theater for another (with some cash thrown in). Surely the Schuberts, Nederlanders and Jujamcyn have theaters they would gladly trade to get a hold of this one. That way we get a beautiful performance space returned to the public and the church still has a meeting place and additional cash for their programs of good works.
It’s just a thought!!!!!
Just the same, I wish they would keep the Loew’s name. There is so much history associated with this name, not only in New York, but nationwide, it would be a shame to lose it to an acronym. :–)
Wow, I haven’t been to the Broadway theater in many years. The 2 shows I rmember seeing there were “The Wiz” with Stepahie Mills in the eighties and “Miss Saigon” in the mid nineties. I have to say I am surprised to see the relative lack of ornamentation on this theater. Especially after just having popped my head on Sunday into the incredible “Hollywood” theater just around the corner. Thanks Ed for the pictures!
Hey Mike,
The Showplace closed because they opened the Loew’s Kip’s Bay 3,000 seat megaplex around the corner on 2nd Avenue and 31st St. which is also a great theater comparable to Loew’s 34th. Down the road, the Loew’s 34th St. theater will become more succesful as more people move to north Chelsea. It was just announced that a 60 story rental building has just started construction on W. 31st St. A sign of things to come!
With the BIG exception of the placement of the bathrooms (I also don’t know what they were thinking) I really like Loew’s 34th St. The actual theaters are very comfortable, have big screens, great sound and stadium seating. I live in Chelsea on 22nd St. and even though Clearview’s Chelsea Cinemas is only a block away, my partner and I (and many friends) routinely go up to 34th St because it is a superior theater.
My only guess as to why Loew’s put this megaplex only 8 blocks from their 42nd St property is the fear that another chain (Regal for example) might have opened there and provided additional competition in the area. So they took the site themselves. It will be interesting to see what divestments are made as AMC merges with Loew’s.
p.s. Does anyone know if the Loew’s name is disappearing? I really hope not.
This is one of the most beautiful theaters in New York! I happened to be passing by and the doors were open for a church service and I stopped in. It was incredible to see a movie palace still is beautiful condition! The church has done a wonderful job in taking care of this wondrous facility.
For many years this was a theater for Broadway productionsand was named the Mark Hellinger. I remember seeing the musical “Timbuktu!” with Eartha Kitt in the early 80’s. What a shame that it didn’t remain a live theater venue. I pray for the day that the church sells the theater back so that it can return to live theater. I want to publically thank and “Praise” the Times Square Church for its stewardship. Now that Broadway can support a “New” venue for theater, it would be amaazing if they could return it to its rightful use and use the proceeds to build a new church or fund good works.
I thought I’d reply to the question about a theater on Rockaway and Lefferts. I moved to South Ozone Park in 1970, just a few blocks away from this corner and there was no theater. More noteworthy,there was no evidence of there having been a theater at this site. It would have been a terrible place for a theater since the main commercial street for this area, Liberty Avenue was at least 6 blocks away.
Thanks Warren! Now it makes sense. I’m couldn’t beleive that someone like Eberson would design a theater like the Cross Bay. It would’ve been a big blotch on his resume.
I respect “saps” opinion that he mourns every closed theater, but I personally think only theaters of significant architectural or historical background deserve to be saved. “Significant” means many things to many people, but I doubt anyone would include The Cross Bay, the Casino and Lefferts (both in nearby Richmond Hill) in this category. These fall into the category of Ho Hum theaters. I now live in Chelsea in Manhattan and about 15 years ago, Cineplex Odeon opened the Chelsea Cinemas multiplex which, at that time was the largest in Manhattan. Now part of the Clearview chain, it falls into the Ho Hum category as well and, in my opinion, should be torn down and replaced with a modern theater complex similar to Loew’s Lincoln Square, 42nd St and 34th St. showplaces. These theaters are comforatable, have stadium seating, great sound and in the case of Lincoln Square, a unique achitectural element that recalls many of Loew’s movie palaces of the past.
Most of my friends only go to Chelsea Cinemas when it is too cold, or rainy to go to the other, much better theaters. We’d much rather walk up to 34th from 23rd at all other times.