Yeah I agree Vincent. I always thought it was a great palace inside and it wasn’t. I was very disappointed the only time I went when they had Hello Dolly in 1970. A shot of this theater all boarded up can be seen in the movie Atlantic City with Burt Lancaster.
Actually the Center theater on Atlantic Ave was beautiful and had a large curved screen and beautiful curtains. I also would love to know about My Fair Lady. 1971 was the last year the Shore was open.It too had no curtains or masking but did have a balcony.
Oliver opened May 29th at the Shore theater in 35mm and Funny Girl opened May 23 at the Center in 70mm. The Shore, Hollywood, Center and the Charles (For The Lion In Winter), the Apollo (Last Tango In Paris) were roadshow engagements.I saw Hello Dolly in 1970 and the theater was in decent shape. Geogre Hamid operated all these theaters along with the Roxy. The Virgina did not have curtains or masking which was very strange for a roadshow house.I would also be interested in where some of the other roadshow films played. I do know My Faur Lady played non roadshow at the Margate. I agree the Roxy would have made a much better theater for roadshow engagements.
I too spent my summers in Atlantic City from 67-78. The Embassy was a classy first run house when we first started going. The first year we were there, they had Rosemary’s Baby all summer until Labor Day weekend when they swaped with the Strand and started showing Where Were You When The Lights Went Out.I never could figure out why they did that.
Gigi opened at the Royale on May 16, 1958. OPening night was sold out. Interesting fact, Louis Botto’s Playbill book At This Theater does not mention this in the history of the Royale theater.
When I lived in NYC, they never had curtains. When did they install drapes. Was it during the addition of theater 3? For many years they didn’t have masking. In the late 70’s Cinema 1 had masking. When I went back several years and saw Prince Of The City, they had that dumb strip.
What would have been the big deal keeping the marquee. They are going to need one anyway. The Palace Theater on broadway had a great marquee until they remodeled in the 80’s. The one they have now is terrible.
This drive in sucks. The original owner Floyd Theaters built them so the screen is always full so when they have a movie that is in cinemascope, part of the film is hanging off the edge of the screen into the dark. They had many theaters in the Tampa area in the 70’s and they were all like that except one, the 20th Century which had the largest drive in screen in the USA. I live in Ft lauderdale now and we have a 13 screen drive in which is the same thing, no decent screens to show cinemascope projection.I wouldn’t waste my money.
I think it sucks that this theater is also going to close. There are no theaters left on the east side except the New York Twin which has never been a great theater. There are no multiplexes on the east side. Why would someone go all the way across town when they have tow beautiful theaters as the Beekman and Cinema 1,2,3. I know Cinema 1 & 2 were nice when I went there in the 70’s and 80’s b 4 the split of theater 2.The one thing didn’t like was that strip that they used in place of masking. Did City Cinemas ever put in reasl masking?
in an old book I have called The New York Times Goes To The Movies, it shows Gone With The Wind opened here and the Capital on Dec 19, 1939. The Astor had reserved seats and the Capitol didn’t. Other films were
The Apartment-June 15, 1960 (Also at the Plaza)
The Best Years of Our Lives – Nov 22, 1946
The Champ- Nov 10, 1931
Dr. No- May 29, 1963 (Also at the Murray Hill)
Dinner At 8- World Premiere Aug 23, 1933
Grand Hotel- April 13, 1932
The Great Dictator-Oct 16 1940 Also at the Capital. The Astor had reserved seats and the Capitol didn't
A Hard Days Night-August 12, 1964 (Also at the Trans Lux East)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame- Sept 3, 1923
On The Beach- Dec 18, 1959
On The Waterfront-July 28, 1954
The Phantom Of The Opera- Sept 7, 1925
Rebel Without A Cause- Oct 26, 1955
Sergeant York-Jul 2, 1941
The date may be slightly off. i took the date from the NY Times review.
If I remember correctly, it played for 65 weeks. On the inside cover of the DVD (which I don’t have available at this time)it tells you the date it opened at the Rivoli and how long it played.
I never saw any film in Cinerama. The first 70mm film I saw was Gone With The Wind in 1967 at the Randolph theater in Phila. It was a cinerama house so I was so awed by the curved screen.
The theater opened in 1950 and was run by Wometco. It is currently run by Sunrise cinemas. It is one of my favorite theaters. They have all pictures and posters in the lobby. They also had the world premiere of Where The Boys Are in 1960.
The Fountains is run by Sunrise cinemas chain. The ownwer is Mitchell Dryer who originally owned one theater in Ft Lauderdale, the Gateway. His second theater was the Galleria which he took over gfrom GCC in 1998. He than purchased the Fox theater in Sunrise from the Fox chain. He actually ruined this theater by takin 3 of the 4 large theaters and dividing them making very uncomfortable 150 seat theaters.
After GCC closed in Florida he ended up purchasing the Intercostal in MIami, this theater and the GCC in Deerfield Beach mall.
If memeory serves me right, they installed a new screen sometime between 1973 and 1976. I saw the roadshow engagement of Man of La Mancha there. When I returned the next time to see a re-release in 70mm of Gone With The Wind they has a new screen. Is at in the balcony for La mancha, but rememebr even though the film was flat,they had a large curved screen. When I went back the screen was a normal flat widesceen. It was a very large screen. They had masking that opened across and up and down. By the early 80’s the masking on the right side was torna nd never replaced.
Yeah I agree Vincent. I always thought it was a great palace inside and it wasn’t. I was very disappointed the only time I went when they had Hello Dolly in 1970. A shot of this theater all boarded up can be seen in the movie Atlantic City with Burt Lancaster.
Actually the Center theater on Atlantic Ave was beautiful and had a large curved screen and beautiful curtains. I also would love to know about My Fair Lady. 1971 was the last year the Shore was open.It too had no curtains or masking but did have a balcony.
Oliver opened May 29th at the Shore theater in 35mm and Funny Girl opened May 23 at the Center in 70mm. The Shore, Hollywood, Center and the Charles (For The Lion In Winter), the Apollo (Last Tango In Paris) were roadshow engagements.I saw Hello Dolly in 1970 and the theater was in decent shape. Geogre Hamid operated all these theaters along with the Roxy. The Virgina did not have curtains or masking which was very strange for a roadshow house.I would also be interested in where some of the other roadshow films played. I do know My Faur Lady played non roadshow at the Margate. I agree the Roxy would have made a much better theater for roadshow engagements.
I too spent my summers in Atlantic City from 67-78. The Embassy was a classy first run house when we first started going. The first year we were there, they had Rosemary’s Baby all summer until Labor Day weekend when they swaped with the Strand and started showing Where Were You When The Lights Went Out.I never could figure out why they did that.
The Parkwood had 70mm capability and would show 2nd run films even as a dollar house in 70mm
Gigi opened at the Royale on May 16, 1958. OPening night was sold out. Interesting fact, Louis Botto’s Playbill book At This Theater does not mention this in the history of the Royale theater.
When I lived in NYC, they never had curtains. When did they install drapes. Was it during the addition of theater 3? For many years they didn’t have masking. In the late 70’s Cinema 1 had masking. When I went back several years and saw Prince Of The City, they had that dumb strip.
What would have been the big deal keeping the marquee. They are going to need one anyway. The Palace Theater on broadway had a great marquee until they remodeled in the 80’s. The one they have now is terrible.
This drive in sucks. The original owner Floyd Theaters built them so the screen is always full so when they have a movie that is in cinemascope, part of the film is hanging off the edge of the screen into the dark. They had many theaters in the Tampa area in the 70’s and they were all like that except one, the 20th Century which had the largest drive in screen in the USA. I live in Ft lauderdale now and we have a 13 screen drive in which is the same thing, no decent screens to show cinemascope projection.I wouldn’t waste my money.
There was rumors that they wanted to reopen this theater. They reopened another one in Vineland NJ after 23 years.
I think it sucks that this theater is also going to close. There are no theaters left on the east side except the New York Twin which has never been a great theater. There are no multiplexes on the east side. Why would someone go all the way across town when they have tow beautiful theaters as the Beekman and Cinema 1,2,3. I know Cinema 1 & 2 were nice when I went there in the 70’s and 80’s b 4 the split of theater 2.The one thing didn’t like was that strip that they used in place of masking. Did City Cinemas ever put in reasl masking?
In the 8 years I lived in NYC I never went to the Beekman. I could kick myself now. When I lived there from 76-83 it was owned by Cinema 5
This sucks. I am in Florida and can’t do much, but I certainly hope all of you who are in NYC do.This is really turning into bs
in an old book I have called The New York Times Goes To The Movies, it shows Gone With The Wind opened here and the Capital on Dec 19, 1939. The Astor had reserved seats and the Capitol didn’t. Other films were
The Apartment-June 15, 1960 (Also at the Plaza)
The Best Years of Our Lives – Nov 22, 1946
The Champ- Nov 10, 1931
Dr. No- May 29, 1963 (Also at the Murray Hill)
Dinner At 8- World Premiere Aug 23, 1933
Grand Hotel- April 13, 1932
The Great Dictator-Oct 16 1940 Also at the Capital. The Astor had reserved seats and the Capitol didn't
A Hard Days Night-August 12, 1964 (Also at the Trans Lux East)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame- Sept 3, 1923
On The Beach- Dec 18, 1959
On The Waterfront-July 28, 1954
The Phantom Of The Opera- Sept 7, 1925
Rebel Without A Cause- Oct 26, 1955
Sergeant York-Jul 2, 1941
The date may be slightly off. i took the date from the NY Times review.
THIS REALLY SUCKS.
The Big Top was ustairs from a straight prono theater called the Circus.
If I remember correctly, it played for 65 weeks. On the inside cover of the DVD (which I don’t have available at this time)it tells you the date it opened at the Rivoli and how long it played.
It would have been wonderful if The Phantom Of The Opera was filmed in 70mm. It would have been great on the huge 70mm screen at the Ziegfeld.
Lots of great shots of the Criterion in the movie Kinsey. You can also see other theaters and the old Astor hotel.
I never saw any film in Cinerama. The first 70mm film I saw was Gone With The Wind in 1967 at the Randolph theater in Phila. It was a cinerama house so I was so awed by the curved screen.
The theater opened in 1950 and was run by Wometco. It is currently run by Sunrise cinemas. It is one of my favorite theaters. They have all pictures and posters in the lobby. They also had the world premiere of Where The Boys Are in 1960.
Update above the chain information
Update to the top under chain+Sunrise Cinemas
The theater is 8 screens not 7.
The Fountains is run by Sunrise cinemas chain. The ownwer is Mitchell Dryer who originally owned one theater in Ft Lauderdale, the Gateway. His second theater was the Galleria which he took over gfrom GCC in 1998. He than purchased the Fox theater in Sunrise from the Fox chain. He actually ruined this theater by takin 3 of the 4 large theaters and dividing them making very uncomfortable 150 seat theaters.
After GCC closed in Florida he ended up purchasing the Intercostal in MIami, this theater and the GCC in Deerfield Beach mall.
If memeory serves me right, they installed a new screen sometime between 1973 and 1976. I saw the roadshow engagement of Man of La Mancha there. When I returned the next time to see a re-release in 70mm of Gone With The Wind they has a new screen. Is at in the balcony for La mancha, but rememebr even though the film was flat,they had a large curved screen. When I went back the screen was a normal flat widesceen. It was a very large screen. They had masking that opened across and up and down. By the early 80’s the masking on the right side was torna nd never replaced.