Big Top Theatre

1604 Broadway,
New York, NY 10019

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Big Top Theatre

One of several gay male porn theatres operating in the Times Square area in the mid-1970’s. This was the only one located actually on Broadway and was close to W. 49th Street.

Advertised as “Broadway’s first and only male showcase! We doze but never close!” It was open 24 hours, served continental breakfast 1am until 11am and had a nightly disco. It was closed in the mid-1980’s

Contributed by KenRoe

Recent comments (view all 8 comments)

Mikeoaklandpark
Mikeoaklandpark on December 27, 2004 at 10:30 pm

The Big Top was ustairs from a straight prono theater called the Circus.

vermonttenor
vermonttenor on January 10, 2007 at 3:04 pm

i remember so clearly being 18 in 1981 and seeing my first gay porn at the Big Top. It was Red Ball Express. Such an eye-opener for me. I remember the 10 dollar admission, putting my valuables in a manila envelope, signing across the seam and placing it in the bulletproof booth… There were about 25 people inside when I entered, some sitting and some milling about in the aisles and behind the screen. Boy they didnt have this back home (still dont).

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on March 3, 2007 at 1:10 pm

Hey Hollywood90038… I have a photobucket account myself where I’ve posted a bunch of images of NYC movie houses (and some legit theaters as well). I’m a big Times Square enthusiast – having misspent much of my youth in and out of the area cinemas – and have scoured the net for images and such to add to those that I’ve taken on my own. I’d love to snag a few images you have on your site – including the Big Top image you posted July of last year and a pair of photos you have of the Adonis/Cameo on 8th Avenue. I’d give you proper credit in the captions. Actually, it seems I must have already copied one of your Adonis images – which I’d gladly delete if you are not agreeable. No hard feelings whatever if you decline my request.

I’d have contacted you privately, but I saw no email associated with your CT account. Thanks.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on March 3, 2007 at 1:13 pm

Almost forgot… Here’s a link to my photobucket account if you care to peruse it.

Paulj
Paulj on September 22, 2007 at 8:56 pm

I have a poster from the Big Top for “…In the Name of Leather” starring Tharon Davis and directed by Mac Larson from 1982. Found this site researching it. Pretty impression and a great resource.

Ed Solero
Ed Solero on March 6, 2008 at 4:44 am

Hey DeCoteau… The photos are all still there. Apparently, the photobucket folks have reorganized the way links to their servers should be established, so I’ll have to start re-linking my photos here on CT – particularly from older posts.

Here’s a Circus Cinema/Big Top image from around 1984.

Here’s a link to the whole album. They changed the way one navigates through the site, so it isn’t quite as easy on the eyes as it used to be. When you open it, you have to navigate using the blue links on the left. My albums are categorized by location (ie NYC borough name) and then by theatre.

bardex
bardex on June 27, 2010 at 7:35 am

Hollywood90038, could you please repost your 70’s pic? The link is dead.

bigjoe59
bigjoe59 on August 8, 2019 at 11:14 pm

Hello-

to the best of my knowledge the Big Top always showed gay porn. the Circus the downstairs theater was the one that showed straight porn.

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