His first comment was and I quote, “This is the most beautiful theatre I’ve ever been in!” As always a great movie on a really
big screen with the Robert Morton Organ console hooked up to the theatre great sound system. Kudos to the United Palace staff and
Mike for the wonderful program and of course Keir Dullea and his wonderful wife for their attendance. The Loew’s 175th Street closed with “2001: A Space Odyssey” 50 years ago on Saturday, April 4, 1969 and within a two day gap April 7th it continued 50 years 50 years later. Now that’s a milestone.
The United Palace is the only fine example of a former Loew’s Wonder Theatre still presenting fine monthly screenings and it is bar none (including Kings Theatre) most promising performing and spiritual edifice in all the entire United States of America. It serves the community in which it is located and supported by residents like Lin Manuel Miranda who is a salvation to the building and the community from which he comes.
I would be not true to myself for also thanking the Reverand Ike for noticing the architectural significence of the United Palace. If it wasn’t for his vision there would be no United
Palace today.
Unfortunately,the service staff had do deal with the majority of guests smoking marijuana and the smoke and smell for three hrs. of continuous mad weed. The alcohol induced guests kept the lines snaked from the downstairs rest rooms into the lobby promenade non-stop. It was not a pleasure to work this sold out
crowd, The theatre of course was beautiful enough to forgive the misgivings. Soon when marijuana becomes legal it will be more prevalent for concert arenas to deal with guests, SINCE VENUES DO NOT ENFORCE NO SMOKING POLICIES IN PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BUILDINGS AS THEY SHOULD BY LAW. Venues like this one, the Beacon and Barclays are some of the offenders of this because they want to pacify the guests and they spend more monies on the counters on over priced unhealthy foods that are not stored or cooked properly with deep fryers that are not drained of cooking oils thar sit for weeks and emit a foul odor when they fry potatoes, chicken fingers and the like. They also get B ratings for food handlind. Beware folks! your health may be at risk!
CinemaCinema, Is the manager in this photo the same one as the one changing the marquee in the other two photos you posted? They look like the same man(ager)? Just wondering…
Thank you for using the proper wording “vertical sign”. I detest “BLADE” as it goes under in some descriptions. If they knew better, they would know. … a 50 year theatre veteran…!
Thanks again David.
This is the first feature attraction post-Loew’s management for the PITKIN Theatre, it actually opened on Friday May 25th, 1964. It was cosed for two days after the last Loew’s presentation Tuesday May 22, 1964 if the above is a Wednesday ad. It does not say “Starts Today” The PITKIN is in the 2nd column, 2nd from bottom and without the Loew’s preceding its' name. Below in brackets (Starts Fri.) Below that is the PITKIN’s sister PREMIER Theatre also recently divested location nearby.
The PITKIN Theatre is listed in this pre-ad a week before the actual playdate, the day before and the day of the show (March 24th, 1970) the PITKIN is absent from the ad. I believe it was withdrawn from this location, (the ads I have show this). Did anyone know or attend “KING” at the PITKIN?
Very, very nice! It’s great to be alive. The vertical sign was gone by Sept. 1968, maybe sooner, Loew’s left in Sept. 1966. It closed as a theatre in 1970-1 by Brandt’s.
Congratulations to all! “Hope” is the key word, I had it and it took 37 years at the Kings Theatre, it will survive to be 100 years old which I will witness on Sept. 6, 1929! (That’s 14 years in the new managements' calender. As far as they are concerned it didn’t exist until they walked through the doors!)
This Ebinger’s store was not operating in February 1975 when I worked there. I guess they went out of business by then. Miss their jelly donuts, my parents didn’t buy the chocolate blackout cake for our birthday parties, it was always the strawberry shortcakes. I tried to stay on topic.
The last remaining movie palace in Times Square should have been left in it’s place. What an insult to New Yorkers! I guess fire escape evacuation is not important anymore. There’s a reason for street level fire escapes. The safety and protection of lives. I hope the owners are below the THEATRE WHEN THEY RAISE IT, SHOULD
IT FALL, IT SHOULD FALL ON THEM!
This engagement also played the Fabian Brooklyn FOX (after the endof the Foxs' exclusive runs had ended and Florin’s GRANADA added to first run status for the next two with the Fox for most of 1965’s bookings for the Fox closed in February of 1966, slightly under the year this film played. It played single for at least 5 weeks at the Granada, while the Fox added a co-
feature on the third week.
I’ll give you this one organ console, the true story, ACE, Ambassador or whatever “mis”-management of construction had no use for the organ after opening since they ran vents down both organ chambers (Therefore no pipes, etc.) This renovation was not carefully watched and the city handed 85,000,000 million dollars and let the “mis”-management of funds be squandered on things not regarding the “"RESTORATION”“ with no NYCEDC supervision, they are also to blame! The stage wood apron facing was removed and tossed into the alley to rain rot for pit improvements. All other wonder theatres have their aprons and their lifts work perfectly fine. I can say more and won’t. Since I am "BANNED” from the Kings Theatre for telling the truth and saving countless lives of fellow employees and most important the “paying guest” when the collapsing ceiling cost 2.5 million to fix after 2 years of operation. It did collapse while workers repaired it, LUCKY FOR ALL no lives were lost. Stick that in your pipe and light a match!
To sad to look at. UA had let it (as well as many others in NYC) deterioate long before it closed when I worked for them in the mid 1970’s. They were operaters caring about cleanliness and then shrugging on money needed for repairs. To hide dirt they painted over it as in the Beverly, Brooklyn (circa 1975), the Playhouse and Squire in Great Neck, Farmingdale and Lindenhurst (when they had their fire they painted the ceiling black, original eggshell – auditorium walls baby blue, original color pastel green – teak wood base up to the height of the seats, white and no new seats the original red painted seats black to match the seat fabric (never changed after fire). They must have collected insurance but didn’t spend it on the fix-up. Even their quadded and triplexed theatre were done cheaply, you could hear noise from other auditoriums Ex, Manhasset, Babylon, South Hampton to name a few. Only the Syosset and the Cinema 150 were taken care of while I was there but Syosset’s triplex was awful and the Cinema D-150 was the place to see any film no matter good or poorly recieved films like Tron and Black Cauldron would be presented beautifully especially Tron. Tron did so bad that the $1.00 Century Morton Village got it in five weeks time. It did poor there too! It was way ahead of its time but a great film. Sorry I degressed, had to get it off my chest (and lost five pounds) Ha-Ha!
His first comment was and I quote, “This is the most beautiful theatre I’ve ever been in!” As always a great movie on a really big screen with the Robert Morton Organ console hooked up to the theatre great sound system. Kudos to the United Palace staff and Mike for the wonderful program and of course Keir Dullea and his wonderful wife for their attendance. The Loew’s 175th Street closed with “2001: A Space Odyssey” 50 years ago on Saturday, April 4, 1969 and within a two day gap April 7th it continued 50 years 50 years later. Now that’s a milestone. The United Palace is the only fine example of a former Loew’s Wonder Theatre still presenting fine monthly screenings and it is bar none (including Kings Theatre) most promising performing and spiritual edifice in all the entire United States of America. It serves the community in which it is located and supported by residents like Lin Manuel Miranda who is a salvation to the building and the community from which he comes. I would be not true to myself for also thanking the Reverand Ike for noticing the architectural significence of the United Palace. If it wasn’t for his vision there would be no United Palace today.
Unfortunately,the service staff had do deal with the majority of guests smoking marijuana and the smoke and smell for three hrs. of continuous mad weed. The alcohol induced guests kept the lines snaked from the downstairs rest rooms into the lobby promenade non-stop. It was not a pleasure to work this sold out crowd, The theatre of course was beautiful enough to forgive the misgivings. Soon when marijuana becomes legal it will be more prevalent for concert arenas to deal with guests, SINCE VENUES DO NOT ENFORCE NO SMOKING POLICIES IN PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BUILDINGS AS THEY SHOULD BY LAW. Venues like this one, the Beacon and Barclays are some of the offenders of this because they want to pacify the guests and they spend more monies on the counters on over priced unhealthy foods that are not stored or cooked properly with deep fryers that are not drained of cooking oils thar sit for weeks and emit a foul odor when they fry potatoes, chicken fingers and the like. They also get B ratings for food handlind. Beware folks! your health may be at risk!
CinemaCinema, Is the manager in this photo the same one as the one changing the marquee in the other two photos you posted? They look like the same man(ager)? Just wondering…
Thank you for using the proper wording “vertical sign”. I detest “BLADE” as it goes under in some descriptions. If they knew better, they would know. … a 50 year theatre veteran…! Thanks again David.
Ooops! I belong on the RKO FORDHAM page.
This is the first feature attraction post-Loew’s management for the PITKIN Theatre, it actually opened on Friday May 25th, 1964. It was cosed for two days after the last Loew’s presentation Tuesday May 22, 1964 if the above is a Wednesday ad. It does not say “Starts Today” The PITKIN is in the 2nd column, 2nd from bottom and without the Loew’s preceding its' name. Below in brackets (Starts Fri.) Below that is the PITKIN’s sister PREMIER Theatre also recently divested location nearby.
The PITKIN Theatre is listed in this pre-ad a week before the actual playdate, the day before and the day of the show (March 24th, 1970) the PITKIN is absent from the ad. I believe it was withdrawn from this location, (the ads I have show this). Did anyone know or attend “KING” at the PITKIN?
Very, very nice! It’s great to be alive. The vertical sign was gone by Sept. 1968, maybe sooner, Loew’s left in Sept. 1966. It closed as a theatre in 1970-1 by Brandt’s.
“If you "restore” it and not renovate, I will come to see it!"
Congratulations to all! “Hope” is the key word, I had it and it took 37 years at the Kings Theatre, it will survive to be 100 years old which I will witness on Sept. 6, 1929! (That’s 14 years in the new managements' calender. As far as they are concerned it didn’t exist until they walked through the doors!)
it looks like a RKO marquee.
The photo is from 1973-1974 at the end of it’s UA ownership.
It was the Beverly Twin at that time, unfotunately you didn’t see it as a single screen moviehouse.
This Ebinger’s store was not operating in February 1975 when I worked there. I guess they went out of business by then. Miss their jelly donuts, my parents didn’t buy the chocolate blackout cake for our birthday parties, it was always the strawberry shortcakes. I tried to stay on topic.
This offensive picture should be deleted at once. It’s in poor taste signifying nothing. That’s my opinion!
The last remaining movie palace in Times Square should have been left in it’s place. What an insult to New Yorkers! I guess fire escape evacuation is not important anymore. There’s a reason for street level fire escapes. The safety and protection of lives. I hope the owners are below the THEATRE WHEN THEY RAISE IT, SHOULD IT FALL, IT SHOULD FALL ON THEM!
This engagement also played the Fabian Brooklyn FOX (after the endof the Foxs' exclusive runs had ended and Florin’s GRANADA added to first run status for the next two with the Fox for most of 1965’s bookings for the Fox closed in February of 1966, slightly under the year this film played. It played single for at least 5 weeks at the Granada, while the Fox added a co- feature on the third week.
I’ll give you this one organ console, the true story, ACE, Ambassador or whatever “mis”-management of construction had no use for the organ after opening since they ran vents down both organ chambers (Therefore no pipes, etc.) This renovation was not carefully watched and the city handed 85,000,000 million dollars and let the “mis”-management of funds be squandered on things not regarding the “"RESTORATION”“ with no NYCEDC supervision, they are also to blame! The stage wood apron facing was removed and tossed into the alley to rain rot for pit improvements. All other wonder theatres have their aprons and their lifts work perfectly fine. I can say more and won’t. Since I am "BANNED” from the Kings Theatre for telling the truth and saving countless lives of fellow employees and most important the “paying guest” when the collapsing ceiling cost 2.5 million to fix after 2 years of operation. It did collapse while workers repaired it, LUCKY FOR ALL no lives were lost. Stick that in your pipe and light a match!
Wrong again…..lower organ chamber decorative plaster! Two for me!
Ceiling, hardly….. Drapery above former organ chamber with unoriginal lighting fixture. I of all people should know!
To sad to look at. UA had let it (as well as many others in NYC) deterioate long before it closed when I worked for them in the mid 1970’s. They were operaters caring about cleanliness and then shrugging on money needed for repairs. To hide dirt they painted over it as in the Beverly, Brooklyn (circa 1975), the Playhouse and Squire in Great Neck, Farmingdale and Lindenhurst (when they had their fire they painted the ceiling black, original eggshell – auditorium walls baby blue, original color pastel green – teak wood base up to the height of the seats, white and no new seats the original red painted seats black to match the seat fabric (never changed after fire). They must have collected insurance but didn’t spend it on the fix-up. Even their quadded and triplexed theatre were done cheaply, you could hear noise from other auditoriums Ex, Manhasset, Babylon, South Hampton to name a few. Only the Syosset and the Cinema 150 were taken care of while I was there but Syosset’s triplex was awful and the Cinema D-150 was the place to see any film no matter good or poorly recieved films like Tron and Black Cauldron would be presented beautifully especially Tron. Tron did so bad that the $1.00 Century Morton Village got it in five weeks time. It did poor there too! It was way ahead of its time but a great film. Sorry I degressed, had to get it off my chest (and lost five pounds) Ha-Ha!
You put a smile on my face this morning! Thanks Bishop.
The Strand / Warner / Cinerama & Penthouse Theatres. The Loew’s Capitol was dust by this time.
Loew’s Kings closed with this film “Islands In The Stream”. Great swan song for beloved theatre, just loved it.
La ti da! Thank you robboehm! Happy! Happy!