Don’t forget the role the legit Broadway Theatre chains (Shubert, Nederlander, Jujamcyn) played in keeping competitors out by stopping any public funding for remodeling movie theatres back to legit use.
I think the issue is property values and not just that LA was more conscientious of its architectural legacy than NY. Times Square, even at its nadir was valuable space. For example, the Beacon, a failure from day one, was spared because the neighborhood became ‘iffy’ for several decades. The same for Loews Kings and other borough palaces.
Hollywood Boulevard was not consistently the center of entertainment the way Times Square has been. Our NY theatre were victims of the success surrounding them.
Ed, it would have to be the Criterion but I wouldn’t discount the Playpen simply because it didn’t use film. There is hardly any film used in Times Square today and the Playpen was 17 years older than the Criterion.
I think the 50th street location switched to the Guild name when it started showing features in the late forties, early fifties, sometimes advertising as the Embassy Guild. Prior to that it was indeed the Embassy Newsreel.
If I remember correctly, the parking lot entrance was right on 441 and the front looked a little like Loews Bay Harbor, which was built by the same original owner.
Does anyone know anything more about the Teatro Latino on 125th street?
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LfZDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KLAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3506%2C3405096
Will do, Ed.
Note: My last comment was regarding the 8:05am post.
Ed, I was leaning more towards the Gotham/Tri-boro because although CT lists it as demolished in 1965 I found ads for it as late as 1969.
Here is an ad for another Teatro Latino operating in 1966 on 125th Street and Lexington and showing live shows plus films.
Any ideas which 125th street theatre this was?
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LfZDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KLAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3506%2C3405096
By the way, the Mayfair theatre listed in the same ad later became the Mayfair Yiddish theatre and is NOT the Embassy 1, 2, 3.
Advert as the Gayety in 1966.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E_ZDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KLAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2707%2C98720
Here is an ad for the 1964 re-opening as a Spanish language house.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=x7pbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WFINAAAAIBAJ&pg=3565%2C72604
There was a Spanish language AMOR theatre (aka Nuevo Amor) operating at 102 Court Street in the sixties.
I found another ad. Still open in 1968.
The Treat was showing Spanish language films in the early sixties.
Still advertising in a Spanish newspaper in 1963 as the Del Mar.
Still advertised in the Spanish newspapers in 1963 as the Azteca.
“Somewhere in NY they could have saved a couple of palaces for classics and 70mm repertory.”
Even with some public funding no major chain feels they can operate one at a profit.
thebrat, can you tell us what Dolby EGYPT and Dolby RAIN mean? Are these Dolby promo ads we should have noticed/remembered?
Yes, Cineplex Odeon also reduced screens at the 23rd Street West. It was a move away from arthouse and towards mainstream by CO in Manhattan.
Pretty much the same as them ‘jabbering away’ in English to many of us.
Don’t forget the role the legit Broadway Theatre chains (Shubert, Nederlander, Jujamcyn) played in keeping competitors out by stopping any public funding for remodeling movie theatres back to legit use.
I think the issue is property values and not just that LA was more conscientious of its architectural legacy than NY. Times Square, even at its nadir was valuable space. For example, the Beacon, a failure from day one, was spared because the neighborhood became ‘iffy’ for several decades. The same for Loews Kings and other borough palaces.
Hollywood Boulevard was not consistently the center of entertainment the way Times Square has been. Our NY theatre were victims of the success surrounding them.
Agreed, but leave Harry Potter alone. That boy just wants to dance and sing!
Ed, it would have to be the Criterion but I wouldn’t discount the Playpen simply because it didn’t use film. There is hardly any film used in Times Square today and the Playpen was 17 years older than the Criterion.
Techman, it was advertised as the Embassy Guild and Embassy Guild Newsreel in 1950/1951 even when showing feature films.
I think Ed is correct and Norman Elson took over the Embassy (46th St) and Guild AFTER leaving Trans-Lux.
I think the 50th street location switched to the Guild name when it started showing features in the late forties, early fifties, sometimes advertising as the Embassy Guild. Prior to that it was indeed the Embassy Newsreel.
If I remember correctly, the parking lot entrance was right on 441 and the front looked a little like Loews Bay Harbor, which was built by the same original owner.
Robert, since the Embassy 1 closed before this did, its last name was Embassy 1, 2, 3.