The Technicolor epic was still running in midtown Manhattan at the Capitol (continuous performances) and Astor (two-a-day). In March, the Capitol will switch to “Northwest Passage,” though the Astor will continue indefinitely with “GWTW” but with continuous performances. Following the Metropolitan, “GWTW” will make a gradual tour of Loew’s neighborhood houses.
At the time, the Palace was being operated by Odeon Theaters of Canada, Ltd., which also ran the Capitol, Royal, Savoy, Windsor, and York in Hamilton, according to The Film Daily Year Book of 1944.
The “Lucy & Desi” teaming had started its New York visit at Radio City Music Hall, followed by a stop-over in downtown Brooklyn at Loew’s Metropolitan before moving on to neighborhood theatres.
Bronx-born Mae Kwestel changed her name to Mae Questelle when she started working in vaudeville as a singer and voice mimic, and later to the briefer Mae Questel (same pronunciation in all cases).
The Capitol and other theatres with a check mark were also presenting the latest chapter of “Captain Video,” Columbia’s 15-episode serial inspired by the already legendary TV program.
Followed a hugely-successful engagement in midtown Manhattan at the Roxy Theatre, another of William Fox’s increasing numbers of properties in the Greater NYC area and beyond.
The one-week engagement came at a time when the USA was just emerging from a banking shut-down that caused the worst crisis since the “Wall Street Crash” of 1929.
The Music Hall changed programs the day before (March 16th), while the New Roxy retained its “King Kong” offerings. The two showplaces were the nearest first-run cinemas to Friday’s annual parade route on Fifth Avenue, which attracted a reported 400,000 spectators. How many attended the Music Hall or New Roxy afterwards is unknown.
Variety originally estimated opening week gross with “Christopher Strong” as $75,000, but in following issue reported $58,000, “the lowest yet” since film/stage policy started.
“Christopher Strong” ran just one week, and was replaced by Fox’s “Sailor’s Luck,” a romantic comedy with James Dunn and Sally Eilers, and new stage show on March 16th. “King Kong” continued for a third and final week at the New Roxy, still with a theme-related stage show.
For the USA, this was a terrible economic period, with many banks closing, and some to never re-open.
Jean Harlow was hardly a “Great Star” at the time, but rapidly developing into one thanks to fan magazine coverage and a new exclusive contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
The opening week gross of “King Kong” at the two new Radio City showplaces totaled around $121,000 ($88,000 at the Music Hall and $33,000 at the New Roxy), which was strong business for those Depression times but not enough to hold over at both theatres.
The modernized premises of the El Capitan had become “America’s Most Distinctive Theatre,” with “Love Seats,” “Milk Bar,” “Tropic Lounge,” and “World’s Most Beautiful Usherettes.”
Curiously, the list of “Nearby Theaters” for Radio City Music Hall doesn’t include the Roxy, which was just one block away and its largest and most serious competition.
Curiously, the list of the Roxy’s “Nearby Theaters” doesn’t include Radio City Music Hall, which was just one block away and its largest and most serious competition.
The opening of the Pix Theatre brought a quick end to this attempt to bring more movies to the surrounding area. One wonders if it found a buyer?
The Technicolor epic was still running in midtown Manhattan at the Capitol (continuous performances) and Astor (two-a-day). In March, the Capitol will switch to “Northwest Passage,” though the Astor will continue indefinitely with “GWTW” but with continuous performances. Following the Metropolitan, “GWTW” will make a gradual tour of Loew’s neighborhood houses.
“Popular” prices were lower than “roadshow,” but higher than “regular.”
At the time, the Palace was being operated by Odeon Theaters of Canada, Ltd., which also ran the Capitol, Royal, Savoy, Windsor, and York in Hamilton, according to The Film Daily Year Book of 1944.
The “Lucy & Desi” teaming had started its New York visit at Radio City Music Hall, followed by a stop-over in downtown Brooklyn at Loew’s Metropolitan before moving on to neighborhood theatres.
Bronx-born Mae Kwestel changed her name to Mae Questelle when she started working in vaudeville as a singer and voice mimic, and later to the briefer Mae Questel (same pronunciation in all cases).
Glendale Cinerama featured in the top left corner of 20th Century group advertisement.
The Capitol and other theatres with a check mark were also presenting the latest chapter of “Captain Video,” Columbia’s 15-episode serial inspired by the already legendary TV program.
Followed a hugely-successful engagement in midtown Manhattan at the Roxy Theatre, another of William Fox’s increasing numbers of properties in the Greater NYC area and beyond.
Production of the Technicolor musical sparked a romantic affair between Betty Grable and Harry James that intensified into marriage in July, 1943.
Fifty-five cents would be equivalent to about $6.50 in 2019.
Opened on the Valentine’s Day of that year.
The one-week engagement came at a time when the USA was just emerging from a banking shut-down that caused the worst crisis since the “Wall Street Crash” of 1929.
The Music Hall changed programs the day before (March 16th), while the New Roxy retained its “King Kong” offerings. The two showplaces were the nearest first-run cinemas to Friday’s annual parade route on Fifth Avenue, which attracted a reported 400,000 spectators. How many attended the Music Hall or New Roxy afterwards is unknown.
Famous Players' first new cinema since the end of WWII opened on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th).
Highlights of two nights of concerts were later released by Century Records as a direct-to-disc LP “George Wright Plays The Chicago Theatre Organ.”
Variety originally estimated opening week gross with “Christopher Strong” as $75,000, but in following issue reported $58,000, “the lowest yet” since film/stage policy started.
“Christopher Strong” ran just one week, and was replaced by Fox’s “Sailor’s Luck,” a romantic comedy with James Dunn and Sally Eilers, and new stage show on March 16th. “King Kong” continued for a third and final week at the New Roxy, still with a theme-related stage show. For the USA, this was a terrible economic period, with many banks closing, and some to never re-open.
Jean Harlow was hardly a “Great Star” at the time, but rapidly developing into one thanks to fan magazine coverage and a new exclusive contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
The opening week gross of “King Kong” at the two new Radio City showplaces totaled around $121,000 ($88,000 at the Music Hall and $33,000 at the New Roxy), which was strong business for those Depression times but not enough to hold over at both theatres.
The modernized premises of the El Capitan had become “America’s Most Distinctive Theatre,” with “Love Seats,” “Milk Bar,” “Tropic Lounge,” and “World’s Most Beautiful Usherettes.”
Curiously, the list of “Nearby Theaters” for Radio City Music Hall doesn’t include the Roxy, which was just one block away and its largest and most serious competition.
Curiously, the list of the Roxy’s “Nearby Theaters” doesn’t include Radio City Music Hall, which was just one block away and its largest and most serious competition.
A double feature PLUS a 42-minute tour of the one-and-only Disneyland in CinemaScope and Technicolor.
Full-page newspaper ad published on September 2nd, 1979, the day before the Labor Day holiday of that year.