Comments from Al Alvarez

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about State senator proposes movie theater tax on May 20, 2009 at 9:16 am

Most states tax ticket sales. This is a tax on the rent paid to film distributors by exhibitors.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about State senator proposes movie theater tax on May 19, 2009 at 7:23 pm

One of these jerks props up every now and then. I wonder why Republicans always always attack the media and Hollywood when things aren’t going their way. Maybe he should tax guns and AM radio broadcasters first.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paramount Theatre on May 18, 2009 at 10:48 am

As a personal subscriber to Proquest, I can assure you that you are wrong. My contract specifies ALL images are for personal use only and cannot be published in any way, including electronic.

The original ad mats are part of the copyright of the films themselves and are usually owned by studios, not newspapers. Ad agencies can be sued for even altering them these days.

All reproduced movie ad art work technically requires permission even if studios rarely bother unless another studio is stealing their campaign.

I agree that ken mc should have, at least, given that book some credit as it may help sales. But you already took care of that.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Sunrise Drive-In on May 18, 2009 at 7:51 am

In Sumner Redstone’s biography he mentions running the concession stand here for his dad who owned the drive-in. It was the beginning of his interest in movies and real estate.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Remembering Cinerama (Part 30: Baltimore) on May 17, 2009 at 9:12 pm

I don’t think ‘twopointthreefivetoone’ knows what the difference between CINERAMA and Cinerama Releasing really was.

TWOPOINT, it was the difference between really big screen 3D IMAX and your home HDTV.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Lucille Lortel Theatre on May 17, 2009 at 9:03 am

As the Theater De lys.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Paramount Theatre on May 16, 2009 at 5:33 pm

Waaren, since the ads you post often have the Proquest “reproduction prohibited” tag still on them, isn’t this comment a bit hypocritical?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Bijou Cinema on May 15, 2009 at 3:19 pm

This from the book THE TRANSFORMATION OF CINEMA (Eileen Bowser).

“In September 1910 a WORLD reporter visiting the Comet at Third Avenue near Twelfth Street in New York’s Lower East Side tenement district approved the lighting conditions there. He wrote there was enough diffused light to read by, yet the screen was bright. Men, women and children filled the hall. He also approved the ventilating system and reported that an usher wandered the aisles spraying a sweet-smelling liquid. Unfortunately, he added, they ran ‘junk’ films- a Vitagraph and a Selig missing their titles, recognized by their trademarks on the sets and believed to be a year old.”

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Herald Square Theatre on May 15, 2009 at 2:52 pm

According to the book THE TRANSFORMATION OF CINEMA (Eileen Bowser) this started showing movies as Loew’s Herald Square on October 20, 1913 with a program of five reels and evening admission of fifty cents.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema Studio 1 & 2 on May 13, 2009 at 7:05 am

Sounds more like “SAPS AT SEA”.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on May 11, 2009 at 9:40 am

No, actually that was the Center in that ad.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema Cafe 1 & 2 on May 10, 2009 at 11:39 am

The Southport opened as a Chris McGuire Cinema in 1968. It was twinned in 1980 and became a drafthouse cinema in 1983 and closed around 1993.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Art Towne Twin on May 10, 2009 at 11:32 am

The Towne opened as a Chris McGuire Cinema.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Gables Triple on May 8, 2009 at 3:10 pm

The architect was Robert C. Broward.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Remembering Cinerama (Part 29: Pittsburgh) on May 6, 2009 at 10:19 am

The most fabulous story telling medium in the history of entertainment!

http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_100254-1

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Loew's Delancey Theatre on May 6, 2009 at 8:36 am

Part of this marquee was behind the bar of a Times Square bar that closed and demolished in the last few years. Does anyone know where it went?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Theater chain on the brain on May 5, 2009 at 3:08 pm

These cookie-cutter multiplex operations have paid off handsomely as customers swarmed to them at the expense of smaller theatres.

Viacom’s money troubles have nothing to do with their theatre operations. The theatres are being sold in order to help make the corporate giant’s interest payments.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema Studio 1 & 2 on May 3, 2009 at 3:17 pm

The Colonial Bank (1964 Broadway) became Bank Leumi Trust in the eighties. The Cinema Studio was located just next to it at 1968 Broadway.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Rivoli Theatre on May 1, 2009 at 11:51 am

An article regarding the $1,250,000 front payment made by the Rivoli for rights to show the “CLEOPATRA” roadshow can be found here.

http://issuu.com/boxoffice/docs/boxoffice_011463

Although it was obviously an industry publicity stunt, it was a good one.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about State Theatre on May 1, 2009 at 11:21 am

Here is a postcard view that clearly shows another building between the State and the corner. The marquee seems to read ‘BELLE OF THE NINETIES" which would make it 1934.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Strand Theatre on May 1, 2009 at 11:16 am

Thanks for the kind words, Louis.

Here is a 1941 Wometco Christmas ad with yet another “Havana” themed movie at the Strand.

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Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema Studio 1 & 2 on May 1, 2009 at 6:45 am

Warren, since the 1931 Broadway address is listed as the address for the Arcade Theatre in Film Daily yearbooks I suspect it was possibly caused by Lincoln Square Arcade access perhaps changing traditional east and west assignments.

Since the Studio Cinema was built from the ground up in 1946 (the first post-war new build in NYC according to Brecht) it may have inherited the number from the Arcade but, you are correct, I cannot find anything with that number attached to the Studio Cinema, or in fact any number.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Cinema Studio 1 & 2 on Apr 30, 2009 at 2:12 pm

How it have been above 66th street when called Studio 65?

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on Apr 30, 2009 at 8:08 am

The Tuxedo and Pastime were on the east side on 42nd and 54th, respectively.

Al Alvarez
Al Alvarez commented about Radio City Music Hall on Apr 30, 2009 at 8:05 am

Here is my list of operating midtown cinemas in 1934.

LOEWS 42ND STREET
CAMEO
LYRIC
TIMES SQUARE
APOLLO
HARRIS
SELWYN
LIBERTY
TIMES
STANLEY
TUXEDO
RIALTO
PARAMOUNT
IDEAL
NEW YORK
ASTOR
CRITERION
STATE
GAIETY
GLOBE
MIAMI
MAYFAIR
PALACE
CENTRAL
STRAND
CARUSO (Hindenberg)
CENTER
WESTMINSTER
CASINO
RIVOLI
LITTLE PICTURE HOUSE
ROXY
RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
TRANS-LUX 50-1
TRANS-LUX 50-2
CAPITOL
HOLLYWOOD
LEXINGTON
PASTIME
ZIEGFELD
55th ST. PLAYHOUSE
CHALONER (Town)