Stars and classic films of the silent screen appearing at the Jackson Theatre in 1924.

Jackson Heights is in the Borough of Queens, New York City. Theatres in that borough are usually listed by neighborhood as part of Long Island.

Three of the ads are at a slant. That is how they were printed in the original program. 

 

 

Program part of the Collection of Theatre Talks LLC 

 

Cezar Del Valle (Theatre Talks LLC) is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

 

 

 

Don't recall this 1998 tour of the Loew's Jersey but it must have been sponsored by the Theatre Historical Society. The theatre still undergoing restoration at that time.

Once again, the photographs are copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved.

 

 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

The New York Times, April 30, 1988:                                                                     "Designed by Rapp & Rapp as one of five Loew's 'Wonder Theaters,' the Loew's Jersey opened in 1929 with "Madame X' starring Ruth Chatterton, as the feature. In its later years, it was the Loew's Jersey City Triplex; it closed in1986 with an installment of 'Friday the 13th.'" 

 

 

 

In 1996, the Theatre Historical Society sponsored a tour of the Loew's Jersey, then undergoing restoration.

 

Photos of the tour copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved:

 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

A new attempt is being made to restore the landmarked Schine's Auburn vacant since 1992. Designed by John Eberson in an art deco style, the theatre opened September 15, 1938 with Errol Flynn in Four's a Crowd.

The space was last used by a video store located in the former lobby with the auditiorium closed off. 

Photo copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved

On October 12, 2000, I gave a talk "The Local Movie House-Entertainment, Architecture and the Community" presented by the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center and the Friends of the Auburn Schine Theatre (sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities).

As always, Betty Sword documented our visit. 

Photos copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved

 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

This was my local movie house when I lived on Queen Street in the 1970s. One dark and stormy night, the rain came pouring through the ceiling of the auditorium. The theatre shutting its doors shortly after that.    

I found out after moving to New York that new owners had taken over the Old Town turning the balcony into a second screen. After closing in 1999, the space sat idle for three years before being renovated with the screen removed for live shows. At the end of 2002, the Old Town marquee once again went dark.

It would reopen one final time in February 2004 with Gone with the Wind and Philadelphia Story. 

Alexandria Times, January 4, 2012:

"The marquee is coming down and the curtains at Old Town Theater are drawing to a permanent close...." (more)

Greater Greater Washington, January 27, 2012

"The Old Town Theater in Alexandria closed its doors in early January and the King Street location will likely be rented out to retail..." (more)

 

September 2010 photos of the Old Town copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

 

On March 18, 2001, I gave a theatre talk for the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council at the Le Roy Theatre. Entitled The Local Movie House Entertainment, Architecture and the Community, it was sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities.

Originally this was a rather underexposed photograph taken by Kelly M. Kiebala, Program Director of Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council. I am in front of the Le Roy Theatre with Betty Sword who normally takes our theatre photos (a rare appearance in front of the lens).

"The presentation was wonderful. Thanks for coming."--Kelly & Linda, Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

The Le Roy has since closed its doors and is now the Living Waters Church.

 

Photographs of the Le Roy Theatre, copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved.

 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

On March 18, 2001, I gave a theatre talk for Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council at the LeRoy Theatre in Le Roy, New York. Entitled The Local Movie House Entertainment, Architecture and the Community, it was sponsored by the New York Council for the Humanities.

While staying in the near-by-town of Batavia, my partner, Betty Sword took these photos of the Mancuso Theatre. Purchased by a local church the theatre had just closed its doors with the topless mermaid soon to be painted over.

Built by the Mancuso Brothers, the Mancuso Theatre opened June 5, 1948 with Bing Crosby and Joan Fontaine in The Emperor Waltz.

 

Photos copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved.

 

 

 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

 

 

Photographer Betty Sword documents not only our walking tours and talks but also theatres in general.

Recently while going through her files, Betty found slides of the  Buskers Fare, an annual event that took place in Lower Manhattan during the 1990s. These images date from the summer of 1995 or 96. All are copyrighted by Betty Sword and cannot be used without her permission.

Fred Kahl aka The Great Fredini

To celebrate downtown neighborhoods the  Lower Manhattan Cultural Council staged the first Buskers Fare in 1993. Street performers from various countries were presented at several locations with the World Trade Plaza serving as the central point.

In 1995,  two-hundred entertainers and 45  troupes from the United States, Canada and Europe were presented.

9/11 Memorial Museum

 

 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

 

 

On Sunday January 8th, conducted a walking tour, Footsteps of Yiddish Theatre, for the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.

 

The walk brought out 30 people. Many of these were seniors who contributed their memories of Second Avenue.

Also on the tour was Ken Bloom of the Theatre Historical Society of America who recorded my comments for a future issue of Marquee magazine.

 

Photos by Betty Sword

1) In front of the Sunshine Cinema at the start of the walk

2) In front of the Anthology Fim Archives

3) LaMama Theatre on East 4th Street

4) Stomp at the Orpheum Theatre

5) Stars of the Yiddish Theatre immortalized in front of the former Second Avenue Deli (now Chase Bank).

6) At the end of the walk in front of the Village East Cinema (former Yiddish Art Theatre)

 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

 

 

 

Historian Cezar Del Valle will lead a theater walk for the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation on Sunday, January 8, 2012, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Discover the colorful history of Second Avenue with theatre historian Cezar Del Valle.

Once the Manhattan center of Yiddish American culture and the U.S. center of Yiddish theatre, Second Avenue below 14th Street was home to the stage, vaudeville, burlesque and early movie houses of this culture. As the Yiddish stage began to fade, Off-Off Broadway started to appear in old union halls and storefronts.

 We will visit sites associated not only with Molly Picon, Jacob Adler, Maurice Schwartz and Boris Thomashefsky, but also Henry Fonda, Jimi Hendrix, Mile Dravis, and Weber & Fields.

Free—Reservations Required.

RSVP to rsvp@gvshp.org

or (212) 475-9585 ext. 35

Meeting location available upon registration

For more information about theatre talks and walking tours: Theatre Talks LLC

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

 

Photographs:

1) National Theatre, 111 East Houston Street

2) Second Avenue Theatre, 2nd Avenue and 2nd Street

3) Sunshine Theatre, 143 East Houston (people signing in for my March 2009 walk for BCUE)

4) New Law Theatre, 23-27 2nd (from my 2007 Walk for the Cinema Theatre Association)

5) Orpheum Theatre, 126  2nd  Avenue (2009 Walk for BCUE)

6) Village East, 181 2nd Avenue (2007 walk for the Cinema Theatre Association)

Photos 3-6: Betty Sword