Roxy Theater (Miami Beach)
 The Roxy Theater, at its 1967 grand opening. | |
 | |
| Address | 1527 Washington Avenue Miami Beach, Florida United States |
|---|---|
| Owner | Leroy Griffith |
| Operator | Leroy Griffith |
| Capacity | 725 |
| Current use | Club Madonna (adult nightclub) |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1948 |
| Opened | July 21, 1967 |
| Renovated | 1994 |
| Reopened | March 17, 1994 (as Club Madonna) |
| Years active | 1967-present |
The Roxy Theater is a former movie theater located at 1527 Washington Avenue in Miami Beach, Florida.[1][2] In 1994, the Roxy was converted into an adult nightclub and renamed Club Madonna. It is owned and operated by theater and nightclub proprietor and former Broadway theater producer Leroy Griffith.
History
[edit]
The Roxy, billed as "Miami Beach's newest and most fabulous theatre," opened on Friday, July 21, 1967.[3] For its grand opening, the theater premiered The Way West, starring Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum, and Richard Widmark.
"The theater is luxurious, designed for comfort and seats 400," wrote Miami News columnist Herb Kelly. He also reported that Griffith planned to add vaudeville later.
Griffith generated publicity there when, in 1967, he publicly invited city officials to a screening of the film, Man and Wife. "It was advertised as the art of making love 49 different ways," he said in a 1993 interview.[4] "I don't remember inviting them, but I vaguely remember the incident. I think that was the first hard-core movie ever shown down here." According to press accounts at the time, the officials seemed to think the movie was boring, but not obscene.
In early 1994, Griffith converted the Roxy from an adult movie theater to an all-nude strip club (Club Madonna), which it remains today. He successfully withstood an attempt by attorneys for the pop singer Madonna to prevent him from using the name.[5] According to an April 1994 item in the Daily Mail,
"The singer, who wants to open a parade of strip clubs herself, had her lawyer fire off a letter to the club's owner, Leroy Griffith, telling him he would have to change the name of his establishment 'because it gives the impression that my client endorses your club and its activities.' An attorney for the club hit back saying: 'If Madonna wants to take down the sign, she'll have to stop by with a ladder and do it herself.'"[6]
References
[edit]- ^ "Roxy Theatre". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ "Roxy Theatre". cinematour.com. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ "Grand Opening". The Miami News. July 18, 1967. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ Baker, Greg (January 27, 1993). "The Pioneer of Porn". The Miami New Times. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ Wakefield, Rebecca (May 2, 2002). "Strip Wars". The Miami New Times. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
- ^ Sky, Rick (April 18, 1994). "THE EDGE: Raunchy singer Madonna is insensed about a Miami strip club calling itself Club Madonna". The Daily Mail. p. 17.[dead link]