Radio City Music Hall
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
116 people
favorited this theater
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Patsy, the movie you’re thinking of is Miracle on 34th Street, with Natalie Wood, Maureen O'Hara, John Paine and Edmund Gwenn as Santa.
CConnolly: Thanks for your RCMH memories! Your then 8 year old sounds like quite the lady…another Natalie Wood in “Miracle”!
Patsy: don’t get me wrong about the Rockettes. They were wonderful and my daughter LOVED them. Each and every single time they came out and did their “thing”, which was not just them lining up and kicking their legs (which they did) but a lot more, she got very into it. It was all this nonsensical filler in the show that made it so lame and LONG. And the Hall itself awed my daughter but she did make the impressive remark about how the speakers on the side and especially down the middle of the arch marred it’s look (very observant and accurate for an 8 year old).
When I saw the show last in 1977, there was none of this filler in the show. It started with the AWESOME Nativity, then then the Rockettes doing their leg kicking thing, then the Santa Clauses, then the Rocketttes as the Wooden Soldiers…then there was an ice skating thing…my mind gets hazy here…I remember they used the turntable to make it look like people were skating and “snow” would fall. I believe there was maybe one or two more scenes and that was it. Quick (about 45 minutes), dazzling and incredibly satisfying.
You’ll get more Christmas spirit by walking around Rockefeller Center and 5th Avenue than you would or will seeing this show. And you’ll save a bundle.
CConnolly: I never thought that I’d get such response from fellow theatre buffs about the present RCMH Christmas Spectacular which I guess isn’t so ‘spectacular’ anymore. If I ever got the chance to see it though, I’d at least go just to see the beautifully restored hall and those wonderful Rockettes. I always sit and watch them in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade…it’s not the beginning of the holidays for me until I see the ‘old world’ Santa and those Rockettes…then and only then does the turkey get put in the oven! If you’re in NYC, walk by the Christmas windows for me on 5th Avenue. My favorite Christmas movie is White Christmas, but a close second is Miracle on 42nd Street with Natalie Wood. Who played Santa in that movie and Natalie’s parents? Didn’t Maureen O'Hara play her mother?
Vincent: I’m sure we’ve gone back and forth on this same issue on the Nativity but as far as I’m concerned, it can’t be said enough. When I saw the Nativity as a kid, it nearly brought tears to my eyes and I was not a weepy kid. My heart would be pounding…it was truly awe inspiring.
But now? God it’s so pathetic and lame it’s not worthy to be discussed in the same breath with the original.
And as I walked around Rockefeller Center this afternoon and saw the hordes waiting on line for the “show”, I thought about what a scam they are getting into. It made me feel so sad.
If they cut the show by 45 minutes, lowered the prices and returned the old Nativity, people would go bonkers for this thing. There is not a single person that has seen this new version who says they will ever see it again. To them, once is enough. So right now, the RCMH show is playing strictly to people’s memories (like mine) and to people with little kids looking for a holiday distraction. But they’re not going to get any return business. It’s too expensive and totally not worth it.
Ugh. I’m getting into a funk just writing this.
I wrote this to Patsy on the Ziegfeld page but it really belongs here. Sorry for the repetitions but these things can’t be said often enough.
Patsy,
Yes the page on Radio City Music Hall in Cinema Treasure has many posts and I have certainly contributed quite a few as I am crazy about this building(worked there during Robin and Marian) and grieve over the way it has been wasted in recent years.
Leonidoff was the stage show producer who Roxy brought from the his original theater on 7th Av to Rockefeller Center(literally a block away.)
Leonidoff along with greats like Russel Markert and Florence Rogge created the stage shows for which the Music Hall became famous and was responsible for the religious portions of both the Christmas and Easter shows. His Nativity was a Renaissance pagaent stressing color, spectacle, movement and tableau as imagined by a Medici.
Now it has been reimagined by a Walgreens middle manager on a weekend trip to Branson.
Patsy: you had asked on another theater listing about the Christmas “Spectacular”. I took my 8 year old daughter on the day after Thanksgiving. I had VERY fond memories of the Christmas show when I was a kid in the 70’s…very vivid especially of the Nativity.
Well, now the more I’ve thought and thought about it I realize what a complete, absolute RIP OFF the current show is. Just read my posts above to get an idea. To charge $77 and UP for what is basically a hyped up amusement park show is absurd. Yes, the Rockettes were great and they were one of the few things that kept my daughter very interested. But the rest was stupid story padding to up the running time to 90 minutes (to make people feel as though they got their money’s worth). And the biggest disappointment of all was that the Nativity was not the one I remember and gave me goose-pimples as a kid. Again, if you read the posts above, you will see this.
To think that my Mom used to take me and my brother to see this every year in the 70’s and we loved it and it cost next to nothing. And it was absolutely beautiful. And it’s been replaced with this piece of crap. It’s appalling.
The only thankful thing I can say about it is that it keeps RCMH alive and in use. At least when I walk by it now, I remember the Christmas show when I saw it as a kid.
I have a RCMH story to relay. My husband and I were visiting friends on Long Island the year before 9/11 and our friends decided to take us into Manhattan. We toured the World Trade Center on an overcast day (will now always remember our special visit one year before tragedy struck our nation). We later entered the lobby of RCMH. I saw there was a line and figured it was for the Christmas Spectacular which it probably was, but the line was probably also for folks wanting to take the RCMH tour which is available on Sundays (the day we were there)! Our hosts didn’t think to ask for us and so we left. On the way home the next day I was looking through my Fodor book on NYC and read that tours are available at RCMH on Sundays! :–((((
In spite of my preference for Cinerama-type theatres, I still must say the RCMH is my favorite of theatre of all. Can you just imagine that huge curtain coming down on the Gloria Swanson’s final closup in “Sunset Boulevard”?
And, Warren, I wish i could locate this photograph. But at some time during the 40’s or 50’s I saw a theatre marquee – during hot weather – and the signage read “Who Cares? It’s Cool Inside”
Ok, have found the RCMH site and now have it among my favorites…don’t we all! So I will now read what has been written about this wonderful theatre which such history in the Big Apple! Thanks Vincent and others!
I remember waiting on long lines for the Radio City Music Hall in the 50’s. And yes, it was under a dollar before noon for a ticket plus you got a program with the cast of the film as well as the name of the live presentation. I believe on the cover it said “Showplace of the Nation”; I saved most of the programs, but I collect so many things, I’d have to really look hard to find. We saw “Charade”,“The Singing Nun”, “Two For the Road”, “The Band Wagon”, “Funny Face”, “Sayonnara”, “The Teahouse of the August Moon”,“How To Steal A Million”, “Love Me Or Leave Me”, “Jumbo”, “Arabesque”, and several others. They seemed to favor Doris Day and Audrey Hepburn films.
The last time I went to the Music Hall was to see Napoleon, the second time they presented it with the live orchestra led by carmine coppola, it was a wonderful event, and I too am sad that they stopped showing films there. Its crazy. The 1st time I went to the music hall was to see Friendly persuasion, and that theatre left a lasting impression on me. I loved Radio city the most of all the theatres in new york, and saw many many films there in my youth including Les Girls, The Pajama Game, The Days Of wine and roses, North by Northwest, How to Suceed in business, wait until dark, The spirit of st. louis, and many many others. In 1969 I did a “conceptual” art work (Im an artist) on the hall which was a booklet listing all the films that played there, I also reproduced a program and laid in postcards of the hall. I did a very small edition and sent it to artists, critics etc, and I sometimes I check on the internet for it, and see that some dealers are selling it for around 200 bucks. Andrew Sarris loved it and wrote me a nice note, it got me lots of notice. As a teenager I even applied for an usher job there, but think I was too short. I remember going down to the locker room area for an interview and recall the basement was in white tiles. I also did a slide presentation as a work on the hall in the late 60’s and was planning to do an article on the hall for a serious art mag. but never got around to it. I also published a series of stories called 5 stories of the music hall which was published in a magazine put out by the st. marks poetry project. I too wish they would start showing films again.
During some of our earlier posts on presentation at Radio City Music Hall and other theatres on this page, I referred to the Dorchester Cinema in Hull, England.
I have now added the Dorchester to Cinema Treasures. I have an exterior photo before it was demolished which will be submitted once the Add a Photo page is working again. I also hope to have some interior shots sent to me soon and I will make those available to anyone who wants to see them.
this is most beautifull theatre I seen ever I be here two times and enjoy very much
Saw a bit of the original Pink Panther on TCM last night. It hurt to see in letterboxed on a TV screen. It is one of my favorite films with Sellers giving his best Clouseau(not the caricature it became)and doing his slapstick with the incredibly beautiful and funny Capucine. Then there’s Niven, Cardinale, Cortina D'Ampezzo, Mancini sambas, and the gorgeous 60’s color in Technirama.
What this must have looked like on the Music Hall’s screen in ‘64 must have been sensational.
Thank you Blake Edwards. Just wish I could have been there.
Bob Furmanek: why the hell they couldn’t keep it there for a couple of weeks is beyond me. Yes, I think it could’ve/would’ve been sold out for that time. Again, the Music Hall’s handlers probably have no concept of creativity except for making a buck. Pathetic. I can imagine what that movie must’ve looked like in the Music Hall. Awesome.
HenryAldridge: you are 100% correct about Crowther’s review of “Bonnie and Clyde” and taking it in context. This was a man who lived during the time that the real Bonnie and Clyde “did their thing” so to speak so he may have been rightfully appalled that a film would actually celebrate their spree. He was “old” at the time but his review reads like the rantings of an angry grandfather. By the time of that review (1967) the old school of film making was dying and so were his views. I believe he retired not soon after.
The changes in film making that brought us “Bonnie and Clyde” were also effecting and would effect the great screen palaces in New York such as Radio City.
Bosley Crowther had the old-fashioned notion that filmmakers had a duty to make films that showed socially responsible behaviors. He believed that it was not in the best interest of the culture to elevate petty criminals to the status of heroes. However, he consistently championed independent filmmakers and urged that outstanding foreign films be imported. He was instrumental in defending Joseph Burstyn in the Miracle Case that led to first amendment protections for films. Crowther’s review of Bonnie and Clyde should be read both in the context of its times and in the context of Crowther’s beliefs.
I had the pleasure of attending the world premiere of “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” at RCMH this past May. It was so cool to see a movie in that grand showplace again, and every seat was full. When the stars of the film were brought on stage, the cheers and screams were deafening. It’s a shame the film couldn’t have played its regular New York engagement there. I’m sure it would have been a smash!
If the Music Hall could pick and choose what it ran, it would do fine. As an earlier post mentioned, “The Spongebob Movie” would’ve been great there as well as (even better!) “The Incredibles”. What I would’ve given to see that WHOPPER in the Music Hall!!!! The problem is, movies lately are just not that great. Ok..so let’s imagine they book the latest Harry Potter flick (for arguements sake…) or they had run “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy upon each of their sucessive openings (now THOSE suckers would’ve been sold out for WEEKS!!!). What about everything else? My opinion is that the Music Hall should be more of a mixed venue…concerts, shows, and movies. How often (if ever?) is the theater unbooked? I work within view of it’s marquee and I never see nothing showing there even if it’s Yanni in Concert (now there’s a sellout show!).
Imagine if they showed the original three Star Wars films there again? Every single geek within 300 miles would be there in addition to more laid back fans. There’s just no creative management running the place. What a terrific and totally underutilized place it is.
CConnolly asked:
I don’t think it would be difficult to imagine the Music Hall filling up if every now and then they showed worthwhile. And I don’t mean just classic films … But what movies do you think could or would fill up the Hall enough to warrant this?
The Music Hall showed Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” on a weeknight back in the 1990’s as part of a classic film festival. There wasn’t too much advertising for this event, but the word got out anyway. There wasn’t an empty seat in the house. Man, what a thrill that was!
Simon talks about Kirby’s flying ballet. I’ve read that they were also part of a 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea spectacle included in the ‘62 Easter show along with the film Moon Pilot. The entire secular portion of the stage show was produced by Disney and I once had a beautiful color photo of the finale. Did anyone see this?
I once saw the Undersea Ballet with the film Butterflies are Free which certainly fufilled expections though an usher told me it had been scaled down probably from its last appearance with Where Were You when the Lights Went 0ut.
Yup Simon, how well I remember those prices. During the 50s and 60s We went to every new show. New movies would normally open on a Thursday and we would get there before 6 for the matinee price of, as you mentioned, about $.90. Seats wee unreserved so you could sit anywhere you liked. Once inside we would head down to the front row of the orch, to watch the stage show, then rush up to the 3rd mezz for the movie, and sometimes head down to the front row of the 1st mezz to see the stage show again. As to those awfull speakers, I certainly agree they are an eyesore. The smaller ones hanging on the side walls and along the back walls are course for Dolby surround when ever a movie is shown, but I think they over did that, Seems to be an awfull lot of them. But at least they lok a bit better now, after the restoration, when a gold fabric was put on them.
Did they actually use the curtain much during the Christmas show? That beautifull curtain just sems to hang there much of the time these days and never move.
Yes, the Christmas Spectacular is often at the TKTS half-price booth in Times Square; I’m not sure about the South Street Seaport location. Thanks for reminding me…maybe I’ll check it out at half-price, and it’ll be a good opportunity to explore the Hall again. I love going into the upper mezzanines and looking out over the lobby, or sitting in and watching the show from that extreme perspective.
Imagine standing on line for 3 hours to see one of the best Christmas shows ever at the Music Hall and it only lasted 22 minutes. That was when “Sayonara” was the 152 minute feature. The Nativity was only 7 minutes long followed by a 2 minute overture. The Rockettes did their traditonal 6 minute routine as 36 tapping Santas,followed by the 7 minutes Underseas Kingdom finale featuring Kirby’s flying ballet. How about .95 before noon; 1.25 noon to 6pm and 1.50 6pm to closing. 1st Mezzanine reserved seats were 1.80 matinees and 2.40 for all evenings and Saturday and Sunday. Eat your heart out.
CC now you’ve really got me started. The narration in the current Nativity has to be proof positive of the non existence of God. I thought I was reading a poster in a Christian Right church basement. Whoever came up with that should have been buried in the foundation of the Times Square Mariott. And then they follow this with a Walgreen inspired creche! Fortunately when I saw it the midgets in the toy house popping out singing Fa la la la la la put me into such a state of shock that the effect was somewhat mitigated.