Astyanax, the last I remember of Don Rugoff was that he presided over a stockholders meeting of Cinema V at the office at 595 Madison Avenue (the Fuller Building). I think he passed away in the late 80s.
Re your earlier comment abotu Ilya Lopert. Yes, I believe that he was in the chain of title at some point. I think his daughter Tanya went to school with my sister. I have to ask her about that. Rings a bell.
Certainly the lobby was wood paneled, to the best of my recollection. I remember that the interior walls of the theatre were covered with curtains, gold, I believe. The downstairs wating area was also gold-themed. Sorry I can’t really help much with this. Kids don’t pay that much attention… Maybe someone has some photos????
Jay
I must also mention that if what was playing at the Plaza didn’t interest us, we could always go to the RKO 58th Street where I saw Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Time Machine. What a place that was!
BTW, my parents moved in to their apartment in 1943; my Father is still there! Yes, we do know the Plaza!
My brother, sister and I were raised in the building that is just west of the building that used to be the Plaza Theatre and is now the Tao Restaurant. I was delighted to find this site and hope that readers will be pleased by what I have to offer.
First, to the writer who mentioned Polly, I have quite a vivid recollection of her. She was in vaudeville for many years; I wish that I could remember her stories. Mr. Evans, the long-time manager of our childhoods, confirmed her tales. I remember that in her later years she was especially washed in rouge and ate saltine crackers behind her booth.
We were all quite friendly with Mr. Evans and Robbie, the building’s caretaker and I spent many hours in the building, upstairs and down, during business hours and off-hours. Robbie and Don Rugoff allowed me to store my first bicycle in the alley between the Plaza and my parents' building. I saw Gimme' Shelter in the theatre probably three times. Once from the projection booth and twice in the audience.
Another writer explained the relationship between the Plaza and the Vanderbuilt family’s mansion on 5th Avenue. The writer is quite correct. I spent hours in the basement (beyond the public waiting area) looking at what was left of he stables. There was a lot of plumbing but the archways were absolutely there, clear as day. Do you remember the steps going downstairs? They were built on what used to be the ramp going down to the stalls!
BTW, the short buildings that go from the Plaza to the corner of Madison Avenue used to be separate brownstones that were built in the civil war era. They were combined into a “horizontal multiple dwelling” in the 30s. The corner building, the one that is on the SW corner of 58th and Madison, was the first of these to be built and housed the Vanderbilt’s stablemen!
Mr. Evans was succeeded by Mr. Marks, a tall gentleman who walked with a limp and later worked at other theatres. We lost contact years ago.
The Plaza Theatre was an extraordinary place. We all have many happy memories of it.
By the way, Neil (Doc) Simon was one of the owners of the Theatre property.
Astyanax, the last I remember of Don Rugoff was that he presided over a stockholders meeting of Cinema V at the office at 595 Madison Avenue (the Fuller Building). I think he passed away in the late 80s.
Re your earlier comment abotu Ilya Lopert. Yes, I believe that he was in the chain of title at some point. I think his daughter Tanya went to school with my sister. I have to ask her about that. Rings a bell.
Did you live in the neighborhood?
Certainly the lobby was wood paneled, to the best of my recollection. I remember that the interior walls of the theatre were covered with curtains, gold, I believe. The downstairs wating area was also gold-themed. Sorry I can’t really help much with this. Kids don’t pay that much attention… Maybe someone has some photos????
Jay
None of the original decor survived.
Sorry, that should be “Vanderbilt.”
I must also mention that if what was playing at the Plaza didn’t interest us, we could always go to the RKO 58th Street where I saw Journey to the Center of the Earth and The Time Machine. What a place that was!
BTW, my parents moved in to their apartment in 1943; my Father is still there! Yes, we do know the Plaza!
My brother, sister and I were raised in the building that is just west of the building that used to be the Plaza Theatre and is now the Tao Restaurant. I was delighted to find this site and hope that readers will be pleased by what I have to offer.
First, to the writer who mentioned Polly, I have quite a vivid recollection of her. She was in vaudeville for many years; I wish that I could remember her stories. Mr. Evans, the long-time manager of our childhoods, confirmed her tales. I remember that in her later years she was especially washed in rouge and ate saltine crackers behind her booth.
We were all quite friendly with Mr. Evans and Robbie, the building’s caretaker and I spent many hours in the building, upstairs and down, during business hours and off-hours. Robbie and Don Rugoff allowed me to store my first bicycle in the alley between the Plaza and my parents' building. I saw Gimme' Shelter in the theatre probably three times. Once from the projection booth and twice in the audience.
Another writer explained the relationship between the Plaza and the Vanderbuilt family’s mansion on 5th Avenue. The writer is quite correct. I spent hours in the basement (beyond the public waiting area) looking at what was left of he stables. There was a lot of plumbing but the archways were absolutely there, clear as day. Do you remember the steps going downstairs? They were built on what used to be the ramp going down to the stalls!
BTW, the short buildings that go from the Plaza to the corner of Madison Avenue used to be separate brownstones that were built in the civil war era. They were combined into a “horizontal multiple dwelling” in the 30s. The corner building, the one that is on the SW corner of 58th and Madison, was the first of these to be built and housed the Vanderbilt’s stablemen!
Mr. Evans was succeeded by Mr. Marks, a tall gentleman who walked with a limp and later worked at other theatres. We lost contact years ago.
The Plaza Theatre was an extraordinary place. We all have many happy memories of it.
By the way, Neil (Doc) Simon was one of the owners of the Theatre property.