Comments from AntonyRoma

Showing 76 - 100 of 236 comments

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Acme Theatre on May 28, 2007 at 6:09 am

Rollo
The 2nd sentence of my first paragraph should read as follows: “My recollection was that it had been totally transformed into a 50s Soprano’s-style catering house.”

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Acme Theatre on May 28, 2007 at 3:54 am

I am amazed that so many of the Acme’s original features are still intact. I went to the Victorian House on a number of occasions, but do not recall seeing anything you’ve mentioned. My recollection was that it had been totally rehabilitated into a 50s Soprano’s-style catering house.

The “Itch” was my co-babysitter for the better part of two summers. Depending on the shows, I went to the Belvedere every other day.

Can anyone confirm that the ticket booth and concession stand were there when it was the Victorian House?

Shalom, caio, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Glory Theatre on May 26, 2007 at 5:24 pm

Apparently the movie house at this address was known as Park Palace longer than Glory Theater. What establishes what name it is listed under?

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Park Theater on May 26, 2007 at 10:31 am

I wonder if a c/o meant the same thing back then as it does today.

The Brooklyn Public Library collectionsuggests the Park Palace was still open in December 1924.

It shows the Park Palace program for 1924-12-01 was D.W. Griffith presents “America” with Carol Dempster; “The Wanderer of the Wasteland” with Jack Holt; “A Dangerous Crowd” with Fred Thomson; “In the Palace of the King” with Blanche Sweet; “Second Youth” with Alfred Lunt; and more.

I’m guessing that its opening program was on 1921 March 14-20 Showing: “My Official Wife” with Irene Rich; “The Duchess of Buffalo” with Constance Talmadge; “Savages of the Sea” with Frank Merrill; “Man of Iron” with Lionel Barrymore; “Carnival Girl” with
Marion Nixon; “Popular Sin” with Florence Vidor; and more.

I wonder what the “and more” in the programs meant??

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 24, 2007 at 4:02 am

EdS, the image opened fine today, with reduced size map and controls to one side, vs map wholly filling pannel yesterday.

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 23, 2007 at 4:20 pm

EdS, Your ‘aerial image’ opened as a google map with the Van Wyck Expy going thru the middle. ????

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 23, 2007 at 4:12 pm

EdS, I would asssume that exterior signage must be consistent with naming designation contained in the Landmark Commission Report. For a theater to be worthy of landmark designation, I would guess the name used would be its name when originally opened.

Michael____ the guy from ?Forest Hills? who is associated with the commission, or researches landmark projects would knoe the specifics

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Teatro Augusteo on May 19, 2007 at 6:58 am

Yes indeed it is the very same, judging by the address and a few things I was able to translate. If I am able to translate it with certainty, I will post it here.

BTW, I find some of these Europeon theaters fascinating. The Odeon is noteworthy for several reasons. According to CT, it is an historical cinema in Vicenza, Italy which opened as a movie theatre on the 18th of May 1907 and since then has never stopped its activity. The building was originally a church, one of the seven oldest in Vicenza dating back to at least the year 1000.

It was deconsecrated in 1809 and then converted into a craftsmen corporation meeting hall in 1858. Nowadays Cinema Odeon is probably the longest continously operating movie theatre in Italy and one of the oldest in Europe.

Sounds like it could have come right out of Dan Brown’s plot in the DaVinci Code.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Teatro Augusteo on May 19, 2007 at 5:58 am

Too bad you didn’t capture some of the charm of the theater. Dont need another Coke ad ;–)

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 18, 2007 at 8:14 am

The name currently on the building is Loew’s Pardise,the same as it was when built. See photo in the Norwich Bulletin article (below the clock and above the sunburst). I have emailed the reporter to ask where she got the name she included in the caption to the photo.

In the NY Times article of October 22,2005, Lieblich stated that one of the keys to making the project profitable, is renting the 30,000 square feet of commercial space that is part of the theater building to a significant retailer. By LM’s premise, continuation of the name ‘Loew’s Paradise’ seems assured.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 18, 2007 at 4:42 am

Warren, thanks. I now see “Utopia’s Paradise” under the ticket column. It appears only in hype by Gentile, one of the principals of Utopia Ltd. They appear to be the promoter’s of shows who are tenants in the builder still owned by the developer, Gerald Lieblich, according to the article posted by Lost Memory. (Big thank you LostMemory, ;–)) First Paradise Theater Corp. is the name of Lieblich’s company. The theater will always be known as the Paradise to Bronxites.

Just this kid from Glendale,
Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 17, 2007 at 11:04 am

“[urlhttp://www.evcforum.net/WebPages/UBBCode.html]This website[/url]” w/o = operator for display purposes

This website

Thanks. works here, now. But I know I used those brackets originally. Shouldn’t it work in email too?

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 17, 2007 at 9:36 am

lostmemory, thanks. The procedure is straightforward. And should be idiotproof. !!!! But I can’t get it to work in these comments or in trial email. groan. I can’t figure out what is wrong. 100 years from now. (url=www.whatever.net)groan(/url). I’ve been usin real urls

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 17, 2007 at 6:51 am

Patrick Crowley, one rarely gets to praise theater highlights these days. May I suggest that you update the description for the Loew’s Paradise to include information contained in the NYC Landmarks Preservation Report of May 2006.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about RKO Madison Theatre on May 17, 2007 at 6:37 am

bushwickbuddy, a good thought. But as in real estate: location, location,location.. In retrospect, I have to correct myself and say I would have had the foresight in the 90s to give the Paradise a thumbs up, in contrast to the Madison. Ridgewood and the Bronx may be similar neighborhoods, but Myrtle Avenue is not the Grand Concourse. And as great as we both think the Madison was, it never was a Loew’s Paradise.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 17, 2007 at 6:14 am

LostMemory, how do you imbed an active URL into descriptive words the way you do?

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 17, 2007 at 6:11 am

Warren, what was the site where you saw several mentions of “UTOPIA"S PARADISE”?

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about Loew's Paradise Theatre on May 17, 2007 at 6:09 am

Lostmemory, thanks for your interest in my query of May 3rd. The Norwich Bulletin’s reference to Gerald Lieblich’s apparent, new tenant wqs the first reliable one between Utopia Studios Ltd/Joseph Gentile. Lieblich is the owner and responsible for the Paradise’s renovation. Gentile falsely claimed those honors recently, and appears to be a high end flim-flam artist. I posed my question on this to learn what, if any, involvement Gentile had in the Paradise’s ownership or renovation.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about RKO Madison Theatre on May 16, 2007 at 6:12 am

Amortization of procurement and renovation costs, together with continuing operating costs could NOT be paid back within a 20 year period as I recall. It was a limited study I did back in ‘85 on my trusty MacSE. I assumed three screens, but don’t recall any other details. I don’t know if I can recover a hard copy of the spreadsheet, summary, and conclusions.

Given the success of the Loew’s Paradise /theaters/900/ and similarity of the neighborhoods, if I were to do a study today, my first option would be to restore the Madison into its former single screen glory.
The analysis would be more complicated because, I’d consider diverse engagements such as concerts, plays, and movies. Somewhat like alley the film guy “envisions” for the Ridgewood,except I’d be serious about putting money behind my mouth.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the passion to pursue it because I don’t believe Ridgewood is a viable neighborhood. But then, I probably would have said the same thing about the Paradise.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about RKO Madison Theatre on May 15, 2007 at 7:40 am

No. Takes too long to load. And actually, mikemovies' open question to you re FastEddie is on this page. It appears that all Fast Eddies posts have been removed???

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about RKO Madison Theatre on May 15, 2007 at 7:34 am

Mae West

Fast Eddie

Better than Coca Cola.

This really belongs on the Ridgewood page.

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about RKO Madison Theatre on May 15, 2007 at 7:17 am

There you go again Warren, attempting to weasle out of a previous statement. Trying to legitimize his earlier use of “freak acts”, by now including acts such as Babe Ruth and Ruth Keller. I contend they would be more accurately called “celebrity acts”. The Cherry Sisters fit the term since they are sometimes referred to as the worst act in vaudeville; yet they were in the business for decades, pulling down $1k a week.

I can accept “freak act” as a legitimate term. I must howver take exception to your statement that you did not intend it to be derogatory. By addressing it to mike and myself and saying that it was the last resort for performers who couldn’t get employment elsewhere, your intent was quite clear.

I must also add that an unintentionally funny plate-spinning act could also be categorized as a “freak act”, ie- anyone acting crazy or silly, rather than a balancing act.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about RKO Madison Theatre on May 15, 2007 at 6:01 am

I doubt Dylan knew Warren. But I suppose a latter day Mr Jones could be Warren.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about RKO Madison Theatre on May 15, 2007 at 5:43 am

Tsk, tsk. Name calling again Warren. I would have expected you to play those gigs as a plate-spinner who was funny because he was so lousy…and when they hooked him off-stage.

You know the type, never cleared more than $1.45 from a perfomance. Fortunately a nickel brought a lot of plates from the 5 and 10; fake plates, like his character, not crystal. Despite his unintentional comic relief, he was never invited to the Ed Sullivan or Johnny Carson shows.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior

AntonyRoma
AntonyRoma commented about RKO Madison Theatre on May 15, 2007 at 3:00 am

Warren originally said that after 1932 “vaudeville was a much lower grade than in the "old days,” and most of the performers worked for about $25 per night or less, depending on their experience. "

I merely stated that $25 was a hell of a lot of money in the 40s and a lot of money in the 40s, compared to what the average guy made.

It was Warren who on May 14th changed the context from old time performers to “performers of merit”. He then became obsesed with defending what he considered to be the poor pay of mostly poor
performers, and he also changed the context to include goups of performers and most importantly performers outside of vaudevlle.

I make a last effort to put the facts in perspective, and he goes tilt.

Shalom, ciao and excelsior