Radio City Music Hall
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
116 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1,676 - 1,700 of 3,322 comments
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One more thing, can any of you boys supply photos of the booth, both past and current? Perhaps a link
Gee Rob, your comments about the booth elimination just depressed the heck out of me. Time marches on as they say, nothing last forever. I would certainly not want to see or be a part of the changes in the Hall operation that have been made and are underway. I am happy you were spared that, and have your memories to share with us.
Rob or RCDTJ, Are the preview rooms still operational and are they ever used?
I only do the service work there on the equipment for the Christmas show. I think CTS does the service for any other film showings. Thats just how they do it now. They consider the Christmas show separate from any of the other events, as far as the booth is concerned. As far as being one of the projectionists there for the Christmas show, there are a lot of adjustments to make with the film. Remember, the sound for all the films that we run do not come from our soundheads. The sound comes from tape run from the sound room. We are synced with them through encoder motors on the soundhead. So there is constant changing of the length of leader we use at the beginning of each film. We start the 3-D projectors about 20 seconds before the music starts. We don’t actually hit the screen for another 7-10 minutes.
REndres, you ought to write a book about your experiences at the Hall and in the business in general. It may have a narrow audience, but I think it would be much appreciated by all of us who are interested in such matters!
Vito, When I started at the Hall in 1974 it was a museum of Simplex gear. Rear Projection (sorry to hear that its really gone) had a Simplex Regular on an RCA soundhead with a Hall & Connelly lamp which was a predecessor to the Peerless HyCans in the main booth. Preview A had Simplex Supers, Preview B Simplex E-7’s, and the main booth had the original black case XL’s in 1 & 5 positions, and Simplex 35/70’s in 2, 3 and 4 spots. The original main booth just had four machines, but they knocked out the wall between the booth and the rewind room/Brenograph booth to make room for the #5 machine as we always had three machines in the feature format, another for shorts and trailers and one for use for film effects in the stage show. Leon Leonidoff always wanted more projectors than we had available for use in his stage “spectaculars”. At one point I was pictured in a National Theatre Supply handout pointing out that every model Simplex machine made was in place in the Hall.
I must say, that while I’m not usually sentimental about the past (and indeed am really enthusiastic about the potential for digital cinema) I am sorry to see the booths at the Hall being eliminated. (I used to have nightmares while I was still there about the booths being sacked. I remember some suit from another venue remarking about how the space would make really nice Sky Boxes. Now its happened.) When I was at the Hall there was still a clear line to its past. I’d like to remember it that way. I’m glad I got out when I did.
REndes, Have you stopped any involvemenr with the Hall?
I must say once again, thanks for you conributions to this page.
We have learned so much about what went on behind the scenes, things I always wondered about. The love you have for this theatre is very evident in the way you write about it. Some day when you have the time and inclination, I am sure many of us would live to hear what your typical day was like when the Hall was in the movie/stage show format. Basically,what your duties were from start to finish of your shift. Did you keep a journal?
RCDT, it’s great to have you here picking up where Rob left off.
Aside from the obvious, how does your work day today differ from the one Rob had.
Bob, the rear booth has been bricked up. There is nothing visible from the stage anymore.
Warren, my point was that any kind of film shows at RCMH are pretty much coming to an end there.
Vito, video shows are still in the first mezz. The booth is becomming a very quiet place. Projectors 1,4,and 5 were wrapped up in plastic after last years Christmas show. They werent unwrapped this year and probably will never be again. Projector 1&2 in the booth are 35MM only. It sure looks like they may be the original 2 projectors that were in the booth. The serial numbers on the heads are something like 50 and 51. Projectors 2,3, and 4 are 35/70 Simplex. 2&3 are 7000Watt bulbs. 1,4, and 5 are 4500Watt bulbs.
“McArthur” was at least one “Premiere” at the Hall in the days when I was there. The opening evening featured a contingent from West Point, and the stars including Gregory Peck. Among those attending was Frank Sinatra and his wife. The next day the regular run commenced. I think we also did a premire event for the dreadful “Matilda” just before it started its run. And technically, “The Lion King”, “Black Cauldron” and “Return To Oz” premieres preceded runs, although in the latter cases the house was indeed “four-walled” to Disney.
RCDTJ: Has the rear projection booth been eliminated? There’s a Dave Matthews Radio City concert Blu-Ray DVD that’s being used for demo purposes at the new Best-Buy at Columbus Circle, and with HD on a 65" plasma screen the exposed back wall can clearly be seen. Either they bricked (tiled?) up the opening to rear projection, or they styled the audience side of the fire shutters to match the back wall to make the opening invisible. That booth and the storage space above it was actually a “bubble” on the back wall of the theatre that extended into the A.P. building space which was built around it. (There’s a picture of the back of the theatre before the A.P. building was built and you can see the rear projection booth hanging outside the theatre.) I could see why the A.P. building management might want to eliminate it and reconfigure the space, but on the other hand the theatre has extended into that building in the last overhaul. The use of rear projection has probably been negated by the video wall for scenic use, but I always enjoyed working up there.
RCDT, it sure is a shame. Are projectors 1&5 35mm only, and are they two of the original machines prior to the 70mm instalation?
How are you running Digital these days, I recall at one time a projector had been set up in thr first mezz for some shows.
Reminder everyone,“Wheel Of Fortune” is being broadcasst from RCMH all this week and next. AND they use the curtain.
Yes, up until this year, all 5 projectors were used during the Christmas show. Now, only 2 will be used. That will be for the 70MM 3-D. Projectors 1 and 5 have most likely been used for the last time and will never run again. Projector 3 is the main one used for premieres with projector 4 as a back up. Projectors 2 and 3 are used for the 3-D. Pretty soon though, nothing up there will be used. What a shame.
Exactly. Radio City rarely runs film ANYMORE. Very soon you will not see it at all there.
why not? The Hall has more seats than the Z. The Ziegfeld is the movie theater most people think of when going to New York. Radio City is for everything else.
Well most premieres are held at the Ziegfeld Theatre. Only a few are held at the Radio City.
Unless the movies premiere on video, you’re lucky if one film a year runs here.
the die hard movie was one. As for the strike, there might be fewer movies premiering at the hall come 2009 or later.
Speaking of strikes, the writer’s strike could mean fewer movie premieres at rcmh.
Thanks bill, I thought that might be the case. I would not want another situation like last years musicians strike.
The boys behind the scenes are very hard working and dedicated professionals. I wish all the best for the stagehands.
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vito – radio city has a seperate agreement with local one
only on MSG’s cable outlets, such as Cablevision and Service Electric. Direct TV might have it, and perhaps Dish. Call your cable/satellite operator, or try to find it on youtube soon.
Will this RCHM/MSG show be shown outside of New York metro area?
Greetings To Everybody:
Been traveling around the country with 6 months in Las Vegas, gave up on Florida with the what seems “bi-weekly” hurricanes, but returned to upstate New York last month. Saw the show last night on TV and it was good to see a former co-workers from the front of the house (FBI) and back of the house Violet Holmes. Regards to all.
Jay F Mould
William: Thanks for the “Diamond” schedule. I’ll try to catch it, or have someone record it for me.
The MSG show “Diamond at the Rock” will show again during November.
Mon. 11/05 Arlington Theatrepm
Wed. 11/07 Teatropm
Thur. 11/08 Grauman’s Chinese Theatream
Sun. 11/18 Alex Theatrepm & 11pm
Mon. 11/19 Grauman’s Chinese Theatream & 8am
Tue. 11/27 Regency Bruin Theatrepm & 9pm & 11pm
Wed. 11/28 Arlington Theatrepm