Comments from RobertR

Showing 151 - 175 of 3,339 comments

RobertR
RobertR commented about Nostrand Theatre on Apr 10, 2011 at 8:32 am

The inside pictures look that this could almost have been easily quaded. Century’s did announce the Brook was going to re-open as a quad but it never happened.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Belvedere Theatre on Apr 6, 2011 at 7:24 pm

I wonder if this church ever thought of buying the much larger Ridgewood Theatre?

RobertR
RobertR commented about AMC Fantasy 5 on Apr 6, 2011 at 11:35 am

AMC is letting this fall to crap, the vertical and marquee have so many burned out bulbs.

RobertR
RobertR commented about RKO Keith's Theatre on Mar 28, 2011 at 11:11 am

“The last BP who had any real power was Donald Manes”.

His protégé the equally crooked Claire Shulman sneakily has the 1939 Worlds Fair Amphitheatre torn down saying it was “dangerous”. The building was all brick and would have stood for 1000 more years. There were developers interested in producing shows there but many of the same people who kept shows out of the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium did not want shows done at Flushing Meadows. Ms Schulman is also directly responsible for the condition of the NYS Pavilion next to the Queens Theatre. She has been quoted as saying “we don’t need another museum in MY Park”.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Mar 27, 2011 at 5:34 pm

I think its PATHETIC to edit this Oscar winning film. Doing an alternative DVD version is one thing but for theatres its just greed.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Mar 27, 2011 at 5:18 pm

With the sad passing of screen icon Elizabeth Taylor, its time for the Ziegfeld to show the 70mm print of “Cleopatra” that has been shown a few times on the west coast.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Detroit Theatre on Feb 1, 2011 at 12:32 pm

The 1975 marquee was beautiful but it looks like it was let go to hell by 1982

RobertR
RobertR commented about Embassy 1 Theatre on Jan 31, 2011 at 12:33 pm

Love that marquee

RobertR
RobertR commented about Loew's 72nd Street East on Dec 8, 2010 at 10:59 am

Very sad indeed I always liked seeing movies here.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Nov 30, 2010 at 3:09 pm

They still could have made theatres in the balcony?
Pre-World War II movie theatre in Ridgewood to hawk food over films
BY Nicholas Hirshon
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Friday, November 26th 2010, 4:00 AM

A landmarked Queens movie theater that opened during World War I and became the longest continuously operated theater in the nation will be transformed into an Associated supermarket, the Daily News has learned.

The Ridgewood Theatre – shuttered since 2008 – will turn from film to food next year, changing its use for the first time since the Myrtle Ave. mainstay opened in 1916, sources said.

“Oy!” exclaimed Orlando Lopes of the Theatre Historical Society of America. “A part of history is lost, and that is really terribly sad.”

The movie house earned city landmark status this year, protecting its ornate facade from alterations or demolition. Insiders insist its stage and grand staircase are beyond repair.

Still, the sale raises questions about the site’s future.

Associated can’t change the exterior without city approval, but it can wreck the largely intact lobby and other interior attributes of the two-story venue.

Harry Laufer, president of the Long Island-based chain, estimated the store will open in “maybe six months.” But he said he did not know the renovation plans of franchisee Tony Guzman.

Guzman’s attorney did not return calls seeking comment.

The Ridgewood survived the advent of the TV, VCR and DVD during an epic run that began on Dec. 23, 1916. Designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the 2,000-seat theater initially ran films and vaudeville acts.

The theater was expanded into a five-screen multiplex in 1980. It closed in 2008 amid competition from a new multiplex at the Shops at Atlas Park, a mall in nearby Glendale.

When real estate agent Tony Montalbano bought the theater that year, he said he wanted to run films on its second floor and lease the ground level for stores. He later admitted he was struggling to find a movie operator.

The city designated the Beaux-Arts structure a landmark in January, crediting The News for “crusading” reports that had alerted city officials to the building.

Before reaching a deal with Associated, Montalbano fielded poorly financed pitches for housing, a church, a laundermat and a parking facility, sources said.

Laufer said that Guzman runs other local supermarkets. Associated already boasts three stores in Ridgewood and dozens of others in the city, Long Island, upstate New York and New Jersey.

Read more: View link

RobertR
RobertR commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Nov 30, 2010 at 3:09 pm

They still could have made theatres in the balcony?
Pre-World War II movie theatre in Ridgewood to hawk food over films
BY Nicholas Hirshon
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Friday, November 26th 2010, 4:00 AM

A landmarked Queens movie theater that opened during World War I and became the longest continuously operated theater in the nation will be transformed into an Associated supermarket, the Daily News has learned.

The Ridgewood Theatre – shuttered since 2008 – will turn from film to food next year, changing its use for the first time since the Myrtle Ave. mainstay opened in 1916, sources said.

“Oy!” exclaimed Orlando Lopes of the Theatre Historical Society of America. “A part of history is lost, and that is really terribly sad.”

The movie house earned city landmark status this year, protecting its ornate facade from alterations or demolition. Insiders insist its stage and grand staircase are beyond repair.

Still, the sale raises questions about the site’s future.

Associated can’t change the exterior without city approval, but it can wreck the largely intact lobby and other interior attributes of the two-story venue.

Harry Laufer, president of the Long Island-based chain, estimated the store will open in “maybe six months.” But he said he did not know the renovation plans of franchisee Tony Guzman.

Guzman’s attorney did not return calls seeking comment.

The Ridgewood survived the advent of the TV, VCR and DVD during an epic run that began on Dec. 23, 1916. Designed by renowned architect Thomas Lamb, the 2,000-seat theater initially ran films and vaudeville acts.

The theater was expanded into a five-screen multiplex in 1980. It closed in 2008 amid competition from a new multiplex at the Shops at Atlas Park, a mall in nearby Glendale.

When real estate agent Tony Montalbano bought the theater that year, he said he wanted to run films on its second floor and lease the ground level for stores. He later admitted he was struggling to find a movie operator.

The city designated the Beaux-Arts structure a landmark in January, crediting The News for “crusading” reports that had alerted city officials to the building.

Before reaching a deal with Associated, Montalbano fielded poorly financed pitches for housing, a church, a laundermat and a parking facility, sources said.

Laufer said that Guzman runs other local supermarkets. Associated already boasts three stores in Ridgewood and dozens of others in the city, Long Island, upstate New York and New Jersey.

Read more: View link

RobertR
RobertR commented about Happy Thanksgiving!!! on Nov 25, 2010 at 9:23 am

Same to you :)

RobertR
RobertR commented about Radio City Music Hall on Nov 13, 2010 at 7:37 am

“Caravans” was not the last stage and screen show it was “The Promise”

RobertR
RobertR commented about Work to renovate Westbury Theater begins on Nov 10, 2010 at 3:10 pm

I never believed this would happen, awesome news.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Rockland Drive-In on Oct 31, 2010 at 3:24 pm

Is all the property still empty? Why dosen’t someone reopen this?

RobertR
RobertR commented about Victoria Station Cartoon Cinema on Oct 31, 2010 at 10:58 am

Its amazing this could operate with a film policy as it did until 1981.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Fox Theatre on Sep 10, 2010 at 2:33 pm

I love that incredible CINEMASCOPE sign from 1963. Is there another word in neon on the same sign also that maybe it flashed from one to the other?

RobertR
RobertR commented about Ridgewood Theatre on Aug 30, 2010 at 12:42 pm

I think the American in the Bronx. It was stupid of them to rip the walls apart in the downstairs.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Nokia Theatre, nee Astor Plaza, to be renamed the Best Buy Theatre on Aug 25, 2010 at 1:51 pm

The Best Buy Theatre sounds like a dollar house.

RobertR
RobertR commented about City Theatre on Feb 11, 2010 at 9:53 am

A great shot from 1938
View link

RobertR
RobertR commented about Flushing's crown needs polishing on Feb 10, 2010 at 12:11 pm

Out of all the movie palaces restored or about to be restored (Jersey, Kings, Paradise)the Keith’s is in one of the most populated areas to support concerts. Flushing is more populated then ever.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Kings Theatre on Feb 3, 2010 at 5:58 am

“Islands in the Stream” was the the last film to play under the Loew’s banner. Somewhere among all of these posts I printed some information I found that the theatre was operated independantly for a short time on two different occasions.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Belvedere Theatre on Jan 25, 2010 at 7:25 am

Seems a vintage photo of the Belvedere operating as a theatre has still not turned up.

RobertR
RobertR commented about Ziegfeld Theatre on Jan 22, 2010 at 12:52 pm

Bart
Almost since inception the Ziegfeld has closed for weeks and sometimes months at a time between bookings or for private screenings.

RobertR
RobertR commented about The Space at Westbury on Dec 31, 2009 at 6:37 am

If they want to restore this theatre I would think someone would close up the huge hole in the roof. I drove by today and the snow was blowing in.