Radio City Music Hall

Answer to EdBlank regarding grosses: Yes I have the exact figures of each week of every film from the day RCMH opened. As for Bambi, it’s gross(around $90,000 and $85,000(without consulting the archives)during the two weeks it played actually didn’t warrant a holdover. Perhaps it was the sadness of the story that kept parents from bringing children and also the fact that the Music Hall never had special prices for children. “Snow White…” was another story as it was so unique being the first full-length animated feature from Disney. It ran five weeks, as you know and grossed consistently over $100,000 over the entire run. It probably could have stayed longer, but the Hall was already backlogged with product. As you know, most films were booked for only one week with a possible one week holdover.

“Bambi” at Radio City Music Hall was the American Premiere, not the World Premiere, as the film had premiered in the United Kingdom about a week earlier.

Sixty-nine years ago today, Walt Disney" “Bambi” opened its world premiere engagement at RCMH, with a war-themed “My Diary” as the spectacular stage show. The RKO Technicolor release was Disney’s first aninmated feature to play RCMH since his record-breaking “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” in January, 1938.

Just a little something to amuse Tinseltoes: As an usher during the 7 week run of “North By Northwest”, the staff would make bets on whether all the white lights would go on and twinkle during the “Serenade to the Stars” finale…more often than not two or three strands would fail to light up as the “queen of the night” (or whatever she was) ascended from the stage floor almost to the top of the proscenium,her gown of lights gradually unfolding to an enormous size as she was lifted higher and higher. “NBN” broke the non-holiday opening week gross with $195,000. Previous non-holiday record was “High Society” with $190,000 in 1956.

North by Northwest is known for the flying plane going towards Cary Grant, and Cary Grant climbing Mount Rushmore. Imagine watching it on the big screen at the hall with surround sound.

Seventy-five years ago today, RKO’s “Mary of Scotland,” starring Katharine Hepburn and Frederic March, opened its world premiere engagement at RCMH. Directed by John Ford, the B&W historical epic was scripted by Dudley Nichols and based on Maxwell Anderson’s acclaimed stage play. Russell Markert’s stage revue in five scenes, “Black and White,” featured the entire resident company, with Erno Rapee as conductor of the Symphony Orchestra.

For most of you, this link won’t be news, but I thought I would just share a photo of myself (second left) as an RCMH in 1958 with a short article I wrote to accompany a review of “Zarkana” http://curtainup.com/zarkana.html Enjoy. Also would like to initiate a possible reunion of staff prior to the Music Hall ending its regular stage and film policy. Anyone interested?

Going to the Music Hall tomorrow. I’m excited! Question: Does anyone know why the 50th Street underground connection between the Music Hall and the GE Building is still closed? Seems like it would relieve the surface crowd around the theater and it would be good business for the Rockefeller Center Concourse shops to have this link open? Why is it still closed? Also, why do the patrons enter through the 51st Street entrance, when the theater is meant to be entered from 6th Avenue and 50th Street? It is so much more dramatic to enter through 50th Street. Roxy had it right 79 years ago. Any thoughts?…

The contour curtain is open in the current show. And probably, and rightfully, because it wouldn’t fit into the Zarkana production design… It’s too dramatic and grand. Zarkana is dark and mysterious… And a little creepy, quite frankly.

The Cirque commitment is for three years each summer, with an option for another two. Re: changes to the structure… I would think the landmark status of RCMH would prohibit any permanent change to the proscenium. Regarding the show specifically, I’ve seen it and, well, let’s just say it’s not a spectacular Roxy would have mounted —– more like Alice in Wonderland meets Las Vegas. They’re using the music hall stage for its size, not for it’s technical ability. Mind you all, this is just one man’s opinion.

I’m sure nothing that was done to the Music Hall for the Cirque du Soleil show is permanent. The alterations were probably overseen with a great deal of attention to detail and meticulous planning for eventual restoration, once the contract for “Zarkana” runs its course. When David Letterman took over the Ed Sullivan Theatre for the Late Show, they did extensive modifications to the auditorium and took great care to box-up and store pieces of stained glass and other delicate ornamentation so that the Landmark-protected house could be restored once the production vacates the facility. Consider that Letterman is TRULY a long-term tenant at the Ed Sullivan and how much more significant a structure Radio City Music Hall is – not just for the city but the entire country.

Thanks redt55 It just seems looking at the pictures that the changes to the proscenium were minor and not enough to affect the screen size but I guess looks are deceving. Any idea if Cirque du Soleil will return next summer?

July 19th will mark the 60th anniversary of the opening of one of RCMH’s most popular movies, the MGM Technicolor remake of “Show Boat,” starring Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, and Ava Gardner. Russell Markert’s stage revue, “Summer Medley,” was divided into five parts, and opened with Rossini’s rousing “William Tell Overture” (strains of which are forever identified with “The Lone Ranger”). Universal’s previous B&W version of “Show Boat,” with Irene Dunne, Allan Jones, and Helen Morgan, had also played at RCMH in 1936 with stage show.