Capitol Theatre

I was lucky enough to see 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY here in June 1968. I've never forgotten the movie, or the theater. New York sure could use another one like it right now.

The Capitol was managed by Samuel"Roxy" Rothafel before he built his own Roxy. MgM opened many of its pictures here.

I saw Planet of the Apes and 2001 here...An awesome multi aisle theatre the likes of which we will never see again

I was in this theatre first time in 1962 after they remodeled for 3 projector Cinerama. The original theatre had 5 sections of seats even in the balcony. They hung curtains blocking off the outer 2 sections leaving the middle 3 sections. They also draped off the rear third of the balcony. You could stand on the railing in the balcony, lift the curtain, and see the original theatre intact. They created an temporary huge theatre inside even a bigger one. This must have been a beautiful house.

The Capitol Theatre opened on October 24, 1919, on Broadway in New York City. The central feature of the Capitols expansive lobby was a white marble staircase. Designed by Thomas Lamb, the lush auditorium seated 5,300. Crystal chandeliers, walnut paneling and elaborated gold ceilings created the illusion that this was indeed a palace. The Capitol was demolished in 1967.

Here is a link to a photograph of the Capitol dated 1962 showing the auditorium from the screen.

The Capitol was one of the most important theatres in the entire history of movie palaces. When the 5,300-seat theatre first opened in 1919, it was the largest in the USA and probably the world, remaining so until the 1927 debut of NYC's Roxy, which exceded it by only 700 seats. Designed by Thomas Lamb in a blend of Adam and Empire styles, the Capitol was far less flamboyant than the palaces that started rising in the mid-1920s, but made up for it in elegance. Among its most striking features were a glorious white marble staircase that connected the mahogany-paneled lobby to the mezzanine and 16 dazzling rock-crystal chandeliers that were salvaged from the legendary Sherry's Fifth Avenue restaurant before its demolition. With Major Edward Bowes as its managing director and Samuel "Roxy" Rothapfel as producer of the stage shows, the Capitol set standards for all the big "presentation" houses that followed. Although "Roxy" eventually quit to build his own theatre only a block away, the Capitol continued to thrive, thanks partially to its affiliation with Loew's, Inc., which gained control in 1924 when it acquired Goldwyn Pictures and the latter's financial interest in the theatre. The Capitol showed MGM movies almost exclusively, but the supporting stage shows continued until 1935, when, as an economy measure, the Loew's theatre division dropped them from all of its New York houses except the State (Broadway & 45th Street), which had always presented traditional vaudeville with a second-run movie. During this period, the Capitol's seating capacity was reduced to about 4,400 by draping off portions of the upper balcony (which could easily be re-opened if needed). Due to the WWII boom in theatre attendance, the Capitol resumed stage shows in 1943, this time hiring the biggest "name" entertainers in order to compete with similar presentations at the Roxy, Paramount, and Strand, not to mention the vaudeville at Loew's State and the in-house extravaganzas at Radio City Music Hall. In 1946, however, theatre attendance suffered a post-war leveling-off, and Loew's decided to make the Capitol its only theatre with stage shows. The smaller State, with 3,300 seats, switched to movies only. The Capitol continued with stage shows until 1952, when their popularity expired due to similar fare that could be seen for free on television. The Capitol struggled on with movies only, and for the first time became known as Loew's Capitol as Loew's Theatres, now separated by federal anti-trust decree from MGM Studios, tried to establish its own identity. Although the Capitol could no longer book MGM movies without bidding for them against other theatres, in 1962 its vast stage space was MGM's own choice for the presentation of its two Cinerama movies, "Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm" and "How the West Was Won." For those engagements, the Capitol became Loew's Cinerama, and the name remained for several more wide-screen movies in other systems before it was declared consumer fraud and reverted to Loew's Capitol. Unlike Loew's State, the Capitol was never multiplexed because Loew's thought the theatre had a future as a wide-screen, reserved-seat venue. But that proved difficult as fewer such movies were made and New York City exhibition shifted to "Premiere Showcase" whereby the new movies no longer opened exclusively on Broadway. In its final years, the huge Capitol was sometimes running the same movie as a 400-seater on the East Side. It was a sad and demeaning end to a great theatre.

But the Loew's State and Warner Cinerama were twinned in '68(the year the Capitol was closed) and were still used as road show houses. Also from what I gather that despite the twinning the screen sizes remained the same(Vincent Canby mentions it in is review of Oliver.) I was in the State 1 after it was twinned and found the size of the screen disappointing in relation to the house. The Warner Cinerama orchestra however was still an excellent 70mm house and it is sorely missed as NY does not have a single theater like it today. The Capitol is one theater I wish I could have seen. Pictures of its original untouched auditorium seem to be as rare as hens teeth.Though the Loew's State 2 entrance had a partial color photo of it and that image fragment was very beautiful. They also had a large marble planter or pedestal that had been saved.

Marquee, a quarterly magazine published by Theatre Historical Society of America, has published quite a few photos of the Capitol Theatre in recent years. You can probably order copies of those issues by contacting them through the THS website at www.historictheatres.org

Thank you Warren for your advice, I will check their archives. The really difficult thing is getting color photos of these theaters. As I said the color photo of the Capitol was pretty amazing. And the one of the Bronx Paradise in Time-Life's This Fabulous Century is not to be missed. Does anyone know of color photos of the interiors of the Capitol, Paramount, Roxy, SF Fox, Grauman's Million Dollar or Chi Paradise? One can recreate an architectural effect in the theaters that remain but how do you match the color and lighting of masters long dead who did not pass on their art? And this was an enormous part of their impact.

The following is forwarded to this website from a long time friend, SDH, formerly managing director of the Chicago Theater, q.v.

My one visit to the Loew's Capitol was in the early 1960's. It was located almost next door to the Warner Brothers Hollywood, which was almost next door to the Mark Strand. Loew's had converted the Capitol to Cinerama and it was completely draped. I understand, though, that the original decor was still there behind the curtains. I remember it had one of those Loew's new-style New York marquee: Stainless steel and shadow letters with the theatre name (Just like the Loew's State two blocks down Broadway). Those new Times Square marquees had no changeable letter boards on them because every one of those theatres had immense electric false fronts from Artcraft-Strauss. The orchestra seats under the balcony had been removed (you couldn't see Cinerama from under thebalcony), and a Japanese Garden was built at the back of the floor, a ridiculous sight indeed. Since the balcony was the best place to sit, they had put escalators in the center of the famous marble stairs. That was the only theatre I ever saw with escalators except for the Ellis Auditorium in Memphis. Now, of course, all these new downtown Loew's multiplexes have escalators galore: What better place to put a theatre auditorium than in the windowless center of a building?
I have seen pictures of the Capitol interior before Cinerama and it was Loew-Lamb Adam style. Very stately, very simple ornament.

The organ was an Estey which originally had the lighted cash register stop controls. It is an apocryphal story that G. D. Harrison, who was servicing the organ in the days before he reached the pinnacle of Aeolian-Skinner) set every piston to spell out dirty words which were clearly visible from the balcony. Later on, Loew's did spring for a beautiful standard horseshoe console, but the organ was still an Estey which had a very bland residence-organ character with nothing really theatrical about it. It didn't sound very good I'm told, but did any Estey ever sound very good? Very bland, and nothing which could possibly offend!

You know, of course, that Roxy was at the Capitol before the Roxy Theatre was built, in the capacity of grand high poobah of ridiculous stage shows, describing the stage show over WOR, the Loew's-owned radio station in Secaucus. Major Bowes replaced him, very pleased to have Roxy out. Bowes, after the stage show era was gone, was the host of "Major Bowes' Amateur Hour" on CBS. This show was the direct predecessor of the "Ted Mack Amateur Hour."

Major Bowes was there from the Capitol's opening in 1919, with "Roxy" brought in several years later to change the style of stage presentations, which had grown stale. Bowes continued to run the theatre, however, and when "Roxy" left to build his own cathedral, Bowes resumed full control until he finally left when the Capitol dropped stage shows in 1935...The Loew's-owned radio station was WHN, later changed to WMGM. WOR was a Mutual-owned station.

I vaguely remember seeing the stage shows at the beautiful Capitol when I was a very young. The last time I went there was to see "2001." Among my theatre collection is the 1919(ca.)Brunswick recording of The Capitol Grand Orchestra, Erno Rapee conducting. (First conductor of the theatre's orchestra) There are some excellent pictures of the Capital in Ben M. Hall's great book about the movie palaces, "The Best Remaining Seats."

The Capitol closed after the Roadshow engagement of 2001: A Space Odyssey in the fall/winter of 1968. "Planet Of The Apes" was the Easter attraction of 1968 on an exclusive run prior to its' first showcase run. It could have played an eastside house as well. The building didn't close in 1967 as stated above.

I am not a New York City resident. However, I had been in the Capitol Theatre twice in visits to the "Big Apple." My last time was to see "2001". What a marvelous theatre. Its demolition was a loss to NYC. I would have enjoyed seeing the theatre as it was originally designed. Years later, sitting in the nondescript, boring, and plain Gershwin Broadway Theatre I realized that is close to where the Capitol was located. Whatever developer, architect, designer came up with the idea to replace the Capitol with the Gershwin should have their license revoked!

2001 was the Easter attraction in '68 at the Capitol and moved later to the Warner Cinerama when the Capitol was to be torn down.
Unfortunately this was the only time 2001 was presented in New York in Cinerama. All of us who didn't get to see it then have never seen it in its original presentation. So when exactly did Planet play at the Capitol?

I saw "2001" for the first time at Loew's Capitol on June 1, 1968. I saw it a second time at the Warner Cinerama on Oct. 4, 1968. When the Warner closed on Feb. 8, 1987, New York City no longer had a theatre capable of Cinerama projection.

"Planet of the Apes" played the Capitol and the 72nd St. Playhouse at the same time starting in early February 1968. I can't remember the exact date, though. The next movie to play the Capitol was "2001". It was shown to the New York critics (who mostly tore it apart) on April 1st, and it opened to the public on April 3rd. I remember reading the **1/2 star review in the New York Daily News on the day Martin Luther King was assassinated, 4/4/68.

This was the lowest rating I believe ever given by the Daily News to a roadshow film which very often gave them four stars(Wanda Hale knew which side her bread was buttered on.)
Just the fact that Planet played also on the East Side first run was bad news for Times Square.

Regarding the above erroneous legend of the photo. I saw 2001 in 70mm twice on the Rivoli's curved screen in '76 and then a few years later. One of the three best cinema experiences(combining film and theater) of my life. The two others:My Fair Lady at the Criterion and Singing in the Rain at the Music Hall.

The review of "2001" was my most anticipated review ever. I was sure it would be the first sci-fi film since "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" in 1962 to get four stars. Imagine how I felt when I saw the **1/2 under the headline "Kubrick Space Film is Way Out", over a dismissive review that occupied less than one column of a page in the paper. I think this was the first time I realized that it doesn't matter what a critic says about a movie - it's my own opinion that really counted (I was 13). I knew the movie was going to be great, and when I finally saw it ... hey, it's 36 years later and we're still talking about it!

Vincent: It was Kathleen Carroll who panned "2001" in the Daily News. But even she felt, maybe subsconsciously, that it was something special. Her review began like this: ""2001" is not a movie. It's an experience." Wanda Hale actually liked it. She called it a "grand spectacle" in her yearly wrap-up column in the World Almanac.

Sorry Wanda. So why didn't she review it ? I thought she was the first string critic at the time. Or did they both share the post?

I can remember Kate Cameron being the first string critic in the '60's. She always gave four stars to all the big roadshow pictures. I believe Wanda Hale was second string, followed by Kathleen Carroll who did become head critic at the paper in the '70's. Maybe she was assigned to "2001" because she was the youngest? Most of its audience turned out to be younger people (my dad was 39 at the time and he hated it).

It was interesting that it turned out to be a surprise hit with the young as I assume the road show audience was an older one and in'68 when the middle-aged were going to see Funny Girl and Oliver on hardticket the young were going to Graduate and Rosemary's Baby.
Now it seems the young into reserved seating. But I guess year long runs are a thing of the past.

Its ironic that the Capitol showed its last film 2001 which was an MGM release in 1968. MGM which was controlled by Loews until 1959. With the destruction of the Capitol MGM also was never the same. 1968 was the last year MGM showed a profit on its movies as a major film studio. MGM went into a severe decline after this and has never recovered. MGM was purchased 3 times by KIRK Kerkorian starting in 1969. Under Kerkorian Hollywood's greatest studio was reduced from a roar to a meow. Kerkorian has again placed MGM for sale but its a shadow of its former self. Its big asset is its huge film library of 4000 films which are mostly non MGM films. The real MGM is owned by Time Warner which owns all MGM films prior to 1986. Loews is also for sale. The destruction of the Capitol marked an end of an era the likes of which we will never see again.brucec

Brucec:
Loews Cineplex Entertainment is owned by Onex Corp. (Toronto). They may sell all or part of this theatre chain. Onex acquired the Galaxy Theatre chain in Canada in 2003, created Cineplex Galaxy LP in early 2004, and also operates Cineplex Odeon theatres.
Sony has expressed interest in MGM. They currently own the former MGM lot, from which Columbia/TriStar Pictures also operates. The union would join MGM's corporate offices to its fomer movie lot in Culver City. 30 years after its destruction, a modified version of MGM studios would come back to life. (The rubby slippers, backlot and Edith Head are all long gone)

Edward:
Although Edith Head designed the costumes for a couple of MGM films right at the end of both their careers she was not head designer at Metro but Paramount. That prize postion belonged over the years to Adrian,Irene,Helen Rose and finally Walter Plunkett who remained salaried but not working until Kerkorian closed the production wardrobe.

The old MGM lot(Sony) also has a spacious and well equipped theaterette for the employees just inside the studio gates.....

I saw How The West Was Won at this theatre. It was a great theatre. If you went to the top of the theatre and pulled the curtain you could see rows of the original seats still in place. Lobby was spectacular. If there was one NY theatre they could have kept it should have been this one. I never got to the Roxy so I can not compare them.

I believe "Dr Zhivago" also played the Capitol another MGM release. "Dr Zhivago" also was MGM'S biggest box-office hit 2nd only to "Gone With The Wind". MGM big three were "Gone With The Wind","DR Zhivago" and "Ben Hur" in terms of Box Office. The Capitol was the flagship of Loews-MGM which controlled more talent than any studio in the history of motion pictures. I never had the pleasure of ever being in the Capitol but I did tour the MGM studio lot in 1967 when the lot was still intact. Lot 1 was where all the sound stages were, Lot 2 was across the street with all its backlot sets like the Andy Hardy Street, The New York Street,Esther Williams outdoor swimming pool,Meet Me in St Louis Street and Lot 3 which was down the street and contained jungle sets, western towns and WW11 European Street Sets. MGM had the best backlot in Hollywood and I have seen them all. If Sony purchased MGM it will be reunited with its historic Studio which consists only of Lot 1. IF Time Warner purchases MGM the studio will be reunited with its motion picture past. Time Warner owns the vast MGM pre 1986 film library. Its ironic because Sony wanted to purchase MGM back in the 1980's and instead purchased Columbia Pictures.Many in the film industry will never forgive Kerkorian for detroying Hollywood's greatest film studio.At least the Capitol died a grand lady showing MGM"s "2001:A Space Odyssey" an exclusive run reserved seat attraction.MGM the studio has been reduced from a roar to a meow and will never be the same.brucec

Thank you brucec for expressing it all so well.

The Capital Theatre was to come alive with one more stage show, a benefit all-star performance, on it's last night and then quietly close. "2001: A Space Odyssey" would journey over to a new home at the Warner Cinerama. Around that time the Forum had a move-over of the "The Odd Couple", which had played a number of weeks at the Music Hall. The New Embassy was playing "Targets". The Rivoli Theatre had "Gone With The Wind" in 70MM. During the Fall season on Broadway, "Funny Girl" in 70MM was at the Criterion, "Star!" opened in 70MM at the Rivoli, "Finian's Rainbow" was at the Penthouse in 70MM. "Oliver!" opened in 70MM at the newly reopened Loew's State 1 and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" was at the Loew's State 2 in 70MM. Each of them will be playing within a maximum of six blocks of each other. Boy, was that a Great Time to be in Times Square.

Thanks, William, for that brilliant vision back to the glory days of movies in Times Square. I was only 13 at the time and got to attend only one of those engagements, "2001". If only I was the age I am now back in 1968 - I would've went to see 'em all.

I remember walking through Times Square with my parents in December at the time William describes being blown away by all the colorful marquees and signs(the Criterion had a couple of Funny Girl logos spinning aroung on the marquee.) There was a huge block long sign for Star above the Astor and Victoria. How I wanted to go into every theater!
However my parents went to get advance tickets for Promises Promises at the Shubert and I remember looking into the deep chasm where the Astor Plaza was about go up. Little did I know that what had been there was the great Astor Hotel and this was New York's first step in the destruction of its greatest neighborhood.

I was in the Capitol during my first visit to NYC in 1962. Sadly it had been 'Cineramarised', and the original architecture covered up. I didn't realize till years later that the auditorium of our Regent Theatre Melbourne was a copy of the Capitol! I have lived with the Regent for most of my life, helping to save it from demolition. When I can get a photo put up, you will see 'the Capitol'! Only difference, after the 1945 fire, the proscenium was squared off. I am always happy to correspond with anybody re this theatre and more info or additional photos.

I was in the Capitol during my first visit to NYC in 1962. Sadly it had been 'Cineramarised', and the original architecture covered up. I didn't realize till years later that the auditorium of our Regent Theatre Melbourne was a copy of the Capitol! I have lived with the Regent for most of my life, helping to save it from demolition. When I can get a photo put up, you will see 'the Capitol'! Only difference, after the 1945 fire, the proscenium was squared off. I am always happy to correspond with anybody re this theatre and more info or additional photos.

I was in the Capitol during my first visit to NYC in 1962. Sadly it had been 'Cineramarised', and the original architecture covered up. I didn't realize till years later that the auditorium of our Regent Theatre Melbourne was a copy of the Capitol! I have lived with the Regent for most of my life, helping to save it from demolition. When I can get a photo put up, you will see 'the Capitol'! Only difference, after the 1945 fire, the proscenium was squared off. I am always happy to correspond with anybody re this theatre and more info or additional photos.

I was in the Capitol during my first visit to NYC in 1962. Sadly it had been 'Cineramarised', and the original architecture covered up. I didn't realize till years later that the auditorium of our Regent Theatre Melbourne was a copy of the Capitol! I have lived with the Regent for most of my life, helping to save it from demolition. When I can get a photo put up, you will see 'the Capitol'! Only difference, after the 1945 fire, the proscenium was squared off. I am always happy to correspond with anybody re this theatre and more info or additional photos.

36 years ago today at this very minute (1:30 PM show) I was about to experience the ultimate trip, "2001: A Space Odyssey" on the Capitol's incredible Cinerama screen. Just wanted to commemmorate the life-changing event.

LOEW'S CAPITOL CINERAMA [1968]
BROADWAY AT 54TH ST
NEW YORK, NY
70mm 6-Channel Stereo [December 1959]
Solomon and Sheba [1959]
Cinerama 7-Channel Stereo [August 1962]
The Wonderful World of The Brothers Grimm [1962]
How The West Was Won [1963]
The Best of Cinerama [1963]
Windjammer (Cinerama) [1964]
Cinerama [70mm] 6-Channel Stereo [June 1964]
Circus World [1964]
Cheyenne Autumn [1964] [Exhibited in 70mm Cinerama process]
Doctor Zhivago [1965]
The Hallelujah Trail [1965]
2001 a space odyssey [1968]

I worked as an usher at the Capitol in 1946. I remember being posted many times to stand at the base of the beautiful white marble staircase during the shows. While I was there they always played one movie and a stage show. For example, "The Postman Always Rings Twice" was paired with Guy Lombardo and his orchestra on stage, and "Two Sisters from Boston" ran along with The Ritz Brothers on stage. A special experience occured while "Two Sisters from Boston", which had Jimmy Durante in its cast, was playing. Loews Inc. gave a party in a local night club to honor Jimmy Durante on his 20th Anniversay in show business. They asked several of us from the Capitol if we would work the party. I was assigned the front door to identify guests and keep out gate crashers. The guests included many of the greats of show business of that time. I visited Times Square a couple of weeks ago. It didn't seem the same without that sign down the street reading "Capitol" which is so visible in the Times Square scenes of many old movies.

What was the very **first** movie palace? It turns out that it was the famous CAPITOL of New York City in 1919, and this is the story of how that was determined. Was the AL RINGLING theatre of the 8,000-resident Baraboo, Wis. in 1915 the very **first** movie palace? That was the question asked of the "History Detectives" TV show in the autumn of 2003, but an earlier TV program led one to believe that The NEW AMSTERDAM theatre of New York city of 1903 was the first. In the VHS video "America's Castles: Movie Palaces" produced in the year 2000, detailed at Amazon.com: ( http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767015363/qid%3D1088697989/sr%3D11-1/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F1/002-8565079-4721607 ), several theatres are shown as examples of the American movie palace, and the impression is given that it was the NEW AMSTERDAM of 1903 that was the first. Contrary to this idea (which suited the photographic aims of the producers of this originally cable-TV program), the idea of what was the very first Movie Palace will depend upon just how one defines that phenomenon. When the producers of the 2003 PBS TV series "History Detectives" (viewable as a PDF file at: http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/case/midwest.html ) were asked if the AL RINGLING THEATRE in Baraboo, Wis. was the very first movie palace, they turned to the nationally recognized authority on the subject for the answer: The Theatre Historical Soc. of America ( www.HistoricTheatres.org ) and asked their Ex. Dir. what the Society's standard was. Ex. Dir. Richard Sklenar replied that for a theatre to have been a movie palace it had to have been (1) built as a movie theatre, (2) have a workable stage, and (3) have more than 1,000 seats. By that composite standard neither the NEW AMSTERDAM nor the AL RINGLING ( http://www.alringling.com/ )qualify, and they determined that the CAPITOL THEATRE of New York City in 1919 was the first. Therefore, while the NEW AMSTERDAM did show movies for part of its life, it could not be called a "movie palace" by the usual and customary definition of the term since it was NOT built to show movies, even if it is shown in a commercially produced video on the subject. Since the RINGLING'S seating is only 800, that would disqualify it on that basis alone, but its palatial decor was not lost on the Balaban&Katz theatre chain of Chicago when they were invited to see the RINGLING and were inspired by it to the extent of hiring its architects, Rapp&Rapp of Chicago, to do their forthcoming movie palaces, starting with the CHICAGO in 1921, followed by a great many others throughout the nation, but Thomas Lamb's CAPITOL takes 'first' place.

The Capitol was not the "first" purpose-built movie palace. In New York City, it was preceded by the Regent, Strand, Rialto, and Rivoli. And let's not forget Loew's Metropolitan in downtown Brooklyn, which was larger than the Regent, Strand, Rialto and Rivoli, and also a prototype of the Captitol. I can't speak for the rest of the USA. The "first" could well have been elsewhere than in NYC. But the Capitol was definitely "not" the first movie palace. I'm shocked that Theatre Historical Society of America, of which I'm a member, claims that. They have not done their research!

Here are a few more films that have played the Capitol over the years.I have the New York Times movie Adds for the following films.
Aug 1934 Treasure Island
Dec 1935 A Night at the Opera
Jan 1937 Camille
Aug 1939 The Wizard of Oz
Oct 1940 The Great Dictator
Jul 1947 The Hucksters
Feb 1952 The African Queen
Aug 1953 From Here To Eternity
Jun 1954 The Caine Mutiny
Feb 1961 The Misfits
Mar 1962 Sweet Bird of Youth
Aug 1967 In The Heat of the Night
Feb 1968 The Planet of the Apes
Apr 1968 2001: A Space Odyssey
The Capitol was one of the most important movie palaces in the United States. It was the flagship theatre of Metro-Goldywn-Mayer which was considered the Tiffany's of the movie studios during this period of time.brucec

I left out the most famous film from the New York Times movie adds to play the Capitol,1939's "Gone With The Wind" which opened on
Tuesday December 19th at 8:30PM. The Astor Theatre also opened with "Gone With The Wind" with reserved seats but the Capitol no reserved seats. The Add also states "Gone With The Wind" will not be shown except at advanced prices at least until 1941.brucec

The ad for From Here to Eternity blows me away the doors opened at 7am and the first show was at 730 to accomidate the overflow crowds. Those were truely ther glory days.

The abbreviation for advertisement is "ad," not "add." And the plural is "ads," not "adds." I've seen this mistake so often that I don't think it can be blamed on a typing error.

MGM later paired the Capitol and Astor for "Quo Vadis" with the same policy, continuous at the Capitol and reserved seats at the Astor...In its original booking in 1939-40, "Gone With the Wind" ran for 12 weeks at the Capitol, and grossed a total of $780,000. It was shown three times a day, at 75 cents per seat for the first two shows and $1.10 at night (loges slightly higher). The biggest single week was the second, which included the Christmas-New Year's period and grossed $85,000. The Astor gave only two reserved-seat performances per day and consistently sold out at $23,000 per week. The Astor reserved-seat run continued for about two months after GWTW closed at the Astor and even when the movie moved into the Loew's "nabes." On February 1, 1940, GWTW opened in downtown Brooklyn at Loew's Metropolitan, playing simultaneously with the Capitol and Astor and at the same 75 cents-$1.10 price scale as the Capitol. The Capitol run ended March 6, 1940, but Loew's Met continued until March 21st, when GWTW moved exclusively to Loew's Paradise in the Bronx and Loew's Valencia in Queens, then gradually to the other Loew's houses in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. All of these bookings were at the same "continuous" three shows per day and the 75 cents-$1.10 price scale.

The Capitol was the lead theatre in one of the NYC area's first major saturation releases, which took place in 1947 when David O. Selznick's "Duel in the Sun" opened simultaneously at the Capitol and 38 Loew's neighborhood theatres. This was done partly to justify a huge advertising campaign, and partly in anticipation of unfavorable press reviews and word-of-mouth. The movie did huge business, and continued at the Capitol exclusively for several weeks after the Loew's circuit run ended.

I too saw 2001 here, as a nose picker of 9 years old (am now a nose picker of 46!) Scared the bejesus out of me when the apes smashed to bones and that spooky singing whenever the obeslisk appeared.

Funny thing is that I clearly recall the embyro sort of smirking and perhaps even giving short wave at the very end but have never seen this since (the original viewing). Could this perhaps have been deleted from the original 158 minute version? If so, then I guess I was lucky enough to have seen this! Didn't this theater have a large (wide) escalator too? Thanks.

For about 30 photos of the Capitol go to
http://memory.loc.gov
enter capitol theater in the search site for lots of cinerama screen photos etc

peter...great site. Are there any other theater pics on this site?

Those photos of the Capitol are awesome and heartbreaking. It is especially interesting to see the before/after pictures of the proscenium when it was shrouded in drapery. Was this done for aesthetic reasons (the whole 'modern' look that Loew's seemed to push in the late fifties) or for acoustical reasons? Or both? I notice the Loew's State photos show great alterations and similar drapery. And yet, even when these ornate auditoriums were draped and modernized, they remained impressive spaces. It is truly a shame that not one of these old NY houses was saved.

The sad fact is that the drapery treatment (which happened in various forms to many movie palaces) was due to the advent of wide screen projection. The new super wide screens could usually not be contained behind the proscenium, so they usually hacked away the sides of the proscenium arch and sometimes the organ screens too, and then draped over the damage since they were too cheap to redesign the plaster ornament to accommodate the new 'look.' Usually, the draperies added nothing to the acoustics or the decor. At least in the CAPITOL they used more expensive and decorative contour draperies for both the screen and to divide the balcony when they were not expecting a full house -- something rare after TV and the arrival of shopping center cinemas. Note how the drapery was not extended all the way across the ceiling else it would have blocked the projector's throw from the booth ports seen in the back wall. The fourth comment from the top describes the situation for the CAPITOL. Who would have thought that after all that expense for the screens/cinerama/escalator/new draperies (which were no doubt motorized and quite costly!), that in only six years they would toss it all when the place was demolished?!

As it seems many saw 2001at the Capital...I saw it a week after the grand opening but don't remember if it was the print before the editing and new titles where inserted.
THe theatre as remembered was immense and even though the cinerama was faux the film was wonderful......

In 1965, United Artists held the largest outdoor barbecue ever held on Broadway in connection with the 24 hour world premiere of "The Halleljah Trail".

Those photos are breathtaking. This is the first I've seen of the Capitol's interior. Wow! And it kills me to know that I was alive when the theater closed (though still a youngster living in the suburbs.) Actually, maybe I should kill my parents instead for not realizing what we were about to lose and taking me to see it.

My uncle Norman Herman was an usher at the Capitol too. Please write to me Elwyn? I'm preparing a book on my family and your memories of that time would be invaluable! (cybrsnoop1@aol.com)

Standing there in his usher's uniform, his sister and friends would sometimes tease him. Also they tell me they threw peanut shells over the balcony to hear them loudly crunch as people walked past in the dark.

I too saw 2001 there in 1968 (breathtaking, although the movie COULD drag in spots) and (I seem to recall) GWTW as well. The screen was HUGE. What a beautiful theater. Like the demolition of Penn Station and so many other landmark spots, another testament to the short sightedness of city planners.

Some post-modernization shots of the Loew's Capitol interior can be found at the following URL: http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_new_york_theatres_photos.htm

Regarding the July 1st comment that the Capitol was the first movie palace, I must say I totally disagree. Even given the standards set by the THSA (which are totally arbitrary in themselves), there is no way the Capitol is the first movie palace. I would think that the THSA would want to agree with their founder, Ben Hall, and say that it was New York's Regent Theatre. But if you don't agree with that, let's go by the THSA rules. In that case Rochester's Regent Theatre would be the first. It opened in 1914, it was built for movies, it had a working stage, and it seated 1400 people. Now, as proud as I am of my hometown, and as progressive as Rochester was at the turn of the last century, I doubt that they built the first movie palace. If one doesn't wish to believe that the Regent in New York was first, then the title would have to go to the Mark Strand on Broadway. It seated over 3,000, had a stage, and was built for movies. At any rate, the first movie palace was definitely NOT the Capitol, and I'm amazed that the THSA would think that it was.

I recall one visit to the Capitol in 1957 to see the Joker is Wild. I was around 10. There was a huge staircase, and I have a memory of the ushers offering pillows if needed. Is that true? Did I dream that. There were large cutouts of Sinatra, Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak announcing the next attraction Pal Joey at the top of the stairs and over them. It was a very large theatre. I also went there at the end when all the changes were made to see How The West Was Won, Dr. Zhivago and 2001.

Why would they provide pillows? To make it easier for the audience to fall asleep during the show?...What I do remember about the Capitol was my first visit there in 1942 to see "Tarzan's New York Adventure." My grandmother took me with free passes that someone had given her. They entitled us to sit in the loge, where all the seats had white slipcovers on the backs. My grandmother said it was to protect the seats from getting soiled by sweaty people.

Thomas Lamb's Regent Theatr, a movie palace? Hardly! Unless you are comparing it to the nickel odeons scattered around the city in the first part of the century. What is the definition of a movie palace anyway? Size or architecture? I would say that in size, at least 2000 seats. Architecture - something overwhelming - whatever style!!!

Well, regenthr, you make my point. The rules defining what makes a movie palace are completely arbitrary. The THS says that it's a theatre that was built for showing films, has a working stage, and seats at least 1000 people. You state that it needs to be 2000 seats with some "overwhelming" style of architecture. Whatever.

Whatever it is that defines a movie palace, the same general standards can often be used to define other such "palatial" theatres in the nation, if not also the world, even though they were not built for the purpose of movies. If you will forgive some local bias, I might nominate the palatial PABST in Milwaukee, which stands as a working National Historic Landmark to this day. It is well documented by its page on this site: http://cinematreasures.org/theater/2753/
But it is best seen in this photo of the area above the proscenium: http://www.cinematour.com/tour.php?db=us&id=11592
Surely this is some of the finest and most elaborate ornamentation in a theatre in the nation, and thus the palatial experience there is among the best still to be had. Their web site at: http://www.pabsttheater.org/history.lasso features other photos.

Warren, I expect what 'ij' was referring to was 'cushions'. It was often common practice in first rate movie theatres to provide cushions to small children to sit on. This was usually because the child was unable to see over the adult seated in front of them and often requested by the parent.

Movie palaces had to start somewhere, and the Regent was one of the first, though it was quickly surpassed by larger and more elaborate theatres.

The Joker is Wild was a great first movie. Mine was At War with the Army! lol
I also remember a tight wire across Niagara Falls and someone walking across it, all in Cinemascope. I bought the MM film Niagara and it wasn't THAT one. Any ideas?

Also, Niagara was pre-Cinemascope, but with the twin wonders of the Falls and MM in blazing technicolor, who needed a wide screen! I've seen this movie on the big screen (not in its original release) more than once...va-va-va-voom! Where did Niagara open in New York, anyway?

"Niagara" opened at the recently remodeled Roxy on 21 January 1953, where it ran for three weeks with the theater's innovative flourescent ice-stage show, "Ice Colorama." Its competition at the Capitol was Red Skelton in "The Clown" (quickly to be followed by "Moulin Rouge")and at RCMH "The Bad and the Beautiful," with a "Dancing Waters" stage show. The Capitol had given up its stage shows two years earlier, but the Paramount still offered them: in January, the feature there was Danny Thomas's remake of "The Jazz Singer."

Red made a movie called The Clown? Cool if he did. I wasn't aware of it.
I vividly remember The Yellow Cab Man. That's one I'd love to see on DVD..

The Clown: http://imdb.com/title/tt0044503/
The Yellow Cab Man: http://imdb.com/title/tt0043150/

Both of which are available in VHS at Amazon.com (no, I don't work for them!)

Hi Jim Rankin! As informative and fun as your comments at this site are, I'm afraid I have to say no, the Pabst was not the first movie palace. It is not even a movie palace at all. It is magnificent, and it is palatial, but I can't bring myself to say that a legit theatre built in the 1890's is a movie palace.

HEY VINCEIULIANO! We can give each other a memory boost. The movie you are thinking of is "The Big Circus", 1959. The Niagara tightrope walk is about the only scene I still recall from the flick(It might have been Gilbert Roland who did the walk, but I'm not sure.). I remember that the summer day camp I attended that year bussed us kids into Manhattan to see this movie at a big impressive theater. I had no idea which theater it might have been, but now your Dec. 7 comment suggests that it was the old Warner's. Thanks!

Ziggy: No, the PABST in Milwaukee was not by chronology nor design a Movie Palace; I was only trying to show that if mere ornamental elaborateness is the criterion, then it could be put in that category since it did show movies for a while. The true definition of a movie palace must include not only elaborateness (else the NYC NEW AMSTERDAM would qualify on that alone), but also large size, being built FOR movies, but also having a working stage to distinguish it from a mere cinema. Theatres this large, ornate and elaborate were really called "Presentation Houses" where Vaudeville, legit stage, choral and orchestral works, as well as movies could be presented. No, the PABST and a number of other large, ornate theatres across the nation could resemble 'palaces' but were technically not that.

Then Jim does the Music Hall qualify as a movie palace as it was not built FOR movies but transformed itself into a presentation house out of depression desperation?

Hi Jim, then I misunderstood your previous comment. My mistake. In regards to Vincent's comment above, I don't consider RCMH to be a movie palace. It was not built for movies, and it lacks the escapist theme that almost all movie palaces have. What it IS, is the nation's greatest theatre, and an extremely luxurious one at that.

RCMH was built for "live" performances, so it probably should not be described as a "movie palace," even though it spent much of its life as such. However, its sibling, the New Roxy (later Center) was a movie palace from the start, although it eventually ended up as a "live" venue...But was RCMH equipped to show movies BEFORE its opening day, or only AFTER the "live" policy flopped? If before, then I suppose it could be accepted as a movie palace. I've always assumed that the projection booth was there from the start, but maybe it wasn't.

The Music Hall is the greatest theater in the world(I dare anyone out there to argue the point.) But was the Roxy perhaps the greatest of all?
The projection booth was there all along, I believe, but was meant for special stage effects.

According to RCMH's site, movies were shown there just two weeks after the grand opening in 1932 which would, I suppose, indicate that projection facilities were in place from the beginning.

Was the Roxy the largest movie theater ever built in terms of seating capacity? Or at least in the US? Or was that RCMH?

According to the official totals listed on their sites here, RCMH beat the Roxy by 20 seats....5940 for RCMH and 5920 for the Roxy.
By Roxy's calculations, however, the Roxy had over 6200 seats, but he was notorious for counting every seat in the house, including the musicians chairs as well as the stools the box office cashiers sat on.

much thanks to both ant knee and stukgh for their great input!
can't wait to add those two movies to my collection!
red skelton is from indiana and one of my greatest and first memories is seeing him in the yellow cab man ( the watch in the mailbox scene!) and then the NEXT day watching him in a parade atop my father's shoulders. Red was standing up in an open limo and his wild red hair was blowing around and he had a HUGE cigar in his mouth as he waved and smiled to the crowd!
musta been around 1962. pretty cool.

When Vincent asks if the Radio City Music Hall should be classed as a movie palace, he here brings up the 'gray' area of definition, since chronology also enters the picture. Since "Roxy" Rothafel was called over from his ROXY theatre to help with the RCMH, one might assume that it became a 'movie palace' by simple association with him, but others might not accept that position in view of the fact that the place was intended as a live action venue primarily and was programed and marketed as such for most of its existance. Perhaps it waas the last of the palaces in view of the Great Depression ending that era. I believe that it is also a matter of being designed as distinctive themed decor that helps in the definition, to distinguish 'palaces' from merely any theatre with some ornament in its decor; the RCMH was/is ornamental, but does not use traditional ornament in its decor. In the end, I guess the definition boils down to a matter of personal perception.

If we are considering which North American theatre that showed movies was the largest in terms of seats, then that would surely go to the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. At 6300 hundred (real) seats it is bigger than RCMH and the Roxy. Andy Stamatin, the present Operations Manager tells me the auditorium was used as a movie theatre many times in the past and still shows movies occasionally with a temporary projection room built in the first part of the balcony.
The Fox in Detroit does not show movies any more so is that still a movie palace or just a theatre?
So as Jim says, defining a movie palace is now a "gray area."
Personally it makes no difference to me. I am just glad there are still some grand old theatres left to enjoy.

"mjc" is right about the huge SHRINE AUDITORIUM (where the Academy Awards were staged for many years) having possibly the largest INDOOR seating of a facility in the US with perhaps only the Atlantic City CONVENTION HALL where the Miss America Pageant was held being among those in its league, along with possibly the new KODAK auditorium. But, of course, these are not really theatres per se; they fall into the classification of Civic, Fraternal, and Scholastic Auditoria which is rather a different beast than a true theatre, showing movies or not. Like "mjc" I prefer to just enjoy the facility and its decor regardless of what classification it fall into, or the size it is, so long as it serves the purpose well.

The Oscar site indicates Kodak's capacity as 3500

Jim: with respect..... I would like to make the case that the Shrine Auditorium is definately a theatre, unlike the Atlantic City Convention Hall. The Shrine Auditorium, despite its name, is a conventional theatre with a large balcony, that has been used since 1920 for movies, opera, stage and TV shows, concerts etc. It may not have been solely a classic movie theatre but is still advertised as North America's largest theatre. I think the name "auditorium" confuses the issue. Perhaps they should have called it the Shrine Theatre. The Shrine headquarters and convention hall are on the same site attached, but separate from, the Auditorium (theatre) even though they are all used for some functions. Check out their website for a great interior shot. Ironically, the Shrine Auditorium was originally used in the same way that the old restored movie palaces are being used now.
The Fox Theatre in Atlanta was built by the Shriners as part of their area headquarters the same as the Shrine Auditorium in LA but for financial reasons the theatre part was leased to William Fox and is classed as a movie palace today. Seems to me the Shrine Auditorium would also be in the movie palace category if it had been taken over by a theatre chain. Its still a regular theatre, no matter who owns it, which has been in continual use as a theatre since 1920. The Fox in Detroit is used for car shows occasionally and even the stage at the venerable old RCMH has been used for basketball games. I don't see that as being any different than how the Shrine Auditorium has been used. Gray definately applies to these discussions on theatres!

I bow to your estimation, 'mjc' and will hereafter refer to the SHRINE AUDTORIUM as a "theatre" even if not quite a movie palace; oh, what the heck, I hereby dub it a MOVIE PALACE!! (for what my 2 cents is worth). It gets grayer and grayer, or "curiouser and curiouser" as Alice said in Wonderland. :)

Jim:......you are a true gentleman sir.

We had a strip mall theater in Emerson NJ nearby where I grew up. It was the smallest theater in the area. They eventually turned it into a quad I think. Now some of those suburban strip mall theaters from the 60's seem like movie palaces to me. Even the Bergen Mall cinema(now a Gap) which used to play foreign would seem palatial.

I agree the Shrine Auditorium should be considered a theatre.It looks very much like a movie palace. I saw "Hello Dolly" with Pearl Baily with my friend Richard Oliver who told me the theatre was larger than Radio City Music Hall. The only difference I see is that Radio City and the Fox in Atlanta showed movies for most of its life during the movie palace era where the Shrine showed movies rarely. I love Radio City but I would have preferred the Roxy. I also prefer the Art Deco lobby of the Oakland Paramount over the ART Deco lobby of Radio City and would have loved to have stood in the lobby of the Roxy.brucec

Yeah, I sort of wish we could list non-cinematic theatres on this site. It seems a shame to not have, say, the Chicago Auditorium on here. And there's another gray area- the Auditorium did have the second largest theatre organ at one time.

Then you'd be getting into an even greater grey area, since you'd have to add in the Atlantic City Convention Hall main auditorium (now called Boardwalk Hall) and the Atlantic City Convention Hall Ballroom, since it was originally intended that movies would be shown in that venue (the ballroom). The ACCH would win the size game hands down, as well as having the largest, albeit currently unplayable, organ in the world, which, if in full working order, would blow the roof off either RCMH or the Shrine.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I don't think the Atlantic City Convention Hall could be classed as theatre for the purposes of Cinema Treasures. It is a conventional hall with a stage. The Chicago Auditorium is more of a concert hall, like the old Massey Hall in Toronto. But neither one of these buildings would qualify for inclusion on Cinema Treasures as classic movie theatres. I brought up the Shrine Auditorium as a gray-area case simply because it is a true theatre which has showed movies....but was never primarily a movie theatre.

It's just unfortunate that there's no place like this for such places. They certainly have the same kind of architectual merit, and the same sort of escapist quality. After all, the Schubert/Majestic is on here, and I really don't think that it qualifies, i'm not even sure it's ever played film. I agree that they don't really qualify, but it seems a shame

The Royal played Gigi roadshow. I dont know if that was a one time event that a movie opened in a legit Broadway house?

http://www.moviepalaces.net/

Check the pictures on this site of the Capitol. It shows how they could raise and lower the drapes in the balcony when they played Cinerama. I look at these pictures and cant believe they tore this magnificent place down.

RobertR-- In June '53, the Bard-of-Avon's "Julius Caesar" (with Gielgud and Brando! and Mason and Calhern! and Garson and Kerr!) opened at the Booth on a cuirved wide screen with sterophonic sound (the prelude was the MGM orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's "Capriccio italien")with two-a-day reserved-seat policy at a price scale of 90 cents to $1.50. My grandmother, who hadn't seen a film in years, wanted to get box seats, until I advised her that the curved screen would invite distortion. We settled for the cheapest seats, which were in the first three orchestra rows per my eleven-year-older's trick to get as close to the giant screen as possible. (On this site's page for the Criterion, Vincent remarks that the latter charged its cheapest prices for the front row seats--so it was and should be for the misshapen images from that perspective.) In the early '60s, Fellini's "La dolce vita" opened at the Henry Miller (now recently toppled after "Utinetown") with the same policy. It was followed by Vadim's "Les liaaisons dangereuses" (with Gerard Philippe!). Both these sub-titled European films then went into mass distribution on the RKO neighborhood circuit. Yes, as you imply, "Gigi" should have played at the Capitol. After its run at the Royale, it went to the Sutton with continuous performances, where I saw it on a chilly November evening. My biggest disappointment with "Julius Caesar" at the Booth was that it was filmed in black and white--I had expected a Technicolor spectacular. That the script was Gentle Will's struck me as terrific: Classics Illustrated Comics had already introduced me to its sonorous verse.

I should add that in Nov. '48, Victor Fleming's "Joan of Arc" with Ingrid Bergman opened at the Victoria (for this site, Embassy Five)day-dating on a two-a-day reserved-seat policy at the Fulton (latterly the Helen Hayes) around the corner. But the run at the Fulton folded quickly, leaving the Victoria to show it on a grind for several months. The Bijou, around the corner from the Astor, alternated between small live shows and reserved-seat films such as "The Red Shoes," "Tales of Hoffmann," "Cry the Beloved Country," and "Outcast of the Islands." The Ambassador on W. 49 served mostly as a radio- and telecast studio, but occasionally showed "B" films on grind. The Winter Garden on B'way showed films from time to time, notably Chaplin's "Monsieur Verdoux" on two-a-day reserved seats in '47. The Broadway premiered Disney's "Fantasia" on two-a-day in '40 and, I believe, "Dumbo" a year later. The most famous convert from theater to film to theater was of course the Mark Hellenger, across W. 51 Street from the Capitol, known as the "Hollywood" when it showed Warner Bros. product on grind in the late '30s and '40s. Distribution patterns were more adventurous in those days.

I don't believe very few went to the Capitol in New York City before or while the theatre came up with a new gimic. While showing Cinerema, they, for a short time came up with smellavision. They actually put pipes under the seats and I remember in one scene some people were walking on the grass and the smell of grass came out of the pipes. They had numerous smells all thru the movie, but it never caught on.

In the book "Four Aspects of Film" the author describes 'Smell-O-Vision' or 'Odororama' in detail, and mentions that one of the main reasons the films quickly failed (besides the considerable costs involved) is that by the time a scent was released in the balcony, the scene had changed and a new scent was drifting up from the orchestra seats, and the two scents often conflicted, as when a field of grass was replaced with a view of a wine cask being broken open. Also, many of the smells were not really true to life, and some patrons found themselves nauseated by the odor. He explained that the effect was accomplished by means of pellets in a dispenser underneath some seats that were electrically dropped by a cue on the film into a container of liquid with a small fan that wafted the 'fragrance' about. Later on, some theatres in the 70s experimented with a new gimmick where the patron was instructed to scratch a designated area on a card given them at entry, and it would release an odor that then represented some things the early guys had never thought of: vomit, hair spray, feces, etc.! Maybe the 'ghost' of the Capitol is still reeling from the heady experience, if not a few patrons!

Check out this picture of South Sea's Adventure. Was this the Capitol when it was renamed the Cinerama or is it the RKO Cinerama?

http://www.cineramaadventure.com/article-dailyvariety.htm

There is a good story here on Cinerama here taken from Vanity Fair.

http://www.cineramaadventure.com/vanityfair1.htm

Robert R: The theater in that picture isn't the Capitol or the RKO/Warner Cinerama. It looks like the Warner Cinerama theater on Hollywood Blvd. in Los Angeles, also known as the Hollywood Pacific and the Pacific 1-2-3.

Ok, then they had it mislabeled. I did not recognize the marquee.

The theatre shown in Vanity Fair was the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles.

As a kid I saw "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "How the West Was Won" at the Loews Cinerama (Capitol). The effect was good but the 3 projectors weren't properly aligned and the color shifted so I often got eye-strain, but the the river raft scene and buffalo stampede in "How The West Was Won" was fantastic. Somebody posted that "Ben-Hur" was shown at the Loew's Capitol, but I remember seeing it at the Loew's State.

The Capitol dropped stage shows in 1935 and didn't resume them until 1943, when the wartime boom in attendance seemed to justify the additional expense. The dual policy re-started on March 11, 1943, with MGM's "Stand By For Action" and a stage show topped by Bob Crosby & His Orchestra, Borrah Minevitch's Harmonica Rascals, dancers Mary Raye & Naldi, and singer Joan Edwards. The Capitol had five rivals with stage shows: the Paramount, currently presenting "Hitler's Children" and Xavier Cugat's Orchestra headlining; the Strand, with "The Hard Way" and Ina Ray Hutton's Orchestra; the Roxy, with "Young Mr. Pitt" and Grace Moore; RCMH, with "They Got Me Covered" and revue; Loew's State, with the second-run "The Palm Beach Story" and vaudeville.

very interesting Warren. where did you find that out? that's great

But what about the stage show in 39 with Wizard of Oz? Was this a one time only before 43?

Advertising and reportage in The New York Times...In November, 1947, Frank Sinatra, who had always performed at the Paramount, switched to the Capitol to head the stage show with "Her Husband's Affairs" (a Columbia comedy with Lucille Ball & Franchot Tone). Sharing the bill with Sinatra were Skitch Henderson's Orchestra & Chorus, comedian Lorraine Rognan, and the Will Mastin Trio with Sammy Davis Jr. (whose name was incorrectly spelled as "Davies" in the opening day ad).

The "Oz" stage show was a special "one-shot" booking. MGM and Loew's feared the movie would not draw enough adults, so they put together a 30-minute stage show featuring Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney, who were on a national tour for their soon-to-be-released "Babes in Arms."

The Capitol was a beautiful theater - i guess its just another sign of the times. Like Nedicks, Penn Station, and Grand Central, nothing good lasts.

Stage shows at the Capitol ended forever on July 24th, 1951, the last day of a two-week engagement of MGM's "Strictly Dishonorable" and an in-person bill headed by Gene Krupa's Band, comedian Tom Ewell, and singer Snooky Lanson. The first solo film, MGM's "Rich, Young, and Pretty," opened July 25th and ran two weeks, followed by MGM's "The Law and the Lady." That was replaced on August 28th by Paramount's "A Place in the Sun," which proved a substantial hit and ran until the October 17th opening of MGM's "Angels in the Outfield." On November 8th, MGM's "Quo Vadis" premiered on a continuous run policy, playing simultaneously with a reserved-seat engagment at the Astor. The epic didn't do as well as expected and closed at the Capitol on December 30th, replaced the next day by MGM's "Westward the Women." The Astor continued with "Quo Vadis" until it moved on to the Loew's circuit as 1952's Easter holiday booking.

Warren- Thanks for the terrific account of the Capitol's last days of stage shows. I remember them (those days and some of the shows) well. A family friend worked in the Loew's office (at Loew's State) and provided my parents with full passes for the Capitol. I would have thought that seven week of "Quo Vadis" had met b.o. expectations. I remember seeing it there early in its run, at a packed house. I also remember that it left without much warning-- the newspapers suddenly announced that "Westward the Women" would open the next day, New Year's Eve, and that the Astor would shift its policy from two-a-day Reserved Seats to continuous showings -- I imagined that the decision had as much to do with the Astor looking to fill seats as much as it had to do with the Capitol wanting to feature a new show on the lucrative New Year's holiday.

It's amazing how many of the pictures mentioned here are long forgotten. Westward the Women? Ugh, I'm staying home and watching "I Love Lucy."

I liked "Westward the Women," but I've never been able to figure out why MGM filmed such a spectacular western in B&W instead of Technicolor. I think it would have done much better at the boxoffice if it had been in color, which was one of the few advantages that movies still had over TV at that time.

Actually I find the entries for these lesser known classic films fascinating. "Westward the Women" in particular sounds very interesting. Here's the entry from imdb:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044205/

It happens to be directed by one of the best of the Hollywood directors, William Wellman.

I'm 38 and I cannot stand the latest movies. Generally speaking, they're pure garbage. I appreciate the input from people who remember when movies were made to truly please an audience not just to make a quick buck.

I actually enjoy classic movies much more than modern ones (I'm watching Howard Hughes' Hell's Angels on DVD right now) and I'm sure I would enjoy Westward the Women if I ever see it...I had never even heard of it until just now. My point was to remark on nondescript forgotten movies and how they may have kept people at home watching the newfangled television. I can imagine the echoes in grand houses like the Capitol as the little box sounded their death knell.

Warren Im surprised that "Quo Vadis" didn't do as well as expected at the Capitol becuase this was a huge hit for MGM."Quo Vadis" was MGM's biggest hit since "Gone With The Wind" up to that point in time.brucec

CConnolly hits the mark with his comment about today's movies! Fo me too much C.B.W - Crash, bang, wallop!!! Also a good comparison is in telling the life story of Cole Porter. Warners 'Night and Day' was made for entertainment; his homosexuality kept quiet. Would the latest 'version' of his life, warts and all, in 'De-lovely' have been a big hit at perhaps the Capitol around the late forties??? OK, it would have gone to the Warner!!!

In February, 1933, with Columbia's 69-minute "Ladies They Talk About" on screen, the Capitol's stage show consisted of a 90-minute version of "Show Boat," with Helen Morgan and some of the other members of the original Broadway cast. Loew's paid $12,500 rental for the "unit," which was condensed from a full-length touring production of the Ziegfeld classic but included all of the musical numbers. The single week booking grossed $40,000, which Variety described as "disappointing."

Among stage shows at the Capitol, one that I most remember featured Skitch Henderson. The film was "Every Girl Should Be Married" with Cary Grant, so it must have been in January '49. It came to mind the other day when I heard an NPR interview with Henderson commemorating Johnny Carson. (I had no idea that the young Henderson had studied with Arnold Schoenberg and played Mahler with Toscanini!) His performance at the Capitol combined jazzy piano playing and big-band conducting. I also recall being bored by a male commedian who told off-color jokes that I didn't understand, but which the grown-ups laughed wickedly at. Perhaps the Capitol tried to court a mature audience.

A yet earlier memory of Capitol sophistication was the opening of "Duel in the Sun" there, a much bally-hooed event for which the theater had suspended its stage show policy. We waited on a long line, and upon reaching the box office were denied admission because I was deemed under-age for the adult presentation (June '47, I was five). My mom complained loudly, waving her friend's employee pass and claiming to be part of management (she wasn't), and then faulted the theater for dropping its stage show when we could have seen the same film at the Alpine in Brooklyn with much less trouble. From scouring old newspapers, I later learned that "Duel in the Sun" had indeed opened in NYC in a saturated booking, playing simultaneously at the Capitol, Metropolitan, and Loew's nabes (including the Alpine), no doubt because Selznick had concluded that the film might flop and that it would be best to rush it out quick and greedy. Was it worth dropping the live stage show for a celluloid Jennifer Jones?

"Show Boat" with Helen Morgan at the Capitol! And before the film version of '36 (which opened at RCMH). I guess the Capitol did court sophistication.

BoxOfficeBill

Thats very interesting about the wide release of Duel in the Sun. Am I correct that for a major movie that was almost unheard of back then? What about "B" films, did they ever open saturated like would become the norm in the 60's with Premiere Showcase?

Selznick's instincts were uncanny. "Duel in the Sun" was his attempt to recapture his glorious experience (not to mention success) with "Gone With the Wind". It soon became apparent that tastes had changed after the war and heavy handed (and heavy breating) "lurid" melodrama like "Duel in the Sun" (also known in camp circles as "Lust in the Dust") was passe.

Selznick must've known this and released the film wide. It was a big disappointment at the box office. Maybe not an out and out bomb but it failed to recoup it's considerable production costs.

But it's a well known film today but not as how Selznick would've wanted. It's probably one of the biggest camp classics out there. I mean that whole wildly ridiculous shoot out scene at the end with Peck and Jones is a hoot! Oh the painful dialogue! It was only topped later by DeMille's "The Ten Commandments". Anyone recall Anne Baxter's famous love line to Moses in that one? Great, campy stuff!

The release date for "Duel in the Sun" was 7 May '47 (not June as I had reported from faulty memory--I remembered it as a fine, warm Spring day), so you can check it in back issues of the NYT or Herald Tribune as I once did. Off hand, I believe that one other such saturated booking before Premier Showcase might have been for John Huston's "Beat the Devil." It opened at the Palace, Albee, and across the RKO neighborhood circuit on 12 March '54. I recall having seen coming attractions for it at the RKO Dyker (advertised to follow, I think, "Beneath the Twelve-Mile Reef" in then-novel CinemaScope) and thinking, "Gee, that movie hasn't opened in NYC yet!" Did off-beat films with Jennifer Jones in starring roles invite that sort of distribution?

"Beat the Devil" was/is a notorious BOMB though it's considered a classic now.

Bogart made it because he had such success with John Huston with "The African Queen". After seeing the finished product, Bogart blasted the film. The studio felt the same way and pretty much got it in and out of distribution very quickly. It's a great film but it's humor is sly. Jones is one of the best things in it. It's one of the few films that used her comedic abilities. She delivers one of the film's best lines at the beginning when she gets a look at her fellow, criminal shipmates and says to her unsuspecting husband: "They're desperate characters. Not one of them looked at my legs."

I am a huge Jennifer Jones fan, I just bought the DVD of "Ruby Gentry" and love how they mention "poor Ruby's from the wrong side of the tracks". Anyone know where that opened on Broadway?

"Ruby Gentry" opened at the Mayfair (aka Embassy 2,3,4) on Christmas Day '52. Jones's films that played at the Capitol include Minelli's "Madame Bovary" (opened on 25 August '49, with stage show) and Wyler's "Carrie" (with Olivier, 16 July '52, post-stage show). It's grotesque of me to remember these things.

Hi, everyone.

I'm very excited to be a part of this wonderful webiste and was wondering if anyone here attended, what was billed as, The Closing of the Capitol on Monday, September 16, 1968 at 8PM? I did, and I guess I could use that date and time as the begining of my awareness of the precarious state the grand old movie theaters would soon find themselves in across the nation and around the globe.

Eugene Iemola: can you please elaborate on what exactly was "The Closing of the Capitol"? Was this some kind of (sad) retrospective?

I remember The Closing of the Capitol being talked about on NBC's Today Show in September 1968, but I was too young to attend. By the way, CConnolly, was the Anne Baxter "Ten Commandments" line you mentioned, "Oh Moses, Moses, you stubborn splendid adorable fool"? There were so many, but that one came to mind first. During one long-ago annual TV showing, my brother kept track of how many times the name "Moses" was spoken in the film. It ran into the hundreds.

I remember The Closing of the Capitol being talked about on NBC's Today Show in September 1968, but I was too young to attend. By the way, CConnolly, was the Anne Baxter "Ten Commandments" line you mentioned, "Oh Moses, Moses, you stubborn splendid adorable fool"? There were so many lines like that, but that one came to mind first. During one long-ago annual TV showing, my brother kept track of how many times the name "Moses" was spoken in the film. It ran into the hundreds.

The last stage show at the Capitol before the eight-year suspension was a two-week booking headlined by Belle Baker, Lou Holtz and Block & Sully, which opened July 26, 1935, with MGM's The Murder Man" (Spencer Tracy-Virginia Bruce) on screen. A week later, on August 2nd, the movie portion was replaced by Paramount's "Man on the Flying Trapeze," starring W.C. Fields. On August 9th, the Capitol switched to movies only, starting with MGM's Clark Gable-Jean Harlow-Wallace Beery starrer, "China Seas," accompanied by short subjects.

Bill Huelbig: RE: Baxter's immortal line: THAT'S THE ONE! A few years ago I sat down to watch it with my Jewish wife (I only mention her being Jewish because she kind of took the movie a tad seriously).

It had been quite a few years since I saw it and I nearly fell on the floor laughing over the badly delivered dialogue and THAT one really got to me. Baxter virtually huffs and puffs her way through the whole movie. Her performance is like one giant breath. Unbelievable stuff. I'm laughing as I'm typing. I just LOVE that line! And how much you wanna bet it wasn't in the Bible like that.

Another funny line, from early on in the film: Cedric Hardwicke to Heston: "We have heard how you took ibis from the Nile to destroy the venomous serpents which were sent against you when you laid siege to the city of Saba." Try saying that 3 times fast! Whether you take it seriously or not, "The Ten Commandments" is a real cinema treasure.

Warren -- Yes, "accompanied by short subjects." When the Capitol again dropped stage shows in '51, newspaper ads (at first) emphasized that "short subjects" would pick up the slack; and so they did: the live organ interlude accompanied by a bouncing-ball sing-along, "The Capitol News" (remember the specially designed theater-header with the US Capitol Building radiating electricity?), a Tom and Jerry cartoon, a live-action short (or two), and coming attractions with a report from MGM about works-in-progress, in that order and each segment punctuated by a closing and opening of the rippling lime-green traveller curtain.

In February, 1934, Clark Gable topped the vaudeville bill at the Capitol, doing six shows per day between showings of MGM's "The Mystery of Mr. X." In addition to emceeing the entire hour program, Gable appeared in a 15-minute re-enactment of one of the musical numbers from his hit movie, "Dancing Lady," with Ruth Matteson filling in for Joan Crawford. The one-week engagement drew huge crowds, with lines around the block and NYC police on duty to prevent rioting. Suffering consequences was Radio City Music Hall, where Gable's "It Happened One Night" opened just two days before he started work at the Capitol. The Capra comedy opened big and promised to hold-over, but attendance declined sharply when Gable fans began flocking to the Capitol instead. The Columbia release lasted just the one week at RCMH.

Actually the best line in TEN COMMANDMENTS comes fairly early on when the slave Mamnet(Judith Anderson) threatens to reveal Mose's true identity and her mistress (Nina Foch) says "Your tongue will dig your grave old woman." Hard to top that one.... though this movie is full of lines like that.

Warren I have for a long time wondered why Happened was such a disappointment at the Hall. It seems like it would have been such a sensation yet it only ran a mediocre week. Gable appearing live a the Capitol explains everything. Also Carrie and Bovary seem like they should have been at the Hall.

And CC if you are such a fan of old movies(I personally find most movies after '70 unwatchable though I did like Groundhog Day) why are you making suggestions of the Hall showing films like Pulp Fiction to bring in the crowds?(Only teasing, I enjoy your posts a lot and want you to get out to the Loews Jersey the first weekend of March. You will be happily stunned.)

Wasn't the "Farewell to the Capitol" program a stage show with many old stars who had played the theater? I seem to recall hearing that Jerry Lewis was part of the program. (He had played the Capitol in the late 40's with Dean Martin.)

The "Duel in the Sun" engagement in May, 1947, was at 50 theatres in the Greater New York-New Jersey area, including the Capitol, 38 Loew's theatres and 11 others (in places where Loew's had no theatres, such as Nassau & Suffolk counties and Staten Island). I don't have the price scale for the Capitol, but all the others charged 90 cents at matinees and $1.25 in the evenings (slightly higher for loge seats). The one-week gross was a reported $2.5 million, or an average of $50,000 per theatre. The Capitol did somewhat better, with a reported $85,000, but perhaps due to a higher price scale. During that one week, the Capitol was one of 12 Manhattan theatres showing "Duel." The Valencia in Queens, the Paradise in the Bronx, and the Metropolitan in Brooklyn lost their usual borough exclusivity and shared with other theatres. After that single week, "Duel" continued exclusively at the Capitol for a bit, and then went into limbo for several months before making a full run of the Loew's circuit at regular prices.

Several more examples of NYC "saturation" release before the 1962 debut of "Premiere Showcase": during the Thanksgiving holiday of 1944, MGM's "An American Romance," a King Vidor epic in Technicolor that had been intended for Spencer Tracy but ended up with Brian Donlevy in the lead, opened simultaneously at Loew's State and 10 Loew's neighbood theatres. The State supported the movie with its usual vaudeville, while the other theatres ran a second feature. In February, 1949, RKO Radio opened "Stromboli," the movie that ignited Ingrid Bergman's affair with director Roberto Rosselini, on Broadway at the Criterion simultaneously with 100 RKO, Skouras, Randforce, Century, and other circuit theatres. In November, 1949, United Artists, which had been unable to get Loew's or RKO to book "Black Magic," an historical epic with Orson Welles, released it via 60 theatres, mostly Skouras and Randforce nabes, plus Brandt's Beacon and Lyric in Manhattan, on a double feature with "The Great Dan Patch"...Also, in the several years prior to 1962, there were often city-wide openings, but exclusively on one circuit such as Loew's or RKO, of movies that were considered too weak for a Broadway booking, such as Jerry Lewis comedies, Elvis Presley musicals, or exploitation releases such as "Hercules." The nearest these movies got to Broadway openings was at one of the 42nd Street theatres.

Yes-- "Stromboli"! The newspaper ads were terrific, but the only person I knoew who saw it was one of my aunts, and she panned it: "It was . . .awful."

Warren-- Thanks for your spirited account of Gable's live turn at the Capitol in Feb. '34. Everyone should read the full account in your richly detailed "Clark Gable: A Biography," pp. 116-17. The delicious passage about the police escort from the Waldorf-Astoria where his wife Ria and his current flame Elizabeth Allan were staying (in separate suites, no Walls of Jerico there) punctuates your riff on the Capitol. Did you ever wonder what went on in Major Bowes's nine-room apartment above the Capitol between the acts? What, for example, might The King have nibbled on while there? Cheesecake from Lindy's? Fittingly, the Capitol hosted the premieres of most of Gable's later pictures, GWTW of course, but also notably "The Misfits" too.

There's a surprisingly poetic note about the use of the name "Moses" in "Ten Commandments", as mentioned in the commentary track of the DVD. DeMille made sure that each character got to repeat the name "Moses" three times at one point in the film, usually a crucial one. Each character said it and with a different intent and tone. So early in the film we have mom calling kid Moses three times with motherly love; Pharoh repeating it three times with his dying breath -- and I THINK Anne Baxter's 3-play may have been in the classic scene mentioned above (that would certainly add silliness to the line!). It's an unexprectdly subtle and sincere touch to such a lovably overblown film.

The Closing of the Capitol was, as the folder holding my ticket said, "a gala, live stage show (which will) mark the final performance in the 49 year old history of Loew's Capitol Theater. Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Johnny Carson, Alan King, Ed McMahon, Doc Severinsen and other great stars join in a benefit performance never to be repeated, never to be forgotten, a salute to the theatre where Gershwin introduced "Swanee", where Roxy made his name, where WEAF fisrt broadcast a stage show live and created the networks, the Capitol, where violinist, ballerina, comedian and film massed 5000 each performance making culture and crowd pleasing common enterprise. The great show will benefit the Center for the Communication Arts at The Catholic University of America . . ."

It cost me all of ten dollars to attend. I was sixteen years old.

An impressive show, Eugene. Though I was living in NYC at the time, I don't recall having heard about it. By that time, of course, the Cinerama proscenium had covered up the orginal stage where the great shows took place. I don't know whether any of those performers had every played at the Capitol before -- possibly Hope and maybe King did. In the late '40s, Hope, Lewis, and King certainly appeared in stage shows at the Paramount, which always attracted the biggest, most popular names. The Capitol usually offered something offbeat and perhaps more sophisticated.

Sophistication notwithstanding, the stage show at the Capitol that I remember most was headlined by Arthur Godfrey. It opened in February ’49 and accompanied MGM’s “The Bribe” with Robert Taylor and Ava Gardner. Oddly, despite my gargantuan memory of films in that period, I can’t recall a single frame from that picture, except for the impression of some dark and shadowy furtive movements. But the stage show was the main attraction anyway. Godfrey brought on a bunch of his talent-scouted newcomers, introducing each with his gravelly-voiced and slightly cynical, “Well, well, well, isn’t that just wonderful now.” At age seven, I naively believed that the show was being broadcast directly to radio, since at the time Godfrey hosted a popular daily morning CBS show that featured song-and-music routines by winners of his Monday night “Talent Scouts” (remember Julius La Rosa? Holly Ukulani?). It of course wasn’t a direct broadcast, but in that pre-television era, it provided us with images that we then transferred to our home listening experiences.

Another stage show I remember opened in June ’49, accompanying “Neptune’s Daughter” with Esther Williams (“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” struck me as unaccountably risqué, but I couldn’t imagine what the star might do to warm up with Riccardo Montalban; and Red Skelton struck me as funnier in any event). The evident feature of the stage show was a tuneful singing trio whose bee-bop style must have been the rage, but whose name escapes me now. What I recall more vividly was the comedian Jerry Lester, a precursor of the zany Ernie Kovacs and less-zany Red Buttons. Lester alternately bounced around the stage like a manic-but-less-impressive Jerry Lewis, and he then stopped for monologues that would descend to the maudlin, like a crude avatar of Steve Allen. As it happened a few years later, he preceded Allen on early-television late-night talk shows with an original format cooked up to feature him and the curvaceous Dagmar, called “Jerry Lester’s Bean-Bag Club.” One of my aunts owned a TV, and at her house, I’d beg to stay up late to glimpse the comic I remembered from the Capitol.

A third memorable stage show accompanied the ’49 Christmas presentation of “Adam’s Rib,” which I saw as a consolatory turn-away from the long lines for “On the Town” at RCMH. Hardly a consolation prize, the film was great, and the stage show offered a pitch-perfect match. It featured Eddy Duchin and his Orchestra, with some impressive finger-work at the piano in classical-sounding pieces (Chopin?) that drew the attention of even this mass-pop-culture-bred kid. I sensed that something larger that what I knew was happening. And I liked it even better than the flashy acrobat act that was more obviously but pleasantly designed for my boyish tastes. The name “Eddy Duchin” meant nothing to me at the time, but years later I recovered the memory when scrolling through microfilmed back issues of the NY Times from the period.

Whatever became of Julius LaRosa anyway? I saw him in the stage show at the Chicago theater shortly after his much publicized on-air firing by Godfrey. Other than LaRosa, I can't recall a single thing about the rest of the stage show now after all this time.

In August, 1943, the Capitol set what was then an all-time record for "combos" (movie + stage show) that had played there since the theatre first opened in 1919. The all-star movie, "Stage Door Canteen," ran for an unprecedented eight weeks, with much of the success attributed to the stage show, "The Hour of Charm," featuring Phil Spitalny's All-Girl Orchestra, which was incredibly popular on radio in those days. Spitalny's soloists included Evelyn & Her Magic Violin, singers Vivian and Maxine, Viola & Her 17 Druums, and Kathryn & Her Mellow Trumpet.

Warren, you speak of all girl orchestras...do you know anything of Dolly Dawn and her Dawn Patrol? She was a family friend and (supposedly) had the first true all girl band and played many a nightclub and larger movie house. She told me of many times sharing the bill with the 3 Stooges etc and playing non-sensical card games backstage between shows....but I don't recall what theaters. Sorry for taking this thread off on a tangent. Any info much appreciated.

Warren, you speak of all girl orchestras...do you know anything of Dolly Dawn and her Dawn Patrol? She was a family friend and (supposedly) had the first true all girl band and played many a nightclub and larger movie house. She told me of many times sharing the bill with the 3 Stooges etc and playing non-sensical card games backstage between shows....but I don't recall what theaters. Sorry for taking this thread off on a tangent. Any info much appreciated.

Warren, you speak of all girl orchestras...do you know anything of Dolly Dawn and her Dawn Patrol? She was a family friend and (supposedly) had the first true all girl band and played many a nightclub and larger movie house. She told me of many times sharing the bill with the 3 Stooges etc and playing non-sensical card games backstage between shows....but I don't recall what theaters. Sorry for taking this thread off on a tangent. Any info much appreciated.

Dolly Dawn was one of the great "girl singers," often regarded as the equal of Ella Fitzgerald, Mildred Bailey, and Billie Holiday, among many others, but I'm not sure that she fronted all-girl orchestras, though she may have at certain times in her career. As I recall, the members of her "Dawn Patrol" band were usually men. In fact, the band was once called "The Dawn Patrol Boys." I'm sure she worked in vaudeville, but I think she specialized in hotel rooms and radio broadcasts, and made numerous recordings. There are several CDs of her recordings. The most famous "girl" bandleader of those days was probably Ina Ray Hutton.

When the Capitol switched to movies only with "China Seas" in 1935, advertising described the new policy as "All-The-Show-On-The-Screen." It was explained that "road show type" movies that had previously opened on Broadway at $2 per ticket would now be shown at the Capitol at "new reduced prices": 25 cents to 1PM daily, 50 cents to 6PM, 75 cents thereafter (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, which were unspecified). Supporting "China Seas" at the Capitol were a Fitzpatrick Technicolor Traveltalk, "Colorful Guatemala"; a Pete Smith Oddity, "Fightin' Fish," and the Capitol Newsreel, a compilation of highlights from all newsreels. "China Seas" grossed well enough to run three weeks, and was replaced on August 30th by Garbo's "Anna Karenina."

Phil Spitalny's Orchestra played many times at the Roxy as well, especially in the late '40s. Its eight-week run at the Capitol seems quite a record. Solo headliners would not have wanted to tie themselves up for such a stretch. Am I right in thinking that "Stage Door Canteen" was a United Artists film? In that case, it was an exception to the stream of MGM films that fed the Capitol. I recall that UA, Columbia, and even RKO shared the screen with MGM at the Capitol in the late '40s ("She Wore a Yellow Ribbon," "Fort Apache," "Pitfall," "Man from Colorado").

First I must apologize for my multiple posts...the system was not responding and gave me no indication that it actually accepted my posts.

Thanks for the feedback Warren. Dolly told me, as you stated, that her band was indeed filled with men but as they got drafted or volunteered she eventually ended up with an all girl ensemble. Sign of the times! She very much wanted to get into movies but the greed of her agent prevented it....he diverted any overtures from Hollywood out of fear of losing her as a client! What a bum, he prevented a far larger audience from knowing of her talent. Water under the bridge now. Back to our irregular programming.

"Stage Door Canteen" was released by United Artists and boasted an "all-star" cast. The movie had a lot of local interest, since the real canteen was located only a few blocks away on West 44th Street. Run and staffed by the showbiz community, it offered free admission to servicemen (and women), but was closed to "civilians."...The Capitol sometimes encountered product shortages when a major MGM release went instead to RCMH, the Astor, or even Loew's State, so it would have to grab whatever was available as a replacement.

Warren, how are you able to access so much of the NY Times? Do you do it online, or at the library, or do you have another way? Movie and entertainment ads are my favorite part of old newspapers.

BoxOfficeBill, Jerry Lewis played the Capitol theater in the late 1940's with Dean Martin. One engagement was with "Naked City" as the feature attraction. Lewis has color home movies of this engagement, including some spectacular night-time views of the Capitol's brilliant color marquee.

Warren your post about China Seas was very interesting in that I guess this marked the end of the first road show era. Previously films like Anna Karenina and Camille would have played at the Astor on hard ticket. I wonder what were the exact reasons for this change in distribution practices. When Gone With the Wind was road showed at the Astor it had to share it with the Capitol on contiuous performances. Did MGM by the mid 30's get tired of not making enough money on an initial Broadway release?

In 1953, the first movie shown on the Capitol's new "panoramic wide screen" was MGM's B&W "Never Let Me Go" (Clark Gable & Gene Tierney), which opened on June 10th. In an unfavorable review, NYT critic Bosley Crowther wrote: "As for the widescreen projection, outside of doing such things as cutting off the feet of the ballet dancers (because of cropping of the standard frame at the bottom and top) and causing some blurring to the pan shots, it is no different from standard projection as seen from up close. What in the world it must look like from down in the front orchestra seats, heaven knows! It must be horrifying. We got as close as we could, then balked in dread."

Ha! Bosley Crowther didn't mention the most annoying feature of early wide screen projection: shutter flicker from the enlarged frame. I first saw the Capitol's wide screen for "From Here To Eternity" in August '53, and it struck me as magnificent: rather wider than most and filling the entire proscenium with a gentle curve. And though I might have been wishfully imagining it, I believe the Capitol showed "FHTE" with stereophonic sound, or so I recall hearing planes scoot across the auditorium during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Three years passed before I returned to the Capitol ("War and Peace," August '56), and it seemed to me then that a somewhat smaller, flatter screen had replaced the earlier one, and that the remainder of the proscenium was newly swathed with billowing traveller curtains. But the shutter flicker had disappeared, and the prolection and sound were flawless.

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY was certainly released in 3-channel stereophonic sound. The 35mm magnetic tracks were on a dubber which was interlocked with the picture.

There were a great many films released in stereo during that period, and most of those tracks are lost today.

I saw an ad for "FHTE" at the Capitol which said it was then in the third month of its engagement. I don't know how much longer it continued after that. But it hit the Loew's circuit on December 30th, shown as a single feature (with shorts) to speed the turn-over. At Loew's Valencia, we did huge business, with lines around the corner at many times.

I was looking at a book of photos taken by Weegee (did I spell that right?). Anyway, the book had an interesting shot of a dead body in front of a Manhattan theater called "Tudor". It was playing (ironically) a movie called "Joy of Living" with Irene Dunne. I looked on this site and could not find Tudor listed.

Anyone know of it? From the photo, it looked like a neighborhood house.

There was a 600-seat Tudor Theatre at 650 Third Avenue in Manhattan, according to the 1944 Film Daily Year Book.

That's probably it. The street looked seedy and back in 1938, from what my Dad used to tell me, 3rd Ave was not a great place.

Is it listed here?

I don't know if the Tudor is listed here. It might have had other names before or after. In those days, it would have been under the shadow of the Third Avenue elevated subway. The name probably alluded to the Tudor City apartment building complex.

Since “Gone With the Wind” opened at The Capitol, I thought this might be a good enough place to tell a funny story about that movie.

It’s from a woman I used to work with. Her Mother is from the U.K. and she said that when “GWTW” opened in London, it was at the height of the Blitz. A truly horrific time for those people.

Anyway, her Mother went to see “GWTW” one afternoon. She bought her ticket and waited in line. She said the crowd was HUGE, perhaps thousands of people either waiting to get in or buy tickets for later shows.

Then the air raid siren went off.

Luckily it was a false alarm.

Not a single person got off the line.

I think it’s a great story that demonstrates the power that movies had once.

The Capitol started August, 1939, with "Four Feathers," which ran two weeks and was followed on August 17 with "The Wizard of Oz" and special Garland-Rooney stage show. On September 7, the Capitol reverted to films only with "Lady of the Tropics," trailed by "Blackmail," September 14; "The Women," September 21; "Thunder Afloat," October 12; "Babes in Arms," October 19; "Dancing Co-Ed," November 9; "At the Circus," November 16; "Another Thin Man," November 23; "The Secret of Dr. Kildare, December 7; "Remember?," December 14; and "Gone With the Wind" (simultaneous with the Astor), December 19. "GWTW" remained until March 7, 1940, when it was replaced by "Northwest Passage," followed by "Broadway Melody of 1940," March 28; "Dr. Kildare's Strange Case," April 11; "Forty Little Mothers," April 18; "Strange Cargo," April 25; "Twenty-Mule Team," May 9; "Waterloo Bridge," May 16; "Edison The Man," June 6; "The Mortal Storm," June 20; "Susan and God," July 11; "New Moon," July 18; "Andy Hardy Meets Debutante," August 1; "I Love You Again," August 15; "Boom Town," September 5; "Strike Up the Band," September 29; "The Great Dictator" (simultaneous with the Astor), October 15; "Son of Monte Cristo," December 4; "Third Finger, Left Hand," December 11; "Dr. Kildare's Crisis," December 18; "Comrade X," December 25.

That's quite a parade of films in those seventeen months. A three-week run for the best of them must have meant good b.o. receipts. I'd be curious to check them against competition at the Roxy, Paramount, RCMH, and others in the same weeks. Thanks for the listings, Warren.

Almost all were MGM releases, the remainder United Artists.

CConnolly: Back in February you were posting here about "The Ten Commandments." Well, the American Film Institute will be announcing their 100 Greatest Movie Quotes in June, and here is the link to the 400 nominated quotes they'll be choosing from. Check out #348.

http://afi.com/Docs/tvevents/pdf/quotes400.pdf

I watched (again...) most of it when ABC aired it on a Saturday night (3/19). Oh, GOD...the campiness of it all!

I have a new favorite HAM scene: it's when Ramses summons Moses after the final plague (the one where all the first born of Egypt die). So, Moses finally gets what he wants after all: he and his people can leave Egypt. Ramses tells him so.

Now, you'd think, in a realistic sense, that Moses would be at least somewhat humbled and leave quietly, right? I mean the guy's gotta know that Ramses son is dead. But noooooooooooooo, not Heston's (or DeMille's Moses). He goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on rambling about God. At one point, I expected (HELL would've LOVED) to see Ramses scream at Moses: "Oh, for God's sake! I just let you and your people go! So would you PLEASE SHUT THE HELL UP!"

DeMille made films in the sound era. But from his direction, he was still locked in 1925.

If only movies today were as much fun.
There isn't one director today who has come up with a scene half as good as Colbert in the drink in Sign of the Cross.

One scene from "The Ten Commandments" always bothered me. Before the final plague, Anne Baxter tells Heston, "I saved your son." Heston says, "I cannot save yours." But he could have, very easily, just by telling her about the lamb's blood. I guess he didn't really want to save him, Pharaoh needed to be taught the ultimate lesson, etc. Still a great movie.

Bill: YES, YES, YES!!!! I realized the EXACT same thing when I saw it on that Saturday night. He could've told her what to do OR had her bring the baby to his house. That's a major plot hole. I love that scene between Moses and Nefritiri (sp?). Here's Moses and "God-ded" up and stuff (and stiff as a board) and there's Baxter, all heavy breathing, obviously in heat.

Despite a running time of nearly three hours (171 minutes), David O. Selznick's "Since You Went Away" opened at the Capitol in July, 1944 with a stage show topped by Gene Krupa's Orchestra, Lillian Lane, Peggy Mann and the G-Noters. The stage portion was apparently a half-hour or less. The movie was shown daily (except Sundays) at 9:30 AM, 12:50 PM, 4:10, 7:35, and 11...In March, 1944, a movie version of the famed novel "The Bridge of San Luis Rey" proved such a flop at the Capitol that it was withdrawn after one week, though the stage show (topped by Will Osborne's Band, Larry Adler, and the Four King Sisters) continued for another week with "Chip Off The Old Block" (a Universal "B+" musical with Donald O'Connor & Peggy Ryan) taking over the screen. The entire program changed March 23rd, with MGM's "The Heavenly Body" (Hedy Lamarr, needless to say) on screen, and Jimmy Durante (reunited with ex-partners Eddie Jackson & Lou Clayton), Sonny Dunham's Orchestra, dancers Mary Raye & Naldi, and mimic Windy Cook on stage. A "bonus" stage attraction was 21-year-old movie star Bonita Granville, with "songs and recitations!"

OMG, Bonita Granville. Now there's a blast from the past. I hadn't heard anything of her in ages. I had the impression that her show business career just faded away. Whatever became of her anyway?

Bonita Granville married producer Jack Wrather. They produced the Lassie series. I think she's still alive.

With a recitation what exactly would one recite on the stage of a huge movie palace?

From IMDB regarding Ms. Granville:

After her marriage to Mr. Wrather in 1947, she appeared in only three more movies. She became an executive in the Wrather Corp., and first Associate, then executive producer of their "Lassie" TV series. After Jack Wrather's death in 1984, she took over as chairman of the board. She was also involved in many civic, and cultural groups, and she was chair of American Film Institute, and trustee of John F. Kennedy Center, and other well known organizations, and charities. She died of cancer in Santa Monica in 1988. Had four children.

Whoops. I didnt realize she had died. Thanks for the info.

MGM's "Gaslight" (Ingrid Bergman-Charles Boyer) opened at the Capitol on May 4, 1944, with Phil Spitalny & His All Girl Orchestra providing the entire "Hour of Charm" stage show...MGM's "A Guy Named Joe" (Spencer Tracy-Irene Dunne) premiered at the Capitol on December 23, 1943, with a Christmas stage show featuring MGM contract stars Kathryn Grayson, Rags Ragland, June Allyson, and Nancy Walker. Veteran comedian Lou Holtz served as emcee, with Richard Himber's Orchestra providing the music and additional entertainers.

Sony's deal to Purchase Metro-Goldywn-Mayer closed on Friday April 8th according to Daily Variety. The Capitol was MGM's flagship theatre since 1924 until it showed its last MGM film "2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968. The Capitol was a very successful Movie Palace during its lifetime. It didn't suffer a decline the way many movie palaces in Times Square did during its lifetime. It was modernized for Cinerama but never twinned.brucec

Although the Capitol presented MANY MGM releases, it did run movies from other companies, especially from the early 1950s onwards, when the Federal Government-enforced split of MGM Pictures and Loew's Theatres took effect.

In April, 1944, the Capitol offered a double portion of singer Ginny Simms, who starred on screen in MGM's Technicolored "Broadway Rhythm" and also headed the stage show (with support from Frankie Carle's Orchestra, dancer Mitzi Mayfair, and comedian Arthur Blake)...In private life, Simms became intimately involved with MGM boss Louis B. Mayer. In 1949, when Mayer was reported injured in a horse-riding accident, Frank Sinatra scoffed, "Nah, he just fell off Ginny Sims." The widely circulated wisecrack cost Sinatra his MGM contract, according to writer Gary Theroux in the liner notes to the recently released CD, "The Best of Ginny Simms with Kay Kayser & His Orchestra."

Here's a New York Times ad from April 1968 for the Capitol's last feature. If this beautiful theater had to go under, at least it went out on top.:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/2001.jpg

Here's a picture of the Capitol's Cinerama screen, taken right before the opening of "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm" in 1962:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/capitol7.jpg

My first visit to the Capitol was in August, 1942, when my maternal grandmother took me to see "Tarzan's New York Adventure," which was the last in the series produced by MGM. Supporting the movie was a special compilation of five different newsreels, a Technicolor travelog entitled "Exotic Mexico," the Pete Smith short comedy "Self Defense," and an episode of the "Information, Please!" series. "Tarzan" lasted only one week, and was replaced on August 13 by Orson Welles' "The Magnificent Ambersons," which held on for two weeks and was followed on August 27 by "Somewhere I'll Find You." Clark Gable's last movie before entering military service, this proved a substantial hit and ran for almost a month, replaced on September 24 by "Between Us Girls, followed by: "Panama Hattie," October 1; "A Yank at Eaton," October 15; "Flying Tigers," October 22; "Cairo," November 5; "Seven Sweethearts," November 12; "I Married a Witch," November 19; "White Cargo," November 26; "Seven Days' Leave," December 10; "Journey For Margaret," December 17; and Noel Coward's "In Which We Serve," December 23. The Capitol would continue on a single feature basis until March 1943, when stage shows resumed after an eight-year suspension with "Stand By For Action" on screen.

Here is an awesome shot of the Capitol. Sure looks different from when I saw it in the Cinerama years.

Another great shot.

Thanks, Robert. I remember that big balcony from seeing "2001" there in 1968, and according to an earlier post that wasn't even the whole balcony like in your picture - the top of it had been curtained off.

Nice set of photos, RobertR. Thanks for the link.

This following was to be part of a book I was compiling about Times Square. The book never happened, but I thought I would share the some of its contents which I hope will be of interest to the readers of this website:

Ironically, Major Bowes, who was to become one of radio's most famous personalities, didn't want to broadcast portions of the Capitol's stage shows, as he thought that audiences might not come to the theater if they could hear the show for free at home. But it was Roxy who saw radio's promotional value and prevailed. On November 19, 1922, WEAF broadcast the American premiere of Richard Strauss' tone poem, "Ein Heldenleben," live from the Capitol's stage with Erno Rapee conducting. The Capitol's brass band had been replaced by a symphony orchestra when Roxy took over. The broadcasts were carried on the NBC Blue Network and spawned a series of Sunday night broadcasts from the theater, with Roxy describing the action on stage. Because of these broadcasts, the Capitol became the most famous theater in America and Roxy's fame grew as well. Roxy's Gang, as the program was called, stayed on the air until 1926, when he left to oversee the construction of the theater that would bear his name, the radio program became Major Bowes' Capitol Theatre Family Hour with the Major as host.

Writer William A. Schudt's account of a visit to one of the broadcasts appeared in the Radio Program Weekly in 1927.
"Good evening Capitol Family!" It was just seven-twenty o'clock when the familiar voice of Major Edward Bowes broke the silence of the studio in the basement of the Capitol Theatre on Fifty-first Street and Broadway.
We attempted to enter the Capitol Theatre from the main entrance on Broadway....we say attempted, since that is all we could possibly do. Tell It to the Marines was the picture playing at the time, and although the theatre itself was packed, even to the lobby, a line of people more than a block in length patiently awaited the chance to peer at the renowned Lon Chaney doing his stuff as a super Marine should.
After some little time we decided that we might get somewhere if we consulted one of the prettily uniformed ushers who kept the line of movie fans in a perfect arc twisting itself into Fiftieth Street.
We did consult him, asking "Where, pray tell us, fellow, may we gain entrance to the broadcast studio." You'd 've thought we had just signed his death sentence...he gasped and drew back several paces and stared at us in amazement. "Oh," he exclaimed, "You cannot get in there...! You will have to obtain a special permit from the National Broadcasting Company before you can get into the studio."
Into the Capitol and behind the scenes we ambled, passing the doorkeeper who eyed use suspiciously. Doorkeepers always did eye us suspiciously. The broadcast studio of the theatre is located in the basement just below the stage. This studio was located in other parts of the building but the engineers of WEAF found that this new location proved acoustically perfect, without draperies of anything that might beautify it. The ceiling is concrete, a pipe here and there passes through the partitioned off section of the studio...."we could beautify it all right," said one of Major Bowes' assistants after we had questioned him as to the reason for the bare-appearing studio.
As the hour approached seven-twenty o'clock, Major Edward Bowes entered the studio and greeted us cordially. And there, over in the corner was Ralph "Wentworth," that person behind that popular voice, heard frequently over WEAF and its associated stations. Wentworth introduced the Capitol program, presenting Major Bowes who immediately took up the program, announcing the features appearing at the theatre at the time and then taking up in detail the discussion of selections to be played by the Capitol Grand Orchestra, direct from the stage of the theatre.
For the next few minutes we sat around the studio listening to the loud speaker which is set up for the purpose of letting the Major know just when to prepare for his studio program....this, however, is not really a necessity since the programs are timed during the rehearsal so that every artist broadcasting on the Capitol program knows just how long he, or she, will be on the air. Every announcement is timed with a the aid of a stop-watch, and there is no deviation from this time, either!
After WEAF switched us, by way of microphone, back to the studio, the Major stepped briskly forth, faced the "mike," and with one hand rested against the concrete wall announced the opening feature of the program which was the well known Tilly Indianer, who rendered on the piano, Tarantella, "Venezia e Napoli" by Franz Liszt. Following this we got a good look at Nina Gorden and then she turned her head toward the microphone and rendered, very beautifully too, the little selection, "Mister Bear." Miss Gorden always accompanies herself on the piano when she sings this number. And then, along came Westwell Gorden, singing "You In a Gondola," by Coningsby Clark."
All the while these artists were rendering various types of entertainment, the studio orchestra was silently setting up in the rear of the spacious studio. The orchestra had just concluded its presentation in the theatre. David Mendoza, the leader of the orchestra, took his place with the baton and immediately following Bowe's announcement came "The Beautiful Galathea, " by Von Suppe.
There were so many prominent artists there that we were quite confused at first. We became anxious after a while, even inquisitive. We had just asked one of the members of the Capitol staff where our very versatile Caroline Andrews was keeping herself, when suddenly, as if by magic, she appeared on the scene.... and just in time too, for the Major had her scheduled to do the next number on the program. She sang "The Lark." This selection, incidently, was the first she sang on the radio some three years ago when she broadcast with Roxy and his Gang.
Dr. Billy Axt....my, we certainly can't forget him, can we? Dr. Billy was tickling the ivories. We don't just recall under what circumstances, though, but he did the numbers very well.
And of course there is Marjorie Harcum who sang, "Mammy's Little Kinky-Headed Boy," just a little better than we have heard anyone sing it for three and three-fifths years.
Perhaps you've listened to the tweet-tweet of the birds in some of the orchestra selections given by the Capitol Studio orchestra....if you have, it certainly will interest you to know that David Gusikoff, the vibraphone player, is the "bird."
While the program continues, now and then, a member, or sometimes several members as the case may be, of the ballet corps peer into the studio between parted portieres. Now and then one will enter and quietly sit on one of the benches on the farther side of the room.
It is the Capitol Family. Everyone is friendly. They are just one large group of happy people working in unison to make everyone else just as happy as they!
:

Re: the interior photo's.....it looks like the projection booth was added after the theatre was built. Can anyone verify? Thanks.

Aug 31,1941 the Capitol held over Mickey & Judy in "Life Begins for Andy Hardy" and their next show was Joan Crawford & Robert Taylor in "When Ladies Meet".

April 6, 1948 the Capitol was presenting Lucille Ball and Franchot Tone in "Her Husband's Affarirs" on screen and Frank Sinatra (post Dorsey) with the Skitch Henderson Orchestra. On the top of the ad in that days NY Times was the message......."Due to illness, Frank Sinatra will be unable to appear at todays performances at the Capitol. Miss Jane Powell will appear in his place. Mr. Sinatra's doctor assures the management that Frank will definately will be able to resume his appearances on Tuesday".

Even the great Capitol was sometimes used as part of Premiere Showcase. In March of 1965 the Fox release "John Goldfarb, Please Come Home" starring Shirley Mclaine and Peter Ustinov opened at the Loew's Capitol and Loew's Orpheum, as well as showcase theatres in the outer boros.

"The Wizard of Oz" and special stage show with Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney ran for three weeks at the Capitol (minus Rooney in the third week), closing on September 6th, 1939. Three weeks later, on September 28th, "Oz" moved to Loew's State, coupled with vaudeville topped by Andy Kirk & The Clouds of Joy, Pinky Lee, and Gus Van. That same day, "Oz" opened on the first tier of Loew's neighborhood theatres, with UA's "Winter Carnival" as second feature. The Loew's State booking lasted one week. On October 5th, the State switched to "Lady of the Tropics," also a move-over from the Capitol, and a new vaudeville program. "Oz," meanwhile, moved on to other Loew's nabes with "Winter Carnival."

Warren, I've seen your numerous and highly detailed posts for quite a while (and for which I thank you) but am wondering how you come by all this info. Do you have access to some library or have you collected this over the years? Regardless, if you haven't already, have you considered writing a book or books? Seems to me that you have more than enough info to pen a multi-volume work...don't know how much of a market there would be, but it would still be fascinating and invaluable to future fans and scholars.

For those who saw 2001 at the Capitol. Were the audiences really different from the normal roadshow audience? Or was it a raodshow epic audience? Were they really hippie types who bought their tickets righ before the film like a regular movie and did pot smoke really hover near the screen?

I can only speak for myself......my Dad took me to see this at night (and if memory serves it was the premiere). We dressed up and I seem to recall that everyone else was dressed nicely. One of the reasons I remember that we had on nice clothes is that I discovered that there was a small hole in one of my pants pockets and I ended up losing my ticket stub.

As for smoking pot in public, I kind of doubt that would've happened without arrests as things were quite different back then.....the cops looked for any excuse to bust a hippy type, you could serve jail time for a single joint (unlike today).

I can only speak for myself......my Dad took me to see this at night (and if memory serves it was the premiere). We dressed up and I seem to recall that everyone else was dressed nicely. One of the reasons I remember that we had on nice clothes is that I discovered that there was a small hole in one of my pants pockets and I ended up losing my ticket stub.

As for smoking pot in public, I kind of doubt that would've happened without arrests as things were quite different back then.....the cops looked for any excuse to bust a hippy type, you could serve jail time for a single joint (unlike today).

Vincent: I saw it at the Capitol on a Saturday afternoon in June 1968, two months after it opened, and the hippie types had not discovered it yet. My dad and I sat in the front row of the upstairs (what the Capitol called the "divans") and there was a huge balcony above us filled with people. The audience was very quiet throughout the film, but there was lots of laughter when HAL was trying to prevent Dave from disconnecting him ("I honestly think you ought to sit down calmly, take a stress pill and think things over.") There was no pot smoking and no one sat on the floor in front of the screen, but my dad did suggest we move down to the front rows during intermission. We chickened out, though, because we had reserved assigned seats and we figured the ushers would object if we tried to change seats. Now I wish we had moved - Cinerama is always more impressive the closer to the screen you sit.

Many people are afraid of ushers...but all they can do is ask you to take your assigned seat.

From the 1968 annual report of Loew's Theatres:

"Perhaps the most interesting development in current theatre design is exemplified by the project now underway at Loew's State, your Company's flagship theatre on Broadway.

"The Uris Corporation, which has entered into a long-term ground lease with Loew's, is erecting a 48~ story office building on the site of the famed Loew's Capitol at 51st Street and Broadway in New York City. To replace the Capitol, Loew's State, six blocks south on Broadway, is being converted into two theatres: Loew's State I and Loew's State II.
...
"Adjoining the escalator in the lobby [of Loew's State] will be 'The Capitol Corner', a nostalgic recollection of The Capitol. Among the features: an ancient, Carrara marble, Roman well-head; a, French rock-crystal chandelier; a bronze railing and the grandfather's clock known to Broadway moviegoers for half a century."

The report has a photo of this 'Capitol Corner'.

Ron-- That report, available on the page for the Camelback Cinema in Scottsdale AZ on this site, reeks of greed. It's scandalous. Tisk-tisk, Tisch Tisch.

I've posted a longer excerpt from this report on the Loew's State page.

From the 1967 Loew's annual report:

"The land under Loew's Capitol Theatre on Broadway in New York City has been leased to Uris Building Corporation, which will demolish the theatre and erect a 1,700,000 sq. ft. office building. Loew's ownership of the basic lease should enable us to realize between $16,000,000 and $17,000,000 on this property, if we elect to mortgage or dispose of it.

"Your Company has many theatres and commercial properties in excellent locations, many of which are completely free and clear of mortgage debt. It is our intention to carry out a mortgaging program over the next few years. With the addition of mortgage money and cash flow to our present cash and security position, we project having available resources approximating $200,000,000 during the next three years. At the opportune time, we intend to use this fund for a major acquisiiion. Pending the fulfillment of this program, we are making investments in marketable securities."

A year later, that "major acquisition" turned out to be Lorillard, a tobacco company.

Here is the ad from that unusual booking of "Duel in the Sun" that opened at the Capitol and 38 neighborhood Loew's
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/DuelintheSun.jpg

This undated photo shows Sophie Tucker arriving at the Capitol
http://www.vintagephotos.com/Image%20361%20Sophie%20Tucker.htm

Edward G. Robinson at the same premiere
http://www.vintagephotos.com/Image%20387%20Edward%20G%20Robinson.htm

1955 Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hagerty arrive at the Capitol
http://www.vintagephotos.com/Image%20388%20Jayn%20Mansfield.htm

Christmas 1960 while "The Misfits" was playing the Capitol, Loew's also opened it at the Metropolitan.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Butterfield8.jpg

Here is a double ad from August 1965 for both of Manhattan's Cinerama theaters:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/cinerama2.jpg

Here is an area directory of theaters from the Aug. 11, 1965 issue of the New York Journal-American. Considering most of the titles on view here, the concept of the "summer movie" had not yet taken hold.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/directory3.jpg

Interesting that Mary Poppins is still playing at a number of theaters a year after it opened. And at the Cinema Village and 68th Street no less!

The area directory of 1965 is not truly indicative of the major releases of that summer. Many of the theatres listed are second or third run or revival houses. Some of the "big" releases of that summer were still in their first-run engagements and had not moved on to these theatres. The major studios always released some of their most important movies in the summer, especially those that might appeal to school and adult vacationers. For example, in the summer of 1965, Columbia released "Cat Ballou," "Lord Jim," "The Collector," and "Ship of Fools." Paramount had "The Family Jewels," "Harlow," and "The Sons of Katie Elder." 20th-Fox released "Von Ryan's Express" and "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines." Saturation release was still in the evolving stage, and many of these films were shown at only one or two theatres in their first engagements.

But didn't Lord Jim open as an Easter roadshow at Loew's State and after a dismal few months(if that long) was then dumped onto drive-in double bills?
Also weren't Magnificent Men and Hallelujah Trail the only roadshows to ever open as summer films and consequently neither made it to the fall?

"Lord Jim" opened at the State on Feb. 25th, the next Roadshow into the State was "The Agony and the Ecstasy" on Oct. 7th of 1965.

8 of the 9 films Warren mentioned are listed in the directory. When I said "summer movie", I meant it the way they use the term now: big, dumb action movies or adaptations of comic books. That's a pretty classy bunch of titles moviegoers had to choose from in the summer of 1965. We've come a long way since then - a long way backward.

But I believe between Jim and Ecstasy there were a few other films. did Jim even make it to May?

September 1965 the Capitol was part of the showcase presentation of "The Reward"
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/AgonyEcstacy.jpg

From August 1939:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/judy.jpg

1952 "The Quiet Man" opened at the Capitol
http://photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/?action=view¤t=QuietMan.jpg

If I had to choose between these two 1945 bookings, I would have gone to the Capitol:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2910_IMG.jpg

It's weird seeing Alexander Knox as a romantic comedy lead - to me he will always be "Wilson".

For me nothing beats the Music Hall but on this one I'm with Warren(though Dunne and Coburn are two of my favorites.) Is Under 21 shown on TCM at 8 in the morning or is it lost to the ages?

Here are three interior images. In the first of the grand lobby with its marble staircase, please note the miniature Capitol dome in the background between the two draped arches. The vast central dome in the auditorium was completely surrounded by smaller domes, all with crystal chandeliers. The color scheme used olive, brown, and antiqued ivory. Instead of the usual gold leaf to highlight details, Thomas Lamb used silver:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2950_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2966_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/129-2955_IMG.jpg

Warren-- gorgeous. I remember the Capitol's '40s-'50s color scheme as green (the color of the immense traveler curtain) and brown (the woodwork), but your notation of olive is no doubt accurate. And, yes, silver leaf rather than gold: I always remember the Capitol as full of glittering accents, showing off the crystal and marble to best effect.

Here are some exterior images showing how the Capitol's signage changed over the decades, starting with two from 1917 opening. By the end, the vertical signs had been reduced to a chintzy digital clock flashing the time and temperature:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3017_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3007_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3010_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3012_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3014_IMG.jpg

Thanks again, Warren. I especially like the 4th one ("Held Over! By Public Clamor!)

Sorry! The Capitol's opening year was 1919, not 1917. I had it confused with that of Loew's Metropolitan in downtown Brooklyn, where Thomas Lamb tried out some of the ideas that he later used in the Capitol.

In November, 1946, Ingrid Bergman's recent movies were proving such blockbusters that MGM revived one of her first Hollywood efforts, "Rage in Heaven (1941, with Robert Montgomery), which it "proudly re-introduced" at the Capitol with a supporting stage topped by Enric Madriguera's Orchestra, the Murtah Sisters, and Charles Fredericks. The booking lasted three weeks, and two weeks more than the original NYC run of "Rage in Haven," which had also been at the Capitol but sans stage show.

Here's a 1954 view of a Capitol premiere. Due to faulty copyright protection, the movie fell into the public domain and has been widely released in sub-standard "bargain" editions on video tape and DVD:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3020_IMG.jpg

Nice pic Warren look at the little round signs advertising the wide vision screens. Remember "It's a Wonderful Life" also went public domain and somehow they got it back to being licensed.

Even in the mid 1920's the Capitol had a symphonic orchestra, "The Grand Capitol Orchestra" conducted by David Mendoza, and its own ballet corp, too. A 1926 ad claimed that it was the biggest motion picture palace in the world.

I believe even the great Eugene Ormandy conducted the Capitol orchestra in the 20's. What a great period for American popular culture and classical music!

Many of Clark Gable's movies, including "GWTW" and "Mutiny on the Bounty," had their New York premieres at the Capitol, but only once did he star on its stage (and not in support of one of his own films). Here's a shot of the opening day of the engagement, which ran for one week and required Gable to do five performances per day. He emceed the entire show and also acted in a re-creation of a scene from "Dancing Lady," his hit movie with Joan Crawford (with actress Ruth Matteson taking over her role):
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/131-3180_IMG.jpg

Warren-- I want to refer readers to your spirited accounts of Gable's live turn in your post above, last 16-17 Feb., and to the longer account in your book about Gable. It's hilariously racy.

Here's a seating plan (with Loew's spelled incorrectly!) from the 1965 issue of Stubs. The first row of upstairs seating, AA in the Divans section, overhung row N of the orchestra:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/132-3216_IMG.jpg

In this 1933 ad for "Hell Below" it mentions being "Direct from it's $2 engagement at the Astor.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/CocktailHour.jpg

It would be wonderful to have a seating plan from the original Capitol to see how cut down the roadshow theater was. Also when GWTW played there in 39 was the mezz reserved seats or was the entire theater general seating?

When "GWTW" played the Capitol in 1939, the loge seats were premium-priced, but not reserved. Up until 5PM, loges were $1.10, as opposed to 75 cents in the orchestra and balcony. At 5PM, orchestra and balcony increased to $1.10, with the loges at $1.65. At the Astor, where the film was shown twice daily, all seats were reserved, and bookable eight weeks in advance. Astor tix ranged from 75 cents to $1.10 at weekday matinees to $1.10 to $2.20 for all evening performances.

The Capitol with a rare 3-D movie. I doubt that there were many others (if any):
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/134-3478_IMG.jpg

to warren
here is the ad for miss sadie thompson
in 3-d at the capitol at the end of 1953
but when it left the capitol and went to
neighborhood theatres it was showed
only on flate 2-d shreen and it never
played in 3-d again again
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0077.jpg

here is more ads from the capitol
moulin rouge-1952
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0075.jpg

thequiet man-1952
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0079.jpg

vera cruz-1953
what was superscope
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0080.jpg

the caine mutiny-1954
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0081.jpg

not as a stranger-1955
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0082.jpg

herh is a ad for the capitol theatre
now called the new LOEWS CAPITOL 1959
INAGURAL ATTRACTION WAS
SOLOMONAND SHEBA
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0074.jpg

solmon and sheba-1950
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0083.jpg

bundle of joy-1956
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/myrtleave/scan0084.jpg

To myrtleave,
Sadie Thompson played in 3D at film forum a number of years ago.

The escalator that was installed in 1959 in the center of the marble staircase to the mezzanine promenade was manufactured by the Peelle Company of Brooklyn, NY, and had the brand name of "Peelle Motorstair." The speed could be adjusted from 90 to 120 feet per minute...Architect John McNamara did the 1959 remake as Loew's Capitol. 775 auditorium seats were removed, leaving a total of 3,662: 1,520 in the orchestra, 126 in the divans section, 922 in the mezzanine, and 1,094 in the balcony. "Divans" was the former loge section. "Mezzanine" was a new designation for the first section of balcony seats behind the divans/loge. The new Technikote screen measured 28' x 61' for "Solomon and Sheba," Loew's Capitol's opening attraction.

This appears to be a 1932 ad for the Capitol Theater.

Wow, Hope and Crosby on the same bill 8 years before their first film together! I wonder if they shared the stage for any portion of these shows?

Here's an image of the 1959 renovations by John McNamara and the new stage draperies. The smaller insert shows McNamara's previous work at Loew's State:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/138-3860_IMG.jpg

During the Christmas holidays of 1952, four big NYC theatres were still running stage shows with their movies. The Strand, which by that time had been re-named the Warner and showed movies only, was closed for conversion to Cinerama. The Capitol presented "Against All Flags" (Errol Flynn-Maureen O'Hara) and ss topped by Johnnie Ray, Georgia Gibbs, Ray Anthony & Orchestra, Gary Morton, and the Three Rockets. The Paramount had "April in Paris" (Doris Day-Ray Bolger) with ss including Sarah Vaughan, Illinois Jacquet & Orchestra, Stump & Stumpy, the Four Tunes, and Teddy Hale. The Roxy showed the Sousa biopic, "Stars and Stripes Forever," plus an ice-skating spectacular entitled "Crystal Circus." RCMH presented "Million Dollar Mermaid" (Esther Williams) and two-part ss, "The Nativity" and "Season's Greetings."

What is it with all the drapes? The original boxes and prosceniums of both the Roxy and the Capitol from photos I've seen were magnificent. Yet for so much of their history even before being converted to Cinerama or Cinemiracle these were covered.

Here are some more images of the 1959 renovations:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/139-3918_IMG.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/139-3925_IMG.jpg

A rare Paramount booking at the Loew's/MGM-owned Capitol was "The Scarlet Empress," a Marlene Dietrich-Josef von Sternberg collaboration about Catherine The Great that was perhaps considered over the heads of the hoi polloi that frequented the Paramount Theatre. When the movie opened at the Capitol in September, 1934, the accompanying stage show was wholly devoted to the Michel Fokine Ballet Company, which performed dance versions of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" and Schumann's "Carnaval" with the muscial support of the Capitol Grand Orchestra under conductor Don Albert.

Awww-- All the Dietrich-von Sternberg collaborations seem like such natural vehicles for the Paramount or the Rivoli. Your news about "Scarlet Empress" at the Capitol shatters my illusions. The stage show sounds over-the-top. Of course, major Paramount bookings at the Capitol after 1952 were commonplace: "A Place in the Sun," "Sister Carrie," "War and Peace," "Vertigo," etc.

An Estey organ Opus 1710 Size 4/45 was installed in the Capitol Theater in 1919 at a cost of $16,000.

"The Scarlet Empress" and ballet stage show survived for only nine days at the Cpitol, and were replaced by MGM's "Death on the Diamond" and revue topped by Jackie Cooper, George Jessel and showbiz columnist Ed Sullivan & His Dawn Patrol (a crop of "new faces").

Did this theater have a romance with Old Russia, even after “The Scarlet Empress” failed to pay off? Here’s a “program” for “Dr. Zhivago,” distributed in the form of a leaflet at the Capitol in January, 1966.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/cinematreasures/zhivago1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/cinematreasures/zhivago2.jpg

A friend had attended the premiere on 22 December, 1965, and swooned over the film. She then returned to the box office the next day and bought tickets as Christmas presents for everyone she knew. Extravagant woman! I remember that the Capitol’s presentation of the film was absolutely superb. But, then, that was all to be expected. I’ve often meant to check out the film on tv and see whether it holds up under those conditions.

I believe Zhivago world premiered at the Capitol. I remember reading somewhere that Lean said the film bombed initially because of the awful reviews and you could throw stones in the theater without hitting anyone. But if I remember correctly from looking at old Varietys in the library it was a sellout from day one. Maybe someone could confirm this?
Lean was out his mind not to have filmed this in 70mm.

The producer/studio would not let him - via the budget - film Dr. Z in SuperPanavision, he certainly wanted to do it that way.

"Doctor Zhivago" was not an immediate success. The reviews were mostly negative and in some cases insulting to director David Lean and scripter Robert Bolt by accusing them of reducing a literary masterwork to soap opera. It was only audience word-of-mouth, and hit recordings of "Lara's Theme," that built it into a hit. Sophia Loren's husband, Carlo Ponti, was producer of the movie, but had slight creative input after Lean refused to cast Loren as Lara. Not that Lean disliked Loren, but he thought she was too mature to play the virginous heroine. The president of MGM sided with Lean and they eventually selected Julie Christie, with Ponti's reluctant approval.

Good God! My Sophia as Lara? In June '57 she appeared on the Capitol's screen in "The Pride and the Passion" (I was there at the opening showing at 10 am on 28 June), in Nov. '58 with Cary Grant in "Houseboat," in March '60 in "Heller in Pink Tights" and again in September '60 in "It Started in Naples" (am I right on those two?), but never, thanks Heavens, in "Doctor Z."

Box Office Bill wrote" I remember that the Capitol’s presentation of the film was absolutely superb. But, then, that was all to be expected."

Bill...can you paint a word picture for us about the presentation at the Capitol? What did they do (or do differently) that impressed you?
Presentation has always been a big thing for me ever since my days in 1960 as a part-time projectionist in a 400 seat theatre. Even so, presentation was drilled into us.
Thanks.

The Capitol is mentioned twice in the 1933 film of Elmer Rice's hit Broadway play, "Counsellor At Law." John Barrymore (in the title role) needs to contact a former client who worked as an usher at the Capitol Theatre. His secretary (Bebe Daniels) then calls the switchboard operator and says "Get me the Capitol Theatre" as the scene fades out...I wonder what the audience reaction was when the movie had its NYC premiere engagement at the Capitol's near neighbor, Radio City Music Hall, in December of that year, supported by a stage show based entirely on Rimsky-Korsakoff's "Scheherazade Suite." The booking lasted only one week, despite favorable reviews for both the film and stage show.

Yet another stage show based on Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade," only now at RCMH and before the Capitol mounted one to escort Dietrich-von Sternberg a year later!

mjc asked for my memory of the Capitol's presentation of "Zhivago" in '65-66. Here are two global impressions:

(1) About Roadshow presentations at the Capitol and elsewhere, I most remember a totally settled, seated audience in place during the entire performance. At the busy B'way palaces for conventional shows, a steady stream of patrons ascended up and descended down the aisles throughout the screening. Often it would come in waves, as diligent ushers shunted files of patrons from one aisle to the next in an effort to balance the seating throughout the auditorium. In that case, every twenty minutes or so a herd of seat-seekers would fan out down the aisle looking for optimal spaces. It could be distracting. One learned never to sit toward the center-side of the aisles on the right or left hand wings of the house for the penalty of contending with the occasional throngs arriving during the pricture. Because seats were reservced for specific performances at roadshow presentations, such interference did not occur. Everyone sat in place from beginning to end, except for the rare squirmer who became quickly conspicuous for his or her movement.

(2) I also remember the theater(s) as completely dark. Since there was no need for the dim lighting that allowed patrons to arrive or depart during the film, once the house lights went out, the palace became black as pitch. Dark scenes on the screen seemed ever so much more vivid because of this darkness, while bright scenes shone yet more brightly as light reflected from the screen bounced off the walls and silvery proscenium curtains. The famous shot in "Zhivago" of the wintertime fields bursting into springtime bloom brought the whole house from drab grey to vibrant color in a few seconds. One feature of the Capitol's projection (and that of its mid-town peers, too) was that the sides of each frame met the screen's masking with razor-sharp precision: no fuzzy projector gate edges and no overlap of image on top of the masks.

"Counsellor at Law" appeared on TCM last week, and the few minutes I caught of it looked quite good. I had never heard of that film or play before, and I wouldn't mind watching the whole thing some time.

"Counsellor At Law" was the first major feature directed by William Wyler and is well worth watching. The entire film takes place within the confines of the office of a NYC law firm and was shot in two weeks because Universal Pictures couldn't afford to hire John Barrymore for longer due to his $25,000 weekly fee. The role was created on the stage by Paul Muni, who, for whatever reasons, wasn't interested in making the movie. But Muni later repeated the role in a revival of the play on Broadway in the 1940s.

March of 1955 the Capitol was playing Tyrone Power in "The Long Gray Line" while a few blocks away the Roxy had Mr. Power in "Untamed". Almost 12,000 seats for him to fill :)
http://photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/?action=view¤t=BridgesatTokoRi.jpg

RobertR:
Look at all those fabulous movie theatres to choose from in just one page of ads!

C at Law is a terrific early talkie melodrama with not only a wonderful J Barrymore but a heartbreaking Bebe Daniels as well. Have seen it twice at Film Forum. Wait till they show it again.
A perfect Music Hall picture.

"Counsellor-at-Law" will be shown again on cable/satellite by Turner Classic Movies on November 14th at 1:45 AM (EST).

There is some early 30's MGM Joan Crawford film with George Montgomery I believe where an unwanted suitor keeps trying to get Joan to see the new million dollar picture at the Capitol. Anybody know which film this is?

In May, 1951, the Capitol hit one of its all-time lows with the NYC premiere engagement of "Ma & Pa Kettle Back on the Farm." The stage show was headed by one of the film's stars, Percy Kilbride, who did a comic mind-reading act. Also on the bill were singer Kitty Kallen and Frankie Carle & His Orchestra.

An all-time low? The Kettle series was VERY popular with audiences at that time. In fact, they've been released to entertain new generations in DVD box sets.

And Percy Kilbride on stage to boot? That was a show not to miss!

As Percy would say "That's a dandy, maw!"

I like how the ad for "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" tells us that the movie is "after Stephen Vincent Benet". Seems like moviegoers more cultured back then, or just plain smarter.

I like how the ad for "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" tells us that the movie is "after Stephen Vincent Benet". Seems like moviegoers were more cultured back then, or just plain smarter.

Here's the front cover of the souvenir program for "Guys and Dolls," which sold at the Capitol for a whopping 50 cents per copy. Despite mixed reviews, "Guys and Dolls" ran for nearly 3.5 months at the Capitol, starting on November 3, 1955 with a gala charity premere for the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital. The booking was exclusive for the NYC area, but performances were "grind" due to the Capitol's then 4,448-seating capacity, which was considered too large for a roadshow policy:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/guys.jpg

Warren--

That’s a great front cover for the “Guys and Dolls” program. But its rear cover is atrocious. Who decided to use a monochrome still from the brawl in a Havana bar? Here it is:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/guysanddolls.jpg

Page 3 offers a few more flattering shots:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/guysanddolls2.jpg

And p. 10 assures us that Brando performed his own singing:

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y116/petrarch/guysanddolls3.jpg

In one staggering leap, it just hit me that I picked up this program at the Capitol almost exactly fifty years ago on a cold mid-December Saturday afternoon. It proved yet another occasion to use guest passes proffered by a family friend who had worked in the corporate offices at Loew’s State. Only now I was a high-school Freshman with down on my upper lip and slowly descending sideburns, and it was getting to be pretty embarrassing to accompany my folks to the Capitol for an MGM tune fest.

It might have pained less if we had taken in a war movie or some action romp. But I just couldn’t face the guys in the cafeteria and say that I had seen a musical with my parents, even if it offered a mock strip-tease with “Take Back Your Mink.” As it turned out, I would share just one more family trip to the Capitol, and that took place the following summer with “War and Peace” (now that was a war movie, so I could hold my head high with the lip I’d already shaved once). After that, I was on my own when it came to attending first-ruin movies. Meanwhile, at Easter “Guys and Dolls” had hit the Loew’s nabes after playing at the Capitol for almost three-and-a-half months as Warren has mentioned. On Good Friday I went to see it again, this time with a friend, at Loew’s Kameo on Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. We nearly got thrown out of the house for our wisecracks, exactly as Damon Runyon and Joseph Mankiewicz would have wanted it to be.

I have never heard of this Van Heflin film before
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/Tempest.jpg

Here's a rare view of the Capitol's rear billboard, snapped soon after the theatre dropped stage shows and ran films only, a policy that lasted for eight years (1935-43):
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/rearcapitol.jpg

Warren-- a great pic. "All the show on the screen"! What a way of directing attention from the vacant stage. Since the film opened on 25 Oct. '35, the shot would have been taken around that time.

There's a terrific split-second shot of that billboard in "On the Town" as the boys exit from the IRT subway, but it passes so quickly that I've never been able to catch the titles advertised. When production of "Town" began on 28 March '49, the Capitol was featuring George Raft in "Outpost in Morocco" with Gordon Jenkins and a "Company of 52" on stage. Two weeks later the Capitol's Easter show brought in those great B'klyn icons, Thelma Ritter and young Tony Curtis in "City Across the River" with Art Mooney and Orchestra on stage. Next time you see it, keep an eye peeled to catch whether it's either. Meanwhile, Gene and Frank were holding down Loew's State with Esther Williams in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for eight weeks beginning March 10. Nice timing for Kelly.

Was that billboard on West 51st? And was that the rear stage wall? I'm not familiar with how the theater was situated on the block.

Actually, judging from the photo and the arrow pointing around the corner, I should think it was on West 50th street. So when you walked in through the lobby, the theater was to the left?

The photo caption said rear, but I suppose it could be a wall facing on 50th Street. It could not be 51st Street because the arrow would be facing towards Eighth Avenue and away from the theatre.

The wall was on W 50, at the rear of the stage.

Here's a shot of the Paramount Plaza (nee Uris) office building that replaced the Capitol Theater back in '68. Unfortunately for me, the Mars 2112 theme restaurant that occupies the northern end of the building's sunken plaza is one of my daughter's favorite places to eat in Manhattan.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Manhattan%20Theaters%202005/IMG_1171.jpg

The Winter Garden Theater is directly across the street.

Thanks, Ed. I checked out my favorite Cinema Treasures picture, of the Capitol playing "2001" in 1968, and the vents in the sidewalk near the curb are the only things remaining from those days.

The Capitol's first orchestra was led by Erno Rapeé (1891-1945), who was also a noted film composer. He had just finished tenure at the Rivoli and later went on to conduct the Radio City Music Hall orchestra. The breakdown of the Capitol original orchestra was:

16 First Violins, 10 Seconds, 8 Violas, 7 Cellos, 6 Basses, 2 Flutes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 4 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, 1 Tuba, 3 Drummers, 2 Oboes and 1 Harp.

Sheesh! A 71 piece orchestra! I'm not expert in the field but are Philharmonic orchestras much larger than that?!?

Bryan: I couldn't view the 1962 auditorium photo posted on 12/04/03.

My Mom saw "How The West Was Won" here in 1962 and purchased the hard-cover souvenir booklet on sale in the lobby. The hard cover is now gone, but I have the rest of the booklet and snapped a few images to share here:

Title page
What is Cinerama?
Cinerama diagram close up

There's more to the book (cast photos, credits, behind-the-scenes information and other MGM hyperbole) but I thought the Cinerama description was the most interesting aspect to post.

Minor correction... My Mom saw HTWWW sometime in 1963 at the Capitol (called the Loews Cinerama for this engagement). I double checked with her on the date (I just assumed 1962) after I saw the copyright on the souvenir booklet dated 1963. The last pages of the booklet are devoted to clippings from rave reviews in the British press after the film's London premier in late '62.

Please check out the images I posted from my Mom's "Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" souvenir booklet she picked up at that film's roadshow engagement at the old Warner Cinerama (nee Strand). I also posted from an old RCMH souvenir booklet (mine, not my Mom's) on the Radio City Music Hall site.

The Capitol was indeed a beautiful theater. I remember seeing "ALEXANDER THE GREAT"there. staring Richard Burton and Fredric March.

In March 1965 the showing of "Hush...Hush...Sweet Charlotte" at the Loew's Capitol Theatre in New York coincided with the showing at the Loew's Metropolitan in Brooklyn.
Both Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland appeared at both theatre's in person, promoting the movie. Of course I went to both theatre's for this once in a lifetime treat.
Living in Brooklyn I was familiar with the Metropolitan, however it was my first visit to the beautiful Capitol Theatre.
I took a color snapshot of the Capitol marquee advertising the movie, and which I hope to post here, when I learn how to do it, for all to see.

JoeB.

These 1959 photos show the auditorium just prior to and immediately after John McNamara's "modernization." The last photo shows the new draperies that were installed to change the seating capacity of the balcony sections.
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/cap1959.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capreno.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capdrape.jpg

I neglected to report that there wasn't any stage when I saw Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland in person at the Capitol. The ladies were standing on a platform in front of the curtained screen.
I would imagine there once was a stage for the times that Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney appeared at the theatre in person, among other stars.
Anyone know for sure?

There was a huge stage and backstage area at this theater. They presented deluxe stage shows with a 71 piece orchestra in the pit. See the post dated Feb 1, 2006 for a breakdown.

In looking at the before and after photos, it struck me how much they altered the proscenium. Not only did they hang all those curtains, but they actually plastered over (or painted) some of the decorative architecture.

Bob: Where are the before and after photos to see how much the proscenium was altered?

When the Loew's Capitol did the Cinerama install in 1962. They installed a 33 by 93 foot louved Cinerama screen with a 146 degree viewing area for the opening of MGM's "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm". During this Cinerama install the seating capacity was reduced to around 1552. The side aisles in the orchestra, half of the balcony and a third of the loge was eliminated for the new projection process. The 3-Strip Cinerama process ran from August 7th. 1962 to June 23rd. 1964. As a Super Cinerama house it ran from July 25th. 1964 to September 14th. 1968.

Patsy; the link to those photos are in Warren's post from 7:37 this morning.

Many thanks you guys for the information regarding the Capitol Theatre and those fabulous pictures.
It must have been at a great expense to install Cinerama at the Capitol in 1962, only to have it last 6 years when the theatre would closed.

JoeB

Bob: Are those photos of before and after?

Sorry...as I see the first two are different photos of the same area, but too bad that it all falls under the word....demolished.

Among the week's new openings:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/trio1949.jpg
Curiously, when "The Stratton Story" reached the Loew's neighborhood circuit, the supporting movie was "The Sun Comes Up," which featured the unlikely teaming of Jeanette MacDonald & Lassie.

The Capitol's first wide screen presentation (June, 1953):
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capitol653.jpg

Saw to Hell and Back,Audie Murphy Not sure of year. When ever opened.

Great air conditioning for those years

William... Following up on your March 7th post about the refitting of the Capitol for Cinerama in '62, can you tell us what the revised seating capacity was after all those seats were concealed behind draperies? We started touching upon this topic in the Brooklyn Paramount thread, where an article was posted dated 8/21/62 in reference to that theater's closing and noting its seating capacity of 4144 as being second only to Radio City Music Hall in NYC.

William's post of 3/7/06 says the capacity was reduced to around 1,552 seats for Cinerama in 1962.

I have to stop speed-reading! Thanks, I see it plain as day in his posting. That's an amazing reduction in capacity. Assuming the 1957 FDYB (which Warren referenced on the Brooklyn Paramount page) was up-to-date and the Capitol's capacity had already been reduced to just over 4400 by the late '50's, we're talkin about a stunning reduction of nearly 3000 seats! Even if the FDYB was incorrect and capacity had been only 3000 (just to pick a round number), we're talking about half the house removed or hidden behind drapes.

44 cents until 12 Noon (August, 1943):
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/cap843.jpg

Playing at The Capitol in 1930:
(All movies MGM productions unless otherwise stated)
01/10 - 'Navy Blues' - William Haines & Anita Page
01/17 - 'It's a Great Life' - The Duncan Sisters
01/24 - 'Their Own Desire' - Norma Shearer & Robert Montgomery
01/31 - 'The Bishop Murder Case' - Basil Rathbone & Leila Hyams
02/07 - 'Not So Dumb' - Marion Davies
02/21 - 'Chasing Rainbows' - Bessie Love & Charles King
02/28 - 'A Lady To Love' - Vilma Banky & Edward G Robinson
03/07 - 'Lord Byron of Broadway' - Charles Kaley & Ethelind Terry
03/14 - 'Anna Christie' - Greta Garbo & Charles Bickford
04/04 - 'The Girl Said No' - William Haines & Leila Hyams
04/11 - 'Montana Moon' - Joan Crawford & John Mack Brown
04/18 - 'Free and Easy' - Buster Keaton & Anita Page
04/25 - 'The Ship from Shanghai' - Conrad Nagel & Kay Johnson
05/02 - 'Redemption' - John Gilbert & Eleanor Boardman
05/09 - 'The Divorcee' - Norma Shearer & Chester Morris
05/23 - 'Ladies of Leisure' - Barbara Stanwyck (Columbia)
05/30 - 'The Floradora Girl' - Marion Davies
06/06 - 'In Gay Madrid' - Ramon Novarro & Renee Adoree
06/13 - 'Lady of Scandal' - Ruth Chatterton & Basil Rathbone
06/20 - 'Caught Short' - Marie Dressler & Polly Moran
07/04 - 'The Unholy Three' - Lon Chaney & Lila Lee
07/11 - 'Let Us Be Gay' - Norma Shearer & Rod La Rocque
07/25 - 'The Sins of the Children' - Robert Montgomery & Leila Hyams
08/01 - 'Our Blushing Brides' - Joan Crawford & Robert Montgomery
08/15 - 'Way Out West' - William Haines & Leila Hyams
08/22 - 'Romance' - Greta Garbo
09/05 - 'Good News' - Bessie Love
09/12 - 'The Call of the Flesh' - Ramon Novarro & Dorothy Jordan
09/19 - 'Doughboys' - Buster Keaton & Sally Eilers
09/26 - 'Love in the Rough' - Robert Montgomery & Dorothy Jordan
10/10 - 'Those Three French Girls' - Fifi D'Orsay & Reginald Denny
10/17 - 'Billy the Kid' - John Mack Brown & Wallace Beery
11/07 - 'A Lady's Morals' - Grace Moore
11/14 - 'Brothers' - Bert Lytell & Dorothy Sebastian (Columbia)
11/21 - 'Min and Bill' - Marie Dressler & Wallace Beery
12/05 - 'Remote Control' - William Haines & Eileen Percy
12/12 - 'Way For a Sailor'- John Gilbert & Leila Hyams
12/19 - 'Passion Flower' - Kay Francis & Charles Bickford

Those film bookings are only half the story for the Capitol in 1930. Each film was accompanied by a stage show, usually with famous entertainers who were crowd-pullers in their own right. It's too bad that the person who compiled the list didn't include the stage bills as well. It would hardly have taken more than a few extra minutes to do so. As the list stands, it's interesting, but leaves out essential information for historians.

Sean, the list of films you compiled for the year 1930 at the Capitol Theatre are outstanding.
Do I have your permission to share this list with the movie buffs at Turner Classic Movies. Since the station has shown many of the features listed, I believe the members would enjoy seeing it.

Thank you

JoeB

Joe B -
Certainly share the list, I'm glad you liked it.
I'm working on other lists which I hope to post soon.
As for details of the stage shows which accompanied the movies, Warren, unfortunatley I don't have access to that information.
Believe me I wish I did, as I agree with you that the movies are only half the story.
Still, half a story is better than none!

This is a photo of a Capitol theater in NYC. I hope that its the Capitol theater listed here.

Lost Memory-- Wonderful photo! It is our treasured Capitol in NYC. "It Started with a Kiss" opened there on 19 August '59.

Sean Vincent Quinn: The Capitol's stage shows were magnificent. While the theater booked fewer up-to-the-minute super-stars than the Paramount did, it certainly composed programs that had better shape, form, heft, and elegance than the Paramount's.

Take the Capitol's romance with the Dorsey Brothers. Tommy was hailed as the World’s Greatest Trombonist, and Jimmy as the World’s Greatest Saxophonist. The one followed the other onto the Capitol’s stage in the first post-war Thanksgiving and Christmas presentations of 1945.

On 22 November, Jimmy headlined the stage show that featured Carlos Ramirez (vocalist: “Granada”)and Lowe, Hite, and Stanley (comedy team from “New Faces of 1937”). The movie was Vincente Minelli’s “Yolanda and the Thief” with Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer.

On 21 December, Tommy moved onto the stage with George Prentice (vocalist) and the Slate Brothers (tap dance trio featured in “Anchors Aweigh”). The film was John Ford’s “They Were Expendable” with Robert Montgomery.

On 24 January, the Dorseys vacated the Capitol’s stage for the Glen Miller Orchestra with Tex Beneke on sax (“Hey! Ba Ba Re Bop”). The screen played host to “The Harvey Girls” with Judy Garland. Who could have resisted that?

I should have included some notes on the competition to the Capitol's Christmas stage show in '45.

Patrons had little to regret if they happened on Tommy Dorsey et al. as holday-season overflow from “The Bells of St. Mary’s” at RCMH or “Leave Her to Heaven” at the Roxy (where Carl Ravazza's Orchestra dominated the stage, with Ravazza and Carol Landis performing vocals, Tony and Sally De Marco showing off their ballroom dancing, and the ventriloquist Paul Winchell plying the dummy’s mouth).

They could have proceeded down B’way to the Strand, where Hal McIntyre’s Orchestra helped Johnny Desmond vocalize and the Slam Steward Trip tap dance (Joan Leslie occupied the screen in “Too Young to Know”); or to Loew’s State, where Earl Carroll’s Vanities with “All Star Cast! The World’s Most Beautiful Girls” filled the house between screenings of “Kiss and Tell” starring Shirley Temple, the moppet now in her teen years; or to the Paramount, where Woody Herman’s orchestra cued Dorothy Keller’s songs and Buddy Lester’s comedy routine, yielding screen time to Betty Hutton in “The Stork Club.”

Coppola’s “Godfather” memorably offers a (pitch-perfect) shot of Al Pacino and Diane Keaton attending RCMH that season. I remember that Nativity show, though not as a paying customer (my grandfather slipped $5 ot so to a white-gloved usher between shows at the W. 51 exit doors and spirited my mom, my aunt, and me inside--that's the way you worked it in olde New York). But I would have been quite happy to have lined up at the Capitol instead.

I'm sure the print of "The Stork Club" was in pristine condition at the Paramount, much unlike the raggedy public domain print that often turns up in the wee hours on public television.

Just to let you know that Turner Classic Movies has a close to pristine print of "The Stork Club" that they show occasionally on their wonderful station.

Bill -
Thanks for the details - when I think about it - the theaters, the movies, the live shows! - makes my head spin !!
Compared to what we have now? - ah well...

Seems like The Cardinal moved over to the Cinerama after it's Demille roadshow
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/TheCardinalmoveover.jpg

Look at all the roadshows
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/BattleoftheBulge.jpg

Here's an ad for the historic 1947 premiere engagement of Selznick's "Duel in the Sun," which was the first major Hollywood movie to open simulatenously in the New York area on Broadway and at neighborhood theatres. In Manhattan, the Capitol shared the film with Loew's 83rd Street, Olympia, 175th Street, Inwood, Sheridan, Victoria, 72nd Street, Orpheum, Lexington, Commodore, and Delancey:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/duelsun47.jpg

Here's an ad for the September, 1937 unveiling of the New Capitol, which included streamlined seats, new and improved sight-lines, and new electrical signs that moved Times Square to 51st Street:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/newcap37.jpg

In April, 1932, the Capitol presented one of the most unusual stage shows in its entire history:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/bigtriple.jpg

Unusual indeed. I wonder if there was a swimming pool on stage for the dynamic Johnny Weissmuller?
Believe me, if I was around in 1932 I would have enjoyed such a show.

I noticed that the movie "Letty Lynton" with Joan Crawford was the next attraction at the Capitol, a rare film that is constantly requested on Turner Classic Movies.

Warren didn't you or somebody recently post an ad for an aquatic revue at the Loew's State? Do you have any idea how they worked in a proscenium theater? Was there a huge glass enclosed tank on stage?

Vincent, I posted an answer to your query, but it seems to have vanished enroute into cyberspace. The Capitol used a tank, with enough glass on the sides to give the audience a view of the swimming and diving. It also must have been portable, since Weissmuller and crew took the revue to some of the Loew's "Wonder" theatres after it closed at the Capitol. It's very possible that it was the same tank used at Loew's State in 1942 for Buster Crabbe's water show. Loew's might have kept it stored at its warehouse in the Bronx that had once been the Metropolis Theatre, but I'm only guessing.

I'm posting nice movie material that are also mostly for sale.
http://s110.photobucket.com/albums/n94/irajoel/

you can also view my entire inventory at
www.cinemagebooks.com
I have over 5,000 items including many books in non-film such as
gay and lesbian, African American, posters, graphic design, fiction, poetry and much more.
posted by ij on Jul 23, 2006 at 1:52pm

Here's a an ad from November of 1963 just days after the assassination of JFK, by which time "HTWWW" had been running for some 9 months at the former Capitol:
Daily News 11/25/63

"Cleopatra" - also seen in this clipping - had been running some 5 months down the block at the Rivoli.

I have another "HTWWW" ad from the same week with a quote from one critic saying "It deserves to run forever!"... I've been digitizing a number of newspapers from a several different eras ('60's, '70's and '80's) and have a lot of ads to post. When I come across that one, I'll include it here.

Ed: did you get the Daily News ad from the New York Public Library? I'd love to re-read the half-column **1/2 dismissal of "2001: A Space Odyssey" from the News in the first week of April 1968. I was positive that would be one of the rare sci-fi movies to rate 4 stars.

Ed: Did you get the Daily News ads from the New York Public Library? I'd love to re-read the half-column, **1/2 dismissal of "2001: A Space Odyssey" in the News during the first week of April 1968. I was positive it would be one of the rare sci-fi movies to rate 4 stars.

Sorry for the double post - the first one didn't show up for some reason, until now.

No, Bill. I have an actual full edition of the paper. My grandfather had decided to hold on to a number of newspapers around the time of the Kennedy assassination and when he passed, I was given custody. They're very fragile so I try not to take them out of their storage to handle them too often, but I wanted to capture some vintage movie ads to post on CT. I took a whole slew of images (and there's more yet to come from this period as well as 1978 and 1985-86) and posted them in my photobucket album. I'll link to them where appropriate on CT as I'm able.

I will have a full review of "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" that I'll post on the Strand Theater aka Warner Cinerama (where the film opened just before the assassination) page when I get around to digitizing it.

Thanks, Ed. I have a good/bad memory of "Mad World" at the Warner in November 1963. I was 9 years old. My dad took us to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that year, and we stood right in front of the Warner. It was about 20 degrees, and I begged my dad to take us to see that big new Cinerama comedy movie instead - it would be much more comfortable. But he said no, we were there to see the parade, etc. He finally did take my sister and I to New York to see "Mad World", but more than a year later!

Bud & Lou & Gypsy (April, 1951): www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/captrio.jpg

"It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" opened at the Warner Cinerama on November 17th 1963, the premier was a benefit for the Joseph Kennedy Memorial Library, every Kennedy was there except the president and the first lady, they were on their way to Texas.A three lens preview of "Mad World" was shown at the Capitol, previously.
Marty Cooper

"It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World" opened at the Warner Cinerama on November 17th 1963, the premier was a benefit for the Joseph Kennedy Memorial Library, every Kennedy was there except the president and the first lady, they were on their way to Texas.A three lens preview of "Mad World" was shown at the Capitol, previously.
Marty Cooper

"Mad World" may have been shown at a preview at the Capitol. But it would have been a 70MM showing since it was filmed in Ultra-Panavision 65MM and presented in Cinerama. The film was not a three panel Cinerama film. In very early production it was but changed to the Ultra-Panavision format.

Early production used the three lense process (you could look it up) the cost propably would be negligible, so Mr. Kramer opted to film it in 70mm and rectify the film so it could be projected on the large curved screen. In my opinion a bad decision, since the three lense system looked a lot more impressive. To me the only Cinerama films, shot in 70mm, that came close to looking like Cinerama films were "Grand Prix", "2001" and the short lived, and not very good "Song Of Norway"
Marty Cooper

I wonder how much (if anything) was shot with the three lens process. Or did they switch processes before photography began? Anyway, even if the footage ever existed, it is doubtful any of it survives - particularly when one thinks of all the difficulties Bob Harris has encountered trying to track down the trims from IAMMMMW's original 70mm road show engagements. Didn't production on George Stevens' "The Greatest Story Ever Told" also begin in three lens Cinerama before the format was abandoned for the single lens Ultra Panavision process? I believe photography had actually begun on that biblical epic before the switch was made.

"Grand Prix" & "2001" were both shot in SuperPanavision 65mm and through a deal with Cinerama Corp. for presentation were rectfied in the lab for Cinerama 70MM theatres. Their was a dual inventory of 70MM prints for those titles, because of theatres that were not curved screen equipped when the film left Roadshow engagements. In that deal the theatre could advertise "In Cinerama" and present the film on the larger Cinerama screen. A similar deal went with the D-150 theatre screen process. All the studio had to do was pay a royalities to Cinerama for the use of the name.

From the 4/4/68 New York Daily News: Kathleen Carroll's pan of "2001", which traumatized me at age 13. She was disappointed in the film, I was disappointed in her:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/kcarroll.jpg

Our dear, sweet Kathleen Carroll sounds like Miss Manners in that woefully begotten review, no?

The day after Carroll's review appeared, this ad made me feel a little better. MGM even managed to include some of the good things Carroll said about the picture:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/2001/2001reviews.jpg

No doubt, we needed Wanda Hale of the New York Daily News to review "2001".

Wanda did like it! She wrote about it in the 1969 World Almanac's Movies section and called it a "grand spectacle". There was also a Daily News editorial written soon after the premiere which praised the movie. I looked for it today at the New York Public Library, but I didn't know the exact date and was unable to find it.

Man, Bill Huelbig... You just reminded me of the old World Almanac's that used to come out yearly. I remember having the 1976 edition as a kid. I loved that movie section! There was a recap of all the movies issued in the previous year (so all of 1975 in my case) and the star ratings as per the Daily News reviews. Plus I remember in the back of the book a listing of nearly every celebrity you could imagine with dates of birth, birthplaces and - if appropriate - dates of death! I wonder if I held onto that almanac anywhere. I have to dig around my Mom's house and see!

Anyway... lots of critics missed the boat on "2001"... only to offer reappraisals in the months and years following its initial release. Most famous of these is probably the venerated Pauline Kael of the New Yorker.

Ed: Strange thing about the 1969 Almanac's Movies page - all the 1968 releases were listed with their star ratings EXCEPT "2001"!

Tonight I'll post the New York Post's negative "2001" review. Critic Archer Winsten was baffled and annoyed by it, and called it the first time Stanley Kubrick lost touch with his audience. At the end of the year, he included it in his list of the Top 10 films of 1968!

Most of these critics that panned "2001" didn't want to look like dummies, and tried quickly to redeem themselves at year end, for making a dreadful mistake on their parts.

Archer Winsten's New York Post review (4/4/68):

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/post.jpg

MGM's first (and only) feature in its 70mm "Realife" process, "Billy the Kid," opened here on October 17, 1930, just a week prior to Fox's "Grandeur" presentation of "The Big Trail" at the Roxy. The main difference was that the Capitol did not use 70mm projection. NYT critic Mordaunt Hall wrote that "The new enlarged screen process known as Realife has the decided advantage over the Grandeur and other wide-screen inventions of being projected from a standard-size positive print. The result is tremendously effective, for the picture not only fills a screen virtually the full width of the Capitol stage, but it has an increased height, which other inventions did not possess. It is questionable, however, whether the images are as sharp as they were in the Grandeur productions, although the outlines are never perceptibly blurred...The views on the wide screen are so compelling that when one goes to see a picture on an ordinary sized screen, the standard image looks absurdly small." Directed by King Vidor, "Billy the Kid" starred John Mack Brown in the title role and was supported by a full Capitol stage show.

Here's a pre-opening ad for "Billy the Kid" at the Capitol. It should be noted that like the vast majority of feature movies in those days, both "Billy the Kid" and "The Big Trail" were in glorious black-and-white:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/billythekid.jpg

Here is an movie ad dated feb 12,1968 from the loews capitol theater when planet of the apes played there to view go to http://static.flickr.com/82/243328147_49f943d8de.jpg

Here is some money stats from planet of the apes according to variety magazine dated feb 28,1968 to view go to http://static.flickr.com/91/243378863_86a6649320.jpg

The boxoffice figures quoted for "Planet of the Apes" are really meaningless unless one has something to compare them to. I'd be willing to bet that in comparable periods at the Capitol in 1939-40, "Gone With the Wind" did substantially better, even with admission prices that were well below those for "Apes." And why is Charlton Heston's autograph included in the ad? Is that supposed to certify that the claims are true?

Warren-- Thanks for the notes on MGM's Realllife Process in "Billy the Kid," which opened on 17 Oct '30. Within two weeks (30 Oct), Warner Bros. debuted its own VitaScope process (unadvertised in the NYT ads) in "Kismet" (with Otis Skinner and Loretta Young!) at the Hollywood on a two-a-day/reserved-seats basis. While the Roxy abbreviated its live acts when it showed "The Big Trail," at least the Capitol gave you a complete stage show at standard prices. What swell class!

Those figures shows that the two First Run theatres in NYC, how they did during the first, second and third weeks of release. So to say that those figures are meaningless, You have to read up on those Variety trade ads. The studios put ads in the trades to show the industry and talent how the feature is out grossing the other pictures and still holding over. And those numbers are very good for a single screen during that time.

Thanks for the ads, williamburge. I love how Pauline Kael says "You'd better go see it quickly" ... before one of your friends can't resist giving away the ending. I'm sure that happened a lot with that particular movie.

Clark & Doris
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/TeachersPet1955.jpg

August 1939: One of the Capitol's most memorable shows.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/judy.jpg

A news story about the future theatre in the March 28, 1917 issue of The New York Times said that it would have a seating capacity of 5,092, and that there would also be a roof garden seating 2,148, for a total of 7,240. The plan for the roof garden was apparently abandoned due to the wartime shortage of building materials.

Thank you bill huelbig for your kind comments on one of the GREATEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM EVER MADE PLANET OF THE APES STARRING THE GREATEST ACTOR IN FILM CHARLTON HESTON. MR HESTON IS A CLASS ACT AND A TRUE GENTLEMAN--A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS.

A classy pre-opening ad for Gone With the Wind

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/GoneWiththeWindpread.jpg

This photo is from the early 1930's. I hope its this theater.

That's the Capitol all right. Check out the picture at the top of this page - the windows above the marquee are still the same in 1968.

Thanks Bill. The movie title on the marquee, "The Solitaire Man" is dated at 1933 by the IMDb website.

In 1961, Paramount Pictures and Loew's Theatres tried something different for an eagerly-awaited Marlon Brando epic. Tickets for all performances could be purchased as far as a week in advance, not only at the Capitol's boxoffice, but also at all Loew's theatres throughout the Greater New York area:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capjacks.jpg

Here's an opening day ad for the engagement depicted in "Lost Memory"'s photo link of 11/01/06:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capsister.jpg
The editors of Variety dubbed the evangelist "Not So Simple Aimee," and later wrote this account in their book, "Show Biz: From Vaude to Video": "Loew's booked her for a $5,000-a-week personal at its Broadway flagship, the Capitol, and she was as lonely as the accompanying film, portentously titled 'Solitaire Man.' She sent the Capitol from a previous week's gross of $44,000 down to $17,500. When Aimee exited, the house bounced back to a $40,000 take. Variety reported that pulpits of many congregations beseeched parishioners to stay away: that 'the place for preaching was the temple, not a theatre at $5,000 per.' Besides the 5G, Loew's agreed to a split over $50,000 and it was anticipated she would hit 90G. Curiously enough, her then current husband, Dave Hutton, was also personaling at the Palace Theatre, Washington, D.C. and pulled an above-average gross. Variety stated Loew's paid off Mrs. McPherson not to play its Capitol in Washington."

Celebrate until dawn with Tracy & Hepburn:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/cap1949.jpg

If the last complete show started at 10:15pm, how on Earth did they remain open until dawn?!? Did the movie play continuously without the stage show during the wee hours?

Maybe that Friday night wasn't New Year's Eve? Hold on - I'll check the World Almanac ...

In 1949 New Year's Eve was a Saturday, so they were advertising the all-night show a day early.

Correct! The ad ran a day in advance of New Year's Eve. The last complete show starting at 10:15 was on that night, not New Year's Eve.

Got it! I'm still wondering... did they have the stage and screen show running continously through the night? The overtime pay must have been great for the performers if so!

I'm only guessing, but on New Year's Eve, movies probably started shortly after midnight, followed by a stage show, and then the movies portion again. "Adam's Rib" ran 100 minutes, and was probably preceded by a short, newsreel and trailer for the next attraction. "Until dawn" was likely an exaggeration. I don't think they had "truth in advertising" regulations in those days.

As I posted back in 2004, it kills me to know that I was alive when the theater closed (though still a youngster living in the suburbs.) Actually, maybe I should kill my parents instead for not realizing what we were about to lose and taking me to see it.

Saps: To be fair to your parents, I was 13 at the time and the whole demolition-of-the-Capitol thing was kept pretty quiet. I saw "2001" there in June of 1968, and I couldn't believe it when I found out that beautiful theater with the tremendous Cinerama screen was closing. There was a very short mention of it on the Today Show one morning in September. In my mind the movie was a hit, so why was the theater being torn down? I knew nothing about economics and Manhattan real estate - the demolition deal was probably made long before "2001" even opened there.

I don't think there was an outcry when any of the grand Times Square palaces were demolished. People just didn't care in the 1960's.

I remember reading as a kid those early 50's ads about "open 'till dawn" and then cross-checking the column of "Show Times" in the NY Daily News to see how the theaters managed to do what they claimed. Here's how: the last stage show began just after midnight, drawing in the Times Square crowds after the ball fell. It was followed by the film, which then ran continuously until dawn. Truth in advertising: the bottom line of the ad would have read "Last complete show starts at midnight" (even the ad that Warren posted reads "Last complete show starts tonight (Friday)10:15 p.m."). Eddy had to get some sleep before starting up the next day's first stage show a bit after noon.

As it happened, I attended that memorable show at the Capitol at the age of seven and reported on it above, Feb 15 2005. To save you the scroll, here's an excerpt: it "accompanied the ’49 Christmas presentation of “Adam’s Rib,” which I saw as a consolatory turn-away from the long lines for “On the Town” at RCMH. Hardly a consolation prize, the film was great, and the stage show offered a pitch-perfect match. It featured Eddy Duchin and his Orchestra, with some impressive finger-work at the piano in classical-sounding pieces (Chopin?) that drew the attention of even this mass-pop-culture-bred kid. I sensed that something larger that what I knew was happening. And I liked it even better than the flashy acrobat act that was more obviously but pleasantly designed for my boyish tastes." Evidently the name of that acrobatic act was "The Kanazawa Trio"?

A Windjammer re-release in Cinerama
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/CineramaWindjammer.jpg

Macys & MGM tie-in
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/ZhivagoMacys.jpg

An altered summer schedule for Dr. Zhivago.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/SummerPolicyDrZhivago.jpg

There is a nice program from the Capitol up for auction on ebay. It is the program of Douglas Fairbanks and Wallace Beery in Robin Hood.
Has some interior shots of the theater in the program also.
Here is the link...hope it works. If it doesnt go to ebay and do a search for Capitol Theater.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1923-CAPITOL-THEATER-PROGRAM-New-York-Theatre_W0QQitemZ290106475702QQihZ019QQcategoryZ41189QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This is a tribute to Kitty Carlisle Hart, who died this week at age 96 and made her Broadway stage debut here on June 16th, 1932 in an adaptation of "Rio Rita." In a review in the next day's New York Times, critic Mordaunt Hall wrote: "The program of life and shadow entertainment lasts for three and a half hours without intermission. On the stage is an elaborate and effective version of that tuneful old favorite, 'Rio Rita,' with Kitty Carlisle and Allan Waterous in the leading roles, and on the screen is the lengthy Yale football story called 'Huddle,' in which the principals are Ramon Novarro and Madge Evans...'Rio Rita' is a thoroughly good show, with beautiful feminine costumes and graceful dancing. Miss Carlisle and Mr. Waterous sing agreeably, and David Mallen and Earle Hampton do quite well with the comedy." Although I can't say for sure, "Rio Rita" might well have been the longest stage show that ever supported a movie on Broadway or elsewhere. The film's running time was 104 minutes:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/caprita.jpg

"Huddle" and the "Rio Rita" condensation grossed an "excellent" $66,000 in its opening week at the Capitol, according to Variety. The stage show had no chance of a hold-over, since it was solidly booked for the next 26 weeks at theatres coast-to-coast. Packaged by the Marcus Loew Talent Agency, the "Rio Rita" unit, with a cast of about 60, rented to theatres at a fee of $5,800. Since Loew's wasn't the largest of circuits, "Rio Rita" also played at some RKO, Publix, and Warner houses for the same $5,800 per week. After the Capitol, "Rio Rita" moved to Loew's Paradise in the Bronx, then to the RKO Albee in downtown Brooklyn and to Loew's Valencia in Queens before heading west. In her autobiograhy, Kitty Carlisle said that her "Rio Rita" salary was $200 per week, and claimed that she gave about 1,000 performances before the tour ended in California. It should be noted that in all cases, "Rio Rita" supported a feature movie, and was never presented on its own. It was the responsibility of each theatre to provide an orchetra, the cost of which was not included in the $5,800 weekly rental paid to Loew's.

Warren, thank you for the very interesting information regarding "Rio Rita".

I guess the next time Kitty Carlisle appeared at the Capitol was on film in the 1935 Marx Bros. "A Night At The Opera" premiering December 6, 1935 (my day of birth, too!).

Ironically, by the time that Kitty Carlisle made her first screen appearance at the Capitol with "A Night At the Opera," the theatre had dropped stage shows.

I don't think that Kitty Carlisle ever worked on stage again at the Capitol after "Rio Rita" in 1932, but she did have several vaudeville bookings at Loew's State. I'll report my findings in the listing for that theatre.

while we are remembering Kitty Carlisle and her effect on NYC theatres, we dare not forget these postings from

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/5957/

Be sure to check the July 6, 2005 comments specifically.

16 May 2007:
Ziegfeld Theatre enthustiasts,
You have the opportunity to capture theatre and film history at the Walter Reade Theatre [Lincoln Center] at the end of this month. Being presented is the Stanley Kubrick's BARRY LYNDON which showcased at the Ziegfeld in December 1975. In note, I recollect Rex Reed, lighted pen to page and noting the showing with Intermission my questioning of his annoyance of the film which he gave an excellent review thereafter, in publication. Leon Vitali (Lord Bullington of the film) will be present at the theatre for the 35mm positive struck from the internegative. In addition, John Schselinger's DAY OF THE LOCUST, which premiered at the Cinema I, will be presented at two performances with William Atherton (Todd Hackett of the film) in a question and answer session. Both films are American/UK cinema masterpieces. I advise your particaption at these events as a mark of excellence to yourselves and the brilliant recollections that serve as the base of all that you aspire toward. Your performance checks are:
http://www.filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale/schlesinger4.html
for DAY OF THE LOCUST (the Day Hollywood collapsed and fell into an $88,000 hole - Esquire, September 1974)
and the cinematic masterwork filmed without artificial lighting - BARRY LYNDON
http://www.filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale/barrylyndon.html
1975 was a critical year in American film.
When you screen the films at Walter Reade, obtain the DVDs of both films for better analysis.
If you don't have access;
DAY OF THE LOCUST is Fri May 25: 3:30
Sat May 26: 6*
*Q&A with William Atherton
and BARRY LYNDON
May 27: 3 & 7
May 28: 3 & 7
May 29: 3 & 7

Respectfully,

Don Griffiths
Cinema Centre CEO

I was never in the Capitol, but I have a good memory of it. I was in NYC for Easter Week of 1968. On Wednesday the 3rd, I saw a taping of the Tonight Show, which started at 6:30 p.m. One of the guests was Keir Dullea, who appeared in a tuxedo. He explained that he was on his way to the New York premiere of "2001." After the taping, I walked a few blocks to the Winter Garden, where I was to meet a friend and see Janice Page in "Mame" (don't ask). As I turned the corner I saw that Broadway was blocked off and there were searchlights and red carpets and such. We stood and watched as a limo drove up and Keir Dullea stepped out. Only in New York, I thought.

Does anyone out there have a photograph of the marquee of the Capitol Theatre when "Planet of the Apes" played there in Feb/Mar of 1968? If so, I'd love to see it or buy a copy as "Apes" is my favorite movie. Please contact Rory at: Haristas@aol.com

The interior architecture of the Capitol looks very similar to that of the RKO Madison in Ridgewood, Queens, NY.

The Capitol was one of the first purpose-built movie palaces, and its architecture influenced all that came after it. It would be safe to say that the Madison resembled the Capitol, but claiming that the Capitol looked like the Madison is more than a bit ridiculous.

This message is a request to Bill Huelbig, since he seems to be an expert on "2001." I'm trying to figure out when I saw this film originally. I saw it on Long Island at the Hicksville Twin South, which I believe was the only Cinerama theatre on the Island. Do you know when it opened there?

What's the newly added "Ads by Google" in this and other introductions? How hideous and repugnant!!!

"2001" opened at the NGC Fox's Hicksville Twin South Theatre on June 26, 1968, when MGM expanded the release.

Thanks, Rory, for referring to me as an expert on "2001". Even though William answered your question, I can't think of a better thing for someone on this site to call me. You made my day!

Warren: The ads were explained a couple of days ago on the homepage:

**************************************

In a few weeks, Cinema Treasures will have been online for seven years.

As many of you know, a few months ago we moved this website to a much more powerful (and expensive) server. The new server has been fantastic, and has really helped us keep up with the growth of this website and our traffic.

However, the monthly cost of maintaining this project has become more than either of us can support without additional funding. After seven years, we’ve definitely reached a point where we need your support.

Starting next week, we will begin accepting donations. As well, we’ll be including some tasteful, text-based advertisements on our pages to help offset costs. (Don’t worry... they won’t be annoying.)

**********************************

And they aren't annoying. I didn't even notice them until you pointed them out.

I agree Bill... I think the ads are quite tasteful and discreet. What would be more hideous and repugnant would be to see CT shut down because Patrick and Ross were no longer able bear the financial burden of keeping it running!

And more repugnant still if CT members were unwilling to contribute in any way they can to help sustain the site!

Repugnant is such a repugnant word.

What about all those people who contribute information to this site? Without them, there probably would be no Cinema Treasures. Are they now expected to make financial contributions as well? And would those contributions be tax deductible? Is this a not-for-profit enterprise? I don't think so.

They are simply being asked for donations, Warren. Strictly voluntary. Member contributions in the form of informative posts and photos are invaluable, but the cost of hosting all this information on a server large enough to accommodate the data and the visitor traffic is quite tangible and - I'm sure - a burden. Patrick and Ross have been generous to fund this worthwhile enterprise for seven years and, now, all they ask is that those of us who are willing and able to make a contribution (no matter how small) to help offset that cost, please be kind enough to chip in and put up with a few unobtrusive advertisements. Is it so much to ask?

Warren said:

What about all those people who contribute information to this site? Without them, there probably would be no Cinema Treasures.

With me it was the other way around. I had tons of movie ads and clippings collected over many years, but nowhere to show them and share them with people until I found Cinema Treasures.

Thanks William (and Bill). I seem to recall reading on this site someplace that "2001" opened at the Hicksville Twin on June 26, 1968, but then I was reading about the Guild 50th ad Bill Huelbig wrote there that "2001" opened wide in the NY/NJ area in March 1969! Bill, maybe you could give greater detail. This kind of confused me because I have a vivid memory of the first time I saw "2001." My father took me (I was only 9 years old), it was a rainy spring or summer afternoon matinee at the Hicksville Twin and I remember the curved Cinerama screen. It had to be the first film I ever saw in Cinerama, and in fact may have been the ONLY film I ever saw in Cinerama (Single lens, of course). Anyway.... I now believe that must have been in the summer of 1968, because "2001" was released again in NYC and Long Island area in late May 1969, and I recall that I'd already seen it at that time (and saw it again then). BTW, Bill, are you looking forward to the 2-disc Special Edition DVD of "2001" that's coming out soon?

Rory: when you saw "2001" it was still playing only in 70mm Cinerama. Besides Hicksville, it played that way in Montclair, NJ until March 1969, when it opened wide in neighborhood theaters in 35mm. New York City's Cinerama run ended in December 1968, because at that time there was only one Cinerama screen in the city (the Cinerama, formerly the Warner, formerly the Strand) and MGM wanted to open their new Cinerama film "Ice Station Zebra" before year's end.

So you were very lucky to see it the best possible way. I was too - I saw it at the Capitol in June 1968. The way movies are today, I can safely say I'll never have a better experience seeing a movie in a theater for as long as I live.

I'm definitely looking forward to the special edition DVD, with the commentaries, etc. Counting both VHS and DVD, this will be the 8th version of "2001" I've purchased!

Well, Bill, let me see... "2001" shares the top spot with "Planet of the Apes" as my favorite movie. I bought the original VHS release of "2001" in the early eighties, then I seem to remember buying another VHS version, then I discovered letterboxing on Laserdiscs and bought the Criterion edition of "2001," then later bought the MGM/UA CLV transfer on laserdisc, I almost got the remastered CAV MGM/UA laserdisc, but somehow decided to skip it. Good thing, because the original "non-anamorphic" DVD transfer of "2001" looked better than them all. Then I bought the 16x9 anamorphic "re-mastered" DVD of "2001." Now I'm going to get this 2-disc special edition, BUT THAT'S STILL NOT THE END! In a year or two I'll be getting into Blu-ray DVDs (when the catalogs of titles start to include more classic films) and I'll have to buy "2001" yet again! This is how the home video companies make their money off the devoted fans of certain films, as long as they slightly improve the picture and sound, throw in a few extras, they know they have us!

Same with the music labels, Rory. Always a new format or remastered/remixed version of an old album coming out. The classic line on this is from "Men in Black," where Tommy Lee Jones is explaining how the Gov't releases new alien technology as needed to raise funds and points to the next generation compact musical-storage device and says to Will Smith, "Which means I'll have to buy the White Album again!"

The second paragraph of the introduction contains another whopping mistake by William Gabel, who seems to have contributed many throughout this website. Does he still post here?...While Loew's took over the management of the Capitol in 1924, the name remained unchanged (Capitol). The single name of Captiol remained until 1959, when the Capitol was "modernized" and re-opened as Loew's Capitol with "Solomon & Sheba." ...And the Capitol did not present stage shows from opening in 1919 until 1952. For a period of eight years (1935-43), the Capitol ended stage shows and presented movies only. The shows became too expensive to produce during the Depression and were only revived when WWII brought an economic "boom."

That's not entirely accurate about the name change.

From 1966 to 1968 the CAPITOL advertised as the CINERAMA without the CAPITOL name being used. It reverted to CAPITOL when Cinerama releases became extinct.

Sorry, the name changed from 1963 to 1966.

My correction was aimed at the period from when the Capitol first opened until it first became known as Loew's Capitol. I did not intend to go into later names after it became Loew's Capitol. I just wanted to show that for forty years, which was the largest part of its life, the theatre was known as simply the Capitol.

Warren said:
"For a period of eight years (1935-43), the Capitol ended stage shows and presented movies only."

This was an exception:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/judy.jpg

Yes, someone always pulls that out of the hat to try to prove me a liar. But it was a one-time only stage engagement, arranged because MGM doubted that "The Wizard of Oz" would draw enough adult patronage on its own.

The intro fails to mention what was probably the most famous movie to ever open at the Capitol-- "Gone With the Wind," which was shown with continuous performances in December, 1939, day-and-date with a reserved-seat run at the Astor Theatre. This was merely the New York premiere engagement of "Gone With the Wind," which previously had its world premiere at Loew's Grand in Atlanta, Georgia.

Speaking of Cinerama, I don't know if this has been posted here before, but this website has an article and some photos of Loew's Cinerama.

It would be nice if the theatre could be listed under its original name of Capitol, with later names in smaller type above that. For forty years, it was known throughout the world as simply the Capitol.
Loew's Capitol also creates a false impression that Loew's built the theatre, which it didn't. The Capitol was already five years old by the time that Loew's took over the management. One of the stipulations of the deal was that the Loew's name should not be attached to the Capitol for purposes of advertising and publicity. That agreement seems to have been forgotten by 1959. Perhaps all the signators had died by then.

Most (if not all) books that I've ever seen on theatre architecture and history tend to list their subjects by the names under which they initially opened. The custom here seems to be to list them under the last known name that the facility operated as a motion picture theatre or under the current name if the facility is still open for theatrical purposes (whether as cinema or live venue). Perhaps once a more robust search engine is established, CT can adopt a formula that can be applied consistently - as there are many inconsistencies with the current scheme.

If you try looking for information about the Capitol Theatre in books, you won't find it indexed as Loew's Capitol, not even in the fairly recent "Cinema Treasures" by Melnick & Fuchs. Mention "Loew's Capitol" to theatre historians and they're likely to think that you mean Loew's Capitol in Washington, D.C....When the NYC theatre took on the name Loew's Capitol, it had been drastically "modernized" into a travesty of Thomas Lamb's original design.

P.S., as far as I know, the theatre was never known as just "Cinerama" as indicated in the aka. I think it was "Loew's Cinerama."

One of the aka names should be Loew's Cinerama.

Even after the name changed to Loew's Capitol, I don't recall anyone calling it that. It remained "the Capitol," or "the Cap," to longtime patrons and to people working in the NYC film industry.

Celebrate New Year's Eve with Cary Grant and Burt Lancaster: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capitol1948.jpg

I wonder what exactly it was that Lancaster and company did on stage for those performances... Did he serve as Master of Ceremonies? Perform in skits? Dramatic scenes? Acrobatics?

Was in the Times Square area today. It was crowded with lots of hustle & bustle but it did not feel like Christmas without the old movie palace marquees announcing the latest exclusive run holiday movies. An ingredient of the NY holiday spirit was definitely missing and far from likely to return.

In November, 1947, Frank Sinatra deserted the Paramount Theatre for greener pastures at the Capitol with a three-week engagement that included Columbia's "Her Husband's Affairs" (Lucille Ball-Franchot Tone) as the screen attraction. Variety reported Sinatra's salary as $25,000 per week guaranteed, against a percentage of the gross. Sinatra shared the stage bill with Lorraine Rognan, the Will Mastin Trio (featuring Sammy Davis, Jr.), and Skitch Henderson's Orchestra. After opening on Friday, November 14th, Sinatra developed laryngitis and was unable to perform for the next three days, when he was replaced by MGM star Jane Powell and singer Jack Smith. Sinatra also had to cancel his appearance on that Saturday's "Your Hit Parade" on radio. Due to Sinatra's absence from part of it, the first week grossed only $55,000, which Variety described as the Capitol's "worst opener in months." The second week, with Sinatra fully recovered, grossed $65,000, which Variety called "disappointing." The third and final week, which included the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, increased to $74,000, but "below hopes," according to Variety.

Here is a 1934 ad from the NY Times:
http://tinyurl.com/296qs4

Treasure Island with Wallace Beery and Jackie Cooper was released in August of 1934.

"Treasure Island" opened at the Capitol Theatre on August 17th, 1934.

Perhaps this has been mentioned already, but the musical director of the Capitol was Major Edward Bowes, according to the ad. He was the man behind "Major Bowes' Amateur Hour", a popular radio show in the thirties and forties.

I have the 1934 "Treasure Island" on DVD from Warner Home Video. Pretty good print. It's interesting to look at it now and imagine what it must have been like to view the movie on a huge screen in the large movie palace that the Capitol was.

Major Bowes was the MANAGING director of the Capitol, not the musical director. For many years, he resided in a huge apartment in the Capitol Theatre Building.

Well movie screens from that era were not that Huge, even a theatre like the Capital.

I've read, right here, that when the Capitol became the Loew's Capitol and they installed a Cinerama screen, it was something like 33' high x 90' across. In the thirties the screen would have had the Academy aspect ratio of 1.33:1 and I would assume it would have been somewhere around 30' high and 33' across. Anybody post here that's old enough to remember the original screen?

The aspect ratio from 1931 was 1.37:1 . But for the size of the house a screen that you mentioned is not that huge. The Rivoli's regular screen around 1926 was just 15 x 20. When they showed :Old Ironsides" in Magnascope they used a 30 x 40 size screen.

Warren, I desperately want to know about this stage show that took place in conjunction with the run of the Wizard of Oz! What else do you know about it?

And does anyone know what the actual duties of an usher would have been around that time... 1939?

doing some research for a project... and also so curious about this period!

The primary duty of an usher anywhere is to help patrons to get to their seats. In big movie theatres with a multitude of ushers, some had special dutes, such as directing patrons to sections with the most available seats, controlling waiting lines, etcetera...The stage show at the Capitol with "The Wizard of Oz" is described in the August 23, 1939 issue of Variety, available on microfilm at some public libraries. It was also printed in its entirety on page 162 of the hardcover book, "The Wizard of Oz: The Official 50th Anniversary Pictorial History," which also can be found at public libraries.

William, the aspect ratio from 1931 until film's went wide-screen was 1.37:1? Are you telling me that all these pre-widescreen movies they're putting on DVD should be letterboxed?!!! In the words of Claude Rains, "I'm shocked this is going on!" And if true, then in the words of Charlton Heston, "God damn them all to hell!!!!!"

As far as the screens being as small as you think, well.... no wonder the kids threw candy at them!

The book "American Theatres of Today" (1927 so Volume One) reported that 12 feet wide means the picture is life sized. A 2000 seat auditorium was then supposed to get a screen 17 feet wall x 12.8 feet tall. A 3500 seat auditorium was supposed to get a screen 20 feet wide and 15 feet tall.

17 feet wide. (typo).

Well, the Capitol was a 5000 seat auditorium for most of its motion picture exhibiting life, so what does that figure to?

According to Picture Show Man, it was 1932 when the Academy established the ratio of 1.37:1 as the standard for movies.

1.33:1 (just about 4:3) is the aspect ratio that was adopted by the early television industry.

Rory: If a 1.33:1 ratio screen were 30 feet high, it would be 39.9 feet wide, not 33 feet wide.

30' x 39.9' is a 1.33:1 aspect ratio? Mmmmm... I know I'm bad at figuring these things, but that don't seem right. Anyway, I've checked and the correct aspect ratio for early films of the sound era is 1.37:1. The 1.33:1 was adapted as the TV standard based on the original Academy ratio for silent films going back to whenever.

But listen, this is the thing I want to know.... It's 1935, you arrive late on the opening night of CHINA SEAS at the Capitol Theatre, it's packed and you have to sit in the back row -- of a 5000 plus seat auditorium -- now, are you seriously telling me that at that distance one was paying to view a screen that was only something like 15x20 feet! Talk about the Depression!

The book mentioned above didn't give specs for theaters with more than 3500 seats, but there was not much difference between 2000 seat screen and 3500 seat screen.

Here is the movie ad for "Ziegfeld Girl" at the Capitol Theater in 1941.

http://i254.photobucket.com/albums/hh90/pullis_2008/capitol.jpg

Joe B.

To find the width of a screen of given height you multiply the aspect ratio by the height. Thus, 30'(1.33)=39.9'. A proper Academy ratio screen would have been 30'(1.37)=41.1'.

I was still eight years old when the first CinemaScope movie (The Robe) was released in the U.S. in September, 1953, so I saw many movies on Academy ratio theatre screens. A few of these were in big theatres in Downtown Los Angeles, but my memories of those theatres in their pre-CinemaScope days are dim. I do recall seeing High Barbaree at the 2890 seat RKO Hillstreet Theatre (most probably in a re-release, as I was not yet three years old when it first came out), and I had no trouble seeing the screen from one of the rows about midway back under the soffit (the underside of the balcony).

By 1950, I think, most theatre operators were routinely installing the largest screens they could fit into the space available. In older theatres, I would imagine that the size of the screen was constrained as much by the height at which the fixed draperies of the proscenium began as it was by the width of the proscenium. The largest movie palace in Los Angeles, the Paramount Downtown (aka Grauman's Metropolitan) had a fairly wide proscenium, but its screen was probably no wider than that of many theatres with narrower prosceniums, due to the limited height available.

The suburban neighborhood houses I most frequently attended usually had screens not too much narrower than their proscenium (in the older theatres with stages), or, at widest, about half the width of the auditorium (in theatres without stages.) That means screens of about 20-30 feet wide in theatres of from 400-1200 seats. My memory of the Hillstreet is that the screen was about the size of those in the largest of the suburban theatres I attended.

Here are two images relating to Clark Gable's stage engagement at the Capitol in February, 1934. For more details, please consult my previous posting above dated February 16, 2005 at 9:20 AM.
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/gablehere.jpg
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/gablehere2.jpg

By the time of this July, 1935 photo, the Capitol had dropped stage shows for an "All-On-The-Screen" policy, while the Winter Garden had returned to "legit" with revues and musicals. "Escapade" was the first Hollywood movie for Austria's Luise Rainer, who went on to win two Academy Awards for subsequent MGM efforts: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capescapade.jpg

I know that it's policy to usually list cinemas by their latest name, but couldn't an exception be made in this case? As the Capitol Theatre, this is considered one of the most important and influential cinemas in history-- the first of such giant size and also the largest ever designed by the revered Thomas W. Lamb. For more than 80% of its lifetime, it was known simply as Capitol. The Loew's name wasn't attached until 1959, when the Capitol was downsized and had most of its original decor removed or concealed behind draperies. As Loew's Capitol, it became a sad desecration of a glorious showplace. Books including Ben Hall's "The Best Remaining Seats," David Naylor's "American Picture Palaces," and even our very own Melnick & Fuchs' "Cinema Treasures" remember it as Capitol (not Loew's Capitol). Why can't this website show the same respect? I think that the listing as Capitol would also end confusion with another Loew's Capitol, which did use that name for most of its existence and was located in Washington, D.C.. Say "Loew's Capitol" to theatre historians and they will immediately think that you mean the legendary D.C. theatre, and not the Capitol in New York City.

Here is a photo of Major Bowes in his apartment, from the Ben Hall book mentioned above:
http://tinyurl.com/yrb5w3

Used with permission?

Looks like the Major is into some moonshine.

Major Bowes is shown preparing "Boston Baked Beans," one of his favorite dishes. The photo is in the public domain. No permission is needed to reproduce it.

Thanks to those responsible for changing the main entry name to Capitol. It will be a great help to anyone doing internet research on one of architect Thomas W. Lamb's greatest and most influential theatres.

It is odd that in my copy of BEST REMAINING SEATS, which I bought over 30 years ago, the caption says he is making "Boston Baked Paper towels". For years I have wondered if that was a typo or what. Anyone have the same printing?

My book says "Boston Baked Paper Towels" as well. Very appetizing.

Warren, it seemed very important to you, so I passed along your request....and someone with authority made the change. I'm going to add that you, too, are a great help for everybody doing Internet research on this website.

Here is an October 1940 ad from the NYT:
http://tinyurl.com/yu5tgu

The Great Dictator was released on October 15, 1940.

Here is a 1947 ad from the New York Times:
http://tinyurl.com/yuhhwe

The Hucksters was released in August of 1947.

"The Hucksters" (please note that titles take quotation marks!) opened at the Capitol Theatre on July 17th, 1947. In New York and many other "key cities" in those days, a new movie would often open in advance of its national release date, so one should be wary of using the nrd to prove the date of a photo.

Although titles may require quote marks, I have chosen not to use them. Maybe I'll start a new trend and post titles this way, (The Hucksters). I like that look.

And why not try leaving your flies open (if you wear trousers). Maybe that will start a new trend, too!

Sounds okay to me. Have you tried that yourself? It might not be a good idea in the winter though.

Is that a great supporting cast or what? Edward Arnold is a favorite of mine from the Frank Capra films.

Here is an August 1953 ad from the NYT:
http://tinyurl.com/yrlzcw

From Here to Eternity was released in NYC on August 5, 1953.

"From Here to Eternity" had its first New York engagement at the Capitol Theatre exclusively. It's inaccurate to say that the movie was "released in NYC" on that date. It ran for months at the Capitol before any other theatres in the area got it...It's a shame that Edward Arnold should be remembered mainly for character roles in Frank Capra movies. Arnold was a major star on screen, stage and radio for decades. His most famous starring vehicle in movies was probably "Diamond Jim," in which he played the title role.

There is nothing inaccurate about it since the Capitol Theater was located in New York City. The information was not as detailed as yours but it is still accurate.

These are new direct links to images related to my post above on 2/16/05 about Clark Gable's stage engagement at the Capitol Theatre in February, 1934: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/gablehere.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/gablehere2.jpg

I'm trying to find a photo of the Capitol's proscenium and screen after the widescreen installation in June, 1953.

Can anyone help? Thank you!

Bob

Bob, try the photo collection at the Library of Congress website. They have many Capitol interior photos, but perhaps not from 1953. For the 1953 widescreen installation, there were no changes in the proscenium. They just installed a larger screen, but the stage was huge enough to accommodate it.

I found out the screen was on a curve and measured 25x60, the full widith of the Capitol's proscenium opening.

I'll check out the LOC site. Thanks!

I'm doing an article on FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, and its original widescreen release in 1953. I believe you mentioned that you worked at the Valencia when it opened on 12/30. I'm pretty sure the Valencia had stereophonic sound installed. Do you have any specific recollections of the stereo on this film?

I know that's a tough question to answer over 54 years later, but those tracks are now lost and we're trying to get some idea of how they sounded.

Thank you!

Bob

I'm still not sure we ever got it firmly stated what the size of the screen was in the thirties and forties. When a wider screen was installed in the early fifties what would have been its size and aspect ratio? I assume we're talking about something that could properly display "CinemaScope." Then, I understand, even a larger screen was installed in the early sixties. I don't have the time right now to review the large number of posts here, so is the anyone who can summarize the Capitol's screen history in a future post? Thanks.

"I found out the screen was on a curve and measured 25x60, the full widith of the Capitol's proscenium opening."

25x60 certainly would have been OK for displaying early "CinemaScope," but the curved part intrigues me. I know that "Cinerama" required a curved screen, and Fox promoted CinemaScope as being a curved screen attraction, but wasn't CinemaScope, like today's "Panavision," actually meant to be projected on a flat screen? I also have read that early CinemaScope had distortion problems, which can be noticed if you watch letterboxed DVDs of such films as "The Robe." I wonder if a slightly curved screen helped with those?

The Capitol's 25x60 screen was installed for the June 1953 engagement of NEVER LET ME GO.

The Capitol, and several other Times Square theaters (Loew's State, Criterion, Victoria) were playing movies in various widescreen ratios starting in May of that year. (All the studios had begun photographing films for widescreen in March and April.) CinemaScope did not premiere at the Roxy until September 16.

Bob, are you sure because that's listed as a 1.37 ratio film?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046124/

After the debut of Cinerama, it's a common myth that widescreen movies began with CinemaScope. That's not true.

For the record, Universal-International's THUNDER BAY opened on May 21, 1953 at Loew's State. It was shown in 1.85 and had a 3 channel stereophonic soundtrack.

I'm in the process of researching this overlooked aspect of motion picture exhibition, and an article will be published soon. All of the information presented will be documented with original source materials, pulled from industry trade journals, newspapers and studio production files.

Howard: Most of the 1953/1954 aspect ratios on IMDB are wrong.

Some of the early widescreen movies (1.66, 1.75, 1.85) were photographed before the studio's switched to widescreen cinematography, but not all.

In his June 11 review, the New York Times reviewer stated: "As for the widescreen projection, outside of doing such things as cutting off the feet of the ballet dancers (because of cropping of the standard frame at the bottom and top) and causing some blurring to the pan shots, it is no different from standard projection as seen from up close. What in the world it must look like from down in the front orchestra seats, heaven knows! It must be horrifying. We got as close as we could, then balked in dread."

I'm still doing research on the filming of NEVER LET ME GO. It's quite possible it was filmed for 1.37 presentation. MGM didn't change to widescreen photography until sometime in early April.

Rory -- CinemaScope was indeed supposed to be projected on a curved screen. If you check out Martin Hart's American Widescreen Museum site he may still have the original 20th Century Fox Exhibitor's Handbook in the CinemaScope section. That book spelled out exactly the degree of curvature required for CinemaScope presentation. Fox used high-gain Miracle Mirror screens and apart from other considerations such as mimicing Cinerama's curve (although to a much lesser degree of course) the curved screen distributed the light more evenly across the theatre.

Fox was so adamant about having a curved screen that Radio Cty, which couldn't install a curved screen due to the stage show requirements, didn't show a CinemaScope picture until "Knights of the Roundtable" almost a year later when MGM said they didn't care if it was shown on a curved screen.

By the way, the 1.85 aspect ratio was never exactly approved by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. The early attempts at widescreen presentation after Cinerama triggered the idea were achieved by cutting various amounts of the 1.37 picture off with apeture plates in the projectors. The ratios varied from theatre to theatre (Radio City had l.5:1 plates which were still in use when I started there). The theatres in the U.S. gradually "standardized" at 1.85:1 with Europe using a less extreme 1.66:1 for "flat" 35mm projection. SMPTE had listings for "Standards", "Recommended Practices" and "Accepted Practices", the latter designation for areas they couldn't control such as what was being done in individual theatres. The 1.85 aspect ratio fell into the latter category. As Bob Furmanek points out, the ratios varied from theatre to theatre in the early days, with some horrible situations where the flat image was cropped to 2.1 and the "Scope" image also cropped by cutting off the sides to the same ratio.

The camera negative in many cases remains full frame to this day, with the wide screen matte applied in the printer to mask out any mike booms that may intrude into the top of the frame, and in many cases the image was composed in the viewfinder to protect both the 1.33 and 1.85 ratios so the same negative could be used for TV.

That's very true, and this gray area has come into play when these films are now transferred and mastered for widescreen TV's. Some feel that if the image is on the 35mm element, than it was meant to be seen. THIS ISLAND EARTH is a good example. The film element is 1.37 and all previous video versions have been in that ratio. However, the film was intended to be shown theatrically in the 2.1 ratio. I've seen it that way, and it looks fine.

I'm currently doing research into FROM HERE TO ETERNITY. They are in the process of doing a digital restoration from the original 35mm elements, which were shot 1.37. The movie was in production for one month when Columbia switched to 1.85 as their adopted studio ratio. Therefore, some of the film appears composed for 1.37 and some for 1.85.

When the film was released in August of 1953, it had it's World Premiere and played widescreen for 5 months at the Capitol, and then opened on December 30 in widescreen at 31 Loew's houses throughout New York. This pattern continued throughout the country. So most people who saw the film when it was first released saw it in 1.85. However, since then, it's only been seen in 1.37 on TV and home video.

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u235/BobFurmanek/BoxofficeAug151953.jpg

http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u235/BobFurmanek/NYTimesDec301953.jpg

Mr. Endres: I've got quite a bit of information about the Music Hall's initial widescreen installation for SHANE in April of 1953. I would be very interested in interviewing you for our article. If you're available, can you please send me contact information through my profile on this site?

Thank you!

Bob

BobFurmanek: Alas I can't find contact information in your profile (or perhaps I just don't know how to access it). I didn't want to be rude by not responding, and this is the only way I know how.

Bob

Hmmm, that's odd. I've got it marked to accept private e-mail.

If you go to the bottom of this page, you can send me a note via that address:

http://www.3dfilmpf.org/info-hondo.html

Thanks!

Bob

"Never Let Me Go" was shot in the standard ratio of the time and exhibited on wide screens at 1:85 to 1 at the Capitol Theatre and elsewhere. The movie was the first of three consecutive ones that Clark Gable made for MGM in England and Europe to exempt himself from Federal income tax. The other two, "Mogambo" and "Betrayed," were also filmed in standard ratio and "blown up" for wide screens. Gable's first actual wide-screen movie was the CinemaScope "Soldier of Fortune," which he made for 20th-Fox when he returned to Hollywood in 1953.

Anyone here know what the first "CinemaScope" film was to play the Capitol Theatre, and if the screen was curved or not? I think the Capitol was a premiere theatre for MGM films, so I'll bet it was one of their's instead of Fox.

I'm not sure of the production dates for the 3 Gable films, but MGM switched to widescreen cinematography in late March/early April of 1953.

The Capitol 25x60 screen was curved according to an article in Film Daily. I'm trying to find a photograph to confirm.

It's a long-held myth that (after Cinerama) widescreen began with CinemaScope. All the facts of this period of transition will be documented with original source materials in our article - or series of articles as it's developing!

By the 1950s, the Capitol no longer gave preference to MGM movies due to the federal anti-trust action against Loew's, Inc. While some MGM movies did continue to open there, other studios were represented as well, such as Paramount with "A Place in the Sun" and Columbia with "From Here to Eternity." The first CinemaScope movie to play the Capitol could easily be found by searching ads in The New York Times. It certainly couldn't have been before 1954, as all NYC openings of CinemaScope movies prior to that can easily be accounted for-- at the Roxy, Loew's State, and Globe.

The first stereophonic film to play on the new Capitol widescreen was MELBA, released by United Artists on June 24, 1953. Altec installed a 3 channel 35mm magnetic playback unit which was interlocked with the regular 35mm projector.

The standard 35mm composite print had the usual mono optical track which could be switched to in case the magnetic dubber lost sync with the projector.

The new wide screen installed at the Capitol in 1953 had only a slight curvature. It was the same wide screen that Loew's used in all of its key theatres. Loew's had a crash program where a crew went into a theatre at closing time and installed the new screen and masking apparatus overnight. The next morning, the projectionists came in early to coordinate the machines and lenses. Everything was projected at 1:85 to 1 until they got the hang of it. No advertising about the new screens was done until everything was running smoothly.

Warren: were you at the Valencia at the time of their widescreen installation? If so, I would be interested in talking with you for our article. We've got lots of paperwork, but it would be nice to get some firsthand anecdotes from someone that was there at the time.

Yes, Bob, I was working at the Valencia during the wide-screen installation. You can contact me privately at Warrengwhiz@nyc.rr.com

Due to commitments with studios that had yet to adopt CinemaScope, the Capitol was late in presenting that process. The first actual CinemaScope movie at the Capitol was Columbia's "The Long Gray Line," which opened on February 10th, 1955. But just prior to that, the Capitol made its anamorphic debut with UA's "Vera Cruz," which was in the rival SuperScope process and opened on December 25th, 1954. Prior to that, Capitol had been advertising a "Wide Vision Screen" for all of its presentations, including those of Universal's "The Glen Miller Story," Columbia's "The Caine Mutiny," and UA's "The Barefoot Contessa."

Here is a December 1935 ad from the NYT:
http://tinyurl.com/3ahpv9

A Night at the Opera was released in November of 1935.

Lost Memory: Where did "A Night at the Opera" originally premiere, and what is your source for that November release date?

I'll let Mr. Memory speak for himself, but I think that he uses IMDB, which is riddled with errors and should not be relied on, especially for release dates. Many of the IMDB release dates are based on reviews published in trade journals like Film Daily and Variety, which were often published well in advance of the movie's release. For example, if a review appeared in Film Daily on January 29th, 1936, IMDB might use that for the release date of the movie, even though the movie didn't reach theatres until March or whatever.

You're absolutely right. IMDB is convenient, but it should not be relied on for accurate information. For instance, I've found loads of mistakes relating to aspect ratios of early widescreen movies.

Unfortunately, too many lazy researchers are turning to IMDB as their gospel.

"A Night at the Opera" opened at the Capitol Theatre on December 6th, 1935, which was its NYC premiere engagement. It might have opened in Los Angeles prior to that, because it was a pet project of Irving Thalberg. The Film Daily reviewed the movie on October 17th.

40 years ago tonight: "2001: A Space Odyssey" had its big New York premiere at the Capitol, which a lot of people walked out of before it was over. That movie was truly ahead of its time. Here is Kathleen Carroll's ** 1/2 review in the New York Daily News:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/newsreview.jpg

"Planet of the Apes" (currently playing at the Ziegfeld for one more day) and "2001" were the last two movies to play the Capitol before it was torn down.

Boy, the Capitol sure went out on top!

Bob: It certainly did! I just count myself lucky that I got to see "2001" there before the wrecking ball did its dirty work. I saw it on June 15, 1968 and I believe the demolition started in September.

Here is a clip of Kubrick arriving at the 2001 premiere at the Capitol, posted on the cinemaretro.com site:
http://tinyurl.com/39ktcm

Wow - what a great clip for us Kubrick fans, especially on the 40th annniversary. That may have been the last time Kubrick visited his old home town, NYC.

Thanks, Ken!

Yeah, I'm the one that found that on YouTube and forwarded to Cinema Retro. He's never used stuff I sent him on APES though.

Thanks to you too, Rory. What sort of "Apes" stuff did you have?

Most of the original "paper" on it, pressbooks, stills, etc., etc., but I know other fans with much more. Anyway, when I went to NYC earlier this week, my friend drove into the city from NJ and he parked down on 42nd St. after just getting out of the Lincoln tunnel. We then walked up Broadway to get to the Ziegfeld where "Planet of the Apes" is currently playing. We stopped in front of where the Capitol once stood, and I said how I wish I had Taylor's time machine. Not Taylor from "Apes," but Rod Taylor's time machine from the movie of the same name. Oh, to be able to get in it and turn the lever back to 1968!

1968 doesn't work for me, as I was six years old. Too many rules. How about 1977? Now there was a great year.

Whenever I stand on that Broadway block between 50th and 51st, I always wish I had a time machine to take me back to 1968 so I could see "2001" at the Capitol. I'd also use the machine to visit 1961 ("West Side Story" at the Rivoli), 1963 ("How the West Was Won" at the Capitol, then known as Loew's Cinerama) and 1959 ("The Nun's Story" and "North by Northwest" at Radio City Music Hall).

1977 was a good year too ("Star Wars" at Loew's Astor Plaza).

Three nights in advance of the NY premiere, I attended the first press screening of 2001 at the Capitol at its full-length. I believe it clocked in at 161 minutes. The place was packed, but after intermission several hundred people were missing. During the closing credits, there were just two of us left, the other being Gene Shalit who was "conducting" "The Blue Danube". I turned around at the end and waved to Kubrick in the booth and gave him a thumbs up. In the lobby, I joined a heated conversation with Judith Crist, Bruce Bahrenberg and other critics, who were loudly putting the picture down. I told them about "The Sentinel," the landmark Clarke short story, and what the possible meaning of the picture was. They laughed me out of the lobby! The director cut the film, supposedly on the print, over the next few days, and the shortened version was the one which opened at the premiere. I'm still a great fan of 2001 with its enormous impact on future motion pictures, and the Capitol Cinerama as it was on that night with that gigantic curved screen, even in sharp focus from my third row seat!

Paul, thanks for that great story. I always wanted to know what that show was really like. The only eyewitness account I'd seen before yours was in one of the Kubrick books. The author described the sad sight of the Star Child's eyes staring at the backs of the people streaming up the aisles and out of the theater before the picture was over.

With all due respect to Judith Crist and the others, I'd say time has unequivocally proven you right!

Bill Huelbig:

Check this out: http://www.mcnblogs.com/mcindie/archives/2008/04/101_links_as_20.html

Also, could you email me at: Haristas@aol.com ? I want to send you an image of something.

Rory

Rory asked me to post this ad from Billboard Magazine, late February 1968:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/PLANETTradeAd1968.jpg

Between "Apes" and "2001", 1968 was one of the glory years of science fiction movies, perhaps THE glory year. Others that come to mind are 1951 ("The Day the Earth Stood Still" and "The Thing"), 1956 ("Forbidden Planet" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"), 1977 ("Star Wars" and "Close Encounters") and 1982 ("Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan", "E.T." and "Blade Runner").

As in 2008 movie reports, one can't really make sense of those boxoffice figures for "Planet of the Apes" without knowing the prices charged for tickets. $21,103 might have been a house record for a Saturday at Loew's Capitol, but how many people attended? For the sake of argument, let's imagine that they paid $3 each, which would mean an attendance of around 7,000 for the day. If the Capitol had five performances that day, an average of 1,400 patrons per show. I don't recall the Capitol's seating capacity at that time, but I doubt if it was less than 2,000.

Too bad Apes didn't just play at the Capitol. It would have been much more of an event.

Christmas '68 in Times Square. Almost every theater had a big roadshow.
The Hall had a David Niven comedy for the Christmas show.
A nice time for mid town. (except of course for the tragic demolition of the Capitol and the Astor from which Times Square would never recover.)

Saw Star Wars at the Stanley Warner Rte 4 when the orchestra was still intact. Spectacular.
It was the last great theater built in the tri state area.

Actually I know for a fact, since I looked up the premiere ad in The New York times on microfilm at the library, that at the Capitol Theatre "Planet of the Apes" had seven performances during the day, starting at 10 am, and ending with 10:50 pm performance. I'll also bet that the ticket price was more than $3. I'll have to look into that.

The admission price for "Apes" was less than $3, probably $2 or $2.25. My cousin and I started going to movies on Broadway fairly often starting in 1969, and that was the ticket price range in all the Times Square theaters (except on 42nd St. where it was much cheaper). I remember quite well when it jumped up to $3: "Love Story" at Loew's State 1 in December 1970. We didn't have much money on us in those years, and we almost didn't go in because of that.

The roadshow prices for "2001" at the Capitol ranged from $2.50 to $4.25:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/2001.jpg

Rory sent another ad, this one from the New York Times. He added the color himself. Notice how the costumes look exactly the way they did in the movie (he is the expert, after all):

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/POTAPremiereAd.jpg

Thanks for posting the images, Bill.

Yeah, 2001's prices were probably higher than PLANET's because of the 70mm presentation on the former, but I'll bet PLANET's prices varied too depending on what section you wanted to sit in.

By the way, the color images in the ad are merely cloned and pasted over the B&W ad in photoshop from a scan of the film's original "Half-sheet" color poster, which is basically the same as that ad in design. Oh, the things you can do digitally these days!

CNN is reporting that Charlton Heston has passed away at the age of 84.

Very ironic. I probably first saw PLANET on April 7, 1968. After that I was a huge Heston fan. I didn't agree with his politics later on, but I've never not been a fan of some of his movies. I think as an actor, if the script and director were good, then Heston could be very good. A lot of people think he was over-the-top in PLANET, but considering what the character had to deal with, I think Heston got the tone just about right.

This is a link to the CNN story about the passing of Charlton Heston.

January 1949 Cary Grant starred in "Every Girl Should be Married" on screen and the stage show featured Burt Lancaster, Julie Wilson and the Skitch Henderson Orchestra.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/1-49loewscapitol.jpg

I posted another ad for that Christmas-New Year's booking above on 12/28/07. "Every Girl Should Be Married" came true in real life for Cary Grant and his leading lady, Betsy Drake. Here's a new direct link: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capitol1948.jpg

For its gala Christmas holiday attraction in December, 1953, the Capitol presented one of Hollywood's legendary sex symbols as one of literature's most famous prostitutes, and all in the glories of 3-D, Technicolor, wide-screen projection, and stereophonic sound. Patrons received "New improved Polaroid viewers, plus special clip-ons for those who already wear glasses":
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capitol1253.jpg

Sadly, the original three channel (left, center, right) stereo tracks are now lost. SADIE was one of the first location shoots (Hawaii) to record on three distinct 35mm magnetic tracks.

I was eating lunch in Culver City back in the 80s when I noticed a lot of attention being paid to a mortuary across the street. It was Rita Hayworth's funeral. She was unique.

I attended a Tommy Dorsey stage show at the Capitol in NYC in 1945. Does anyone have information on the number of times that Dorsey appeared in 1945?

Do you need to know the number of engagements that Dorsey (and band) played at the Capitol in 1945, or the number of shows that he gave during a single engagement? I doubt if Dorsey had more than one booking at the Capitol that year. The Capitol usually gave four stage shows per day, often five on weekends and holidays. Do you recall the title of the movie on the bill? That would make it easier to track the length of the engagement.

Thanks for the response. I'm trying to recall a memory from my childhood:>) I am most interested in the number of times that they were booked during the year. I was 11 and stayed for at least two shows! I don't recall the movie or the exact time of year. Buddy Rich was still with him and I understand that he left toward the end of 1945. There is a message above that indicates that Tommy and Jimmy both were there after Thanksgiving, Tommy, around Christmas. I don't think I was there at Christmas time.

Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra topped the stage bill at the Capitol Theatre during the Christmas holidays of 1945, opening December 20th with MGM's "They Were Expendable" on screen. The booking was followed on January 24th, 1946, by MGM's "The Harvey Girls" and stage show headed by the Glenn Miller Orchestra with Tex Beneke as leader.

Thanks for the response. I just found some old family records that positively set the date to January 1945. So now to find more info on the movie and the Tommy Dorsey Stage show. Maybe the NY Times!

If you're searching The New York Times for information, be sure to look at the advertising, because its reviews of movies at the Capitol and other theatres with stage shows often didn't mention the stage portions.

I've just discovered that Tommy Dorsey & Orchestra also topped the Christmas 1944 stage show at the Capitol, with MGM's "Music for Millions" on screen. The engagement started on December 21, 1944, and held over into January, 1945.

Thank you, Warren! You have been extremely helpful. Yes, the on line NY Times review doesn't mention the Dorsey stage show. At my age, the mind plays funny tricks but I do seem to remember June Allyson playing a pregnant cello player in the movie "Music For Millions".

The Capitol is on the right in this 1927 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/58wtly

"Music For Millions" and the Tommy Dorsey stage show, which started out as the Capitol's 1944 Christmas holiday booking, held over well into January, 1945. They were replaced on January 25th by MGM's "The Thin Man Goes Home" and a stage show topped by Frankie Carle & His Orchestra and "blonde bombshell" Marilyn Maxwell.

Here are new links to "before and after" views of the 1959 renovation of the auditorium:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/cap1959.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capreno.jpg

Here's a new link to another view of the 1959 renovation, showing how the rear balcony could be closed off with draperies:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capdrape.jpg

Warren:
Thanks for the great photos.
Do you have access to any which show the Capitol's projection booth?

Warren:
...the booth at the rear of the balcony.

Sorry, but I don't have any images of projection booths at the Capitol Theatre. You might try the archives at Theatre Historical Society of America at www.historictheatres.org

Warren:
Thanks. I have checked so many sites and books over the past 10 years for photos of the Roxy and the Capitol booths but so far no luck. I will shoot an e mail to the archives just in case.
I

Sorry I got to the Capitol only twice - "Kings Go Forth" and, near the end, for "In the Heat of the Night."

Lots of information (some of it inaccurate - we never do get to see Emerald City from the stratosphere) in this New York Daily News ad for "The Wizard of Oz":

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/ozcap2.jpg

This image is bigger:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/ozcap2-2.jpg

4-star Daily News review of "The Wizard of Oz", 8/18/1939:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/ozreview.jpg

Not one, but two 4-star reviews for the same picture on the same page, 12/20/1939. Has this ever happened before or since?

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/windreview.jpg

Pre opening ad of WOO has Four Feather on it's final day. What a great time to be going to the movies.

Bill, thanks for the great New York Daily News reviews of "Gone With the Wind". Four stars **** from both critics.
Growing up in Brooklyn I read the Daily News reviews of Wanda Hale and Kate Cameron. Those were the days.

Joe B.

You're very welcome, Joe.

Wanda Hale must've been with the paper for more than 30 years - I can recall reading her reviews up until the late 1960s.

In the Movie Time Table (on the review page), you can see that the last showing of "Oz" at the Capitol started at 1 AM. Wow. No Judy and Mickey stage show for those patrons, though.

Vis a vis the women film critics for the New York Daily News: I once read that the name Kate Cameron was a nom de plume, just as Ann Landers and Abigail Van Buren were.

Whatever her real name, Kate Cameron's surname reportedly was an in-joke: Camera On.

I thought Hale lasted into the 70's. I seem to remember her lamenting the state of the Music Hall movies when See No Evil opened there(truly a bottom bill of a drive-in blood fest) and happy that a Christmas movie like 1776 was playing there.
In fact I am truly surprised that they went back to the 30's.
Wow, what a change they saw in movies and theaters.

I always had a special respect for Wanda Hale because she was one of the few New York daily critics who appreciated "2001".

As far as I know, Wanda was also the first Daily News critic to give 4 stars to a science fiction film, "The Day the Earth Caught Fire" (1962):

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/dayearth.jpg

The films that came before it which we now consider sci-fi classics could never get beyond ***1/2 ("The Time Machine", "The Thing", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers") or *** ("The Day the Earth Stood Still", "The War of the Worlds", "Journey to the Center of the Earth"). "Forbidden Planet" got **.

I could be all wrong here: "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" may have gotten ****. Gotta check up on that at the New York Public Library.

Leon, A small point, but you may be confusing two films by the title "See No Evil." The that played at RCMH in 1971 was the GP-rated (now PG) thriller in which Mia Farrow played a blind girl terrorized by a killer. It wasn't especially good, but it was an inoffensive variation on the Audrey Hepburn blind-lady thriller, "Wait Until Dark," which had a successful 1967 run at RCMH.

A later, unrelated movie called "See No Evil" was a graphically violent R-rated exploitation film; it did not play the Music Hall.

The pre-Christmas week starting on Monday, December 18th, 1939, brought NYC not only its premiere engagement of "Gone With the Wind," but other new openings as well. The "GWTW" festivities started that night, with an invitational press screening at the Astor Theatre. The film opened to the public on Tuesday, with a road show policy at the Astor and continuous performances at the Capitol Theatre...On Wednesday, the animated feature, "Gulliver's Travels," opened at the Paramount, with stage show; "Reno," at Loew's Criterion; "The Golden Key," a Soviet puppet film, at the Cameo; and "Last Desire" ("Derniere Jeunesse") at the Belmont...On Thursday, "Laugh It Off," accompanied by never-before released films of the legendary Dempsey-Willard boxing match, opened at the RKO Palace; and "Tevya," a Yiddish film with Maurice Schwartz, at the Continental...On Friday, "Four Wives" and stage show opened at the Strand Theatre, and the Little Carnegie Playhouse introduced the French film, "Katia, starring Daniielle Darrieux...On Staurday, "The Light That Failed," with Ronald Colman and Ida Lupino opened at the Rivoli; "The Citadel of Silence," a French import with Anabella, launched the new Pix Theatre on 42nd Street; and "The Cisco Kid and the Lady" arrived at the Globe.

Hard to believe that the 40th anniversary of the Capitol's closure is coming up next month. The final showing of the Capitol's last booking, "2001," was on Sunday night, September 15, 1968. The very next day, the movie moved down Broadway to the Cinerama Theatre with the same reserved-seat policy ($4 top, equivalent to about $25 today)...On the evening of September 16th, a "live" farewell performance was held at the Capitol emceed by Ed McMahon, with perormances by Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Johnny Carson, Alan King, Billy Eckstine, Florence Henderson, and many others. Since the Capitol no longer had stage facilities, the show was presented on an apron that had been erected in front of the huge Cinerama screen. Tickets for the charity affair were priced from $10 to $100, with the latter including a champagne supper at the nearby Americana Hotel...Later in the week, Capitol art objects and other relics were put up for public sale: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capfinale.jpg
http://18.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/caprelics.jpg

Thanks for that post Warren, but how depressing!

Warren:

Do you know what happened to the projection equipment from Cinerama and the old upstairs booth? Was it sent to other theatres or did it all become part of the demolition wreckage?

Also, was the vast backstage area just sitting vacant after the Cinerama installation?

Bob, I would guess that the former backstage area, which was quite immense, was used as a storage warehouse for everything that had been removed from the rest of the theatre but considered too valuable to throw away.

Here's a view of the final Cinerama installation. A suspended ceiling and wall curtains enveloped the auditorium and reduced the seating capacity to about 1,950. A platform was erected in front of the screen for the "farewell" stage presentation held on September 16th, 1968:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capcinerama99.jpg

Now that is sad. It might be any mallplex theatre rather than the once grand NY Capitol theatre. There is absolutely no hint of its original splendor.

Going to the movies at a theatre today just isn't the same as it was, even as recently as the late 70s. It'll never be the same. Theatres no longer have the kind of lobbies they used to, nor the poster displays, and just looking at what's now being asked for popcorn and sodas is enough to make you cry. Even though I like the new stadium seating of some newer theatres, it still kind of sucks going to the movies these days -- plus most movies suck!

Rory, you hit the nail on the head!

JoeB

This grainy 1968 newspaper photo shows that the Capitol still had some of its original elegance by the end. The crowd is exiting a performance of "2001" via the lobby's white marble staircase, which by that time also had escalators down the middle:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capitolexits.jpg

That marble staircase originally had no escalators in the middle of it, and I think a lot of elegance was lost when they were put in. If I'd owned the place I'd never have done it, but it's all moot now anyway and it's still a damn shame the theatre is no more.

Here's a rare ad from the Capitol's opening week in October, 1919. The top evening price of $2, which was for loge seats, is equivalent to about $25 today. General admission on those nights was $1.50, or about $19 in 2008. Tickets could be purchased up to eight weeks in advance.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/largeworld.jpg

Marble staircases, ornate ceilings made of marble and plaster, now thats a movie palace. It beats any of these sheetrock multiplexes they build today.

In March, 1943, the Capitol returned to a stage/screen policy with this "Big 2 for 1" package. Stage shows had been dropped as a economy measure in 1935. The only exception was in 1939, when a special revue with Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney supported the engagement of "The Wizard of Oz." But with the war-time boom in attendance, the Capitol needed stage shows to compete more effectively with its stage/screen rivals, the Roxy, Strand, Paramount, and Radio City Music Hall. Loew's State, operated by the same company as the Capitol, was considered a lesser threat because the movies supporting vaudeville were usually second-run "move-overs" from other theatres, including the Capitol: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/cap241.jpg

This February 1954 view of the Capitol signage is from a new collection of Life Magazine images on Google. Apologies if I missed this photo anywhere in the above posts.
http://tinyurl.com/5bbdr8

The link to the Life magazine photo was originally found by a new member named "misterboo". Let's give proper credit to the person that actually found the photo. Thanks "misterboo".

You can see "This is Cinerama" is at the Warner Theatre in it's 9th. month. The Victoria Theatre is playing "Forever Female" with William Holden and Pat Crowley.

I didn't know that Patrick Crowley was making movies back then. :)

And between the Warner and the Victoria, "How to Marry a Millionaire" is showing in CinemaScope at the Globe. And I'll bet those are red marquee letters too.

In this ad you can see two Cinerama pictures from United Artists within 4 blocks of each other, one great ("Greatest Story") and one lousy ("Hallelujah Trail" at the Capitol - I never liked that movie. Maybe it was better in Cinerama ...) Whatever you or I may think of the movies, though ... what a choice to have!

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y231/billhuelbig/magmen2.jpg

The ad was dated 8/11/65. The paper: the New York Journal-American.

Seeing the Automat sign in the old photos reminds me of Horn & Hardart, Philadelphia's version in the sixties. You opened a little door in the wall and took out your sandwich or piece of pie. I don't think any automats exist today.

Ken: as a kid I loved going to that same Automat you can see in the picture. I'll bet if someone revived that idea today, in a location like Times Square, the tourists would eat it up (excuse the pun).

The Automat sign should remind you of Horn & Hardart, since H&H also operated in New York City and perhaps other cities as well. It was not exclusive to Philadelphia.

Star on Vine Street, Hollywood:
http://tinyurl.com/5lhdwv

Here are new links to images of Capitol marquees and other signs over the years:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3014_IMG.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3012_IMG.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3010_IMG.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3007_IMG.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/130-3017_IMG.jpg

The great lost classic LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT had it's NYC opening here in 1927.

During that era, most of the movies shown at the Capitol were from MGM, so it's not surprising that "London By Midnight" opened there. Hopefully, the "lost" Lon Chaney film will eventually be found, but I doubt if the world will ever get another chance to see the stage show that accompanied "London By Midnight" at the Capitol. Entitled "Bagdad," it was described as "An Exotic Oriental Revue," and featured the Chester Hale Girls, The Capitolians, Mme. Elsa Stralia, the Silverton Quartet, and the Capitol Grand Orchestra (conducted by David Mendoza, with cellist Yasha Bunchuk as soloist).

I still wonder if there's a photo anywhere on this planet of the Capitol marquee when "Planet of the Apes" opened at the theatre on February 8, 1968?

Good question, Rory. I've seen photos of the Capitol showing "2001" (probably my favorite of all the pictures I've seen on the internet) and "Doctor Zhivago", but so far no "Planet of the Apes".

You might try contacting the publcity department of 20th Century-Fox, which still might have some photos of that engagement. Also look for ads in whatever trade papers were around at the time-- Variety, Daily Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Film Daily. When a movie was doing big business, the distributors often ran ads showing crowds outside the theatres.

Thanks, Warren. Full issues of Boxoffice magazine are available on the web - I should check there.

Since I lived on Long Island most of the theatre excursions my family took me to were at the Music Hall, the Roxy or Loew's State. Which of the latter had the fountain? I think I was once in the theatre to see Pat and Mike with Tracy and Hepburn. But my real recollection of the theatre was that it's white neon name could be seen for a dozen or more blocks before you got there.

Loew's State had a fountain/pool with goldfish. When the theatre opened in 1921, it was reported to be the first such in the midtown entertainment district. Some of the later Loew's theatres also had them. Marcus Loew supposedly came up with the idea..."Pat and Mike" had its premiere NYC engagement at the Capitol in June, 1952. Though the Capitol was operated by Loew's, the circuit had yet to attach its name to the theatre. The Capitol's most famous feature was a majestic white marble staircase in the entrance lobby. I don't know if the Capitol had a fountain, but if there was, it wasn't conspicuous.

It's interesting that I posted my comment on Saturday and then watched Cinema 13 on NY PBS 13. At the end of the movie they announced that next week's movie is Pat and Mike. I'll have to make it a point to watch it.

"Pat and Mike" is a staple on Turner Classic Movies.

In December, 1927, "London After Midnight" and stage show grossed $66,000 in its first week, not strong enough to hold over, according to Variety at the time. Shortage of business was attributed to pre-Christmas shopping. $66,000 is equivalent to about $800,887 in 2009. The Capitol had a price scale ranging from 50 cents to $1.50. Using 90 cents as an average, that would mean attendance of about 73,300 for the week.

Prices then were amazing. I recall the first show at the Music Hall being 90cents.

I'f I'm not mistaken, "King Kong," when it played at Radio City Music Hall, only ran for two weeks. I was surprised it wasn't there longer.

If I remember correctly, "King Kong" played at the Music Hall and the Center Theatre (which may have still been the RKO Roxy at that point)simultaneously. That means roughly 9,000 seats were available for every show! At that rate it's pretty amazing it had a two week run.

The Center Theatre was the second, smaller theatre in the Rockefeller Center complex. Center. It was subsequently used for ice shows and then television. It was then torn down very publically. Whatever TV show was housed there had a whole big production number "The Center Theatre's coming down."

The Center Theatre was the second, smaller theatre in the Rockefeller Center complex. Center. It was subsequently used for ice shows and then television. It was then torn down very publically. Whatever TV show was housed there had a whole big production number "The Center Theatre's coming down."

Attn: Warren G. Harris - Interestingly, I was speaking with a friend of mine today and I mentioned this site. Then she began reminising about the theatres she had attended. She singled out the Valencia in Jamaica, Queens with the twinkling stars in the ceiling and the pond with a waterfall and fish. I guess the latter feature became a common denominator in the Loew's movie palaces re our exchange about Loew's State.

The fountain/fishponds were a favorite feature of Marcus Loew, but I think that they were only in the larger Loew's theatres, though not all of them. They were usually part of the original plans of the building and not added later. One exception that I know of was Loew's Lexington on the East Side, which did not have a fountain under previous managements...The fishpond at Loew's Valencia had a small fountain at the center which gushed water into the pool. It originally had a spray nozzle, which soon had to be removed because people were sometimes getting wet due to variable water pressure.

Here's an ultra-rare "change-over" ad from July, 1948, showing the Capitol's current and next attractions. Stage headliner Lena Horne is still with us at age 91, but no longer performing. "Stop the Music" was one of the most popular radio shows at a time when home TV was still around the corner for most people. The Capitol's stage adaptation was also emceed by Bert Parks and featured the same cast of entertainers, but not carried on the air: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/cap2fer.jpg

Although the Capitol dropped stage shows in July, 1951, business conditions in December, 1952, forced a brief two-week resumption during the Christmas-New Year's holiday season. Stuck with Universal-International's "Against All Flags," a stolid swashbuckler with Errol Flynn and Maureen O'Hara, the Capitol added a stage show to counter tough competition from its rivals. RCMH's Christmas package included "Million Dollar Mermaid" with Esther Williams. The Paramount had Doris Day's "April in Paris" and a jazzy stage show headed by Sarah Vaughan. The Roxy was introducing its new ice stage with "Stars and Stripes Forever." And new arrivals at conventional cinemas included "Come Back, Little Sheba" at the Victoria, "Ruby Gentry" at the Mayfair, and "My Cousin Rachel" at the Rivoli. The Capitol retaliated with a stage show topped by three major recording stars, Johnnie Ray, Georgia Gibbs, and Ray Anthony with his big band. A future Mr. Lucille Ball was the comedian on the bill. After this two-week booking, the Capitol returned to films only, starting with RKO's "Androcles and the Lion," followed by MGM's "The Clown" (Red Skelton). Both flopped in two-week runs. But the next booking, UA's "Moulin Rouge," proved a long-running smash, and became the Capitol's highest grosser since "Quo Vadis." Here's an ad for the 1952 Christmas presentation: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capxmas52.jpg

"Million Dollar Mermaid" is my favorite Esther Williams movie! Oh to have seen it at Radio City Music Hall along with the Christmas show!

Ditto on the Mermaid and did see it at the Music Hall (probably the first show when the admission was only 90 cents, and probably using the "secret" subway level box office and bypassing the long lines outside. Hope you read the bio of Esther. It's really a great read.

This seems to be a wider view of the photo used in the introduction: http://www.cinemaretro.com/uploads/2001capitol.jpg

Renewing link.

1967
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c32%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=130&ProductID=31042

Renewing link.

The Capitol opening, December 1919.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25725093@N07/3483493610/sizes/l/

Here is a June 1954 ad from the New York Times:
http://tinyurl.com/o8qxsa

Here is a January 1937 ad:
http://tinyurl.com/pfq3l6

41 years ago this very minute, I was watching my all-time favorite movie, "2001", on what is still the most amazing theater screen I've ever encountered, the Cinerama screen at the Capitol.

Here's a 1936 ad which includes a photo of crowds outside the Capitol. The elaborate signs over the Capitol's entrance were always sent to other large Loew's houses such as the Valencia, Paradise and Triboro as soon as the engagement ended. Their teaming in "My Brother's Wife" sparked a real-life affair between Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Taylor that scandalized Hollywood's moral guardians and finally caused them to get married in 1939. They were divorced in 1952.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/capitol836.jpg

I am the Grandson of Michael Berkowitz who was one of the first projectionists at the Capitol Theater in New York City. I remember before and after WWII visiting the theater with my Grandfather and watching movies and the stageshows from the projection booth. He would also operate the spot lights for the performers. It was a grand time and I treasure it to this day. My Grandfather had patents on a wider screen aperture for the movie projector and had visited Louis B. Mayer in California for a position but sold his patents to him instead. His family was in New York and He chose to stay. My Grandfather was mentioned in a now lost text book as working alongside Thomas Edison. I was very proud of him as a school grader.

I just thought I would pass this information on.

Thanks for listening

Uncle Stevie
Thanks for readin

Uncle Stevie

Thanks, Steve, for telling us about your grandfather. It was very interesting.

I saw 2001 at the Capital. I remember purchasing the reserved-seat tickets in advance. I remember being confused and disappointed in the film, my friend despised it. (I took him years later to see Star Trek: The Motion Picture and he despised that also.)I still have the program they sold that night and had it signed by its stars, Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood, at a Chiller Theater several years ago. After we left the theater and were walking to the subway at 42nd St., we saw many police officers on duty and people exiting limos. It turned out that the TONY awards were being given that night. I also saw Planet of the Apes at the Capital. I remember that the theater was so jammed, people were sitting in the aisles. It is still one of my all-time favorites. Other films I saw at the Capital were The Dirty Dozen and In the Heat of the Night. It was another lavish and beautiful Loews theater.