Ritz Theatre
21 S. Pearl Street,
Albany,
NY
12207
21 S. Pearl Street,
Albany,
NY
12207
3 people
favorited this theater
The former jail house for the City of Albany was changed into the Ritz Theater in the 20’s. One of Pearl Street’s many theaters, the Ritz was a popular house through the 50’s. It was a casualty of television, and was demolished. The building stood where the current Times Union Center (Civic Center) is currently located.
Contributed by
Joe Masher
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Thr Ritz was equipped for 70mm. I don’t know when it closed but when “Camelot” opened in 70mm at the Madison in December, 1967 the equipment was taken out of storage and reinstalled. There were 2 Philips DP70’s with Ashcraft Super Cinex lamps. The Altec Service guy who did the installation told me that the Ritz had a modified RCA magnetic sound system. When they moved the equipment the documentation for the RCA system had been lost so they bought a brand new Ampex solid state system.
I visited the Madison during the “Camelot run and the two projectors were labeled #3. I asked the projectionist about this and he told me that the Ritz had FOUR projectors. Machines 1&2 were Simplex XL and Ashcraft C70 lamps.
Bob Throop
A less technical comment. I remember my Sunday School teacher taking us to the Ritz to see the “King of Kings” in 1962. If I remember correctly, it only cost $0.50.
The Ritz showed all the biblical epic films. It was a little classier than the nearby Strand.
This is from Boxoffice magazine, May 1943:
ALBANY-Ralph Porter has been appointed assistant manager of Warner Bros.‘ Ritz, which Jules Curley manages. Porter was discharged from the army for physical disability. James Malone, former Ritz assistant manager, is a Marine and recently visited here on furlough.
More fluff.
The Ritz Tehatre opened on Aug. 11, 1926 with seating listed at 1,134.
My Mother Esther Tateo sang on this stage when she was 3 yrs. old. She always talked about the theater that she loved