Whitney Theatre
67-05 Fresh Pond Road,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
67-05 Fresh Pond Road,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
No one has favorited this theater yet
Showing 1 - 25 of 61 comments found
I don’t think so. That looks like the emergency escape stairway from the balcony or something.
You can also see where the stage area is. It’s much larger than I had thought.
I’ve never seen a photo of the front of the Whitney either. Is that an opening in the side of the building in the 1914 photo?
That was a pretty large building. I have never seen an actual photo of the front though, which would be nice to see.
You can see part of the Whitney in this 1914 photo.
The Whitney had to be torn down very early on, as the restaurant building that is currently used as a bank on the site, is quite old.
Peter…Rather,… perhaps just a sign of my aging…sigh..:)
More power to YOU, once upon a time !
Hmmmm..and to think, that according to my family folklore..my Uncle played at the Whitney as a vaudevilian…(as above, July 28th ‘08)
There is a picture of the Whitney Theatre in the 100th anniversary issue of the Ridgewood Times. It also appears near the right edge of a photograph in the “Ridgewood” section of the book, “Old Queens In Early Photographs”. The photo is primarily of the Fresh Pond Road station of the Myrtle Avenue “elevated” line, when it still ran on the ground.
The Whitney Theatre was built in 1912 by the owner of the Whitney Hotel in Sea Gate, near Coney Island, according to the 100th anniversary issue of the Ridgewood Times. The ground site had previously been used for an open-air cinema…Additional research of my own revealed that in December, 1922, Herman Weingarten, who already ran the Parthenon and Belvedere in Ridgewood, took over the Whitney and spent $10,000 on “modernization,” including the installation of a Hope Jones Unit Organ. Vaudeville was discarded, and only movies were shown. Programs changed every two days and were first-run for the Glendale-Fresh Pond area.
You’re more than welcome, once upon a time, and thanks again !
Peter…thank you for your interest. As for Cornelia St. continuing through to Fresh Pond Rd. Well, it did and it didn’t! Name-wise, Cornelia ended at Forest Ave. When I lived at 67-01 Forest (corner of 68th Ave) what could have been construed as the continuation of Cornelia was actually named 68th Ave. A look at an area map shows the name Cornelia stopping at Forest Ave. About 200 feet to the left, toward the ‘El’ ,the street continues, but with the name of 68th Ave., for one block and then jogs back to the right by the Lutheran Church. At that point, it is again in alignment with Cornelia St.. 68th Ave then continues to Fresh Pond Rd.
Oddly, not following the example of Cornelia changing to 68th Ave at Forest, the jog back to the right at Fresh Pond, continues with the 68th Ave name to the Farmers Oval. Confusingly, in some cases a jog created a new street name/number and some places it didn’t…which might explain why, up to when I was age five, my mother would answer a call from the candy store and go up to the 104 Pct. and pick up her lost son…again!
Oh, for the one person in the world perhaps wondering; the Candy Store on the corner of Cornelia and Forest was named ‘Barry’s’. In 1941 a sign appeared in the window proclaiming…“Gone For the Duration !â€. As for the Drug store at Forest and 68th Ave., It was named ‘Millers’ up to1940 and afterwards was named ‘Pena’s’.
The short answer to your query….I never saw a street sign named Cornelia past Forest Ave…Uh…going toward the farmers Oval. ( Plenty in the other direction). Thanks for your indulgence for the longer answer.
Thanks so much, once upon a time, for posting this memory of yours.
I, too, have fond memories of Nagengast’s Hardware Store and Hobby Shop.
My dad remembers Cornelia Street once extending to Fresh Pond Road, past Forest Avenue, where it ends now. Do you remember this as well ?
This Comment really, really strains my mind, but here goes; about 1939 or ’40 (see what I mean)…I was living on Forest Ave at 67th Ave. (at Fairview Ave) I remember, as a pre-five year old, being walked by my parents the several blocks to Fresh Pond Rd. It was in the evening and we climbed a flight of steps. My memory then places me in a big room (Auditorium?) and there was a party or gathering of some sort. I do remember being given (winning?) a child’s cardboard picture puzzle of an apple. Blanksville after that….except…
Years later, during a visit from an out-of-town uncle, he mentioned remembering Ridgewood from the time he ‘Played the Whitney’. Family lore does mention his having been in Vaudeville with a magic act. On a subsequent walk to Farmers Oval, while crossing Fresh Pond to 68th Ave., I glanced toward a turning trolley. My eyes traveled upwards and for the first time, I noticed the ornate theatre facade. My mind immediately connected that image to that night when I was taken to a party, perhaps above, the Whitney Theatre.
I offer the above only as a child’s memory with the possibility that it may be useful to another member trying to piece together the history of The Whitney and its part in Ridgewood’s theatrical past.
Although not Theatre related, I’ll risk Cinema Treasures Comment Policy and add a few words to other Comments, Re: Nagengast Hardware Store at 68th Ave.
Firstly; my 1940 Lionel Trains Service Directory lists that Hardware Store as a dealer, but under the name of Maurice A. Redlich. I’m not sure I knew him, but I certainly had many dealing with the gentleman who operated it in the late 1940’s and early ’50’s. I also recall, shortly after WW-II, the store was renovated and a brick side wall, with several recessed small display windows, was added along the 68th Ave. side. I’m happy to see that the Nagengast name, (albeit Tru Value) continues on.
In 1948-9 there was a greasy spoon restaurant,long and narrow, with a very high ceiling and brown wood fans slowly turning in the dimly lighted overhead, it was situated in the second storefront from car tracks under the ‘L" in think it was in a different building to that which is next to the 'L" in the current photo above.
It had a second and possibly a third floor with apartments from what I can recall. I would guess it dated from a time before 1930 by the furnishings. The long stone counter was on the side towards the station and tables were along the opposite wall and in the rear.
The trolleys were still running and it seemed to be frequented by motormen and shopmen from the carbarn.
An ad in the September 7, 1917 issue of Ridgewood Times shows the Whitney Theatre starting its “Fifth Anniversary Celebration,” which suggests that it first opened in 1912. During the Fifth Anniversary season, programs changed daily and consisted mainly of movies, sometimes with added “live” entertainment or merchandise giveaways. Monday, September 10, for example, was “Plantation Night,” with “The Charmer” on screen and “Southern Darkies in Songs and Funny Contests” on stage. On September 14, “Boxes of Joy” and “Barrels of Fun” were handed out between showings of “A Wife on Trial.”
I cited a photo in the book “Old Queens” as proof of “Theatre.” Isn’t that sufficient? If anyone doubts my claim, the photo is at the top of page 115. If one doesn’t own the book, it’s in many public libraries and also still in print (many stores carry it in their New York sections).
A 1914 ad has the name spelled as Whitney Theatre so this listing should be updated to match the spelling in the ad.
This is another case where we need to see a photo or an ad that shows the spelling of the word theater/theatre.
This is another case of “r” before “e” in the spelling of the last two letters of the “t” word. A 1912 view in Vincent Seyfried & William Asadorian’s “Old Queens, N.Y. in Early Photographs” shows signage as the Whitney Theatre (not Whitney Theater).
Thanks, Jim. Glad to read it, and good to connect with you here, now that I have those Xeroxed pages, from the “New York Transit Memories” book, courtesy of your good offices, and our meeting at the Ridgewood Theater this past Saturday August 25th.
Which reminds me : I should Xerox pages for myself out of Stan Fischler’s “Confessions Of A Trolley Dodger From Brooklyn” before I return it to the friend from work who so kindly lent it to me this past March 5 or 6 2007 !
Like you, I do hope that Ed, owner of Nagengast’s, signs on here and starts posting his Ridgewood Theater info and memories.
Was only able to visit Nagengast’s once last month, but I managed to turn owner Ed onto CT and the Whitney Theater, formerly located where North Fork Bank does business today. Hopefully he’ll sign up and post some of his Ridgewood theater info and memories in the future.
BklynJim :
Sorry can’t help you about owner of Nagengast’s, though I remember the place well. I think I was last there in Sept 1969 to buy my second plastic model kit of the original starship Enterprise. My wife and father were there summer 1992, to get some furniture feet, or casters, but I was not.
I think I may have seen excerpts from “An El Called Myrtle” at the “Elevated City” exhibit at the Transit Museum Store, GCT, summer 2002 or 2003. I remember the view of the Madison as the train entered Wyckoff Avenue station. The music on the soundtrack was “East side, west side, all around the town …”
No, I have not purchased the “New York Transit Memories” book. Thanks in advance for xeroxing the pages from it. Hope to see you in Ridgewood this August. If not, you can mail them to my home address, which I could provide by private e-mail.
Peter – as in PKoch – did you ever purchase the “New York Transit Memories” book? If not, I’ll xerox a few pages of Ridgewood pix for you when I visit this summer. One of them is on Fresh Pond Rd., right by the old Whitney.
Just received yet another DVD from “Subway Al” in Morris Plains, NJ, this time titled “An El Called Myrtle.” In this 32-minute slice of history, photographer Mark Boland had shot the line in sequence from Jay St. to Metropolitan Ave., end to end, in ‘69, the last year of the old wooden Q-cars. As the train pulled into the Fresh Pond Avenue station, one can clearly see the theater’s colorful brick architecture of the Whitney length-wise opposite the platform. I’m hoping that, with a bit of help from one of the Ridgewood Regulars, this shot may transfer well to CT when I get back to NY soon.
Although the front of the Madison Theatre was not visible, one could easily see its roof and water towers as the clanky old el train approached and entered the Wyckoff Avenue station.