Radio City Music Hall
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
116 people
favorited this theater
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Watching the Tony’s on Sunday I noticed those four “Horn of Plenty” like devices hanging from the ceiling, two on each side of the stage.
Rob, what the heck are those?
Thanks for posting your programs, BoxOfficeBill. Even if the movies weren’t any good, these programs are something to treasure. You’ve inspired to look for my old Radio City programs. I think I still have a few from the early ‘70’s somewhere, including “Airport”.
I also remember those mid-week matinee shows during that time. There were never more than a few hundred people in the audience, and you could tell the end was near. It was very sad.
Here’s a Program from Oct. ’76. If you want to read the fine print, after you click on the URL you must click the image itself so that it enlarges on your screen. I’m sorry that a print-out won’t be so clear.
View link
View link
This was the next-to-last show that I had seen at RCMH, and I happened upon it as a fluke: a business trip to NYC left me alone for an afternoon, and what better to do than to take in a Liza Minnelli-Ingrid Bergman film directed by Vincente Minnelli, with a stage show at RCMH. Bah. The film was sad enough (but, Ingrid, it was only a movie). The stage show lacked even a spark of life.
For the first time ever at RCMH, I remember hearing the shutters on the spot lights as they clicked on and off: the house held barely a few hundred patrons. And I recall hearing the cable chains clanking as the contour curtain rose and fellâ€"a sound I retained from the half-empty Roxy before it closed in the early 60’s, but never at the Showplace of the Nation. For the “Rhapsody in Blue†finale, the circular table tilted and spun with barely a handful of dancers on it. Another negative review from me, I’m afraid; but this too was a special case: I now knew that the great theater had passed the point of no return.
The credits of the actual movie didn’t say that, I’m sure, but it was in all the print ads and posters.
thanks Bill
I saw this film here and at the drive-in and don’t recall that.
I think that was part of the promotion for that film. All the ads read “John Wayne & The Cowboys”. Wayne had become the ultimate Western icon by that time, so his name could actually become part of the movie’s title (like Fellini).
http://www.westernposterpage.com/cowboys1.htm
In a NY Times ad for 1/31/72 the Music Hall has an ad that seems to me to be a misprint. It says final 3 days to see John Wayne & The Cowboys. It should have read John Wayne in The Cowboys. On the great stage was a show called “……and the indians” starring The Rockettes, The Radio City Ballet Company and Symphony Orchestra.
I remember this show well. We actually came in midway through the movie and then watched the stage show and the whole movie again. This show was better then some of the ones that followed that looked like high school staging.
Believe it or not, BoxOfficeBill, that 1976 show was also MY last Christmas show. Wasn’t the movie “The Slipper and the Rose” playing with it?
Funny but I remember the show still being very, very good. Hell, it was way better than the crapola show they put on now. On The Nativity scene still rocked then. I know this must be the same show because I clearly remember and can still picture the all skating routing as you mention. Even at a somewhat young age (10) I could tell it was done with a moving stage. But at the age and limited experience, the idean of a stage that moved was incredibly nifty.
Here’s a Program from Dec. ’76. If you want to read the fine print, after you click on the URL you must click the image itself so that it enlarges on your screen. I’m sorry that a print-out won’t be so clear.
View link
View link
This was the last show that I had seen at RCMH. (Well, not exactly. In Oct. ’95, I attended a performance of “Riverdance.â€) I brought my kids to it, then at ages 6 and 7, and was fairly disappointed. (They were, too.) The film proved mediocre and the stage show threadbare.
In “The Nativity,†baubles, bangles, and swirling lights replaced what Leonidoff had once staged as a dimly lit starry night by a Bethlehem stable. The effect of itâ€"and the rest of the showâ€"came across as static and mechanical, rather like the Christmas display windows at Lord and Taylor, full of gestural action and no real life. “Build the Snowman†was just that: a couple of dozen Victorian mannequins pretending to, um, build a styrofoam snowman. The “All Skating†routine deployed the circular table as a permafrost ice stage for a dozen or so skaters. Barry Busse, a Wagnerian tenor of some distinction who had sung internationally with Leonie Rysanek, trolled Christmas carols. The Rockettes performed their “Wooden Soldiers†routine, one that included none of their high-kicks (I always ached for out-of-towners when they did that, because the visitors missed seeing what the dancers were most famous for doing). The finale offered a stage full of an enormous Tannenbaum. Full, but empty. I never publish negative reviews (almost never, anyway) and will not do so again (at least not often). But this, my last visit to a stage-and-screen show at RCMH, was a special case.
Ron: The Music Hall did do a largely RKO Film Festival when they did their first Art Deco Festival in 1974. I don’t remember all of the films we played (Warren will probably have the list), but we did do “King Kong”, “She”, “Becky Sharp” and at least one of the Rogers/Astaire musicals. I had just started at the Hall, and that was the most film we had ever had in the booth at one time. I remember the Rogers/Astaire picture because the promoter of the Festival was going to have to pay for a print since none existed for distribution at that time. Ginger Rogers offered to loan him her personal print, but it was nitrate. By that time we no longer had nitrate fire rollers on our machines having installed 70mm, and our insurance company said “No”! The promoter went ahead and had a print struck at his personal expense. Fortunately, the festival was a success, since it combined film screenings with a lobby full of booths selling Art Deco memorabilia. The poster became a classic (I still have one), and was actually featured in a couple of movies. Our print of “She” was loaned to us by Raymond Rohauer, who also managed to save a number of Buster Keaton’s films. I was told that he virtually kept the film under his bed at night to protect it. He did come up to the booth when we inspected it (with me wearing white gloves — an impression somewhat mitigated by one of the crew looking over our shoulders with an unlit cigar in his mouth). I said he could have the print back right after the screening, but I guess he was reassured since he said, “Hang onto it. I’ll pick it up next week.”
I for one refuse to dignify ALALvarez’s remarks with a responce.
Response to AlAlvarez: You certainly have a right to your opinion, but the truth is that no other presentation house in the world has ever come close to offering (during its golden years, of course) a film and stage show policy that was as consistantly dedicated to a policy that assured the absolute perfection of execution in every department. Whether it was those professionals working in front of the house or in back, every detail was attended to so that the patron would have as close to a magical and satisfying experience as possible. This regard for the highest standards has never or since been duplicated in any other theater in the world. For many years the Music Hall was the destination for the intelligent and the discriminating and it instilled and fostered in many (particularly children going for the first time) a love for the movie and the stage experience that would last a lifetime. Thank heavens, the glorious Music Hall is still with us.
I know there is a lot of nostagia surrounding this theatre and it is indeed an impressive building but have you ever watched a movie here?
I saw THE SUNSHINE BOYS, the World Premire of THE ABYSS, and several other screenings in this barn. The acoustics and screen presentation can best be described as appalling. Long live the MUSIC HALL, but for movies give me the megaplex. Without the tacky live shows (camels on ice!)it is rather amazing this place is still standing.
To compare the real palaces around the US to this freak hall is not fair. Movies should never have played here and audiences made that clear. There, I’ve finally said it.
Given the Hall’s history, I’m surprised they didn’t start with an RKO film festival. That would still be a good idea to try in the future.
Vito ~ The tour at the Hall is worth taking. As Bill stated, it does depend on what event is in the Hall at the time, but if the theater is dark, you indeed do go onstage during the tour. From my aspect, I have had people tell me that they were disappointed that they couldn’t see the organ consoles during the tour – this again depends on the event. For the larger events (award shows, concerts, etc.) the organ consoles are covered by sound. lighting, &/or various other equipment. Bob ~ I was just talking about “Napolean” with my father & his long time friendship with Carmine Coppola. My mother was so taken by the beauty of the love theme that Carmine wrote for the film, that he sent her an original, handwritten score that she still has to this day. I appreciate your kind words about the theater, and it being a family. It is indeed – I started working there with my father when I was ten years old. It was a wonderous place for such a young person (still is). The most enjoyable aspect of working there is, without question, the family/friendships I have had for all this time. It’s never a dull moment!
Thanks Bill, that’s what I wantd to hear. My next trip to NY will include my long overdue tour of my favorite theatre. I will report what I see.
Rob, I realise now I may have put in an uncomfortable postion to answer if the tour was worth taking. Dumb question to ask an employee of the theatre.
Vito: I’ve taken the tour twice and both times they took us into the booth. For some reason they had a 70mm reel from “Around the World in 80 Days” on display, even though I don’t think the movie ever played there. We weren’t allowed to go on the stage because rehearsals were going on, but when there aren’t any I believe access to the stage is part of the tour. Another highlight is a visit to Mr. “Roxy” Rothafel’s private apartment. The tour’s great – you should love it!
I was the same way Rob, we used to try and get the two seats next to the control pit (as I clled it), to watch the stage show and then race up to the top mezz to sit directly under the booth to watch the movie. I can still here “hit it” coming from the booth as the 2nd changeover cue went by.
By the way, I don’t get into the city much anymore, but thought someday I might go on the tour. Is the tour worth taking? Do they go into the booth?
Thanks Vito. I was in the Hall for the first time between my Jr. and Sr. years in H.S. Already hanging around projection booths when I could, I went up to the Third Mezzanine and looked up at the ports and thought, “Boy I wish I could see the inside of that booth!” A Vice-president at the Hall when I told him the story said, “Well that ought to teach you to be careful what you wish for.” It really was a dream job that I had to try even though it meant taking a chance leaving Illinois. I was really lucky to be there for 25 years. The stage crew became a family in a very real sense, and really care about the theatre. I worked with two generations, and in some cases now they’re in the third generation in some families. Its a very special place!
Another great story Rob, thanks. However you are wrong about your one and only time in the spotlight, you were ALWAYS in the spotlight at the hall. The stage and projection crew is what made it all the more spectacular. Without your heart and dedication it would just be another night at the movies with a stage show. With people like you around, RCMH will always be “The Showplace of the Nation”
Rob:
Thanks for giving us information about the attendance during the film series held at the Hall. In all of the deal papers we’ve seen from Cablevision, the Hall is never mentioned as being sold off as part of any future plans, so it’s in safe hands for now. I do wish that a programmer with vision (and a budget for the crew!) could coordinate a film series within the Hall’s live event schedule.
Pete Apruzzese
Thanks, Rob. At least it sounds like a classic film festival at Radio City is not a totally dead issue. All we can do is keep our hopes up. To quote Yoda, “Always in motion is the future.”
I’m probably not the one to answer that question since it remains to be seen if Cablevision is interested. The Warner and Universal Festivals, contrary to the posts above, did not sell out. (I double checked with my co-projectionist at the time, and we both remember the Third Mezzanine being closed, and for many shows, what we could see of the Orchestra wasn’t sold out either.) As Peter Apruzzese has noted above, it is also a very expensive house to book. I can defend the size of the stage crew (which cares very much about the Hall,and is awesome in capability). As I noted, lighting and stage curtain controls are in separate areas necessitating extra crew members. There also has to be a stage manager to co-ordinate the overall operation of the house with the presentation people. Since the theatre has always been involved with stage productions they tend to take precedence, and several of the production vice-presidents have been hostile to movies since they came from a stage background. The current person in that position is a change. He was both Head Carpenter and Head Electrician at the Hall at different times when I was there. He remembers both of those festivals, and respects the Hall’s past. Nonetheless, it depends on what Cablevision has in mind. At the time of the Festivals there was a programming person who very much understood film, and wanted to do more, but unfortunately died before he could do so. With all of the turmoil around Cablevision this year, they do seem to want to keep the Hall and Madison Square Garden in their fold, so we’ll have to see.