Ridgewood Theatre
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
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I cant believe all the theatres in Glendale-Ridgewood. This site is a true history lesson.
Lostmemory! Peter and I were trying to figure this one out (I don’t know if it was here in the Ridgewood section or not, and I don’t feel like reading all the responses here to find out). Somewhere I had mentioned that I remember reading that there was a theater at the corner of Seneca and Myrtle Aves, where the C-Town and Banco Popular (former Chase Manhattan bank) are now.
For some reason I thought I remember reading that theater was an “open air” theater, but don’t know for sure. If you find anything else out about the “Evergreen” please let us know, or start a new page for it when you have a little more info. Now that I know the name, I will try to research it some more too.
THE RIDGEWOOD THEATRE was not the best theatre in town in the 70s the MADISON was like TRUMP TOWER and RIDGEWOOD THEATRE like a homeless shelter.
Well, in that we agree. While the Ridgewood maybe not have been as extreme as a homeless shelter, the Madison wins hands down for ornateness, and size, and just about everything elseyou want to compare the two with.
However, it didn’t get it much. Look at the fate of the Madison compared to the Ridgewood, it became a burnt out hulk before being gutted to it’s bricks and now is a junk store while the Ridgewood still putters on as one of oldest continually operating theaters in the New York area.
Peter K: — yes, I believe the Michael Sheridan you mention is the cousin of my friend (who lived on Greene and Seneca) Michael
would be the right age (a little older than I am) .
Capone’s I believe owned the Ridgewood Grove at the time you are talking about — ‘70s
lostmemory :
I’m glad you remember Ciro’s Restaurant. Didn’t it have a white stucco exterior, and dark windows with neon beer signs in them ?
I went to Sal’s Barber Shop on the western corner of St. Nicholas and Woodbine for haircuts, 1964 ? through 1970. I remember sayings in round circles on the big glass windows : “Laugh, and the world laughs with you. Cry, and you cry alone !”
I never hung out in the Ridgewood Grove Poolroom, but my high school class of 1973 had a rowdy, brawling, drunken “reunion” eight days after graduation, in mid-June 1973, in Capone’s Bar, on the first floor of the Ridgewood Grove building, right at the eastern corner of St. Nicholas and Palmetto.
I don’t think the Imperial Theater at Irving and DeKalb Avenues has a page on this site. I think there’s a page here, though, for the Rivoli, which stood at 1374 Myrtle Avenue, on the south side, between Knickerbocker and Wilson Avenues, Harman and Himrod Sts. It’s adjacent to the Metropolitan Avenue-bound platform of the Knickerbocker Avenue station of the Myrtle Avenue el (M train).
lostmemory, when I spoke to Father Kelly on July 30, 2004, he said he came to St. Brigid in 1960. I read aloud for him in first grade in 1961 or 1962. I remember Father McCabe was very tall, and remember remarking to my father that he just seeemed to barely fit through the doorways of the St. Brigid auditorium. I remember the doorway that said “Billiards” to the right of the Ridgewood Theater. Peter P. Rich’s music store, where I took drum lessons in fall 1967, was just to the left of the Ridgewood, one flight up. I was last there in March or April 1972.
My parents, aunts and uncles remember the Parthenon Theater at 329 Wyckoff Avenue, corner of Palmetto St. when it showed films. It was a bowling alley when I started first grade in Sept. 1961.
I recall a BonTon Diner on the southwest corner of Wyckoff and DeKalb, and the Wyckoff Heights 11237 zip code post office nearby at 86 Wyckoff Avenue. The Wagner Theater, at 110 Wyckoff Avenue, was one block southeast, between DeKalb Avenue and Stockholm Street.
S & N Radio and TV Repair, owned and run by Edward Lange, was on the opposite, northeast side of Wyckoff Avenue. I last saw and spoke with Eddie Lange in mid-September 1997. He was my family’s TV, radio and phonograph repairman.
Knickerbocker Boy’s and Men’s shop was the place to buy St. Brigid’s school uniforms. Knickerbocker Avenue was, and still is, a busy shopping street northwest of Myrtle Avenue.
Robert Hall’s at Irving and DeKalb used to be the Imperial Theater. My Uncle John, now age 83, remembers seeing the Lugosi “Dracula” there as a kid, and later going there to buy some civilian clothes after he’d gotten out of the Signal Corps at the end of WW II, after it had become a Robert Hall’s.
KathyO, Jahn’s is at 117-03 Hillside Avenue in Richmond Hill, at the east end of the Q-55 bus line from Ridgewood. Next door is RKO Keith’s of Richmond Hill, now a bingo hall and flea market, and, north of that, Salerno’s Italian Restaurant. The Triangle Hofbrau German Restaurant used to be diagonally across the intersection of Myrtle and Hillside Avenues from Jahn’s, occupying the triangle formed by Myrtle and Jamaica Avenues and 117th Street, which crosses Myrtle to become Hillside Avenue. I last ate in the Hofbrau November 11th, 1994. When I returned in May 1995 it had become the Cafe Europa, featuring French and Russian cuisine. Now, sadly, it is medical offices.
I was last in Jahn’s April 3, 2004. I was sad to see how dark and empty it was. I’ve been in brighter and livelier funeral parlors. I never had a kitchen sink there, but I’ve seen it on their menu.
KathyO : my family and I have been patients at both Wyckoff Heights and the former Bethany Deaconess Hospitals several times. Corato’s is still there on Woodbine between St. Nicholas and Myrtle Avenues. The Villa Maria Restaurant is no longer on Cypress Avenue between Myrtle and Putnam Avenues. I last ate there August 1990. It was a favorite place of my family to eat out and also get orders to go, to eat at home, especially a huge breaded veal cutlet with lots of spaghetti and tomato sauce.
KathyO and lostmemory : do you remember Ciro’s Italian Restaurant on the north corner of St. Nicholas and Woodbine ?
EllenA, I knew a Michael Sheridan, from my h.s., whom I think lived at 58-30 Catalpa Avenue (at Woodward) in Ridgewood, near St. Matthias, where Drs. Bass and Sheflin still have their offices.
KathyO, I don’t remember Hart Lanes Bowling Alley, but when my parents were dating, 1940 to 1945, they went to dances at the Knights Of Columbus at Bushwick Avenue and Hart St.
Hope these are enough neighborhood memories for you.
Robert, of course that would be “on topic” for a theater! I also love that.
I know I love hearing about the movies, especially the double bills that played these great old houses.
“Fast Eddie”, while I don’t seem to mind the talk about Ridgewood to an extent, I was under the impression that this site was not a “message board”, it’s comments about theaters under each theater, not a “chat” message board, so yes, technically people are supposed to be talking about the “architecture, etc” the particular theaters as you mentioned would be “boring”.
Boring, maybe – how much can you talk about it’s features, etc – I don’t know, but if it gets “boring”, you shouldn’t post a comment. Message boards are meant for chat – but I don’t really think this is a “message board”.
I have to agree with Warren enough about the nieghborhood I mean it’s intresting and all but let’s hear more info on the theatre or photos please. This is a theatre post site.
Go to http://members3.boardhost.com/Cypwood/
everyone is always welcome, comments about Queens, Ridgewood, etc. always welcome, including anything else you want to talk about among very friendly folks!
Run by a former Ridgewoodite!
Warren’s right.
I tried to keep my posts both about the theatre and my memories of Ridgewood. For me it was both since I grew up around the corner from the Ridgewood Theatre.
As I am not that computer advanced does anyone know how to make a site where we could reminisce and keep in touch??? I have many more questions for all of you but did not post for trying to keep it as much about the Ridgewood Theatre. So I would love it if anyone knew where we could go to share our memories.
Thanks,
Debra
ps sorry Warren
I believe King Solomon was a small supermarket on Knickerbocker – if that was the one, my friend’s husband used to work there part-time.
Up to a few years ago, that diner was still open on DeKalb and Wyckoff – I remember a lot of Sanitation men went there and I think there was a bar called the “White Shutter Inn” across the street.
I’ll bet the “girls” growing up back in the day remember a children’s clothing store called “Betesh” run by a man called Irving – they had beautiful dresses and it was a place to buy Communion and Confirmation dresses.
It’s out of the neighborhood, but did anyone take the bus down Myrtle Ave. to go the Jahn’s – the ice cream Parlor and get a free sundae on their birthday or try to eat a “kitchen sink”? It was near Salerno’s Italian Restaurant and not far from the Triangle Hofbrau – a German Restaurant.
St.Brigid’s Class of 1966 (talk about dinosaurs). I was trying to find a website for St. Brigid to send a note to Fr. Kelly and came across this great site. I can’t wait to read through it in its entirety. I also went to Christ the King H.S., class of 1970.
I lived on Stanhope St. across the Street from what was then called Wyckoff Heights Hospital (Later worked there) I do remember waiting outside the Madison Theater to see the Dave Clark 5. I remember seeing “A Hard Day’s Night” with the Beatles at the Ridgewood theater many times – but with all us young girls screaming throughout the movie, we had to wait until the last show to actually hear the movie (in those days you could watch the movie over and over and over again – noone used movie time schedules) Anyone remember the matrons? I used to go to the Corato’s Pizza off of Myrtle Avenue near the old Madison Diner – is it still there? Anyone remember the Villa Maria Restaurant off of Myrtle? I remerber when Frs. Kelly and McCabe came to St. Brigid’s school. Sadly, Fr. McCabe, who left the priesthood to get married and raise a family, died a number of years ago – I think he was hit by a car – not definite about that.
I was from the “Brooklyn side” of Ridgewood (now called Bushwick) so I remember also shopping on Knickerbocker Avenue. I also belonged to an American Legion marching band on Hart Street and Wilson Ave.
Anybody remember Hart Lanes Bowling Alley (About a block away from the old Wagner Theater that used to show German films)? Looking foward to reading some more neighborhood memories.
KathyO
Lostmemory — don’t feel so bad — only as old as you feel (as they say) — and, I feel about 90 anyway!
Don’t know a Pete — but I did know people on Greene between Seneca and Onderdonk
but they would have been in a younger crowd than you — names were Sheridan and Seitz?
You are a little bit older than I am —
I graduated SBS in l971, — I lived down the street from PS 81, on Menahan between St. Nick and Cypress.
it was such a great neighborhood!
Hey, lostmemory — where did you live in Ridgewood? Did you attend SBS? WHat year did you graduate?
High School?
I think the trees were planted on residential streets in Ridgewood in spring 1983 as part of the Myrtle Avenue rehab and revitalization and sidewalk rebuilding.
I was in Ridgewood from about 11 a.m. to about 12:15 p.m. this past Friday, July 30th. I stopped by St. Brigid’s rectory around noon and greeted Father Kelly, and conveyed my and my family’s condolences for his mugging on Thursday July 22, along with our wishes for his complete recovery and continued safety. He had no specific memory of me personally, but he thanked me for stopping by.
DABOC, “Ridgewoodite” is OK, but may lend itself to jokes like this :
If someone from Brooklyn is a Brooklynite, does that mean some from Paris is a Parisite ?
Thanks for the posting on the book. Bway, thanks for endorsing it here.
Bway, I got a look at the rebuilding and renovation of Myrtle-Wyckoff-Gates (L and M lines). It was odd walking past what used to be the public toilets on the mezzanine of the Myrtle Avenue station on the L line, and seeing bright daylight shining in through the holes that were part of the excavation.
Debra, that is a good book, I own a copy of that.
As for the trees on Madison Street behind the Ridgewood Theater, they were planted about 20-25 years ago, around 1981. All of Ridgewood seemed to get trees over night that year.
View link
OUR COMMUNITY, It’s History and People: Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Liberty Park, Glendale.
291 pages in this hardcover. Published by Greater Ridgewood Historical Society, Inc., 1976.
hey guys just saw this today on Ebay.
Debra
For Rich D, yes we did go to Norman Street and Cypress Ave.and also to my old house in Maspeth on 58th Road too. Norman street was still pretty much the same — an old hodge podge of different homes but directly across from my old apartment they tore down the building and put up really nice apartments/condos? two or three floors and nicely landscaped.
Unfortunately my old building now has a very tacky neon pink awning on the store below complete with graffiti — it makes it look bad : (
Wycoff Avenue looked bad and still does; too crowded and not taken care of enough.
Myrtle Avenue was ok but sadly too many nice store fronts were changed and not for the better —– what is with the fat awnings that just block out each other and make the street look way too crowded??? Bad decision.
My parents used to own a card and gift shop called Friendship Gifts right off of Myrtle Ave. on I think Catalpa? Diagonally across from the old bank that is now a drug store. They got rid of the nice old fashioned glass front with the door recessed and it is now just a glass and metal nothing front, lost it’s charm.
Dawn, I remember your name but not the face. I was the co-captain on the cheerleaders with you. You mentioned Bruce Cox, do you remember Anna Filosa? I heard she married Joey Marx – Michele’s brother and Michele married Dennis Hearns.
I am still very good friends with Vicki Hobson. Did you ever hear anything about Jimmy Mahoney? Who do you keep in touch with?
Where is everyone now?
I grew up in Ridgewood; Madison St. (Ridgewood Theatre’s back) and Norman St. Moved to Maspeth, got married moved to Floral Park and now in CT. Let me know where you all are now. And once again thank you to Monica for helping with my Ridgewood Theatre’s memories.
Very proud former “Ridgewoodite”
(?) is that right Peter?
Debra : )
Hey Guys, You CAN Go Home Again!!!
My visit back to Ridgewood two Saturdays ago was my first since the mid 70’s and I was very pleasantly surprised : )
First of all it was much cleaner than I expected and the graffiti was at a minimum. The biggest shock was TREES, there are trees on my old block! (Madison Street right behind the Ridgewood Theatre)
My old block is treed lined —— there were no trees when I was growing up there till I left 1969 to go to Norman Street. When were the trees put in? It especially looks nice on Madison Street above Cypress Ave. cause they have trees on both sides. It makes a big difference.
My old house did not look too much the same at first glance which was a little sad. The front doors are gone which were beautiful in fact only one house on Mad. still had the doors with the glass in it. The old fashioned “S” shaped iron fence was replaced with much too high straight iron fence it makes everything look too small. The fire hydrant looks exactly the same – still leaking too!
Here’s the best while I was there people were coming in and out and I spoke with one tenant who lived in the top apartment where we first lived, then moved to the bottom! He seemed Polish and was only there since Feb. and invited me and my husband to see the apartment. I declined but asked if I could see the back yard, I was real interested in that. He brought us to the landlord and she took us out the back and it was wonderful it looked 10x better than when I was growing up!
The Ridgewood Theatre from the back looked pretty much the same except for the bottom being painted black, I guess cause of graffiti and the pillars that were on either side of each emergency exit door were gone. The fire escape looked the same too, which could be very scary!!
We also went to Palmetto Street to see my friend Vicki’s old house which the front is now painted purple -yechh! We drove by St. Brigid’s church and my husband did not remember how much detail is on the front.
The school’s top 2 floors had curtains in them like someone’s home??? The boys school was not a school anymore, when did they close that down? The front of the school was open and I went in to the auditorium and did not remember the detail of the wood. Also the entrance was still grand with the green granite/marble. The doors to the upstairs and down were replaced with fire doors and key locks and a sign that said “St. Brigid’s ed classes second floor” how much of the school is left? Is it only religious ed??
Another nice thing was the worker at the school, I asked if I could take a picture of the stage and he said “why”? I told him I went there and it was for memories and he replied “oh, ok, I thought you were from the Media”. He was protecting Father Kelly —– I thought that was so nice : )
Peter K finally got most of this site read, some of those names bring back some memories. Michael Liza was the co captain of the basket ball team and I was a cheer leader. I believe Bruce Cox was the captain. Is there a site for St. Brigids I can’t seem to find one? Dawn N.
Dawn N.(ahoney) :
Thank you for posting here, and for complimenting my memory. It’s good to be in contact again after a 35-year silence. I’m not sure we even spoke to one another in eighth grade graduation practice, other than to make sure we were marching properly.
I passed by the Ridgewood Theater earlier today. It’s now a five-plex, and is showing the new “Manchurian Candidate” and “The Village” and three other current films. There is another page on this site all about the Ridgewood Theater as it is now. I think “Monica” created it.
Please take the time to read this entire page, however long it may be. I and other Ridgewood natives have posted many comments on it, with much detailed information and recollections that I think you will find interesting. It is like a “wailing wall” of Ridgewood natives, and a mini-reunion of St. Brigid, St. Matthias, and Saint Francis Prep graduates.
You may have read or heard what happened to Father Kelly, the current pastor of St. Brigid, eight days ago on Thursday July 22nd. I stopped by St. Brigid today around noon and spoke with him for about ten minutes, and conveyed my and my family’s best wishes for his recovery, continued safety, and condolences for his mugging.
Please post here again and tell me what and how you are doing now.
Peter Koch
Peter K. You really have an impressive memory. I remember the theather clearly from the 60’s & 70’s It was beautiful. I don’t think I would recognized it now. I am you graduation partner Dawn Nahoney.