I used the term gaudy neon with affection. I went to this theatre since I was a toddler. When I found out they were going to close it I took ektachrome super-8 film of the marquee.
Gustavelifting
I agree 100%, this theatre could still be open and making money. Smithtown and Nesconset are affluent areas and they could have booked this upscale and with art and independant films.
Even under reporting their grosses I dont see how they managed to stay open as long as they did. Some of those Paramount movies played there long after they disappeared from even Manhattan houses. For the sake of paying Long Island Film Delivery the cost to ship a print, or they could have gone to Fort Lee and picked up the thing themselves they let the theatre sit and die. They lost all their art house crowd to the Malverne after the cough drops, camera and other insane stunts.
How nice was this theatre? Did anyone ever see movies here? I remember someone telling me once they went 4 days in a row to the Willard to see “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers”. A few months later she did the same when the Haven got it. The name is pretty rotten though.
Were the stage shows at the music hall miked or pre-taped? I remember the later shows in the 70’s seemed to have the look of the performers lip-synching.
Paul
You have me roaring here. I think a movie could be made about those two kooks. Have you ever heard of a theatre asking for donations? It was not a non-profit like Film Forum. The district attorneys office should have investigated all of this. I mentioned in an earlier post that they used to have a jar on the candy stand asking for donations to quad the theatre.
Orlando
You are right, this was the only UA house they still treated with class. The renovations that had been done spared no expense and they did not let this place get run down. I wonder though if it would have survived if they had closed off the balcony and made 2 more theatres. It would not have affected the look of the place or the orchestra at all. The main problem was there was no booth upstairs.
Vincent
I bet except for collectors all those prints were destroyed. I think that also may have been the first time GWTW was released in Metro Color and by now they would be all pink.
The Ridgewood NEVER closed, not even during the conversions. When it went from a single to a tripex they were open nights only. They had one theatre in the balcony then and two in the orchestra. They built a booth downstairs for one of the new theatres and used it to play on the original screen while they closed off the balcony. Then when the balcony was completed the downstairs remained closed for awhile while those theatres were built. I was going to check out the Ridgewood again this past weekend to see the new Juliane Moore flick but would up at the Kew Gardens instead.
I was the assistant manager of the Haven, when the riot happened at the Drake. (the same owner had both along with the Cinemart. If I recall the print was mag optical and they could not get the sound loud enough on the old mono sound system. They actually tore the radiators out of the wall, besides smashing up the candy stand and kicking holes in the walls. The theatre was back up and running in less then 2 weeks. At that point the midnight shows were stopped. I have all the records for what played at these theatres from 1977 on. I can post some of it when I have a chance.
I remember the Music Hall engagement and the wide re-release in 1976. I saw it at the UA Oasis on that go around. It was not too long ago but Flashdance played almost 8 months at the Loews Trylon and the Woody Allen films Radio Days and Hannah and Her Sisters played many months at the UA Forest Hills.
Was this the biggest (in terms of seats) theatre Long Island ever had?
I read this was one of the reasons Al Jolson was such a beloved performer, his voice could be heard all the way to the rear balcony.
Have we changed the policy of listing theatres under their most recent name? Just curious because this was the Adonis for over 20 years?
Clearview has the most expensive concessions I have ever seen.
I used the term gaudy neon with affection. I went to this theatre since I was a toddler. When I found out they were going to close it I took ektachrome super-8 film of the marquee.
Gustavelifting
I agree 100%, this theatre could still be open and making money. Smithtown and Nesconset are affluent areas and they could have booked this upscale and with art and independant films.
The Main Street has the same owner and has the same Tuesday policy. I think the Clearview Squire and Port Jefferson also have a cheap night.
This theatre was actually twinned in 1968 and then triplexed later on.
Even under reporting their grosses I dont see how they managed to stay open as long as they did. Some of those Paramount movies played there long after they disappeared from even Manhattan houses. For the sake of paying Long Island Film Delivery the cost to ship a print, or they could have gone to Fort Lee and picked up the thing themselves they let the theatre sit and die. They lost all their art house crowd to the Malverne after the cough drops, camera and other insane stunts.
How nice was this theatre? Did anyone ever see movies here? I remember someone telling me once they went 4 days in a row to the Willard to see “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers”. A few months later she did the same when the Haven got it. The name is pretty rotten though.
Is this place still showing Indian films? I dont see it listed in the paper anymore.
Did anyone ever go here when it was a D-150 house? I was only in it after Loews triplexed it.
Were the stage shows at the music hall miked or pre-taped? I remember the later shows in the 70’s seemed to have the look of the performers lip-synching.
they still book City Cinemas
Is there anyone even talking about restoring or saving it?
Paul
You have me roaring here. I think a movie could be made about those two kooks. Have you ever heard of a theatre asking for donations? It was not a non-profit like Film Forum. The district attorneys office should have investigated all of this. I mentioned in an earlier post that they used to have a jar on the candy stand asking for donations to quad the theatre.
Orlando
You are right, this was the only UA house they still treated with class. The renovations that had been done spared no expense and they did not let this place get run down. I wonder though if it would have survived if they had closed off the balcony and made 2 more theatres. It would not have affected the look of the place or the orchestra at all. The main problem was there was no booth upstairs.
Yes but mud wrestling accompanied by the mighty Wurlitzer. So sad isnt it?
I would love to see the Ridgewood overhauled and continue for another 100 years.
Vincent
I bet except for collectors all those prints were destroyed. I think that also may have been the first time GWTW was released in Metro Color and by now they would be all pink.
The Ridgewood NEVER closed, not even during the conversions. When it went from a single to a tripex they were open nights only. They had one theatre in the balcony then and two in the orchestra. They built a booth downstairs for one of the new theatres and used it to play on the original screen while they closed off the balcony. Then when the balcony was completed the downstairs remained closed for awhile while those theatres were built. I was going to check out the Ridgewood again this past weekend to see the new Juliane Moore flick but would up at the Kew Gardens instead.
Imagine it with The Hooray For Hollywood show that accompanied Bullit in 1968 :)
I was the assistant manager of the Haven, when the riot happened at the Drake. (the same owner had both along with the Cinemart. If I recall the print was mag optical and they could not get the sound loud enough on the old mono sound system. They actually tore the radiators out of the wall, besides smashing up the candy stand and kicking holes in the walls. The theatre was back up and running in less then 2 weeks. At that point the midnight shows were stopped. I have all the records for what played at these theatres from 1977 on. I can post some of it when I have a chance.
I remember the Music Hall engagement and the wide re-release in 1976. I saw it at the UA Oasis on that go around. It was not too long ago but Flashdance played almost 8 months at the Loews Trylon and the Woody Allen films Radio Days and Hannah and Her Sisters played many months at the UA Forest Hills.
Still looks nice on the exterior but I can imagine by now the whole inside is gone.