The National Theater opened on 14th October 1921 and closed in 1957. The seating capacity given in Film Daily Yearbook’s; 1926 and 1927 edition’s is 1,300. In the 1930 and 1941 edition’s of F.D.Y. seating is given as 1,262. I can’t find the operator in the 1940 edition of F.D.Y. (certainly not Loew’s – was it ever?) but in 1943 it is listed as being operated by Brandt Theaters, same in 1950.
Bway; You are correct regarding the orignal decorative treatments on the original side walls and ceilings of the two outer balcony screens. It is a large panel on the side-wall (maybe this contained a painted mural when the theatre first opened?) The sheet-rock walls which divide off the centrally located screen are plain with no decoration.
However in the larger center screen in the balcony, the sheet-rock walls have plain panels fixed to them all along both walls. OK, they are cheap looking, but do relieve the monotony of a plain walled auditorium, which at least in this screen also has the large central ceiling dome from the original 1916 decoration of the theatre
The floor covering on the foyer floor is similar to a rubberised linoleum. Inside the auditoriums the concrete stairs/steppings have floor paint, with no covering or carpeting.
For the sake of clarity, we can easily make this theatre page the Rivoli/Burlington/Gay Theatre, 3811 McCalla Avenue and retain the Gay/Strand Theatre, 415 S. Gay Street to its own page, adding aka Gay Theatre.
As promised to you all….here is my set of photographs that I took of the Ridgewood Theatre on 25th June 2006. Apologies for the rather poor quality of the interior shots, but the bad (almost non-existant lighting) was not in my favour. I have lightened the photos as much as possible, so hopefully you will get some idea of the auditorium interiors. Also apologies for some blurry shots of the foyer, again the lighting is not good and I wasn’t using a tripod.
As I mentioned in my posting above (26th June 2006) I attended a screening in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony area and managed to view the other two screns up there. I did not go into the two screens in the former orchestra level. Perhaps some local will ‘do’ those for us and report back?
Ok, so there is my input, I know this theatre is held dearly in the memories of many of you (hence the great number of postings for this particular movie theatre. Well unlike many on this site, the Ridgewood Theatre remains in use as a movie theatre! Please support it, otherwise you will loose it. If I can travel all the way from the UK, and then from my base in N.Y.C. right across town to see a movie (using the handy Metro as transportation), then I would hope that both current resident locals in Ridgewood and other resident New Yorkers will do the same (and regularly too!).
The building was pre-existing in 1902 as records show alterations were done to it in that year. The Globe Theatre was open by 1913 according to newspaper advertisements in that year and a seating capacity was given as 906. It is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915. Architect Edward Kleinert was responsible for alterations to the building in 1926.
It was operated by the Sander’s family during the 1930’s and into the 1940’s. For some time later it was operated by the Brandt Circuit and closed as a movie theatre in the mid-1950’s. It became a public market in 1958, then was in use as a factory in 1988.
The plans to convert into a Beth Israel Medical Center were proposed in early 1996 and these plans describe the removal of the decorative ceiling amongst other alterations. It must have been at this time that the auditorium was stripped out. As stated above, the buiding never became a medical center!
The current use for the former Globe Theatre, as seen in June 2006, is as an artists studio (pottery artist). I believe the artist actually lives on the premises.
Looking the the building today, it is incredible to believe that it still exists, but it does.
It is a very old building, which according to records had an alteration done to an existing building in 1902. In 1908 alterations were done and it opened as the Vaudeau Theatre in January 1908 whick was operated by the Bay Ridge Amusement Co. By 1910 until 1913 it had been renamed the Konigswald Gustave Theatre (Swedish for King Gustave). In the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 it is listed as operating as the Sunset Theatre.
I would say that the C/O mentioned by lostmemory which was issued in 1926 for an an existing building, was possibly for an enlarged building with a new seating capacity.
The Sunset Theatre actually closed in 1951 and has been in use as a supermarket for many years.
Listed in Trows Business Directory 1912 as being operated by Elias Bernstein. The American Film Directory 1914-1915 lists it as the Etude Theatre (although the address is incorrectly given as #5422 Third Avenue).
It was re-named the Alben Theatre in the mid-1930’s and I believe it closed as a movie theatre in the mid-1950’s.
I have taken an external look around the building today and it is actually not painted blue & white as Orlando states in his post. The original stonework/bricks are unpainted and there are some decorated stone features on the facade. The building today is in use as a paper goods wholesale’s outlet.
Listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 as the Bayside Theatre Bell Avenue nr. Montauk. Looks like the theatre could have been rebuilt or expanded in 1920?
Just for the record…..
Also listed in 1914-1915 is the Hillside Lyceum Theatre, Bell Avenue.
Listed in both the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Bayside Theatre (Bell Avenue) with a seating capacity of 350.
There is also another Bayside Theatre listed in both these editions and it had a seating capacity of 1,800. In 1927 there is also a 1,560 seat Coolidge Theatre listed.
The 1,439 seat Capitol Theatre made its debut in 1927 and by 1930 was the only theatre operating in Bayside.
Apologies for the triple postings. The site was playing up (again) and I didn’t want to re-type all that text!
Hope you found it interesting? Admission is $8 Adults and $5 Children and seniors. There were a dozen waiting outside the theatre when I arrived at 5;45, but as it turned out, four of those were theatre staff awating the manager and projectionist to arrive to allow them to set up for opening.
I didn’t get to see into the two screens in the former stalls area.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the three balcony screens seems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. Plaster decorative details in the ceiling can also be made out in the darkness. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stairs from the main balcony foyer and could have originally been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens. Of course the side-walls in this screen are new from the conversion, but the original domed ceiling is clearly visible in the darkened gloom.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoriums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the three balcony screens seems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. Plaster decorative details in the ceiling can also be made out in the darkness. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stairs from the main balcony foyer and could have originally been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens. Of course the side-walls in this screen are new from the conversion, but the original domed ceiling is clearly visible in the darkened gloom.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoriums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the balcony screens sems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stair from the main balcony foyer and could have been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
Sorry to report that the former New Progress/Progress Theatre is not there. Currently at that address 1892-1894 Third Avenue is a single storey Rite Aid store which was built in 1957.
The Atlas Theatre is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 and is in the Film Daily Yearbook, 1926 edition with a seating capacity listed as 450.
The status of the Atlas Theatre need to be changed to Closed/Demolished as a new building was errected on the site in 1929.
The former New Progress/Progress Theatre was located adjacent to the north of the Atlas Theatre at 1892-1894 Third Avenue (demolished around 1957).
mikemovies;Regarding the costing of C.T.A. visits (tours) of theatres.
There is no registration fee to be paid for a CTA visit, so in reality the visit is free! Visits are arranged as a benefit of membership for members of the Cinema Theatre Association.
What is payable and built into the cost of a visit is the air travel (booked as a reduced group rate from the UK), the hotel (usually a centrally located 2*(or equivalent) hotel (again booked as a reduced group rate)and sharing a room comes out cheaper than having a single occupancy, a comprehensive visit notes booklet which is illustrated and fees/donations paid to the theatre buildings who ask for them (tour guides, caretaker fees, donations to churches etc). Most theatres allow tours for no charge at all.
Allowances are made for non-UK residents to make their own travel arrangements to to country to be visited, or if it’s in the USA, then own arrangements to the city to be visited. Of course if a visit happens to be coming to your own city of residence, then you get to do the visit for practically nothing!
Not included in the costings of a visit are travel insurance, transportation by public transport (ie. a 7 days travel pass) we do most of our visits using public transport (metro and rail) and only hire a coach when absolutely neccessary and this would be included in the visit cost. Meals and spending money are of course not included.
To give you an idea, our most ambitious visit to date was the recent February/March 2006 visit I organised to Australia for 3 weeks(20 nights accomodation), including international air travel and internal travel Melbourne to Sydney, visit notes and hire of a vintage bus on a couple of days and payment of fees for an Australian Visa entry came to US$3,000 per person sharing and US$4,000 person in single occupancy. Total number in the group was 54 persons and we visited over 70 theatres/cinemas including the first ever visit by the CTA to a Drive-in Theatre, which was a triple screen and where we got to see the movie of personal choice, free popcorn, drinks and hotdogs provided by the owner! What more could you ask for! LOL
The duration of most International visits varies from 7, 10 or 14 days depending on the number of theatres a city or area can offer.
A $25.00 Annual Fee is very reasonable. Hopefully that would provide enough income for an expansion to a larger capacity server for the site.
Many members of the site have now added a great ammount of invaluable information to the site, that it would be sad to loose it all, just for the sake of a few $ input.
Guests should not only be unable to post to listings, but should only have a limited number of ‘hits’ to pages of the site per day. To facilitate this, the ‘guest’ list would be suspended and non-paid up ‘members’ would then log in as a named user, but with limited capabilities. Fully paid up members get it all facilities (unlimited). That would be a fair way of operating the site and raising money to keep it going.
I do hope that Patrick and Ross (administrators of the site) are reading this discussion. If they are, then a quick posting as to what is going on would be a nice gesture to make, just to keep us informed as to what’s happening (or going to happen) to the site.
Thanks.
The National Theater opened on 14th October 1921 and closed in 1957. The seating capacity given in Film Daily Yearbook’s; 1926 and 1927 edition’s is 1,300. In the 1930 and 1941 edition’s of F.D.Y. seating is given as 1,262. I can’t find the operator in the 1940 edition of F.D.Y. (certainly not Loew’s – was it ever?) but in 1943 it is listed as being operated by Brandt Theaters, same in 1950.
Here is a photograph of the exterior I took in May 2006:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183558877/
Here are a couple of recent exterior photographs I took of the Fox Savoy Theatre in May 2006:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183529587/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183530562/
Joe From Florida; The photo’s are of the Rogers Theatre, Rogers Avenue, Brooklyn, which is the theatre this page is dedicated to.
The ‘other’ Rogers Theatre, Broadway, Brooklyn would still have the J & Z Lines Elevated running against it (but the theatre has been torn down!)
The Rogers Theater opened in either 1936 or 1937 and closed in 1967. Here are a couple of exterior photgraphs I took of the building in May 2006. The facade has had a new brick cladding, but the side walls remain the old brick:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183463409/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183463786/
A set of photographs I took of the former Loew’s Kameo Theatre in May 2006. Especial Thanks go to the Philadelphian Sabbath Cathedral for allowing me access and permission to record these images:
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183386861/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183387293/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183387728/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183388489/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183389132/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183389499/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183389969/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183390417/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183390815/
Current May 2006 photographs I took of the Flatbush Pavilion (including one of the former auditorium):
http://flickr.com/photos.kencta/183326058/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183328319/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183328664/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183329070/
http://flickr.com/photos/kencta/183329495/
Bway; You are correct regarding the orignal decorative treatments on the original side walls and ceilings of the two outer balcony screens. It is a large panel on the side-wall (maybe this contained a painted mural when the theatre first opened?) The sheet-rock walls which divide off the centrally located screen are plain with no decoration.
However in the larger center screen in the balcony, the sheet-rock walls have plain panels fixed to them all along both walls. OK, they are cheap looking, but do relieve the monotony of a plain walled auditorium, which at least in this screen also has the large central ceiling dome from the original 1916 decoration of the theatre
The floor covering on the foyer floor is similar to a rubberised linoleum. Inside the auditoriums the concrete stairs/steppings have floor paint, with no covering or carpeting.
For the sake of clarity, we can easily make this theatre page the Rivoli/Burlington/Gay Theatre, 3811 McCalla Avenue and retain the Gay/Strand Theatre, 415 S. Gay Street to its own page, adding aka Gay Theatre.
The Film Daily Yearbook;1950 edition lists the Gay Theatre, 3811 McCalla Avenue with a seating capacity of 300.
Listed as the Gay Theatre in two earlier editions of F.D.Y. that I have(1941 and 1943) with a seating capacity of 278.
As promised to you all….here is my set of photographs that I took of the Ridgewood Theatre on 25th June 2006. Apologies for the rather poor quality of the interior shots, but the bad (almost non-existant lighting) was not in my favour. I have lightened the photos as much as possible, so hopefully you will get some idea of the auditorium interiors. Also apologies for some blurry shots of the foyer, again the lighting is not good and I wasn’t using a tripod.
As I mentioned in my posting above (26th June 2006) I attended a screening in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony area and managed to view the other two screns up there. I did not go into the two screens in the former orchestra level. Perhaps some local will ‘do’ those for us and report back?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181107127/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181107664/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181108262/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181108667/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181109276/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181109828/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181110473/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181111074/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181111488/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181111880/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181112285/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181113601/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181115220/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181115673/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181116506/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181116966/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181117189/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181117558/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181117919/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181118228/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/181118521/
Ok, so there is my input, I know this theatre is held dearly in the memories of many of you (hence the great number of postings for this particular movie theatre. Well unlike many on this site, the Ridgewood Theatre remains in use as a movie theatre! Please support it, otherwise you will loose it. If I can travel all the way from the UK, and then from my base in N.Y.C. right across town to see a movie (using the handy Metro as transportation), then I would hope that both current resident locals in Ridgewood and other resident New Yorkers will do the same (and regularly too!).
The building was pre-existing in 1902 as records show alterations were done to it in that year. The Globe Theatre was open by 1913 according to newspaper advertisements in that year and a seating capacity was given as 906. It is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915. Architect Edward Kleinert was responsible for alterations to the building in 1926.
It was operated by the Sander’s family during the 1930’s and into the 1940’s. For some time later it was operated by the Brandt Circuit and closed as a movie theatre in the mid-1950’s. It became a public market in 1958, then was in use as a factory in 1988.
The plans to convert into a Beth Israel Medical Center were proposed in early 1996 and these plans describe the removal of the decorative ceiling amongst other alterations. It must have been at this time that the auditorium was stripped out. As stated above, the buiding never became a medical center!
The current use for the former Globe Theatre, as seen in June 2006, is as an artists studio (pottery artist). I believe the artist actually lives on the premises.
Looking the the building today, it is incredible to believe that it still exists, but it does.
It is a very old building, which according to records had an alteration done to an existing building in 1902. In 1908 alterations were done and it opened as the Vaudeau Theatre in January 1908 whick was operated by the Bay Ridge Amusement Co. By 1910 until 1913 it had been renamed the Konigswald Gustave Theatre (Swedish for King Gustave). In the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 it is listed as operating as the Sunset Theatre.
I would say that the C/O mentioned by lostmemory which was issued in 1926 for an an existing building, was possibly for an enlarged building with a new seating capacity.
The Sunset Theatre actually closed in 1951 and has been in use as a supermarket for many years.
Listed in Trows Business Directory 1912 as being operated by Elias Bernstein. The American Film Directory 1914-1915 lists it as the Etude Theatre (although the address is incorrectly given as #5422 Third Avenue).
It was re-named the Alben Theatre in the mid-1930’s and I believe it closed as a movie theatre in the mid-1950’s.
I have taken an external look around the building today and it is actually not painted blue & white as Orlando states in his post. The original stonework/bricks are unpainted and there are some decorated stone features on the facade. The building today is in use as a paper goods wholesale’s outlet.
Listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 as the Bayside Theatre Bell Avenue nr. Montauk. Looks like the theatre could have been rebuilt or expanded in 1920?
Just for the record…..
Also listed in 1914-1915 is the Hillside Lyceum Theatre, Bell Avenue.
Listed in both the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Bayside Theatre (Bell Avenue) with a seating capacity of 350.
There is also another Bayside Theatre listed in both these editions and it had a seating capacity of 1,800. In 1927 there is also a 1,560 seat Coolidge Theatre listed.
The 1,439 seat Capitol Theatre made its debut in 1927 and by 1930 was the only theatre operating in Bayside.
Apologies for the triple postings. The site was playing up (again) and I didn’t want to re-type all that text!
Hope you found it interesting? Admission is $8 Adults and $5 Children and seniors. There were a dozen waiting outside the theatre when I arrived at 5;45, but as it turned out, four of those were theatre staff awating the manager and projectionist to arrive to allow them to set up for opening.
I didn’t get to see into the two screens in the former stalls area.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the three balcony screens seems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. Plaster decorative details in the ceiling can also be made out in the darkness. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stairs from the main balcony foyer and could have originally been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens. Of course the side-walls in this screen are new from the conversion, but the original domed ceiling is clearly visible in the darkened gloom.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoriums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the three balcony screens seems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. Plaster decorative details in the ceiling can also be made out in the darkness. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stairs from the main balcony foyer and could have originally been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens. Of course the side-walls in this screen are new from the conversion, but the original domed ceiling is clearly visible in the darkened gloom.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoriums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the balcony screens sems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stair from the main balcony foyer and could have been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
Sorry to report that the former New Progress/Progress Theatre is not there. Currently at that address 1892-1894 Third Avenue is a single storey Rite Aid store which was built in 1957.
The Atlas Theatre is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 and is in the Film Daily Yearbook, 1926 edition with a seating capacity listed as 450.
The status of the Atlas Theatre need to be changed to Closed/Demolished as a new building was errected on the site in 1929.
The former New Progress/Progress Theatre was located adjacent to the north of the Atlas Theatre at 1892-1894 Third Avenue (demolished around 1957).
mikemovies;Regarding the costing of C.T.A. visits (tours) of theatres.
There is no registration fee to be paid for a CTA visit, so in reality the visit is free! Visits are arranged as a benefit of membership for members of the Cinema Theatre Association.
What is payable and built into the cost of a visit is the air travel (booked as a reduced group rate from the UK), the hotel (usually a centrally located 2*(or equivalent) hotel (again booked as a reduced group rate)and sharing a room comes out cheaper than having a single occupancy, a comprehensive visit notes booklet which is illustrated and fees/donations paid to the theatre buildings who ask for them (tour guides, caretaker fees, donations to churches etc). Most theatres allow tours for no charge at all.
Allowances are made for non-UK residents to make their own travel arrangements to to country to be visited, or if it’s in the USA, then own arrangements to the city to be visited. Of course if a visit happens to be coming to your own city of residence, then you get to do the visit for practically nothing!
Not included in the costings of a visit are travel insurance, transportation by public transport (ie. a 7 days travel pass) we do most of our visits using public transport (metro and rail) and only hire a coach when absolutely neccessary and this would be included in the visit cost. Meals and spending money are of course not included.
To give you an idea, our most ambitious visit to date was the recent February/March 2006 visit I organised to Australia for 3 weeks(20 nights accomodation), including international air travel and internal travel Melbourne to Sydney, visit notes and hire of a vintage bus on a couple of days and payment of fees for an Australian Visa entry came to US$3,000 per person sharing and US$4,000 person in single occupancy. Total number in the group was 54 persons and we visited over 70 theatres/cinemas including the first ever visit by the CTA to a Drive-in Theatre, which was a triple screen and where we got to see the movie of personal choice, free popcorn, drinks and hotdogs provided by the owner! What more could you ask for! LOL
The duration of most International visits varies from 7, 10 or 14 days depending on the number of theatres a city or area can offer.
A $25.00 Annual Fee is very reasonable. Hopefully that would provide enough income for an expansion to a larger capacity server for the site.
Many members of the site have now added a great ammount of invaluable information to the site, that it would be sad to loose it all, just for the sake of a few $ input.
Guests should not only be unable to post to listings, but should only have a limited number of ‘hits’ to pages of the site per day. To facilitate this, the ‘guest’ list would be suspended and non-paid up ‘members’ would then log in as a named user, but with limited capabilities. Fully paid up members get it all facilities (unlimited). That would be a fair way of operating the site and raising money to keep it going.
I do hope that Patrick and Ross (administrators of the site) are reading this discussion. If they are, then a quick posting as to what is going on would be a nice gesture to make, just to keep us informed as to what’s happening (or going to happen) to the site.
Thanks.