“Leaving our local areas for a flick in Ridgewood’s Madison was definitely a treat – especially in summer: AC instead of a couple of three-bladed rotating fans.”
Agreed, BklynJim, and thank you. Perhaps you can recall some details of past live entertainment at the RKO Madison, and post them here for our amusement and edification.
Thanks, Warren. I was thinking also of Al Jolson, perhaps, Ed Sullivan’s introduction of the film “Pinky”, Shakespeare, The Dave Clark Five, the mystic, “Zelaine”, Bob Johnstone, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, to name a few live appearances at the Madison that come quickly to mind.
“People who lived to the east could just as easily go to RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill and those to the west to the RKO Bushwick.”
Just as easily go to RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill ? Still, a rather long trolley ride, or walk, on Myrtle Avenue. Further than Atlas Park is now. And what about all the smaller theaters between the RKO Madison and the RKO Bushwick, and the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill, like the Parthenon, Rivoli, Wyckoff, Mozart, to the west, and Evergreen, Glenwood, Belvedere and Acme to the east ? Were the movies shown by those smaller theaters that different from the movies playing at the RKO Bushwick, Madison and Keith’s Richmond Hill ?
You are most welcome, Panzer65, to my excellent postings !
Did you REALLY expect the young male characters in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” to know exactly what Led Zeppelin track was on each Led Zeppelin album, given their limited mental capacity ?
Warren has posted an interesting anecdote about how a Led Zeppelin concert movie caused the destruction of the interior of the Drake Theater on Woodhaven Blvd. in Middle Village, Queens.
The Madison was never more than a “nabe”, Warren ? Perhaps it’s time we dug into and began posting here about the Madison’s past history of live performances and appearances.
Welcome aboard, Mopella. Your time in Cypress Hills roughly corresponds to when my dad’s parents and younger sister lived there ( 1957 – 1968 ). Thanks for posting your memories here.
MVitale, Salerno’s Restaurant is in neither Ridgewood nor Glendale, but in Richmond Hill, on the west side of Hillside Avenue, next door to the RKO Keith Richmond Hill Theater, between the theater and Bessemer Street and the LIRR elevated viaduct, and the now-closed Richmond Hill LIRR station.
Good to see you back on this page, BklynJim. Yes, much talent emerged from Bklyn (as well as modesty !), present company included.
Good points, Ed Solero and Bob Furmanek. My thanks to the both of you. Yes, why would Kong, a rampaging, enraged monster, proceed in a straight line from the theater he escaped from, to the Empire State Building ?
How ironic that exposing the inner ornamentation condemns it to demolition !
To further (literally) beat a dead horse on a NYC geography issue (and a more local one at that) I’m sure you all know the one about the policeman (could be “Potsy” in the NY Daily News comic strip) who finds a dead horse on Koscisuzko Street. In writing their report, they find that neither can spell that street name, so they say, “Let’s drag it over to Myrtle (or DeKalb) Avenue !”
We may never really know for sure what remains within the Liberty Dept. Store of the original RKO Madison interior.
When I walk around inside there, I find myself wishing I had “four-dimensional vision”, like David Bowie had as “The Man Who Fell To Earth”, who, at one point, could see past and present at the same time. Or I feel like the Robin Williams character in “Moscow On The Hudson”, who thought he saw his Russian family in the East Village tenement he lived in, because he was so homesick, and missed them so much.
Or like the Terminator, with his computerized brain, able to superimpose all sorts of graphics on what he actually sees. Like looking up at the curve of the balcony edge, and, while looking at the drop ceiling, being able to “see” beyond it with a superimposed schematic of where the balcony seats and their aisles used to be.
Live shows at the Madison ? Read this page, Bobby Boinko, starting at the top. Al Jolson, perhaps, Ed Sullivan, Shakespeare, The Dave Clark Five, the mystic, “Zelaine”, Bob Johnstone, to name a few …
Thanks.
“Leaving our local areas for a flick in Ridgewood’s Madison was definitely a treat – especially in summer: AC instead of a couple of three-bladed rotating fans.”
What two types of porno, saps, gay and straight ? Or did you have something else in mind ?
As said by Bette Davis in that film with Joseph Cotten, quoted by “Martha” in “Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf ?” :
“ WHAT A DUMPPPPPPP !!!”
When “New Jack City” happens for real (someone is killed) inside a cinema, then it’s time to close it.
Agreed, BklynJim, and thank you. Perhaps you can recall some details of past live entertainment at the RKO Madison, and post them here for our amusement and edification.
You’re welcome, BklynJim. Jackie Gleason and Jimmy Durante come quickly to mind, among many, many others !
Thanks, Warren. I was thinking also of Al Jolson, perhaps, Ed Sullivan’s introduction of the film “Pinky”, Shakespeare, The Dave Clark Five, the mystic, “Zelaine”, Bob Johnstone, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, to name a few live appearances at the Madison that come quickly to mind.
“People who lived to the east could just as easily go to RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill and those to the west to the RKO Bushwick.”
Just as easily go to RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill ? Still, a rather long trolley ride, or walk, on Myrtle Avenue. Further than Atlas Park is now. And what about all the smaller theaters between the RKO Madison and the RKO Bushwick, and the RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill, like the Parthenon, Rivoli, Wyckoff, Mozart, to the west, and Evergreen, Glenwood, Belvedere and Acme to the east ? Were the movies shown by those smaller theaters that different from the movies playing at the RKO Bushwick, Madison and Keith’s Richmond Hill ?
MENE MENE TEKEL UPHARSIN
You are most welcome, Panzer65, to my excellent postings !
Did you REALLY expect the young male characters in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” to know exactly what Led Zeppelin track was on each Led Zeppelin album, given their limited mental capacity ?
Warren has posted an interesting anecdote about how a Led Zeppelin concert movie caused the destruction of the interior of the Drake Theater on Woodhaven Blvd. in Middle Village, Queens.
The Madison was never more than a “nabe”, Warren ? Perhaps it’s time we dug into and began posting here about the Madison’s past history of live performances and appearances.
Welcome aboard, Mopella. Your time in Cypress Hills roughly corresponds to when my dad’s parents and younger sister lived there ( 1957 – 1968 ). Thanks for posting your memories here.
MVitale, Salerno’s Restaurant is in neither Ridgewood nor Glendale, but in Richmond Hill, on the west side of Hillside Avenue, next door to the RKO Keith Richmond Hill Theater, between the theater and Bessemer Street and the LIRR elevated viaduct, and the now-closed Richmond Hill LIRR station.
Good to see you back on this page, BklynJim. Yes, much talent emerged from Bklyn (as well as modesty !), present company included.
I don’t see an update comment count for the Ridgewood Theater on its own page here as a result.
This is to see how many comments there are now on the Ridgewood Theater page.
Marian Vitale, I think you will enjoy it !
Sorry, that should have been “Kosciuszko”.
Good points, Ed Solero and Bob Furmanek. My thanks to the both of you. Yes, why would Kong, a rampaging, enraged monster, proceed in a straight line from the theater he escaped from, to the Empire State Building ?
How ironic that exposing the inner ornamentation condemns it to demolition !
To further (literally) beat a dead horse on a NYC geography issue (and a more local one at that) I’m sure you all know the one about the policeman (could be “Potsy” in the NY Daily News comic strip) who finds a dead horse on Koscisuzko Street. In writing their report, they find that neither can spell that street name, so they say, “Let’s drag it over to Myrtle (or DeKalb) Avenue !”
We may never really know for sure what remains within the Liberty Dept. Store of the original RKO Madison interior.
When I walk around inside there, I find myself wishing I had “four-dimensional vision”, like David Bowie had as “The Man Who Fell To Earth”, who, at one point, could see past and present at the same time. Or I feel like the Robin Williams character in “Moscow On The Hudson”, who thought he saw his Russian family in the East Village tenement he lived in, because he was so homesick, and missed them so much.
Or like the Terminator, with his computerized brain, able to superimpose all sorts of graphics on what he actually sees. Like looking up at the curve of the balcony edge, and, while looking at the drop ceiling, being able to “see” beyond it with a superimposed schematic of where the balcony seats and their aisles used to be.
I don’t know anything about former ack ack guns in Queens, kong1911.
Thanks, Lost Memory. Do you think the Jewish holidays might have had something to do with it as well ?
Congratulations, tomw9 !
Perhaps some members of CT can be of assistance with some old newspaper clippings of 50 years ago.
Perhaps.
Is that what you want, Warren ? For Ridgewood to become a ghost town, courtesy of Atlas Park ?
Thank you, Philly Santella !
The tapeshare site is beginning to seem like another “Bushwick Buddies”, one for you ENY and Cypress Hills folks.
phillysantella and Muzer :
Yes, tapeshare (Rick Gomes)has some great stuff on ENY, Cypress Hills, Highland Park, Ridgewood Reservoir ….
Live shows at the Madison ? Read this page, Bobby Boinko, starting at the top. Al Jolson, perhaps, Ed Sullivan, Shakespeare, The Dave Clark Five, the mystic, “Zelaine”, Bob Johnstone, to name a few …
Good comments, Bobby Boinko and Bway !