Zelaine was before my time, Warren, but thank you for posting about her appearances at the Madison.
Do you remember how helpful her advice was, or how accurate her predictions of the future were ? Did you ever see or speak with her personally at the Madison ?
I vaguely remember radiators hidden behind decorative grilles in the Madison, and possibly the Ridgewood as well. I’m just not sure where in the theater I saw them.
What I remember about all this was the horizontal banner signs at the entrances to the Ridgewood and Madison Theatres, reading “HEALTHFULLY AIR CONDITIONED” in large icicled block capital letters, blue and white against a yellow ground. It has been suggested elsewhere that the “healthful” referred to the filtration (of dust, pollen, other allergens ?) but as a small child in the summer heat, all I could think “healthful” meant was relief from the summer heat, and humidity, the risk of heat stroke, etc.
That bad, Warren ? When was the last time you saw a film at the Ridgewood ? The problem with dining first is that, if the Ridgewood is as nauseating inside as you say it is, we might lose what we’ve eaten inside the Ridgewood, and add to the grunge within.
The advantage of eating after seeing a film, of course, is that we can discuss both the film and the current state of the Ridgewood Theater over our meal.
mrbillyc, the Simpsons movie is now playing at the Ridgewood ? Good, now I can sleep tonight. Civilization as we know it is safe, for the time being. Thanks.
Thanks, leroyelliston, for your answer about the Krugs.
What about the Cypress Hills Swimming pool ? My dad “learned” to swim there the hard way when a cousin pushed him into the deep end as a prank. My dad took me there once in the summer of 1964.
pennsy pinky, I remember Bargain Town well. My last trip there was November 1965 to get an LP record of King Kong for my 10th birthday, which record I still remember parts of. My mother bought my baby carriage at Bargain Town, and my oldest aunt did the same for her daughter.
Marcy Avenue is the last stop in Bklyn going to Manhattan. Kosciuszko is right before Myrtle-Bway going to Manhattan.
My dad remembers a Chinese restaurant, “Night In The Sky / New Eastern”, at the eastern corner of Cooper and Bushwick, third floor, by the el stairs (the Cooper Street / Rockaway Avenue end of the Chauncey Street Station). Familiar to you ?
My dad remembers the Wilson / Rockaway Avenue trolley, and also those bumpy red Decatur Street buses, with the solid tires, quite well.
I walked on Cooper Street from Bway to Bushwick Avenue on Saturday Aug 6 2005. Right before, as I stepped off the Manhattan-bound J train, the Westminster-style chimes of the Wayside Baptist Church were just chiming 3 p.m. through their external speakers. Beautiful !
frankie, BklynJim will call me at work this coming Wednesday with his two best dates (between now and the 30th, his last day in NYC this visit). I will compare them with mine, we will agree on two dates between ourselves, then get back to Bway, Ed Solero and Lost Memory with them, and (hopefully) we will then all agtee on a date and be able to get together for a movie at the Ridgewood followed by dinner, then.
Thanks, Peter L. Did you cash them in at the Colonial Theater itself, or did you have to go to a nearby deli / grocer, say, Schumacher’s, on the corner of Bushwick and Pilling ?
yes … I looked it up on the IMDb … release date, 15 or 17 December 1976.
I’m glad you had a fun time then and there, Bway. Like me, ten years before, when “Batman and Robin” pulled up to the Ridgewood in the Batmobile, to promote THEIR film.
You’ve raised an interesting and relevant point, Warren. Thank you.
Namely, how the Colonial Theater related to Schmearman’s, just across Broadway from it, and other neighborhood stores and merchants. I’m thinking of what theaters would offer people to induce them to come in and see films, during the Depression : “dish night”, or, price of admission, a can of baked beans.
Or maybe a butter cream cake from Schmearman’s, or cannolis from Ariolla’s Pastry.
Welcome Dennis F. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the memories posted here. Thank you for your post here. I look forward to more of them. Yes, the Grandview WAS open air, albeit before MY time. I grew up on Cornelia between Wyckoff and Cypress. “Bway” grew up on Putnam between Onderdonk and Woodward as you did, albeit somewhat later.
I remember Mello Rolls, mostly at Jones Beach, for some reason.
I’ve seen many movies at the Ridgewood, Madison and one film at the Oasis. My parents remember movies at the Parthenon, yet it was already Parthenon Lanes by the time I entered first grade in fall 1961. I think Grandview was closed by the time I began seeing movies at theaters in 1961.
If you like to read memories, please read the Madison (# 4621) and Ridgewood (# 4021)Theater pages, if you haven’t already.
I spelled Schmeaman’s the way my dad has always pronounced it, but “Schmear” as Yiddish makes sense, as it was a Jewish deli bakery, also featuring noodle pudding or kugel (cake).
Zelaine was before my time, Warren, but thank you for posting about her appearances at the Madison.
Do you remember how helpful her advice was, or how accurate her predictions of the future were ? Did you ever see or speak with her personally at the Madison ?
I vaguely remember radiators hidden behind decorative grilles in the Madison, and possibly the Ridgewood as well. I’m just not sure where in the theater I saw them.
The Ridgewood used water from an underground well, not the water tank on the roof ?
What I remember about all this was the horizontal banner signs at the entrances to the Ridgewood and Madison Theatres, reading “HEALTHFULLY AIR CONDITIONED” in large icicled block capital letters, blue and white against a yellow ground. It has been suggested elsewhere that the “healthful” referred to the filtration (of dust, pollen, other allergens ?) but as a small child in the summer heat, all I could think “healthful” meant was relief from the summer heat, and humidity, the risk of heat stroke, etc.
Thanks, Warren. I wonder what the air cooling inside the Ridgewood Theatre was like in July 1949, when the Madison made its boast.
Thanks, Lost Memory.
Perhaps Lost Memory could be of some help about outdoor movies at the Glenwood.
Thanks for your post, westsidegirl. I got to know the Upper West Side very well in the 1980’s.
Warren, have you communicated this to the Cinema Treasures management ?
That bad, Warren ? When was the last time you saw a film at the Ridgewood ? The problem with dining first is that, if the Ridgewood is as nauseating inside as you say it is, we might lose what we’ve eaten inside the Ridgewood, and add to the grunge within.
The advantage of eating after seeing a film, of course, is that we can discuss both the film and the current state of the Ridgewood Theater over our meal.
mrbillyc, the Simpsons movie is now playing at the Ridgewood ? Good, now I can sleep tonight. Civilization as we know it is safe, for the time being. Thanks.
Thanks, leroyelliston, for your answer about the Krugs.
What about the Cypress Hills Swimming pool ? My dad “learned” to swim there the hard way when a cousin pushed him into the deep end as a prank. My dad took me there once in the summer of 1964.
pennsy pinky, I remember Bargain Town well. My last trip there was November 1965 to get an LP record of King Kong for my 10th birthday, which record I still remember parts of. My mother bought my baby carriage at Bargain Town, and my oldest aunt did the same for her daughter.
Marcy Avenue is the last stop in Bklyn going to Manhattan. Kosciuszko is right before Myrtle-Bway going to Manhattan.
Yes, Bway. I suppose their chimes chime every hour on the hour, and perhaps on the quarter hour as well. I only heard them that one time.
Thanks, leroyelliston. What were Krugs trucks ?
My dad remembers a Chinese restaurant, “Night In The Sky / New Eastern”, at the eastern corner of Cooper and Bushwick, third floor, by the el stairs (the Cooper Street / Rockaway Avenue end of the Chauncey Street Station). Familiar to you ?
My dad remembers the Wilson / Rockaway Avenue trolley, and also those bumpy red Decatur Street buses, with the solid tires, quite well.
I walked on Cooper Street from Bway to Bushwick Avenue on Saturday Aug 6 2005. Right before, as I stepped off the Manhattan-bound J train, the Westminster-style chimes of the Wayside Baptist Church were just chiming 3 p.m. through their external speakers. Beautiful !
frankie, BklynJim will call me at work this coming Wednesday with his two best dates (between now and the 30th, his last day in NYC this visit). I will compare them with mine, we will agree on two dates between ourselves, then get back to Bway, Ed Solero and Lost Memory with them, and (hopefully) we will then all agtee on a date and be able to get together for a movie at the Ridgewood followed by dinner, then.
Thanks, Peter L. Did you cash them in at the Colonial Theater itself, or did you have to go to a nearby deli / grocer, say, Schumacher’s, on the corner of Bushwick and Pilling ?
yes … I looked it up on the IMDb … release date, 15 or 17 December 1976.
I’m glad you had a fun time then and there, Bway. Like me, ten years before, when “Batman and Robin” pulled up to the Ridgewood in the Batmobile, to promote THEIR film.
Thanks, Peter L. Please continue. Could you gain admission to the Colonial Theatre with pickles from the Orchard Pickle Works on Stone Avenue ?
Or perhaps “nipples of Venus” from Areola’s Pastry and Candy Shop.
Bway and RobertR, what was the film, and who was the star ?
You’ve raised an interesting and relevant point, Warren. Thank you.
Namely, how the Colonial Theater related to Schmearman’s, just across Broadway from it, and other neighborhood stores and merchants. I’m thinking of what theaters would offer people to induce them to come in and see films, during the Depression : “dish night”, or, price of admission, a can of baked beans.
Or maybe a butter cream cake from Schmearman’s, or cannolis from Ariolla’s Pastry.
Welcome Dennis F. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the memories posted here. Thank you for your post here. I look forward to more of them. Yes, the Grandview WAS open air, albeit before MY time. I grew up on Cornelia between Wyckoff and Cypress. “Bway” grew up on Putnam between Onderdonk and Woodward as you did, albeit somewhat later.
I remember Mello Rolls, mostly at Jones Beach, for some reason.
I’ve seen many movies at the Ridgewood, Madison and one film at the Oasis. My parents remember movies at the Parthenon, yet it was already Parthenon Lanes by the time I entered first grade in fall 1961. I think Grandview was closed by the time I began seeing movies at theaters in 1961.
If you like to read memories, please read the Madison (# 4621) and Ridgewood (# 4021)Theater pages, if you haven’t already.
Thanks, Panzer65.
Thanks, Peter L.
Thanks anyway. What else do you remember about Schmearman’s ?
Thank you, Peter L.
I spelled Schmeaman’s the way my dad has always pronounced it, but “Schmear” as Yiddish makes sense, as it was a Jewish deli bakery, also featuring noodle pudding or kugel (cake).
Do you remember when it closed ?
Thanks, Peter L. Was it between Cooper and Moffat, or Moffat and Chauncey ?