Roxy Theatre
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
83 people
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Showing 601 - 625 of 1,209 comments
Mister Ralph… I don’t think anyone is ignoring you. I would presume that no one who has a recollection of your performances at the Roxy has read your comment yet. As for myself, I wasn’t even a twinkle in my father’s eye when this magnificent showplace was pounded to dust.
William… do you know any good resources for information on the Grandeur process and the films exhibited under that banner? Unfortunately, the excellent Widescreen Museum website only passes a glancing notice.
“The Big Trail” (Oct. 1930) was the last Grandeur product from Fox. At that time it became a Presentation Gimmick. Since the studios were not making any presentations in the Grandeur or Magnascope formats. The theatre chains used it as a gimmick, since the screens and masking were still hanging in the theatres.
Why are you ignoring me….?
Ralph Heid (Mister Ralph)
An open letter to LOST MEMORY and WARREN.
Can you please tell us what the problem is? You are both incredible contributors to this site and I think I speak for several CT members here who look forward to your every post.
Although on some level I do enjoy a bitchfest, what’s it all about?
LOST MEMORY first, I will play Oprah for you. Do you think we care about contributor’s personal lives?bTell me about it, honey? (hand folded, eyes glistening)
Al
The Gaiety Theatre (Victoria Theatre) presented some 70MM Grandeur shorts “Fox Granduer News”,“Movietone Folles of 1929” & “Niagara Falls” in Sept. 1929. And the 44th. Street Theatre presented “Song o' My Heart” in 35mm version, I have two dates Mar. 11, 1930 or Sept. 7, 1930 for that film.
One more try….
As a child prodigy, I appeared at the Roxy 1957.
It would be great to find someone who can remember me, so we could talk about “the good old days”. My name is Ralph Heid and they called me “Mister Ralph”. I played the xylophone. (I still do and work a lot on cruise ships at the moment).
Anybody around who remembers? The films were “The Girl Can’t Help It”, “Heaven Know Mr. Allison” and “Anastasia”. I was in the recue shows on the ice-stage.
Please answer…. :–)
regards
Ralph Heid (Mister Ralph)
http://www.heid.net
Warren, my friend, Cinema Treasures would be nothing without your always interesting and often educational posts. Please continue to enlighten and entertain us with your posts. I am sure I speak for many when I say I appreciate them very much.
Was the Grandeur Screen actually installed for that early 70mm widescreen process of the same name that had been experimented with in films such as Raoul Walsh’s “The Big Trail” starring John Wayne? Was the Roxy NYC’s exclusive Grandeur theater?
Wow! That is an astonishing collection of autographs, Frank P! Were all of these signatures obtained during that narrow period of 1947-1950? That would certainly make the challenge of compiling dates and other anectdotal information a lot easier… and I’m sure there are at least a couple of amatuer historians here who would be glad to research Roxy that data and share it here. And perhaps even a few who could recount first hand experience.
Hi all, I just recently bought an autograph album and some pictures from a woman who’s uncle during 1947 and 1950 gathered the autographs for her. The uncle was a member of the orchestra and thus was able to obtain them. I will list all the autographs I have and would like to know any of the stories that might be out there that some of you may know. Stories ranging from behind the scenes details to the performances themselves. Thanks in advance for the stories, here’s the list
Bill Turner
Michael Edward
Ed Wynne
J.C. Olsen
Chick Johnson
Patsy Kelly
Hildegarde
Henry King
Bob Hope
Jon Hall
Frances Langford
Carl Ravazza
Gracie Fields
Arthur Blake
Jean Gramas
Peter Lorre
Mel Torme
Gil Lamb
Dagmar
Pat Terry
Evelyn Knight
Phile Regan
Ed Sullivan
Sid Caesar
Henny Youngman
Katherine Dunham
Hazel Scott
Desi Arnaz
Rochester (Jack Beney show)
Marjorie Reynolds
Phil Harris
Alice Faye (Harris)
The Sportsmen (Jack Beney Grop)
Art Lund
Jan August
Harold Barnes
Eddie Franklin
Frank Cook
Tony Bennett
Audrey Young
Joe Howard
Lou Costello
Bud Abbott
Ella Logan
VictoriA Cordova
Jack Haley
Ray Malone
Harmonicats (Don Leo, Al Fiore, and Jerry Nunni)
Pat Terry
Morrocans Four
Rudy Valley
Nancy Donovan
Janet Blair
Milton Berle
Stan Fisher
Harry Richman
Dick Haymes
Jerry Calonna
Danny Thomas
Marie McDonald
Kaye Thompson Johnny Ray
Barbara Ann Scott
Barbara Martino
Danny Kaye
Georgia Gibbs
Phil Blake
Cab Calloway
Ginny Simms
Ramon and Royce (Black Burn Twins)
Photos
Mel Torme
Lucy and Desi
Alan Dale
Bill Hayes
Tony Bennett
Peter Lorre
Guy Mitchell
Richard Hayes
Dagmar
Although “All About Eve” did excellent business, the attempt to keep audiences from arriving during the middle of the performance was a total failure. It lasted only one week with continuous shows re-instated in the second week. Patrons were not accustomed to this policy, as at the Music Hall.Many disgruntled patrons. More often than not the house was only half full. Also seating up to 6,000 people for any given performance, reserved or not, was not practacle if not impossible. there was only a thirty minute break between shows and even with six boxoffices (I doubt they used that many)open they could only accomodate approximately 3,000 during that break. Even at the Music Hall, it took one hour to fill its 6,000 for a “tight initial” as it was called when the house was filled before the first show. tastAs It too
Last year despite numerous protests Mayer Bloomberg decided to allow demolition of the Roxy. CNN and MSNBC had constant coverage and though there were proposals to convert it into a Starbucks the cost would have been too great and a more modest coffee shop was built in its place.
I have not been to New York since 1960—as I have been living out of town—but when i went to the corner of 50th Street and Seventh Avenue, all I could find was a coffee shop! What happened to the Roxy?
Its been wonderful reading all these posts on the Roxy. Probably the best memories of my father were to be had when we visited New York from Penna. (usually on business), stayed at the Taft Hotel, and attended the Roxy at night. He was always enthused about what a special place it was. This was mainly in the late 50’s, and I remember being awed by The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (?) and also I remember seeing L'il Abner, tainted by some ominous talk about how “it might be one of the last shows”, and I couldn’t later believe some place like that would cease to exist, even at that young age. Not long after its demise we stopped coming to New York.
Another Roxy classic
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To BOBill.
I’d go to see Lassie Come Home with Autumn Album today if it were playing at the Music Hall.
The NEW Roxy, not the OLD Roxy!
Only one movie, KING KONG, played both the ROXY and RADIO CITY simultaneously. Dateline March 1, 1933: KING KONG: Big enough to play the world’s two greatest theatres at the same time —– 10,000 seats —– 10 shows a day. Spectacular stage shows at both theatres: “Jungle Rythms."
Admission prices 35c to 1 pm; 55c till 6 pm; 75c to close (except Sat and Sun. Elevators to mezzanines — Smoking permitted.
Imagine the false claim today’s Hollywood makes to always breaking new box office records with junk movies like Peter Jackson makes. In 1933, a 35c admission was a lot of money. A solid middle class job, for example, paid $600 a year. These days box office is counted in terms of today’s admission price of $9.50 to $10.50 —– never are box office records adjusted for inflation. Also, there are 600% more people living in the US than in 1933. Today’s “hits” can’t compare with the success of older movies.
I’m doing a piece about the Roxy, so why do you think it is special and why do you think it’s legacy has lasted through the years?
No Sunbrock Circus memories here. Instead, some archival notes about Beatrice Kay’s departure: On 3 Nov. ’43, she was replaced on the Roxy’s stage by a one-wheel bicycle. On that date, the NYT ad drops her name and replaces it with that of Walter Nillson, a celebrated cyclist performer who livened up many Roxy stage shows in the ‘30s and ‘40s.
The remaining cast members held over since the opening on 30 Oct. were Danny Kaye; Ralph Olsen and Lyn Shirley (a dance team?); the Ben Yost Singers; McCord and Lind (comic performers?); Tommy Tucker and his Orchestra, featuring Amy Arnell, Don Brown, and Kerwin Sommerville; and of course the Roxyettes and the Roxy Orchestra, directed by Paul Ash.
Gotham seemed A-Okaye that season, as the Strand was concurrently featuring Sammy Kaye and his Orchestra, along with Shea and Raymond, on stage, with “Thank Your Lucky Stars†on screen. The Capitol offered Duke Ellington, Peg-Leg Bates, and Lena Horne on stage between screenings of Nelson Eddy in “Phamtom of the Opera.†The Ink Spots and Tony Pastor’s Orchestra took over the Paramount’s stage, while Mary Martin held its screen in “True to Life.†Loew’s State would have lured me into its dark depths with refined Burlesque star Ann Corio (a.k.a. “Sarong Girl,†“Swamp Woman,†and “Jungle Sirenâ€) shimmying to Herb Miller’s Band on stage, alternating with Jimmy Cagney in “Johnny Come Lately†on screen. (Nineteen years later I finally saw Ann Corio do her star turn in the wildly popular “This Was Burlesque†on B’wayâ€"as a college kid in 1962, I attended in the name of doing historical research.)
An earlier version of me would likely have attended the stage performance of Paul Robeson, José Ferrer, Uta Hagen, and Margaret Webster in “Othello†at the Shubert and, for a nightcap, might have dropped into the midnight screening of Bette Davis in “Old Acquaintance†at the Hollywood. But nothing would have gotten me into RCMH for “Lassie Come Home†with “Autumn Album†on the great stage. That’s one show I would have passed up.
What fun! I went back to Warren’s 1943 list to see when Sweet Rosie O'Grady played. It opened Oct 17 and stayed only four weeks despite being a huge boxoffice hit. But also noticed that Warren must have gone opening week as he states that Kay left because she didn’t like Kaye. Maybe she didn’t like the fact that Kaye had one more letter in his name than she. And who (trivia time) replaced her? Or did they give more time on stage to Kaye?
Warren: It’s been so long since I saw “Sweet Rosie O'Grady”, but didn’t that start off with a chorus singing the main titles while they were on the screen? (“20th Century-Fox PRESENNNNNTS! Betty Grable!” etc.) I’m pretty sure it was a Betty Grable movie where I heard this, and I think this was the one.
For pictures of the Roxy theatre when it ran Windjammer in 1958, go to this page on my Cinerama web site –
http://cinerama.topcities.com/1958_january.htm
Click the links to the right of the date 04/14
Yes, Patsy. Swanson lived long enough to play herself (or a facsimile of herself) in the 1970’s disaster film (a phrase that applies on many levels) “Airport 1975”!!!
Stuart: A good question and one that I have wondered about since learning of the famous Roxy in NYC. To have been inside its door must have been very special and memorable looking back on it all now. When reading that the Roxy disappeared from the fabric of NYC in the year 1961 I recalled that I was a freshman in high school at the time then in 1964 I did make a trip to NYC for the World’s Fair, but it would have been too late then to see the Roxy during a trip to the Big Apple. Also, I have figured out that the Swanson photos are the same ones and due to perhaps the surrounding light that day it just looks like a brunette and a blonde standing with similar poses, but it’s the same legend, Ms. Swanson in both of the photos. Interesting to note that she lived for 25 years after those famous celebrity photos were taken.