The closed and abandoned Myrtle Avenue station was on a subway line (B ? D ? N ? Q ? W ?) that runs under Flatbush Avenue and thence under the Manhattan Bridge, and has a kinescopic Keith Haring – type work of art set up on it (I saw it in December 1980)in which successive views of slightly different images through narrow slits gives the illusion of motion, like stop-motion animation. The precise technical term for this escapes me.
But it was NOT on the now defunct and demolished Myrtle Avenue el, which ran over Myrtle Avenue until October 3, 1969.
Panzer65, I don’t recall there ever being a fountain in the lobby of the RKO Madison, though there very well may have been one there, before, or even during, my attendance there, 1961 through 1976.
Do you recall WHY you never saw films at the Madison ?
You feel you may have missed out, yet, you can read our memories of having seen films at the Madison on this page.
I’m glad you’re planning to visit the Madison, to see what’s left of it. Bway has posted about this in great detail, specifically, that mysterious door upstairs that he might have opened, yet didn’t.
The Madison never having been landmarked, and, as a result, now mostly lost, probably had a great deal to do with the present zeal and interest in getting the Ridgewood Theater landmarked before it, too, stops showing films, and becomes a store.
Re : “Exorcist” : if that theater’s sound system did that for “Tubular Bells”, I can only imagine what it did for the bass of the demonic voice and other FX sound.
Like “Return Of The Jedi” at the State Lake in Chicago : when Jabba The Hutt spoke, the sound system made the floor shake.
I think Loew’s Jersey has a page on this site. I think all its classic features were retained. It was one of the five large, luxuriant, palatial Loew’s Wonder Theaters that opened in 1929 and 1930, the other four being, the Valencia in Jamaica, Queens (now a church) the Kings on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn (now a derelict hulk) the 175th Street in Manhattan (Reverend Ike’s money church in the 1970’s) and the Paradise in the Bronx, now landmarked and preserved, and featured in the excellent PBS “Walk Through The Bronx” documentary with Dick Hartman and Barry Lewis.
I don’t know if they’re up to 24 screens yet at the Green Acres multiplex in Valley Stream. At least sixteen. My parents and I only saw one feature at the drive-in that preceded it : a double feature of “The Out Of Towners” and “Rosemary’s Baby” in the summer of 1970 : two films about the worst that could happen in NYC : the first, a comedy with some serious moments, the second, a serious horror story with some blackly comedic touches.
Thanks, BklynJim, that’s great to know. I had no idea the 10 inch 78 rpm shellac discs were the best ever for bass : something to do with the width of the grooves, and the playing speed ?
I remember reading some pre-production techno-mumble once between Mick Jagger and Marhsall Chess about the 1971 Stones LP, “Sticky Fingers” : more than 20 minutes on a side, and you lose the [bass ?] level.
Bklyn Jim, I’ll let Bway answer about Woodhaven Lanes. By “railroad trestle”, do you mean where the abandoned Rockaway LIRR line passes over Metropolitan Avenue a block east of Woodhaven Boulevard ?
More power to you, BklynJim, for having been there.
My one-time family physician was not far away, on Palmetto, between Bushwick and Bway, but closer to Bushwick, near the phone bldg., until 1966 or early ‘67. when he moved to upper Ritchwoot (60-11 70th Avenue, between Forest and Fresh Pond).
Patsy, do YOU have any idea where such photos of the Monroe might be found ?
I did a thing going on 3 years ago, called “Els showing the cinemas”, in which one of the chief fan sites at which one could see images of these old theaters was nycsubway.org (Bway knows what I’m talking about) but, unfortunately, the Monroe was not one of them, or, if it was, I missed the image.
For example, there were images of the Ralph-Rockaway Avenue trolley, in which one could see Loew’s Empire in the distance at Ralph and Lexington Avenues and Bway, also the tower for the old Lex el turnout in the bargain. Or, a block away, looking east on Gates Avenue from Ralph Avenue, a view of Loew’s Gates. Or many images of the Gates Avenue station on the Bway el showing the RKO Bushwick in the distance.
I don’t think there ever was a theater at Wyckoff and Weirfield, or Centre, or else you and I and many other Ridgewoodites would have known about and discussed it.
Thanks, KenRoe, for posting these.
The closed and abandoned Myrtle Avenue station was on a subway line (B ? D ? N ? Q ? W ?) that runs under Flatbush Avenue and thence under the Manhattan Bridge, and has a kinescopic Keith Haring – type work of art set up on it (I saw it in December 1980)in which successive views of slightly different images through narrow slits gives the illusion of motion, like stop-motion animation. The precise technical term for this escapes me.
But it was NOT on the now defunct and demolished Myrtle Avenue el, which ran over Myrtle Avenue until October 3, 1969.
Thanks, Warren.
Thanks, BklynJim.
How has Huang been desecrating the RKO Keith’s recently ?
Thanks, Bloop. I remember that newspaper ad, along with the TV commercials showing the Ernest Borgnine character begging for mercy from Willard.
Panzer65, I don’t recall there ever being a fountain in the lobby of the RKO Madison, though there very well may have been one there, before, or even during, my attendance there, 1961 through 1976.
Do you recall WHY you never saw films at the Madison ?
You feel you may have missed out, yet, you can read our memories of having seen films at the Madison on this page.
I’m glad you’re planning to visit the Madison, to see what’s left of it. Bway has posted about this in great detail, specifically, that mysterious door upstairs that he might have opened, yet didn’t.
The Madison never having been landmarked, and, as a result, now mostly lost, probably had a great deal to do with the present zeal and interest in getting the Ridgewood Theater landmarked before it, too, stops showing films, and becomes a store.
Bravo, Theaterat !
Thanks, Lost Memory.
I’m still getting them, Bway. The site was down for awhile yesterday, Monday, June 11, 2007.
Thank you, Lost Memory, for posting this.
Thanks, Warren.
Well-put, Panzer65. I don’t know if the RKO Bushwick has been landmarked or not.
Yes, oodygdin, the trolley / bus lines between Ridgewood and downtown Brooklyn thru Bushwick and Bed-Stuy were / are the 26, 38, 52 and 54.
Thanks in advance, Panzer65.
Yes, Lost Memory, there should be. Thanks.
Thank you, all ! Great memories ! Cypress Hills lives again !
I wish Karl B were back to read all this. Don’t know what ever happened to him.
Yes, I think I’ve seen that, Lost Memory, but thanks for posting it anyway.
Well, Patsy, let’s see what the other folks on this site can come up with.
Thanks, BklynJim.
Re : “Exorcist” : if that theater’s sound system did that for “Tubular Bells”, I can only imagine what it did for the bass of the demonic voice and other FX sound.
Like “Return Of The Jedi” at the State Lake in Chicago : when Jabba The Hutt spoke, the sound system made the floor shake.
I think Loew’s Jersey has a page on this site. I think all its classic features were retained. It was one of the five large, luxuriant, palatial Loew’s Wonder Theaters that opened in 1929 and 1930, the other four being, the Valencia in Jamaica, Queens (now a church) the Kings on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn (now a derelict hulk) the 175th Street in Manhattan (Reverend Ike’s money church in the 1970’s) and the Paradise in the Bronx, now landmarked and preserved, and featured in the excellent PBS “Walk Through The Bronx” documentary with Dick Hartman and Barry Lewis.
I don’t know if they’re up to 24 screens yet at the Green Acres multiplex in Valley Stream. At least sixteen. My parents and I only saw one feature at the drive-in that preceded it : a double feature of “The Out Of Towners” and “Rosemary’s Baby” in the summer of 1970 : two films about the worst that could happen in NYC : the first, a comedy with some serious moments, the second, a serious horror story with some blackly comedic touches.
OK, the Ridgewood Post Office is now there, were the Glenwood Theater / Bowl used to be. I thought you were referring to Woodhaven Lanes.
Thanks, BklynJim, that’s great to know. I had no idea the 10 inch 78 rpm shellac discs were the best ever for bass : something to do with the width of the grooves, and the playing speed ?
I remember reading some pre-production techno-mumble once between Mick Jagger and Marhsall Chess about the 1971 Stones LP, “Sticky Fingers” : more than 20 minutes on a side, and you lose the [bass ?] level.
Bklyn Jim, I’ll let Bway answer about Woodhaven Lanes. By “railroad trestle”, do you mean where the abandoned Rockaway LIRR line passes over Metropolitan Avenue a block east of Woodhaven Boulevard ?
More power to you, BklynJim, for having been there.
My one-time family physician was not far away, on Palmetto, between Bushwick and Bway, but closer to Bushwick, near the phone bldg., until 1966 or early ‘67. when he moved to upper Ritchwoot (60-11 70th Avenue, between Forest and Fresh Pond).
Patsy, do YOU have any idea where such photos of the Monroe might be found ?
I did a thing going on 3 years ago, called “Els showing the cinemas”, in which one of the chief fan sites at which one could see images of these old theaters was nycsubway.org (Bway knows what I’m talking about) but, unfortunately, the Monroe was not one of them, or, if it was, I missed the image.
For example, there were images of the Ralph-Rockaway Avenue trolley, in which one could see Loew’s Empire in the distance at Ralph and Lexington Avenues and Bway, also the tower for the old Lex el turnout in the bargain. Or, a block away, looking east on Gates Avenue from Ralph Avenue, a view of Loew’s Gates. Or many images of the Gates Avenue station on the Bway el showing the RKO Bushwick in the distance.
Thanks, Bway.
I don’t think there ever was a theater at Wyckoff and Weirfield, or Centre, or else you and I and many other Ridgewoodites would have known about and discussed it.