RKO Madison Theatre

Again, it’s still unimaginable that all that beauty of this place was so recklessly destroyed. I couldn’t imagine when they came into the place with jackhammers and thought that was a good idea. A real shame. The place could have been converted to retail, yet retaining some of it’s beauty, but unfortunately, in the late 70’s and 80’s, they didn’t think about preservation. It was still an out with the old, in with the new thought process.

Peter, Bway
The windows above the marquee as I previously stated must be there for lighting purposes as opposed to ventilation ,this being because the light fixtures of the day were inferior in their illumination.
This brings to mind what Madison’s chandelier must have been like. Being to the Ridgewood many times during its single screen days, it was huge and grand. I bet Madison’s was even grander.

That’s Woodbine Street, Bway. That’s a great old shot of the RKO Madison showing “The Locket”. I think it dates to 1948. Thanks for posting the link to it. I’ve seen a larger, or at least a “landscape”, version of it with a glowing pink tinge to it, showing a trolley car. I think you or someone else like Richard Lewis posted it on Bushwick Buddies.

I remember Dubby’s Jewel Box still being open in the fall of 1969. Don’t think I ever went in there, though. The second floor window in the Madison’s facade next to Dubby’s was the men’s room window. I WAS in there, for the last time, in June or July of 1976, when I went to the Madison to see “Lipstick”.

I remember seeing those security gate things next to the Madison when I was a kid. Those were the rest room windows on either side of the Madison. Those probably were there to keep people from sneaking to the Madison via the low roof next door. I can’t think of why else they would have been there. I don’t know what the middle windows were for or where they led, but they are too low to be the windows to the projection room.

Bravo Bway, Thanks for posting.
This has to be one of the most closest detailed photos of Madison’s facade during its glory days.
Looking closely, the projectionist’s area must be behind those three windows in the middle, although they don’t appear to be the typical up/down type that we are all familiar with. I have been in many buildings constructed during this era, most of them do open. One would guess perhaps they are there to let in light. The window to the extreme right must be the balcony restroom, which has a smaller dimension and appears to be more conventional than the others. One more curious feature, is the security gate at the tip of the marquee to the right, could people have been sneaking into the balcony via the restroom?

Bushwick High School also often used the Madison Theater for it’s graduation ceremonies.

For a number of years, JHS 93 Q used the Madison for its graduation ceremonies.

Submitted by Anthony Lettieri former assistant principal.

See comment on RKO Keith Richmond Hill.

Nyuk nyuk nyuk …

Saw “Three Stooges In Orbit” on a double bill with “Mothra” at the RKO Madison, summer 1961. The Stooges had aliens Og and Zog doing the Twist !

You’re welcome to my excellent recollection, Panzer65.

I remember the popcorn being good at the Madison when I saw “Dracula Has Risen From The Grave” there in January 1969. Maybe it was also partly seeing a Hammer horror film in a theatre with a friend who was also into horror movies. I remember more strongly how ornate and crowded the concession counter was, and seeing my reflection in the mirror on the wall behind it.

Thank you mrbillyc for your excellent, poetic reminiscence about the reflection of the Madison marquee on Woodbine Street on a rainy night. I myself once lived not far away at 1668 Cornelia Street.

Again, sorry I was a no-show at the Madison on Sunday 5 October 2008.

John D., you’re welcome to my telling you about that sign on the Madison. The lack of interest by the powers-that-be that you recall is consistent with the continued deterioration of the Madison, and the subsequent fire within.

By early April 1979 the front of the Madison was blocked from the sidewalk by boards with peepholes. I remember looking through one peephole one night into the charred ruins within. I couldn’t see much but was very sad about it all. An older man came up to me and spoke softly to me about “what a beautiful show house” that the Madison once was.

Yes, the result of the current landmarking campaign of the Ridgewood Theatre will indeed be interesting. Hopefully, not in the sense of the ancient Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.” Yes, let’s follow it in the [former Ridgewood] Times Newsweekly, the Queens Chronicle, and whatever newspapers / websites are tracking and documenting it.

Thanks for that excellent marquee photo Warren. In my childhood I could see it from my front stoop at 1713 Woodbine St. On a rainy night when the glazed bricks of the six family houses were wet the lights reflected off them and illuminated two blocks of Woodbine St. The RKO letters had little light bulbs (yellow I think) that would blink and flash out the letters R-K-O over and over again, while the Madison lettering was pink neon and remained lit. They had chasing lights in the area above and below the movie title too, while the wavy neon lights were steady. I didn’t know then quite how lucky I was to have a sight like this in my daily life.

As well you should, Panzer65. I remember that bright, well-lit marquee very well, the “movie theater smell” that came out of the RKO Madison, especially in the summer, along with the cooled air, and the magic of seeing a film there, especially as a child and young teenager.

Warren, thanks for all the additional info. In the last few years I sometimes kept a sweater at work during the summer in case my office and the Chinese restaurants I went to for lunch were too cold due to air conditioning.

Lost Memory, thanks for posting the link to that photo. The sign hanging from the bottom of the marquee reads :

THE ONLY REFRIGERATION PLANT IN RIDGEWOOD

AIR CONDITIONED (iced block capital letters)

WE MAKE OUR OWN WEATHER