Ridgewood Theatre

55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood, NY 11385

Unfavorite 31 people favorited this theater

Showing 1,101 - 1,125 of 2,835 comments

Panzer65
Panzer65 on July 12, 2008 at 12:39 am

Warren posted a great photo of the Oasis in its last days as a theater, would love to see one of Ridgewood prior to its multiplexing.The last movie I saw before renovations was King Kong in 1976.

Bway
Bway on July 11, 2008 at 11:27 pm

According to this webpage, it’s for sale for $11,750,000, and would be a “good candidate for conversion to retail, residential, office, or use”….. The theater is at a dangerous crossroads right now, hopefully it can be saved.

View link

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on July 11, 2008 at 10:31 pm

Monica, thanks for the great new pix of the Ridgewood Theatre. Yes, I had a happy and safe 4th of July, and I hope you did, too.

Do you know what’s going on with the Ridgewood Theatre right now ? Does anyone ?

PeterKoch
PeterKoch on July 10, 2008 at 10:29 pm

You’re welcome, Noah. It’s good to see you back, Monica ! Congratulations on your graduation from St. John’s U !

Bway
Bway on July 10, 2008 at 8:06 pm

Warren, (or anyone) do you know of any interior photos of the Ridgewood? Historic, or perhaps before it was multiplexed?
Now more than ever, it would be good to be able for us to find some photos of it’s interior. Now, with the Ridgewood in a dangerous crossroads, and perhaps at the end of it’s rope as a theater, interior photos of the place, which may help in the landmarking efforts.

InterestedReporter
InterestedReporter on July 7, 2008 at 9:25 pm

Thanks, PKoch and Warren.

Monica, I’m glad you’ve returned. I’m looking for someone with a “younger” perspective on the theater for inclusion in my article. Would you be willing to speak with me? If so, please email me at

Best,

Noah
The Queens Courier

MonicaH718
MonicaH718 on July 4, 2008 at 3:43 am

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!! I’m back! It’s been 4 years and I regret being too busy to reply to comments, and to read up on the closing of my beloved theatre. I just graduated from St. John’s University with a B.S in Computer Science- Media Graphics, so I honestly didn’t have much time to go see movies or hang around my neighborhood. =(

I DID however have time today to take very hi-res pictures of the front and back exterior for you all to enjoy. I updated the links on my original site and am including the link to my newly uploaded pics.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ridgewood_theatre/ < NEW

http://hometown.aol.com/mharb64560/THEATRE.html

http://www.myspace.com/ridgewoodtheatre …I’m a friend on this site

Enjoy and have a happy and SAFE 4th everyone!!

-Monica

PKoch
PKoch on July 2, 2008 at 11:05 pm

It’s up to Noah Rosenberg how he chooses to interpret and use the huge volume of postings about the Ridgewood Theatre on Cinema Treasures.

PKoch
PKoch on July 2, 2008 at 8:21 pm

You’re welcome, Noah. My pleasure. I’m glad you’ve read them.

I know there’s a lot of off-topic posting on this page, and that a lot of it is mine, but I think the sheer volume and quality of most of it would serve to strengthen your argument for the significance of the Ridgewood Theater to both the actual and virtual (cyber) communities of former (myself, Bway) and current (Monica) Ridgewoodites : how great a draw the Ridgewood Theatre is, and has been, on Cinema Treasures. I can’t help but believe that there must be some significance to the fact that the Ridgewood Theatre page is one of the longest, if not the longest, page on Cinema Treasures.

InterestedReporter
InterestedReporter on July 2, 2008 at 5:51 pm

Thanks, Peter. I’ve been reading the posts and have come across some great memories and anecdotes.

Noah

PKoch
PKoch on July 1, 2008 at 8:59 pm

Mr. Rosenberg :

You are more than welcome to all my postings about the Ridgewood Theatre on this lengthy page. They and posts by so many others speak for themselves about the love we all have for this historic theater.

Peter Koch

InterestedReporter
InterestedReporter on July 1, 2008 at 8:11 pm

Hello everyone,

I am a reporter interested in telling the story of the efforts to preserve the historic Ridgewood Theater . I would like to speak to anyone with a connection to the theater: former patrons, employees, people who grew up going there, those who have seen the neighborhood change and are passionate about getting the theater back.

If you would like to speak with me please email me at

Thank You,

Noah Rosenberg

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on June 13, 2008 at 7:00 pm

I believe it’s a misprint. The asking price is $14 million, but owner Tony Montalbano prefers the option of leasing & keeping the theater in his possession. A decision is expected in a few weeks after receiving “overwhelming” interest, according to Massey Knakal Realty, and some contacts on my end. Please continue to follow www.myspace.com/ridgewoodtheatre for updates & how you can help.

PKoch
PKoch on June 2, 2008 at 10:56 pm

I’ve seen the ad, Warren. Thanks for posting the link to it.

PKoch
PKoch on May 22, 2008 at 9:07 pm

Thank you, Michael (NativeForestHiller)! Unfortunately, myspace is blocked from the computer I post from.

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on May 22, 2008 at 11:44 am

To all Ridgewood Theatre fans:

I constructed a MySpace page, and encourage everyone to view & consider becoming a “Friend of the Ridgewood Theatre.” Also, please help spread the word. Your help is integral:

http://www.myspace.com/ridgewoodtheatre

Any questions, e-mail me at

  • Michael Perlman
PKoch
PKoch on May 19, 2008 at 11:15 pm

You’re welcome, Panzer65. I’m a human spell check !

Panzer65
Panzer65 on May 19, 2008 at 11:13 pm

PKoch,
Thank you, I was one step ahead of the spell check feature until I clicked submit, my bad!

PKoch
PKoch on May 19, 2008 at 11:09 pm

Panzer65, I didn’t even notice your mis-spelling until you mentioned it !

PKoch
PKoch on May 19, 2008 at 11:08 pm

Thanks, Panzer65. Good, insightful comment by you as well.

Panzer65
Panzer65 on May 19, 2008 at 11:06 pm

Pardon my spelling, GOOD comments guys, I will leave the God comments for church!

Panzer65
Panzer65 on May 19, 2008 at 11:05 pm

God comments Bway & PKoch, I hope that the Ridgewood will go the way that Major League Baseball has, incorporating modern amenities in its facilities, while respecting its past by keeping all the charm and elegance of an early 20 th century venue.

PKoch
PKoch on May 19, 2008 at 9:06 pm

Good points all, Bway. Thanks.

When I lived in Ridgewood, once I was allowed to see movies by myself, I would see films at the Ridgewood or Madison, 1) if the film I wanted to see was at one of these theaters, and 2) if I didn’t feel like travelling further than walking a few blocks to see that film. Sometimes, I wanted to go further, like Manhattan, then, later on, Forest Hills, Rego Park, or Elmhurst, because I wanted to do some walking, and get out of my over-familiar home neighborhood to see some new scenery, or, the film I wanted to see was only playing there, or, to travel further, to make it seem more like a night out, to feel that I was “going somewhere”, not just lazily falling out my front door to see a movie right around the corner. The deteriorated condition of the Ridgewood in later years, and the loudness and rowdiness of the audience, also had something to do with it.

Bway
Bway on May 19, 2008 at 6:05 pm

I don’t agree that the Ridgewood Theater has outlived it’s usefulness as a theater as was suggested by Warren above. However, yes, people have come to expect MUCH more than the Ridgewood did offer. As mentioned, when I still lived in Ridgewood, as soon as I was old enough to hop a bus or get on the subway by myself with friends and no adults necessary, I stopped going to the Ridgewood, as it WAS run down in the 80’s already. It needed an upgrade then alread, and other theaters were nicer, so we went to other theaters.
I am sure that many of the current residents of Ridgewood do the same even today…and even when the Ridgewood was still operating. It’s not that they aren’t “willing to spend $10 to see a movie”, they are unwilling to spend $10 to see a movie in an old run down theater, so they go elsewhere.
That being said, the Ridgewood CAN be refurbished. It CAN be made into a theater with the amenities people have come to expect from movie-going. People do NOT want what the Ridgewood offered prior, which was an old run-down theater lacking modern amenities and comfort. That COULD be changed.

PKoch
PKoch on May 14, 2008 at 7:12 pm

You’re welcome, NativeForestHiller ! It was my pleasure, too, to write about the 90th anniversary of the Ridgewood Theatre to the Times Newsweekly.