Roxy Theatre
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
83 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1,101 - 1,125 of 1,225 comments
Someone mentioned the picture of Gloria Swanson standing in the ruins of the Roxy.He mentioned seeing it in Live Magazine but I saw it in a book that I think was called Fading Movie Palaces It was the last page of a wonderful book that I have never been able to find again. It was out about 1959 Can anyone give me any help.
David Robertson
Warren, I know that some studies of markets were done even back in the 20s, and likely the Theatre Historical Society, if anyone, has these studies or knows where to find them. You might inquire of them via their Ex. Director, Richard Sklenar whose address is given on their web site’s front page at: www.HistoricTheatres.org
The huge CineMiracle screen sat in front of the proscenium, over the orchestra pit, on an extended thrust stage. It had a temporary look to it, not at all like the subsequently remodelled Capitol or Loew’s State, which appeared as though management had planned for the long haul. Upon exiting from “Windjammer,” I remember signs in the lobby announcing the next CineMiracle film then in production, the disasterous “The Miracle” with Carroll Baker. The latter, of course, was finally released in a shrunken Technirama in November ‘59, when it had a brief three-week run as the Thanksgiving show at RCMH.
I’m fascinated by all the rich material on the Roxy that I read. I grew up going to the Roxy in the mid and late 50’s saw Peyton Place, A Farewell to Arms, Imitation Of Life, The Tunnel Of love and a few others. At that age I much prefered the great Hall but how wonderful it would be to still have those theatres with us.
Thanks, BoxOfficeBill. One further question: did the curtain/screen installation cover the entire front wall like, say, the Loew’s Capitol, or was the installation more or less just in front of the proscenium on an extended thrust stage like the original Cinerama engagements?
I saw “Windjammer” at the Roxy during Easter Week just after it opened, and, yes, I’m absolutely certain about the proper use of screen curtains and masking. It was a quality presentation. I had also seen “The King and I” in CinemaScope55 at the Roxy (with a ice-stage show developed on the theme of airplane travel, ice-skates and all) in late Spring ‘56. They used the projection booth at the mezzanine level for a less distorted image. The masking apparatus at the Roxy must have been quite versatile, since the ratio changed for newsreels (projected at 1.33) and wide-screen short subjects (at 1.6; between Sept '53 and Oct '56, the Roixy showed only CinemaScope features; the exception was “Giant” in Oct '56) and no doubt for various small calibrations of CinemaScope as well.
In September this year, J. F. Lundy mentioned that he saw
“Windjammer” in the CineMiracle process at the Roxy. Lundy
may then be the only person on earth who can answer the following
question. It’s a simple one: were screen curtains and masking
used during this particular ultra-large-screen presentation, or was the screen “bare”?
I ask this because there is evidence that National Theatres,
the distributor and exhibitor, spared themselves the expense
of curtains during subsequent CineMiracle engagements at the
huge Chicago Opera House as well as in both small and large venues
using “portable” CineMiracle equipment in locations such as Lancaster, PA and Atlantic City, NJ.
And one final (hopefully) word on CinemaScope 55 at the Roxy
and elsewhere. It is true that in the States only 35mm
reduction anamorphic prints were used in theatres where
“CS 55” was advertised as such. However, all of these engage-
ments used interlocked 6-track magnetic sound (as opposed to 4-track sound-on-film), and, most importantly, were projected in the original CinemaScope aspect ratio of 2.55:1 (as opposed to the post 1954 ratio of 2.35:1). Take note that the first 4 theatres in the US that premiered CinemaScope 55 were also the first 4 theatres in
the US that premiered CinemaScope (35), and presumably still
had the requisite screen material and masking to present
a 2.55:1 image. These houses other than the Roxy are the
Grauman’s Chinese, the Chicago State-Lake, and the Philadelphia
Fox.
I have two very interesting shots of the Roxy taken from the corner of 50th and Seventh (the SW corner). One shows “My Friend Flicka” showing while the other is for “Stormy Weather”. How do I get them onto this site for all to see? What is so interesting about the shots is that they clearly show where the entrance was. And the building is still there with a lot of the architectural details still intact to this day (the arches in the windows). What’s sicker is to consider what replaced the Roxy: this awful looking Sports Illustrated building. You can see exactly where the Roxy was.
Jim, thanks for that link. It is exactally what I was looking for and more. I will be spending many more happy hours researching all the links that page took me to. I had forgotten many of the wonderful neon signs that graced Times Square, it was a wonderful reminder. It also took me back to the days of the Automat were one could have a complete dinner for less than a buck
Vito, go to this page: View link
It says there are about 1,800 images of 42nd St. Pack a lunch and enjoy the trip!
Back in the 50s I worked at 52th and 10th but I would take the subway every morning to 42nd St. and walk to 52nd so I could see all those wonderful marquees on 42nd between B'way/7th Ave and 8th. I would start by having coffee across from the Paramount. Some times I would come home the same way walking down B'way, starting with the Rivoli on one side and The Capital on the other, down to the Times Square subway station, passing all those magnificent theatres along the way.I can’t stand to see 42nd street now with all those theatres gone. I cherish those photos of the pre 70s Times Square if anyone knows were to find some.
Might that be Barbara “Baba Wawa” Walters, Warren?
Just look at how 42nd Street looked with all those theatres too.
I just took a walk past these theaters and was wondering about the one with the American Girl ad. What was that one called? Jeez, so many theaters, one right after the other so close together.
I think Lace is the Old Cine 1 & 2
The Mayfair/DeMille/Embassy 2,3,4 is the one that is located heading south. The one with the american girl ad is at 711 7th ave. and there is another theatre located one block north. It now houses a gentlemans club “Lace”.
Hi. I hope you all don’t mind that I post a question here on the Roxy portion of the site but there’s a theater in the neighborhood where I work in Manhattan that I cannot find the name of. I work on 7th Ave in the 50’s. There is an old movie theater on the eastern side of 7th Ave between 49th and 49th Street. The marquee is still there and it’s being advertised to be used as a store. There actually might be two of them. One has an ad for the American Girl doll store and the other is the next block down heading south. What are these? Thanks!
View link
Sorry the above second link is the Paramount, not the Roxy. Here is the right one.
It’s hard to believe this was all just torn down.
View link
View link
I had the pleasure of skating in the Roxy shows from 1956 to 1958.We skated to Louis Armstrong and his group playing “When the Saints Come Marching In” annd every show it would make the hair on my neck stand up. We had some great shows in those years. That time of my life will always bring good memories. It was a privilage to be part of Roxy’s history.
Sandy Szabo .com
Thanks William and Jim, I had no intention of buying any items, I just was wondering where things may have ended up. I saw the section of the railing from the Paramount for sale and was wondering why they would even bother having it up for auction if the opening bid is $12,000.
ErwinM: I can’t find the authority I read at the moment, but it said that when wide screen projection was installed, they hacked away the “choral stairways” and balconies from the sides of the proscenium, and removed the draperies in that area as well. I don’t know how much of the auditorium-wide, large scale “drapery treatment” by 20th Century Fox remained from 1937 as shown in a photo in Marquee magazine of 4th Qtr. 1979, but the place was drastically covered over for that re-do. Marquee: www.HistoricTheatres.org
Ziggy: There was an auction or sale of the furnishings after closing according to another source I cannot locate at the moment, but it would probably be difficult to find any of the items today. Likely, you can go to the library and find the ads for such in the papers of summer, 1960, but even if you can still locate the contractor, it is highly doubtful that they will still have anything. I recall reading that the rotunda chandelier was offered to Cardinal Spellman’s residence, but it was just too big for that too! Marquee magazine of 1st Qtr. 1979 is a special issue devoted to the ROXY and a photo there shows the chandelier resting on the famous carpet as it is being dismantled. Something tells me that after so many years of traffic, and having the building’s furnishings hauled out to it, the carpet was in no condition to be saved; and saved for whom, for that matter? Where could it possibly have been placed, much less cleaned, given its size? It is likely that the statues were sold, but to whom? For those determined to find some artifacts, one might search such as www.eBay.com or put an ad in such as the NEW YORKER. Talking to some of the older local antiques shops might also lead to a current owner of some item, but the odds are slim, and prices would be high, no doubt akin to the recent offer of an emblazoned piece of the lobby railing from the NY PARAMOUNT on eBay for only $12,000! (Needless to say, there were no bids for the item, and it was withdrawn.) Best Wishes on your quest.
You might get that answer about furnishings and fixtures from the company that was used to teardown the theatre. Because when Fox’s Carthay Circle Theatre was being torndown they used the Cleveland Wrecking Company. As they did on many of their other theatres during the 60’s-70’s. Just before their toredown Carthay Circle, they let managers and other employees take furnishings and fixtures from the theatre. When they demolish a theatre the wrecking company gets title to all or almost all of the fixtures. Cleveland Wrecking made out like bandits on many of those Fox houses. I got a box office coin change machine from Carthay Circle. When Pacific Theatre’s Wiltern Theatre was going to be closed and demolished. Pacific Theatres held the lease to the theatre and the fixtures & furnishings. They stripped many things out of that theatre. Like the original seats, many of the original light fixtures and the might Kimball organ. So many of the items in the Wiltern today are reproductions of the original items. When they tri-plexed the Pacific 1,2,3 Theatre (aka: Hollywood Pacific, Warner Hollywood), they replaced all of the balcony hallway light fixtures. They took off these Spanish ironwork fixtures and replaced them with plastic light fixtures. I found five of them ready to be trashed. Remember when the Fox Theatre in San Francisco was being torndown. They sold fixtures and furishings to the public.
This is what Cleveland Wrecking Company would place on the marquee of theatres that they were demolishing.
“RETURN ENGAGEMENT BRINGING DOWN THE HOUSE THE CLEVELAND WRECKING COMPANY”
Does anyone know what happened to any of the furnishings and fixtures from the Roxy? We know that the main organ console is in Las Vegas, but what about the oval rug and the chandelier from the rotunda? And does anyone know where the statues that flanked the staircase to the loges are today? Does anyone know the location of any other odds and ends?
Jim Rankin…I wonder if you could expand on your statement above…“the venerable monument(had) been defaced and altered inside”. I attended one of the last performances of “The Wind Cannot Read” (the last attraction) and everything appeared as usual except that the stairways to the balcony were roped off.
I agree with RobertR that it was getting worn. Once in the late 50’s I recall sitting in one of the first rows of the orchestra for the stage show and noticed that the gold fringe at the bottom of the house curtain was starting to become detached. Otherwise, the place appeared quite spectacular, but then things in memory for over 40 years become cloudy and the flaws are covered up.