Radio City Music Hall
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
116 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1,201 - 1,225 of 3,325 comments
Hmmmm….interesting photograph. Hidden treasures and a hidden history in RCMH. Cool!
OK, thanks, Oldjoe. That sounds pretty definitive.
This it one of tghe five panels at RMCH that make up Louis Bouch’s THE PANTASMAORGIA OF THE THEATRE". The panel shown in the picture in based on the vaudeville comedy team of Weber and Fields
I think the lighting is reflecting off the black paint – the carpet looks light, it is deep blue. The light is also reflecting off the the deco fire hose grate to the far right in the picture – you can see the the “F” in fire reflecting above the “H” in hose.
In Christine Roussel’s book (she was the archivist for Rock center archives) “The Art of Rockefeller Center, on page 32 of the grand loungs from 1932 that shows it is not rosewood. Donald Deskey incorproated industial products in his art deco design. on page 63 Roussell’s book she states the wall’s of the grand Lounge were ” Specially prepared pyroxylin coated black walls"
Kindly look at this photo.
Isn’t this mural in the Grand Lounge of the Music Hall?
Why then does the wall look like wood grain when for years and years the wall has been painted black?
What’s under that black paint?
To me it looks like the rosewood veneer in the Roxy apartment living room. It sure doesn’t look like paint.
Can you imagine if the Grand Lounge was meant to be in rosewood all these years!!! In some ways, it makes sense.
View link
Just a thought. Any opinions?
Sounds cool, Bill! Glad you had a great time at “West Side Story” also.
At a “West Side Story” screening at the Biograph Theater on 57th St. (revival house) sometime in the ‘80s, almost the entire audience did the fingersnapping in “Dance at the Gym” (when Tony and Maria first approach each other – first two snaps, then one) in unison without being prompted. And of course we all had a good laugh after we did it.
Hi, Bill Huelbig. Thanks. Yes, Robert Wise was present for the “West Side Story” screening. I’m very lucky to have gotten to go, and I’m still savering that great evening, almost eight years later! In mid-August of 2001, I’d just gotten back from an eye-dilation exam when I received a phone call from some friends of mine who’d formerly lived in my area. had moved down to NYC a number of years before, and knew that “West Side Story” was my alltime favorite movie. So saying, when my friends down in NYC asked me if I wanted them to send off for some tickets for the special 40th-year Anniversary screening of West Side Story in early October, I immediately (and enthusiastically) said yes. Although somewhat of a snafu came up regarding the tickets, the tickets were obtained, and, when the big day came, I drove down to the Big Apple specially to see the screening of West Side Story, old friends, and relatives. What a beautiful Saturday night out it was! There was a beautiful new screen print of West Side Story, RCMH was packed with an exuberant, friendly crowd, and there was much fingersnapping and applause from the audience. It was great to experience such a wonderful film with five to six thousand other people! It was great!!
MPol: You’re very lucky to have attended that “West Side Story” screening in 2001. Robert Wise was in attendance, right? I’d taken some friends on the Radio City Tour a few weeks before, and the guide mentioned the upcoming screening. I got all excited, figuring we’d all come back to see it, when she pointed out it was going to be invited guests only. Oh well. But I’m glad you got to go.
Warren Harris: I KNEW that the special 40th-year Anniversary “West Side Story” screening at RCMH was a special event. My friends who I went with told me so beforehand. It was a great evening out…and it was especially fantastic that several thousand people got together for such a splendid evening less than a month after the horrific 9/11 attacks on the WTC Towers.
Bill Huelbig: Wow!! Sounds like you and your brother really DID have some day at the movies!! Cool!!
You’re both right about “West Side Story” having played at the Rivoli when it first came out. I stand corrected on that one. “West Side Story” was fantastic at RCMH—as in any other place it’s played.
p. s. Get me talking about “West Side Story”, and there’s virtually no end to it! LOL!
“West Side Story” didn’t play the Music Hall in 1961, but I did see it there in 1979. My brother and I made a triple feature out of that day: “West Side Story” at the Music Hall, “Rocky II” at the Cinerama (ex-Strand, ex-Warner), and “Alien” at the Criterion. That was some day at the movies.
Warren Harris: First of all, I went to a special 40th-year anniversary screening of the film “West Side Story” at RCMH in early October 2001 with some friends of mine, and had a wonderful time.
Secondly, I know at least 3 people who saw the film “West Side Story” at RCMH back in late 1961, when it first came out.
Apologies! Don’t know how my comment on the Chinese LA has found its way to this site.
Is there “anyone” associated with Mann Theatres that has an ounce of Showbiz in their blood? My few visits to LA have seen me witness the lowest common trash movies, just to experience visiting the Chinese. OK, put the teen flix/blockbusters in the Chinese 6 next door. Clearly, the core audience for these films don’t give a damn to their surroundings, as long as they’re hearing digital sound.
What visitor to Hollywood wouldn’t pay top dollar to witness a beautifully presented 70/35mm print of a classic movie with full theatrical presentation on a “Roadshow” release once in a while?
The Tuxedo and Pastime were on the east side on 42nd and 54th, respectively.
Here is my list of operating midtown cinemas in 1934.
LOEWS 42ND STREET
CAMEO
LYRIC
TIMES SQUARE
APOLLO
HARRIS
SELWYN
LIBERTY
TIMES
STANLEY
TUXEDO
RIALTO
PARAMOUNT
IDEAL
NEW YORK
ASTOR
CRITERION
STATE
GAIETY
GLOBE
MIAMI
MAYFAIR
PALACE
CENTRAL
STRAND
CARUSO (Hindenberg)
CENTER
WESTMINSTER
CASINO
RIVOLI
LITTLE PICTURE HOUSE
ROXY
RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
TRANS-LUX 50-1
TRANS-LUX 50-2
CAPITOL
HOLLYWOOD
LEXINGTON
PASTIME
ZIEGFELD
55th ST. PLAYHOUSE
CHALONER (Town)
The Circus idea for RCMH sounds cool. Does that mean that RCMH won’t be showing any more Big Screen Movie Classics? Just curious.
To Warren, isn’t that a great clip?! I also caught the Selwyn, Eltinge, Liberty, and the Billy Rose Music Hall (where ever that was). 13 theaters in 20 seconds. Amazing. How many theaters (Broadway) and theatres (movie houses) did Times Square have in 1934. 100 or so?
Circus is suitable to the Music Hall. Just look at the wallpaper in the orchestra section of the auditorium, not to mention the brass appliques on the auditorium entrance doors.
$20 million 4 month show?! That also suits the Music Hall. I agree with Justin, the Music Hall is set to 2021.
sounds cool…this should keep the Hall busy throughout the next decade.
The Music Hall, just one among many (in 1934)…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lWQF30YAT0
The Music Hall at 0:08.
They do not remove seat for the NFL Draft – they build platforms above seats in in the orchestra. The 3 mezzanines are available for seating. This was the third year the NFL Draft was held at RCMH, previously it held at the Theatre at Madision Square Garden. There has not been an Easter Show at RCMH in over 10 years
Which leaves 1,000+ seats for guests, fans, and their friends and family. Once it’s over, then they install the seats back before shows go on….upcoming shows include Dora the Explorer Live as well as the usual music concerts. That gives time for the Rockettes to spend some time off with their friends and family before they return to work in the late fall for the Xmas Spectacular. Due to the economy, will changes affect the show, as well as its easter counterpart?
Do they remove all – perhaps 4,000 – orchestra auditorium seats? That seams like a tremendous effort for a two day rental.
For the umpeenth time , the NFL Draft is being held today and tomorrow at this location. Erin Andrews from ESPN will be working for the first time at this storied venue, where the auditorium seats have been replaced with team tables while the stage is all NFL-style billboards.
This video shows how the marquee was “cut” to fit around the 6th Avenue Elevated RR:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o_ttvFhfmM
at 1:16 after the “El” was gone in 1939 or so.