Radio City Music Hall
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
118 people
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Getting rid of the ballet was a big mistake. They were the backbone of the Music Hall’s spectacles. From then on there was nothing to see but the Rockettes. The rest was pretty bleak.
I saw the Christmas show with the Sunshine Boys and all I remember was a Raggedy Ann doll dancing on a small set on that huge stage.
Then with Petrovka there was an obvious plug for a home organ with a guy playing it at the center of the revolving stage against a cyclorama with absolutely nothing else.
That might have been the lowest point.
Though I do remember once the elevator stage going up and nothing was covering the cross view. You saw a cutaway of the mechanical working of the stage. As embarrassing as a naked screen.
Vito
With all the shows you saw at the Hall were there a few film stage combos that were favorites and you saw more than once?
If you thought sitting through them once was bad, you should have had to watch them several times a day for the run after check screening both of the show prints at 1 in the morning after the previous show ended for the day!
In all due fairness to the “Petrovka” stage show, that may have been the one where Peter Gennaro had the corps de ballet pulled out from under him not long before the show was to open. The ballet staffing was fixed, and the Hall wanted more flexibility, so they simply dropped the ballet from the shows. After that they were able to hire dancers as needed. This left Peter (who’s forte was dance after all) with only singers and the Rockettes to work with. He later did some pretty decent shows considering the budget he had to work with. I particularly remember a 1776 tribute he did using the “Love” theme arranged in styles to accompany dance from 1776 to 1976.
By the way “Leon”, I did get to work on your namesake’s last show at the Hall which was a tribute to Colombia. I think Leon got to see the world by staging those shows, all of which were built around performers from various countries at a time when, for most of the Hall’s audience, travel there in person was unattainable. Thus I had film footage in the vault of Leon in Israel, Leon in Italy, Leon weaving baskets with the natives “somewhere”. He had arranged co-sponsorship of the show with the airline of Colombia, and had spectacular footage of the performers arriving on a plane which buzzed the Statue of Liberty and flew under the Brooklyn Bridge, with the narration going something like, “look out for that Statue!” Unfortunately the airline of Colombia wanted you to believe that their planes were so safe that they taxied all the way here, and they went into shock at the opening performance. They insisted the best footage be cut over Leon’s objections. We were also to return all of the footage to them, but somehow, an original print survived and may still be in the Music Hall archives somewhere.
Warren in a post above mentions wishing he had details about the stage shows. Cablevision may have pitched them, but when I was there the Music Hall library had extensive documentation on all of the shows, with multiple photos of each of the sets and all of the costumes. The numbers ran into the 100’s, and filled books. Since the numbers were often repeated, particularly for such hits as “Rhapsody In Blue”, “The Undersea Ballet” and “Bolero”, not to mention the “Nativity” and “Glory of Easter” prologues, the documentation was essential. I know they still do have an historian who was featured in the documentary on the Hall recently run on the MSG Network, and judging from that program they still keep an archive, so the stage show documentation is probably there. (According to Fred Kellers, the Vice President of House Operations, there was an agreement with the press not to review the stage shows when reviewing the films. I have the list of all the films that played and their dates and the names of the stage productions which accompanied them, but that’s all.)
in gta iv, a spoof of rcmh is in the game.
I would have wished they had played Meet Me In St Louis(Astor) for Christmas of 44 instead of NV. Probably would have been the best Christmas show ever at the Hall.
Also as the summer attraction in 48 Easter Parade(Loews State) instead of A Date with Judy. That again would have been something.
Also roadshow films of the 60’s which would have done much better at the Hall and had a terrific sendoff there like Half a Sixpence, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Sweet Charity.
One of the strangest non picks for the Hall was Walk Don’t Run(I think Loew’s State.) The last Grant film and the Hall’s biggest
star. Instead they had Kaleidascope!
And there were quite a few that opened in New York in the 70’s Radio City should have had but they ended up in small east side houses. Very strange and unfortunate. This was why the Hall was playing such unbelievable drek.
Try watching The Girl from Petrovka(it had the cheesiest, worst, most embarrassing stage show ever. People were in shock.) or Hennessy.
At that point I knew not to go to most movies there.
Thanks for posting that ad, Warren. I just watched the movie last night. What a beautiful film! If only I could have seen it at the Hall …
Interesting comment about movies being chosen for the Hall. Which movies of the late 40’s-mid 50’s would you have liked to have played…and which ones that played wish they haden’t.!!! That would be fascinating information.
I did not choose the movies for the Hall. If I had I can assure you there were a number of films I would not have shown that were chosen and a number that played at other theaters that I would have grabbed in an instant including Ambersons.
You have no idea how many arguments I had with the clowns in the screening room. Russell could tell you all about it.
The screening rooms were used as offices for some time, One is now used for Rockette training and physical therapy. Another is called the “red carpet room” – it is also used by the rockettes for various reasons. And one of the 2 restrooms next to the staircase (that the RKO execs would have use to cross the roof) has been turned into whirlpool room for physical therapy.
Posts from REndres, oldjoe and RCDTJ sure has taught us a lot about how the Hall works. it sure must be a fasinating place to work.
I did not appreciate how big an operation it really is.
All of that inside behind the operation information is absolutly fasinating. Once again, thanks to all of you for sharing.
I read on the Capitol page it had Magnificent Ambersons for 2 weeks.
I was surprised to see it play more than a week in a 5,000 seat theater when it was such a box office disappointment.
I’d like to know if it was offered to the Music Hall and they decided to pass on it. This would have been unfortunate as it would have been a perfect fit for the theater.
Even in its truncated form I consider it the greatest American sound film.
Peter, I thought that was you. We did do an organ concert sponsored by an organist’s guild which used the curtains and full facility. It even included one of the wittiest commentaries on theatre organs I’ve ever heard by Peter Schickele (P.D.Q. Bach) himself. I was backstage talking to the stage manager after my film cue, and when I went to leave I heard a murmurered “Good Night”, it wasn’t until I was outside that I realized that it was Mr. Schickele. I always regretted the fact that I didn’t get to tell him how much I enjoyed him, and that it was quite a change to get paid to hear him, as I had paid to attend his concerts at Avery Fisher and Carnegie Halls and have several of his C.D.’s.
Vito — the Screening Rooms were rented out for a number of years to CineMix which used them as re-recording studios. The broadcast studio was also rented to Plaza Sound, a recording company which did the tracks for the Macy’s Parade audio as well as recording groups such as Blondie. Involved in both operations were John Jackson, the senior production person a the Hall, as well as Greg Raffa, the music contractor, and Warren Jenkins, the technical director (and the man who brought me to New York). After CineMix outgrew the space, we restored the big room. The smaller one, “Preview B” was still used by us to screen short subjects, film effects and odd material even while it was used by CineMix. I even had the privilege to screen Ginger Rogers footage there for Ginger Rogers!
The problem was that there is no easy access to that level above the auditorium. While RKO execs could cross the roof from their offices over the lobby, and come up to the rooms. The Executive Elevator, which served the Executive entrance as well as the lobby levels, dropped people off at the Studio level,a few steps below the level which also included the rehearsal halls and the broadcast studio. The alternative was to use the backstage elevators, which was impractical when they were in use during the stage shows, and finding one’s way from the top elevator level up a couple of flights of stairs to the Studio level was not for the uninitiated. There were also security issues (one shutters to think how much tighter that would have to be in these times.) Anyone dropped off by the elevators at either end would be free to roam about anywhere in the theatre unless staff was positioned to guide them to the Screening Rooms. It worked for recording sessions, and special screenings (Robert Wise remembered carrying a print of “Citizen Kane” to one of the rooms for the first press screening), but they were designed to be used for in house screenings, and public access is a bit of a problem. (I had payroll records in my office filing cabinets that went back to the time when there were full crews in both of the Screening Rooms, the Main booth and Rear Projection as well, with some swapping between the positions. Quite a time!)
vito – i do not know what the agreement was – but for a screening one would rent the entire hall – plus labor. I am assuming new line did not want to pay for security / ushers for the the mezzazines and well cleaning those mezz’s and lobbys, lounges and bathrooms on those floors.
most agreement with an artist in house are a 85 artist/15 house split – afte the house recoups all costs (labor , advert, etc. ) but this can vary.
Parts of the hall can be rented out for meetings confs etc. the grand lounge and the grand foyer are often used for parties – several times the the great stage has been used for dinner parties, the roxy suite and hold small dinner parties or cocktail parties.
During the run of the Xmas show – there are multiple cocktail parties an various mezzanine levels in the grand foyer before certain show
Thanks for the info, REndres. That would have been my grumbling about the organ recital a few years ago (regarding use of the curtain, mostly). Luckily, the group putting on the organ concert this August – which everyone who frequents this site should attend, if only to support the idea of more specialized and historic presentations – is funding the event to make it open to the public, so the proper lights, sound, curtains, etc., will get used.
Rendres, thanks for that info.
I assumed it would be a very complicated and expensive undertaking to rent the Hall. I never realised one could rent just the lobby space, or as New Line seems to have done, just the orchestra sections. I understand it all a bit better now.
Was any consideration ever given to renting out one or both of the old screening rooms? I should think that would be popular for exibitor screenings, in addition to giving the booth guys a bit more work.
Any more info would be very interesting to be sure. Thanks again
vito — I don’t have the answers to a lot of your questions, but usually the whole Hall is rented. (While I was there someone did rent just the Lobby area for a bar mitzvah, and both Coca Cola and McDonalds used just the Lobby for their new product launches.) New Line would have had the option to use the 2nd and 3rd Mezzanines. And yes, they have been used when digital screenings are projected from the 1st Mez (I’ll have to check, but I think they were for the HBO “Sopranos” premieres.)
Four walling varies. I think the first time the house was four walled was for “Airport”, which in turn led to putting 70mm in. Ross Hunter wanted it projected in 70, and my predecessor had fought it for years.
While I was there the house was four-walled twice. The first time was for the Universal summer run of “McArthur”, “The Sting” and “Smokey and the Bandit”. In that case we were paid by Radio City as usual. When Disney four-walled the house for “Return to Oz” and “The Black Cauldron”, we all went on Disney’s payroll.
There is a minimum crew size starting with Department Heads and Assistants. Again, I’m not sure about all of the changes, since the lighting system is now computer controlled from the back of the house(or wherever). When I was there, a man on the elevator/contour control board was required (and I’m sure still is), and another electrician on the lighting board, since it was located in front of the pit. The fly foor required three men, as opposed to the usual two, since the size of the pieces requires more muscle to get the lines moving. If two pieces are moved at the same time, another three men were added. Load-in and load-out crew requirements were based on the show rider, as well as other crew needs in the house as is standard. If any two of the stage departments were used, the third was also added: i.e. Props, Carpenters and Electrics. While Sound technically falls under Electrics, it is also a separate department as is Projection.
One of the contacts I still keep is with someone who has been a shop steward for Local #1, so if I get a chance I’ll ask him what is being done today. Obviously it’s a very expensive house to use, and I recall grumbling somewhere on this site about the size of the crew it took to do an organ recital, but it kind of goes with the territory when you have a facility this large and complex (and yes — that does impact the ability to show motion-pictures, whether first run or in a retrospective.)
oldjoe brings up an intesting question. Just how does the Music Hall rent out the space. What are the various options available?
When New Line rented the Hall did that include all seating areas, orchestra and all three mezzinees, or can one just rent the downstairs area. What about staffing such as stagehands and front of the house? What happens in a four wall agreement, etc etc.
I understand the need to close off the first mezzanine when a Digital movie is shown but I wonder if the other two can be used.
Any of our RCMH insiders care to enlighten us on how the Music Hall
rentals are handled. Also what happens when a name star holds a one night concert, is that usually four wall or does the Hall collect the money from ticket sales and charge a fee to the talent.
So many questions I know, but I think this would make for some interesting comments.
Bill, I recall being told on many an occasions not to talk to anyone, especially the press, about a movie we had screened before it opened. So it went beyond a question of a “code of ethics”,
the studios were/are a bit funny that way. We even had a few newspaper/TV critics who would get bent out of shape if word got out about a movie before “they” saw it and reviewed it.
A also loved your comments about how great it is to see a movie shown at the Hall, and how wonderful it would be to see that more often and open to the public. The whole idea just makes my heart go
pitter patter. :))
Thanks, REndres. I realized after I posted the question that it might be breaking a code of ethics for a projectionist to comment on how good or bad a movie is before it’s released to the public.
Pete: You were right about the Variety review – not too good. But it sounds as if it’s not really finished yet. I guess I’ll go see it when it comes out and take my chances.
as far a mezzanines being closed for seating …that would have been new line cinema’s call, being that all movie premiers at the hall are basically rentals. i would guess that they did not want to pay for the extra labor to open them or clean them
RCDTJ a 75mm lens would have given you a picture roughly about 27' x 54' which is about what we were running 1.85 at when I was there, and is indeed certainly doable. Perhaps the overall sheet size has been reduced since I was there. At that time it was 35' x 70'. If it is still the matte and not the silver screen used for 3-D the brightness downstairs should be about what it is from the booth.
Bill H. It would be wrong for me to make any aesthetic comment about “Che”. I gather it was one of the most debated pictures at Cannes. Technically, its a very interesting project as Steven is very cutting edge. I’m told all of the picture was shot with natural light, which is amazing considering the range of the story. He also used an anamorphic lens to simulate the look of “Scope” with film. He was able to look at scenes on his laptop at night and send the files back to N.Y. Editing, sub-titling and now the digital intermediate are all being done on site at his headquarters. The project raises the scope of “personal” moviemaking to new levels. In talented hands, digital “democratization” of the motion-picture process may result in some really good pictures.
By the way, another aspect of the digital cinema change is the ability to screen “alternative” content, for better or worse. The Metropolitan Opera “cinemacasts”, as well as those from LaScala and San Francisco are filling houses. Who’d a thunk that the Met live would be selling out in multiplexes in Peoria? And the word is that Sony’s special distribution network will enable the closing performance of “Rent” on Broadway to be seen nationwide.
Vito, it may not all be good —– but it sure as heck is interesting for this old-timer! Glad I’m still around to see it.
RCDTJ, A year or so ago I would have agreed with you. However there is a hugh push for Digital that has been growing rapidly this year.
It seems as though everyone is now aboard the Digital band wagon.
Do us a favor and don’t let them ever take those 5 projectors out of RCMH. Guard them with your life, post youself outside the booth door with a rifle if need be :))
Incidently I would love to be wrong and you wright about Digital growth and the demise of film. Bless you for trying to give us hope.
On that note Vito, when I started in this business 19 years ago, they were saying the same thing about digital…..3 or 4 years….It wil NOT be as soon as people think.
Very true, Vito. We just need to ensure that “showmanship” remains in place, no matter the media the movie is exhibited on.
I am so glad I posed the original question regarding the screening the other night. We sure learned a lot of what whent on that evening and I wish to thank RCDTJ and REndres for their imput. Please guys keep that info coming, I love hearing about what is going on in the booth at RCMH.
Times are-a-changin that’s for sure.
Digital is here to stay and will just keep getting better. We have to acknowledge and accept the changes being made in the way we show movies. What is important is that movie theatres stay strong and survive, The new guys coming in to our industry want nothing to do with film, and as REnders pointed out more and more theatres are no longer putting film in the new locations. Many insiders I know predict that in only 3 or 4 short years, film will have gone the way of Vinyl records and video tape.
Those of us who worked in film will of course be sorry to see it all end, but ya can’t hold back progress, and at least we have our memories.
I wonder why they kept the mezzanines closed at the premiere of Sex and the City. They could have easily seated all those left standing outside in the rain.
First off, Tom from dolby did a great job with the sound. The main issue they were having was that left and right channels seemed to overpower the dialouge at times. After all their tinkering, they ended up at the original levels.As far as 35MM filling the screen goes, I must totally disagree. With a 75MM lens in the machine, we filled the screen fine. It was the same picture size for 35MM and digital. Like I said, the light level was about 8fl with the 5k lamp. That reading was from the booth so I know it was a bit more from down there. Light readings from the booth with one digital projector with a 6k lamp was about 7fl so we did pretty well with the 35MM. I don’t know why at least the 3rd mezz was not opened for seating.