I can just imagine what that beautiful original marquee must have looked like on the Ridgewood when it was all lit up at night, I mean just look at all the lighting:
I still remember the Madison’s marquee all lit up at night. That marquee wasn’t original either, but it was replaced early enough that they still put all those lights on it. I remember seeing it walking down Woodbine St towards Myrtle, and all the lights would be flickering on the Madison.
The “second marquee”, the one that fell, is the original marquee covered over (much like the Richmond Hill Keith’s Theater’s marquee was “modernized” and covered over – before recently being rediscovered when they filmed a movie there).
If you look closely at the photo with the trolley, the sides had the new look, with interlocking o’s in Ridgewood, but the front had the original look.
If I am not mistaken, the original marquee collapsed in a snowstorm in the 60’s, and the current one went up. However, the marquee was already altered from the original one by that point though.
Looks like we lost another one…..they are currently dropping like flies now!! In the last year alone, the Trylon, the Elmwood, and so many others….the Commodore in Brooklyn at Broadway and Marcy is currently on death watch. Demolition permits were just issued, and the Hasidum that bought the theater (a working theater just 3 or so years ago), have destroyed the interior, and now the whole building may be coming down.
They are currently dropping like flies!
Wow, what a shame. Thanks so much for posting the photos.
I still can’t believe the building is coming down. I am still hoping that they will at least keep the shell up, and retrofit the building. A terrible thing that it won’t ever be a theater again, but at the very least, let’s hope the shell stays up.
The truth is, a theater has to do whatever it can to survive. It’s certainly better being alive as a Spanish movie Theater, than gutted up and turned into another CVS store.
It’s a school that saved the RKO Bushwick Theater further east on Broadway from complete demolision. Of course, in the case of the Bushwick, 30 years of neglect and exposure to the elements inside did it’s toll, and it was not salvagable inside. But thankfully, they were able to use it’s shell to make the school, and at least the exterior lives on.
As form the Commodore, it’s a real shame, as it’s not that long since it closed, so it probably would have definitely been usable had it been restored, but at least hopefully the exterior will be saved.
Wow, aside from the removal of the decrorative cornice, and the addition of an iron fence, the Wykcoff changed little over the years.
Of course, all the windows were bricked up, as it is now a Jehovah’s Witness hall, and Jehovah Witness churches for some reason are not allowed to have windows.
The Classic Theater on Tompkins was a nearly identical theater to the Wyckoff. It too is now some sort of church. See my March 31st, 2005 posting for photos of the Wyckoff and the Classic Theater. Make sure you click the 7:14 PM photo for the Classic (as I goofed up there), and the 6:55 PM post’s photo for the Wyckoff.
Well, at the very least I hope they save the shell. Obviously it is inevidable that the interior will be gutted, but there is a chance that the whole building may go. That would be a tragedy.
Here’s a historic photo of the Ridgewood Theater from the 19 taken 40’s and one of the RKO Madison from around 1975 or so, both taken from the book, “Our Community: It’s history and it’s people”, published in 1976.
And look at this, I found what appears to be a much older photo of the Ridgewood Theater, and the vertical sign wasn’t there yet!! I am sorry if I don’t credit the person who posted or emailed me this photo, I didn’t even remember I had it, and don’t remember who sent it to me or where I got it:
I uploaded the photo. It’s from the book “Our Community: It’s History and People”, published in 1976. There’s also a photo of the Madison taken in 1976, in the end of the book where it says, “Photos for the future history”. it was taken a year or two before it closed.
Anwyay, here’s the one from the 40’s from that book:
And look at this, I found what appears to be a much older photo of the Ridgewood Theater, and the vertical sign wasn’t there yet!! I am sorry if I don’t credit the person who posted or emailed me this photo, I didn’t even remember I had it, and don’t remember who sent it to me or where I got it:
I forgot all about that one! Thanks for reminding me, I just found it on my computer…. I also remember that Howards sign too, seeing it in the 70’s! Yes, that photo I scanned from an old Ridgewood book I have. Thanks for reminding me! I believe I also emailed that photo to PKoch.
Anyway, actually, that’s the earliest photo I have seen of the Ridgewood. Now lets get one from the 20’s or interior photos. I am dying to see an old interior photo of the Ridgewood from when it was still one large theater.
I don’t think I have ever seen a photo of the Ridgewood with a vertical sign like the Madison had, but then again, historical photos of the Madison are easy to come by, historical photos of either the interior of the Ridgewood are hard to come by. Amazingly, even with the hundreds and hundreds of photos in this thread, not one person has been able to come up with a pre-1950’s photo of the exterior of the Ridgewood, and NO historic photos of the interior. The Madison has everything covered in it’s thread, both historical interior photos, and current, semi old, and very old exterior photos.
Why can’t we get the same for the Ridgewood?
BTW< I don’t know if Howards had a vertical sign or not, but do know it had a HUGE sign up at the top of the building, which covered over the cornice at the top of the building. I remember when they took it down.
Here’s a link. Apparently this weekend there’s a tour of old COney Island Theater, and the tour starts at the Shore Theater, I wonder if it will be opened to see inside. If anyone goes, please report back here.
Here’s the link: View link
Old Theatres of Coney Island
program name: OHNY tours
program type: Architecture/Design, Cultural/Museum/Gallery, Theatre/Performing
borough: Brooklyn
event date: Oct 7, 2006
hours: 11:30 am
Take a stroll along Coney Islandâ€\s show biz past when it was home to numerous cabarets, variety halls and movie showsâ€"a training ground for a generation of legendary performers. Organized by the Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment.
reservation instructions:
logisitical meeting information: Meet outside the Shore Theatre at Sillwell and Surf Aves, Coney Island
program status: available
Here’s a link to her phone number, office address, and email.
She has done wonders with many community projects over the years, so if anyone can at least help, it’s her:
Jeez, everyone needs to stop nitpicking and attacking eachother. This is going on on both sides. Take it to email if you have a problem with another poster, it’s getting tiring reading everyone’s laundry here.
(This is not directed at any particular poster, just everyone that’s constantly nitpicking eachother).
At least the Kings isn’t nearly as bad as the Shore.
From photos that were posted in the Loews Shore Theater section (unfortunately now taken down though), the plaster from the entire top of the procenium arch has already fallen down to the floor at the Shore, as well as a good part of the ceiling itself, right up to the circle in the center of the theater. On the right side, in the old Juliet balcony section, a large chunck of the plater has falled to the ground from there too. The place is in need of help immediately. And unfortunately, if parts of the ceiling already came down from the water damage in the Shore already, I am sure much of the ceiling still up may also be lose, and ready to come down. It’s not good.
At least the Kings isn’t to that point yet….but they betetr do something soon.
That makes more sense. I was a little confused by the Kossuth St thing. Cypress Hills St and Myrtle is actually right where the Belvedere is/was. Perhaps the Skydome is where the Finast/Edwards/Stop N Shop building is now.
Would this Belvedere Skydome be the same as the Van Cortlandt Airdrome? I am trying to place the intersection. I believe Kossuth Place is now either 70 Ave or 71st Ave? Or was that a former name for Fresh Pond Rd (as I believe Fresh Pond Rd was originally in the alignment of Cypress Hills St is now).
Don’t feel bad PKoch. I have seen that building literally thousands of times from the Wyckoff station platform, or riding by on M trains, and didn’t even know it was a theater at one time until I found this site….
I can just imagine what that beautiful original marquee must have looked like on the Ridgewood when it was all lit up at night, I mean just look at all the lighting:
Click here to resee the photo
I still remember the Madison’s marquee all lit up at night. That marquee wasn’t original either, but it was replaced early enough that they still put all those lights on it. I remember seeing it walking down Woodbine St towards Myrtle, and all the lights would be flickering on the Madison.
The “second marquee”, the one that fell, is the original marquee covered over (much like the Richmond Hill Keith’s Theater’s marquee was “modernized” and covered over – before recently being rediscovered when they filmed a movie there).
If you look closely at the photo with the trolley, the sides had the new look, with interlocking o’s in Ridgewood, but the front had the original look.
If I am not mistaken, the original marquee collapsed in a snowstorm in the 60’s, and the current one went up. However, the marquee was already altered from the original one by that point though.
Looks like we lost another one…..they are currently dropping like flies now!! In the last year alone, the Trylon, the Elmwood, and so many others….the Commodore in Brooklyn at Broadway and Marcy is currently on death watch. Demolition permits were just issued, and the Hasidum that bought the theater (a working theater just 3 or so years ago), have destroyed the interior, and now the whole building may be coming down.
They are currently dropping like flies!
Wow, what a shame. Thanks so much for posting the photos.
I still can’t believe the building is coming down. I am still hoping that they will at least keep the shell up, and retrofit the building. A terrible thing that it won’t ever be a theater again, but at the very least, let’s hope the shell stays up.
The truth is, a theater has to do whatever it can to survive. It’s certainly better being alive as a Spanish movie Theater, than gutted up and turned into another CVS store.
It’s a school that saved the RKO Bushwick Theater further east on Broadway from complete demolision. Of course, in the case of the Bushwick, 30 years of neglect and exposure to the elements inside did it’s toll, and it was not salvagable inside. But thankfully, they were able to use it’s shell to make the school, and at least the exterior lives on.
As form the Commodore, it’s a real shame, as it’s not that long since it closed, so it probably would have definitely been usable had it been restored, but at least hopefully the exterior will be saved.
Wow, aside from the removal of the decrorative cornice, and the addition of an iron fence, the Wykcoff changed little over the years.
Of course, all the windows were bricked up, as it is now a Jehovah’s Witness hall, and Jehovah Witness churches for some reason are not allowed to have windows.
The Classic Theater on Tompkins was a nearly identical theater to the Wyckoff. It too is now some sort of church. See my March 31st, 2005 posting for photos of the Wyckoff and the Classic Theater. Make sure you click the 7:14 PM photo for the Classic (as I goofed up there), and the 6:55 PM post’s photo for the Wyckoff.
Well, at the very least I hope they save the shell. Obviously it is inevidable that the interior will be gutted, but there is a chance that the whole building may go. That would be a tragedy.
Here’s a historic photo of the Ridgewood Theater from the 19 taken 40’s and one of the RKO Madison from around 1975 or so, both taken from the book, “Our Community: It’s history and it’s people”, published in 1976.
Click here for photo
The one of the Madison was taken very shortly before it closed:
Click here for photo
And look at this, I found what appears to be a much older photo of the Ridgewood Theater, and the vertical sign wasn’t there yet!! I am sorry if I don’t credit the person who posted or emailed me this photo, I didn’t even remember I had it, and don’t remember who sent it to me or where I got it:
Click here for photo
I uploaded the photo. It’s from the book “Our Community: It’s History and People”, published in 1976. There’s also a photo of the Madison taken in 1976, in the end of the book where it says, “Photos for the future history”. it was taken a year or two before it closed.
Anwyay, here’s the one from the 40’s from that book:
Click here for photo
Here’s the one of the Madison from that book, taken in 1976 or so:
Click here for photo
And look at this, I found what appears to be a much older photo of the Ridgewood Theater, and the vertical sign wasn’t there yet!! I am sorry if I don’t credit the person who posted or emailed me this photo, I didn’t even remember I had it, and don’t remember who sent it to me or where I got it:
Click here for photo
I will also post these photos in the Ridgewood Theater section.
I forgot all about that one! Thanks for reminding me, I just found it on my computer…. I also remember that Howards sign too, seeing it in the 70’s! Yes, that photo I scanned from an old Ridgewood book I have. Thanks for reminding me! I believe I also emailed that photo to PKoch.
Anyway, actually, that’s the earliest photo I have seen of the Ridgewood. Now lets get one from the 20’s or interior photos. I am dying to see an old interior photo of the Ridgewood from when it was still one large theater.
I don’t think I have ever seen a photo of the Ridgewood with a vertical sign like the Madison had, but then again, historical photos of the Madison are easy to come by, historical photos of either the interior of the Ridgewood are hard to come by. Amazingly, even with the hundreds and hundreds of photos in this thread, not one person has been able to come up with a pre-1950’s photo of the exterior of the Ridgewood, and NO historic photos of the interior. The Madison has everything covered in it’s thread, both historical interior photos, and current, semi old, and very old exterior photos.
Why can’t we get the same for the Ridgewood?
BTW< I don’t know if Howards had a vertical sign or not, but do know it had a HUGE sign up at the top of the building, which covered over the cornice at the top of the building. I remember when they took it down.
That would explain the sudden closure without explanation.
Perhaps they knew the Islip Theater was closing?
Here’s a link. Apparently this weekend there’s a tour of old COney Island Theater, and the tour starts at the Shore Theater, I wonder if it will be opened to see inside. If anyone goes, please report back here.
Here’s the link:
View link
Old Theatres of Coney Island
program name: OHNY tours
program type: Architecture/Design, Cultural/Museum/Gallery, Theatre/Performing
borough: Brooklyn
event date: Oct 7, 2006
hours: 11:30 am
Take a stroll along Coney Islandâ€\s show biz past when it was home to numerous cabarets, variety halls and movie showsâ€"a training ground for a generation of legendary performers. Organized by the Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment.
reservation instructions:
logisitical meeting information: Meet outside the Shore Theatre at Sillwell and Surf Aves, Coney Island
program status: available
Here’s a link to her phone number, office address, and email.
She has done wonders with many community projects over the years, so if anyone can at least help, it’s her:
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=037
Jeez, everyone needs to stop nitpicking and attacking eachother. This is going on on both sides. Take it to email if you have a problem with another poster, it’s getting tiring reading everyone’s laundry here.
(This is not directed at any particular poster, just everyone that’s constantly nitpicking eachother).
It’s still listed in the theater listings in the paper, although under the phone number, it says “Theater Closed”.
At least the Kings isn’t nearly as bad as the Shore.
From photos that were posted in the Loews Shore Theater section (unfortunately now taken down though), the plaster from the entire top of the procenium arch has already fallen down to the floor at the Shore, as well as a good part of the ceiling itself, right up to the circle in the center of the theater. On the right side, in the old Juliet balcony section, a large chunck of the plater has falled to the ground from there too. The place is in need of help immediately. And unfortunately, if parts of the ceiling already came down from the water damage in the Shore already, I am sure much of the ceiling still up may also be lose, and ready to come down. It’s not good.
At least the Kings isn’t to that point yet….but they betetr do something soon.
That makes more sense. I was a little confused by the Kossuth St thing. Cypress Hills St and Myrtle is actually right where the Belvedere is/was. Perhaps the Skydome is where the Finast/Edwards/Stop N Shop building is now.
Would this Belvedere Skydome be the same as the Van Cortlandt Airdrome? I am trying to place the intersection. I believe Kossuth Place is now either 70 Ave or 71st Ave? Or was that a former name for Fresh Pond Rd (as I believe Fresh Pond Rd was originally in the alignment of Cypress Hills St is now).
PKoch, that was quite an interesting description above, lol.
Don’t feel bad PKoch. I have seen that building literally thousands of times from the Wyckoff station platform, or riding by on M trains, and didn’t even know it was a theater at one time until I found this site….
By the way, the ad says that the Alhambra had 2200 seats, however, the opening stats says it only had 1660. Perhaps it should be changed?