RKO Madison Theatre

Yes, Bway and I did go where no one has gone before; at least no one from this board. We got a quick peek inside the balcony area, and although Bway’s description is generally very accurate, if you contact us offline, trust me that we can give you a more complete description of what we saw.

Also, if anyone on the board actually remembers the Madison’s interior and layout, please contact myself or Bway offline.

My e-mail is

Lost and Panzer…no, I didn’t see any fire damage from the circa 1980 fire that I could tell.
Lost, yes, I said red, but it was more like burgundy, just as in the photos Warren posted some time ago….although of course, 30 years later….
Panzer, no, the chandelier is gone.
Once upon a time….no, no ghosts of that Usherette, nor Mae West who was said to perform there….

Ugh, a misspelling!
Fire ants at Liberty?
Is any fire damage visible?

Yes, Lost Memory, one CAN go home again ! Some of us just did !

I must leave it to Bway to answer your questions.

Mr Bill and I met at the Liberty Dept Store the other day…we were just going to see if we can find out if anything remains of the theater can be seen inside the store aside from the different level of the curve of the Balcony that curves through the store, and of course, nothing remains aside from that.
We went upstairs to the furniture area of the store, and saw the door (that is usually alarmed) was open because a worker or someone was doing something there. So we took that chance to take a quick peak in the door for a few minutes, and we were startled to find in our quick peak that the original ceiling and balcony does still exist above the drop ceiling. You can still see the original dome of the ceiling, and the top of the proscenium arch is still there, but all the balcony seats were removed long ago. Of course time did take it’s toll though, but of course it’s been 30 years since it was last used as a theater. But rest assured, “part” of the Madison does survive, and even from that quick glimpse in semi-darkness, you can tell it was some beautiful place. The last paint scheme was red and gold from what can be seen quickly….That must have been the second scheme, as looking at old photos from the 1920’s, it appered to be a little more intricately painted originally than at it’s end, but don’t get me wrong, it was still a classy paintjob at the end too, which I would assume probably was done by the 50’s.
A shame that when it was first converted to a store by whoever used to own the place did not put a little thought into converting it to retail with a little more care to perserve some of the theaters features….such as how the Meserole Theater in Greenpoint was converted to a drug store, with all the old ceilings still exposed….
Oh well. We were glad we got the little peak…it made our day.
The door was probably closed and alarmed soon after once again, but we were lucky enough, if only for a couple minutes, to walk into “The Twilight Zone” on the other side of the door.

Peter.K

Please contact me offline ASAP at

Noticed a ladder to nowhere Saturday as the M train rounded the bend out of the Wyckoff Ave station on its way to Seneca. It appears that the old wooden water tower of the RKO Madison has been dismantled.

Thanks, wally75 !

Thanks, RobertR and Lost Memory !

Too bad Joan Crawford wasn’t there, too, to be served a dead rat on a plate by Bette Davis !

Either on the stage of the RKO Madison or next door at the Ridgewood Terrace Chinese Restaurant !

Thanks, depaul420. Glad to read that.

Did you also see them eating next door to the RKO Madison at the Ridgewood Terrace Chinese Restaurant ?

You’re welcome, once upon a time.

I can understand the fascination of “What if …” : what one can’t have, or didn’t have, always seems to be more desirable than what one can, or did, have, of relations with the opposite sex.

Thanks, once upon a time. Looking forward to reading more of your RKO Madison movie memories.

“What if” …. How about writing it, as a story ?