I haven’t been to RCMH in many years, but went to the “Splendor” show this February. The auditorium was painted in a pale beigh color which didn’t seem right. Was I hallucinating on it’s original color which was gold, or was pale beigh it’s original color?
…and how many times the cup would get stuck and you just stood there and watched everything go down the drain. A great Lesson Of Life there. A lesson that didn’t sink in ‘till years later!
I suppose the status of the theater should now be changed to: DEMOLISHED.
Ah, Commodore, poor Commodore…
Bway, the link above is: posted by custer on Oct 6, 2006 at 10:28pm It is a flickr slide show. The first photo looks like the inside of the auditorium. On Google Earth, the stage area is right on the point where the organ chamber is, but there is no stage house only an odd roof appendage. It seems like this theater was not designed for vaudville or any type of stage presentation. Maybe that’s why Anniegirl had to use the side stairs to collect her prizes! Boy, Broadway in the fifties was A Different Place, eh?!
The organ is listed as a 3/8 Kimball installed in 1921. This fits the 1920 completion of the theater. But there seems to be no room up there for 8 ranks of pipes with chests, wind lines, etc. especially with the traps sitting up front. At least not that is visible. And the corner is small for a stage, unless it was placed like the Roxy to take advantage of the site. But still, it doesn’t seem like part of the organ would have been installed so far back if this was the stage area.
But anything’s possible, I suppose.
Anybody have a pic of the auditorium? There’s one listed in one of the posts above, but it’s very dark. I could try some fixing of a pic if I could get a copy. (The one above is not copiable)
It’s certainly odd to see the organ out there right in the open. It looks like it was over the proscenium, but I could be wrong. From the looks of those big mitered diaphones, it must have had a lot of water damage over the years. You can see the toy counter (or what’s left of it) right in front. The bass drum is there and a harp or chrysoglot to the left of it.
This may have been a side chamber with another opposite it on the opposing wall. Anybody know what type of instrument was there. Better yet, does anybody remember hearing it played??
If I feel ambitious, I will take the J train to New York from the Marcy Avenue station. It’s right in front of the theater.
When I passed by the other day, it looked like the whole roof had fallen in, but with all the scafolding about the building, one could only get a fleeting look from the car.
I can’t find a way to convincingly tie this into the current thread, and so request your kind indulgence in this small clarification of sam_e’s mention of the Chrysler Building’s spire lighting: Although architect William Van Alen’s original plans called for such a scheme, they were never installed and ultimately forgotten for decades. It wasn’t until the late 70’s, as lore and legend have it, that the actual plans were rediscovered in a closet. The owner, quite inexplicibly since the rest of the building was left to decay and neglect, had it manufactured and installed and in 1981 the spire crown lights (DecoTubeStuds?) were lit for the very first time.
‘Nuf said – back to the Chicago…
To Users of the Ridgewood Theater Page:
The last hundred or so posts to this page reveal a disturbing fact: not only is mention of the Ridgewood Theater mostly absent from them, but also, mean-spirited personal attacks seem to be on the increase.
SOME OF YOU FAIL TO REALIZE THAT PEOPLE OF LIKE INTEREST FROM MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ACCESS THIS SITE.
Your use of it as a personal blogging or chat room site in spite of being asked not to use it as such only displays a blatant disregard of the many of us who are genuinely interested in the history of this theater.
Some of you are even using other theater pages on this site to foster the same lowbrow antics.
If you have an issue with another member of this site, take it to them personally via email: the rest of us aren’t interested in your vendettas.
We can only hope that time will usher you swiftly along and hurtle you in the not to distant future across that fine line that delineates immaturity from maturity.
It is at once disturbing to have to write a post such as this-
Even more so, to have to read a post such as this.
But, most disturbing of all, and with dread anticipation, will be the moronic replies all will be subjected to because of a post such as this.
Does this penetrate your conciousness even a wee bit?
LIFE’S TOO SHORT!
From what I remember as a kid-in-tow-by-mommie at the Jamaica Valencia, the stars and clouds were fired up, twinkled, and floated across that marvelous plaster firmament from the morning opening of the house ‘till the late show closing curtain.
Check out www.loewsjersey.org for the weekend of the March 10th. Rebel Without A Cause, East Of Eden, Bad day At Black Rock – CinemaScopE on a 50' screen, a Loeweeeeeeeeee’s Wonder Theater – Spence, Dean. Pinch me – I must be dreaming – Hello Central, Give Me Heaven!
I haven’t been to RCMH in many years, but went to the “Splendor” show this February. The auditorium was painted in a pale beigh color which didn’t seem right. Was I hallucinating on it’s original color which was gold, or was pale beigh it’s original color?
…and how many times the cup would get stuck and you just stood there and watched everything go down the drain. A great Lesson Of Life there. A lesson that didn’t sink in ‘till years later!
I suppose the status of the theater should now be changed to: DEMOLISHED.
Ah, Commodore, poor Commodore…
Bway, the link above is: posted by custer on Oct 6, 2006 at 10:28pm It is a flickr slide show. The first photo looks like the inside of the auditorium. On Google Earth, the stage area is right on the point where the organ chamber is, but there is no stage house only an odd roof appendage. It seems like this theater was not designed for vaudville or any type of stage presentation. Maybe that’s why Anniegirl had to use the side stairs to collect her prizes! Boy, Broadway in the fifties was A Different Place, eh?!
The organ is listed as a 3/8 Kimball installed in 1921. This fits the 1920 completion of the theater. But there seems to be no room up there for 8 ranks of pipes with chests, wind lines, etc. especially with the traps sitting up front. At least not that is visible. And the corner is small for a stage, unless it was placed like the Roxy to take advantage of the site. But still, it doesn’t seem like part of the organ would have been installed so far back if this was the stage area.
But anything’s possible, I suppose.
Anybody have a pic of the auditorium? There’s one listed in one of the posts above, but it’s very dark. I could try some fixing of a pic if I could get a copy. (The one above is not copiable)
Oh, I see from previous posts it was a Kimball organ- a kissin' cousin to the Roxy’s. Anyone remember hearing it?
It’s certainly odd to see the organ out there right in the open. It looks like it was over the proscenium, but I could be wrong. From the looks of those big mitered diaphones, it must have had a lot of water damage over the years. You can see the toy counter (or what’s left of it) right in front. The bass drum is there and a harp or chrysoglot to the left of it.
This may have been a side chamber with another opposite it on the opposing wall. Anybody know what type of instrument was there. Better yet, does anybody remember hearing it played??
If I feel ambitious, I will take the J train to New York from the Marcy Avenue station. It’s right in front of the theater.
When I passed by the other day, it looked like the whole roof had fallen in, but with all the scafolding about the building, one could only get a fleeting look from the car.
Passed by it yesterday. It’s gone atmospheric. But the clouds and starts are real. An ignominious end. Alas.
I can’t find a way to convincingly tie this into the current thread, and so request your kind indulgence in this small clarification of sam_e’s mention of the Chrysler Building’s spire lighting: Although architect William Van Alen’s original plans called for such a scheme, they were never installed and ultimately forgotten for decades. It wasn’t until the late 70’s, as lore and legend have it, that the actual plans were rediscovered in a closet. The owner, quite inexplicibly since the rest of the building was left to decay and neglect, had it manufactured and installed and in 1981 the spire crown lights (DecoTubeStuds?) were lit for the very first time.
‘Nuf said – back to the Chicago…
To Users of the Ridgewood Theater Page:
The last hundred or so posts to this page reveal a disturbing fact: not only is mention of the Ridgewood Theater mostly absent from them, but also, mean-spirited personal attacks seem to be on the increase.
SOME OF YOU FAIL TO REALIZE THAT PEOPLE OF LIKE INTEREST FROM MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD ACCESS THIS SITE.
Your use of it as a personal blogging or chat room site in spite of being asked not to use it as such only displays a blatant disregard of the many of us who are genuinely interested in the history of this theater.
Some of you are even using other theater pages on this site to foster the same lowbrow antics.
If you have an issue with another member of this site, take it to them personally via email: the rest of us aren’t interested in your vendettas.
We can only hope that time will usher you swiftly along and hurtle you in the not to distant future across that fine line that delineates immaturity from maturity.
It is at once disturbing to have to write a post such as this-
Even more so, to have to read a post such as this.
But, most disturbing of all, and with dread anticipation, will be the moronic replies all will be subjected to because of a post such as this.
Does this penetrate your conciousness even a wee bit?
Some interesting interior photos can be viewed here:
View link
LIFE’S TOO SHORT!
From what I remember as a kid-in-tow-by-mommie at the Jamaica Valencia, the stars and clouds were fired up, twinkled, and floated across that marvelous plaster firmament from the morning opening of the house ‘till the late show closing curtain.
Check out www.loewsjersey.org for the weekend of the March 10th. Rebel Without A Cause, East Of Eden, Bad day At Black Rock – CinemaScopE on a 50' screen, a Loeweeeeeeeeee’s Wonder Theater – Spence, Dean. Pinch me – I must be dreaming – Hello Central, Give Me Heaven!