jdicarlo, you got it backwards. Sesame Street shot from 1969 to 1983 at Reeves/Teletape’s 81st Street Studio. When the 81st Street Studio was sold to developers in 1983, R/T moved the production to this studio, CBS' former Studio 58. They called it Studio 55 because it was at the corner of 55th Street and Ninth Ave. Sesame Street subsequently moved to the Kaufman-Astoria Studios in 1988. I was employed at both studios (81st Street and 55th Street) at various times through the 80’s and 90’s when I worked for R/T and later Unitel Video. Unitel took over operation of Studio 55 in 1987 until they too went out of business in 1998.
Growing up, I lived in the neighborhood of the Toco Hills Theatre and remember its construction. It was built at one end of the Toco Hills Shopping Center, a strip mall, in 1964. Toco Hills was expanding at the time and an extension to the single line of stores, fronted by acres of suburban parking, was crowned with the construction of the theatre. Further additions to the strip were added around the theatre in later years, as I recall.
The last time I was there in 2000, the area looked more developed but also sadly desolate.
I worked at the Rhodes Theatre in 1971 as a concession operator. I recall the revival of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”, first shown using a 35mm optical sound print. About a week later, the theatre got a 70mm magnetic sound print. The difference was striking. The Rhodes was one of only a few movie houses in Atlanta at the time that was equipped with 70mm projection and multi-channel sound. The projection in 1971 was as you’d expect: all manual. 10-minute reels were spliced together to form 2 or more longer reels. The projectionist would perform a single synchronized switch between the two projectors every 50 to 60 minutes. I had the privilege of doing a switch once with the projectionist present. As a young fellow at the time, it was quite a thrill; one that no one can experience anymore.
jdicarlo, you got it backwards. Sesame Street shot from 1969 to 1983 at Reeves/Teletape’s 81st Street Studio. When the 81st Street Studio was sold to developers in 1983, R/T moved the production to this studio, CBS' former Studio 58. They called it Studio 55 because it was at the corner of 55th Street and Ninth Ave. Sesame Street subsequently moved to the Kaufman-Astoria Studios in 1988. I was employed at both studios (81st Street and 55th Street) at various times through the 80’s and 90’s when I worked for R/T and later Unitel Video. Unitel took over operation of Studio 55 in 1987 until they too went out of business in 1998.
Please post internet sites of these photos if available! I’d love to see the theatre again.
Growing up, I lived in the neighborhood of the Toco Hills Theatre and remember its construction. It was built at one end of the Toco Hills Shopping Center, a strip mall, in 1964. Toco Hills was expanding at the time and an extension to the single line of stores, fronted by acres of suburban parking, was crowned with the construction of the theatre. Further additions to the strip were added around the theatre in later years, as I recall.
The last time I was there in 2000, the area looked more developed but also sadly desolate.
I worked at the Rhodes Theatre in 1971 as a concession operator. I recall the revival of Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”, first shown using a 35mm optical sound print. About a week later, the theatre got a 70mm magnetic sound print. The difference was striking. The Rhodes was one of only a few movie houses in Atlanta at the time that was equipped with 70mm projection and multi-channel sound. The projection in 1971 was as you’d expect: all manual. 10-minute reels were spliced together to form 2 or more longer reels. The projectionist would perform a single synchronized switch between the two projectors every 50 to 60 minutes. I had the privilege of doing a switch once with the projectionist present. As a young fellow at the time, it was quite a thrill; one that no one can experience anymore.