Hey Simon: I was just a little boy when “A Tree Grows” played at the Roxy. I started working there in 1953 on the last day of Peter Pan. Then the Roxyettes were on ice skates. This is not to say when “A Tree Grows” played the Roxy the girls were not on roller skates.
If Ethel Merman sold tickets in the morning on the opening day of “No Biz Like Show Biz,” I never heard about it. That was the kind of stuff locker room gossip was made of. But I was working “Permanent Closing.” However, Johnny Ray did show up drunk in the evening.
Saltzman—-re: 7-26-11
I was an usher from summer 1953 (Peter Pan) to summer 1955 (can’t remember the film, I wasn’t inside much). The idea of a reunion sounds great, but as Cloris Leachman said in an episode of Two & A Half Men, “Hurry up. I’m not getting any younger.”
Barb,
I knew your father. He was sort of like an inspiration to us ushers because he worked his way up from a uniform to a tux. That and because he was closer to our ages than any of the other managers and he was a good guy to work for. I am sorry to hear about your dad’s death.
I’ve been racking my brain to see if I can recall seening you and your mom. You mentioned the brass doors where you most likely entered. I sometimes worked the exec elevator. And Prince Valiant. Every now and then it shows up on TCM. I loved the final sequence with the “Singing Sword.” I was gone by the time Windjammer played. I can appreciate the imagery of you and your brother alone in the balcony. There were 2000+ seats up there.
Thanks for the memories!
Housechecker
Barb,
I knew your father. He was sort of like an inspiration to us ushers because he worked his way up from a uniform to a tux. That and because he was closer to our ages than any of the other managers and he was a good guy to work for. I am sorry to hear about your dad’s death.
I’ve been racking my brain to see if I can recall seening you and your mom. You mentioned the brass doors where you most likely entered. I sometimes worked the exec elevator. And Prince Valiant. Every now and then it shows up on TCM. I loved the final sequence with the “Singing Sword.” I was gone by the time Windjammer played. I can appreciate the imagery of you and your brother alone in the balcony. There were 2000+ seats up there.
Thanks for the memories!
Housechecker
Richka: See my posting 12/25/08. Besides Mr. Levy, there is one other person whose path may have crossed ours. I think his name was “Bernie.” He was the captain of the concession stand when I got there. While I forget his name exactly, there are two things I remember about him: 1. He was tall; I was about 5'10" and growing; 2. He was a senior at Cardinal Hayes HS, I was a sophmore. Do you remember Mr. Moclair? After the Roxy closed he went to work for a theater in Philly. I visited him there once when I was in that town for a track meet (as a spectator). I’ve forgotten most of the guys I worked with on permanent closing except for Don Poland and a guy named “Angie” whose surname was Angiotti (I think).
Housechecker.
To Luckypuck and Richka:
I missed you both. I started as an usher in 1953 and left in 1955. I’m happy that someone from “the day” is still alive.
Housechecker
AldoCP. I too worked the Roxy as an usher 1953-1955. See my posting 12/25/08. Glad to know someone other than myself is still alive and online.
I believe the person who signed off as “Roxy Rothafel” 3/10/08 is a fraud. Once I fell asleep in the owner’s box. Don Poland came within the blink of an eye to firing me for that. If the alleged “Roxy” he can identify the location of the owner’s box and the means of getting there in a few words.
I found this site 6 hours ago. First, I wrote a long piece starting with “Today is Christmas 2008. I know where I was Christmas 1953. I was a 16 year old usher working in the Roxy. I got kicked out twice before getting logged on. I started with "Peter Pan” (its last day). Next came “Pick Up On South Street.” I stayed until “The Left Hand of God.” I thank Roxydon for reminding me of all those people I worked with. However Don’s name was “Poland” not “Pollack.” Don Poland was the captain of the permanent closing shift which I joined in the winter of 1953 because I could have Sundays and Mondays off. By 1955 I had grown into a pretty cushy job. I seem to have gotten all the special assignments such as running the mimograph machine for schedules, going to the Stage Deli or the Taft for the guys in the keno booth and the managers, running the staff elevator and, best of all, housechecking. Hence my name “Housechecker.”
Hey Simon: I was just a little boy when “A Tree Grows” played at the Roxy. I started working there in 1953 on the last day of Peter Pan. Then the Roxyettes were on ice skates. This is not to say when “A Tree Grows” played the Roxy the girls were not on roller skates.
If Ethel Merman sold tickets in the morning on the opening day of “No Biz Like Show Biz,” I never heard about it. That was the kind of stuff locker room gossip was made of. But I was working “Permanent Closing.” However, Johnny Ray did show up drunk in the evening.
Saltzman—-re: 7-26-11 I was an usher from summer 1953 (Peter Pan) to summer 1955 (can’t remember the film, I wasn’t inside much). The idea of a reunion sounds great, but as Cloris Leachman said in an episode of Two & A Half Men, “Hurry up. I’m not getting any younger.”
Barb,
I knew your father. He was sort of like an inspiration to us ushers because he worked his way up from a uniform to a tux. That and because he was closer to our ages than any of the other managers and he was a good guy to work for. I am sorry to hear about your dad’s death.
I’ve been racking my brain to see if I can recall seening you and your mom. You mentioned the brass doors where you most likely entered. I sometimes worked the exec elevator. And Prince Valiant. Every now and then it shows up on TCM. I loved the final sequence with the “Singing Sword.” I was gone by the time Windjammer played. I can appreciate the imagery of you and your brother alone in the balcony. There were 2000+ seats up there.
Thanks for the memories!
Housechecker
Barb,
I knew your father. He was sort of like an inspiration to us ushers because he worked his way up from a uniform to a tux. That and because he was closer to our ages than any of the other managers and he was a good guy to work for. I am sorry to hear about your dad’s death.
I’ve been racking my brain to see if I can recall seening you and your mom. You mentioned the brass doors where you most likely entered. I sometimes worked the exec elevator. And Prince Valiant. Every now and then it shows up on TCM. I loved the final sequence with the “Singing Sword.” I was gone by the time Windjammer played. I can appreciate the imagery of you and your brother alone in the balcony. There were 2000+ seats up there.
Thanks for the memories!
Housechecker
Richka: See my posting 12/25/08. Besides Mr. Levy, there is one other person whose path may have crossed ours. I think his name was “Bernie.” He was the captain of the concession stand when I got there. While I forget his name exactly, there are two things I remember about him: 1. He was tall; I was about 5'10" and growing; 2. He was a senior at Cardinal Hayes HS, I was a sophmore. Do you remember Mr. Moclair? After the Roxy closed he went to work for a theater in Philly. I visited him there once when I was in that town for a track meet (as a spectator). I’ve forgotten most of the guys I worked with on permanent closing except for Don Poland and a guy named “Angie” whose surname was Angiotti (I think).
Housechecker.
To Luckypuck and Richka:
I missed you both. I started as an usher in 1953 and left in 1955. I’m happy that someone from “the day” is still alive.
Housechecker
AldoCP. I too worked the Roxy as an usher 1953-1955. See my posting 12/25/08. Glad to know someone other than myself is still alive and online.
I believe the person who signed off as “Roxy Rothafel” 3/10/08 is a fraud. Once I fell asleep in the owner’s box. Don Poland came within the blink of an eye to firing me for that. If the alleged “Roxy” he can identify the location of the owner’s box and the means of getting there in a few words.
Housechecker
I found this site 6 hours ago. First, I wrote a long piece starting with “Today is Christmas 2008. I know where I was Christmas 1953. I was a 16 year old usher working in the Roxy. I got kicked out twice before getting logged on. I started with "Peter Pan” (its last day). Next came “Pick Up On South Street.” I stayed until “The Left Hand of God.” I thank Roxydon for reminding me of all those people I worked with. However Don’s name was “Poland” not “Pollack.” Don Poland was the captain of the permanent closing shift which I joined in the winter of 1953 because I could have Sundays and Mondays off. By 1955 I had grown into a pretty cushy job. I seem to have gotten all the special assignments such as running the mimograph machine for schedules, going to the Stage Deli or the Taft for the guys in the keno booth and the managers, running the staff elevator and, best of all, housechecking. Hence my name “Housechecker.”
Housechecker
OK. Now let’s see if I can get in.
Housechecker