Indeed. On my most recent visit to the theatre (before the blackout), a little old lady was taken aback when she was told that the refreshment stand does not sell coffee. But, for her sake, I’m awfully glad that they don’t!
For years I performed with “The Christmas Revels” at Symphony Space, both before and after its make-over (indeed in my “Who’s Who” for other shows, I had proudly stated “He has performed at the Symphony Theatre on Broadway”!). I liked the old Symphony Space and all its charm, as well as the surrounding neighborhood. In my last years there, the whole place had taken on a kind of sterility.
Sorry for not posting sooner. A day or so after my last post, I walked over to the theatre itself. They told me that they had a power failure that weekend, and that’s why they were closed.
Updating my post above: this morning I tried calling the theatre again, and let it ring another solid three minutes, when in desparation, I called her sister theatre, the Roosevelt Raceway Cinema. The young punk who answered, definitely a high-schooler, apatheticly replied “I dunno. I haven’t been there>” You would have thought the closing of the co-owned Field theatre would have been the water-cooler…or rather popcorn-popper…gossip of the day! Your comments and info of the fate of the RF theatre would be most appreciated.
Last night, I passed by the Roosevelt Field theatre and it was completely dark. When I got home, and just now, I phoned the theatre and let it ring a solid three minutes. Anyone knows what’s going on there?
I never went to the Mini Cine myself, but I do remember looking every week in Newsday for the listings for this theatre, a sample below:
Mini-Cine: Top Hat Fri. Sat. 8
I remember how that single listing just stood out among the multi-listings of the multi-plexes, and how I said to myself “One day, I will go!” Sadly, one day never came for me….
The Newman Theatre witnessed the world premiere in 1920 of cartoons drawn by young starving artist named…..Walt Disney. The then 18/19-year old Disney drew advertising cartoons for that theatre’s “Newman’s Laugh-O-Grams”.
Updating my comments from Sep 28, 2005, this past week I went to the Silent Movie Theatre for the first time since Larry Austin’s sad demise. The ticket taker, soda seller, and rah-rah girl for the evening was a young lady named Mo, who bears a striking resemblence to Natalie Portman (and yes, she tells me she gets that all the time). The people who own the theatre now, called the Cinefamily, run it as a sort of mix of the old with a dash of Melrose chic. The silents are now shown only on Wednesdays, but are hewed to a monthly theme. But best of all, Bob Mitchell, who must be close to 100, God bless him, still plays the organ at the theatre now and then. And shame on you ken mc and Lost Memory for your cavalier attitudes on silent movies. Without them, we wouldn’t have the movies as we know them today!
Went by it just yesterday. Sheets of white paper now cover up the doors and windows, making it impossible to see from the outside. This year incidentally, marks Westbury’s 75th anniversary as an incorporated village, as well as The Westbury Times' centenial anniversary.
Went to 711 7th Avenue just yesterday. It is now the Sage Theater, an off-off Broadway venue and rental house. The marquee is still there, but it has been given over to advertising, with a small SAGE THEATER sign flashing from on top. For more information, please go to www.sagetheater.us
I would advise all of you NOT to phone the number that Nova posted. I tried it myself today, and was greeted by a very gruff “HELLO”. The man treated my interest in the Westbury theatre building with suspicion. He wanted to know why I was so interested. I told him that the building had just stood vacant for many years, that I hoped something good was coming out of it, and that I hoped it would be a theatre again. He replied “yeah, something’s good coming out of it, but what, we don’t know”. I simply said “keep up the good work”, and that was that. Only time will tell what happens next.
Indeed, RobertR. Where I live, I can buy the print edition of the Times, but if I don’t see any news about the theatre on the front page, I pass it by. Getting back to the subject at hand, does anybody out there know what is happening to the theatre building proper?
I was riding past the theatre the other day, when the cab driver told me “Y'know, dey’re restorin' it”. Too shock to hear the rest of what he was saying, I decided to investigate the next day. Sure enough, through the soapy glass doors, one could see that the lobby has been torn out, replaced by wooden support beams, while sawdust and a ladder were on the floor. Around the corner stood two dumpsters filled to the rim. I have no idea if the theatre is being restored, or if the building is being converted for other uses. Anyone out there with any news???
I only wish they would put back the “hoardings” (as billboards are called in England) on the London Pavillion. The big Wrigley sign on the Pavillion was as much a Piccadilly Circus landmark as the giant Coca-Cola sign was across the street. Picture postcards from London still show the old Piccadilly Circus in all her night time neon glory! (The Pavillion is forever playing “Tom Jones” on them!)
To Keith: All four of the Beatles' feature pictures had their world premieres at the London Pavilion, with the Beatles in attendance at all of them, except “Let It Be”, despite the crowds that thronged there awaiting their arrival.
For many years I attended the Cinecon convention held during the Labor Day weekend in Hollywood. Almost at once, it became a ritual to head to California from New York the night before the convention started to take in the Wednesday night show at the Silent Movie. Sometimes the late Larry Austin would be at the ticket window welcoming patrons, other times he would be in the lobby chatting ambily among the regulars and first timers. Then the show would begin. The organist would start playing “Pomp and Circumstance”, while Larry, well-dressed and head held high, would descend down the aisle to introduce the picture. Sometimes I would see my fellow conventioneers in the audience for either Wednesday’s or Monday’s show, some of them “bookending” the convention with trips to the Silent Movie. I stopped going to Cinecon after it became too pricey for me around the same time Larry was murdered. I haven’t been to California since, but hopefully the next time I go (I do have family out there), I plan to see what the Silent Movie is like today.
Another sad day in Westbury: Tear and Gershon, a staionery/candy store that stood across the street from the Westbury Theatre for over 50 years, and where a reporter in the audience of the infamous cough drop caper went to phone the story in (they didn’t have cells back then) has shuttered and closed.
Indeed. On my most recent visit to the theatre (before the blackout), a little old lady was taken aback when she was told that the refreshment stand does not sell coffee. But, for her sake, I’m awfully glad that they don’t!
For years I performed with “The Christmas Revels” at Symphony Space, both before and after its make-over (indeed in my “Who’s Who” for other shows, I had proudly stated “He has performed at the Symphony Theatre on Broadway”!). I liked the old Symphony Space and all its charm, as well as the surrounding neighborhood. In my last years there, the whole place had taken on a kind of sterility.
Sorry for not posting sooner. A day or so after my last post, I walked over to the theatre itself. They told me that they had a power failure that weekend, and that’s why they were closed.
Updating my post above: this morning I tried calling the theatre again, and let it ring another solid three minutes, when in desparation, I called her sister theatre, the Roosevelt Raceway Cinema. The young punk who answered, definitely a high-schooler, apatheticly replied “I dunno. I haven’t been there>” You would have thought the closing of the co-owned Field theatre would have been the water-cooler…or rather popcorn-popper…gossip of the day! Your comments and info of the fate of the RF theatre would be most appreciated.
Last night, I passed by the Roosevelt Field theatre and it was completely dark. When I got home, and just now, I phoned the theatre and let it ring a solid three minutes. Anyone knows what’s going on there?
Here’s an update of the ongoing Westbury Theatre saga from the Westbury Times:
View link
I never went to the Mini Cine myself, but I do remember looking every week in Newsday for the listings for this theatre, a sample below:
Mini-Cine: Top Hat Fri. Sat. 8
I remember how that single listing just stood out among the multi-listings of the multi-plexes, and how I said to myself “One day, I will go!” Sadly, one day never came for me….
Here is a link to the type of Wurlitzer organ used at the Fifth Avenue Theatre:
View link
Note how the site errouneously lists the Fifth Avenue Theatre as having been on….Fifth Avenue!
The Newman Theatre witnessed the world premiere in 1920 of cartoons drawn by young starving artist named…..Walt Disney. The then 18/19-year old Disney drew advertising cartoons for that theatre’s “Newman’s Laugh-O-Grams”.
Here’s the Westbury Times' take on the situation:
View link
I’m very happy to hear that things are finally looking up for the Westbury Theatre. Sadly however, I moved out of Westbury nearly a year ago!
My apologies, gents. But how did you two find out so fast? I’ve looked everywhere for a “Inform me when others mention my name” option on this site!
Updating my comments from Sep 28, 2005, this past week I went to the Silent Movie Theatre for the first time since Larry Austin’s sad demise. The ticket taker, soda seller, and rah-rah girl for the evening was a young lady named Mo, who bears a striking resemblence to Natalie Portman (and yes, she tells me she gets that all the time). The people who own the theatre now, called the Cinefamily, run it as a sort of mix of the old with a dash of Melrose chic. The silents are now shown only on Wednesdays, but are hewed to a monthly theme. But best of all, Bob Mitchell, who must be close to 100, God bless him, still plays the organ at the theatre now and then. And shame on you ken mc and Lost Memory for your cavalier attitudes on silent movies. Without them, we wouldn’t have the movies as we know them today!
Went by it just yesterday. Sheets of white paper now cover up the doors and windows, making it impossible to see from the outside. This year incidentally, marks Westbury’s 75th anniversary as an incorporated village, as well as The Westbury Times' centenial anniversary.
Went to 711 7th Avenue just yesterday. It is now the Sage Theater, an off-off Broadway venue and rental house. The marquee is still there, but it has been given over to advertising, with a small SAGE THEATER sign flashing from on top. For more information, please go to www.sagetheater.us
Just got back from Cinecon in Hollywood. It’s STILL standing there dark and empty!
To Jodar: Yes.
I would advise all of you NOT to phone the number that Nova posted. I tried it myself today, and was greeted by a very gruff “HELLO”. The man treated my interest in the Westbury theatre building with suspicion. He wanted to know why I was so interested. I told him that the building had just stood vacant for many years, that I hoped something good was coming out of it, and that I hoped it would be a theatre again. He replied “yeah, something’s good coming out of it, but what, we don’t know”. I simply said “keep up the good work”, and that was that. Only time will tell what happens next.
Indeed, RobertR. Where I live, I can buy the print edition of the Times, but if I don’t see any news about the theatre on the front page, I pass it by. Getting back to the subject at hand, does anybody out there know what is happening to the theatre building proper?
I was riding past the theatre the other day, when the cab driver told me “Y'know, dey’re restorin' it”. Too shock to hear the rest of what he was saying, I decided to investigate the next day. Sure enough, through the soapy glass doors, one could see that the lobby has been torn out, replaced by wooden support beams, while sawdust and a ladder were on the floor. Around the corner stood two dumpsters filled to the rim. I have no idea if the theatre is being restored, or if the building is being converted for other uses. Anyone out there with any news???
I only wish they would put back the “hoardings” (as billboards are called in England) on the London Pavillion. The big Wrigley sign on the Pavillion was as much a Piccadilly Circus landmark as the giant Coca-Cola sign was across the street. Picture postcards from London still show the old Piccadilly Circus in all her night time neon glory! (The Pavillion is forever playing “Tom Jones” on them!)
To Keith: All four of the Beatles' feature pictures had their world premieres at the London Pavilion, with the Beatles in attendance at all of them, except “Let It Be”, despite the crowds that thronged there awaiting their arrival.
For many years I attended the Cinecon convention held during the Labor Day weekend in Hollywood. Almost at once, it became a ritual to head to California from New York the night before the convention started to take in the Wednesday night show at the Silent Movie. Sometimes the late Larry Austin would be at the ticket window welcoming patrons, other times he would be in the lobby chatting ambily among the regulars and first timers. Then the show would begin. The organist would start playing “Pomp and Circumstance”, while Larry, well-dressed and head held high, would descend down the aisle to introduce the picture. Sometimes I would see my fellow conventioneers in the audience for either Wednesday’s or Monday’s show, some of them “bookending” the convention with trips to the Silent Movie. I stopped going to Cinecon after it became too pricey for me around the same time Larry was murdered. I haven’t been to California since, but hopefully the next time I go (I do have family out there), I plan to see what the Silent Movie is like today.
Sorry to say, nothing has changed since my March 7th post.
Another sad day in Westbury: Tear and Gershon, a staionery/candy store that stood across the street from the Westbury Theatre for over 50 years, and where a reporter in the audience of the infamous cough drop caper went to phone the story in (they didn’t have cells back then) has shuttered and closed.