Theaterat
Believe it or not, I thought of you when I read that story of the Flying Phone. I’m sorry to say it, but the more he shows his face, the less respect I have for him. Eventhough I want to see Cinderella Man just for the performance, he’s really making it difficult for me to be in his corner so to speak
I remember I saw Gladiator on a whim and came out stunned. He just killed me. I was a fan from then on. I don’t know how he does it. I wish there were more like him, at least in an acting sense. It’s amazing to see the physical transformations from character to character. The choices are just great to watch.
Hahaha, Rat, That’s a rant that rings so true. And that’s the business I actually crave to be in! I always swore that if I made it, I’d try my hardest to bring back some modicum of class to Hollywood. It will be tough though with the likes of Vin “Did I mention I was a bouncer in New York?” Diesel and Sandra “They threw a whole lot of chash my way to make a sequel nobody asked for” Bullock. And by the way, it’s more like ten bucks. And I loved Master and Commander. The guy may be an arrogant sob, but he certainly can act.
“I guess, almost needless to say, the owners of the Loew’s Oriental or Marshall’s just didn’t care much about the uniqueness of the space they were working with. ”
I think you’re right. And what a true shame it is. I just can’t believe the complete disregard for living history. I still wish I could just get someone there to tell me if there is or isn’t anything left. I know I’m obsessing but it seems such a crime to have it all gone for nothing but a B-list department store.
I just re-read this entire conversation and a few things are apparent, I really should proof before posting, more than one of us have encountered the Eastern Bloc Of The Oriental, and we’d all love to know what’s left of the old girl. I’m glad to see the spirit still alive…
I hope so. It still gets to me every time I see it. Every time I see anything related to old theatres I think of the Oriental. The gym I go to in Bay Ridge is an old theatre. The main room still makes use of the top of the screen frame, the Teaser? I still can’t believe that all those years the old dressing rooms and stage set up were still in tact. Why didn’t I think of getting a job there when I was a kid?
Theatre rat,
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one. al I asked her wss if any of the old architecture was preserved. She looked at me as if I just gave her the flesh-eating bacteria. “No! All gone. All of it”! was her reply. In an almost spiteful tone I might add. I still want to try again and see if there’s anything left. I was just by there today and was thinking that there must be something up there. It’s like five stories of empty space. Hmmm…
Ravenhall,
I don’t remember Karelle Drugs. When was that? When I was active at the Oriental, in the late 70’s and 80’s, there was a candy store on the most immediate corner and a luncheonette on the left of the theatre. I think that became a furniture store of some sort later on.
Theatrerat: I had to read your post several times because it painted such a vivid picture in my mind. Funny thing is, I just finished a book about staging plays(I’m an actor) and thought I really didn’t need to know things about the ropes and pulleys and belaying pins. Then I read your story and the irony slapped me silly. I whis I had known that me favorite place to spend the day was so full of rich detail and history.
Back in December, I went there and tried to speak with a manager of the store that occupies the space. I wanted to know if they preserved any of the theatre. She was very rude and her thick Russian accent didn’t help much either. What I got from her in a dismissive way was that everything was torn out during the conversion. I was so saddened by that since the department store is only one floor. I had hoped they had the presence of mind to preserve something more than the marble staircases. I’m even more saddened by the realization that every detail you described is also no longer there as well. There ought to be a law…
Yes, Theatrerat, please continue with your recollections. They are bringing back many warm and fond memories. I remeber those stairs going to the upper balcony. When it was a duplex, us kids were never alloewd up there. I don’t remember why…
In my moments of obsessive insanity I’m thinking I’m going to attempt to do what br91975 suggests. I’m just dying to know what is left of our old girl. Perhaps just after the holiday season when things calm down in the retail world a bit. Man, if I ever get to become a Hollywood actor I think I’m gonna buy her and and bring her back. Just a thought anyways…
I would love to go in there and ask to look around upstairs. I doubt they would let me. Maybe we can get a bunch of us together and see if we can pull it off.
Does anyone remember the chandelier up stairs? I always wondered what they did with it after they made it a triplex.
Wow. I thought I was the only one who cared. I grew up on Bay 19 between Cropsey and Shore in the 70’s and 80’s. My grandparents and father lived there since 1948. Hey Fred, maybe you knew them! This theatre was a palace to me. I saw Star Wars there 58 times! It tears my heart out every time I think about it.
A few years back I asked a Marshall’s guard what happened to the rest of the theatre since it’s only a one-floor store. He said it was all still up there. Do you guys know how many times I’ve thought of trying to gain access to that? I’d love to see what happend to the rest of it. I took my future wife to our first movie there 20 years ago. Back To The Future, but the way. I still have dreams about that place. I’m glad there are some people who still remember.
Theaterat
Believe it or not, I thought of you when I read that story of the Flying Phone. I’m sorry to say it, but the more he shows his face, the less respect I have for him. Eventhough I want to see Cinderella Man just for the performance, he’s really making it difficult for me to be in his corner so to speak
I remember I saw Gladiator on a whim and came out stunned. He just killed me. I was a fan from then on. I don’t know how he does it. I wish there were more like him, at least in an acting sense. It’s amazing to see the physical transformations from character to character. The choices are just great to watch.
Hahaha, Rat, That’s a rant that rings so true. And that’s the business I actually crave to be in! I always swore that if I made it, I’d try my hardest to bring back some modicum of class to Hollywood. It will be tough though with the likes of Vin “Did I mention I was a bouncer in New York?” Diesel and Sandra “They threw a whole lot of chash my way to make a sequel nobody asked for” Bullock. And by the way, it’s more like ten bucks. And I loved Master and Commander. The guy may be an arrogant sob, but he certainly can act.
…And I don’t remeber a single one of those pictures, you?
“I guess, almost needless to say, the owners of the Loew’s Oriental or Marshall’s just didn’t care much about the uniqueness of the space they were working with. ”
I think you’re right. And what a true shame it is. I just can’t believe the complete disregard for living history. I still wish I could just get someone there to tell me if there is or isn’t anything left. I know I’m obsessing but it seems such a crime to have it all gone for nothing but a B-list department store.
I just re-read this entire conversation and a few things are apparent, I really should proof before posting, more than one of us have encountered the Eastern Bloc Of The Oriental, and we’d all love to know what’s left of the old girl. I’m glad to see the spirit still alive…
I hope so. It still gets to me every time I see it. Every time I see anything related to old theatres I think of the Oriental. The gym I go to in Bay Ridge is an old theatre. The main room still makes use of the top of the screen frame, the Teaser? I still can’t believe that all those years the old dressing rooms and stage set up were still in tact. Why didn’t I think of getting a job there when I was a kid?
Theatre rat,
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one. al I asked her wss if any of the old architecture was preserved. She looked at me as if I just gave her the flesh-eating bacteria. “No! All gone. All of it”! was her reply. In an almost spiteful tone I might add. I still want to try again and see if there’s anything left. I was just by there today and was thinking that there must be something up there. It’s like five stories of empty space. Hmmm…
Ravenhall,
I don’t remember Karelle Drugs. When was that? When I was active at the Oriental, in the late 70’s and 80’s, there was a candy store on the most immediate corner and a luncheonette on the left of the theatre. I think that became a furniture store of some sort later on.
Ahem…please ignore the glaring spelling errors. I forgot to proof…
Theatrerat: I had to read your post several times because it painted such a vivid picture in my mind. Funny thing is, I just finished a book about staging plays(I’m an actor) and thought I really didn’t need to know things about the ropes and pulleys and belaying pins. Then I read your story and the irony slapped me silly. I whis I had known that me favorite place to spend the day was so full of rich detail and history.
Back in December, I went there and tried to speak with a manager of the store that occupies the space. I wanted to know if they preserved any of the theatre. She was very rude and her thick Russian accent didn’t help much either. What I got from her in a dismissive way was that everything was torn out during the conversion. I was so saddened by that since the department store is only one floor. I had hoped they had the presence of mind to preserve something more than the marble staircases. I’m even more saddened by the realization that every detail you described is also no longer there as well. There ought to be a law…
Yes, Theatrerat, please continue with your recollections. They are bringing back many warm and fond memories. I remeber those stairs going to the upper balcony. When it was a duplex, us kids were never alloewd up there. I don’t remember why…
and I’d love to hear more about the tour.
In my moments of obsessive insanity I’m thinking I’m going to attempt to do what br91975 suggests. I’m just dying to know what is left of our old girl. Perhaps just after the holiday season when things calm down in the retail world a bit. Man, if I ever get to become a Hollywood actor I think I’m gonna buy her and and bring her back. Just a thought anyways…
I would love to go in there and ask to look around upstairs. I doubt they would let me. Maybe we can get a bunch of us together and see if we can pull it off.
Does anyone remember the chandelier up stairs? I always wondered what they did with it after they made it a triplex.
Wow. I thought I was the only one who cared. I grew up on Bay 19 between Cropsey and Shore in the 70’s and 80’s. My grandparents and father lived there since 1948. Hey Fred, maybe you knew them! This theatre was a palace to me. I saw Star Wars there 58 times! It tears my heart out every time I think about it.
A few years back I asked a Marshall’s guard what happened to the rest of the theatre since it’s only a one-floor store. He said it was all still up there. Do you guys know how many times I’ve thought of trying to gain access to that? I’d love to see what happend to the rest of it. I took my future wife to our first movie there 20 years ago. Back To The Future, but the way. I still have dreams about that place. I’m glad there are some people who still remember.