Yes it was a very big theater. I am not a historian but I think it was the second largest in the city behind Radio City Music Hall. The Roxy and the Paramount were smaller and I think the Wintergarden was also smaller. But I am not sure. The technology was not like today but the screen and sound were very big. I loved to walk into the air conditioned theaters of New York. They had a speacial pure and clean smell that said “here is New York” and we are different. A grand time in history has passed.
Thanks for that picture. It brings back old memories of my sitting in the upper left rear seat corner watching movies and big band shows over and over again. All this while my Grandfather worked the spot lights or changed and rewound reels of film for the movie. Sometimes he let me sit in the booth to watch them work. I never forgot that. For lunch we would go out to “Horn & Hardart” caffeteria. That was the greatest treat ever. Thanks for making me smile.
I am the Grandson of Michael Berkowitz who was one of the first projectionists at the Capitol Theater in New York City. I remember before and after WWII visiting the theater with my Grandfather and watching movies and the stageshows from the projection booth. He would also operate the spot lights for the performers. It was a grand time and I treasure it to this day. My Grandfather had patents on a wider screen aperture for the movie projector and had visited Louis B. Mayer in California for a position but sold his patents to him instead. His family was in New York and He chose to stay. My Grandfather was mentioned in a now lost text book as working alongside Thomas Edison. I was very proud of him as a school grader.
Yes it was a very big theater. I am not a historian but I think it was the second largest in the city behind Radio City Music Hall. The Roxy and the Paramount were smaller and I think the Wintergarden was also smaller. But I am not sure. The technology was not like today but the screen and sound were very big. I loved to walk into the air conditioned theaters of New York. They had a speacial pure and clean smell that said “here is New York” and we are different. A grand time in history has passed.
Thanks for that picture. It brings back old memories of my sitting in the upper left rear seat corner watching movies and big band shows over and over again. All this while my Grandfather worked the spot lights or changed and rewound reels of film for the movie. Sometimes he let me sit in the booth to watch them work. I never forgot that. For lunch we would go out to “Horn & Hardart” caffeteria. That was the greatest treat ever. Thanks for making me smile.
I am the Grandson of Michael Berkowitz who was one of the first projectionists at the Capitol Theater in New York City. I remember before and after WWII visiting the theater with my Grandfather and watching movies and the stageshows from the projection booth. He would also operate the spot lights for the performers. It was a grand time and I treasure it to this day. My Grandfather had patents on a wider screen aperture for the movie projector and had visited Louis B. Mayer in California for a position but sold his patents to him instead. His family was in New York and He chose to stay. My Grandfather was mentioned in a now lost text book as working alongside Thomas Edison. I was very proud of him as a school grader.
I just thought I would pass this information on.
Thanks for listening
Uncle Stevie
Thanks for readin
Uncle Stevie