Ruby Theatre

105-9 Rivington Street,
New York, NY 10002

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Astyanax
Astyanax on May 16, 2023 at 7:06 pm

It’s curious that this house had such a short lifespan of just about 15 years, in a neighborhood that was fanatic about finding escape from the grueling Great Depression. The Apollo & the Charles remained opened well into the 1960"s.

LouRugani
LouRugani on May 15, 2023 at 12:28 am

I always noticed the theatre as well in the opening segments of Bowery Boys pictures. I clipped the scene and posted it here today.

artpf
artpf on March 30, 2020 at 5:54 pm

Interestingly, this a pic of this theatre was used in the opening credits of a number of Bowery Boys films from the 50’s

Will Dunklin
Will Dunklin on February 25, 2014 at 6:52 am

The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company shipped a small pipe organ, their opus 1376, style B, II/4+percussions, to “Rivington Theatre, NY” in the summer of 1926. Since the Ruby is a small theatre, on Rivington Street, and the only theatre of 3 on the street listed on Cinema Treasures as opening in 1926, seems likely that that organ was installed in this theatre. It’s a just a guess though.

chspringer
chspringer on October 19, 2013 at 9:38 pm

I remember watching the Bowery Boys films at the Lyric theater in Cleveland when I was very young. I loved them then. Warner Archives now has 36 of the films available on 3 vols. and a 4th one coming. This will make all the Bowery films available on DVD. Well, how else should I spend my money?

JazzSinger
JazzSinger on November 19, 2012 at 1:21 pm

Was also drawn to this page based on seeing the stock footage used during the titles of the Bowery Boys' “Dig That Uranium” from 1955, as televised this morning on TCM. Given the passing bus in the foreground, and the comments made here, the shot was taken from the northeast corner of Essex and Rivington, facing west across Rivington toward Ludlow and beyond. The bus was part of the privately run Avenue B & East Broadway Bus Company, which may have had only one or two routes. Although the bus ran principally along Essex St./Avenue A, it was known in the neighborhood as the Avenue B bus, or simply the “red bus,” as this was its color to distinguish it from the city-operated green buses which evolved into the current MTA bus lines.I really don’t remember the theater, growing up in that neighborhood from the late 50’s through the mid-70’s. I do of course know the hotel referred to earlier in this thread, and I think the ground floor space was also for a number of years the site of the Ying Fong Chinese Restaurant, which later relocated to a storefront on Essex Street.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on January 25, 2011 at 3:27 pm

Geez,I missed the Movie again!!!

Astyanax
Astyanax on January 25, 2011 at 1:21 pm

Finally caught the opening scenes of this past Saturday’s Bowery Boys feature on TCM and saw the Ruby marquee. Any idea when that scene was shot? The 2nd Ave. elevated train is in the background. Somethings remain the same.The water tower belonging to University Settlement continues as part of the LES skyline.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on January 13, 2011 at 5:38 pm

thanks bbrown,I will try and catch the TCM Bowery Boys movies.

bbrown1
bbrown1 on December 16, 2010 at 8:06 pm

I see that I’m at least the 3rd person drawn to this listing by seeing the stock footage of the Ruby Theatre at the beginning of the Bowery Boys movies that are being telecast by TCM on Saturday mornings. Oddly enough, I saw some of these movies originally at a drive in theatre in rural Tennessee, where rereleases of Bowery Boys movies continued to be popular through the early to mid 60’s. It was always a treat when they would have a Bowery Boys triple feature over the weekend. Haven’t seen most of these movies since then. Seems ironic that a high rise boutique hotel is now located on the site that I now connect with the Bowery!

Rory
Rory on November 28, 2010 at 8:08 am

I can confirm what the above post just wrote about the Bowery Boys features which have been shown on TCM, in fact, that’s why I was looking up the Ruby theatre on this site. The Bowery boys were once the “Dead End Kids,” then the “East Side Kids.” Since the Ruby Theatre was on the East Side, I guess that’s why the stock footage was used. All those movies were of course shot in LA.

EMarkisch
EMarkisch on November 8, 2010 at 9:51 am

Turner Classic Movies recently televised the Bowery Boys feature “Feudin' Fools”. Following the main titles there were two New York City “stock footage” establishing shots. The first was that of the New York skyline and second was a street scene in which the marquee of the Ruby Theatre was clearly visible in the background. If I recall correctly, these same two shots were used at the beginning of a number of other Bowery Boys features of the mid 1950s.

TPH
TPH on January 24, 2010 at 5:40 pm

Economy Candy, the large cut-rate candy emporium, has been situated across the street from the theatre site since 1937. Can’t imagine what it was like to stock up on penny-candy and cross the street for a double feature at the Ruby.

Judith Thissen
Judith Thissen on November 7, 2007 at 7:41 am

I witnessed the destruction of the building when I was in NYC in 2002 (or 2003?). For many years it was a furniture and mattress outlet. The floor was slightly sloped and one could still see the projection room. I have photograph somewhere. I don’t think that it had more than 600 seats.

Astyanax
Astyanax on September 5, 2006 at 8:03 am

A fairly short “life-span” after only 14 years in operation.

Astyanax
Astyanax on September 5, 2006 at 7:04 am

Currently the site of a high rise, all-glass boutique hotel, the THOR (the hotel on Rivington).

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on August 28, 2005 at 11:08 pm

The Ruby Theatre is still listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1941 edition with 580 seats. It has disappeared from listings in the F.D.Y. 1943.

bamtino
bamtino on August 28, 2005 at 6:54 pm

The theatre was still in operation in 1937.