Ridgewood Theatre
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
31 people
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The blockbuster building most definately looked like a theatre building. I asked my mother who grew up in the neighborhood. She never remembers a theatre there but she is 68. She has a friend in her early 80’s who still lives in the area I will ask her. That means this theatre and the Glenwood were very close to each other almost right across the street diagonally.
I always thought that was a theatre at one time.
I believe we touched on this theater once before. I don’t know if it was in the Ridgewood’s, the Ridgewood Folly section, or the Madison section or wherever, but someone here mentioned that they remembered a theater-like building on Myrtle Ave near Norman Street. I also remember this building. The building was a furniture store, and had a huge marquee on the front. It was across from the A&P (now Food Dynasty). In the early 1980’s, “Roman Furniture” redid the entire fascade of the building, and removed the marquee (I remember them doing this). Eventually, they went out of business, and Blockbuster Video moved in.
Lostmemory and I did some emailing about this, and he said the address given is the old type address of 2085 Myrtle Avenue. Of course, that’s in the old system, not the new Queens system. We determined that the Madison was 1562 Myrtle Avenue and the old address for the Belvedere was 2576 Myrtle Avenue. That would put this Ritz theater about half way between the Madison and Belvedere theaters. Being an odd number it would be on the same side of Myrtle as the Ridgewood theater.
This would lead us right to about the site of the Blockbuster Video building. Unfortunately, I don’t remember what the building looked like before the early 1980’s fascade resurfacing. I believe this is the location of the Ritz Theater. The Blockbuster Video’s current address is 60-15 Myrtle Avenue.
The theatre organ being removed in 1931 is very plausible since many theatres removed them after ‘talkies’ came out.
Do anyone remember the Ridgewood having a theatre organ? I dont seem to remember hearing it play. The Madison did have a theatre organ which was used during the 1950s during intermission. I enjoyed it very much.
IMHO the RKO Madison must have taken many customers away from the Ridgewood Theatre which in turn would force the Ridgewood Theatre to ‘upgrade’ just to compete. The RKO Madison was as close to a ‘Movie Palace’ as the people of Ridgewood would ever see. Sometimes the ‘better’ theatre loses.
Ridgewood es un lugar agradable a crecer para arriba y a vivir. Esto está para todos mis amigos del latino no arruina la vecindad o usted no tiene una vecindad a vivir en no más.
there is a ghost in this thetare from the time a cleaning lady was murdered in the ridgewood theatre and the story is that this theatre could never close until they catch the murderer
Ridgewood may have a lot of Hispanics, but it also has a lot of Polish people, and other Eastern Europeans (such as the former Yugoslavia and Romania).
Robert, I remember the Ridgewood from when I was a kid, and the curtains were drawn. Someone else mentioned this in some thread, but I also remember a “thin” set of curtains and a thick set of curtains. The thin set would open and close before and after the previews too.
While I hate the fact that the Ridgewood was multiplexed, just as much as anyone, the fact that it was multiplexed starting around 1980 actually saved the theater. If they didn’t do that, no matter how “top notch” condition it was in before it was cut up, the Ridgewood would have become another Madison Theater, being a store instead of a theater. The Madison was still in “top notch” condition im 1978 also…..and look what happened to that one.
Who in Yosemite Sam are the Diaz Brothers ??, I am surprised by
now it hasn’t been renamed “ TEATRO RIDGEWOOD”, showcasing
shlock Spanish films or Ricky Martin.
Magic Johnson !! where are you when we need you.
Suprisingly the Ridgewood was still in top notch condition when UA sold it to the Diaz brothers around 1978. The curtains still worked and were used before and after each film.
I guess that must have been when it was determined that the Ridgewood would become strictly a cinema house, as opposed to a legit theatre.
“Other changes included new stage curtains, redecoration of the lobby, new seats for all auditorium chairs, new carpeting, draperies and lighting fixtures…”
And the Ridgewood hasn’t seen a renovation since, and is still operating with these same improvements and renovations from 1931 to this day…..
Hehe, just kidding, although, when I was last in the theater in the early 90’s it sure appeared nothing was done (aside from multiplexing it) to the theater since the 1930’s!! It’s all good, the Ridgewood will always be a special place to me, even if a diamond in the rough….
Thanks Warren for the information.
Lordy child do not behave this way or you may pay
Divinity
Do not get Astyanaax confused with Astyanax. They are two different people and this imposter wants us to think that he is the original ASTYANAX (spelled with 3 a’s, not 4).
Why are you behaving that way child?
If you left more pleasant postings, people might even begin to like you!
I also show a 1930 listing of 1,950 seats which more or less agrees with your post. Either number should be shown on the seating above.
Has anyone ever discovered the seating capacity for the Ridgewood Theatre? I cannot find any seat count in any publications for this theatre. Perhaps someone in Ridgewood could ask the management the next time they attend this theatre.
Please don’t feed the troll !
Thank you very much Robert for answering my question.
As for B'way, I agree, Astyanaax is posting just to stir the pot. Obviously you saw the ridiculous post he made about Sears and Radio City Music Hall in the Loews Kings section: /theaters/1360/
It’s quite obvious that was just to try and get people to respond.
Obviously, this person is only posting here to try and get a rise out of people. This is consistent with the messages he has posted in other theaters too.
Hey Ast, maybe they can burn the Ridgewood down and put Sears in there in it’s place. I figured I’d post it before you do.
Thank you Robert. That’s just how I remember it the last time I was in it so long ago. I was wondering if they changed it at all.
Does the Ridgewood Theater still have some of it’s original walls showing? What I mean is, for example, the orchestra level is cut in half – does the outside wall still have the original ornamentation, and the new wall just plain painted sheetrock?
What about the ceiling in the balcony theaters? Are any of the old railings on the stairways still there?
posted by Bklyn Cinemas on Nov 15, 2004 at 1:43pm
The two outer walls of the orchestra have the original walls showing. The wall that divides the house is blue sheetrock with white soundboard (remember how popular that look was in the plexes of the 70’s and 80’s). The underside of the balcony shows the original fixtures. Upstairs all of the old ceiling still shows.
Does the Ridgewood Theater still have some of it’s original walls showing? What I mean is, for example, the orchestra level is cut in half – does the outside wall still have the original ornamentation, and the new wall just plain painted sheetrock?
What about the ceiling in the balcony theaters? Are any of the old railings on the stairways still there?
Anyone from Greene avenue between Cypress and St Nicholas avenues?
LOVED Monica’s report. One of the best submissions I’ve seen here on CinemaTreasures.
As soon as I make my first two million in the stock market, by “pyramding” investments.