“Hit the Deck” was the second of five MGM musicals to open consecutively at the Music Hall that year, preceded by “Jupiter’s Darling” and followed by “The Glass Slipper” Easter holidays), “Interrupted Melody,” and “Love Me or Leave Me.” The last two also had dramatic content as biographies of opera diva Marjorie Lawrence and torch singer Ruth Etting.
The British-made “Vacation From Marriage” was an infrequent first-run booking for the State, which usually supported vaudeville with move-overs from some of its midtown rivals.
Dated only “1940s,” the photo was apparently taken after
Joy cinema management. Entrance lobby ran through a small commercial building into the auditorium. Marquee marked “Derby Show,” with “Thrills! Chills! Spills!” in smaller lettering below that on the sides. Research on “Derby Show” in Atlanta Constitution, Variety, and Billboard came up with nothing. May have involved roller skating, since “roller derbies” were extremely popular at the time.
During the dual world premiere engagement at the two Radio City showplaces, each had a spectacular stage revue set on “Skull Island.” The Music Hall, which had the largest resident company of performers and musicians, ran the booking for only one week, while the New Roxy held-over for more.
On the night before (March 10th), the entire stage cast was taken by chartered buses to Brooklyn for a “test” performance at Loew’s Pitkin, preceding the last complete show of “Fly By Night” and “X Marks the Spot.”
The Technicolor epic replaced “Gone With the Wind,” which the Capitol had presented at roadshow prices but with continuous performances. “GWTW” continued as a reserved-seat roadshow at the Astor, while also starting its first bookings at Loew’s neighborhood theatres at roadshow prices.
Columbia later turned the B&W comedy into a CinemaScope and color musical as “Three For the Show,” with Betty Grable, Jack Lemmon, and Gower Champion topping the cast.
Sadly, the Roxy closed forever on March 19th, 1960, just eight days after the 33rd anniversary of its grand opening. Its final first-run feature, “The Wind Cannot Read,” was presented without stage support.
Benjamin Mellniker, who joined Loew’s as an usher at the Kings Theatre and eventually became its chief legal counsel, has died at age 104. More details here
“Hit the Deck” was the second of five MGM musicals to open consecutively at the Music Hall that year, preceded by “Jupiter’s Darling” and followed by “The Glass Slipper” Easter holidays), “Interrupted Melody,” and “Love Me or Leave Me.” The last two also had dramatic content as biographies of opera diva Marjorie Lawrence and torch singer Ruth Etting.
The British-made “Vacation From Marriage” was an infrequent first-run booking for the State, which usually supported vaudeville with move-overs from some of its midtown rivals.
News report published the following day (3/12/31).
Kings listed in section with “Gone With the Wind,” but giving just three performances daily to the Pitkin’s four.
Spooner and Boro Park listed in bottom right corner of Loew’s ad below artwork for “Submarine Command.”
This is more likely a complimentary “guest pass” issued by management, not an actual ticket.
Dated only “1940s,” the photo was apparently taken after Joy cinema management. Entrance lobby ran through a small commercial building into the auditorium. Marquee marked “Derby Show,” with “Thrills! Chills! Spills!” in smaller lettering below that on the sides. Research on “Derby Show” in Atlanta Constitution, Variety, and Billboard came up with nothing. May have involved roller skating, since “roller derbies” were extremely popular at the time.
RKO ad with “Phone Call From a Stranger” also lists some Skouras, Century, and Randforce theatres, but not Loew’s Spooner and Boro Park.
Nearly forgotten today, the B&W drama was distributed by RKO, with all profits to be donated to war-time charities. More here
Rising Warner Bros. star Jane Wyman demonstrated her singing and dancing skills in the stage show.
During the dual world premiere engagement at the two Radio City showplaces, each had a spectacular stage revue set on “Skull Island.” The Music Hall, which had the largest resident company of performers and musicians, ran the booking for only one week, while the New Roxy held-over for more.
On the night before (March 10th), the entire stage cast was taken by chartered buses to Brooklyn for a “test” performance at Loew’s Pitkin, preceding the last complete show of “Fly By Night” and “X Marks the Spot.”
Movies were usually “B” programmers, sometimes having their first showings in Atlanta.
The ad didn’t mention a Joy connection, but news reports did.
“Stolen Heaven” was having its first neighborhood release after a premiere engagement in the downtown “Loop.”
The Technicolor epic replaced “Gone With the Wind,” which the Capitol had presented at roadshow prices but with continuous performances. “GWTW” continued as a reserved-seat roadshow at the Astor, while also starting its first bookings at Loew’s neighborhood theatres at roadshow prices.
Columbia later turned the B&W comedy into a CinemaScope and color musical as “Three For the Show,” with Betty Grable, Jack Lemmon, and Gower Champion topping the cast.
Sadly, the Roxy closed forever on March 19th, 1960, just eight days after the 33rd anniversary of its grand opening. Its final first-run feature, “The Wind Cannot Read,” was presented without stage support.
This was a roadshow engagement, with two performances daily.
31st Street was known as Grand Avenue when the theatre opened, hence the name.
The Grand was adjacent to the first/last stop for an elevated subway line that still runs from Astoria and Long Island City into Manhattan.
The Capitol still had a “screen only” policy (1935-43), with priority given to MGM features and short subjects.
Benjamin Mellniker, who joined Loew’s as an usher at the Kings Theatre and eventually became its chief legal counsel, has died at age 104. More details here
The ground site is currently occupied by a tourist attraction known as Encounter Ocean Odyssey, which has a website here
White Plains listed in section with “Hollywood Canteen” as top feature.