Due to the surprise success of the revival of vaudeville at the Palace in NYC, Balaban & Katz decided to experiment over the Christmas holiday season by adding stage shows to three of its largest neighborhood cinemas.The Marbro and Southtown were also involved.
Republic Pictures wisely launched the B&W epic on a Saturday to delay an expected whiplash from critics of the daily newspapers. Sunday editions didn’t publish reviews.
Later trade ads for “Simba” claim that the B&W documentary feature ran for ten weeks at the Earl Carroll
Theatre. A glimpse at the playhouse’s “legit” bookings for 1928 suggests that “Simba” was the only film shown there that year. It might also have been the last until “Rio Rita” in October, 1929.
The Woolworth’s had two entrances, one on Seventh Avenue, and the other on West 50th Street, directly across from the Roxy (until the latter’s demolition).
Alfred Hitchcock’s first “talkie,” and often claimed to be the first of all British features in that new medium. “Our mother tongue spoken with all its charm and purity,” says the Selwyn’s ad.
Double duty for “Satchmo,” who performed in both the movie and Strand stage show. Armstrong’s rendition of “Jeepers Creepers” in “Going Places” made the song an immediate hit, as well as one of his signature numbers.
Monogram produced four more “Jiggs & Maggie” comedy features before ending the series due to the death of veteran vaudevillian Joe Yule, who is probably best remembered as the father of Mickey Rooney. “Bringing Up Father” was an extremely popular and long-running newspaper comic strip drawn by George McManus.
The Randforce circuit had its headquarters in the office space that was part of the Savoy Theatre building. Nearly all Randforce theatres were in Brooklyn, with the rest in nearby sections of Queens.
Free rickshaw rides were being offered to pedestrians on opening day of the final “Road” movie, which was the first and only not produced by Paramount Pictures.
“Service Roxyettes” were women hired to replace male ushers who were serving in the wartime Armed Forces. Here one of the few remaining men gives instruction.
Uniform at left is partially hidden by a row of seats.
This took place a day prior to the New York engagement of the romantic caper at Radio City Music Hall, which was then in the 33rd year of its screen/stage policy.
These were the first 3-D bookings in Manhattan for “Kiss Me Kate,” which debuted “flat” at Radio City Music Hall, followed by an exclusive 3-D launch at Loew’s Metropolitan in downtown Brooklyn.
In a review, the NYT’s Janet Maslin described the movie as the Music Hall’s “latest ill-advised lulu.” The original “Lassie Come Home” had opened there nearly 35 years before, in October, 1943.
Hardly “the first in the world to show talking pictures.”
But if the rejuvenation really proves close to the original, the BP will wipe the Kings off the map. Much larger and more spectacular, and by the same architectural firm, the BP is better situated due to easy access to subways, buses, and LIRR.
In a review of the stage show, VARIETY noted that “Lenny Bruce is a comic. His routine consists of vocally mimicking the usual stars. It isn’t until he does an impresh of a Bavarian m.c. aping U.S. filmites that his act begins to click. It’s a clever approach that pays off in sock applause. He’s young, personable, and shows good possibilities.” The “usual stars” probably included
James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, and Edward G. Robinson,
who were among Bruce’s personal idols.
The Queens Courier of 5/25/17 reported that the removal of “historical material” will begin in June, and the demolition of the non-landmarked surrounding building will start in late October. The new building will start construction in April 2018, and is expected to be completed two years later (2020). Full article and sketch of entrance to new building can be found here:
http://qns.com/story/2017/05/17/photos-luxury-condos-built-atop-flushings-landmarked-rko-keiths-theater/
Jersey City and Newark also running “Lassie Come Home,” but listed separately with different second feature (“Passport to Suez”)>
Due to the surprise success of the revival of vaudeville at the Palace in NYC, Balaban & Katz decided to experiment over the Christmas holiday season by adding stage shows to three of its largest neighborhood cinemas.The Marbro and Southtown were also involved.
Republic Pictures wisely launched the B&W epic on a Saturday to delay an expected whiplash from critics of the daily newspapers. Sunday editions didn’t publish reviews.
Later trade ads for “Simba” claim that the B&W documentary feature ran for ten weeks at the Earl Carroll Theatre. A glimpse at the playhouse’s “legit” bookings for 1928 suggests that “Simba” was the only film shown there that year. It might also have been the last until “Rio Rita” in October, 1929.
The Woolworth’s had two entrances, one on Seventh Avenue, and the other on West 50th Street, directly across from the Roxy (until the latter’s demolition).
Alfred Hitchcock’s first “talkie,” and often claimed to be the first of all British features in that new medium. “Our mother tongue spoken with all its charm and purity,” says the Selwyn’s ad.
Double duty for “Satchmo,” who performed in both the movie and Strand stage show. Armstrong’s rendition of “Jeepers Creepers” in “Going Places” made the song an immediate hit, as well as one of his signature numbers.
Monogram produced four more “Jiggs & Maggie” comedy features before ending the series due to the death of veteran vaudevillian Joe Yule, who is probably best remembered as the father of Mickey Rooney. “Bringing Up Father” was an extremely popular and long-running newspaper comic strip drawn by George McManus.
Roxy enjoyed “booming” business with “With A Song In My Heart” and stage show. Lobby crowd scene in center of bottom row of images.
This was the first program change of 1950, following a hold-over of the 1949 Christmas holiday presentation with “On the Town” on screen.
The Randforce circuit had its headquarters in the office space that was part of the Savoy Theatre building. Nearly all Randforce theatres were in Brooklyn, with the rest in nearby sections of Queens.
Free rickshaw rides were being offered to pedestrians on opening day of the final “Road” movie, which was the first and only not produced by Paramount Pictures.
Lou Walters was the father of future TV legend Barbara Walters.
“Service Roxyettes” were women hired to replace male ushers who were serving in the wartime Armed Forces. Here one of the few remaining men gives instruction. Uniform at left is partially hidden by a row of seats.
Universal saved a bundle on this production by using sets and costumes created for its Technicolor version of “Phantom of the Opera” in 1943.
The B&W shocker was Monogram’s response to the RKO Radio blockbuster, “Hitler’s Children.”
This took place a day prior to the New York engagement of the romantic caper at Radio City Music Hall, which was then in the 33rd year of its screen/stage policy.
These were the first 3-D bookings in Manhattan for “Kiss Me Kate,” which debuted “flat” at Radio City Music Hall, followed by an exclusive 3-D launch at Loew’s Metropolitan in downtown Brooklyn.
“Broadway Melody of 1936” followed on January 4th.
In a review, the NYT’s Janet Maslin described the movie as the Music Hall’s “latest ill-advised lulu.” The original “Lassie Come Home” had opened there nearly 35 years before, in October, 1943.
Hardly “the first in the world to show talking pictures.” But if the rejuvenation really proves close to the original, the BP will wipe the Kings off the map. Much larger and more spectacular, and by the same architectural firm, the BP is better situated due to easy access to subways, buses, and LIRR.
In a review of the stage show, VARIETY noted that “Lenny Bruce is a comic. His routine consists of vocally mimicking the usual stars. It isn’t until he does an impresh of a Bavarian m.c. aping U.S. filmites that his act begins to click. It’s a clever approach that pays off in sock applause. He’s young, personable, and shows good possibilities.” The “usual stars” probably included James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, and Edward G. Robinson, who were among Bruce’s personal idols.
This was the final marquee for the Criterion Theatre, which was closed and demolished in the following year.
The Queens Courier of 5/25/17 reported that the removal of “historical material” will begin in June, and the demolition of the non-landmarked surrounding building will start in late October. The new building will start construction in April 2018, and is expected to be completed two years later (2020). Full article and sketch of entrance to new building can be found here: http://qns.com/story/2017/05/17/photos-luxury-condos-built-atop-flushings-landmarked-rko-keiths-theater/
Twenty singers performed in every stage show seven days a week, but a total of 25 were employed to facilitate days-off and vacations.