Let’s not forget two time Oscar winner Shelly Winters running on the beach in a house-shift waving her arms and screaming “get outta the water, get outta the water”.
This theatre was instrumental in my film education. I took it as seriously as any course I ever took in college. I used to buy the ticket books that gave you a discount on admissions. Does anyone remember the MGM festivals they used to play? They lasted for months and would often have a big well known feature with an unknown or forgotten second feature. I saw “Singing in the Rain” paired with “The Broadway Melody of 1929” and I remember pristine prints of things like “The Great Zeigfeld”, “Lassie Come Home” and a Sunday double bill of “Gigi” and “American in Paris” with a line outside that would make a passerby think the latest action flick had just opened. I remember another rainy Sunday taking my friend to see her favorite film “Gone With the Wind” to a sold out house. We sat in the first row of the balcony thinking nothing gets better then this. Another festival featured the films of the great Jennifer Jones. I saw “Song of Bernadette” and another day “Ruby Gentry” and “Portrait of Jennie”. It was also one of the only times I remember a revival of “A Farewell to Arms” which co-starred Rock Hudson. Where they found the beautiful unfaded CinemaScope print still amazes me. Sorry for the rambling I could go on and on about all the happy times I spent here.
My friend and I were just discussing how great it would be to run a Music Hall festival and revive some of the great films that opened there over the years. Many years ago when I was running the DW Griffith a collector friend had an IB Technicolor print of “Bye Bye Birdie” from Germany complete with German subtitles. We ran it after the theatre closed for our friends. I think this may have played in the states in Eastmancolor. Many times the europeon prints were still struck in IB. The colors were a knockout. Think how it would look on the music hall screen.
I have a question maybe someone knows the answer to. I know because of its stage and movie policy the music hall never played Roadshows. However did movies open continuos showings at RCMH and roadshow in other places? I thought someone once told me “Music Man” and “Mary Poppins” played roadshow in other states. Is this true?
You are right br91975, they played Paramount releases even the bombs forever. Sometimes with Spanish subtitles. Some of these films were such turkeys they must have had nobody show up. A friend of mine reminded me of one time we went there to see an Italian picture. We were waiting in the lobby for the current show to let out. The owner was making popcorn and literally badgering people to buy some. There was also a jar asking for donations to quad the theatre. We know that never came about.
RobertR
commented about
Vidiotson
Sep 20, 2004 at 2:52 pm
When Golden first built and opened this theatre the film companies would not give them any first run product. They existed in the beginning playing second run double features, moveovers and believe it or not porn on one screen (Pussycat made porn chic for awhile). A lawsuit against the major distributors finally gave them first run and later art house product. For awhile in the 80’s while they were still constructing the Village East, City Cinemas booked the theatre and it played “A” track first runs.
Bryan
Thanks for the pics, the one of the orchestra does not even show the magnitude of how huge the screen and floor were. Like longislandmovies said it was one of the few UA theatres that was well run.
I was just going through pages of my favorite theatres and still miss this place alot. I drove from Queens to see every new movie that opened here. I am suprised there are not more posts here. Anyone who ever went to this theatre was awed at the size of the screen. It would have been easy to convert this place to 3 projector Cinerama. I guess I am going to have to go to LA and see “This is Cinerama” at the Dome. I doubt NY will ever see Cinerama again.
Wow maybe my memory is playing tricks. Could the huge Madsion have sold out for Airport? I remember getting up to get popcorn right before the feature started and staring in amazement at the huge amount of people sitting in the balcony.
I’m hoping this will be a revival house. Am I the only one who is not thrilled with the way the Thalia is programmed?
Let’s not forget two time Oscar winner Shelly Winters running on the beach in a house-shift waving her arms and screaming “get outta the water, get outta the water”.
That was the one
Thats how she paid for that godawful paneling they glued all over the lobby LOL
This theatre was instrumental in my film education. I took it as seriously as any course I ever took in college. I used to buy the ticket books that gave you a discount on admissions. Does anyone remember the MGM festivals they used to play? They lasted for months and would often have a big well known feature with an unknown or forgotten second feature. I saw “Singing in the Rain” paired with “The Broadway Melody of 1929” and I remember pristine prints of things like “The Great Zeigfeld”, “Lassie Come Home” and a Sunday double bill of “Gigi” and “American in Paris” with a line outside that would make a passerby think the latest action flick had just opened. I remember another rainy Sunday taking my friend to see her favorite film “Gone With the Wind” to a sold out house. We sat in the first row of the balcony thinking nothing gets better then this. Another festival featured the films of the great Jennifer Jones. I saw “Song of Bernadette” and another day “Ruby Gentry” and “Portrait of Jennie”. It was also one of the only times I remember a revival of “A Farewell to Arms” which co-starred Rock Hudson. Where they found the beautiful unfaded CinemaScope print still amazes me. Sorry for the rambling I could go on and on about all the happy times I spent here.
Thanks Ron
My friend and I were just discussing how great it would be to run a Music Hall festival and revive some of the great films that opened there over the years. Many years ago when I was running the DW Griffith a collector friend had an IB Technicolor print of “Bye Bye Birdie” from Germany complete with German subtitles. We ran it after the theatre closed for our friends. I think this may have played in the states in Eastmancolor. Many times the europeon prints were still struck in IB. The colors were a knockout. Think how it would look on the music hall screen.
I have a question maybe someone knows the answer to. I know because of its stage and movie policy the music hall never played Roadshows. However did movies open continuos showings at RCMH and roadshow in other places? I thought someone once told me “Music Man” and “Mary Poppins” played roadshow in other states. Is this true?
The Polk and Fair both here in Queens as well as Cinema Kings Highway in Brooklyn still run adult films. It is actually video projection.
Is the big FOX vertical still there?
I wonder where these artifacts were that are turning up?
You are right br91975, they played Paramount releases even the bombs forever. Sometimes with Spanish subtitles. Some of these films were such turkeys they must have had nobody show up. A friend of mine reminded me of one time we went there to see an Italian picture. We were waiting in the lobby for the current show to let out. The owner was making popcorn and literally badgering people to buy some. There was also a jar asking for donations to quad the theatre. We know that never came about.
The marquee looks very pussycatish
Warren
Could you tell us what it’s like now?
Wow what an amazing story, when I was reading the first post about the balcony theatre I was wondering how that could happen.
Jay and Murray were the partners. Jay still has Main St, Center and I think the Elwood.
Vito
I remember seeing that here too. That was before UA redid the theatre. It still had the gold drapes and seats.
When Golden first built and opened this theatre the film companies would not give them any first run product. They existed in the beginning playing second run double features, moveovers and believe it or not porn on one screen (Pussycat made porn chic for awhile). A lawsuit against the major distributors finally gave them first run and later art house product. For awhile in the 80’s while they were still constructing the Village East, City Cinemas booked the theatre and it played “A” track first runs.
The engagement of Titanic here blew everyone away on that monster screen. I went 3x.
How would it sound to just say “I went to Art last night?
The Hylan, which theatre then on SI was the Jerry Lewis cinema?
Bryan
Thanks for the pics, the one of the orchestra does not even show the magnitude of how huge the screen and floor were. Like longislandmovies said it was one of the few UA theatres that was well run.
I was just going through pages of my favorite theatres and still miss this place alot. I drove from Queens to see every new movie that opened here. I am suprised there are not more posts here. Anyone who ever went to this theatre was awed at the size of the screen. It would have been easy to convert this place to 3 projector Cinerama. I guess I am going to have to go to LA and see “This is Cinerama” at the Dome. I doubt NY will ever see Cinerama again.
The old lady went to the D-150 when this theatre closed.
Wow maybe my memory is playing tricks. Could the huge Madsion have sold out for Airport? I remember getting up to get popcorn right before the feature started and staring in amazement at the huge amount of people sitting in the balcony.
I remember seeing Airport at the Ridgewood in a sold out house, balcony and orchestra. I dont recall the second feature.