Thank you RE for an excellent post.
It seems that Molly Brown was one of the Hall’s biggest hits of the decade. The summer of ‘64 had the Worlds Fair and this was a Debbie Reynolds musical after all. Time magazine(not Variety!) as well reported that the film had 21,000 visitors a day. Too bad about the 70mm print.
Speaking of Molly Brown. There was this weekend on a Broadway chat line a discussion of that film and the consensus is that everyone hates it. From what I’ve seen on TV I would have to agree but seeing it in 70mm at the Hall. That would be tremendous.
Now how could this guy Ben have so much clout at the Hall as to nix 70mm there. I would have thought that most people would have been overjoyed to see a 70mm musical there including the president of the place and Leonidoff et al.
Wouldn’t the president(maybe Gould?) say to him “you figure out the logistics just make it work!”
Vito when was the switch. For what film?
By the way Becky Sharp was restored a number of years ago except for the finale scene of which the elements no longer existed. It must be seen on a screen. Not TV!
It would be nice as well to attach pictures of the Astor billboard with its various films. One of the all time greats of Times Square.
I would have loved to have seen the one for Queen Christina at night.
I love the original Pink Panther(Sellers, Niven, Capucine, Cardinale!!!)and would love to see it at the Loew’s. Horse Feathers is bliss with a very beautiful and funny Thelma Todd. They sure as hell don’t make women like that anymore.)
I am the only one who thinks the score is maybe the worst for a smash Broadway hit? The songs from the movie are fine but the rest are total Broadway schlock. And then there is Nathan Lane. To think that once in this world strode giants like Zero Mostel and Phil Silvers!
This makes me so angry that there is nothing like this in New York. Why are they doing this in Germany of all places? These are American films and almost all of them had their world premieres in Times Square(and Radio City Music Hall.)
So if you didn’t have a reverent bone in your body what did you think of Leonidoff’s Glory of Easter?
I don’t have one either but I loved it(like his Nativity.)
By the way Saul Chaplin said that the film studio pulled the budget at a crucial moment in the Merry Andrew’s production leaving Kidd forced to wrap up the film with still so much to be done compromising what might have been a terrific movie.
Saw about a half hour of Cleopatra on TCM last night. Does anybody have any memories/recollections of seeing it at the Rivoli in Todd AO? That must have been something!
Thanks TC. I always wondered what it looked like and how it was situated. To think that was replaced by a seedy Shop Rite and its parking lot. Criminal(which I’m sure it was.)
Now its a CVS and Barnes and Noble and parking lot. The basement is a New York Sports Club which I imagine for the Fabian was a lower lounge.
I’m surprised that Indiscreet isn’t one of those films that’s shown to death on TCM.
Maybe BOB you might want to give it another chance. It is very slight but it’s a very charming classy Donen film with a lot of style.
We’ve got older stars today doing comedy and with nowhere near the class and comic timing of Bergman and Grant.
In addition he was a supreme gentleman. Had the privilege of meeting him and Portia Nelson at the Biograph when they held a Wise festival in the early 90’s. Do those kinds of classy people in anybody under 70 exist anymore?
Thanks Bill for pointing that out however a late edition blip seems hardly the distinction the man deserves. Am I alone in feeling that way? I guess my world has passed by.
So Robert Wise dies who is one of the very last of the top tier talents from the golden age of Hollywood who was still alive and he does not even rate a one line mention on the front page of the New York Times. What a culturally disastrous world we live in and the “paper of record” certainly leads the way.
What a beautiful auditorium the Globe had. It’s hard to reconcile Warrens photos with the theater I’ve know since ‘71(The Rothchilds) always to me the dreariest of the old Broadway theaters. Though the Virginia certainly gives it a bit of competition.
People are again complaining about a lack of theaters for Broadway musicals coming in. What a joke!
What is it with all the drapes? The original boxes and prosceniums of both the Roxy and the Capitol from photos I’ve seen were magnificent. Yet for so much of their history even before being converted to Cinerama or Cinemiracle these were covered.
Vito I have found in life to my chargrin that when people seem as if they have no reason or plan they usually have no reason or plan. They really DON’T know what their doing.
Of course they really could be waiting for the right condo or office deal.
That’s a pretty good size for such a narrow theater and it doesn’t look like the proscenium suffered much damage either. I assume they used the regular Paramount curtain for this screen.
totoro do you work for the Ziegfeld?
Then why do the people who run the place treat it just like another screening room in a multiplex? What is the point? Shouldn’t they just tear it down and build another office or lux condo building?
Or else treat it like a special event movie theater. Put in a larger curved screen, use it for 70mm special events and show contemporary films as one can see them no where else like the Cinerama Dome in LA.
What is it that I’m missing here?
Brucec. You’ll be seeing the Music Hall used for shuttle launches and spelling bees before you see a film and stage show there again.
Thank you RE for an excellent post.
It seems that Molly Brown was one of the Hall’s biggest hits of the decade. The summer of ‘64 had the Worlds Fair and this was a Debbie Reynolds musical after all. Time magazine(not Variety!) as well reported that the film had 21,000 visitors a day. Too bad about the 70mm print.
Speaking of Molly Brown. There was this weekend on a Broadway chat line a discussion of that film and the consensus is that everyone hates it. From what I’ve seen on TV I would have to agree but seeing it in 70mm at the Hall. That would be tremendous.
Now how could this guy Ben have so much clout at the Hall as to nix 70mm there. I would have thought that most people would have been overjoyed to see a 70mm musical there including the president of the place and Leonidoff et al.
Wouldn’t the president(maybe Gould?) say to him “you figure out the logistics just make it work!”
Vito when was the switch. For what film?
By the way Becky Sharp was restored a number of years ago except for the finale scene of which the elements no longer existed. It must be seen on a screen. Not TV!
It would be nice as well to attach pictures of the Astor billboard with its various films. One of the all time greats of Times Square.
I would have loved to have seen the one for Queen Christina at night.
I love the original Pink Panther(Sellers, Niven, Capucine, Cardinale!!!)and would love to see it at the Loew’s. Horse Feathers is bliss with a very beautiful and funny Thelma Todd. They sure as hell don’t make women like that anymore.)
I am the only one who thinks the score is maybe the worst for a smash Broadway hit? The songs from the movie are fine but the rest are total Broadway schlock. And then there is Nathan Lane. To think that once in this world strode giants like Zero Mostel and Phil Silvers!
This makes me so angry that there is nothing like this in New York. Why are they doing this in Germany of all places? These are American films and almost all of them had their world premieres in Times Square(and Radio City Music Hall.)
Yeah how did he end up with Cyd Charisse?
So if you didn’t have a reverent bone in your body what did you think of Leonidoff’s Glory of Easter?
I don’t have one either but I loved it(like his Nativity.)
By the way Saul Chaplin said that the film studio pulled the budget at a crucial moment in the Merry Andrew’s production leaving Kidd forced to wrap up the film with still so much to be done compromising what might have been a terrific movie.
Saw about a half hour of Cleopatra on TCM last night. Does anybody have any memories/recollections of seeing it at the Rivoli in Todd AO? That must have been something!
Upcoming comedy weekend now posted on website.
20 years of Cats, now 20 years of Mamma Mia. I think it should be turned back into a horse barn.
Thanks TC. I always wondered what it looked like and how it was situated. To think that was replaced by a seedy Shop Rite and its parking lot. Criminal(which I’m sure it was.)
Now its a CVS and Barnes and Noble and parking lot. The basement is a New York Sports Club which I imagine for the Fabian was a lower lounge.
I’m surprised that Indiscreet isn’t one of those films that’s shown to death on TCM.
Maybe BOB you might want to give it another chance. It is very slight but it’s a very charming classy Donen film with a lot of style.
We’ve got older stars today doing comedy and with nowhere near the class and comic timing of Bergman and Grant.
In addition he was a supreme gentleman. Had the privilege of meeting him and Portia Nelson at the Biograph when they held a Wise festival in the early 90’s. Do those kinds of classy people in anybody under 70 exist anymore?
And this was just the Roxy. Keeping up with all the shows and movies in midtown who had time to go to work?
Thanks Bill for pointing that out however a late edition blip seems hardly the distinction the man deserves. Am I alone in feeling that way? I guess my world has passed by.
So Robert Wise dies who is one of the very last of the top tier talents from the golden age of Hollywood who was still alive and he does not even rate a one line mention on the front page of the New York Times. What a culturally disastrous world we live in and the “paper of record” certainly leads the way.
What a beautiful auditorium the Globe had. It’s hard to reconcile Warrens photos with the theater I’ve know since ‘71(The Rothchilds) always to me the dreariest of the old Broadway theaters. Though the Virginia certainly gives it a bit of competition.
People are again complaining about a lack of theaters for Broadway musicals coming in. What a joke!
What is it with all the drapes? The original boxes and prosceniums of both the Roxy and the Capitol from photos I’ve seen were magnificent. Yet for so much of their history even before being converted to Cinerama or Cinemiracle these were covered.
Sorry their should be they’re. See how angry theive gotten me.
Vito I have found in life to my chargrin that when people seem as if they have no reason or plan they usually have no reason or plan. They really DON’T know what their doing.
Of course they really could be waiting for the right condo or office deal.
That’s a pretty good size for such a narrow theater and it doesn’t look like the proscenium suffered much damage either. I assume they used the regular Paramount curtain for this screen.
totoro do you work for the Ziegfeld?
Then why do the people who run the place treat it just like another screening room in a multiplex? What is the point? Shouldn’t they just tear it down and build another office or lux condo building?
Or else treat it like a special event movie theater. Put in a larger curved screen, use it for 70mm special events and show contemporary films as one can see them no where else like the Cinerama Dome in LA.
What is it that I’m missing here?