Roxy Theatre
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
83 people
favorited this theater
Showing 351 - 375 of 1,213 comments
My sister recalls seeing the late actress Vivian Blaine appearing live at the Roxy during the screening of the film “State Fair”. Was it common back then for stars of a film to also appear on-stage?
Myron, I hope you do get to post your collection of programs. I love looking at stuff like that. Thanks in advance!
Al, the lights on the backs of seats were for program reading, controlled by the moviegoer. I remember playing with them as a real little kid during a boring movie at Radio City (Disney’s “Bon Voyage”?)
I thought those lights were to alert the ushers to empty seats.
I saved the programs given-out at both the Roxy as well as the RCMH on every visit. They are in my collection but it is hard to get to as I collect and save everything. When I locate these I will post here what I have. The RCMH even had lights in front of each seat so the programs could be read in the dark. I do recall the Roxy programs were printed with green ink while the RCMH programs were in black-and-white. When I think of the Roxy, tears come to my eyes as it recalls that wonderful days in the 50’s and 60’s.
As the intro states, it was Spanish Baroque, Spanish Renaissance.
The last film was “The Wind Cannot Read”
The Roxy was the most beautiful theatre that I ever saw. The Radio City Music Hall is lovely too but it is art deco and not exotic like the Roxy. What style was the Roxy actually? What was the last film ever screened at the Roxy? I can’t seem to locate it. I pass where the Roxy used to be very often and it breaks my heart that it was not saved.
Renewing link.
Roxy opening newspaper ad.
View link
Does anyone recall or know about any details about what the “Ice-Colorama Revue” was like, as mentioned in the ad?
From July 1953 Monroe and Russell in glorious Technicolor
Plus Ice Show on stage
View link
Dave, you might also consider contacting the International Museum of Photography in Rochester, New York. They have the facilities to properly maintain, preserve, restore (if necessary)and to display such a collection. If they are not interested they may be able to give you more leads on what to do.
Interesting 1943 lobby view from LIFE Archives,
View link
Dave, your archive is priceless treasure. Perhaps the Performing Arts Library of the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center would be interested in housing and properly archiving your photos or if not, certainly the Theatre Historical Society might be interested, but I don’t know if they have the resources to preserve such a large collection.
I have in my possession close to 1500 original negatives of the Roxy Theatre dating from 1934 – 1937. They are all during performance.
My family owned photo labs in NYC for many years (we bought the labs from the original owners ) and when we shut them down 12yrs ago I found these negs hidden under the metal shelving.
Some images include the Ballet Russe, The 3 Stooges, Olsen and Johnson, Lacoste playing tennis, and every floor show to perform there.
There are a few circuses and A LOT of full stage images of the most amazing set design.
Please tell me what I can do with this archive.
Thanks,
Dave M. Shapass
This plaque used to be in the Grand Rotunda of the Roxy:
http://tinyurl.com/m8fh5f
Here is an interior photo, circa 1920s:
http://tinyurl.com/p6y7pg
AldoCP. I too worked the Roxy as an usher 1953-1955. See my posting 12/25/08. Glad to know someone other than myself is still alive and online.
I believe the person who signed off as “Roxy Rothafel” 3/10/08 is a fraud. Once I fell asleep in the owner’s box. Don Poland came within the blink of an eye to firing me for that. If the alleged “Roxy” he can identify the location of the owner’s box and the means of getting there in a few words.
Housechecker
“By the way, Mr. Rothafel’s first name was "Samuel” not “Roxy”."
That is indeed true. But as he would say on his radio program, he was known as Roxy to his friends “…and when you write, you can call me that, too.” :)
Renewing link.
I was an usher at the Roxy during the summers of 1953-1955. I was at the world premier of “The Robe”, and I remember that the program began with a film of a symphony orchestra playing the last movement of the Tchaikovsky fourth, ostensibly to show off CinemaScope for the first time. The curtain then closed and when it was reopened to begin “The Robe” the right hand side of the curtain did not move. It was a disaster. After the film began, the curtain did eventually open. For a young high school kid, it was a great place to work for the summer.
By the way, Mr. Rothafel’s first name was “Samuel” not “Roxy”.
Actually, I think if Mr. Rothafel were still alive today he would probably shoot himself.
Hello Everybody,
Thanks for remembering when showplace meant showplace and cathedral meant my place. Every place else was, well, modestly put, no place. The Fox fanfare in my place meant “get set for magic!”(well at least. most of the time). Gone is the love that was once divine, as F.Scott Fitzgerald wrote in “The Great Gatsby” but it is still nice to be remembered by Cole Porter and in “Guys and Dolls”. Ben Hall did a nice job of telling my story in his “The Best Remaining Seats”. Today when I want to see a show, I float over to Jersey City to Loew’s Jersey where the big show is still a big show. It’s still hard to believe that this “nabe” survived and I tip my top hat to those involved who value the importance of “setting” in proper presentation. The rich, warm sound of that 4/23 Wonder Morton wafting up from the orchestra pit out into the rotunda as I approach my seat makes me misty eyed. When the carbon arc projection lights up that big screen, everything old is new again. I certainly have made some adjustments but it’s nice to see that good taste in motion picture viewing can be had for the price of a ticket to this cathedral of the motion picture. Great popcorn too…
Actually, my mistake — the circular windows are not original.
You can click on the Google Maps link at the top of the page to get both aerial and street-level views of the site. The red pointer will point to the entrance at the Taft hotel. The auditorium was just to the right, between the Taft Hotel and the Time-Life building. It is a very plain modern building about 7 floors high, the facade all large glass rectangles. You can still see the arched and circular windows on the TGIF restaurant facade, although the marble paneling appears newer.