He could simply be buying time with a cryptic statement that some unnamed financial partner has been secured for the project. If there is no partner and the question comes up again in a few months, he might simply explain that the partner eventually backed out of the deal – again, unnamed. At some point, they’ll either have to play or fold. But until their hand is forced, they can string everyone along with vague lies and exaggerations for quite a while. Basic everyday politics.
I’ve never been to the St. George, but based on the images I’ve seen, some elements of the interior – although in an entirely different motif – remind me a bit of the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan, which was opened at the end of 1929 and designed by Walter W. Ahlschlager.
At the end of last night’s installment of “The Voice” on NBC-TV, there was a very brief interview with two of the actresses from the show “SMASH.” During the interview, the two actresses were clearly sitting in the balcony of the St. George, with their backs towards the proscenium. One of the statuary sentries, standing guard in front of the pipe chamber grill, could clearly be seen behind the pair. The clip was probably taped at the same time the Today Show piece was recorded.
I think the streamlined architectural lines in the portions of the lobby ceiling depicted are consistent with a theatre built in the 1930’s. The color scheme seems a bit garish, and most likely not original. I’d also think some of the lighting is retro-fitted. The carpeting along the staircase wall appears to be repeated in the auditorium side walls – at least from what I can make out in the very first picture taken of seated patrons that appears in the gallery. Outside of the lobby ceiling, I’m not sure very much (if anything) survives from the original interior design.
According to an article in the Holley Standard, on April 8, 1915, a fire had broken out at the bakery located adjacent to the old Lyric Theatre just after midnight the previous Friday evening – the very last weekend before the new Lyric was scheduled to open across the Square. The fire was believed to have started in the cellar of the bakery, which was located in the Odd Fellows block. While the fire was brought under control within an hour, thanks to the quick response of the firemen and excellent water pressure, both the Lyric to the south and the jewelry store to the north were in immediate jeopardy.
No mention in the article as to whether any shows were cancelled at the Lyric. Indeed, while we know that the “New Lyric,” as it was being referred to, opened on Tuesday, April 6, there is no mention in any editions of the Standard during this period as to when operations at the old Lyric were to have wound down, or what plans for the old space were to be.
BillSavoy! What a pleasure to learn that you are the artist responsible for that remarkable scale model of the Roxy at the Museum of the Moving Image! And even more pleasurable to be able to directly express my thanks and admiration to you for providing such a lovingly detailed representation of this spectacular old movie palace! I must have spent a good twenty minutes pouring over every inch of your model when I last visited the museum about 7 or 8 years ago. In fact, I sang its praises in a post on this page (I dare you to find it among the more than 1300 comments already posted here) from back in March of 2005. My one criticism – and I hope this has since been corrected – is that the lighting around the display case produced annoying and obscuring glares on the glass. One has to lean in close to block these out and truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Thank you so much for that work. I am now inspired to take another trip into Astoria to check it out again!
So, turns out the site of the original Lyric Theatre in Holley was located directly across the Public Square from the newer Lyric described on this page. I’ve listed the original Lyric here on CT, and dug up some history on its origins – it opened as the Orpheum Theatre, by Frank L. Weller in October, 1911, out of a converted store front on the northeast side of the Square, adjacent to the Odd Fellows Hall building which was (and still is) located at the corner of the Square and White Street.
The newer Lyric, opened, as described above, by M. G. Carson, was situated at what would now have an address of 82 Public Square, adjacent to the current Community Library, which, at the time of the newer Lyric’s opening in April, 1914, was occupied by Lockwood’s Big Store.
In the street view for this theater, the building that housed the Orpheum/Lyric is the red one, second from left, adjacent to the double-width white building on the corner. That white building is Odd Fellows Hall, constructed in 1890 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization formed in 1819.
When M. G. Carson opened the new Lyric Theatre in 1915, it was in a space directly across the Square, in a mirror-image location that was once again a single width two story structure adjacent to the corner building that was double-width. The site of the new Lyric listed here on CT is shown in its street view to be occupied by Holley Video, and is adjacent to what is now the Community Library.
Ha. Saps… I only WISH I had a piece of interest in Stomp! Unfortunately, my only financial connection to the show was when I made my own small contribution towards its fortunes, when I took the kiddies to see it about a decade or so ago!
Interesting mezzanine lounge just below the projection ports. Was this a smoking lounge that was conveniently set in the auditorium so patrons wouldn’t miss any of the movie when stepping out for a smoke? With chairs that were not fixed to the floor… and a phone booth?!
I agree with BobbyS, regarding comparison to the Barclays Center. That’s like comparing the need for the Beacon Theatre as a concert venue when you have Madison Square Garden. I certainly think there is a sufficient population in Brooklyn to support a viable venue at the Kings. In my mind, its going to be a question of what kind of entertainments will be booked into the theater. Seems to me that Brooklyn could benefit from their own Beacon Theatre type venue – where pop acts can make a stop along a tour (much as in the ‘70’s and early '80’s when it wasn’t uncommon to see a particular act stop in for a night or two at the Palladium in Manhattan followed by a couple of nights across the river at the Capitol in Passaic). My fears here would be how Cablevision would react to the competition and how the state of the economy in 2015 will influence how people spend whatever disposable cash they may have.
Only trouble with that supposition, Al, is that the Theatre Unique was on the block bounded by East 13th and East 14th Streets between 3rd and 4th Avenues. An address of 136 East 13th Street would be on the south side of the street in the next block down, bounded by East 13th and East 12th Streets. Since this is the block on which the Bijou was located, it’s possible that the space accessed through that East 13th Street entrance by MarkieS was indeed a part of the old Bijou. Lyric is one of the former names listed above.
I feel like I’m becoming CT’s preeminent monologist! Always seem to be carrying on with myself at one theater or another. In any event, this project definitely seems to be delayed, in terms of meeting its scheduled opening date. As of today, the Post Ave structure is still down to bare wood frame and there are still unsealed cuts in the auditorium structure that allow exposure to the elements. I would have thought this site would have been further along in its renovations at this point, particularly considering the extraordinarily mild winter we’ve had here on Long Island.
Meanwhile, this page on the contractor’s website has some photographs, including a glimpse at the state of the auditorium from when the old roof had been completely removed last year. As suspected, all decorative elements appear to have been stripped down to the brick and concrete.
Ha. Thanks, Mike. Trying to put Holley, NY, on the Cinema Treasures map! Don’t ask why. I’m not sure I know the answer to that. Suffice to say, casual research on one recent entry here, sent me off wandering down mutliple paths in and around this little western New York hamlet.
I always have the same problem with that site, robboehm. You have to click on the box that says “Zoom” above the image. Once the new small picture window opens, just pan up, down, left or right as you zoom to see portions of the image. Unfortunately, there is no way that I’ve found to simply enlarge the entire picture on my computer screen.
The side panel on the marquee reads “Visit Loew’s Ave B and Commodore Theatres for the latest hits.” There are no titles advertised on the visible portions of the marquee, but the entrance doors below do appear to be open. I imagine the programming must have consisted of lesser end-of-run fare on double bills.
xtinenyc…. Post the link as follows: Enter a word or phrase like “Here’s the link” in brackets and then paste the link between parentheses just like this – [Here’s the Link] (www.websiteaddress.com) except no space between the close bracket and the open parenthesis.
Just thought I’d keep the conversation I’m having with myself going a bit further – what are the odds that anyone from Holley, NY, or surrounding areas, are members of CT? Anyway, a regular feature in the Holley Standard was one that looked back on the history of the village at varying intervals of time for the week of the current publication. On September 3, 1953, under the heading “Twenty-five Years Ago —1928,” the paper noted the following anecdote:
“The new organ recently installed at the Hollywood Theatre was heard for the first time, and lent a metropolitan air to the attractive little theatre. The picture, ‘The Street of Sin’ was shown in Holley simultaneously with its appearance at the Eastman Theatre. It was stated that it was unnecessary to go out of town to see the new pictures as they would be shown in Holley almost as soon as at the city theaters.”
Not sure where the Eastman was located – it is not listed on CT – but I can only assume it was in the city of Rochester.
Al’s postcard image from February 21, 2010, of the RKO Proctor’s 125th Street states the location as “West of Seventh Avenue.” Actually, the vintage postcard shows the Keith’s & Proctor’s 125th Street. This may have been the opera house that iatse311 found reference to in the Museum of City of New York site he linked to on July 21, 2010.
Here’s an active version to the link WelcometoHarlem posted earlier today. The reference to the Columbus Theatre at this address is near the bottom of page 2 in the right hand column. That AKA has already been noted on this page by CT.
Curiously, this item appeared in the January 11, 1917, edition of the Holley Standard:
“The Lyric theater in Brockport is to pass out of existence. The E Harrison Company have leased the building and expect to remove their clothing business to that location.”
Perhaps SchineHistorian (apologies for identifying the wrong gender for her in a previous comment) would know if there was an different Lyric that had operated in town once the changeover was made to the Strand name – or perhaps this was a planned relocation for E Harrison that never happened. Amazing how side-tracked one can become when burying themselves in old newspaper editions! I’m researching a couple of theaters in Holley, NY, and just keep stumbling upon tangential tidbits like this.
He could simply be buying time with a cryptic statement that some unnamed financial partner has been secured for the project. If there is no partner and the question comes up again in a few months, he might simply explain that the partner eventually backed out of the deal – again, unnamed. At some point, they’ll either have to play or fold. But until their hand is forced, they can string everyone along with vague lies and exaggerations for quite a while. Basic everyday politics.
I’ve never been to the St. George, but based on the images I’ve seen, some elements of the interior – although in an entirely different motif – remind me a bit of the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan, which was opened at the end of 1929 and designed by Walter W. Ahlschlager.
At the end of last night’s installment of “The Voice” on NBC-TV, there was a very brief interview with two of the actresses from the show “SMASH.” During the interview, the two actresses were clearly sitting in the balcony of the St. George, with their backs towards the proscenium. One of the statuary sentries, standing guard in front of the pipe chamber grill, could clearly be seen behind the pair. The clip was probably taped at the same time the Today Show piece was recorded.
I think the streamlined architectural lines in the portions of the lobby ceiling depicted are consistent with a theatre built in the 1930’s. The color scheme seems a bit garish, and most likely not original. I’d also think some of the lighting is retro-fitted. The carpeting along the staircase wall appears to be repeated in the auditorium side walls – at least from what I can make out in the very first picture taken of seated patrons that appears in the gallery. Outside of the lobby ceiling, I’m not sure very much (if anything) survives from the original interior design.
There’s also this photo gallery with several glimpses at the interior (mostly portions of the lobby).
What a great image! Looks like it could be a storyboard for an episode of the HBO series, “Boardwalk Empire!”
According to an article in the Holley Standard, on April 8, 1915, a fire had broken out at the bakery located adjacent to the old Lyric Theatre just after midnight the previous Friday evening – the very last weekend before the new Lyric was scheduled to open across the Square. The fire was believed to have started in the cellar of the bakery, which was located in the Odd Fellows block. While the fire was brought under control within an hour, thanks to the quick response of the firemen and excellent water pressure, both the Lyric to the south and the jewelry store to the north were in immediate jeopardy.
No mention in the article as to whether any shows were cancelled at the Lyric. Indeed, while we know that the “New Lyric,” as it was being referred to, opened on Tuesday, April 6, there is no mention in any editions of the Standard during this period as to when operations at the old Lyric were to have wound down, or what plans for the old space were to be.
BillSavoy! What a pleasure to learn that you are the artist responsible for that remarkable scale model of the Roxy at the Museum of the Moving Image! And even more pleasurable to be able to directly express my thanks and admiration to you for providing such a lovingly detailed representation of this spectacular old movie palace! I must have spent a good twenty minutes pouring over every inch of your model when I last visited the museum about 7 or 8 years ago. In fact, I sang its praises in a post on this page (I dare you to find it among the more than 1300 comments already posted here) from back in March of 2005. My one criticism – and I hope this has since been corrected – is that the lighting around the display case produced annoying and obscuring glares on the glass. One has to lean in close to block these out and truly enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Thank you so much for that work. I am now inspired to take another trip into Astoria to check it out again!
So, turns out the site of the original Lyric Theatre in Holley was located directly across the Public Square from the newer Lyric described on this page. I’ve listed the original Lyric here on CT, and dug up some history on its origins – it opened as the Orpheum Theatre, by Frank L. Weller in October, 1911, out of a converted store front on the northeast side of the Square, adjacent to the Odd Fellows Hall building which was (and still is) located at the corner of the Square and White Street.
The newer Lyric, opened, as described above, by M. G. Carson, was situated at what would now have an address of 82 Public Square, adjacent to the current Community Library, which, at the time of the newer Lyric’s opening in April, 1914, was occupied by Lockwood’s Big Store.
In the street view for this theater, the building that housed the Orpheum/Lyric is the red one, second from left, adjacent to the double-width white building on the corner. That white building is Odd Fellows Hall, constructed in 1890 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization formed in 1819.
When M. G. Carson opened the new Lyric Theatre in 1915, it was in a space directly across the Square, in a mirror-image location that was once again a single width two story structure adjacent to the corner building that was double-width. The site of the new Lyric listed here on CT is shown in its street view to be occupied by Holley Video, and is adjacent to what is now the Community Library.
Ha. Saps… I only WISH I had a piece of interest in Stomp! Unfortunately, my only financial connection to the show was when I made my own small contribution towards its fortunes, when I took the kiddies to see it about a decade or so ago!
The saga continues…
Interesting mezzanine lounge just below the projection ports. Was this a smoking lounge that was conveniently set in the auditorium so patrons wouldn’t miss any of the movie when stepping out for a smoke? With chairs that were not fixed to the floor… and a phone booth?!
For those who just want to point and click:
Proscenium arch
Valance detail
Traveller curtain
I agree with BobbyS, regarding comparison to the Barclays Center. That’s like comparing the need for the Beacon Theatre as a concert venue when you have Madison Square Garden. I certainly think there is a sufficient population in Brooklyn to support a viable venue at the Kings. In my mind, its going to be a question of what kind of entertainments will be booked into the theater. Seems to me that Brooklyn could benefit from their own Beacon Theatre type venue – where pop acts can make a stop along a tour (much as in the ‘70’s and early '80’s when it wasn’t uncommon to see a particular act stop in for a night or two at the Palladium in Manhattan followed by a couple of nights across the river at the Capitol in Passaic). My fears here would be how Cablevision would react to the competition and how the state of the economy in 2015 will influence how people spend whatever disposable cash they may have.
Nice photo, Movieplace. I wonder if that gothic-looking stone and glass work above the marquee is still there, under the church’s signage?
Only trouble with that supposition, Al, is that the Theatre Unique was on the block bounded by East 13th and East 14th Streets between 3rd and 4th Avenues. An address of 136 East 13th Street would be on the south side of the street in the next block down, bounded by East 13th and East 12th Streets. Since this is the block on which the Bijou was located, it’s possible that the space accessed through that East 13th Street entrance by MarkieS was indeed a part of the old Bijou. Lyric is one of the former names listed above.
I feel like I’m becoming CT’s preeminent monologist! Always seem to be carrying on with myself at one theater or another. In any event, this project definitely seems to be delayed, in terms of meeting its scheduled opening date. As of today, the Post Ave structure is still down to bare wood frame and there are still unsealed cuts in the auditorium structure that allow exposure to the elements. I would have thought this site would have been further along in its renovations at this point, particularly considering the extraordinarily mild winter we’ve had here on Long Island.
Meanwhile, this page on the contractor’s website has some photographs, including a glimpse at the state of the auditorium from when the old roof had been completely removed last year. As suspected, all decorative elements appear to have been stripped down to the brick and concrete.
Ha. Thanks, Mike. Trying to put Holley, NY, on the Cinema Treasures map! Don’t ask why. I’m not sure I know the answer to that. Suffice to say, casual research on one recent entry here, sent me off wandering down mutliple paths in and around this little western New York hamlet.
Thanks, Al. Know that location well from my travels in and around the area.
I always have the same problem with that site, robboehm. You have to click on the box that says “Zoom” above the image. Once the new small picture window opens, just pan up, down, left or right as you zoom to see portions of the image. Unfortunately, there is no way that I’ve found to simply enlarge the entire picture on my computer screen.
The side panel on the marquee reads “Visit Loew’s Ave B and Commodore Theatres for the latest hits.” There are no titles advertised on the visible portions of the marquee, but the entrance doors below do appear to be open. I imagine the programming must have consisted of lesser end-of-run fare on double bills.
xtinenyc…. Post the link as follows: Enter a word or phrase like “Here’s the link” in brackets and then paste the link between parentheses just like this – [Here’s the Link] (www.websiteaddress.com) except no space between the close bracket and the open parenthesis.
Just thought I’d keep the conversation I’m having with myself going a bit further – what are the odds that anyone from Holley, NY, or surrounding areas, are members of CT? Anyway, a regular feature in the Holley Standard was one that looked back on the history of the village at varying intervals of time for the week of the current publication. On September 3, 1953, under the heading “Twenty-five Years Ago —1928,” the paper noted the following anecdote:
“The new organ recently installed at the Hollywood Theatre was heard for the first time, and lent a metropolitan air to the attractive little theatre. The picture, ‘The Street of Sin’ was shown in Holley simultaneously with its appearance at the Eastman Theatre. It was stated that it was unnecessary to go out of town to see the new pictures as they would be shown in Holley almost as soon as at the city theaters.”
Not sure where the Eastman was located – it is not listed on CT – but I can only assume it was in the city of Rochester.
Al’s postcard image from February 21, 2010, of the RKO Proctor’s 125th Street states the location as “West of Seventh Avenue.” Actually, the vintage postcard shows the Keith’s & Proctor’s 125th Street. This may have been the opera house that iatse311 found reference to in the Museum of City of New York site he linked to on July 21, 2010.
Here’s an active version to the link WelcometoHarlem posted earlier today. The reference to the Columbus Theatre at this address is near the bottom of page 2 in the right hand column. That AKA has already been noted on this page by CT.
Curiously, this item appeared in the January 11, 1917, edition of the Holley Standard:
“The Lyric theater in Brockport is to pass out of existence. The E Harrison Company have leased the building and expect to remove their clothing business to that location.”
Perhaps SchineHistorian (apologies for identifying the wrong gender for her in a previous comment) would know if there was an different Lyric that had operated in town once the changeover was made to the Strand name – or perhaps this was a planned relocation for E Harrison that never happened. Amazing how side-tracked one can become when burying themselves in old newspaper editions! I’m researching a couple of theaters in Holley, NY, and just keep stumbling upon tangential tidbits like this.