Ok Bob, I certainly see your point about the drive shafts, it was an easy exchange. In fact, sometimes when a gear blew, it was easier to just change the entire shaft. BUT, you mentioned the leaky intermittent, which I forgot about, which was another case for my dislike for the Century’s. I can not tell you how may times I went into a booth on a relief shift and found the intermittent oil dangerously low. The comment made by a projectionist â€Yes, but this side of the projector has nothing to do with my side of the projector.“ really reminded me of some of the less than professional projectionists (operators) we all hade to work with. Good grief!!
The Century intermittent seals were easily blown if you over oiled, and they leaked like a sieve. I certainly see your point you could avoid the grease mess on the Century’s if you applied light coatings grease and just kept an eye on it. But the Simplex bath was just easier, I always thought. Gee, is this our first fight :)
You also mentioned another old workhorse made by Brenkert. I rather liked those old machines; they were tough, and reliable. In fact my first booth experience was with brenkert’s at the old Paramount theatre on Staten Island. The Staten Island St. George had them as well before they switched to Century’s.
I often had a tough time cutting plates for the Simplex XLs, hard time getting rid of the fuzz; I always liked a clean aperture edge. I suppose that was my only complaint about the Simplex projector.
In the 50s, a lot of the old palaces like the (Paramount) had no masking, so a clean aperture line was very important. But you are so right about hiding flaws with masking; you could hide the rough edges so well.
I love chatting with you Bob, as I said before it would have been an absolute pleasure and a heck of a lot of fun had we had the opportunity to work together. Especially during the RCMH glory days.
REndres wrote:
“At one point I was pictured in a National Theatre Supply handout pointing out that every model Simplex machine made was in place in the Hallâ€.
Bob, RCMH made a good choice, Simplex is a great projector.
I worked with all the models.
The original simplex was a true work horse and then when the E-7s came along I especially liked the oil pump. But the XLs were the best in my opinion. I thought the oil bath for the gears was a great innovation.
I guess Century for run a distant second, I hated all that grease that had to be applied to the gears, it made such a mess, Of course if you waited to long to change the grease, you had a thick gooey mess on your hands and the purpose of the grease was greatly compromised. No, for me the Simple XL with oil bath was the best.
Bob did you have to add a second back aperture plate in order to get a sharp crisp edge to the image?
Even the 35/70 Simplex models were far better than the Century. Again with Century you had all that greasing to contend with and a big problem came with the design of the film path. If you made the lower loop just one or two sprockets to large, the print would slap up against the intermittent causing a rain scratch in the center of the image. The lower loop had to be a perfect size.
Of course, #1 when it comes to 70mm, you could not beat Norelco. Gosh I loved working with those machines. They also had an oil bath and were so easy to maintain and keep clean.
William, That is correct, and as of a year ago he still edits that way as well. As Spielberg put it “It’s Tradition”. Gotta love that!
brucec, you hit the nail on the head, when I retired in ‘05 I was told the age of film is over. Digital continues to improve, and the new generation of movie makers are no longer intersted in film at all. Digital may look and sound magnificent, but I still have my vinyl and 78 RPM records, along with my 16mm film, to comfort me in my old age.
Like REndres I am glad I got out when I did.
Oh by the way Rob, I loved that BC to AD I hope you won’t mind if I use it.
Gee Rob, your comments about the booth elimination just depressed the heck out of me. Time marches on as they say, nothing last forever. I would certainly not want to see or be a part of the changes in the Hall operation that have been made and are underway. I am happy you were spared that, and have your memories to share with us.
Rob or RCDTJ, Are the preview rooms still operational and are they ever used?
REndes, Have you stopped any involvemenr with the Hall?
I must say once again, thanks for you conributions to this page.
We have learned so much about what went on behind the scenes, things I always wondered about. The love you have for this theatre is very evident in the way you write about it. Some day when you have the time and inclination, I am sure many of us would live to hear what your typical day was like when the Hall was in the movie/stage show format. Basically,what your duties were from start to finish of your shift. Did you keep a journal?
RCDT, it’s great to have you here picking up where Rob left off.
Aside from the obvious, how does your work day today differ from the one Rob had.
RCDT, it sure is a shame. Are projectors 1&5 35mm only, and are they two of the original machines prior to the 70mm instalation?
How are you running Digital these days, I recall at one time a projector had been set up in thr first mezz for some shows.
Reminder everyone,“Wheel Of Fortune” is being broadcasst from RCMH all this week and next. AND they use the curtain.
Thanks bill, I thought that might be the case. I would not want another situation like last years musicians strike.
The boys behind the scenes are very hard working and dedicated professionals. I wish all the best for the stagehands.
Does anyone know if Broadway technical unions, who are vowing that there will be no work in December if they do not receive a new contract, will affect the Hall? Do they have a seperate agreement with Local one? I am hearing the union may strike right after thanksgiving.
Yup Rob, you made the cut; it was nice putting a face to the name.
I missed or was not paying attention when Ross was on, I’ll have to watch it again.
RCDTJ,Thanks for the 3-D info, I am glad to hear they are still going with 70mm. It’s too bad much of the rest of the film portion has been cut. I believe REndres told us, they have in the past used all five projectors in that show.
I have got to gt my tired old bones out to the show this year,
it has been years.
I loved the MSG show as well, had not seen it before.
For those who missed it, there will be repeats all week.
Nice to see REndres had a part in the show.
On December 15, 2007, the St. George Theatre will host the 78th Anniversary and Fourth Gala.
I received my invitation today, and I would encourage everyone to attend, and make your tax-deductable donation to help support this magnificent theatre.
The evening will include a Red Carpet Gala Reception in the Grand Lobby, presentation of the Georgie Awards and an evening with the Legendary Tony Bennett.
You can reserve your seats by visiting The St George Theatre
box-office, or calling 718 442 2900.
Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster.
The Richmond Dance Ensemble headed by Mrs. Rosemary Cappozalo (known to Islanders as Mrs. Rosemary) and her daughters have magnificently restored the theatre. We must, all of us, do what ever we can to support this Staten Island Treasure.
Yes larry, the Victory would often play day and date with the lane.
The Moses brothers owned four theates during that time.
Lane, in New Dorp
Victory, in Tompkinsville
Strand, in Great Kills
New Dorp,(which was also called the Staten. or “the Itch”)
As a kid in High School I worked as an usher at the Lane,
and did the marquee changes at both the Lane and Victory.
In my senior year, in addition to working for Mr.Moses,I started working for Fabian at the Paramount in Stapelton.
Sadly, all those theatres are gone now.
drednour, I remember Bob Jr. Didn’t he eventualy go into management with Natonal Amusements?
I remember your dad very well, a real gentlemen and a pleasure to work with. I think the last time I worked with him was in the mid 80s at the Hicksville six plex.
I also remember Gus, and swapping the old laser disks that were popular before DVD’s, he was a collector of them especailly the classics.
Bill, I am so glad to hear you have enjoyed my trip down memory lane.
If any questions come to mind about those magnificent days,
please let me know. I am glad you got the Durante reference, I was afraid no one would know who I was talking about.
Theatrebuff, I would certainly agree that a movie or some sort of documentary about what went on behind the scenes of a movie palace would be appreciated by those of us who have such fond memories of attending and working in those magnificent theatres. I would also think that many younger people who never had that opportunity would enjoy reading about what it was like in the days of the movie palaces. It is after al a part of our culture, an important part of movie history that must never be forgotten.
I always get a warm and satisfying feeling when ever I hear about a palace that has been saved; I wish you much luck and success with the Boyd.
A few years ago I had the good fortune of being asked to help with the restoration of a palace I attended as a kid and later worked in. When I first stepped inside, all kinds of wonderful memories began to swirl around in my head, and as I toured the theatre I was transformed back in time, it was a thrilling experience. I spent many hours peeking around in closets and store rooms looking for what ever I could find that could help bring back to life that magnificent gem. A simple thing like the original lobby stanchions and velvet ropes was to me as good as finding gold. While touring the stage and old dressing rooms I felt a bittersweet feeling because great structures like this one were dying and being destroyed. But there was hope that perhaps this one could be saved.
Perhaps the saving of the Boyd could be documented as part of a movie about movie palaces. Of course I would be happy to give you any other information, or answer any other any questions you may have
About my experiences working in a movie palace or Roadshow
My goodness that’s a lot of questions, I will try and scratch my head and answer a few of them.
My only limited experience with 3 strip Cinerama was “The World of Brothers Grimmâ€; I worked some relief shifts but never full time. I am not sure of the date but think it was sometime in 1962, I do remember we played it right after “West Side Storyâ€.
I seem to recall the engineers had to come back and reinstall some of the Cinerama equipment that been removed for WSS which was shown in 70mm. I think for a while there we could run both 3-strip Cinerama and 70mm.
As to number of showings per print, well that would have to have been “Sound Of Music†I believe we had it for about a year and half. The prints lasted quite a long time, since we only had about 10 shows a week during most months. I seem to recall he most concern was for the magnetic tracks which would deteriorate over time causing deficiencies in the high end.
You asked about manpower, for Cinerama we had three guys running the projectors in the Able, Baker, and Charlie booths plus another man who ran the sound , then I think we had a fifth man who sort a ran things and kept an eye on the show, and gave us heads up if there were any problems.
70mm always had two men; we were required by contract to be in the booth one hour prior to Showtime. Each of us would take care of one projector, while it was running we would sit on a stool keeping an eye on the screen, glancing from time to time at the lamphouse carbon image to make sure it the carbons were properly aligned and that they were feeding properly. Both of us would watch the screen for cues to make changeovers, some guys would call the cue while others did not like to do that. Trust me, after you run a movie for several months you did not need to be warned of the cue mark, you knew when they were coming. The reels were always rewound by hand checking for any problems. It was also common to announce to your partner which reel number you were about to thread. You always knew which reel you were running and could easily confirm which one should be loaded next. In between reels we would clean the entire film path, with special attention to the magnetic heads. Lenses and port glass were cleaned daily, and once a week we would run and a test reel, which demonstrated the speaker’s efficiency as well as the balance between channels. Before each new Roadhow presentation, the light output was checked to determine if the screen needed to be replaced and if the lamphouse reflectors were performing adequently. Roadshow presentations were very important, and no irregularities in the projection of these movies could be tolerated. I worked Roadshow engagements where there were three projectors in the booth. Generally to avoid any possible mix up, only two were used in any given performance, rotating which projectors to use on any given day. One projector was always given the day off. The last time I ran a 70mm Roadshow in a three projector booth was a reissue of
Ben Hur, at Century’s Plainview theatre on Long Island, probably back in ’69 or ‘70
Curtain problems were few, first of all we ALWAYS had curtains, I do not remember ever working a Roadshow or movie palace without them. The worst story I can tell you is when 3-Strip Cinerama was no longer being shown, we decided to remove the vertical strip screen which was no longer needed. The problem came about when we discovered the curtains would rub up against the new screen and actually caused some minor but noticeable damage to the coating. We had to run without curtains while a decision was being made on how to correct the problem. I honestly do not recall if the screen was moved back or the curtain forward, but the problem was solved and we went back to using the curtains. NO CURTAINS? Not in the glory days of palaces and Roadshows.
Whew! Hope I gave you some idea of what running a Roadshow was all about, If I left anything out let me know. I can only tell you what I can recall, unfortunately there are not many of us left from those days, most of them are either senile or dead. (little humor there)
You may be under the impression that you have most or all the movie. But as Peter pointed out you have only one out of about 10-11 reels. While a complete 35mm print might be stored and shipped in two or three cans, a 70mm print has a separate case for each reel. You can easily identify which reel you have by checking the first few feet of the film.
As to the value, I would guess little or none, the print may be faded by now, having been struck about 47 years ago. I can not imagine there would be much interest in just one 18 minute reel of the 3 hour movie.
Once you determine which reel you have, and the condition, you might try contacting Universal to see if they have any interest. You might also try a Goggle search for collectors who might want to take it off you hands.
Good luck.
I think, mostly due to the birth of the Multiplex, the art of showmanship is all but dead.
Theatre managers today have a completely different outlook on movie presentation; it’s all about getting as many butts as they can into the seats and selling concession items. Or in other words, the Bottom line.
When we had single screens and palaces, the emphasis was more about promotion, customer care and showmanship. We would often work with other store owners in the neighborhoods to promote and advertise our movies. The theatre manager would be in front of the house greeting and chatting with patrons, and careful care was taken to the layout of the marquee and advertising posters.
The Marquee was a vital part of the operation, it was the first thing our patrons saw, and countless folks saw it by driving or walking by. It had to be properly spaced and centered, and heaven forbid no missing or broken letters. Often with the Roadshows, we would have special coverings designed which covered the entire attraction panel. Those panels were a nice touch, often depicting caricatures of the stars of the movie.
There was more of a feeling of Welcome to the show, Oh I know, today the cashier or ticket taker will say something like that, but it’s not the same as it was back then, being greeted warmly as you enter the theatre by the manager and staff. While I did not see this in every palace I worked, I have witnessed theatre managers inspecting ushers appearance prior to opening the doors. I am pretty sure this still being done at Radio City Music Hall, it was certainly done in the hey day.
The lobby area had to be kept immaculate; we had people whose sole job was to roam the grounds outside, the lobby, and restrooms making sure they were clean. If someone dropped a candy wrapper someone was here to scoop it up as it hit the ground. In some theatres we even had bathroom attendants, and at the end of the performance staff was dispatched to the parking area to assist in traffic flow and offer any help (keys locked in cars, dead batteries, etc). We had ushers showing people to their seats, and in some cases handing our programs. After the performance began, ushers were there to assist late comers find their seats as quietly and inconspicuously as possible.
WHAT! Madness you say? Well no, it’s just the way we did things in those days.
Of course once our patrons passed through the lobby they entered a world of grandeur, with specious. Lighting was warm and yet somehow brilliant, the stage curtains were bathed with soft lighting that complimented the rest of the theatres color scheme, a far cry from today, with its exposed screen basically hanging on a wall with slide advertisements flashing.
Unless the theatre featured an organ, we did not offer pre show music during Roadshows, it was generally considered taboo. Many felt it would distract from the start of the overture.
I worked with a lot of theatre managers and most of them in those days were showman, especially in the palaces or during Roadshow engagements. Of course we had a few duds, and I generally stayed clear of them. And you know what, they did not last long. I always tried to enjoy an excellent relationship with my manager,
after, all we were partners, working in an industry we loved,trying to put on the best show possible.
Here is one for you. REndres is going to love this one.
We had a near nightmare when I played “Sweet Charityâ€. The print arrived two days before the opening, and later that day I inspected the print to find I had 2 reel two’s and no reel three.
The manager quickly notified his home office and the search was on to find a reel three. The thought was that some other theatre must have received two reel three’s and I had their reel two.
After investigating, it was discovered that was not the case, and no one had called in with a similar situation. So a rush was put in to find a reel three to complete my print. Early the next morning, the day before the movie opened, a new reel arrived by special courier. There was just one problem, it was another reel two. So now I had
3 reel two’s and still no reel three.
At this stage of the game all they could do was to supply a 35mm print in time for the opening.
I got to thinking why not run the bulk of the movie in 70mm and the third reel in 35mm. After all, to switch the projectors from 70mm to 35mm only took a few minutes. (at this point I can see REndres nodding his head in agreement as he reads this) I went to the manager with my idea and he agreed.
Think that was it? Well think again, later that day the 35mm print arrived, but it was a mono print. Once again I went rushing to the manager “the print is mono, we at least need a four track printâ€. Well one source told us there weren’t any mag prints struck and another said even if there are any we would never get it to you in time for the opening.
Well, by now I am this close to taking the gas pipe, but the manager and I agreed, let’s run it in 70mm and see how the third reel in 35mm looks and sounds. Well of course the difference in the print and sound quality was very noticeable, raising the sound two points did not help much. But we decided to go that way anyway;
after all, it was better than running the whole movie in 35mm with mono sound.
Think that was it, Well think again. The morning of the show this person from Universal showed up, heard what we were going to do, and said NO, NO, we are not advertising 70mm any way, so run the 35mm print. I pulled the manager aside and said “you gag him, tie him up, and throw him in a closet, I’ll lock the booth door and show it the way we plannedâ€. Well we both had a good laugh and then my manager, bless him, went to his boss who said “I like your idea of how to run the movie, tell that Universal guy this is my theatre and we will run it as I see fitâ€.
At the start of the show the District Manager went out to the stage and announced what had happened, and how we were going to show the film. His announcement was meet with approval from the crowd, and we were off and running.
If nothing else our audience got a side by side comparison of 70mm with six track and 35mm with mono sound.
Like Durante said, “I got a million of em folksâ€
Oh, the Universal guy we were going to put in a closet? He did not attend the opening.
End of the story, they found our missing reel three and delivered in time for the second night.
It’s been almost 40 years since this happened, but I tried to tell the story as best as I can remember.
Theater buff, you got that right! and what a great idea. I loved that movie, “Hotel†it’s one of my favorites. The public may not appreciate how much hard work goes into running a theatre, the hours are long, and the holidays are just another working day. Then of course there is the drama; in the front of the house you have staff that does not show up, the ice machine or HVAC (heat/ac) that breaks down
And of course all those charming customers (bless them) who have absolutely no patience or interest in the problems that you may be facing, screaming “I want to speak to a managerâ€.
In the booth, we have mechanical breakdowns big and small, like when a take up belt breaks and you have to turn the reel by hand for 10-15 minutes, or when the exciter lamp blows in the middle of a reel.
Then there is “Oh my god, what is that burning smell coming from the generator�
I could go on and on, my point being I think it would make a great story.We could not leave out the great tales that would come out of live theatre as well; like drunken talent,and all the backstage madness. Imagine the fun of running a theatre in the days of the old NY Palace with 8 acts of vaudeville and a movie, or the NY Paramount running movies and a live stage show. There has to be some wonderful stories there. I wonder if anyone here can relate any.
Meantime, should anyone have questions I might be able to answer about my experiences during my 56 years in the biz, both in front of the house or in the booth, please ask away.
The topic is 70mm World Premieres now listed in introductions of New York City movie palaces. I have often thought about starting a thread about running a theatre, but perhaps Howard would be gracious enough to let us share this one, keeping for the most part to his original thought. Surely there must be others out there who have movie palace stories to share.
Theaterbuff, well obviously I loved what you wrote, most folks were not aware of what on behind the scenes. I had a great feeling of accomplishment and joy at the end of the day after running a perfect show. I t was very important to me that no one in the audience be made aware of what was going on in the booth, and you did that by making perfect changeovers, keeping those carbons aligned to maintain perfect light, and of course exact focus. Today the boys simply thread the film, push a button and walk away, then what ever happens, happens. Today’s projectionists will never know the thrill of running a 70mm roadshow. The excitement began when the print arrived and you opened the cans, put on your white gloves, and reel by reel gave the print a loving inspection, looking carefully for any imperfections.That print was going to be your responsibility for the next few months, it was important that it be given loving care.
Next would come the technical rehearsal (dry run) where we got a chance to see the movie on the screen for the first time, deciding how best to run the lights for the overture, and checking the curtain cues to be sure the curtains closed at the right time and speed. Often when the overture had several short segments from songs in the movie, like for example in “South Pacificâ€, the house lighting could be dimmed in stages, dancing with the music if you will. Occasionally the director or studio would send cue sheets with suggested ways of handling the overtures, and sound levels. I always loved when we would get input from people who made the film, basically saying “take care of our baby; it’s in your hands nowâ€. It’s important to know that the film makers cared a great deal about how the movie was projected. They recognized the fact that all the hard work they put into making the movie could be ruined by a bad presentation in the theatre. But trust me when I tell you, those of us who were in the booth in those days cared about the presentation as much as the film makers did. When something went wrong in the booth and the movie was interrupted or the showing flawed in any way, whether it was a mechanical problem or through my own carelessness, we would feel I had let the film maker and my audience down.
Now comes opening night, the house is full and it’s five minutes to overture. You have checked with management about the starting time and wait for the clock to hit the time to start. The blood starts pumping as you look out over the audience and go over the music cues in your head one last time.
It’s Showtime!, I can not describe to you the feeling you get as the film begins to roll and the music starts. It’s simply, as the kids say today, “awesomeâ€.
When the show is over and all the lighting and curtain cues went without a hitch, and every changeover was executed perfectly, you would go home felling good, and anticipating tomorrow, when you get to do it all again.
That’s what it was like for me to run a 70mm roadshow.
William, Oh yes, the cost of running 3-strip Cinerama was high. We had up to five projectionists on duty per shift. A 70mm engagement generally maintained two projectionists, as did 3-D.
Later on some theatres went to one man who received an increase in salary while running 70mm.
The 70mm booth ran for the most part without problems, which was not always the case with 3-D or Cinerama. With 3-D projection, the sync motors would occasionally fail causing the left/right images to run a couple of frames out of sync. While Cinerama did not have that problem, film breaks would occur meaning the same number of frames damaged of removed from the left print would have to be removed from the right print. In order to keep the integrity of the sound track we would usually not cut frames or footage out of the undamaged print but rather insert a black slug the same length of the film removed from the damaged one. So when that scene went by the movie suddenly went 2-D (flat) for a few seconds. So projectionists became film editors, we kept a three gang synchronizer in the booth on the make up table. Incidently many may not realise that the term “flat” was coined back in the 50s when movies wher either 3-D or flat(2-D) Today it is used to destinguish between anamorphic and non anamorphic prints. Hense, flat or scope.
You are correct when you wrote about the replacement of Cinerama with 70mm Ultra Cinerama. This was caused by on going problems with the three-strip technology and its expense, many thought that the audience would not notice the difference anyway, I think the switch began sometime around 1963, as I recall the single strip Cinerama was called by some as something like Super Cinerama, but it lacked the impact of the original process. Many Cinerama theatres took the three strip process out replaced it with 70mm.
I was glad you brought up the EPA ruling for film labs, not too many people understand that was another nail in the coffin that added to the demise of magnetic prints.
TheatreBuff, You articulated some very interesting thoughts regarding Digital projection.
Keeping in mind that the skies the limit with what the future holds in motion pictures by way of this new medium, Digital cinema has given the theatres a new breath of life. Digital projection is being installed around the country at a much faster pace this past year, many multiplex’s now have better than half their screens equipped with Digital projectors sitting along side the film projectors. Exhibitors are beginning to see the potential for putting more people into their theatres.
Originally it was the studios that had the most to gain, by way of savings in print costs and shipping.
I am not sure how many realized the full potential of Digital or the impact it would make on the theatres.
70mm did originally bring people into the theatres, as did Cinerama and 3-D. These were new and exciting movie going experiences and the audiences loved them. However people grew bored with 3-D and it quickly died away, In addition, although not many may realize it, we had a lot of problems in the booth with 3-D, breakdowns were all to frequent, causing audience dissatisfaction.
As for Cinerama, when 70mm came along, that to seemed to disappear. Running Cinerama was a royal pain in the butt and with the quality of 70mm and the cheaper cost to produce and exhibit; I think film makers lost interest in Cinerama. Don’t get me wrong, I believe Cinerama to be far greater than 70mm, but audiences were satisfied with 70mm and did not seem to care if Cinerama survived or not. At least that’s the way I recall it.
Digital cinema gives the theatre owners something they have desperately needed for quite a while now, and that is new ways to fill the theatres. Digital 3-D is outstanding, and much cheaper and easier to present the 3-D of the past. Through Digital projection, Theatres can now present live feeds of sporting events, and concerts. National Amusements, for example presented live Boston Red Sox ball games and live opera performances.
We have just begun to scratch the service with the potential of Digital Cinema. This time unlike 70mm, 3-D and Cinerama, Digital is here to stay and will in fact eventually replace film all together.
I never want to see film go the route of Vinyl records and video tape, but on the other hand I support any medium that will keep motion picture theatres alive and thriving.
We are a dying breed I am afraid, the new generation of movie goers do not know much, or care much about 70mm, unfortunately I don’t see much coming down the pike to change that. However we must work hard to preserve the few 70mm venues we still have and continue to present 70mm film classics.
I would hope there will always be a few theatres still showing the 70mm films we all love for many years to come. 70mm simply can not be allowed to die and completely disappear; we must teach the young folks to embrace 70mm and help keep it alive.
Al, I am sorry, but I cannot agree with your comment “The death of 70mm had nothing to do with cost cutting from distributors nor exhibitors”. I would also disagree with the idea that with respect to the difference between 35mm and 70mm, that “few would notice the difference"
As a film exhibitor I can tell you they most certainly did notice, and in fact performances in 70mm were always more popular than those in 35mm. I state my claims based on my regular dealings and discussions with film buyers and studio people. That coupled by my first hand knowledge by having been there. Obviously a blockbusters gross was not affected by whether or not it was in 70mm, people were going to see the movie either way. Which is the whole point, and is why the studios (distributors) and exhibitors abandoned 70mm.
I agree with Howard, who wrote, the big sound helped kill 70mm.
Ok Bob, I certainly see your point about the drive shafts, it was an easy exchange. In fact, sometimes when a gear blew, it was easier to just change the entire shaft. BUT, you mentioned the leaky intermittent, which I forgot about, which was another case for my dislike for the Century’s. I can not tell you how may times I went into a booth on a relief shift and found the intermittent oil dangerously low. The comment made by a projectionist â€Yes, but this side of the projector has nothing to do with my side of the projector.“ really reminded me of some of the less than professional projectionists (operators) we all hade to work with. Good grief!!
The Century intermittent seals were easily blown if you over oiled, and they leaked like a sieve. I certainly see your point you could avoid the grease mess on the Century’s if you applied light coatings grease and just kept an eye on it. But the Simplex bath was just easier, I always thought. Gee, is this our first fight :)
You also mentioned another old workhorse made by Brenkert. I rather liked those old machines; they were tough, and reliable. In fact my first booth experience was with brenkert’s at the old Paramount theatre on Staten Island. The Staten Island St. George had them as well before they switched to Century’s.
I often had a tough time cutting plates for the Simplex XLs, hard time getting rid of the fuzz; I always liked a clean aperture edge. I suppose that was my only complaint about the Simplex projector.
In the 50s, a lot of the old palaces like the (Paramount) had no masking, so a clean aperture line was very important. But you are so right about hiding flaws with masking; you could hide the rough edges so well.
I love chatting with you Bob, as I said before it would have been an absolute pleasure and a heck of a lot of fun had we had the opportunity to work together. Especially during the RCMH glory days.
REndres wrote:
“At one point I was pictured in a National Theatre Supply handout pointing out that every model Simplex machine made was in place in the Hallâ€.
Bob, RCMH made a good choice, Simplex is a great projector.
I worked with all the models.
The original simplex was a true work horse and then when the E-7s came along I especially liked the oil pump. But the XLs were the best in my opinion. I thought the oil bath for the gears was a great innovation.
I guess Century for run a distant second, I hated all that grease that had to be applied to the gears, it made such a mess, Of course if you waited to long to change the grease, you had a thick gooey mess on your hands and the purpose of the grease was greatly compromised. No, for me the Simple XL with oil bath was the best.
Bob did you have to add a second back aperture plate in order to get a sharp crisp edge to the image?
Even the 35/70 Simplex models were far better than the Century. Again with Century you had all that greasing to contend with and a big problem came with the design of the film path. If you made the lower loop just one or two sprockets to large, the print would slap up against the intermittent causing a rain scratch in the center of the image. The lower loop had to be a perfect size.
Of course, #1 when it comes to 70mm, you could not beat Norelco. Gosh I loved working with those machines. They also had an oil bath and were so easy to maintain and keep clean.
William, That is correct, and as of a year ago he still edits that way as well. As Spielberg put it “It’s Tradition”. Gotta love that!
brucec, you hit the nail on the head, when I retired in ‘05 I was told the age of film is over. Digital continues to improve, and the new generation of movie makers are no longer intersted in film at all. Digital may look and sound magnificent, but I still have my vinyl and 78 RPM records, along with my 16mm film, to comfort me in my old age.
Like REndres I am glad I got out when I did.
Oh by the way Rob, I loved that BC to AD I hope you won’t mind if I use it.
One more thing, can any of you boys supply photos of the booth, both past and current? Perhaps a link
Gee Rob, your comments about the booth elimination just depressed the heck out of me. Time marches on as they say, nothing last forever. I would certainly not want to see or be a part of the changes in the Hall operation that have been made and are underway. I am happy you were spared that, and have your memories to share with us.
Rob or RCDTJ, Are the preview rooms still operational and are they ever used?
REndes, Have you stopped any involvemenr with the Hall?
I must say once again, thanks for you conributions to this page.
We have learned so much about what went on behind the scenes, things I always wondered about. The love you have for this theatre is very evident in the way you write about it. Some day when you have the time and inclination, I am sure many of us would live to hear what your typical day was like when the Hall was in the movie/stage show format. Basically,what your duties were from start to finish of your shift. Did you keep a journal?
RCDT, it’s great to have you here picking up where Rob left off.
Aside from the obvious, how does your work day today differ from the one Rob had.
RCDT, it sure is a shame. Are projectors 1&5 35mm only, and are they two of the original machines prior to the 70mm instalation?
How are you running Digital these days, I recall at one time a projector had been set up in thr first mezz for some shows.
Reminder everyone,“Wheel Of Fortune” is being broadcasst from RCMH all this week and next. AND they use the curtain.
Thanks bill, I thought that might be the case. I would not want another situation like last years musicians strike.
The boys behind the scenes are very hard working and dedicated professionals. I wish all the best for the stagehands.
Does anyone know if Broadway technical unions, who are vowing that there will be no work in December if they do not receive a new contract, will affect the Hall? Do they have a seperate agreement with Local one? I am hearing the union may strike right after thanksgiving.
Yup Rob, you made the cut; it was nice putting a face to the name.
I missed or was not paying attention when Ross was on, I’ll have to watch it again.
RCDTJ,Thanks for the 3-D info, I am glad to hear they are still going with 70mm. It’s too bad much of the rest of the film portion has been cut. I believe REndres told us, they have in the past used all five projectors in that show.
I have got to gt my tired old bones out to the show this year,
it has been years.
I loved the MSG show as well, had not seen it before.
For those who missed it, there will be repeats all week.
Nice to see REndres had a part in the show.
On December 15, 2007, the St. George Theatre will host the 78th Anniversary and Fourth Gala.
I received my invitation today, and I would encourage everyone to attend, and make your tax-deductable donation to help support this magnificent theatre.
The evening will include a Red Carpet Gala Reception in the Grand Lobby, presentation of the Georgie Awards and an evening with the Legendary Tony Bennett.
You can reserve your seats by visiting The St George Theatre
box-office, or calling 718 442 2900.
Tickets can also be purchased through Ticketmaster.
The Richmond Dance Ensemble headed by Mrs. Rosemary Cappozalo (known to Islanders as Mrs. Rosemary) and her daughters have magnificently restored the theatre. We must, all of us, do what ever we can to support this Staten Island Treasure.
Yes larry, the Victory would often play day and date with the lane.
The Moses brothers owned four theates during that time.
Lane, in New Dorp
Victory, in Tompkinsville
Strand, in Great Kills
New Dorp,(which was also called the Staten. or “the Itch”)
As a kid in High School I worked as an usher at the Lane,
and did the marquee changes at both the Lane and Victory.
In my senior year, in addition to working for Mr.Moses,I started working for Fabian at the Paramount in Stapelton.
Sadly, all those theatres are gone now.
drednour, I remember Bob Jr. Didn’t he eventualy go into management with Natonal Amusements?
I remember your dad very well, a real gentlemen and a pleasure to work with. I think the last time I worked with him was in the mid 80s at the Hicksville six plex.
I also remember Gus, and swapping the old laser disks that were popular before DVD’s, he was a collector of them especailly the classics.
Oh Bill, I wonder if after he died he ever found Mrs Calabash.
Have fun tonight!
Bill, I am so glad to hear you have enjoyed my trip down memory lane.
If any questions come to mind about those magnificent days,
please let me know. I am glad you got the Durante reference, I was afraid no one would know who I was talking about.
Theatrebuff, I would certainly agree that a movie or some sort of documentary about what went on behind the scenes of a movie palace would be appreciated by those of us who have such fond memories of attending and working in those magnificent theatres. I would also think that many younger people who never had that opportunity would enjoy reading about what it was like in the days of the movie palaces. It is after al a part of our culture, an important part of movie history that must never be forgotten.
I always get a warm and satisfying feeling when ever I hear about a palace that has been saved; I wish you much luck and success with the Boyd.
A few years ago I had the good fortune of being asked to help with the restoration of a palace I attended as a kid and later worked in. When I first stepped inside, all kinds of wonderful memories began to swirl around in my head, and as I toured the theatre I was transformed back in time, it was a thrilling experience. I spent many hours peeking around in closets and store rooms looking for what ever I could find that could help bring back to life that magnificent gem. A simple thing like the original lobby stanchions and velvet ropes was to me as good as finding gold. While touring the stage and old dressing rooms I felt a bittersweet feeling because great structures like this one were dying and being destroyed. But there was hope that perhaps this one could be saved.
Perhaps the saving of the Boyd could be documented as part of a movie about movie palaces. Of course I would be happy to give you any other information, or answer any other any questions you may have
About my experiences working in a movie palace or Roadshow
My goodness that’s a lot of questions, I will try and scratch my head and answer a few of them.
My only limited experience with 3 strip Cinerama was “The World of Brothers Grimmâ€; I worked some relief shifts but never full time. I am not sure of the date but think it was sometime in 1962, I do remember we played it right after “West Side Storyâ€.
I seem to recall the engineers had to come back and reinstall some of the Cinerama equipment that been removed for WSS which was shown in 70mm. I think for a while there we could run both 3-strip Cinerama and 70mm.
As to number of showings per print, well that would have to have been “Sound Of Music†I believe we had it for about a year and half. The prints lasted quite a long time, since we only had about 10 shows a week during most months. I seem to recall he most concern was for the magnetic tracks which would deteriorate over time causing deficiencies in the high end.
You asked about manpower, for Cinerama we had three guys running the projectors in the Able, Baker, and Charlie booths plus another man who ran the sound , then I think we had a fifth man who sort a ran things and kept an eye on the show, and gave us heads up if there were any problems.
70mm always had two men; we were required by contract to be in the booth one hour prior to Showtime. Each of us would take care of one projector, while it was running we would sit on a stool keeping an eye on the screen, glancing from time to time at the lamphouse carbon image to make sure it the carbons were properly aligned and that they were feeding properly. Both of us would watch the screen for cues to make changeovers, some guys would call the cue while others did not like to do that. Trust me, after you run a movie for several months you did not need to be warned of the cue mark, you knew when they were coming. The reels were always rewound by hand checking for any problems. It was also common to announce to your partner which reel number you were about to thread. You always knew which reel you were running and could easily confirm which one should be loaded next. In between reels we would clean the entire film path, with special attention to the magnetic heads. Lenses and port glass were cleaned daily, and once a week we would run and a test reel, which demonstrated the speaker’s efficiency as well as the balance between channels. Before each new Roadhow presentation, the light output was checked to determine if the screen needed to be replaced and if the lamphouse reflectors were performing adequently. Roadshow presentations were very important, and no irregularities in the projection of these movies could be tolerated. I worked Roadshow engagements where there were three projectors in the booth. Generally to avoid any possible mix up, only two were used in any given performance, rotating which projectors to use on any given day. One projector was always given the day off. The last time I ran a 70mm Roadshow in a three projector booth was a reissue of
Ben Hur, at Century’s Plainview theatre on Long Island, probably back in ’69 or ‘70
Curtain problems were few, first of all we ALWAYS had curtains, I do not remember ever working a Roadshow or movie palace without them. The worst story I can tell you is when 3-Strip Cinerama was no longer being shown, we decided to remove the vertical strip screen which was no longer needed. The problem came about when we discovered the curtains would rub up against the new screen and actually caused some minor but noticeable damage to the coating. We had to run without curtains while a decision was being made on how to correct the problem. I honestly do not recall if the screen was moved back or the curtain forward, but the problem was solved and we went back to using the curtains. NO CURTAINS? Not in the glory days of palaces and Roadshows.
Whew! Hope I gave you some idea of what running a Roadshow was all about, If I left anything out let me know. I can only tell you what I can recall, unfortunately there are not many of us left from those days, most of them are either senile or dead. (little humor there)
You may be under the impression that you have most or all the movie. But as Peter pointed out you have only one out of about 10-11 reels. While a complete 35mm print might be stored and shipped in two or three cans, a 70mm print has a separate case for each reel. You can easily identify which reel you have by checking the first few feet of the film.
As to the value, I would guess little or none, the print may be faded by now, having been struck about 47 years ago. I can not imagine there would be much interest in just one 18 minute reel of the 3 hour movie.
Once you determine which reel you have, and the condition, you might try contacting Universal to see if they have any interest. You might also try a Goggle search for collectors who might want to take it off you hands.
Good luck.
Bill, yes I will most certainly do that.
Theaterbuff, Great post!
I think, mostly due to the birth of the Multiplex, the art of showmanship is all but dead.
Theatre managers today have a completely different outlook on movie presentation; it’s all about getting as many butts as they can into the seats and selling concession items. Or in other words, the Bottom line.
When we had single screens and palaces, the emphasis was more about promotion, customer care and showmanship. We would often work with other store owners in the neighborhoods to promote and advertise our movies. The theatre manager would be in front of the house greeting and chatting with patrons, and careful care was taken to the layout of the marquee and advertising posters.
The Marquee was a vital part of the operation, it was the first thing our patrons saw, and countless folks saw it by driving or walking by. It had to be properly spaced and centered, and heaven forbid no missing or broken letters. Often with the Roadshows, we would have special coverings designed which covered the entire attraction panel. Those panels were a nice touch, often depicting caricatures of the stars of the movie.
There was more of a feeling of Welcome to the show, Oh I know, today the cashier or ticket taker will say something like that, but it’s not the same as it was back then, being greeted warmly as you enter the theatre by the manager and staff. While I did not see this in every palace I worked, I have witnessed theatre managers inspecting ushers appearance prior to opening the doors. I am pretty sure this still being done at Radio City Music Hall, it was certainly done in the hey day.
The lobby area had to be kept immaculate; we had people whose sole job was to roam the grounds outside, the lobby, and restrooms making sure they were clean. If someone dropped a candy wrapper someone was here to scoop it up as it hit the ground. In some theatres we even had bathroom attendants, and at the end of the performance staff was dispatched to the parking area to assist in traffic flow and offer any help (keys locked in cars, dead batteries, etc). We had ushers showing people to their seats, and in some cases handing our programs. After the performance began, ushers were there to assist late comers find their seats as quietly and inconspicuously as possible.
WHAT! Madness you say? Well no, it’s just the way we did things in those days.
Of course once our patrons passed through the lobby they entered a world of grandeur, with specious. Lighting was warm and yet somehow brilliant, the stage curtains were bathed with soft lighting that complimented the rest of the theatres color scheme, a far cry from today, with its exposed screen basically hanging on a wall with slide advertisements flashing.
Unless the theatre featured an organ, we did not offer pre show music during Roadshows, it was generally considered taboo. Many felt it would distract from the start of the overture.
I worked with a lot of theatre managers and most of them in those days were showman, especially in the palaces or during Roadshow engagements. Of course we had a few duds, and I generally stayed clear of them. And you know what, they did not last long. I always tried to enjoy an excellent relationship with my manager,
after, all we were partners, working in an industry we loved,trying to put on the best show possible.
Here is one for you. REndres is going to love this one.
We had a near nightmare when I played “Sweet Charityâ€. The print arrived two days before the opening, and later that day I inspected the print to find I had 2 reel two’s and no reel three.
The manager quickly notified his home office and the search was on to find a reel three. The thought was that some other theatre must have received two reel three’s and I had their reel two.
After investigating, it was discovered that was not the case, and no one had called in with a similar situation. So a rush was put in to find a reel three to complete my print. Early the next morning, the day before the movie opened, a new reel arrived by special courier. There was just one problem, it was another reel two. So now I had
3 reel two’s and still no reel three.
At this stage of the game all they could do was to supply a 35mm print in time for the opening.
I got to thinking why not run the bulk of the movie in 70mm and the third reel in 35mm. After all, to switch the projectors from 70mm to 35mm only took a few minutes. (at this point I can see REndres nodding his head in agreement as he reads this) I went to the manager with my idea and he agreed.
Think that was it? Well think again, later that day the 35mm print arrived, but it was a mono print. Once again I went rushing to the manager “the print is mono, we at least need a four track printâ€. Well one source told us there weren’t any mag prints struck and another said even if there are any we would never get it to you in time for the opening.
Well, by now I am this close to taking the gas pipe, but the manager and I agreed, let’s run it in 70mm and see how the third reel in 35mm looks and sounds. Well of course the difference in the print and sound quality was very noticeable, raising the sound two points did not help much. But we decided to go that way anyway;
after all, it was better than running the whole movie in 35mm with mono sound.
Think that was it, Well think again. The morning of the show this person from Universal showed up, heard what we were going to do, and said NO, NO, we are not advertising 70mm any way, so run the 35mm print. I pulled the manager aside and said “you gag him, tie him up, and throw him in a closet, I’ll lock the booth door and show it the way we plannedâ€. Well we both had a good laugh and then my manager, bless him, went to his boss who said “I like your idea of how to run the movie, tell that Universal guy this is my theatre and we will run it as I see fitâ€.
At the start of the show the District Manager went out to the stage and announced what had happened, and how we were going to show the film. His announcement was meet with approval from the crowd, and we were off and running.
If nothing else our audience got a side by side comparison of 70mm with six track and 35mm with mono sound.
Like Durante said, “I got a million of em folksâ€
Oh, the Universal guy we were going to put in a closet? He did not attend the opening.
End of the story, they found our missing reel three and delivered in time for the second night.
It’s been almost 40 years since this happened, but I tried to tell the story as best as I can remember.
Theater buff, you got that right! and what a great idea. I loved that movie, “Hotel†it’s one of my favorites. The public may not appreciate how much hard work goes into running a theatre, the hours are long, and the holidays are just another working day. Then of course there is the drama; in the front of the house you have staff that does not show up, the ice machine or HVAC (heat/ac) that breaks down
And of course all those charming customers (bless them) who have absolutely no patience or interest in the problems that you may be facing, screaming “I want to speak to a managerâ€.
In the booth, we have mechanical breakdowns big and small, like when a take up belt breaks and you have to turn the reel by hand for 10-15 minutes, or when the exciter lamp blows in the middle of a reel.
Then there is “Oh my god, what is that burning smell coming from the generator�
I could go on and on, my point being I think it would make a great story.We could not leave out the great tales that would come out of live theatre as well; like drunken talent,and all the backstage madness. Imagine the fun of running a theatre in the days of the old NY Palace with 8 acts of vaudeville and a movie, or the NY Paramount running movies and a live stage show. There has to be some wonderful stories there. I wonder if anyone here can relate any.
Meantime, should anyone have questions I might be able to answer about my experiences during my 56 years in the biz, both in front of the house or in the booth, please ask away.
The topic is 70mm World Premieres now listed in introductions of New York City movie palaces. I have often thought about starting a thread about running a theatre, but perhaps Howard would be gracious enough to let us share this one, keeping for the most part to his original thought. Surely there must be others out there who have movie palace stories to share.
Theaterbuff, well obviously I loved what you wrote, most folks were not aware of what on behind the scenes. I had a great feeling of accomplishment and joy at the end of the day after running a perfect show. I t was very important to me that no one in the audience be made aware of what was going on in the booth, and you did that by making perfect changeovers, keeping those carbons aligned to maintain perfect light, and of course exact focus. Today the boys simply thread the film, push a button and walk away, then what ever happens, happens. Today’s projectionists will never know the thrill of running a 70mm roadshow. The excitement began when the print arrived and you opened the cans, put on your white gloves, and reel by reel gave the print a loving inspection, looking carefully for any imperfections.That print was going to be your responsibility for the next few months, it was important that it be given loving care.
Next would come the technical rehearsal (dry run) where we got a chance to see the movie on the screen for the first time, deciding how best to run the lights for the overture, and checking the curtain cues to be sure the curtains closed at the right time and speed. Often when the overture had several short segments from songs in the movie, like for example in “South Pacificâ€, the house lighting could be dimmed in stages, dancing with the music if you will. Occasionally the director or studio would send cue sheets with suggested ways of handling the overtures, and sound levels. I always loved when we would get input from people who made the film, basically saying “take care of our baby; it’s in your hands nowâ€. It’s important to know that the film makers cared a great deal about how the movie was projected. They recognized the fact that all the hard work they put into making the movie could be ruined by a bad presentation in the theatre. But trust me when I tell you, those of us who were in the booth in those days cared about the presentation as much as the film makers did. When something went wrong in the booth and the movie was interrupted or the showing flawed in any way, whether it was a mechanical problem or through my own carelessness, we would feel I had let the film maker and my audience down.
Now comes opening night, the house is full and it’s five minutes to overture. You have checked with management about the starting time and wait for the clock to hit the time to start. The blood starts pumping as you look out over the audience and go over the music cues in your head one last time.
It’s Showtime!, I can not describe to you the feeling you get as the film begins to roll and the music starts. It’s simply, as the kids say today, “awesomeâ€.
When the show is over and all the lighting and curtain cues went without a hitch, and every changeover was executed perfectly, you would go home felling good, and anticipating tomorrow, when you get to do it all again.
That’s what it was like for me to run a 70mm roadshow.
William, Oh yes, the cost of running 3-strip Cinerama was high. We had up to five projectionists on duty per shift. A 70mm engagement generally maintained two projectionists, as did 3-D.
Later on some theatres went to one man who received an increase in salary while running 70mm.
The 70mm booth ran for the most part without problems, which was not always the case with 3-D or Cinerama. With 3-D projection, the sync motors would occasionally fail causing the left/right images to run a couple of frames out of sync. While Cinerama did not have that problem, film breaks would occur meaning the same number of frames damaged of removed from the left print would have to be removed from the right print. In order to keep the integrity of the sound track we would usually not cut frames or footage out of the undamaged print but rather insert a black slug the same length of the film removed from the damaged one. So when that scene went by the movie suddenly went 2-D (flat) for a few seconds. So projectionists became film editors, we kept a three gang synchronizer in the booth on the make up table. Incidently many may not realise that the term “flat” was coined back in the 50s when movies wher either 3-D or flat(2-D) Today it is used to destinguish between anamorphic and non anamorphic prints. Hense, flat or scope.
You are correct when you wrote about the replacement of Cinerama with 70mm Ultra Cinerama. This was caused by on going problems with the three-strip technology and its expense, many thought that the audience would not notice the difference anyway, I think the switch began sometime around 1963, as I recall the single strip Cinerama was called by some as something like Super Cinerama, but it lacked the impact of the original process. Many Cinerama theatres took the three strip process out replaced it with 70mm.
I was glad you brought up the EPA ruling for film labs, not too many people understand that was another nail in the coffin that added to the demise of magnetic prints.
TheatreBuff, You articulated some very interesting thoughts regarding Digital projection.
Keeping in mind that the skies the limit with what the future holds in motion pictures by way of this new medium, Digital cinema has given the theatres a new breath of life. Digital projection is being installed around the country at a much faster pace this past year, many multiplex’s now have better than half their screens equipped with Digital projectors sitting along side the film projectors. Exhibitors are beginning to see the potential for putting more people into their theatres.
Originally it was the studios that had the most to gain, by way of savings in print costs and shipping.
I am not sure how many realized the full potential of Digital or the impact it would make on the theatres.
70mm did originally bring people into the theatres, as did Cinerama and 3-D. These were new and exciting movie going experiences and the audiences loved them. However people grew bored with 3-D and it quickly died away, In addition, although not many may realize it, we had a lot of problems in the booth with 3-D, breakdowns were all to frequent, causing audience dissatisfaction.
As for Cinerama, when 70mm came along, that to seemed to disappear. Running Cinerama was a royal pain in the butt and with the quality of 70mm and the cheaper cost to produce and exhibit; I think film makers lost interest in Cinerama. Don’t get me wrong, I believe Cinerama to be far greater than 70mm, but audiences were satisfied with 70mm and did not seem to care if Cinerama survived or not. At least that’s the way I recall it.
Digital cinema gives the theatre owners something they have desperately needed for quite a while now, and that is new ways to fill the theatres. Digital 3-D is outstanding, and much cheaper and easier to present the 3-D of the past. Through Digital projection, Theatres can now present live feeds of sporting events, and concerts. National Amusements, for example presented live Boston Red Sox ball games and live opera performances.
We have just begun to scratch the service with the potential of Digital Cinema. This time unlike 70mm, 3-D and Cinerama, Digital is here to stay and will in fact eventually replace film all together.
I never want to see film go the route of Vinyl records and video tape, but on the other hand I support any medium that will keep motion picture theatres alive and thriving.
We are a dying breed I am afraid, the new generation of movie goers do not know much, or care much about 70mm, unfortunately I don’t see much coming down the pike to change that. However we must work hard to preserve the few 70mm venues we still have and continue to present 70mm film classics.
I would hope there will always be a few theatres still showing the 70mm films we all love for many years to come. 70mm simply can not be allowed to die and completely disappear; we must teach the young folks to embrace 70mm and help keep it alive.
Al, I am sorry, but I cannot agree with your comment “The death of 70mm had nothing to do with cost cutting from distributors nor exhibitors”. I would also disagree with the idea that with respect to the difference between 35mm and 70mm, that “few would notice the difference"
As a film exhibitor I can tell you they most certainly did notice, and in fact performances in 70mm were always more popular than those in 35mm. I state my claims based on my regular dealings and discussions with film buyers and studio people. That coupled by my first hand knowledge by having been there. Obviously a blockbusters gross was not affected by whether or not it was in 70mm, people were going to see the movie either way. Which is the whole point, and is why the studios (distributors) and exhibitors abandoned 70mm.
I agree with Howard, who wrote, the big sound helped kill 70mm.