Jack Liebenberg was not the original architect of the Egyptian, he was responsible (with his partner Seeman Kaplan) for the 1938 re-modelling of the theatre.
A seating capacity of 654 is given in the Film Daily Yearbook, 1941.
In the FDY,1950 the capacity is given as 970 with a street address at 829 Davis Street.
I have the Madison listed in the 1930 Film Daily Yearbook, so it was opened prior to then.
The 1950 FDY has it listed as the Azteca with a seating capacity of 530. Stangely, by the time the 1957 FDY was published it is again listed as the Madison, but showing no seating capacity, which leads me to believe that it had just closed and the owners hadn’t contacted FDY with their annual update.
Theaters in the FDY without a seating capacity tend to be ones just opened (or about to open as FDY went to press) so are without their full details, or for the reason I mention above.
I have just found the programme that was handed out on my first ever visit to the RCMH.
Here are the details:
Week beginning Thursday November 11, 1976
Music Hall Grand Organ – Raymond Bohr, John Destroy
“The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella” Richard Chamberlain, Gemma Craven.
“The Nativity” Rebecca Alford, Soloist. Entire Music Hall Ensemble
“Snowflakes” Produced and Directed by Peter Gennaro
A. “Build a Snowman"
B. "All Skating, All Singing” Barry Busse, The Caroleers & The Skaters
C. “The Penguin Ho-Down"
D. "March of the Wooden Soldiers” The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes
(Choreography by Russell Markett) (Directed by Violet Holmes)
E. “Santa” featuring Barry Busse
F. Finale: “The Christmas Tree” The Entire Company
As I stated in a previous posting on here, I stayed in to see the show twice, I was amazed and had never seen such a spectacle or use of stage facilities in my life! Two organ consoles playing together, an orchestra pit which rose up onto the stage and ‘disappeared’ into the flys, to be replaced by a real ice rink and skaters on stage. Those wonderful Rockettes and even real-live camels, sheep and donkeys too! Pity about the crap movie. I normally keep ticket stubs as a souvenir, but up to now I haven’t located it, but I’m sure it was not more than $4 admission.
Also on offer was the Rockerfeller Center Guided Tour
Adults: $2.15 Children: $1.35
Daily tours from 9:30am – 5:30pm at frequent intervals
‘This one hour guided tour of the 21-building business and entertainment complex, covers the Center’s history, its principle skyscrapers, its open plazas and rooftop gardens, its maze of shops underground and on street level, its comprehensive artwork and a glimpse backstage of the famous RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL.
Among the sites are the props and sets, the giant motion-picture screen and the massive stage elevators, a marvel of theatrical engineering.
Every tour terminates on the OBSERVATION DECK atop the 70-storey RCA building and you are invited to remain there at your leisure after the tour'.
I decided not to take the tour on this occassion, after all, I had seen the film, the show and the theatre. It must have been in later years when the tour concentrated on the RCMH totally and I have done this one several times.
The opening attraction at the Palmetto Theatre in late 1940 (sorry, I don’t have an exact date) was Ann Shirley in “West Point Widow” with Richard Carlson and Richard Denning as supporting actors.
The headers for the Palmetto Theatre need ammending to:
Status: Closed/Demolished
Style: Art Moderne
Seats: 850
Architect: Earl G. Stilwell
When first opened it had a seating capacity of 850, which included a special ‘coloured’ only section in the rear of the balcony.
The Film Daily Yearbook, 1950 gives the address as 172 E. Main Street, the prime location being on the NW corner of E. Main Street and N. Liberty Street. A seating capacity of 818 is given in the year 1950.
During it last years of operation it survived on a diet of karate and X-rated movies. It was torn down in June 2003.
I too have the Pastime Theatre listed as being on Main Street. The Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 gives a seating capacity of 300. In the 1950 edition of FDY seating is given as 350.
Charles;
I can confirm from my FDYearbooks that the State Theatre is listed at 3 South Union St and it had a seating capacity of 700.
Film Daily Yearbooks give a seating capacity of the Oakland Theatre as 600 in 1941 and 684 in 1950.
In the Larry Widen and Judi Anderson book “Milwaukee Movie Palaces” (1986) the seating capacity of the Miramar/Oakland is given as 800 and the architect is named as George Ehlers.
The opening programme on the 1925 mentioned above, was Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” and live entertainment on stage.
The Wurlitzer organ Opus 1066 was shipped to the Palace from the Rudolph Wurlitzer factory in North Tonawanda in May 1925. It was later repossessed and rebuilt as Opus 2236 for radio station WMCA in New York City, to whom it was shipped on 16th September 1941. As mentioned above, it has now been scattered about the country.
Here are details of the organ which was in the Warner Theatre:
Wurlitzer 3Manual/13Rank, Style 240, Opus#2153. It was shipped from the Rudolph Wurlitzer factory, North Tonawanda on 7th March 1931.
It was removed from the Warner Theatre in 1969 and installed in Gray’s Armory, Cleveland, OH in January 1972. Since then the instrument has been enlarged with the addition of another 5Ranks of pipes and a piano, taken from Opus#935 which was originally installed in the State Theatre, Cleveland, OH
The current Wurlitzer 3Manual/18Rank Opus 1524 theatre pipe organ is enlarged to this size from the original 3Manual/10Rank Style 235 SP installation.
Since North Tonawanda was the home of the Rudolph Wurlitzer organ factory, Wurlitzer used the Riviera’s organ, with its highly decorated console, as a demonstration model to show off all their special features.
When first opened in 1920, Sheas North Park Theatre was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2Manual/6Rank theatre pipe organ Opus 365. However it was repossed on 27th March 1926 and removed to the Lyric Theatre, Louisville, KY. It is now in Albany. NY.
In 1915 (two years after opening) a Beman Symphonie organ was installed to accompany the silent movies. Its current status is unknown, but I’m sure it is not located in the theatre today.
The headers for this theatre need updating as follows;
Architectural Style : Adam
Chain: Loew's
Architect: Thomas W. Lamb
In 1900 the Orpheum replaced the Music Hall when the auditorium was totally turned around, now with a new stage and proscenium at the north end. For 15 years the Orpheum was a leading vaudeville theatre.
In 1915 Marcus Loew acquired the site. The theatre was gutted – only the north and south exterior walls are original from its days as the Music Hall. It opened on 20th January 1916 with 7 ‘family’ vaudeville acts. A Frazee 3 Manual/25 Rank Opus. 30. theatre pipe organ was installed (which had a reputation of having a notoriously slow action). The auditorium was in an early Adam style design by the architect Thomas Lamb, the proscenium being back-lit which was unusual for a Lamb theatre.
The Orpheum played movies for many years, sorry, I don’t know when these stopped, but in the 1970’s it was the home for Sarah Caldwell’s Opera Co. of Boston before they found a new home at Keith’s Memorial Theater.
Its opening seating capacity was 2,927, today as a concert hall it seats 2,763.
Looking at street maps of San Clemente, travelling South on El Camino Real, the first theatre you would have seen would be the Casino on the corner of cross street W. Avenida Pico.
Travelling further south one block on the corner of the next street off to the right Boca de La Playa is the Miramar/San Clemente Theatre.
No sorry, as I stated above, there is only the San Clemente Theater listed in the 3 year’s FDY that I have. Maybe another contributer on here has FDY for 1937 thru 1940?
The Film Daily Yearbook, 1950 gives a seating capacity for the Norshor Theater as 1,202.
A correction to my posting on Dec 21, 2004.
Jack Liebenberg was not the original architect of the Egyptian, he was responsible (with his partner Seeman Kaplan) for the 1938 re-modelling of the theatre.
As per my message dated Nov 13, 2004, the headers need to be updated for the Publix Theatre.
Seats: 1,700
Architect: Clarence H. Blackall
A seating capacity of 654 is given in the Film Daily Yearbook, 1941.
In the FDY,1950 the capacity is given as 970 with a street address at 829 Davis Street.
I have the Madison listed in the 1930 Film Daily Yearbook, so it was opened prior to then.
The 1950 FDY has it listed as the Azteca with a seating capacity of 530. Stangely, by the time the 1957 FDY was published it is again listed as the Madison, but showing no seating capacity, which leads me to believe that it had just closed and the owners hadn’t contacted FDY with their annual update.
Theaters in the FDY without a seating capacity tend to be ones just opened (or about to open as FDY went to press) so are without their full details, or for the reason I mention above.
I have just found the programme that was handed out on my first ever visit to the RCMH.
Here are the details:
Week beginning Thursday November 11, 1976
Music Hall Grand Organ – Raymond Bohr, John Destroy
“The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella” Richard Chamberlain, Gemma Craven.
“The Nativity” Rebecca Alford, Soloist. Entire Music Hall Ensemble
“Snowflakes” Produced and Directed by Peter Gennaro
A. “Build a Snowman"
B. "All Skating, All Singing” Barry Busse, The Caroleers & The Skaters
C. “The Penguin Ho-Down"
D. "March of the Wooden Soldiers” The Radio City Music Hall Rockettes
(Choreography by Russell Markett) (Directed by Violet Holmes)
E. “Santa” featuring Barry Busse
F. Finale: “The Christmas Tree” The Entire Company
As I stated in a previous posting on here, I stayed in to see the show twice, I was amazed and had never seen such a spectacle or use of stage facilities in my life! Two organ consoles playing together, an orchestra pit which rose up onto the stage and ‘disappeared’ into the flys, to be replaced by a real ice rink and skaters on stage. Those wonderful Rockettes and even real-live camels, sheep and donkeys too! Pity about the crap movie. I normally keep ticket stubs as a souvenir, but up to now I haven’t located it, but I’m sure it was not more than $4 admission.
Also on offer was the Rockerfeller Center Guided Tour
Adults: $2.15 Children: $1.35
Daily tours from 9:30am – 5:30pm at frequent intervals
‘This one hour guided tour of the 21-building business and entertainment complex, covers the Center’s history, its principle skyscrapers, its open plazas and rooftop gardens, its maze of shops underground and on street level, its comprehensive artwork and a glimpse backstage of the famous RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL.
Among the sites are the props and sets, the giant motion-picture screen and the massive stage elevators, a marvel of theatrical engineering.
Every tour terminates on the OBSERVATION DECK atop the 70-storey RCA building and you are invited to remain there at your leisure after the tour'.
I decided not to take the tour on this occassion, after all, I had seen the film, the show and the theatre. It must have been in later years when the tour concentrated on the RCMH totally and I have done this one several times.
The opening attraction at the Palmetto Theatre in late 1940 (sorry, I don’t have an exact date) was Ann Shirley in “West Point Widow” with Richard Carlson and Richard Denning as supporting actors.
The headers for the Palmetto Theatre need ammending to:
Status: Closed/Demolished
Style: Art Moderne
Seats: 850
Architect: Earl G. Stilwell
When first opened it had a seating capacity of 850, which included a special ‘coloured’ only section in the rear of the balcony.
The Film Daily Yearbook, 1950 gives the address as 172 E. Main Street, the prime location being on the NW corner of E. Main Street and N. Liberty Street. A seating capacity of 818 is given in the year 1950.
During it last years of operation it survived on a diet of karate and X-rated movies. It was torn down in June 2003.
I too have the Pastime Theatre listed as being on Main Street. The Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 gives a seating capacity of 300. In the 1950 edition of FDY seating is given as 350.
Charles;
I can confirm from my FDYearbooks that the State Theatre is listed at 3 South Union St and it had a seating capacity of 700.
Film Daily Yearbooks give a seating capacity of the Oakland Theatre as 600 in 1941 and 684 in 1950.
In the Larry Widen and Judi Anderson book “Milwaukee Movie Palaces” (1986) the seating capacity of the Miramar/Oakland is given as 800 and the architect is named as George Ehlers.
The Operating years are correct as given above.
The Film Daily Yearbook, 1941 gives a seating capacity of the Cabarrus Theatre as 700. The FDY, 1950 lists a seating capacity of 1,056.
My Film Daily Yearbooks, 1941 and 1950 list the Lyric Theatre, Louisville as being a Negro theatre.
lostmemory;
I will add the Lyric Theater, Lexington, KY as a new theatre on this database and include your details given above. OK.
The opening programme on the 1925 mentioned above, was Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” and live entertainment on stage.
The Wurlitzer organ Opus 1066 was shipped to the Palace from the Rudolph Wurlitzer factory in North Tonawanda in May 1925. It was later repossessed and rebuilt as Opus 2236 for radio station WMCA in New York City, to whom it was shipped on 16th September 1941. As mentioned above, it has now been scattered about the country.
The original seating capacity of the Warner Theatre when it opened in 1931 was 2,584. Today it has a capacity of 2,506
At 75 feet, the proscenium was the widest Rapp & Rapp had ever designed.
DavidStear;
Here are details of the organ which was in the Warner Theatre:
Wurlitzer 3Manual/13Rank, Style 240, Opus#2153. It was shipped from the Rudolph Wurlitzer factory, North Tonawanda on 7th March 1931.
It was removed from the Warner Theatre in 1969 and installed in Gray’s Armory, Cleveland, OH in January 1972. Since then the instrument has been enlarged with the addition of another 5Ranks of pipes and a piano, taken from Opus#935 which was originally installed in the State Theatre, Cleveland, OH
The current Wurlitzer 3Manual/18Rank Opus 1524 theatre pipe organ is enlarged to this size from the original 3Manual/10Rank Style 235 SP installation.
Since North Tonawanda was the home of the Rudolph Wurlitzer organ factory, Wurlitzer used the Riviera’s organ, with its highly decorated console, as a demonstration model to show off all their special features.
When first opened in 1920, Sheas North Park Theatre was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2Manual/6Rank theatre pipe organ Opus 365. However it was repossed on 27th March 1926 and removed to the Lyric Theatre, Louisville, KY. It is now in Albany. NY.
In 1915 (two years after opening) a Beman Symphonie organ was installed to accompany the silent movies. Its current status is unknown, but I’m sure it is not located in the theatre today.
The headers for this theatre need updating as follows;
Architectural Style : Adam
Chain: Loew's
Architect: Thomas W. Lamb
In 1900 the Orpheum replaced the Music Hall when the auditorium was totally turned around, now with a new stage and proscenium at the north end. For 15 years the Orpheum was a leading vaudeville theatre.
In 1915 Marcus Loew acquired the site. The theatre was gutted – only the north and south exterior walls are original from its days as the Music Hall. It opened on 20th January 1916 with 7 ‘family’ vaudeville acts. A Frazee 3 Manual/25 Rank Opus. 30. theatre pipe organ was installed (which had a reputation of having a notoriously slow action). The auditorium was in an early Adam style design by the architect Thomas Lamb, the proscenium being back-lit which was unusual for a Lamb theatre.
The Orpheum played movies for many years, sorry, I don’t know when these stopped, but in the 1970’s it was the home for Sarah Caldwell’s Opera Co. of Boston before they found a new home at Keith’s Memorial Theater.
Its opening seating capacity was 2,927, today as a concert hall it seats 2,763.
Sorry here is the correct link to the 1925 map
View link
The California Theater opened pre-1922.
Here is a vintage view View link
On this 1925 map View link there is a Venice Theatre #33 located on the north boardwalk at the land end opposite the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster #43
I have a feeling this is the California Theater.
Looking at street maps of San Clemente, travelling South on El Camino Real, the first theatre you would have seen would be the Casino on the corner of cross street W. Avenida Pico.
Travelling further south one block on the corner of the next street off to the right Boca de La Playa is the Miramar/San Clemente Theatre.
That’s a very interesting resume of the San Clemente history lostmemory. Thanks for posting it.
Let’s hope someone on here can supply more details on the Casino and Miramar Theaters.
No sorry, as I stated above, there is only the San Clemente Theater listed in the 3 year’s FDY that I have. Maybe another contributer on here has FDY for 1937 thru 1940?