EcRocker, Im sure something would be addressed about the stage door issue. Many years ago (mid 80’s) when we had live shows at the Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth NJ, our stage door was on Jefferson St with parking, etc. The city would just close off that one block to traffic on load in days. Not the best scenario, but it worked.
Small world. My best friend was the manager who opened the place. I cleaned the screens there a few times when I had my business. Hope all is well. I was a projectionist at many GCC sites including Menlo Park, Woodbridge, Blue Star, Brunswick and Bridgewater from 1977 till the early 2000’s. I lasted full time until May 2013 when digital finally got me. Im a stagehand now mostly at the Prudential Center in Newark NJ.
We shouldn’t lose hope in the Keiths. As bad a shape as shes in, the RKO Proctors in Newark NJ has been sitting abandoned since the mid 60’s. Still standing. Still waiting.
They are still remediating the land where the theatre and retail will be sitting. They have years of clean up to do from the old national lead plant that was there. And this new theatre will be on the west side of the parkway, as you drive going south. My idea for the drive in where the current theatre sits is between routes 9 and 35, on to the east of the parkway. Could be a real money maker for 9 months of the year.
Awesome work as always walterk. Thanks for taking the time to look into the history of these theatres. As I told you in the past, the only theatre I was ever involved with in Carteret was the Jerry Lewis Twin, which opened on June 7, 1972. Dad returned there to open that as its projectionist and stayed right up till the end in late 1984. Its too bad dad isn’t around or Im sure he could give you even more insight.
If you were there in the late 70’s thru the time they sold it in 1983 then you remember I was the projectionist there. And your family also owned the State in Woodbridge where my father was the projectionist, along with me at the Forum.
Wow. The old E-7’s and Peerless arc lamps are gone. And the booth is all white. I think it was a shade of brown and yellow when I left there in june of 1983
One option could be to put a dividing wall across the front of the balcony. Make it a twin cinema and then he can again show movies. With 2 screens even if one movie is doing poorly the other one might be ok. And you would have a larger cinema downstairs and a smaller one upstairs. I floated this idea around back in the late 70’s/early 80’s when both my father and I were the projectionists here. The owners at that time were getting ready to retire and did not want to put that kind of money into the place.
And thanks to Mike (saps) for the suggestion of the curtain photo. With that said, lets all leave it there now and forever, as this is how we want to remember our Ziegfeld.
While this is very sad, I am so glad that I got to experience 70MM in this great venue one last time when I saw “Interstellar” there in 2014. It is a shame this beautiful theater is closing, but times and peoples habits have changed. As hdtv267 said above, people today go where the recliners and all the bells and whistles are. As much as I hate to admit it, my wife and I are guilty of the same thing. You will never be forgotten Ziegfeld Theatre.
We finished the run of Hateful 8 on thursday night, Jan 7. I am very proud to sat that the print went out in the same pristine condition it arrived in back on Dec 23.
I highly doubt it HowardBHaas. As the house projectionist I can almost guarentee they with be digital or blu ray. Too much money to ship the film and pay me to inspect them. With the other format all I do is start them. I dont even load them. Yup, welcome to the world of digital.
Al Alvarez, Im glad you enjoyed the quality presentation on screen. Im a little disappointed there is no top or bottom masking but the tech did a good job to make the plate look good. Im taking great pain to make sure that print stays in the condition it is now. I am only there for 2 weeks as the projectionist, but so far our theatre is one of only a handful, and the only one in NYC with no problems. I hope to keep it that way.
The only problem with using the top down masking would be that you would have lost a lot of the side of the frame. 70MM is supposed to look like a piece of ribbon on the screen. Wide and stretched out. And its funny you mention “Far and Away.” That was the last 70mm I ran until this week.
I have two comments to make Cinedelphia. One, I am one of 2 projectionists at the Regal E Walk in NYC for the 70mm run. No theatre is equipped for top and bottom masking as no one has used 70 in years. Lenses were all built brand new for this movie. And as far as the equipment couldnt fit, thats BS. If they ran 35 in this theatre they can run 70. Same size equipment. AMC has been having issues all over. They lost a show at Lincoln Square. My theatre has had the best reviews in NYC. And we are showing it in the second largest house in the complex.
I was just talking about this place with someone today. I was in here twice in my life, both on school trips. The first time to see “Doctor Doolittle” when it was a single. Then a while later “Oliver” after it was twinned.
I worked at City Center for a short time after the retrofit. They did a quality job. Moved the screen up about 30 feet closer and lost 120 seats, but it was nice. Havent been there in 10 years since I left.
EcRocker, Im sure something would be addressed about the stage door issue. Many years ago (mid 80’s) when we had live shows at the Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth NJ, our stage door was on Jefferson St with parking, etc. The city would just close off that one block to traffic on load in days. Not the best scenario, but it worked.
Small world. My best friend was the manager who opened the place. I cleaned the screens there a few times when I had my business. Hope all is well. I was a projectionist at many GCC sites including Menlo Park, Woodbridge, Blue Star, Brunswick and Bridgewater from 1977 till the early 2000’s. I lasted full time until May 2013 when digital finally got me. Im a stagehand now mostly at the Prudential Center in Newark NJ.
We shouldn’t lose hope in the Keiths. As bad a shape as shes in, the RKO Proctors in Newark NJ has been sitting abandoned since the mid 60’s. Still standing. Still waiting.
They are still remediating the land where the theatre and retail will be sitting. They have years of clean up to do from the old national lead plant that was there. And this new theatre will be on the west side of the parkway, as you drive going south. My idea for the drive in where the current theatre sits is between routes 9 and 35, on to the east of the parkway. Could be a real money maker for 9 months of the year.
Yes. Tear it down and put up a 4 screen drive in.
Awesome work as always walterk. Thanks for taking the time to look into the history of these theatres. As I told you in the past, the only theatre I was ever involved with in Carteret was the Jerry Lewis Twin, which opened on June 7, 1972. Dad returned there to open that as its projectionist and stayed right up till the end in late 1984. Its too bad dad isn’t around or Im sure he could give you even more insight.
If you were there in the late 70’s thru the time they sold it in 1983 then you remember I was the projectionist there. And your family also owned the State in Woodbridge where my father was the projectionist, along with me at the Forum.
Wow. The old E-7’s and Peerless arc lamps are gone. And the booth is all white. I think it was a shade of brown and yellow when I left there in june of 1983
One option could be to put a dividing wall across the front of the balcony. Make it a twin cinema and then he can again show movies. With 2 screens even if one movie is doing poorly the other one might be ok. And you would have a larger cinema downstairs and a smaller one upstairs. I floated this idea around back in the late 70’s/early 80’s when both my father and I were the projectionists here. The owners at that time were getting ready to retire and did not want to put that kind of money into the place.
Never gonna happen at Radio City as long as cablevision owns it.
Im hoping my wife or someone can help me with the whole cut and paste thing so I can view the video. Im not good when it comes to that.
And thanks to Mike (saps) for the suggestion of the curtain photo. With that said, lets all leave it there now and forever, as this is how we want to remember our Ziegfeld.
AMC PRIME is the same thing as REGAL RPX. Just another reason for them to charge the public more money.
While this is very sad, I am so glad that I got to experience 70MM in this great venue one last time when I saw “Interstellar” there in 2014. It is a shame this beautiful theater is closing, but times and peoples habits have changed. As hdtv267 said above, people today go where the recliners and all the bells and whistles are. As much as I hate to admit it, my wife and I are guilty of the same thing. You will never be forgotten Ziegfeld Theatre.
We finished the run of Hateful 8 on thursday night, Jan 7. I am very proud to sat that the print went out in the same pristine condition it arrived in back on Dec 23.
I highly doubt it HowardBHaas. As the house projectionist I can almost guarentee they with be digital or blu ray. Too much money to ship the film and pay me to inspect them. With the other format all I do is start them. I dont even load them. Yup, welcome to the world of digital.
Gee the print is already scratched? Amazing. Im projecting it at the E Walk in NYC and it doesnt have a scratch yet. Good ol AMC.
Al Alvarez, Im glad you enjoyed the quality presentation on screen. Im a little disappointed there is no top or bottom masking but the tech did a good job to make the plate look good. Im taking great pain to make sure that print stays in the condition it is now. I am only there for 2 weeks as the projectionist, but so far our theatre is one of only a handful, and the only one in NYC with no problems. I hope to keep it that way.
The only problem with using the top down masking would be that you would have lost a lot of the side of the frame. 70MM is supposed to look like a piece of ribbon on the screen. Wide and stretched out. And its funny you mention “Far and Away.” That was the last 70mm I ran until this week.
Theatre was built on fill in 1979. Time to sue had long passed by.
I have two comments to make Cinedelphia. One, I am one of 2 projectionists at the Regal E Walk in NYC for the 70mm run. No theatre is equipped for top and bottom masking as no one has used 70 in years. Lenses were all built brand new for this movie. And as far as the equipment couldnt fit, thats BS. If they ran 35 in this theatre they can run 70. Same size equipment. AMC has been having issues all over. They lost a show at Lincoln Square. My theatre has had the best reviews in NYC. And we are showing it in the second largest house in the complex.
I was just talking about this place with someone today. I was in here twice in my life, both on school trips. The first time to see “Doctor Doolittle” when it was a single. Then a while later “Oliver” after it was twinned.
I worked at City Center for a short time after the retrofit. They did a quality job. Moved the screen up about 30 feet closer and lost 120 seats, but it was nice. Havent been there in 10 years since I left.
Thank you NYer. I will post on here if I get it.
70MM installed for “Hateful 8”. I am awaiting word on if I will be one of the projectionists there for the run.