The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band. And as a boy I like Sherman Brothers Disney movies and listened to the soundtrack as a kid. Didn’t see it though until I was an adult and found it dire. Couldn’t even sit through the whole film.
As per the Half a Sixpence ad posted by Comfortably Cool. I remember the Sunday before the premiere watching Ed Sullivan with my family and Ed announcing the premiere and having Steele stand up from his seat in the audience. The premiere was televised on a local NY channel as many of the big road show openings were at the time. Mayor Lindsey hosted the Funny Girl world premiere which seemed kind of odd from the same theater. I assume these were all disposed of as I’ve never seen them again. At least the ones from NY. The local stations might simply gotten rid of them which is too bad.
While Sixpence was a hit at the Astoria in London and the American love affair with English pop culture hadn’t yet run its course(Oliver!) Sixpence for some reason immediately laid an egg at the Criterion. It did so poorly from day one Variety figured out that whoever did these things the manager of the Criterion or the studio was grossly inflating the box office figures. I think it lasted close to 3 months and it must have been doing it for contractual reasons and playing to very small audiences in the large Criterion.
This was though the kind of film had it opened at the Music Hall would have been a big hit there. It’s certainly watchable unlike the Music Hall’s Easter film that year.
Interesting there is absolutely no mention of this being a remake of The Front Page which was one of the most successful plays of the recent past and audiences would have been very familiar with it.
According to the ads posted performances were two a day with a variety of prices through the various sections so I assumed it was reserved seats available in advance.
Had Camelot been a hit the Strand would have not been twinned as early as it had been. Probably the same for Dr Dolittle and Loew’s State.
Though where would 2001 have gone after the Capitol was torn down? Straight to showcase? And what about Ice Station Zebra, a waste of Cinerama if there ever was one. Where would that have opened?
I’m surprised there is no mention in the overview of this being a roadshow house for films in the teens much like the George M Cohan Theater in the 20s. Unless I am mistaken and please let me know if I am this theater held either the world or at least the New York premieres of Birth of a Nation and Intolerance. Sacred ground for a movie buff.
If you look at the pricing for tickets in advertisements it will give you a cheaper price for let’s say the first ten rows of the orchestra. However for Funny Girl the orch only has one price. I believe I’ve seen this as well for other roadshow films at other theaters but as I mentioned it was not regular policy and perhaps done infrequently.
Certain houses had separate prices for the front rows of the orchestra for roadshow films but this was not a consistent policy. I was just commenting that in all the pricing I’ve seen for the Rivoli in advertisements the entire orchestra always had one price as far as I recall. If this is incorrect maybe somebody knows which films that played at the Rivoli had two separate prices in the orch for the same performance.
The Criterion had lower priced seats in the front rows of the orchestra for some roadshow films though not all. Maybe it depended on the studio and producer. MFL yes Funny Girl no.
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the Rivoli having a separate price for front rows.
Per the 1776 ad. Another Music Hall ‘70s hit film that was a flop everywhere else like Darling Lili and Mame. Had On a Clear Day and Lost Horizon opened there it would have been the same thing. Instead they were flops everywhere.
Robson certainly deserved the actress for this. One of the truly great performances in an American film. Robson plays the old lady without vanity or sentimentality. Hepburn might have won it, I don’t remember, simply because she was such a novelty and nobody had ever been seen like her before. And yes I think she became a great actress.
Paint Your Wagon is another film that should have been shot in 70MM. As in Camelot Truscott’s wonderful work never got the photography it should have. In Cecil Beaton’s diaries he talks about the opening night world premiere at Loew’s State, how dreadful the film is and fleeing at intermission. Actually the complete roadshow film is very entertaining and the stereophonic score is stunning.
Note the mail order ad says 70MM and the opening day ad says Panavision.
How can you not like Lee Marvin singing Wanderin' Star with a great back up male chorus that could never be used on stage? The same with Maria. Some great songs here.
I never understood where those ‘extra’ reserved seats came from. The second mezz? Then there really weren’t 5,000 general admission seats available for every performance. They also did the same thing for Darling Lili due to ‘overwhelming demand.’ Anybody know how they managed this or it was just bs ballyhoo?
Boy how I wish I had a time machine to see this stuff. The most astounding stage show of all had to be with Sign of the Cross. I think the Roxyettes were gladiators in that one(or was it the ballet company or were they roman slaves?)
The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band. And as a boy I like Sherman Brothers Disney movies and listened to the soundtrack as a kid. Didn’t see it though until I was an adult and found it dire. Couldn’t even sit through the whole film.
As per the Half a Sixpence ad posted by Comfortably Cool. I remember the Sunday before the premiere watching Ed Sullivan with my family and Ed announcing the premiere and having Steele stand up from his seat in the audience. The premiere was televised on a local NY channel as many of the big road show openings were at the time. Mayor Lindsey hosted the Funny Girl world premiere which seemed kind of odd from the same theater. I assume these were all disposed of as I’ve never seen them again. At least the ones from NY. The local stations might simply gotten rid of them which is too bad.
While Sixpence was a hit at the Astoria in London and the American love affair with English pop culture hadn’t yet run its course(Oliver!) Sixpence for some reason immediately laid an egg at the Criterion. It did so poorly from day one Variety figured out that whoever did these things the manager of the Criterion or the studio was grossly inflating the box office figures. I think it lasted close to 3 months and it must have been doing it for contractual reasons and playing to very small audiences in the large Criterion.
This was though the kind of film had it opened at the Music Hall would have been a big hit there. It’s certainly watchable unlike the Music Hall’s Easter film that year.
Is Frank Rowley still around? I can’t say enough good things about this man. Cinema going in New York was such a pleasure because of him.
Interesting there is absolutely no mention of this being a remake of The Front Page which was one of the most successful plays of the recent past and audiences would have been very familiar with it.
That is a mind blowing stage show.
You can’t get entertainment anywhere in the world like that at any price.
According to the ads posted performances were two a day with a variety of prices through the various sections so I assumed it was reserved seats available in advance.
Had Camelot been a hit the Strand would have not been twinned as early as it had been. Probably the same for Dr Dolittle and Loew’s State.
Though where would 2001 have gone after the Capitol was torn down? Straight to showcase? And what about Ice Station Zebra, a waste of Cinerama if there ever was one. Where would that have opened?
I’m surprised there is no mention in the overview of this being a roadshow house for films in the teens much like the George M Cohan Theater in the 20s. Unless I am mistaken and please let me know if I am this theater held either the world or at least the New York premieres of Birth of a Nation and Intolerance. Sacred ground for a movie buff.
I doubt the women’s theater parties and middle aged patrons were doing weed at Funny Girl though it was ‘68 so who knows.
I did not see Evita as a film. Madonna kept me away.
It’s worse really? I guess I’ll have to give it a look. Though not a favorite musical the Prince staging was great.
My Fair Lady.
If you look at the pricing for tickets in advertisements it will give you a cheaper price for let’s say the first ten rows of the orchestra. However for Funny Girl the orch only has one price. I believe I’ve seen this as well for other roadshow films at other theaters but as I mentioned it was not regular policy and perhaps done infrequently.
How so?
Certain houses had separate prices for the front rows of the orchestra for roadshow films but this was not a consistent policy. I was just commenting that in all the pricing I’ve seen for the Rivoli in advertisements the entire orchestra always had one price as far as I recall. If this is incorrect maybe somebody knows which films that played at the Rivoli had two separate prices in the orch for the same performance.
The Criterion had lower priced seats in the front rows of the orchestra for some roadshow films though not all. Maybe it depended on the studio and producer. MFL yes Funny Girl no.
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen the Rivoli having a separate price for front rows.
A Chorus Line might win by miles worst film adaption of a Broadway musical.
Really astonishing in its ineptitude and bad choices. I’d rather sit through Top Banana at least in memory of RM.
Per the 1776 ad. Another Music Hall ‘70s hit film that was a flop everywhere else like Darling Lili and Mame. Had On a Clear Day and Lost Horizon opened there it would have been the same thing. Instead they were flops everywhere.
How many films in the Music Hall’s first year had hold overs?I can only think of two. Little Women and Flying Down to Rio.
Maybe Kong would have been one if it wasn’t also playing at the RKO Roxy as well.
best actress Oscar I meant to say.
Robson certainly deserved the actress for this. One of the truly great performances in an American film. Robson plays the old lady without vanity or sentimentality. Hepburn might have won it, I don’t remember, simply because she was such a novelty and nobody had ever been seen like her before. And yes I think she became a great actress.
How are these megaplexes Cinema Treasures?
The whole thing is a joke discussing these places.
Tearing them down will be like tearing down a supermarket.
Paint Your Wagon is another film that should have been shot in 70MM. As in Camelot Truscott’s wonderful work never got the photography it should have. In Cecil Beaton’s diaries he talks about the opening night world premiere at Loew’s State, how dreadful the film is and fleeing at intermission. Actually the complete roadshow film is very entertaining and the stereophonic score is stunning.
Note the mail order ad says 70MM and the opening day ad says Panavision.
How can you not like Lee Marvin singing Wanderin' Star with a great back up male chorus that could never be used on stage? The same with Maria. Some great songs here.
I never understood where those ‘extra’ reserved seats came from. The second mezz? Then there really weren’t 5,000 general admission seats available for every performance. They also did the same thing for Darling Lili due to ‘overwhelming demand.’ Anybody know how they managed this or it was just bs ballyhoo?
I don’t see what’s so great about this theater except that it’s still around.
It’s no Rivoli or Criterion.
That is one friggin ugly ball room. I wouldn’t even hold an Italian wedding there. The Fiesta on Route 17 has more class.
What happened to the Ziegfeld memorabilia that used to be in the display cases? Were the given to the Museum of the city of New York?
So the African Americans who were not allowed into the Cotton Club could see the show from any seat they wanted to in the Capitol.
Funny I saw Ethel Shutta in Follies when I was a boy having no idea who she was and only later finding out she had been a Ziegfeld star.
Boy how I wish I had a time machine to see this stuff. The most astounding stage show of all had to be with Sign of the Cross. I think the Roxyettes were gladiators in that one(or was it the ballet company or were they roman slaves?)
I think it had a chariot race.