Ridgewood Theatre
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
55-27 Myrtle Avenue,
Ridgewood,
NY
11385
31 people
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While this does not relate to the Ridgewood, I thought it would make sense to place this here since (1) it is certainly on movie house topic and (2) this is a very popular page.
In researching a walking tour that I will be conducting on March 28, I came across a reference to a movie theater on the southwest corner of Flushing and Bushwick Avenues. The reference appeared in Eugene Armbruster’s “Brooklyn’s Eastern District”, which is a definitive guide to this neck of the woods and was written to reflect conditions in the mid 1920’s. The problem is, there is absolutely no reference to a theater at this location anywhere in Cinema Treasures. (I checked all possible zip codes.) The closest site is the Echo Theater, which was situated at 368 Bushwick Ave. – if that was the correct address – near the once busy Moore St. intersection. (Since some doubt was raised of the Echo’s corect address, this could be a possible candidate.)
So my question is: do any of my fellow cinema enthusiasts have any information regarding a movie house at this location? This might make for an interesting detective story.
I will, John D. Thanks for your support and encouragement.
Peter, the Times Newsweekly that I was referring to is the current edition that hit the newsstands yesterday. It should go on-line in about a week.
By the way, I have seen several e-mail messages signed by a certain P. Koch printed in recent editions of that paper that evoked the glories of old Ridgewood. It would be a good idea for this person to send a similar message on behalf of saving the Ridgewood. I am suggesting this not only because the message would almost certainly be pursuasive but also because it is really becomming necessary to drum up grassroots support on behalf of landmarks designation. This support needs to be generated by either people who actually live in Ridgewood and Bushwick or, like you, have strong ties to the hood.
So, give it a go.
Good thoughts and observations, LuisV and ECR. Thanks.
Yeah the economics really suck and it is also urged on by greed.Each theatre pays a fee for the showing of the films. The movie companies in turn get a percentage. Up until the time the Platter system evolved the multiplexes used to have to get individual copies of one film if they planed to show it in more than one room at a time a fee for each. Now all they do is get one copy of the film and can show it in 1 or how ever many rooms they have meaning they only pay the fee for one.
What needs to happen is that when a major film come in to a metro are it should only be released to a single screen house for the first 2 weeks and then distributed to the multiplexes.
That can be something to think about with Ridgewood. Convert it back to a sibgle screen and make it a “Premier” first run house for both Brooklyn and Queens. A deal should be struck with the major studios. Call it going back to the future.
East Coast Rocker….It is amazing how the economics of the movie exhibition industry has changed over the years. Staten Island, with a population of almost half a million has just 3 multiplexes. The Bronx, with a population of 1.6MM has 4 (I believe). Neither has any single screen theaters left. Neither does Brooklyn or Queens. Even Manhattan has very few single screen theaters; The Ziegfeld and The Paris being the best of the lot.
At least the Bronx and Staten Island still each have a restored palace in their midst: The Paradise (though currently out of commission) in the Bronx and The St. George (very successfully operating as a performing arts center) in Staten Island.
p.s. The Beacon theater in Manhattan, one of two Manhattan movie palaces to undergo renovation and restoration this year is getting a lot of great press and a lot of acts scheduled to perform. Patti Labelle was there last night. The other palace, The Apollo, is having an open house this weekend to show off its new face as part of its 75th Anniversary.
“Curtain Call”, eh ? No, not hopeful.
John D., I will look for the related item in the current Times Newsweekly. What was the date of the issue that you saw it in ?
Thank you, Michael, John D., and East Coast Rocker for your insightful comments and information, and article link.
John D., I will ask my father about “dish nights” at the Ridgewood. He has spoken to me extensively about them at Bushwick theaters like the Colonial and the Bushwick, but not at the Ridgewood. Good expression, “cinematic food chain” ! I like it !
East Coast Rocker, it really reads like the part of Maryland you reside in is seriously cinema-deficient in terms of movie screens to population ratio.
Thanks Michael for the article. Hopefully – and despite its title – it will help built support for the campaign. An item regarding this topic also appears in the current Times Newsweekly.
One interesting thing that I noted in the article was George Miller’s recollection that the Ridgewood had hosted dish nights during the 1940’s. This conflicts with other remembrances on these pages indicating that only the second and third run theaters, such as the Parthenon and the Wyckoff, conducted these promotions. It also conflicts with my experience in Greenpoint where, similarly, only the second level theaters like the American/Chopin and Winthrop held dish nights. Perhaps the economic crunch that occurred during the war years in the 1940’s compelled certain first run theaters like the Ridgewood to adopt the practices of those movie houses situated further down the cinematic food chain. Anthow, does anyone else remember “dish night at the Ridgewood”?
This is a Feb 26, 2009 article written by Ben Hogwood, Assistant Editor of the Queens Chronicle. It’s a well-written, interesting piece that entailed lots of interviews and research, but the title is not very fitting for a story of much hope:
View link)
Thanks, East Coast Rocker! I try my very best, and it’s my pleasure on behalf of theater enthusiasts and the prolific Thomas W. Lamb.
One down(Ridgewood)and so many more to go. To bad we didn’t have someone like Michael before the devistation of the Madison. Enen in this day and age of cable & vidio even the multiplex theatres are hurting. Most multiplexes will take a major first run and place it in 3-4 rooms. Most of thos rooms combined would not come close to the capacity of the classice 1 screen theatres and then the other 1st runs don’t make it. Gone are the days when you can sit around for a month and still catch that first run. Slumdog was dropped by Warner Bros and was going to go direct to DVD before Fox Searchlight picked it up and it went on to being Best Picture for 2008. Years back that might not have happened.
In the county I live in Maryand there are only 2 places where one can go to see a first run flick. One is a 9 plex and the other a 5 plex. Neither one of them are within 10 miles from where I live. The county just south of me has a 6 plex about 30 miles from me. The county east of me has a 5 plex and thats also about 20+ miles from me. The populatin of all 3 counties combined is slightly over 275,000. About 10% the size of the population of Brooklyn and only 21 screens.
No Movie Palaces here at all not a one.
Ridgewood Rocks !
And / or hope and pray, as the case may be.
Thanks so much! That is a great article, we will have to keep our fingers crossed…
Thanks, Michael.
Right on, East Coast Rocker !
Hey Michael if you can let us know the e-mail addy please let us know. Even though my time spent in Ridgewood was short compared to some of the others here it was a place where I had enjoyed my self.
Once again thanks for all you have done to get Ridgewood to a position when it can be saved.
Long live Ridgewood
The latest piece of press is available online in the Glendale Register of the Queens Ledger Series, and will be available as a hard copy this Thursday. It is titled “Ridgewood Theatre Spared From Final Curtain Call?” by Ernest Hernandez. A public hearing will be held by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission in March (testimony can be provided in person or via e-mail if you can’t attend the hearing), and a final vote will be taken in the spring or summer. The link is as follows:
View link
Add this noble piece to your collection!
You’re welcome, Peter.K.—Thanks.
Thanks, John D., for your encouragement and direction.
Hi, MPol. Thanks for the good wishes for saving the Ridgewood, and Godspeed to you, too !
Hi, Peter.K. You’re welcome! Best of luck to all of you in your endeavor to save the Ridgewood Theatre. Godspeed!
One of the advantages of viewing the world through a pessimistic eye is that you are not heartbroken when a great cause turns into a pipe dream but plesantly surprised when something really positive develops, like the recent events regarding the Ridgewood. So, congratulations to Michael and all the others in giving us old cynics something to cheer about.
While the scheduling of the public hearing is a real achievement, it only marks one step in a lengthy process. In planning for the hearing, I believe that the participants on this page will have a lot to contribute – besides signing the petition. The Landmarks Commission pays a great deal of attention to the written record in documenting both the architectural signifance of the proposed building and its historic importance to its community. Here is where many of you can come in in submitting substantive written testimony that makes the case for designation. So it is time to sharpen up your pencils – or t least your computer keyboards.
I plan to write a piece that will meet the argument that the Ridgewood does not merit designation since it is “only” early and “minor” Lamb. The fact that it is an early creation should provide an opportunity to see how the great movie architect developed his style. It’s s little like listening to an early Mozart composition to trace the roots of his future works of consummate genius. (The Commission recently – and unfortunately unsuccessfully – attrmpted to designate an early Cass Gilbert building for largely these reasons.)
Beyond that, even if it is a minor example of Lamb’s work, it is one of the relatively few survivors of the great man’s work. Thus, while its impotrance would decrease if all of Lamb’s movie palaces were still with us, its value soars in their absence.
Finally, this is the time to urge the local political and civic leadership to support this project. To date, I have not detected any enthusiasm at their end. But, in this case, their support will be vital and their disinterest – to say nothing of their opposition – could well be fatal. Some well timed letters of support to these parties could make a real difference here.
You’re welcome, Mike, and thank you, MPol for the best wishes.
Thanks, Bway, for the reminder that the Ridgewood Theatre was the longest continuous operating theater in the COUNTRY!
Wow, it’s not the longest continuous operating theater in NY State, it was the longest continuous operating theater in the COUNTRY!
I don’t have a dog in this fight, but I wish you all the best of luck.