According to Governor Andrew Cuomo, movie theaters in the five boroughs of New York City can reopen on March 5th at 25% capacity, with no more than 50 people per screen. Details of the announcement here
Became Loew’s Ritz on April 1st, 1947, the day after the expiration of a longtime “pooling” deal between Loew’s and Warner Theatres for the Penn, Warner, Stanley, and Ritz. The Loew’s Ritz would hold its final Warner booking, Paramount’s “My Favorite Brunette,” for three more days, and then open MGM’s “The Secret Heart,” a move-over from Loew’s Penn. For the time being at least, films opening at Loew’s Penn would be for one-week only, and then be moved to Loew’s Ritz for another week (or more, if needed).
The booking capitalized on two National Holidays celebrating the birthdays of Presidents– Abraham Lincoln’s on February 12th, and George Washington’s on February 22nd. The holidays are now included in Presidents' Day, observed on the third Monday in February, and this year on February 15th.
The “cavernous” cinema shown in “Goodbye, Dragon Inn,” recently reviewed in The New York Times and The New Yorker, apparently has no listing at this website. NYT link here
To meet the demand in the New York area, three more theatres were added after the announcement: the midtown Victoria and Loew’s Orpheum in Manhattan, and Loew’s State in White Plains.
Philip J. Smith, who entered showbiz as a teen-aged usher at the RKO Orpheum and eventually became chairman of the Shubert Organization, has died at 89 from complications of Covid-19. Obituary can be viewed here
Loew’s acquired the theatre in the summer of 1926, along with Frank Keeney’s Bedford and Bay Ridge Theatres, but kept the downtown Brooklyn site running as Keeney’s and marketed separately from the Loew’s circuit until a new policy could be decided for that increasingly competitive area. In the meantime, more than $100,000 was spent for interior and exterior changes…Contrary to a claim in the overview, the theatre never operated as Loew’s Livingston, though that name and also Loew’s Hanover were considered before Melba was finally chosen.
The black-tie gala raised funds for The New York Medical College, but did not include the ice-skating revue that was now part of Roxy policy and would support “Carousel” starting the next day. The Todd-AO version of R&H’s “Oklahoma!” was still in its roadshow engagement at the nearby Rivoli Theatre.
This was the third film to occupy the Music Hall’s screen that year, which started with a brief hold-over of the Christmas holiday show with “Kismet,” followed by “I’ll Cry Tomorrow.”
According to Governor Andrew Cuomo, movie theaters in the five boroughs of New York City can reopen on March 5th at 25% capacity, with no more than 50 people per screen. Details of the announcement here
Became Loew’s Ritz on April 1st, 1947, the day after the expiration of a longtime “pooling” deal between Loew’s and Warner Theatres for the Penn, Warner, Stanley, and Ritz. The Loew’s Ritz would hold its final Warner booking, Paramount’s “My Favorite Brunette,” for three more days, and then open MGM’s “The Secret Heart,” a move-over from Loew’s Penn. For the time being at least, films opening at Loew’s Penn would be for one-week only, and then be moved to Loew’s Ritz for another week (or more, if needed).
Blood was actually spilled at the Criterion that day, but no killings were reported for other “Red Carpet” sites.
This was a newspaper ad for opening day, not a window display card.
This was on the national holiday of Lincoln’s Birthday.
Engagement encompassed two Presidential holidays on February 12th and 22nd, as well as Valentine’s Day on the 14th.
Listed as RKO Riverside with “The Razor’s Edge” as top feature.
Too bad that vaudeville is dead. “Mike” and “bigjoe59” would have made a great double act.
The booking capitalized on two National Holidays celebrating the birthdays of Presidents– Abraham Lincoln’s on February 12th, and George Washington’s on February 22nd. The holidays are now included in Presidents' Day, observed on the third Monday in February, and this year on February 15th.
Note “No Passes or Discounts Honored For This Engagement” at bottom of ad.
Filming of the B&W romantic comedy sparked a professional and personal relationship that lasted until Spencer Tracy’s death twenty-five years later.
“At War…” was the first starring vehicle for Martin & Lewis, following featured roles in two “My Friend Irma” comedies.
The Alhambra was the final stop for the Three Stooges tour that night.
The CEO of AMC Entertainment discussed the grim future of movie theatres in a recent New York Times article viewable here
The “cavernous” cinema shown in “Goodbye, Dragon Inn,” recently reviewed in The New York Times and The New Yorker, apparently has no listing at this website. NYT link here
Nearest RKO to the Kings was the Kenmore, with “The Female Animal” & “Man in the Shadow,” both in B&W CinemaScope.
Building a reputation as the “Thrill Theatre at Times Square.”
To meet the demand in the New York area, three more theatres were added after the announcement: the midtown Victoria and Loew’s Orpheum in Manhattan, and Loew’s State in White Plains.
Philip J. Smith, who entered showbiz as a teen-aged usher at the RKO Orpheum and eventually became chairman of the Shubert Organization, has died at 89 from complications of Covid-19. Obituary can be viewed here
Loew’s acquired the theatre in the summer of 1926, along with Frank Keeney’s Bedford and Bay Ridge Theatres, but kept the downtown Brooklyn site running as Keeney’s and marketed separately from the Loew’s circuit until a new policy could be decided for that increasingly competitive area. In the meantime, more than $100,000 was spent for interior and exterior changes…Contrary to a claim in the overview, the theatre never operated as Loew’s Livingston, though that name and also Loew’s Hanover were considered before Melba was finally chosen.
The black-tie gala raised funds for The New York Medical College, but did not include the ice-skating revue that was now part of Roxy policy and would support “Carousel” starting the next day. The Todd-AO version of R&H’s “Oklahoma!” was still in its roadshow engagement at the nearby Rivoli Theatre.
Filming took place in the early morning hours of September 15th, 1954, after the Trans-Lux 52nd Street had closed down for the night.
This was the third film to occupy the Music Hall’s screen that year, which started with a brief hold-over of the Christmas holiday show with “Kismet,” followed by “I’ll Cry Tomorrow.”
How can an event be considered “unique” if it has been repeated many times over the years? Just asking.
Exterior photo taken just before Christmas of 2020 can be viewed here at the Forgotten New York website