Roxy Theatre

Myron, you couldn’t be more right: as the theatres grew smaller, so did the films! Hollywood is no longer the base of artists trying to achieve art, or even enterainment, just PROFITS. Get the video from PBS “The Monster That Ate Hollywood” to find out how the conglomerates are steadily destroying it by authorizing only cookie cutter product best able to guarantee profits. And with the TV writers' stike a few years ago, the studios are trying freeze out the writers to reduce fees. Since all the great novels have been converted to film, the source of good stories in a visual generation is drying up, what with few writers having the morals to write decently, and the studios wanting big effects and soft porn to sell big.

The movie palaces we enjoyed are mostly gone but so are the films, as well as most celebrities. I just saw “Finding Neverland” and almost fell asleep. This film is supposed to be nominated for best picture. What happened to all the great classic films we used to enjoy? I haven’t seen a great film since “Titanic” and whatever I do see on small multiplex screens do not offer the experience we used to have watching “Star Wars” in Dolby Stereo in 70mm, as an example. Many will disagree of course and say that today’s films are as good as past films. I don’t think so. The glamorous and talented actors are no longer around; except for a few exceptions. Where are the Brandos, Burtons,etc? Where are the great musicals? It seems the disappearance of great movie palaces is coinciding with mediocre films that can be viewed at home. It’s a sad situation.

ken roe and jim rankin
Thank you for name of book now i have ordered through library and seems to be copy on E bay
David Robertson

PS— the book “Times Square Style” provides a rare color photo of a stage show at the Roxy, on page 35, upper right, with sixteen Roxyettes balancing themselves on beach balls, while a jazz band (Louis Armstrong?) plays behind them; as a kid, I had a post-card of that image in my collection, which identified it as a Roxy performance.

Warren: The murder Ben M. Hall, author of the book THE BEST REMAINING SEATS: THE STORY OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE MOVIE PALACE, was never solved to the best of my knowledge, but then I am not a New Yorker, so may have missed hearing of it. Incidentally, the date I gave was wrong; a news item about his murder appears in the New York Times of Dec. 16, 1970, page 54, titled: “WRITER FOUND SLAIN IN VILLAGE ROOMS” and reads:

“Benjamin M. Hall III, a writer and historian of American movie theaters and an expert on old theater organs, was found dead in his apartment early today with his throat slashed, according to the police. Mr. Hall, who was 47 years old, occupied the upper two floors of a house at 181 Christopher St. in Greenwich Village.

“The police said that a neighbor, who lived on a lower floor, became suspicious when he heard Mr. Hall’s telephone ringing for almost an hour late last night and early today. He went upstairs and, the police said, found three days' mail piled near Mr. Hall’s door. The neighbor summoned the owner of the building and, together, they found Mr. Hall’s body in his bed.

“Mr. Hall, a graduate of the University of North Carolina, was active in the American Theater Organ Enthusiasts [now: [,]www.ATOS.org],](http://www.ATOS.org) a group that sought to restore and preserve the huge pipe organs that once graced many movie theaters across the nation.”

One might contact the NYC police as to the disposition of the case, since there is no statute of limitations on murder, but it is somewhat doubtful that they retain records from that long ago date. Since he founded the THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA [www.HistoricTheatres.org] in 1969, it is possible that his friends there may know more of this. I always liked the blurb about him on the back jacket flap of his book: “…now lives in New York in a large and unorthodox apartment. It contains (among other odds and ends) a baby grand Pianola, a two manual organ, some murals rescued from the late lamented Loew’s 72nd St. Theater, an electric fountain, a collection of vintage telephones, and enough stereo and recording equipment to make his neighbors wish he lived somewhere else.”

David;
The book you refer to is titled “The Best Remaining Seats” – The Story of the Golden Age of the Movie Palace by Ben M. Hall Published by Bramhall House in 1961

It has ben re-printed a couple of times since then and there are copies to be found in 2nd hand book stores and on the internet.

Someone mentioned the picture of Gloria Swanson standing in the ruins of the Roxy.He mentioned seeing it in Live Magazine but I saw it in a book that I think was called Fading Movie Palaces It was the last page of a wonderful book that I have never been able to find again. It was out about 1959 Can anyone give me any help.
David Robertson

The huge CineMiracle screen sat in front of the proscenium, over the orchestra pit, on an extended thrust stage. It had a temporary look to it, not at all like the subsequently remodelled Capitol or Loew’s State, which appeared as though management had planned for the long haul. Upon exiting from “Windjammer,” I remember signs in the lobby announcing the next CineMiracle film then in production, the disasterous “The Miracle” with Carroll Baker. The latter, of course, was finally released in a shrunken Technirama in November ‘59, when it had a brief three-week run as the Thanksgiving show at RCMH.

Thanks, BoxOfficeBill. One further question: did the curtain/screen installation cover the entire front wall like, say, the Loew’s Capitol, or was the installation more or less just in front of the proscenium on an extended thrust stage like the original Cinerama engagements?

In September this year, J. F. Lundy mentioned that he saw
“Windjammer” in the CineMiracle process at the Roxy. Lundy
may then be the only person on earth who can answer the following
question. It’s a simple one: were screen curtains and masking
used during this particular ultra-large-screen presentation, or was the screen “bare”?
I ask this because there is evidence that National Theatres,
the distributor and exhibitor, spared themselves the expense
of curtains during subsequent CineMiracle engagements at the
huge Chicago Opera House as well as in both small and large venues
using “portable” CineMiracle equipment in locations such as Lancaster, PA and Atlantic City, NJ.
And one final (hopefully) word on CinemaScope 55 at the Roxy
and elsewhere. It is true that in the States only 35mm
reduction anamorphic prints were used in theatres where
“CS 55” was advertised as such. However, all of these engage-
ments used interlocked 6-track magnetic sound (as opposed to 4-track sound-on-film), and, most importantly, were projected in the original CinemaScope aspect ratio of 2.55:1 (as opposed to the post 1954 ratio of 2.35:1). Take note that the first 4 theatres in the US that premiered CinemaScope 55 were also the first 4 theatres in
the US that premiered CinemaScope (35), and presumably still
had the requisite screen material and masking to present
a 2.55:1 image. These houses other than the Roxy are the
Grauman’s Chinese, the Chicago State-Lake, and the Philadelphia
Fox.

Jim, thanks for that link. It is exactally what I was looking for and more. I will be spending many more happy hours researching all the links that page took me to. I had forgotten many of the wonderful neon signs that graced Times Square, it was a wonderful reminder. It also took me back to the days of the Automat were one could have a complete dinner for less than a buck

Back in the 50s I worked at 52th and 10th but I would take the subway every morning to 42nd St. and walk to 52nd so I could see all those wonderful marquees on 42nd between B'way/7th Ave and 8th. I would start by having coffee across from the Paramount. Some times I would come home the same way walking down B'way, starting with the Rivoli on one side and The Capital on the other, down to the Times Square subway station, passing all those magnificent theatres along the way.I can’t stand to see 42nd street now with all those theatres gone. I cherish those photos of the pre 70s Times Square if anyone knows were to find some.