Roxy Theatre
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
83 people
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I have original ads from CAROUSEL and KING AND I and both emphatically state the new process CINEMASCOPE 55. I am sure both had their initial engagements in Miami in this process. Also, FOX released both films in this process on their laserdisc releases. I can’t say for sure about DVD releases. As a child I saw GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES at the ROXY, one of the last non-wide screen films to play the theatre.
Edd:
Marty Hart, curator of the Wide Screen Museum website, is probably the most knowledgable man in the world about the early wide-screen processes, and if he says “Carousel” and “The King and I” were never released in the 55mm format, he knows of what he speaks. (He also knows punctuation—“afraid” as used in the context of your post should not be capitalized.
Vincent, I am Afraid you are wrong and more so is Marty.
I own copies of both these prints, in original 55 format. I can confirm that they were indeed released in scope 55. The prints I have are X West End London.
Edd
According to Marty Hart on his amazing web site he claims that though both King and I and Carousel were filmed in Cinemascope 55 they were never shown that way not even in their first run engagements and no known prints are said to survive in that original process.
I had the privilege of Ice Skating
in some of the shows at the Roxy Theatre. I was born and raised in
Brooklyn, New York and at 17 I became a
professional Ice Skater. I still have
some pictures a friend of mine took during one of the shows I performed in,
at the Roxy. It holds so many memories
and till this day it seems like yesterday. I skated at the theatre in
1955-1956. The re-opening of the ice
show was coupled with the movie opening
of The Rains of Ranchipore with Lana
Turner.( I think I spelled it right),if
not forgive me.
The THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA (www.HistoricTheatres.org) has in its ARCHIVE (see the link by that name on their sidebar) many photos and much other information from the late Ben M. Hall’s collection. The ROXY was also notable for many interior innovations not mentioned in Mr. Gabel’s fine capsule description/history, such as the Carrillon or cathedral chimes, the triple stage elevators topped with a turntable allowing great stage dynamics, a full cyclorama, the ‘Silouhette Light,’ and much else to its claim to fame including a small Hospital room and nursery room for the kiddies in addition to a huge basement space of floors devoted to producing, as well as the Rehearsal Hall and Music Library rooms. It may not have been the most lavish (some say the San Francisco FOX took that honor) nor even as famous as the still-open CHINESE THEATRE in Los Angeles, but its record of innovation is secure and a found memory to those old enough to have seen it in life. Those young enough in spirit will see it recreated in their imaginations, from the springboards provided in the photos and materials at the THEATRE HISTORICAL SOCIETY in Elmhurst, Illinois, about 15 miles west of Chicago. Their MARQUEE magazine has had several articles pertaining to the ROXY.
Can anyone tell me where I can find photos of this theatre?
Lucy is quite right, it was “Carousel”, which was projected in Cinemascope 55, that premiered at the Roxy.Special 55mm projectors were installed as well as a new sound system. Very few theatres installed Cinemascope 55, presenting the films in a reduced 35mm print. The 55mm process was only used twice after that and then the process disappeared. In 1953 The Roxy was the first theatre to install Cinemascope with the showing of “The Robe”.
When the Roxy opened a cartoon in the New Yorker had a little boy asking his mother as he was being led through its massive, glorious lobby “Does God live here?” I have a six by seven foot photograph of the famous Gloria Swanson hanging in the my den
I remember a picture in Live magazine of Gloria Swanson in an evening gown standing in the rubble of the Roxy.
I’m writing a book on costume designers of Music Hall. I’m looking for some data about Marco Montedoro who after having designed for Moulin Rouge and Folies Bergere in Paris, from 1932 started to work for Roxy Theatre N. Y. Can you or somebody help me in finding as many data as possible on his activity in N.Y.? I will appreciate very much. Thanks in advance for your courtesy. Best regards. A. Luerti
Hey George, I think you mean “Carousel,” not “Oklahoma.” “Carousel” opened at the Roxy in 1955 in Cinemascope 55. “Oklahoma” in Todd A0 opened on reserved seats at the Rivoli.
I attended the premier of Roger & Hammersteins Oklahoma in 1955 at the Roxy, my father installed the sound systems, this was the first Todd-AO in NYC I believe. Rogers & Hammerstein were in attendance as well as the recording engineer Fred Heinz. Roxy had 2 projection rooms, each with 3 Todd-AO, norelco AAII projectors.