Astor Theatre

Here is another Life photo, this time from 1946:
http://tinyurl.com/5r4d46

I’m sending good thoughts your way as well, Roger. Take care and all the best…

To all — I just got diagnosed with acute leukemia, so I won’t be around too much longer. But I didn’t want to just disappear without thanking you all for all of the hard work you have put into this wonderful site. As some of you know I actually worked at the Astor in 1955, so these pics and your memories are invaluable to me. Please know that your diligent research is appreciated more than I can say.
Respectfully,
Roger W. Gardner (Dodger)

Here is a February 1954 photo, from the Life collection:
http://tinyurl.com/5qzbjs

Robert,

I was working that day at the Victoria theater. My twin was at the Astor that day. Remember it as though it was yesterday. Sad to see the Astor Hotel. As I keep saying…“great times!”

Hi Leroy. We’ve talked before. No, unfortunately I didn’t come to work there until about two months after that premier, but East of Eden was showing while I was there. I believe I mentioned that I still have a pay envelope from there dated May 1955.
Roger

Here’s an article of mine on this subject.
rg

http://thedragonbox.blogspot.com/

New York Premiere of East of Eden
View link

Great shot! In the 50’s where the “Maxwell Coffee” stood became a “Cardinal Tie” store, popular for reasonably priced ties. In between “Cardinal” and the “Astor” was “Tyson’s Ticket Agency” for all events in Manhattan. Around the corner from “Minsky’s Gaety” theater, later to come the “Victoria Theater”, was a famous deli called the “Gaety Deli” that supplied the greatest sadwiches in NYC. Better than the “Stage Deli"or the "Carnegie Deli”! They were more or less tourist places. The “in crowd” favored the “Gaety”. Most of the Broadway actors would patronize the Gaety plus a few “Damon Runyon” characters. I remember being in there with Ben Gazarra, Shelley Winters, Elia Kazan and Bob Fosse.

The “Astor” had almost a secret entrance to the “Bijou Theater” around the corner on 45th Street from the Astor’s 3rd balcony. By being a part of this website has brought back a lot of memories! And I must say very enjoyable memories at that! I cannot express the excitement of that period. Maybe my youth saw things from a youthful perspective but I am sure it was in reality a wonderful period. I also want to thank all of you for all your great input. Thanks!

Thanks! I don’t remember that “A Star was Born” was at the Paramount.

Behind the screen at the Victoria were signs that said; Gaety Theater. What was interesting about the Astor and Victoria was that the General Manager’s office was between both theaters. Managers shared the managing of both theaters. John Cusack was the GM, Wally Schaffer, Leonard Bloom, Charles Whitney; we had the Chief of Ushers, Bart Gallagher, Captain of Ushers; Adelle Camarda. All were related in someway to politics (Kennedy’s) and theater (playwright, television…etc) Interseting group of people. I have an outline of a play I was beginning to write based on this unique group of individuals. It’s somewhere in the attic turning brown I guess! Maybe someday!

Keep the sniping off these pages. Thank you.

My mistake. I got my education reading fabricated dead star biographies written by hack writers who plagiarized gossip columns and then sold the info as their own at discount book racks.

Since QUEEN CHRISTINA premiered on December 26 and that photo shows a Roll Royce in front, this is most likely a shot of the World Premier crowd and hardly representative of the the average movie-goer in 1933.