Radio City Music Hall
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
1260 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10020
116 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1,226 - 1,250 of 3,325 comments
GabeDF, Coincidental to your posting of a silent video showing “The Bells of St. Mary’s” on the RCMH marquee, that was the answer to a pricey question on “Millionaire” recently: What was the movie indicated in the background when Michael and Kay left a theater in “The Godfather”? (Or words to that effect.) I always thought that was a good choice by Francis Ford Coppola, not just because it was period-appropriate but because it seemed so suitable a choice for that idealistic couple just before the moment when he began evolving into the future Corleone don.
From more than a few years ago, 1934 I believe:
http://images.nypl.org/?id=1558056&t=w
And the Music Hall’s sister (long gone and undeservedly almost forgotten), 1 short block away on 49th Street:
View link
The exquisitely beautiful and huge Center Theater reminds me of the stepchild that is hidden away when company arrives. “The powers that be” certainly have no interest in informing the public about the Music Hall’s long lost sister. It would be nice if there was at least a plaque on the building; but then I say the same thing about the old Roxy Theatre site.
Thank goodness the Music Hall still lives. The last remaining cultural wind of the 1920s (yes, I know the theater was completed in ‘32) is and always was the best (I think). The Music Hall is a far greater theater than the Center Theater was. But given what we’ve got today; if the Center was still around, it would be among the best in the country.
Flashing marquee lights at the Music Hall:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-3ERi_aoaM
We need to start a campaign to bring back the flashing lights. I know I would join. It’s is still the best Art Deco marquee (theater, hotel, or otherwise) in the world, in my opinion.
It has aged well, or not at all, from a stylistic point of view; in fact, it is far superior to most of what is built today in the way of commercial signage.
I agree with Warren. Notic that the headlight are on all cars and taxis. “Roxy” Rothafel gave some ideas that were incorporated into the design of RCMH, such as the idea for the “sunburst stage (I read that he got the idea when he was taking an ocean cruise and was watching the sun setting) but he is not the designer.
Renewing link.
Thank you REndres for the above marquee building layout. I’ve wondered for years what occupies that area as I’ve seen many other spots in the fabulous Radio City so now puzzle is complete. Thank again.
They didn’t flash from just before 1974 on, much to the delight of the sound department. The triggering of the three layers of neon created “pops” in the P.A. system that were hard to get rid of. There was much rejoycing when they stopped. There was also the problem of meeting the city code which forbids flashing signs on 6th Avenue. The Hall would have been grandfathered since the neon was designed to flash in 1932 before the ban was instituted, but while the three levels of neon were restored during the restoration, I’ve never seen them flash and I can see the part of the marquee from our office window. They did change some of the neon to yellow which they claim was part of the original design, and restore the blue neon in the coves of the vertical pieces. They also changed a layer on the vertical “Radio City” lettering to blue which makes the overall look of the words slightly different than the words as they appear horizontally, although they claim that that too was part of the original design.
I’m kind of curious. Do the marquee lights still have the capacity to flash as they used to?
Actually, the row of windows right above the marquee at the 6th Ave./ 50th St. corner were in the publicity office when I was there. Later it beacme kind of storage space and I’m not sure what’s there now. Above that the offices aren’t part of Radio City, but are part of what was the RKO building. In between the corner publicity office and the 1st Mezzanine Men’s Room is an electrical room with a circuit breaker panel and steps leading up to a window that opens out to the marquee, which is different than the other windows in the row. This provides access for maintenance. For the 50th Anniversary picture that appeared in Life Magazine, the Rockettes, Music Hall executives and Peter Allen all lined the marquee for a two page photo, with the rest of the cast and crew under the marquee. Access was from that room. The windows to 51st St. beyond that on the 2nd floor are offices in the office building.
hank- mostly stairways to upper mezz on 50thstreet side& stars dressing rooms&rockettes on 51st street side, don’t quote me as my brain is scrambled eggs since my stroke 3 years ago
I am wondering what is located in the six stories located directly above the main marquee entrance. Are they restrooms or office adminestration, or an other company?
Not that there’s anything wrong with the Ziegfeld, but the Music hall is the better theatre.
I was pushing for a reprise of the Easter show, but,since i’m missing
Ihave no input&must shut my mouth for now, wait till I get back!!!
The Loew’s Jersey is still a work in progress on restoring it back to life as a full time theatre.
Not at all, since the writer is covering theaters functioning as movie theaters.
Maybe it’s that RCMH does not show enough film anymore. The listed theatres still show film on a regular schedule.
Yes, indeed it is. My only guess is that Radio City rarely shows any films any more and it looks like the ones actually listed do.
Or, they were purists and since Radio City was not originally designed as a movie palace, but instead for live performances/vaudeville, they did not include it. Otherwise, they would have to include The New Amsterdam as well, as it is, in my opinion, one of the 10 most beautiful theaters in the country.
RCMH remains one of the most beautiful theatres in the world. I hope it always continues to be well taken care of. It is a treasure that future genrations should be able to see and enjoy.
Good to have you back, Denpiano!
hi y'all Denpiano here, in case you’re interested, I had a stroke 3 years ago, thats why I have not written here&i haven’t been back to the music hall since then, my left side is still quite weak, I’ve been improving really slowly, please say a prayer for me if you remember hope you all are well
Hilarious, Al. Thanks to Warren and to you for the information and a good laugh.
Hilarious, Al. Thanks to Warren and to you for the information and a good laugh.
A good guess would be 5,963.
How many of you remember seeing this trailer for the first and only picture projected in VistaVision at Radio City Music Hall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOciH4oujls
My memories of the Music Hall are mostly of the Christmas and Easter shows which my parents took me to each year (by bus and subway). At one time there was a small box office in the subway area where you could buy tickets. You then entered somewhere in the lounge. There weren’t too many times when we were part of the lines that would stretch almost back to the plaza.