Roxy Theatre

to Mark D.–

thanks for your reply. it certainly says it all. people how decry the demolishing of grand movie palaces react as if some big orge is specifically targeting grand old movie palaces. the same thing happened with San Francisco’s The Fox which was as large as beloved as the Roxy. it was torn down in 1963 since it had become a huge financial liability which could simply not make it as a single screen movie theater because it was to frigging big.

to LorinW.–

while its sad that a gorgeous movie palace like the Roxy was demolished people forget one very simple fact. at the time it was decided to raze the theater it was a HUGE financial liability for the owners. once t.v. became commonplace in the American home HUGE theaters like the Roxy were doomed. i’m sure in 1960 when it was torn down the weekly operating costs were astronomical.

Jack Benny’s radio show may still be the most consistently hilarious variety show ever to have been broadcast – on radio or TV, for that matter.

Carousel opened with a formal premiere on February 16, 1956 with regular, continuous, performances starting the next day. There was also an ice skating review, albeit shorter for this feature, because of the length of the film. See photos.

More pertinent info re above: British Gaumont helped to keep the Roxy going during the difficult years (1932 – 1937)by giving the Roxy exclusive first run rights to its releases, including “The 39 Steps.” …thus offering a buffer to the decision by the Hollywood studios to not let the Roxy have its A product because of its low admissions scale. The Roxy survived this, inlcuding the departure of Roxy himself (to run the RCMH and RKO Roxy (later to become the Center Theater), and more including Cinemascope without stage shows, Two-a-day with “Windjammer” and other policy changes that occurred during the managament of Roxy’s nephew Robert C. Rothafel who took charge during the 1950s.

There are many answers to Bigjoe’s question. The Roxy played only A films from the time it opened in 1927 until the Depression years between 1931 and 1937 (assuming that means films produced to be the top of a double feature in subsequent release). Between 1933 and 1937 the Roxy severely lowered its admission prices and economized on the stage shows. During that time, the major studios balked at having their major films play there. It was only after/when Twentieth Century Fox contracted with the Roxy to supply it with their major films did the 6,000 seat theater regain its status. Between 1937 and its closing, the Roxy was consistently an outlet for A films. Your rating of films is presumably based on the intention of the studio and not the quality of the film. This does not take into account the many modestly produced “sleepers” that needed critical approval to succeed and a Roxy premiere was a help.

The TGI Friday’s was preceded by another restaurant. I believe a Child’s was on the corner of 50th and 7th for at least a couple of decades before the Taft was closed and re-modeled into the Michelangelo Suites during early/mid 1980s. The Roxy ticket lobby is the space currently occupied by TGI. The Roxy Rotunda, which was behind the ticket lobby was destroyed along with the auditorium and the rest of the Roxy building in mid-late 1960. The THS Roxy annual, published in 1979 or 80, claims that the Rotunda was to incorporated into the Taft Hotel expansion design William Zeckendorf was supposedly planning at the time. Of course this never happened. In fact I cannot locate any reference to the Hotel Taft expansion after the Roxy building was sold by Rock Center to Zeckendorf. Zeckendorf’s visions were constantly filled with hyperbole, which probably led to his bankruptcy and downfall. Rather than expand the Taft, the partially demolished Roxy was later sold by Zeckendorf to a couple of amateur NJ real estate developers (their first venture into NYC real-estate) in order to raise cash for his crumbling empire.

I know where TGI Friday’s is..but didn’t know that the famous Roxy theater was once in that restaurant. It’s probably one of the bigger ones in the tri-state area owned by the franchise.

At last the grand opening ad has been uploaded by me.

Thanks.The only part left of the Playbill shows Clara’s image above the title “Compliments of the Roxy Theatre” so, at some point, she must have been a headliner there. It is possible that my relative attended the Roxy on a date other than March 26, 1933 because that date is written in ink on the backside. It could help if anyone could verify that Clara was on the bill at the Roxy at some point in the general time frame. The DNA testing might be a bit over the top for my budget, assuming someone, somewhere has a confirmed “piece” of Clara.

In the effects of a recently passed family member, we have found a playbill for the Roxy Theatre in New York City, dated Sunday, March 26,1933, autographed to the deceased by 1920’s silent film star Clara Bow. The signature matches examples of Ms.Bow’s signature that I have located online. In addition the envelope contained a lock of (Ms.Bow’s ?) hair. I am trying to confirm that Ms. Bow was at the Roxy on that date. Any help would be appreciated.

Mike Fleckenstein, Virginia USA

Indeed, sadly the Roxy was dust by the time MFL opened. Still it’s nice to reference the great lines from the movie here and there.