They have to take apart, clean and rebuild all the seats in the balcony. The program says there’s 57 years worth of bubble gum built up on them. The AC must have been removed when the theater first closed in 1986, but I’m not sure. It was comfortable in there on Saturday night and it had been a fairly warm day, but I guess the heat and humidity build up as the summer goes on.
According to the program, they want to get started on the balcony. The number one question they’re asked by patrons is, “When will we be able to sit upstairs?”
Judging from the times I’ve gone to the Loew’s, the Saturday night shows are always the most crowded, compared to the Friday night and Saturday afternoon shows. The only bad thing about the late shows for me is that they always start around 20 minutes later than scheduled, and often end right around the time the last bus leaves Journal Square for Weehawken in North Hudson where I live. More than once I’ve had to run out of the theater and try to make that last bus. I’m not complaining, though – I could always walk home if I had to (about 4 miles).
Rhett: The next show will be in September. No movies confirmed yet, but whatever they are they’ll be shown in conjunction with a live performance by Vince Giordano’s 1920’s jazz band.
CC: I saw “Love at First Bite” at the National Theater, which was between 43rd and 44th St. on the same side as the Criterion and the DeMille. I think it’s the ABC TV studios now.
That’s a great story, Bob! It sure was wild in those days around 1969-1970. The new ratings system (GMRX) was in place and the floodgates were open for sexy movies. I recall passing a display for a movie playing at the Orleans Theater in 1969 (across Broadway from the DeMille) called “Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?” Rated X, released by Universal. The ads in all the New York papers spelled it like this:
“Mercy H——–”.
When the Lyndhurst Public Library showed it in 16mm back in the ‘70’s, the movie opened with an on-screen introduction by Hugh Downs talking about Jules Verne, etc. Kind of like the Edward R. Murrow prologue to “Around the World in 80 Days”. That opening is missing from the DVD and I think from the TV prints as well.
Theaterat: You’re very welcome. I too was impressed and very happy with the quality of the DVD. I still can’t believe I own it – I thought for sure that was one of the lost films from my childhood, and that it would stay lost.
I think that was part of the promotion for that film. All the ads read “John Wayne & The Cowboys”. Wayne had become the ultimate Western icon by that time, so his name could actually become part of the movie’s title (like Fellini).
After the Capitol, “2001” moved in September 1968 to the Cinerama (the old Warner Theater, remodeled and divided into 3) on Broadway and 47th. After that, I believe the New Embassy 46th St. got it next (in 35mm), and then the Guild. It opened in neighborhood theaters throughout the NY/NJ area in March 1969, but it must’ve been very popular in midtown since it was still playing the Guild in August.
Bergen County was a real arthouse paradise back then. Besides the Mall in Paramus, there were art houses in Bogota and Fort Lee and probably others.
If you save the picture in the link to your computer, you should be able to blow it up to a much bigger size and hopefully see it better.
If you like to look at old newspapers, the place to go is the Johnson Public Library on Main St. in Hackensack. The Bergen Record microfilm reels are in the basement, and they’re stored out in the open so you don’t have to ask for help – you can take as many as you want and spend the whole afternoon there (which is what I do). Xerox copies are 25 cents per page.
Vito: I’ve taken the tour twice and both times they took us into the booth. For some reason they had a 70mm reel from “Around the World in 80 Days” on display, even though I don’t think the movie ever played there. We weren’t allowed to go on the stage because rehearsals were going on, but when there aren’t any I believe access to the stage is part of the tour. Another highlight is a visit to Mr. “Roxy” Rothafel’s private apartment. The tour’s great – you should love it!
Thanks, Andy. Wouldn’t it be great if your e-mail had a positive effect? Then they should name the theater after you.
Maybe Donald Trump’s new Apprentice, Kendra, can research just how successful Cinerama is when it’s shown in Los Angeles. I believe the entire 2-week engagement of “How the West Was Won” in 2003 was a sellout or close to it at every showing.
Thanks, Rob. At least it sounds like a classic film festival at Radio City is not a totally dead issue. All we can do is keep our hopes up. To quote Yoda, “Always in motion is the future.”
Rob: Were the WB and Universal festivals a big success for Radio City, and do you think there’s any chance of more classic films being shown at the Hall that way? This was talked about many, many posts above but now that you’re here, there’s somebody on the site who actually worked there and can actually answer these questions from the inside. Thanks in advance, and thanks just for being here!
Didn’t the gentleman’s club used to be the Metropole Cafe back in the ‘60’s (and probably before that)? The opening sequence of “The Odd Couple” with Jack Lemmon was filmed there.
Here’s the cover of a booklet given out at Cinema I in 1978 for the 70mm showing of “Days of Heaven”. A newspaper strike was on at the time, so either the studio or the theater prepared this compilation of reviews of the movie by New York critics:
Here’s an ad for “Close Encounters” with the Ziegfeld Walter Reade logo. You can also see the Walter Reade corporate symbol, next to the words “A Walter Reade Theatre”. The date is November 17, 1977.
I agree with Pete: “Days of Heaven” was a 70mm knockout at the Cinema I. It opened in the fall of 1978 during a newspaper strike, so someone (either Paramount or Cinema 5 Theaters) reprinted all the New York critics' reviews in a special booklet which was given out at the theater. I still have it somewhere …
Re: Dennis' comment about the usherettes at “War and Peace”. I read somewhere that when the DeMille played “Spartacus” in 1960, the usherettes wore Roman-style outfits. It was all about showmanship, and boy do I miss it.
They have to take apart, clean and rebuild all the seats in the balcony. The program says there’s 57 years worth of bubble gum built up on them. The AC must have been removed when the theater first closed in 1986, but I’m not sure. It was comfortable in there on Saturday night and it had been a fairly warm day, but I guess the heat and humidity build up as the summer goes on.
According to the program, they want to get started on the balcony. The number one question they’re asked by patrons is, “When will we be able to sit upstairs?”
They don’t have AC, and they also use the summer weekends as extra renovation time.
Judging from the times I’ve gone to the Loew’s, the Saturday night shows are always the most crowded, compared to the Friday night and Saturday afternoon shows. The only bad thing about the late shows for me is that they always start around 20 minutes later than scheduled, and often end right around the time the last bus leaves Journal Square for Weehawken in North Hudson where I live. More than once I’ve had to run out of the theater and try to make that last bus. I’m not complaining, though – I could always walk home if I had to (about 4 miles).
Rhett: The next show will be in September. No movies confirmed yet, but whatever they are they’ll be shown in conjunction with a live performance by Vince Giordano’s 1920’s jazz band.
CC: I saw “Love at First Bite” at the National Theater, which was between 43rd and 44th St. on the same side as the Criterion and the DeMille. I think it’s the ABC TV studios now.
That’s a great story, Bob! It sure was wild in those days around 1969-1970. The new ratings system (GMRX) was in place and the floodgates were open for sexy movies. I recall passing a display for a movie playing at the Orleans Theater in 1969 (across Broadway from the DeMille) called “Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?” Rated X, released by Universal. The ads in all the New York papers spelled it like this:
“Mercy H——–”.
When the Lyndhurst Public Library showed it in 16mm back in the ‘70’s, the movie opened with an on-screen introduction by Hugh Downs talking about Jules Verne, etc. Kind of like the Edward R. Murrow prologue to “Around the World in 80 Days”. That opening is missing from the DVD and I think from the TV prints as well.
Theaterat: You’re very welcome. I too was impressed and very happy with the quality of the DVD. I still can’t believe I own it – I thought for sure that was one of the lost films from my childhood, and that it would stay lost.
The credits of the actual movie didn’t say that, I’m sure, but it was in all the print ads and posters.
I think that was part of the promotion for that film. All the ads read “John Wayne & The Cowboys”. Wayne had become the ultimate Western icon by that time, so his name could actually become part of the movie’s title (like Fellini).
http://www.westernposterpage.com/cowboys1.htm
After the Capitol, “2001” moved in September 1968 to the Cinerama (the old Warner Theater, remodeled and divided into 3) on Broadway and 47th. After that, I believe the New Embassy 46th St. got it next (in 35mm), and then the Guild. It opened in neighborhood theaters throughout the NY/NJ area in March 1969, but it must’ve been very popular in midtown since it was still playing the Guild in August.
Thanks, Bill. I didn’t know anything about the Showbills, and it was great to actually see one. I liked the ad for “Suddenly, Last Summer” too.
CC: That film is Ingmar Bergman’s “Shame”. It’s listed in IMDB under its Swedish title:
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0063611/combined
Bergen County was a real arthouse paradise back then. Besides the Mall in Paramus, there were art houses in Bogota and Fort Lee and probably others.
If you save the picture in the link to your computer, you should be able to blow it up to a much bigger size and hopefully see it better.
If you like to look at old newspapers, the place to go is the Johnson Public Library on Main St. in Hackensack. The Bergen Record microfilm reels are in the basement, and they’re stored out in the open so you don’t have to ask for help – you can take as many as you want and spend the whole afternoon there (which is what I do). Xerox copies are 25 cents per page.
Vito: I’ve taken the tour twice and both times they took us into the booth. For some reason they had a 70mm reel from “Around the World in 80 Days” on display, even though I don’t think the movie ever played there. We weren’t allowed to go on the stage because rehearsals were going on, but when there aren’t any I believe access to the stage is part of the tour. Another highlight is a visit to Mr. “Roxy” Rothafel’s private apartment. The tour’s great – you should love it!
Thanks, Andy. Wouldn’t it be great if your e-mail had a positive effect? Then they should name the theater after you.
Maybe Donald Trump’s new Apprentice, Kendra, can research just how successful Cinerama is when it’s shown in Los Angeles. I believe the entire 2-week engagement of “How the West Was Won” in 2003 was a sellout or close to it at every showing.
Thanks so much, Warren. That was a real trip back into the past. I agree with Saps – now more than ever, this theater has to be saved!
Thanks, Rob. At least it sounds like a classic film festival at Radio City is not a totally dead issue. All we can do is keep our hopes up. To quote Yoda, “Always in motion is the future.”
Rob: Were the WB and Universal festivals a big success for Radio City, and do you think there’s any chance of more classic films being shown at the Hall that way? This was talked about many, many posts above but now that you’re here, there’s somebody on the site who actually worked there and can actually answer these questions from the inside. Thanks in advance, and thanks just for being here!
Didn’t the gentleman’s club used to be the Metropole Cafe back in the ‘60’s (and probably before that)? The opening sequence of “The Odd Couple” with Jack Lemmon was filmed there.
Here’s the cover of a booklet given out at Cinema I in 1978 for the 70mm showing of “Days of Heaven”. A newspaper strike was on at the time, so either the studio or the theater prepared this compilation of reviews of the movie by New York critics:
View link
Here’s an ad for “Close Encounters” with the Ziegfeld Walter Reade logo. You can also see the Walter Reade corporate symbol, next to the words “A Walter Reade Theatre”. The date is November 17, 1977.
View link
I found that “Days of Heaven” book I mentioned in an earlier post. Here’s the cover:
View link
Here’s a page from Variety dated June 1, 1977, reporting the astronomical first week’s box office grosses for “Star Wars” at the Astor Plaza:
View link
I agree with Pete: “Days of Heaven” was a 70mm knockout at the Cinema I. It opened in the fall of 1978 during a newspaper strike, so someone (either Paramount or Cinema 5 Theaters) reprinted all the New York critics' reviews in a special booklet which was given out at the theater. I still have it somewhere …
Re: Dennis' comment about the usherettes at “War and Peace”. I read somewhere that when the DeMille played “Spartacus” in 1960, the usherettes wore Roman-style outfits. It was all about showmanship, and boy do I miss it.