I was trained as an actor at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, and moved to NYC in early 1969. My first husband (a writer) and I used to spend a day periodically in the movie houses on 42 St. We’d go in at 10AM, break in the afternoon for a quick hot dog at Nathan’s, then decide the next double feature to see. By the time we had had enough, it was 1 or 2AM and we had 6 to 8 films under our belts. Who can remember what they saw after a day like that, but we loved the experience and kept going back.
While I love movies, I wanted to go to 42 St as much to see the turn-of-the-century Broadway houses as much as the movies. I recall this activity as my personal critique of those houses and which was the most fabulous: Republic, New Amsterdam, Victory, Empire, Selwyn, Liberty, Apollo, Harris, and others who’s names I’ve forgotten. My hands down favorite was the New Amsterdam, with the Empire in second place.
I felt it a crying shame that NYC had let these magnifiscent theatres go to seed; still, I was glad they were still standing and I could see them. When I moved to NYC, there was a great demolition of B'way houses going on. I watched in tears and disbelief as the wrecking ball took out some of the most magnifiscent. Ah progress, and welcome to the Big Apple!
Yes, 42 St was a place to watch your back, and yes, that was part of the charm of the street. As for atmosphere inside, let’s not forget the sticky floors of most of the houses or the mice and/or rats who joined the movie crowd. Bet none of us would endure these things at our current ripe old ages …still …
I was in the city before the Empire was moved. My beloved New Amsterdam was complete and I wanted to take the tour. I remember not being able to complete a sentence as I looked at the pit surrounding the Empire’s foundation. My friend – oh, you casual New Yorker types – said nonchalantly, “Yeah, see that vacant lot (pointing toward 8 Ave)? That’s where the Empire’s going to go”. All I could do was look the building up and down, but still couldn’t get my head wrapped around moving a building in Manhattan!
I like the “new” 42 St, but it does lack the feel of old NYC and the sense of adventure it held. Times Square is mighty clean these days and feels less like NYC than a smaller Las Vegas. Perhaps I’m not the only one to see the connection. Afterall, there is New York, New York in Vegas.
I was trained as an actor at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, and moved to NYC in early 1969. My first husband (a writer) and I used to spend a day periodically in the movie houses on 42 St. We’d go in at 10AM, break in the afternoon for a quick hot dog at Nathan’s, then decide the next double feature to see. By the time we had had enough, it was 1 or 2AM and we had 6 to 8 films under our belts. Who can remember what they saw after a day like that, but we loved the experience and kept going back.
While I love movies, I wanted to go to 42 St as much to see the turn-of-the-century Broadway houses as much as the movies. I recall this activity as my personal critique of those houses and which was the most fabulous: Republic, New Amsterdam, Victory, Empire, Selwyn, Liberty, Apollo, Harris, and others who’s names I’ve forgotten. My hands down favorite was the New Amsterdam, with the Empire in second place.
I felt it a crying shame that NYC had let these magnifiscent theatres go to seed; still, I was glad they were still standing and I could see them. When I moved to NYC, there was a great demolition of B'way houses going on. I watched in tears and disbelief as the wrecking ball took out some of the most magnifiscent. Ah progress, and welcome to the Big Apple!
Yes, 42 St was a place to watch your back, and yes, that was part of the charm of the street. As for atmosphere inside, let’s not forget the sticky floors of most of the houses or the mice and/or rats who joined the movie crowd. Bet none of us would endure these things at our current ripe old ages …still …
I was in the city before the Empire was moved. My beloved New Amsterdam was complete and I wanted to take the tour. I remember not being able to complete a sentence as I looked at the pit surrounding the Empire’s foundation. My friend – oh, you casual New Yorker types – said nonchalantly, “Yeah, see that vacant lot (pointing toward 8 Ave)? That’s where the Empire’s going to go”. All I could do was look the building up and down, but still couldn’t get my head wrapped around moving a building in Manhattan!
I like the “new” 42 St, but it does lack the feel of old NYC and the sense of adventure it held. Times Square is mighty clean these days and feels less like NYC than a smaller Las Vegas. Perhaps I’m not the only one to see the connection. Afterall, there is New York, New York in Vegas.
Bama Girl in LA