Riverside Theatre

Movieplace I don’t know if you saw my notes under the “pictures” comments. If not, look under the photo of the Riverside marquee featuring Woody Allen’s movies. I’ve been trying to retrieve the comments I sent during the period when the cinema treasures site was down. So far, no luck. P.S. I spoke to my son about your tours and gave him your email address. He does a great deal of entertaining, so he may be interested. Manhattan Marty.

When Bogart was a kid, from the time he was born until his late teens or early 20’s, he lived at 245 West 103. That was his parents brownstone. His father was a surgeon and his mother was a suffragist and illustrator. I am not clear when he actually moved out as he used the 245 W. 103 address on his marriage license when he married the actress Helen Menken, his first wife. He had this license for a while, almost 2 years if I remember this right. Anyway, Bogart lived at Pomander Walk with his first wife.

Sorry Manhattan Marty, it was not Gerber’s. There is this long lived myth that not only did she draw the Gerber baby but Bogart is the baby. Although Bogart was a cute baby, he ain’t the Gerber Baby and that is not her work. There was another baby food company that she did do work for, but I cannot remember the name. How is the work going for your retrospective? Hope you are well.

For MOVIEPLACE Thanks again, for setting me straight about the Gerber baby. I was always a little suspect about that rumor. About me? Well, as far as I know, my part is done and I’m waiting to see what’s happening. Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain some of my best work to include in the collection. Once a piece goes to a client, it’s usually gone forever and is difficult to recover. Now, comes the hard part,trying to clean up my studio which is upside down. I’m still enjoying your wonderful site. I found a photo and notes on West 100 Street, which once again brought back memories. We lived at 70 West 100 Street for a year or two. Central Park west was at the end of the block, where a clinic stood on the corner. It was called, the Reconstruction Clinic(real name?)and I was its main patient. Many horror stories I can relate. First, being that I never once received any anesthetic for any procedure. That’s okay, it only made us stronger. Be well and “I’ll see you at the movies.” Manhattan Marty.

First opened as William Fox’s Riverside on Saturday night, December 9th, 1911, according to reports in Variety and Billboard. Presentations were primarily vaudeville, but with short films such as newsreels and comedies between the acts. The Riverside also had an open-air roof theatre which would debut in the spring of 1912.