Roxy Theatre
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
153 W. 50th Street,
New York,
NY
10020
83 people
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Showing 301 - 325 of 1,225 comments
Hi all, I stumbled upon this website and am hoping you may be able to provide some information for me. My grandmother was a performer as an ice skater at the roxy back in 1948-52 ibelieve or somwhere in that time frame. Her name was Beatrice Lumley and her married name was Beatrice Flanagan. Her ex also worked there and his name was John Flanagan. They did the ice show inbetween the movies. I was wondering if anyone had info on the orchestra that played during those ice shows. I am particularily looking for the name of one of the drummer’s that was in it for a few years. Does anyone know where i might be able to get a list of names of the orchestra members? Thanks in advance for any help you may provide.
The original ad from that first Roxy christmas show in 1927
View link
It also should be added to resumption of stage & screen presentations with “The Rains of Ranchipur” in Dec. 1955, that the Roxy sold advanced mezzaine reserved seating similar RCMH to audience members seeking to better plan their attendance. Was this policy continued beyond this engagement?
From the 1920s postcard view of the Roxy Theatre in New York.
Great remembrances. Before my time but were you actually there to experience these shows?
Hello Hank. I no longer live in NYC area so visiting Elmhurst is not possible. I do know Marquee magazine. If you are a subscriber or have those copies of it perhaps you could scan the Roxy destruction pictures and send to me as email attachments. That would be so terific and I sure would appreciate.
PS. I’m from Massachusetts also.
Hello Richka,Yes pictures would have been nice,but alas it didn’t happen. However, The Theatre Historical Society located in Elmhurst,Illinois has several publications in their Marquee magazines which show the Roxy during demolition and how the building was constructed. I never worked at the Roxy ,my only link was when I lived in Massauchetts and attended as a patron.
That really must have been a sad occasion for you, expecially for those of us who actually worked there. If only there were pictures even of the destruction because it would be clearly seen how the structure was actually buil; the stage and backstage area, the rotunda, etc. You do know it was built at an angle from 50th to 51st but always curious exactly HOW they did that.
oh my goodness! And you didn’t take pictures?? They would be SO fascinating and valuable today.
In 1960 I checked into the Bristol Hotel and requested a room high up on the rear of the hotel which would give me a clear view of the Roxy Th. during demolition. Intent on watching how that grand structure had been built during its destruction . After half a day I had to change hotels because it was too painful to view that splendid theater being wrecked! RIP Roxy Theater you were a grandly unique cathedral!
Thank you Richka.
It is the entrance from the rotunda into the auditorium. Richka
Having visited the Roxy only once in 1954 I’ve had to make that visual interior tour last a lot of years! I’m puzzled by the picture of Gloria Swanson standing in the great rotunda. Over Gloria’s right shoulder is a door way ,taken while the theater was being demolished,is that doorway the entrance from the street or is it the entrance to the interior auditorium???
Good morning Richka,
I’ll get on it. Work has been super busy but I will get to it.
Barb
Dear Richka,
How nice to hear from you.
In response to your question – no – I am sorry to say – both Dad and Mom have passed away. Dad was killed in a car accident in 1983 at the age of 58. It was hard – we still miss him.
I have some photos of him/Roxy and I also have a web site on homestead.com and am thinking I might post them should anyone be interested. The photos are of course, of people, not the building because – who takes photos of buildings?? But some folks might get a kick out of seeing them. I’ll get to it soon.
Again – thank you for responding!
Barb
posted by Babster on Apr 7, 2010 at 12:55pm
I am very anxious to see these photos. I hope you decide soon to post them. Thanx, Richka
I totally agree. Some means could have been found to save it. The New York City Opera uses State Theater at Lincoln Center. State Theater was built for DANCE and DANCE only. So why is NYCO even there and always complaining because of acustics, space, etc. when it was built for Dance anyway! The Roxy would have been an IDEAL place for them. Of course there is the matter of parking, but with these big business brains around, surely they could figure out a solution for that. However, sadly, it is now too late and the Roxy has disappeared for good.
I was in Europe when it was being demolished and it is always to my regret that I wasn’t around to take photos, even of its destruction.
Richka
In my opinion the destruction of the New York Roxy was nothing short of a crime against humanity! The greatest movie palace ever built should have been a world heritage site to be enjoyed by future generations, not just the few for 30 or so years.
A changing business climate certainly necessitated that many of the old palaces simply could not survive but the very best deserved to be saved at all costs, once it’s gone it’s gone!!
Original Roxy Theatre house configuration in all its glory. Scroll about ¾ of the way down:
www.pictureshowman.com/questionsandanswers5.cfm
I have never been one to bemoan the demolition of every single movie palace. It was a business trend like so many others. But the Roxy is one of two that definitely should have been saved, the other being the Fox out in San Fran.
Dear All,
Thank you again for responding – I am especially touched by your comments Housechecker. Don’t know if this will prod your memory – but my Mom was very Irish – red hair – green eyes and beautiful complexion – and a lot of fun. Dad was too – when he wasn’t busy being the boss or our father. And Mom would have had me and my brother “Stevie” as we called him with her. I am planning to download and post some photos on a web site I use for various purposes – their/our photos might help. I will post the url/address link for the web site just as soon as I get to it which I promise will be next week.
I haven’t thought about that silly singing sword in years…what a hoot!
Barb
Barb,
I knew your father. He was sort of like an inspiration to us ushers because he worked his way up from a uniform to a tux. That and because he was closer to our ages than any of the other managers and he was a good guy to work for. I am sorry to hear about your dad’s death.
I’ve been racking my brain to see if I can recall seening you and your mom. You mentioned the brass doors where you most likely entered. I sometimes worked the exec elevator. And Prince Valiant. Every now and then it shows up on TCM. I loved the final sequence with the “Singing Sword.” I was gone by the time Windjammer played. I can appreciate the imagery of you and your brother alone in the balcony. There were 2000+ seats up there.
Thanks for the memories!
Housechecker
Barb,
I knew your father. He was sort of like an inspiration to us ushers because he worked his way up from a uniform to a tux. That and because he was closer to our ages than any of the other managers and he was a good guy to work for. I am sorry to hear about your dad’s death.
I’ve been racking my brain to see if I can recall seening you and your mom. You mentioned the brass doors where you most likely entered. I sometimes worked the exec elevator. And Prince Valiant. Every now and then it shows up on TCM. I loved the final sequence with the “Singing Sword.” I was gone by the time Windjammer played. I can appreciate the imagery of you and your brother alone in the balcony. There were 2000+ seats up there.
Thanks for the memories!
Housechecker
Hi Ziggy, Long time since hearing from you. I take it you are no longer in Gallup. Couple years ago I won 3rd prize($300)from Cinema Treasures for a piece I wrote about the Roxy. They were going to publish it in their quarterly magazine but never did. At least I don’t think so. Oh well!
Cheers, Richka
Dear Barb,
I am indeed sorry to hear that your parents are no longer with us.
Very tragic about your Dad, and at the young age of 58!
Yes, I certainly would love to see any photos you might care to share. I may see some people I would recognize from those early years. I so often wish I had taken pictures then. Of course, at that time being just a poor, struggling student, a camera would have been beyond my means. Anyway, I just didn’t think of it. Also the theater itself. Today I regret that I didn’t realize what a magnificent palace I was working in, and at 17, my mind was mainly on survival.
Thanks for your website. I’ll take a look. Mine is www.richka.com
“Russian Music and Dance”. Cheers, Richka
Babster, thank you for sharing you memories with us. Please feel free to add more if the mood should strike you. I enjoyed reading your post very much!
Babster, thank you for sharing you memories with us. Please feel free to add more if the mood should strike you. I enjoyed reading you post very much!