PKoch & Bob…Thanks for your concern. I am well aware of some of these areas (I have been visiting the USA since 1976, usually a couple of times a year) Actually only got robbed once(my bag had a ‘going over’ in a restaurant in Times Square!). I live in London and there are some areas here I wouldn’t think of going to at certain times, in fact, come to think of it I live in one! LOL. I will be careful and aware…as always. As you say though, these areas have theatres and I feel the urge to visit, armed with my Film Daily Yearbook lists, I just hop on and off the Metro and buses. I found South Bronx scary a few years ago, when I was there last year, there was a great improvement and I spent 2 days wandering the streets.
In Queens I want to get to the Trylon as I missed it last time I was in the area, also going take a last look at the RKO Flushing, plus there are many more I need to track down. I like to compare Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens etc. with their London counterparts!
Lost Memory…and all of you….I have posted some photos I took last June on the Ridgewood Theatre page. I see its now 3 screens in the former balcony and 2 screens in the former stalls. I wonder which would be best to go into to see anything of original decoration?
Thanks for the complements guys. It is a wonderful building to photograph and I though I would get it at ‘all angles’ before anything happened to it! I’m happy to share with you all.
Bob..It was a sunny hot day, and this atmosphere led to a feeling of security as I wandered around. Schoolkids were just leaving class and at a quick glance all would seem to be ok. However, there were gangs congregating on the street corners who were eyeing me up, but I felt fairly confident I would be ok. Especially as my camera is not large (its the size of a credit card) and I was not pointing my lense at them. I just took my pictures, then left the area. Not a place I would go to after dark though.
PKoch…no relation to ‘that’ Kenneth Roe, I am British and based in the UK (but come to the States quite often). I’m back in NYC in June 2006 to explore more theatres hidden away in the Bronx and Queens this time!
Hey Guys, Interesting as this may be to to the two of you, but this has nothing to do with the Pitkin. My e-mail box is filling up fast here! Can you chat on another forum or swap e-mails please. Thanks
An October 2004 view of the facade of the former Odeon, Stepney. This is all that remains of the original building. Hidden under the black paint are the original white faiance tiles: http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115459482/
Listed in the Film Weekly-Motion Picture Directory 1951-52 edition as the Rex Theatre with a seating capacity of 550. The operators were Keith Theatres Pty. Ltd.
PKoch & Bob…Thanks for your concern. I am well aware of some of these areas (I have been visiting the USA since 1976, usually a couple of times a year) Actually only got robbed once(my bag had a ‘going over’ in a restaurant in Times Square!). I live in London and there are some areas here I wouldn’t think of going to at certain times, in fact, come to think of it I live in one! LOL. I will be careful and aware…as always. As you say though, these areas have theatres and I feel the urge to visit, armed with my Film Daily Yearbook lists, I just hop on and off the Metro and buses. I found South Bronx scary a few years ago, when I was there last year, there was a great improvement and I spent 2 days wandering the streets.
In Queens I want to get to the Trylon as I missed it last time I was in the area, also going take a last look at the RKO Flushing, plus there are many more I need to track down. I like to compare Richmond Hill, Kew Gardens etc. with their London counterparts!
Lost Memory…and all of you….I have posted some photos I took last June on the Ridgewood Theatre page. I see its now 3 screens in the former balcony and 2 screens in the former stalls. I wonder which would be best to go into to see anything of original decoration?
Here are some June 2005 photographs I took of the Ridgewood Theatre:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115980486/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115980840/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115981091/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115981514/
Thanks for the complements guys. It is a wonderful building to photograph and I though I would get it at ‘all angles’ before anything happened to it! I’m happy to share with you all.
Bob..It was a sunny hot day, and this atmosphere led to a feeling of security as I wandered around. Schoolkids were just leaving class and at a quick glance all would seem to be ok. However, there were gangs congregating on the street corners who were eyeing me up, but I felt fairly confident I would be ok. Especially as my camera is not large (its the size of a credit card) and I was not pointing my lense at them. I just took my pictures, then left the area. Not a place I would go to after dark though.
PKoch…no relation to ‘that’ Kenneth Roe, I am British and based in the UK (but come to the States quite often). I’m back in NYC in June 2006 to explore more theatres hidden away in the Bronx and Queens this time!
A photograph of the Regal Theatre taking in 2005:
http://flickr.com/photos/byronic501/75797411/
Go for a walk around the exterior of the Loew’s Pitkin Theatre with these photographs I took in June 2005:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115517916/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115518198/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115518489/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115518780/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115519057/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115519332/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115519598/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115519875/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115520255/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115520590/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115520929/
Hey Guys, Interesting as this may be to to the two of you, but this has nothing to do with the Pitkin. My e-mail box is filling up fast here! Can you chat on another forum or swap e-mails please. Thanks
Two photographs taken in September 2004:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115484373/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115484018/
Photographed in October 2004:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115467217/
An October 2004 view of the facade of the former Odeon, Stepney. This is all that remains of the original building. Hidden under the black paint are the original white faiance tiles:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115459482/
A photograph of the exterior in October 2004:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115403658/
A close up of the decorative detail, photographed in October 2004:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115376891/
Two full views taken in October 2004:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115376504/
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/115377202/
The Royalty Cinema was equipped with a Compton 2Manual/5Rank theatre organ.
A recent photograph of the Rex, Stratford:
http://flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/114641644/
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1950 edition as having a seating capacity of 525. Earlier F.D.Y. in the 1940’s give a seating capacity of 400.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1950 edition as having a seating capacity of 500. Earlier F.D.Y. in the 1940’s give a seating capacity of 328.
A 1997 view of the former Varsity Theatre:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/114967847/
A view of the exterior as photographed in 1997:
http://flickr.com/photos/53257210@N00/114968177/
Listed as the Montrose Theater in Film Daily Yearbooks from at least 1943 with a seating capacity of 325 (the only theatre in town).
The 1941 F.D.Y. lists the only theatre in town as the Ideal Theater with 310 seats. Could this be the same theatre?
Listed in Film Daily Yearbooks from at least 1941 as the North Conway Theater with a seating capacity given as 760.
The Bruce Grove Cinema was equipped with a theatre organ manufactured by Jardine & Co.
Listed in the Film Weekly-Motion Picture Directory 1951-52 edition as the Rex Theatre with a seating capacity of 550. The operators were Keith Theatres Pty. Ltd.
The original facade as photographed in September 1949:
View link
Showing off its new facade in March 1953:
View link
Photographed in May 1956:
View link
A 1930’s street scene postcard of Kingsbury Road:
View link
Photographed in November 1949 playing the Gaumont release programme:
View link
Photographed in May 1956, it has been re-named Gaumont and plays the Gaumont release:
View link
Photographed in April 1971 it has been re-named the Odeon again and sports a new fin sign. The programme is the Odeon release:
View link
The Gem Theatre is listed in Film Daily Yearbook editions between 1940 and 1955 as a Negro theatre. It had a seating capacity of 558.
Photographed in February 2006 (almost 50 years since the Cinema closed its doors):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/98643262/