Roxy Theatre

Simon, I WAS referring to the grand staircase, seen above, not the lower staircase that you’re referring to. That one led to the manager Mr. Katz and his assistant manager’s offices and loge. Maybe not in your time there, but looking at the picture, the concession stand was to the right of that. And there was even another smaller one in the balcony at the top of that grand staircase by the small window, seen in the Gloria Swanson picture of her standing in the rubble in 1961. Mr. Levy was the concessions manager. I worked there for nearly 3 years in the early 1950s so I ought to know. It must be that you worked there a bit later. Regarding the usher doing cartwheels, as I said, he was not
your regular usher but an extremely flamboyant fellow and discipline might have been a bit relaxed during a peak time when hundreds of patrons were standing on the grand staircase. It was only once I saw him do that. It’s nice to share our memories.

Memories of the Rotunda – from someone who was there. About these photos – they are wonderful to have, especially the first one. I may have posted it before here on this site, or perhaps somewhere else, but this first picture shows the location of the yet to be concession stand just to the right of that staircase leading to the loges and manager’s office. I don’t know when the concession stand was put in that location as it was many, many years later – not too many years before the theater was demolished, when I worked there selling candy as a 16 year old. From my viewpoint there I could look up at the two ton chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The giant Rotunda (we were not
allowed to call it a lobby) had a circular carpet that we employees
were not even allowed to walk on so I had to walk around it to and from my post at the candy stand. The circular staircase that you see
often was filled with masses of people waiting for seats in the
upper balconies. One rather flamboyant usher would often entertain
those hundreds of waiting patrons by doing his acrobatic tricks,
cartwheeling up and down that grand stair case and finishing with a
full split, to the patron’s amazement and applause! I have so many youthful memories of this theater, some good, some bad.

The photos are wonderful (double sigh). The photo of the lobby, however, includes only the entrance to the loge (about halfway into the rotunda)on the second level. Before the stairway to the loge is the grand stairway to the balcony, also on the left and seen as soon as you enter the theater from the outer lobby. Towards the center orchestra doors (to the extreme right…not seen in photo)is an alcove where patrons could take a huge elevator to the balcony.

If anyone saw “Middle of the Night” (1959), written by Paddy Chayefsky, on TCM the other day: Lee Philips' character talks about a musician he knows “who used to work in the pit in the Roxy, before they put in CinemaScope”.

Someone a while back was asking about where entrances to Roxy Theater were located. Apart from the Box offices on the corner of 7th Ave. and 50th Street, there were three other entrances. 153 West 50th was a door just a bit further East on 50th that had a service desk inside and an elevator to upper floors including Executive Offices at the top floor. It was the entrance for all front of house employees. Around the corner on 51st Street was the stage door for all performers as well as the scene dock used for loading stage scenery, animals, etc. leading directly to the stage.

Seems like “Windjammer” is being screened in England
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Oops Warren – have I done something wrong? I didn’t mean to divert any attention away from the great Roxy Theater but thought this site could be about about movie palaces in general because there ARE postings here about other theaters, apart from the Roxy. Especially because it may be interesting that a former movie palace has had a re-birth – a bit unusual these days.
I stand corrected.
Richka

Here’s egg on my face! I should have read Simon L’s posting more carefully. Seached it on IMDB and “D Day the 6th of June” is a movie released in 1956, so that’s what he is referring to.
Ziggy – Of course, any time. Cinema Treasures database gives a list of members. I believe – with email addresses. Or look further on my website and you should find mine. I drive through Gallop occasionally en-route to Santa Fe.
Richard

SimonL. Surely you didn’t mean D Day, 6th of June! That was 1944. Films you mention, i.e., King and I, Bus Stop, etc. played the Roxy in 1956. That must be the year you worked there. Am I right?
Richard

It would be great if someone would list the films by decade that played the Roxy and the number of weeks which was done for the San Francisco Fox, which played many of the same Fox films through the decade.IM still amazed that the Roxy which was a key flagship house in the movie industry went out with very little fanfare and the San Francisco Fox went out with a bang. The Roxy was far more successfull in its lifetime than the SF Fox but both theatres were among the best ever built. brucec

Hi Ziggy – that’s a very good question. As a 16/17 year old I guess I thought of it mainly as a job. At least better than running a hotel elevator or in a drug store or other things that teenage boys do. I think I was paid $28 a week – ushers got far less. But yes, in a way it was kinda glamourous. Like many of the other boys there at that time, I was taking classes and trying to break into show biz – auditions and such. Now, in my declining years I regret that I didn’t take the opportunity then to investigate the actual theater more as it certainly was a magnificent structure. I did occasionally wander backstage and talked with some of the dancing Roxyettes or their Escorts. Once even ran an errand for Danny Kaye who was a
headliner and also Ima Sumac, an exotic Peruvian singer of the period.
My reaction when it was torn down? I was in Europe at the time so
didn’t notice but I think would have been saddened.
Since that time of long ago I’ve performed in theaters all over the world but the Roxy is still very much fixed in my memory as first humble steps into show biz. Quite honestly, it means much more to me now than it did then.
Thanx for asking.
Richard

Another memory. Besides the rotunda concesson stand there was a smaller one in the balcony foyer. Sometimes I worked there as well. The long grand staircase led up to it. Sometimes at peak periods there would be long lines of patrons waiting on this staircase. From my vantage point I could look out a small window to the rotunda below and also see the full curve of the grand staircase. There was one usher I remember who would entertain the waiting crowds with his acrobatic tricks: cartwheeling up and down the grand staircase and finishing with a full split. The waiting patrons always laughed and applauded.
The outer lobby with cashiers was corner of 50th and 7th Ave. Today that lobby is a TGIF restaurant. Somewhere I saw a photo of it including the building behind, built on the spot where the Roxy once stood.
Richard