Status should be changed to Open. They reopened at the end of April 2008 showing 1st run movies, after doing some light renovations (new carpet, paint, etc.) Their website is at www.foxtheatre3.com
That films 101 webpage up above lists 62 films for 1946. It lists them as the 62 “most notable” films of the year. There were a lot more than 62 filsm released that year – generally there were considerably more movies per year back then than there are now (many more “B” movies, etc.)
I went to the open house on Saturday and they really did a fantastic job of renovating the theatre – more was restored than I ever dreamed possible after seeing it in its Quad state. They rebuilt the proscenium arch with the original design and front of the balcony. It has a huge new stagehouse, and renovated dressing rooms, green room, etc. Was able to explore the entire backstage and basement area, cloming the spiral stairway to the top of stage right (from audience perspective) and look out over it. The basement areas were all accessible, the electrical room, maze of workrooms, the new dressing rooms, and plenum chamber – inerestingly, all the spaces under the main lobby area are additional staff space, the usher’s staff room filled a large space under the main lobby). These basement spaces, some of them were still old red brick or concrete walls, some areas completely modern. The lobby and auditorium were all beautifully restored, the chandeliers and main cove in the auditorium ceiling looked fantastic. Comfortable and attractive seats, plush carpeting. Lots of restrooms, but interestingly could not find any lounges except for the one over the old entrance to the side which is now a VIP area (guess open house was my only opportunity to see that) The old main lobby is actually fairly small (even with the mezzanine lounge opening into it) but in front is a modern facade and large outer lobby and box office with 4+ windows. The modern facade looks much better than the Showcase Cinrmas one from the 1960s. Only a few things that they didn’t do that I would have liked to see. The ornamental plasterwork designs were not created on the side boxes or balcony front; they’re all smooth (although the balcony front is mostly hidden behind lighting fixtures anyway) and the fine ornamental detail in the proscenium arch is missing. Also, they did not replicate the scagiola faux marble on the columns in the mezzanine lobby or on the organ screens, and the mezzanine lobby has a simpler paint scheme. Also, the soffet under the balcony is a much plainer design (but then again, that had to be rebuilt from scratch). The color scheme is not original, but it is very attractive, greens, gold and cream & tan, with some red draperies.
Overall, they did a splendid job of restoration, one I never would have thought possible a few years ago
According to that article the interior of the theater has been gutted – a shame. Much of the space has been renovated into offices and retail, but the new owner plans to have a theatre utilizing the stage house and front of the old auditorium to create a new venue for concerts, stand-up comedy and the occasional movie.
This one is from a period newsreel or documentary from 1963. It starts with some documentary color footage of the auditorium and organ chambers with descriptions of the pipe setup. Then continues to newsreel footage of the demolition and concludes with the final organ solo played at the Fox during the farewell concert. Really interesting to see the inside of the organ chambers during a concert with the shutters swinging and the relays in action!
This one shows a lot of color still photos of the Fox auditorium, lobbies and lounges with some narration about its demolition and the performance of a final medley on the organ just before the organ’s removal from the theatre. The Fox portion starts about 2 minutes into the video.
Great news – Opening date is March 14, 2008!! They already have three shows scheduled after that (Hairspray, Stomp and Jesus Christ Superstar)
From the pictures it looks like they were in overdrive the past year with renovations — proscenium, side boxes and orchestra walls all reconstructed. they’re doing a great job! Great to hear that they’ll have a Mighty WurliTzer 4/35 organ!
Those Library of Congress photos show the ornate pressed tin ceiling still intact. Unfortunately the google photo of that address shows that the theatre portion of the complex has been demolished. Status should be changed accordingly.
On YouTube there are now SIX videos of Ralph Ringstad Jr., at the Wonder Morton organ at the Loew’s Jersey on 11/3! Go to the links below or directly to youtube.com and search for videos by “loewsjersey”. They add up to almost 35 minutes!
The organ remained in use until the theater was converted into a seven-plex in the late 1980s. I presume it was sold, but unfortunately have no idea who it was sold to. I would really like to know whether the original walls are preserved behind all the multiplexing. At least the original rear railing behind the seats still exists in the balcony spaces. The stairs to the balcony are still the original creaking wood underneath the new carpeting!
The Roper Center’s official web page is: http://www.tcc.edu/roper/ From there is some history, renovation info and color photos, both interior. Looks like a simplified renaissance revival scheme, but also possibly simplified by the renovation. The auditorium is fairly wide with a low ceiling – looks like it originally had no balcony and that they reduced the capacity by building a shelf balcony in the middle of the auditorium with all the space behind it converted into separate rooms. Still looks really nice though and very attractive. The page says it was built in 1926.
Status should be changed to Open. They reopened at the end of April 2008 showing 1st run movies, after doing some light renovations (new carpet, paint, etc.) Their website is at www.foxtheatre3.com
This theatre looks to be demolished. Google photos show parking lots and a new housing development.
That films 101 webpage up above lists 62 films for 1946. It lists them as the 62 “most notable” films of the year. There were a lot more than 62 filsm released that year – generally there were considerably more movies per year back then than there are now (many more “B” movies, etc.)
Looks like this theatre has been demolished. The google map for this address shows a parking lot for a shopping center.
I went to the open house on Saturday and they really did a fantastic job of renovating the theatre – more was restored than I ever dreamed possible after seeing it in its Quad state. They rebuilt the proscenium arch with the original design and front of the balcony. It has a huge new stagehouse, and renovated dressing rooms, green room, etc. Was able to explore the entire backstage and basement area, cloming the spiral stairway to the top of stage right (from audience perspective) and look out over it. The basement areas were all accessible, the electrical room, maze of workrooms, the new dressing rooms, and plenum chamber – inerestingly, all the spaces under the main lobby area are additional staff space, the usher’s staff room filled a large space under the main lobby). These basement spaces, some of them were still old red brick or concrete walls, some areas completely modern. The lobby and auditorium were all beautifully restored, the chandeliers and main cove in the auditorium ceiling looked fantastic. Comfortable and attractive seats, plush carpeting. Lots of restrooms, but interestingly could not find any lounges except for the one over the old entrance to the side which is now a VIP area (guess open house was my only opportunity to see that) The old main lobby is actually fairly small (even with the mezzanine lounge opening into it) but in front is a modern facade and large outer lobby and box office with 4+ windows. The modern facade looks much better than the Showcase Cinrmas one from the 1960s. Only a few things that they didn’t do that I would have liked to see. The ornamental plasterwork designs were not created on the side boxes or balcony front; they’re all smooth (although the balcony front is mostly hidden behind lighting fixtures anyway) and the fine ornamental detail in the proscenium arch is missing. Also, they did not replicate the scagiola faux marble on the columns in the mezzanine lobby or on the organ screens, and the mezzanine lobby has a simpler paint scheme. Also, the soffet under the balcony is a much plainer design (but then again, that had to be rebuilt from scratch). The color scheme is not original, but it is very attractive, greens, gold and cream & tan, with some red draperies.
Overall, they did a splendid job of restoration, one I never would have thought possible a few years ago
According to that article the interior of the theater has been gutted – a shame. Much of the space has been renovated into offices and retail, but the new owner plans to have a theatre utilizing the stage house and front of the old auditorium to create a new venue for concerts, stand-up comedy and the occasional movie.
The Aztec’s website says they’re closed for more construction but will reopen in spring 2008.
A couple nice videos on YouTube:
This one is from a period newsreel or documentary from 1963. It starts with some documentary color footage of the auditorium and organ chambers with descriptions of the pipe setup. Then continues to newsreel footage of the demolition and concludes with the final organ solo played at the Fox during the farewell concert. Really interesting to see the inside of the organ chambers during a concert with the shutters swinging and the relays in action!
This one shows a lot of color still photos of the Fox auditorium, lobbies and lounges with some narration about its demolition and the performance of a final medley on the organ just before the organ’s removal from the theatre. The Fox portion starts about 2 minutes into the video.
Their new website is up at http://www.thehanovertheatre.org/ and the Hanover Theater Organ website is now at http://www.thehanoverorgan.org/TheHanoverOrgan/
Great news – Opening date is March 14, 2008!! They already have three shows scheduled after that (Hairspray, Stomp and Jesus Christ Superstar)
From the pictures it looks like they were in overdrive the past year with renovations — proscenium, side boxes and orchestra walls all reconstructed. they’re doing a great job! Great to hear that they’ll have a Mighty WurliTzer 4/35 organ!
The webpage has changed – it is now http://www.palacealbany.com/
Those Library of Congress photos show the ornate pressed tin ceiling still intact. Unfortunately the google photo of that address shows that the theatre portion of the complex has been demolished. Status should be changed accordingly.
The Palace’s website has changed – it is now http://www.stamfordcenterforthearts.org/home.cfm#
The website has a couple “virtual tour” photos. Nicely renovated!
On YouTube there are now SIX videos of Ralph Ringstad Jr., at the Wonder Morton organ at the Loew’s Jersey on 11/3! Go to the links below or directly to youtube.com and search for videos by “loewsjersey”. They add up to almost 35 minutes!
Opening song: View link
(“Drums in my Heart”)
5th song: View link
2nd song: View link
(“You” – from 1934)
3rd song: View link
(“Jeepers creepers”)
4th song: View link
Encore: View link
“I only have eyes for you”
Fantastic! And he really pulls out all the stops for the first song. It would be well worth a long trip to be able to hear this organ live!
From the google photo of this address it looks like this theater has been demolished.
The organ remained in use until the theater was converted into a seven-plex in the late 1980s. I presume it was sold, but unfortunately have no idea who it was sold to. I would really like to know whether the original walls are preserved behind all the multiplexing. At least the original rear railing behind the seats still exists in the balcony spaces. The stairs to the balcony are still the original creaking wood underneath the new carpeting!
Status of this theatre should be changed to Open, Function = performing arts.
The architect for the Venetian was J. E. O. Pridmore
According to the AFY Yearbook of 1936, the Capitol then seated 1,207.
According to the 1936 AFY Yearbook, the Capitol seats 1,350.
According to the 1936 AFY Yearbook, the Bagdad then seated 1,800
According to the 1936 AFY Yearbook, the Strand at that time seated 1,000.
The Roper Center’s official web page is: http://www.tcc.edu/roper/ From there is some history, renovation info and color photos, both interior. Looks like a simplified renaissance revival scheme, but also possibly simplified by the renovation. The auditorium is fairly wide with a low ceiling – looks like it originally had no balcony and that they reduced the capacity by building a shelf balcony in the middle of the auditorium with all the space behind it converted into separate rooms. Still looks really nice though and very attractive. The page says it was built in 1926.
Accoding to the 1936 AFY Yearbook, the Langley at that time seated 850.
According to the link above, the Suzore was built in 1930 and razed in 1981.
Status should be changed to “open”