This Side For Writing
Roxy Theatre
"ROXY THEATRE. World's largest theatre; seats over
6,200; largest permanent symphony orchestra; colossal pip
organ, played by three organists; cathedral chime of 21
bells; permanent choral group; permanent ballet corps and
precision dancers, the Roxyettes; foyers and lobbies of un-
usual size and splendor; decorations of marvelous beauty.
Magnificent state shows. Finest talking pictures. News
of the world in Fox Movietone. Refreshingly cooled in
summer. Unique features of service, comfort and conven-
ience. One of the famous show places of New York City
and attended by visitors from all over the world."
From Cinematreasures.org:
"Often cited as the most impressive movie palace ever built, the Roxy Theatre was called “The Cathedral of the Motion Picture” by its creator and namesake, Samuel ‘Roxy’ Rothafel. Roxy was arguably the greatest showmen of his time and he built a theater that has seemingly outlasted his own legend.
With its nearly 6,000 seats and multi-tiered balconies, the Roxy Theatre was the showplace of New York City and of the nation. Construction began on March 22, 1926 and it opened on March 11, 1927 with Gloria Swanson in “The Loves of Sonya”. It was designed by architect Walter W. Ahlschlager of Chicago (who also designed New York’s Beacon Theatre), with interior decoration by Harold W. Rambusch of New York. Its rather modest entrance at the Taft Hotel disguised one of the most cavernous lobbies ever built and a magnificent auditorium that has lived on in its patrons' imagination. Whatever adjectives can be used for the Roxy Theatre, they all fail to signify the theatre’s achievement.
Sadly, the decline in attendance that had begun in the 1950’s spilled over into the early-1960’s and the Roxy Theatre closed with Dirk Bogarde in “The Wind Cannot Read” which began its run on March 9, 1960. Despite numerous protests, it was razed in 1961. In its place sits a nondescript and unremarkable office building. The neighboring Taft Hotel survives to this day (now the Michangelo Hotel) and is the only evidence that this epic structure was ever here. A TGI Friday’s restaurant occupies the theatres' original entrance."
Roxy Theatre
"ROXY THEATRE. World's largest theatre; seats over
6,200; largest permanent symphony orchestra; colossal pip
organ, played by three organists; cathedral chime of 21
bells; permanent choral group; permanent ballet corps and
precision dancers, the Roxyettes; foyers and lobbies of un-
usual size and splendor; decorations of marvelous beauty.
Magnificent state shows. Finest talking pictures. News
of the world in Fox Movietone. Refreshingly cooled in
summer. Unique features of service, comfort and conven-
ience. One of the famous show places of New York City
and attended by visitors from all over the world."
From Cinematreasures.org:
"Often cited as the most impressive movie palace ever built, the Roxy Theatre was called “The Cathedral of the Motion Picture” by its creator and namesake, Samuel ‘Roxy’ Rothafel. Roxy was arguably the greatest showmen of his time and he built a theater that has seemingly outlasted his own legend.
With its nearly 6,000 seats and multi-tiered balconies, the Roxy Theatre was the showplace of New York City and of the nation. Construction began on March 22, 1926 and it opened on March 11, 1927 with Gloria Swanson in “The Loves of Sonya”. It was designed by architect Walter W. Ahlschlager of Chicago (who also designed New York’s Beacon Theatre), with interior decoration by Harold W. Rambusch of New York. Its rather modest entrance at the Taft Hotel disguised one of the most cavernous lobbies ever built and a magnificent auditorium that has lived on in its patrons' imagination. Whatever adjectives can be used for the Roxy Theatre, they all fail to signify the theatre’s achievement.
Sadly, the decline in attendance that had begun in the 1950’s spilled over into the early-1960’s and the Roxy Theatre closed with Dirk Bogarde in “The Wind Cannot Read” which began its run on March 9, 1960. Despite numerous protests, it was razed in 1961. In its place sits a nondescript and unremarkable office building. The neighboring Taft Hotel survives to this day (now the Michangelo Hotel) and is the only evidence that this epic structure was ever here. A TGI Friday’s restaurant occupies the theatres' original entrance."