Samuel Lionel "Roxy" Rothafel was a showman of the 1920ssilent film era and the impresario for many of the great movie palaces that he managed such as the Capitol, the Strand, and his eponymous Roxy Theater in New York City (opened 1927, demolished 1961). He also opened the Radio City Music Hall, featured the "Roxyettes", later renamed the Rockettes. The 1920s were a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... A silent film is a film which has no accompanying soundtrack. ... An impresario is a manager or producer in one of the entertainment industries, usually Music or Theatre. ... Movie palace is a synonym for movie theater, but nowadays usually used for the grand art deco cinemas of the 1910s to 1940s, contrasting with modern multiplexes. ... Nickname: The Big Apple Official website: City of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area Total 468. ... Radio City Music Hall at Xmas 2005 Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... The Rockettes are the best known precision dance company in the world, stationed out of the Radio City Music Hall. ...
Roxy has been credited with many movie presentation innovations including syncing orchestral music to movies (in the silent screen era) and having multiple projectors to effect seamless reel changes. The book The Best Remaining Seats by Ben Hall (1961), gives a good overview of the grand movie palaces of the 1920s and, specifically, of Roxy himself. The Boston Pops orchestra performing on the Charles River Esplanade in Boston, Massachusetts. ... Ben Hall (1837-1865) was a noted Australian bushranger of the 19th century. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...
Such was the Roxy Theatre, Broadway's fanciest, flashiest showcase from the era of colossal movie palaces.
When Rothafel moved on to guide the course of the Radio City Music Hall, the new Roxy management decided to extend the stage apron out over the orchestra pit (which had until then been large enough for over 100 musicians and three organ consoles).
The Roxy was among the first of the great cinema palaces of the '20s to be sacrificed to the steel ball of "progress." Changing public tastes in the entertainment field (especially with the advent of television) rendered the big theatres unprofitable.
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