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Roxy Theatre Presenting
Stage Attractions, Films
NORTHAMPTON, PA.—The Roxy Theatre,
2004 Main St., in this city's downtown
business district, is again offering live stage
entertainment—on a stage that has been
dark since vaudeville died here in the mid-
1930s. At that time the stage flyloft was
sealed off with a suspended ceiling to conserve
heating costs, the basement dressing
rooms were utilized as storage rooms and
the orchestra pit was boarded over and the
organ removed. A new CinemaScope screen
with a heavy steel frame was installed in
January 1954, several feet behind the main
proscenium curtain, and the stage became
virtually unusable for anything other than
film presentations.
Theatre Built in 1921
The theatre was built in 1921 as the Lyric
by the late Henry A. Miller of Northampton
and offered the public good vaudeville and
silent pictures. TTie house was obtained by
James Clark and Jack Greenberg, both of
Philadelphia, and was reopened in August
1933 after being completely remodeled and
renamed the Roxy. The policy then became
mainly the exhibition of motion pictures,
with occasional vaudeville acts.
All that has changed now. Angstadt &
Wolfe Theatres, operators of six eastern
Pennsylvania theatres who have operated the
Roxy since June 1970, have begun a policy
of encouraging stage productions through
local and national promoters. The first presentation
was during June 1972, featuring
the Big City Music Band, a popular Pennsylvania
dance and concert band. Unfortunately,
the concert was unsuccessful financially
and caused other planned concerts to
be postponed several months.
In February 1973. Al Wexler. head of
Brotherhood Talent Associates and Electric
Theatre Concerts, tooth of Allentown, staged
another concert to promote several local
rock and folk groups, again proving unsuccessful
and clouding hopes for the Roxy
stage revival. In March 1973, Richard
Wolfe, co-owner of A&W Theatres, and
Jerry Dean, a prominent and successful local
promoter and radio announcer, came to
agreement whereby they would promote
weekly concerts at the sponsored by WSAN
Radio.
Concerts Successful
'Cheerleader Pushes Saddles Out
Of No. 1 Spot in New York Lineup
NEW YORK— Teenage Cheerleader." a
new pornographic film at the World, topped
all comers this week with a 595 average.
Second was "Blazing Saddles." number one
for five weeks previously, now a close 585
in its sixth Sutton stanza. "Not Just Another
Woman." another sexer, was third with 240
in its eighth week at the Lincoln Art. "Three
Tough Guys" took fourth place with a 220
opening week at the DeMille. Fifth was
Maximilian Schell's "The Pedestrian," constant
from last week and earning an even
200 at the Fine Arts. Holding the number
six slot was "Africa Uncensorcd" (number
two last time) averaging out at 195 for the
second round at the Penthouse (150) and
RKO 86th Street Twin I (240).
(Average Is 100)
Cinerama ^Busting (UA), 3rd wk 125
Coronet The Last Detail (Col), 5th wk 190
(Hand in Hand), 8th
Fine Arts The Pedestrian ;CRC), 3rd wk. ...
Lincoln Art Not Just Another Womon
[Extravagant Films), 8th wk .
Notional The Last Detail (Col), 5th wk
Penthouse Atrieo Uncensored (AlP), 2nd wk.
Rodio City Music Hall Mame (WB), 2nd wk.
Rialto 1—1001 Danish Delights (Cambist),
the promoters, concertgoers and entertainers,
are the perfect acoustics.
Of the 20 or so concerts sponsored by
WSAN in 1973, all but two have been sellouts
(the house has 558 seats). Each concert
is scheduled for two shows per evening. The
theatre does continue to feature motion pictures
when concerts aren't being performed,
since the Roxy is the only remaining showhouse
in Northampton.
Other plans include initiating community
theatre playhouse projects, summer stock,
making the theatre available for community
organizations to promote various types of
theatrical presentations and establishing the
theatre as the home of a soon-to-be-created
Lehigh Valley Vaudeville Society.
If Richard Wolfe has his way—and it
seems he will—the once dark Roxy stage
will continue to glow from the light of the
carbon arc spot and reverberate from the
sound of a pit orchestra that will shake
loose the ghosts that are embedded in the
theatre's tapestried walls.
.
27th wk
RKO 86th Street
I—Africa Uncensored
Twit
(AlP), 2nd wk.
RKO 86fh 'Arrrt Tv.ir
68th Strer" t' ,1'. ',
5th
II State Man on o Swing Para), 3rd wk. ..
Sutton— Blazing Saddles WB,, 6th wk
Tower East Man on o Swing Para), 3rd wk.
World Teenoge Cheerleader (Mature) ....
Zegfeld— The Day of the Dolphin (Emb),
12th
Grosses Up in
Baltimore;
•Black Hand Side' No. 1
BALTIMORE—Grosses were up, with
only two films ("Breezy" and "Busting")
grossing less than 100. "Breezy," in its first
week at four theatres, could muster only 20.
"Busting" fared better with 85 at Cinema
II. "Five on the Black Hand Side" was
No. 1 again with 260 in its seventh week
at the Met.
Cinema I, Mini Flick I Man on o Swing (UA),
125
Four theatres Breeiy (Univ) 20
Four theatres—Zardoi (20th-Fox) 100
Met- Five on the Block Hond Side (UA), 7th wk. 260
Westview I— Chariots ot the Gods? (SR) 150
Westview II—Serpico (Para), 6th wk 100
Isaac Levy. 9L Succumbs;
Pioneer Trenton Showman
TRENTON. N.J. —Isaac Levy, one of
Trenton's well-known early theatre owners,
died Wednesday (13) in St. Francis Hospital
here. He was 91 and had lived here
87 years.
A pioneer exhibitor. Levy was one of
the men who built the original Lincoln
Theatre in downtown Trenton. He also
owned the Mayfair Theatre and over the
years operated the Centre Street, Greenwood
and Stacy theatres.
Levy was an active worker for the Jewish
Federation and was a former board member
of the Greenwood House, among other
communal activities.
He leaves his wife Ann: three sons, one
of whom is Edgar Levy, who also was a
former theatre owner until he turned tennis
professional: a daughter: two brothers; a
sister: nine grandchildren, and 1 1 greatgrandchildren.
These concerts proved so successful during
the first several months Wolfe and Angstadt
were convinced to make the necessary
renovations to the stage to make it usable
once again for theatrical purposes. The stage
loft has been reopened and the 1,100-pound
screen and frame counter-balanced and
flown. Other plans to be completed in the
near future include restoration of all the
dressing rooms and reopening of the orchestra
pit.
The theatre still retains its 1930s art deco
style and is an excellent example of that
period's downtown movie palace, with beautiful
tapestry panels and ornate hand-painted
designs throughout. Probably the most cherished
attribute of the house, in the minds of
'Walking Tall' Continues
To Score in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH — "Walking Tall." the
motion picture phenomenon that doesn't
stop, is continuing to make boxoffice histor\'
in Pittsburgh. Now in its 23rd week,
the film already has amassed $350,000— in
only five Pittsburgh theatres. And the end
is not in sight.
The Pittsburgh success is the latest in
the series of amazing grosses throughout
the U.S. and Canada where "Walking Tall"
already has earned over $35,000,000 at
the boxoffice. The BCP production is a
Cinerama release.
FINER PROJECTION-SUPER ECONOMY
Hurley
Screens
Ask Your Supply Dealer or Write
HURLEY SCREEN COMPANY, Inc
BOXOFRCE :: March 25, 1974