Roxy Theatre (New York City)

You are standing near the site of what was once known as the Cathedral of the Motion Picture. The Roxy Theatre opened on March 11, 1927, at 153 West 50th Street as the largest and most opulent movie palace ever constructed. It was the brainchild of Samuel Rothafel, a legendary showman who went by the nickname Roxy. He insisted on a level of luxury that pushed the project twelve million dollars over budget before it even opened its doors to the public. The theater featured a staggering 5,920 seats arranged across multiple tiers and balconies. Despite this massive scale, the entrance was deceptively modest, tucked into the corner of the Taft Hotel. Once inside, visitors stepped into a cavernous lobby that led to a lavish auditorium dripping with gold-leaf carvings and red velvet. The theater was a pioneer in visitor comfort, operating one of the first large-scale air conditioning systems in a New York City public building. This kept the temperature at a constant seventy degrees, making it a primary escape for New Yorkers during the sweltering heat of summer. Beyond the film experience, the Roxy served as a hub for grand live entertainment. Each week, the theater presented elaborate stage spectacles featuring a 110-member symphony orchestra. This was the largest permanent orchestra in the world at that time. Beneath the stage, a sophisticated triple-deck elevator system allowed scenery, musicians, and performers to rise into view simultaneously, creating seamless transitions for the audience. The theater also maintained its own radio studio where the manager himself hosted live weekly broadcasts that were heard by listeners nationwide. The Roxy was an early center for modern cinema technology and performance. It housed three Kimball pipe organs, which allowed for multiple organists to perform simultaneously during silent films and stage shows. The theater also served as the training ground for a famous line of female precision dancers known as the Roxyettes. These dancers were the predecessors to the iconic troupe that would later become a permanent fixture at Radio City Music Hall. The theater even maintained a fully equipped infirmary, a barbershop, and a specialized costume department for its performers. As the cinema industry evolved, the Roxy adapted by becoming a testing ground for experimental film formats. In 1930, it hosted the debut of the Fox Grandeur 70-millimeter widescreen process. Decades later, it introduced CinemaScope to the public with the 1953 premiere of the film The Robe. These technological upgrades often required significant physical changes to the auditorium, including the installation of a 65-foot-wide curved screen that eventually replaced the space once occupied by the massive live orchestra. The theater struggled to maintain its dominance as television grew in popularity and suburban movie-going increased. In 1960, the Roxy closed its doors for the final time. Its demolition was met with widespread public outcry and protests, marking a somber milestone in the city's approach to urban renewal. The site was cleared for an office building, leaving the adjacent Taft Hotel as the only original structure from the theater's heyday. Today, the name Roxy remains a symbol of the golden age of American movie palaces.