November 2, 2007

Kick Up Your Heels

MSG Network takes viewers on a virtual trip back in time to the birthplace of the Rockettes — don't miss MSG's behind-the-scenes profile of Radio City Music Hall, writes Seth Arenstein.

Tube Stake: Programming Reviews by Seth Arenstein

• Sunday, November 4

Diamond at The Rock: 75 Years at Radio City Music Hall — Sun, 9pm , MSG.

What do you when the country is mired in the Great Depression of 1929, your name is John D. Rockefeller Jr., and you have a $91 million, 24-year lease on a large tract of land on the then-undesirable location of Sixth Avenue in New York City?

You put theaters on the spot encased in a technologically (for the time) outstanding music hall and get impresario S.L. "Roxy" Rothafel to set up the program. Thus Radio City Music Hall was built at a time when many Americans were thinking about anything but entertainment.

But, my, what entertainment. On a rainy opening night in December 1932 there were plenty of stars on The Great Stage as well as in the seats. Performers that night included The Flying Wallendas, Ray Bolger, Martha Graham’s dance company, opera singers, choruses, tap dancers and, of course, the Roxy-ettes. A problem—the night was endless. The show lasted until past 3 in the morning. It was a calamity, we’re told, and Roxy was the final victim, suffering a heart attack.

With Roxy incapacitated, it was easier for the Rockefellers to conclude that stage shows were not the best option for what had become their money pit. Moving pictures, accompanied by a stage show, were the best option, they felt.

A few weeks later, in 1933, a Barbara Stanwyck film, The Bitter Tea of General Yen, began a tradition that continued until 1979. When a film opened at Radio City, it was generally assured a strong run. More than 700 pictures have premiered there. And the stars of the film often were on hand. A great feature of this film, besides the outstanding historic footage, is the myriad photos of old-time stars, although it’s hard  to identify them all without captions. 

The biggest hit, besides the Roxy-ettes, later the Rockettes, though, was the next film: King Kong. Today, however, the building is used as a venue for concerts, stage shows and special events, a return of sorts to what Roxy had in mind.

Like the building itself, the Rockettes continue. In fact, this entertaining film, that’s also a good piece of marketing for the Dolans’ palace, devotes a large segment to the Rockettes’ history and training. And talk about work-life balance, at one point the ladies lived in the building’s dormitories. Everything was in-house, including an infirmary, a cafeteria, a costume shop and a roof-top exercise/recreation facility.

The reasons for the building’s downturn—management was set to close the place in April 1978—aren’t explored in much depth. New York City’s crime is mentioned, but not much else. On the other hand, the story about how several people fought to keep the facility open is treated in detail.

What that meant was the Hall was saved for live shows. And two of the best, says the film, were Peter Allen (the first man to dance with The Rockettes) and Liberace. Watching the footage of the bejeweled and be-feathered piano man may be worth more than anything in the film. As one talking head notes, “We were amazed that so many people wanted to see Liberace. He sold out every show.”