Day Three: Still with no logic holes. Beautiful old building in Albany NY falling to pieces. It was put on list of historic architecture years ago, and can’t be renovated in any way that would detract from original architectural details. But no one can afford to re-create the original architectural details & it is useless unless it is adapted for some other use. Meanwhile, an old vaudeville theater got renovated prior to the rush to declare old buildings examples of historic architecture and is still used. Some attempts at preservation speed decay.
Many of the grand old theatres have been renovated in recent years: Chicago Theatre (opened 1921, restored 1986), Auditorium Theatre (opened 1889, restored 1967), Oriental Theatre [renamed Nederlander in 2018] (opened 1926, restored 1998), and the Cadillac Palace Theatre, (opened 1926, restored 1999). Alas, the Uptown Theatre remains shuttered (opened 1925, closed 1981, restoration halted due to covid in 2021).
In NYC, the United Palace is one of the old incredibly gorgeous theaters. It was Reverend Ike’s old church. Can’t stand the man, but one good thing he did was say, “Don’t tear that down, I want it for my church.” Well, he’s dead, and the theater is a theater again. I saw “When Harry Met Sally” there recently, followed up by a live interview with Billy Crystal.
There’s also the Leow’s in Jersey City. Gorgeous. It’s run by a non-profit, so it’s CHEAP. Movies are $7, popcorn is $5. They have an old Wurlitzer organ that rises from the floor, with somebody playing it during silent movie revivals. Currently closed for renovation, it will be back next year.
Dick Tracy has spent a lot of this week getting into the architectural history of Neo-Chicago and the state of local landmarked buildings. On the surface, this sounds like the sort of thing that I personally would be into, but it’s actually left me pretty cold. Maybe I’d feel differently if it were about public transit or something, but for now, I say: let’s wrap it up and bring on the officer-involved shootings!
1-: _Sam, full of pastrami, lies his head on the deli counter and dreams of the tenement where his family was forced to live as poor immigrants from Lithuania…
2-: …Until that magic day when his huge hootered sister became the star of the Burlesque House Theater!
3-: Alas, the BHT’s fall into disrepair mirrored Sam’s sister’s sagging “popularity”. It was at that very moment that Sam caught the attention of a young beat cop destined for greatness…
DT: WAKE UP, SAM! HOW DID YOU NOT KNOW YOU WERE AT YOU’RE FAVORITE DELI ALL THIS TIME?!? LOST??? YOU LOST YOUR MIND IS THE ONLY “LOST” YOU WERE. C’mon. Something odd is about to happen and we need to get ready for it. SAM: Oh yeah? What?
DT: I dunno. Something. Probably. Maybe. Maybe not… Probably not…
I’ve occasionally joked and/or wondered if Diet Smith should be so darned lively after having a heart transplant.I just read that the great baseball star Rod Carew had a heart transplant in December 2016 and he’s doing fine. So I guess Diet gets a pass.
Costello seems to like jerking the audience around. No comments on this travelogue would be most appropriate. Maybe he’d decide to start a story. On the other hand, once he starts, he never knows when to stop.
Louisville lost one of their very old Catholic cathedrals last week or two due to homeless people setting up camp there after the church had moved out and sold to an out-of-state owner who was likely hoping for that to happen so they’d get free or discounted demolition as they didn’t have anyone there checking for homeless or even boarding up access points leaving that to the city.
firestrike1 16 days ago
a veritable Tracy Travelogue…
firestrike1 16 days ago
Ray should be able to identify panels two and three…
firestrike1 16 days ago
looks like the Doctor’s TARDIS in panel one…
Neil Wick 16 days ago
Good morning™, guys!
I think that the “mad colorist” has done a good job of enhancing the art in the last two panels. It gets across the idea of neglect and deterioration.
davemunter 16 days ago
Sounds like San Francisco
SHAKEDOWNCITY 16 days ago
The “death” of a nation.
Gweedo -it's legal here- Murray 16 days ago
Good morning™, Run Down Towns !
Does face lifting a run down district deter bad people hanging there ? This run down theater could be where story stuff starts ?
GoComicsGo! 16 days ago
Abner?
Boise Ed Premium Member 16 days ago
So this takes place in Gotham City?
Ashmael 16 days ago
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
avenger09 16 days ago
This is almost as boring as the Jim Douglas bio I just read!
I could use a jug of Gweedo’s moonshine right now!
BreathlessMahoney77 16 days ago
Welcome to another exciting episode of “Dick Tracy: Building Code Inspector!” Tonite: Tracy takes on archenemy Rooftop Jones & The Slumlords Mob!
flashdrive1988 16 days ago
Where is this going? … Phantom of the Opera?
Uncle Kenny 16 days ago
The Phaaaaaaaaaantom of the Opera is there, inside your mind!
jrankin1959 16 days ago
When they house criminals, that’s when I go to work… I wear a yellow coat.
Sporteric11 16 days ago
Looks like Baltimore!!! And it’s even worse today !!!
iggyman 16 days ago
Time for urban renewal! Sad but in most cases they tear down beauty and replace it with the mundane !
BigDaveGlass 16 days ago
Looks like “The Shades” on a bad day. Any walls with burnt on silhouettes?
( A reference to a scene in Terry Pratchett’s Book “Guards! Guards!” )
(First of his I ever read. Brilliant).
Gent 16 days ago
Building a crumbling story eh.
Tradewinds309 15 days ago
It looks like Vitamin Flintheart’s theater needs a little TLC.
crobinson019 15 days ago
Looks like the sort of place Abner would hang out
LawrenceS 15 days ago
Day Three: Still with no logic holes. Beautiful old building in Albany NY falling to pieces. It was put on list of historic architecture years ago, and can’t be renovated in any way that would detract from original architectural details. But no one can afford to re-create the original architectural details & it is useless unless it is adapted for some other use. Meanwhile, an old vaudeville theater got renovated prior to the rush to declare old buildings examples of historic architecture and is still used. Some attempts at preservation speed decay.
h.v.greenman 15 days ago
Enough with the guided tour. Let’s have a storyline we can gripe about already.
Mongo 15 days ago
Is Abner or his equally eerie sister about to appear for Halloween?
orbenjawell Premium Member 15 days ago
…and the travelogue continues, b’gosh!!
Wizard of Ahz-no relation 15 days ago
I don’t know if this needs the score from cats or phantom of the opersa
Pequod 15 days ago
Many of the grand old theatres have been renovated in recent years: Chicago Theatre (opened 1921, restored 1986), Auditorium Theatre (opened 1889, restored 1967), Oriental Theatre [renamed Nederlander in 2018] (opened 1926, restored 1998), and the Cadillac Palace Theatre, (opened 1926, restored 1999). Alas, the Uptown Theatre remains shuttered (opened 1925, closed 1981, restoration halted due to covid in 2021).
Ignatz Premium Member 15 days ago
In NYC, the United Palace is one of the old incredibly gorgeous theaters. It was Reverend Ike’s old church. Can’t stand the man, but one good thing he did was say, “Don’t tear that down, I want it for my church.” Well, he’s dead, and the theater is a theater again. I saw “When Harry Met Sally” there recently, followed up by a live interview with Billy Crystal.
There’s also the Leow’s in Jersey City. Gorgeous. It’s run by a non-profit, so it’s CHEAP. Movies are $7, popcorn is $5. They have an old Wurlitzer organ that rises from the floor, with somebody playing it during silent movie revivals. Currently closed for renovation, it will be back next year.
Ashmael 15 days ago
Wasn’t a ruined theater a temporary refuge for Flattop JR?
Delicate Girl 15 days ago
And the stage is set, if you will…
That Wichita Guy!! 15 days ago
Shooting years into the future. Enter Lil’ Abner Cadaver! Heavens to Harvey!
WilliamVollmer 15 days ago
I guess that sad commentary is true. That there are a few “movie palaces” that have fallen from their glory, to the dustbin of history.
Another Take 15 days ago
Eric should stick to waxing his mustache instead of waxing nostalgic about whatever he’s on about here…
MuddyUSA Premium Member 15 days ago
The story line nightmarish vistas…………
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 15 days ago
MOVIE QUOTE
WE’RE THE HOUSE DETECTIVES
AND WE’RE PUZZLED WITH
THE FACT THAT NO ONE STOPS HERE
UNLESS THEIR NAME IS SMITH !
“Honeymoon Hotel”—-FOOTLIGHT PARADE—1933
JCunnngham Premium Member 15 days ago
I’m patiently waiting for the rendering of socialites and streetwalkers…
David Rickard Premium Member 15 days ago
From today’s Comics Curmudgeon:
Dick Tracy has spent a lot of this week getting into the architectural history of Neo-Chicago and the state of local landmarked buildings. On the surface, this sounds like the sort of thing that I personally would be into, but it’s actually left me pretty cold. Maybe I’d feel differently if it were about public transit or something, but for now, I say: let’s wrap it up and bring on the officer-involved shootings!
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 15 days ago
My immediate thought was Flattop Jr. hiding in the abandoned theatre—with a Wondercar and millions of rats.Sic the little snot,ya rats.
The “teen genius” slowly descended into insanity—“Swarms of the black demons…waiting for me to fall asleep…drop my guard…relax…”
Another Take 15 days ago
1-: _Sam, full of pastrami, lies his head on the deli counter and dreams of the tenement where his family was forced to live as poor immigrants from Lithuania…
2-: …Until that magic day when his huge hootered sister became the star of the Burlesque House Theater!
3-: Alas, the BHT’s fall into disrepair mirrored Sam’s sister’s sagging “popularity”. It was at that very moment that Sam caught the attention of a young beat cop destined for greatness…
DT: WAKE UP, SAM! HOW DID YOU NOT KNOW YOU WERE AT YOU’RE FAVORITE DELI ALL THIS TIME?!? LOST??? YOU LOST YOUR MIND IS THE ONLY “LOST” YOU WERE. C’mon. Something odd is about to happen and we need to get ready for it. SAM: Oh yeah? What?
DT: I dunno. Something. Probably. Maybe. Maybe not… Probably not…
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 15 days ago
I’ve occasionally joked and/or wondered if Diet Smith should be so darned lively after having a heart transplant.I just read that the great baseball star Rod Carew had a heart transplant in December 2016 and he’s doing fine. So I guess Diet gets a pass.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 15 days ago
Best PERRY MASON TV title I’ve heard yet—“The Case of The Witless Witness”
jim_pem 15 days ago
Fire is speculating a return of Fata and Rikki.
Maybe we have a Vitamin arc where he’s plagued by a new baddie: The Fandom of of the Opera. Guaranteed to make us all cringe.
overtop 15 days ago
Costello seems to like jerking the audience around. No comments on this travelogue would be most appropriate. Maybe he’d decide to start a story. On the other hand, once he starts, he never knows when to stop.
[Unnamed Reader - bf182b] 15 days ago
It would seem that Tracy’s next opponent is the Phantom of the Opera.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 15 days ago
That Nitrate brother/sister team also has a habit of hiding out in abandoned theatres
tsull2121 15 days ago
Up next, the incredibly ornate outhouse of B.O. Plenty
mistercatworks 15 days ago
Perhaps “palaces of dreams”?
smartman 15 days ago
Louisville lost one of their very old Catholic cathedrals last week or two due to homeless people setting up camp there after the church had moved out and sold to an out-of-state owner who was likely hoping for that to happen so they’d get free or discounted demolition as they didn’t have anyone there checking for homeless or even boarding up access points leaving that to the city.