Proctor’s Not Forgotten

By Don Rittner

As the Schenectady County Historian, I have the privilege of serving on the Proctor’s Theater Historical Committee. They meet several times a year to monitor the historical aspects of the theatre and to change the historical exhibits in the small museum on the balcony level. However, when I enter the Schenectady theater my thoughts often turn to Troy.

At least once a year, I try to write about our Proctor’s Theater; it’s become a regular conscious attempt to keep it in the public’s mind. All of us that grew up in Troy know why it’s important, no need to beat a dead horse. News about Proctor’s has been very quiet since RPI scooped it up a year ago and announced plans to turn it, and an adjacent foundry building into a high-class hotel. I’m not sure what progress is being made but I continue to hear from people regarding this house of memories.

Edward T. Ross, Sr., has plenty of reasons to think about Proctor’s. He began a career there as an usher while in High School during the 60’s. His grandfather John E. Ross was the theater’s projectionist and he taught Ed’s father John T. Ross the same job, although his first memories are of his dad fixing seats (with Ed helping) and being a stagehand. It didn’t stop there, however. His grandfather also taught Ed and his brothers John and Joey how to run the projectors. It was a family affair. His mom Shirley worked at the candy stand.

Ed also helped John Whelan run the elevator in the commercial side of Proctor’s where WTRY and other businesses were located. Ed would often grab coffee for the WTRY guys when helping out. His grandfather would take the elevator to the top of the building and walk across the roof to get to the theater where the projection booth was located. It was easier than climbing the stairs or taking the ramps; they can take a toll on you in later years. Ed tells me you can also explore under the building finding all kinds of secret places under the stores and theater.

Working in the projection booth had its complications. One time when Ed was helping in the booth, his grandfather allowed him to rewind the film after the reel ended. He wasn't paying attention and his hand hit an open circuit on an old radio in the rewind room. The electric shock hit him so hard that he thought his grandfather smacked him on the shoulders as he fell to the floor. While stunned and wondering what he did wrong, he picked himself off the floor and went into the projection room where his grandfather was quietly sitting and reading a book, and never mentioned the error in judgment.

He also tells me that the old style film was dangerous; it was the old explosive and toxic cellulose nitrate film base. If the film got tangled in the machine, the carbon arc would quickly set it on fire. The resulting gas from the film could kill you, and his grandfather taught him what to do to keep alive if something happened.

Like all of us, the ramps in the theater were invitations for mischief. Ed use to ride his motorcycle up and down the ramps.

Ed belonged to the Troy union chapters of I.A.T.S.E local 285 projectionist and local 29 stagehands. One of the advantages of working at Proctor’s of course is the fact Ed never paid for a movie or show in any theatre in Troy or Albany (yes, there were Proctor’s theaters in Albany on Clinton and Washington). Ed also worked in the projection booth at Schenectady’s Proctor’s.

Besides Proctor’s, all of the Ross family worked the Ice Capades and other shows that came to the RPI field house. They were spotlight operators and stagehands and his father eventually stayed with the Ice Capades.

Ed was born in 1952, raised in the Ahern Apartments, and attended Saint Anthony's School (serving as an altar boy at the church). He attended Troy High School, graduating in 1971, and drafted in the military in 72. He missed Viet Nam; by the time he finished basic training at Fort Dix, N.J, they stopped sending troops there. Instead, he was sent to Fort Hood, Texas, to play with tanks and stayed in for 8 years.

Ed now works for the Social Security Administration as a Master Docket Clerk for the Office of Hearings and Appeals in McAlester, Oklahoma.

The last time Ed saw Proctor’s was in 1972 when he was drafted. They threw a party for him back stage in the room right off the stage (ice cream room).

These are Ed’s memories of Proctor’s and now they are yours.