Granada Theatre

150 W. Main Street,
Patchogue, NY 11772

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Showing 1 - 25 of 30 comments

robboehm
robboehm on March 14, 2015 at 10:01 am

Photo added of November 22, 1928 opening.

robboehm
robboehm on March 13, 2015 at 7:58 pm

Photos added of marquee removal in 1965 and demo in April 1966.

robboehm
robboehm on March 13, 2015 at 12:49 pm

Re my earlier posting. Page 1 of the Long Island Advance (now Patchogue Advance) for July 1, 1965 shows the marquee being removed from the building under the headline “Old landmark gives way to progress”. I’ll see if I can copy and paste it.

robboehm
robboehm on January 30, 2014 at 9:25 am

Referred to in an early ad as “Patchogue’s Homelike Theater”

robboehm
robboehm on November 23, 2011 at 12:40 pm

When I was a child my parents happened to drive thru Patchogue. That was probably in the 1950s. I was a movie theatre nut even then. The Granada was already dark by that time, and before it was converted to retail. When I came upon CT a few years ago it was one of the first things I went to check out, just to reassure that my memory was correct.

I also remember the Old Town Theatre in Smithtown Branch, which I added to CT earlier this year.

I also thought there was a Moriches Theatre, not the Center Moriches or the Jerry Lewis which became the Center Cinema. That I haven’t been able to confirm.

Bway
Bway on November 22, 2011 at 8:28 pm

That is correct. It was approximately where the courthouse is now. I believe it was next to the last older building to the east is, so partly where grassy area is, and the east extension.

robboehm
robboehm on November 19, 2011 at 7:48 pm

That someone was me, fairly recently. I believe it’s also referenced in the other comments on this site which you have to access apart from the first hit. Lead says there are 24 comments.

moviegoer
moviegoer on November 19, 2011 at 8:16 am

Someone posted in another thread that the Granada was where the courthouse is now located, on the south side of Main St. at the west end of the Village. No idea if that’s true, but that’s what someone posted.

robboehm
robboehm on June 27, 2010 at 3:30 pm

When you look at the theatre situation there are a lot of sections of the island that are no longer serviced. When I lived further west there were still art house venues in Huntington and Malverne. The other art houses disappeared a long time ago. I rely on the Westhampton Performing Arts Center and the Hampton Arts theatres for my independent experience. They are a lot closer to me than Patchogue. Sag Harbor often has an odd ball but that’s a haul. They were going to try something like that in Riverhead but that never came off. The Suffolk Theatre still sits there, more than 75% of the storefronts are empty as are the apartments over them. But there are several art groups, one of which I do portrait modeling for, and the Blues Festival which is a big draw. Vail-Levitt is still plugging along but is not a real force in the community. The towns have changed so much over the years and so have people. There is no sense of committment. Witness the diminishing sizes and graying of church choirs and all the community chorales and orchestras that have disappeared due to lack of membership and community support. You’re going to have a haul. Since WHB is flourishing maybe you should network with them.

dalglish
dalglish on June 27, 2010 at 12:58 pm

This is all very interesting information. We are banking a lot of our dreams on the hope that people on the South Shore are as interested in Independent film as they are on the North Shore. What do you think? Times have changed and so has the community of Patchogue with the Artspace project bringing in 45 live-i-studio spaces for artists at the cost of $20M. Please check out our website: www.plazamac.org It would be great to get your input. We’re working very hard to raise interest and funds for a not-for-profit venue as described on our website.We also made a video and have a survey for people to fill out.

robboehm
robboehm on June 27, 2010 at 12:48 pm

Possibilities- Hans and his wife confirmed that the only post theatre use of the space was as Two Guys (perhaps they were named Jack and Jerry). In Hans' books the Granada doesn’t get the attention of the Patchogue and the Rivoli. He does have clippings from the newspaper with additional details on it which I have quoted above. There is also a photo of the grand opening which I’ll have to scan and get somewhere where I can provide a link to CT.

Also in our last conversation he said his records show the marquee being removed in 1965 not 1967 as above. He also said the theatre closed in 1947 due to lack of business even though they tried to get a new audience by showing foreign films. His research is more general so there maybe more on that. I stop by the Patchogue Library one day and, hopefully, they have an index for data in the advance, rather than my going through the whole year 1947. When I was trying to get more info on the Center Cinema in Center Moriches I was fortunate that there was an index for the local paper. I would never have found the information otherwise since several years were involved. When I was trying to create the Rocky Point Cinema I had some first hand info pointing me to a time frame and then poured over microfiche just to get skeletal info. Without the pointer it would have been impossible.

dalglish
dalglish on June 27, 2010 at 8:52 am

Thanks, rvb. Will do.

robboehm
robboehm on June 27, 2010 at 5:33 am

Lost Memory just disapeared from CT never to be heard from again.

Leighton18
Leighton18 on June 27, 2010 at 1:33 am

Hi rvb…I have both of Hans' books here as well…will have to check them out; shamefully I bought them several years ago and haven’t cracked them open yet. What does “lost to CT” mean…lost in cyberspace so to speak? Thx. for all of the info.

robboehm
robboehm on June 15, 2010 at 9:00 pm

Possibilities – I checked my book it’s Hans Hemke. There are two copies of his two books in the Patchogue Library. One each in regular circulation and one each as reference in the LI Room. He has a listed phone number so you can also contact him directly.

robboehm
robboehm on June 15, 2010 at 8:55 pm

Georgy Girl, Lost Memory has been lost to CT for some months. You’ll have to rely on my contact with Hans.

Leighton18
Leighton18 on June 15, 2010 at 2:27 pm

Hi Lost Memory – I have been talking to rvb, Broadway and possibilities about the Granada. I remember an auto parts store which I believe was called Jack & Jerry’s at the time. It was on the south side of East Main St. – near Railroad Ave. It had a sloped floor and when I inquired as to why, I was told it used to be a movie theatre. My guess is the Granada. Bingo?!! Does “Jack & Jerry’s” (I think this was the name) ring a bell w. you?

dalglish
dalglish on June 15, 2010 at 1:40 pm

Sounds really good. I’ll check around Patchogue for a copy. Thanks.

Bway
Bway on June 15, 2010 at 12:59 pm

I think his name is Hans Henke.

robboehm
robboehm on June 15, 2010 at 12:26 pm

Hans Lemke wrote two books on Patchogue. The above information came from photos of newspaper clippings he sent me which didn’t make it into the book. He is a single great resource on Patchogue. You should contact him.

dalglish
dalglish on June 15, 2010 at 10:42 am

Lost Memory:

Where do you dig up this information? I love it! I think we need a little history of film in Patchogue. If you check out our website (www.plazamac.org)you will see a section where we are showing the historical evolution of Patchogue from a Mill town to a boat crafts town to a budding art community that has the Pathogue Theatre of Performing Arts, the new ArtSpace for Visual Arts on Terry Street where they are building 45 live in studio spaces 1-3 bedrooms for artists only, rent stabilized for 34 years. BTW fill out our on-line survey and help make the third leg of art in Pathogue a reality – the Media Arts Center of East Patchogue – right where the old Plaza Theatre is right now. Help bring back film to Patchogue.

robboehm
robboehm on March 20, 2010 at 9:15 pm

Samuel Savener opened the Granada Theatre in November 1928 with the film “Our Dancing Daughters” which starred Joan Crawford. At it’s inception there were four performances a day from 1-5 PM and from 7-11PM. The gala occasion also featured the Elks band playing outside the theatre from 7-9PM. The November 20, 1928 Patchogue Advance had a picture of the theatre facade accompanying the announcement.

robboehm
robboehm on March 8, 2010 at 9:24 am

From the archives of the Long Island Advance: In 1933 the Granada had a free admission policy if you presented a one dollar note where the sum of the components of the serial number totalled 52. 37 were received. The next freebie involved pennies from 1921, 1922 and 1923 together. Around the same time the Granada had a continuous performance schedule on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays during the winter. In the summer the schedule was twice daily.

Bway
Bway on April 16, 2009 at 11:36 am

I wonder what ever happened to the organ when the theater closed.

Bway
Bway on June 5, 2006 at 8:18 am

They have recently expanded/renovated the court building, but the former site of the Granada is still part of the court’s lawn area.