Argo Theater
485 Hempstead Turnpike,
Elmont,
NY
11003
485 Hempstead Turnpike,
Elmont,
NY
11003
2 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 33 of 33 comments found
Someone should re-open this I think it stands a shot at making it again.
This was very nice theatre I remember it was located on Hempstead Turnpike by Elmont Avenue.
A joke from Joe
Joe Martinez: A woman calls me and asks “what time is Crimes of the Heart
on?” I tell her, “lady, you don’t need to talk dirty to me.”
Those matrons always wore nurses uniforms that were 3 sizes too small, no wonder they looked so nasty.
Argo? Argo **** yourself ;)
Posted in memory of Joseph A Martinez, one of the Argo’s managers from years ago. A true showman from the old school, always with a smile and quick retort.
We miss you, Joe!
Your maxi-matron sounds a lot like old Mrs Frye, who terrorized the brats at the Queens, a few miles away in Queens Village. I have a vague memory that she floated among nearby nabes like the Bellerose — so she may have been your Argo battleaxe. Or maybe Century somehow attracted all the old Wagnerian horrors looking for work.
Pure, unadulterated 1950’s is the only way I could describe the Argo. I remember it from the many trips there as a kid in the 50’s. Think fiberglass lampshades and black panther TV lights.
Many times we took the Beeline Alden Terrace bus to Hempstead Tpke / Elmont Road (stop 12) to go to the movies at the Argo. The squared off outside box office on the left of the entrance was faced with a very linear fieldstone. The entrance lobby was low and sleek with coming attraction posters on either side. You went through aluminum doors into a large, high ceilinged lobby. The candy counter was on the left, set into the wall. There were NO straight lines anywhere. Everything was done in “sensuous curvesâ€. Directly across the greenish, large leaf motif carpet (again, think fifties!) was the “grand staircase” to the balcony. It swooped up in a graceful curve, carried aloft by its very tailored, aluminum railing. About halfway up was a gigantic (at least to a ten year old) curtain made of the same fifties jungle leaf pattern placed in front of an equally sized window. We used to peek behind it to look out, but I never remember seeing it drawn back. What WAS the architect thinking? The auditorium was very plain- although quite long and high ceilinged like the lobby and in sort of a non-descript grey- if there’s such a shade. The side walls were equally plain. I remember only what I could describe as a large, flattish bas-relief sculptures resembling the profile of an oil tanker ship that took up the entirety of each side of the auditorium. They concealed some dim cove type lights. These along with high hat lighting in the ceiling were the only sources of light. The ubiquitous, neon encircled advertising clock floated in position at the lower left side of the “stageâ€. Also, coming to mind is the hippo sized matron in charge of the children’s' section. She wielded her flashlight like a weapon, and if you got out of line, she could shoot you a look that would wither the Alien, and send him running home to mother!
This was once one of Long Islands premiere theatres. The independant owner after Century ran it as a discount house, and had announced plans to six-plex it. He died before it happened and the family rented it out as a store. Right now if you drive by the store removed its sign and the old marquee is totally visible.