I started as an apprentice for local 379 in central N.J. in 1976. I have been a projectionist now for 33 years. My father who passed on in 1993 was a projectionist for 55 years. ( He passed on 10 months after he retired from the booth). I now work in the only remaining union booth in our local (now 534). It is also shared by management. I remember and love the days of carbon arc, 20 minute reels, and actually making a changeover, not using these platters of today. Back then, you were a projectionist, now we are but film threaders. I too am being trained in the area of stagecraft, because once digital projection comes along, my days in the booth are over.
I had the pleasure of working at the now demolished Menlo Park Twin Cinema in Edison, N.J. for all 3 Star Wars movies. The lines, the crowds, the continuous sell-outs. Its something I still picture in my mind even today. Truly a great time in a different era.
As a projectionist of 33 years, I certainly had some interesting times in some fading grindhouses ( and adult movie houses ) during the late 70’s and into the 80’s. The one lone grindhouse I worked in that closed in the mid 80’s opened at 1pm and closed at 1am. The adult theatre I worked at until 1989 opened at 11am and closed at 1am. Those were interesting times to say the least.
Worked here as a projectionist from 1980 until 1983. Was the last union projectionist along with my father who worked here. Theatre started doing live stage in fall of 1983, at which time our union picketed (unsucessfully) to get work. Was a thriveing movie house right up to the day it was sold in June of 83. The old projection equipment, projectors, peerless carbon lamphouses and sound system all came from the State Theatre in Woodbridge, N.J. in 1971 after it closed.
Although I am only 49 years old, I have been a UNION projectionist for almost 33 years. (3 appentice, stated out doing summer matinees in 1975,and 30 as a full member.) I have worked in many theatres over the tears, from 1 to 18 screens. My father was a UNION projectionist for 55 years, before passing on to that big movie palace in the heavens. I remember when he needed a license to project in Perth Amboy N.J. Everyone above makes points that are all true. We had losers in our old local 379, but more so we had many, many good people who really cared, including myself. I really miss the old days of carbon arc and 20 minute reels. (Thankfully for me, they may actually return, as I am involved with restoring the projection room at the Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth, N.J.) It is not surprising however to see what has happened over the years. In the old days, (pre 1970) a lot of theatres were private owners with one screen. You needed a trained professional to run the equipment, especially with nitrate film (the burnable film). As safety film (the stuff used today) came in being, along with the now dreaded multiplex, a trained professional became expendable. The attitude of most of the big chains was, “well if we lose one screen, we have others.” Why do you think even today, look at the big theatres, they always have 1 or 2 older movies playing. All of the above, along with the huge influx of 3 month DVD releasing makes quality projection less and less important. As I posted elsewhere here on Cinema Treasures, just wait until digital cinema comes along, some of these manager-operators are going to find out what us hard working union guys have been going thru these past 25 years.
With respect to Joe Masher, I remember when the projectionist union tried to get work here in 1980 when the place first opened, and it was 5 screens from day 1.
What a shame that no seats exist. With the opening of the Prudential Arena 2 blocks away, I had visions of this grand old palace coming back to life to entertain folks once more. I guess it was just wishful thinking.
I worked here briely as a projectionist in 1990, when things were already in a downslide. Had 2 screens, screen 1 was the bigger of the 2 theatres. Ran “teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” in the spring of 1990, which seemed to be the last harrah for this theatre.
A small story in Monday, Jan 14 Star Ledger said that over the weekend the heavy winds blew part of the marquee onto the street below. No further info provided.
RobertR, I’m sorry to say, but as a projectionist of 33 years, I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years, but nothing like what is happening now. The movie business is going down the drain as far as I’m concerned. That’s why I am actively switching careers and going into stagehand work. It really hurts to see whats happening.
Is William Appenzeller the GM of Towne 16 the same William Appenzeller who worked as a projectionist in the New Brunswick-Edison N.J. area in the late 1990’s ???
Another of the many theatres I was a projectionist. Worked here at various times between 1988 thru 1994. Huge twin, had almost 700 seats in each house. Nice big Cinemascope screens, even after twinning. I remember the summer of 1994 when “Forrest Gump” played in twin 1 to sold out shows for weeks. Theatre was equipped with 2 Simplex X-L projectors and 2 Christie Autowind 2 platters.
I was a projectionist here in the late 80’s until May 1995. The theatre was originally twinned in 1978. After a change in ownership in 1985, the theatre was quaded. In 1989, a 5th screen was added by splitting one of the splits (theatre 4). Was very run down in its final years, and closed for good in 1998 I think.
So sad to see these pictures. Looks like something out of a horror movie ( no pun intended ). Unfortunately, this is just something we see over and over again. I remember when they tore down the State Theatre in Woodbridge, N.J. where my dad was a projectionist for many years. It was where I had seen my first movie. I cried for days. But lets face it folks, except for us, nobody else cares. Now if it were a condo, office building or shopping center, that’s a different story….
I was in Wildwood this past summer (aug 2007) and could not believe my eyes!!! Where once the hugh and beautiful Shore theatre stood is now nothing more than an empty dirt field. I guess Wildwood is going to join all the other shore towns up and down the Jersey coast by letting all the grand palaces of yesterday be swallowed up by ugly sheetrock condo’s!!!!! What a shame.
Something special for its 40th anniversary? Not as long as Jimmy Dolan and his cablevision dummies are running the show. I’m surprised the Ziegfeld hasn’t been run into the ground like everything else they have.
What a beauty!!! We haven’t had one of these here in Jersey for over 20 years. Hope it gets saved from the wrecking ball. As for the comment by a_projectionist, I feel your pain. I’ve been a projectionist for over 30 years, and I say the same thing, man I was born in the wrong era too! (1959)
Just as Love movies-hate going put it, the experience of going to the movies today is not what it was in the 40’s, 50’s or 60’s. Today we get slides, commercials, sheetrock palaces (as I like to call them). Why go out, when you can get so much more in the comfort of your own home? Money money money and idiots who only know how to push pencils, instead of film cans ruined the entire industry. As a projectionist of over 30 years, all I can say is wait until digital cinema comes along in a year or two. Talk about the final nail in the coffin…
Hey Ed, I thought maybe I was the only person on earth who saw of or knew about “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t”. I first seen it at age 7 in Nov. 1966 at the State Theatre in Woodbridge, N.J. where my dad was projectionist. I also remember the re-releases in 1974 and again in 1979. As far as “Close Encounters” goes, I remember when we ran it at the Menlo Park Twin in Edison, N.J. for 6 months, preceded by a 6 month run of “Star Wars”, and followed by a 6 month run of “Grease”. Great movies in a great time in life.
Nice to see someone besides me who loved these places, especially Menlo Park. I was an usher in Menlo Park when Star Wars first started. At the same time I joined IATSE Local 379 (now 534) to join my dad as a projectionist. I remember the fall of ‘76 when the wall went down the middle of Menlo. My dad was a relief projectionist there from 1982 until it closed in Dec.1991. I became one of the main projectionists there in April 1989, and stayed till the end. Ironically, I ended up as the main projectionist at Blue Star in March 1992. I left there in June 1994, seeing that Blue Star’s attendance was in decline, to work a newly opened 10-plex in Ocean Twp. N.J. The thing I’ll always rember about Menlo was the lines of people. We always played exclusive, and movies would run 4, 5, maybe 6 months at a time. We’ll never see that again.
I started as an apprentice for local 379 in central N.J. in 1976. I have been a projectionist now for 33 years. My father who passed on in 1993 was a projectionist for 55 years. ( He passed on 10 months after he retired from the booth). I now work in the only remaining union booth in our local (now 534). It is also shared by management. I remember and love the days of carbon arc, 20 minute reels, and actually making a changeover, not using these platters of today. Back then, you were a projectionist, now we are but film threaders. I too am being trained in the area of stagecraft, because once digital projection comes along, my days in the booth are over.
I had the pleasure of working at the now demolished Menlo Park Twin Cinema in Edison, N.J. for all 3 Star Wars movies. The lines, the crowds, the continuous sell-outs. Its something I still picture in my mind even today. Truly a great time in a different era.
As a projectionist of 33 years, I certainly had some interesting times in some fading grindhouses ( and adult movie houses ) during the late 70’s and into the 80’s. The one lone grindhouse I worked in that closed in the mid 80’s opened at 1pm and closed at 1am. The adult theatre I worked at until 1989 opened at 11am and closed at 1am. Those were interesting times to say the least.
HERE, HERE, I couldn’t agree with you more LuisV, lets get those darn ‘sheetrock palace’ multiplexes outta here!!
Worked here as a projectionist from 1980 until 1983. Was the last union projectionist along with my father who worked here. Theatre started doing live stage in fall of 1983, at which time our union picketed (unsucessfully) to get work. Was a thriveing movie house right up to the day it was sold in June of 83. The old projection equipment, projectors, peerless carbon lamphouses and sound system all came from the State Theatre in Woodbridge, N.J. in 1971 after it closed.
Although I am only 49 years old, I have been a UNION projectionist for almost 33 years. (3 appentice, stated out doing summer matinees in 1975,and 30 as a full member.) I have worked in many theatres over the tears, from 1 to 18 screens. My father was a UNION projectionist for 55 years, before passing on to that big movie palace in the heavens. I remember when he needed a license to project in Perth Amboy N.J. Everyone above makes points that are all true. We had losers in our old local 379, but more so we had many, many good people who really cared, including myself. I really miss the old days of carbon arc and 20 minute reels. (Thankfully for me, they may actually return, as I am involved with restoring the projection room at the Ritz Theatre in Elizabeth, N.J.) It is not surprising however to see what has happened over the years. In the old days, (pre 1970) a lot of theatres were private owners with one screen. You needed a trained professional to run the equipment, especially with nitrate film (the burnable film). As safety film (the stuff used today) came in being, along with the now dreaded multiplex, a trained professional became expendable. The attitude of most of the big chains was, “well if we lose one screen, we have others.” Why do you think even today, look at the big theatres, they always have 1 or 2 older movies playing. All of the above, along with the huge influx of 3 month DVD releasing makes quality projection less and less important. As I posted elsewhere here on Cinema Treasures, just wait until digital cinema comes along, some of these manager-operators are going to find out what us hard working union guys have been going thru these past 25 years.
With respect to Joe Masher, I remember when the projectionist union tried to get work here in 1980 when the place first opened, and it was 5 screens from day 1.
Status should be changed to 10 screens. I know, I work there.
What a shame that no seats exist. With the opening of the Prudential Arena 2 blocks away, I had visions of this grand old palace coming back to life to entertain folks once more. I guess it was just wishful thinking.
I worked here briely as a projectionist in 1990, when things were already in a downslide. Had 2 screens, screen 1 was the bigger of the 2 theatres. Ran “teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” in the spring of 1990, which seemed to be the last harrah for this theatre.
A small story in Monday, Jan 14 Star Ledger said that over the weekend the heavy winds blew part of the marquee onto the street below. No further info provided.
RobertR, I’m sorry to say, but as a projectionist of 33 years, I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years, but nothing like what is happening now. The movie business is going down the drain as far as I’m concerned. That’s why I am actively switching careers and going into stagehand work. It really hurts to see whats happening.
A theatre where a number of projectionists from my local worked. Each theatre seated 150 people. It actually became a Game Room store after closing.
Is William Appenzeller the GM of Towne 16 the same William Appenzeller who worked as a projectionist in the New Brunswick-Edison N.J. area in the late 1990’s ???
Another of the many theatres I was a projectionist. Worked here at various times between 1988 thru 1994. Huge twin, had almost 700 seats in each house. Nice big Cinemascope screens, even after twinning. I remember the summer of 1994 when “Forrest Gump” played in twin 1 to sold out shows for weeks. Theatre was equipped with 2 Simplex X-L projectors and 2 Christie Autowind 2 platters.
I was a projectionist here in the late 80’s until May 1995. The theatre was originally twinned in 1978. After a change in ownership in 1985, the theatre was quaded. In 1989, a 5th screen was added by splitting one of the splits (theatre 4). Was very run down in its final years, and closed for good in 1998 I think.
What a sin to see that big empty dirt lot where once a grand and glorious theatre once stood.
So sad to see these pictures. Looks like something out of a horror movie ( no pun intended ). Unfortunately, this is just something we see over and over again. I remember when they tore down the State Theatre in Woodbridge, N.J. where my dad was a projectionist for many years. It was where I had seen my first movie. I cried for days. But lets face it folks, except for us, nobody else cares. Now if it were a condo, office building or shopping center, that’s a different story….
I was in Wildwood this past summer (aug 2007) and could not believe my eyes!!! Where once the hugh and beautiful Shore theatre stood is now nothing more than an empty dirt field. I guess Wildwood is going to join all the other shore towns up and down the Jersey coast by letting all the grand palaces of yesterday be swallowed up by ugly sheetrock condo’s!!!!! What a shame.
Sure wish we could figure out a way to get drive-ins back here in central New Jersey.
Something special for its 40th anniversary? Not as long as Jimmy Dolan and his cablevision dummies are running the show. I’m surprised the Ziegfeld hasn’t been run into the ground like everything else they have.
What a beauty!!! We haven’t had one of these here in Jersey for over 20 years. Hope it gets saved from the wrecking ball. As for the comment by a_projectionist, I feel your pain. I’ve been a projectionist for over 30 years, and I say the same thing, man I was born in the wrong era too! (1959)
Just as Love movies-hate going put it, the experience of going to the movies today is not what it was in the 40’s, 50’s or 60’s. Today we get slides, commercials, sheetrock palaces (as I like to call them). Why go out, when you can get so much more in the comfort of your own home? Money money money and idiots who only know how to push pencils, instead of film cans ruined the entire industry. As a projectionist of over 30 years, all I can say is wait until digital cinema comes along in a year or two. Talk about the final nail in the coffin…
Hey Ed, I thought maybe I was the only person on earth who saw of or knew about “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t”. I first seen it at age 7 in Nov. 1966 at the State Theatre in Woodbridge, N.J. where my dad was projectionist. I also remember the re-releases in 1974 and again in 1979. As far as “Close Encounters” goes, I remember when we ran it at the Menlo Park Twin in Edison, N.J. for 6 months, preceded by a 6 month run of “Star Wars”, and followed by a 6 month run of “Grease”. Great movies in a great time in life.
Nice to see someone besides me who loved these places, especially Menlo Park. I was an usher in Menlo Park when Star Wars first started. At the same time I joined IATSE Local 379 (now 534) to join my dad as a projectionist. I remember the fall of ‘76 when the wall went down the middle of Menlo. My dad was a relief projectionist there from 1982 until it closed in Dec.1991. I became one of the main projectionists there in April 1989, and stayed till the end. Ironically, I ended up as the main projectionist at Blue Star in March 1992. I left there in June 1994, seeing that Blue Star’s attendance was in decline, to work a newly opened 10-plex in Ocean Twp. N.J. The thing I’ll always rember about Menlo was the lines of people. We always played exclusive, and movies would run 4, 5, maybe 6 months at a time. We’ll never see that again.