klp
commented about
HK Studioon
Dec 22, 2006 at 3:05 am
Not so fast. I believe that “1” is correct. But to make abasolootely shaw, I will call my cousin, Glen. My uncle’s son became more involved in the theaters while my father opened an inn and I was busy being a hippy. Perhaps he has pictures! I will post any results.
In the early seventies my father and uncle bought this theater and the Lido. I worked there and you can find my entry under the Lido’s comments. The Laurel Theater got a mention in Billy Crystal’s show on Broadway. He had his high school graduation there as well as many a date.
klp
commented about
HK Studioon
Dec 21, 2006 at 4:19 am
Unfortunately I haven’t any photos of the Arcade or Studio One. I came to this site to find them! As far as I can tell, your photos are accurate. Especially those from the rear where my father parked his car. The marquee of the Arcade was a semi-circle with a striking ‘ARCADE’ on top. The new marquee reflected the “modern” early sixties. A narrow horizontal square with a vertical one above it, centered, pointing out from the building and displaying the current show. Classy. All white, as was the facade which had a big red STUDIO ONE lighted sign. The theater had an intimite feel and was reborn with new seats, wall decorations, lighting, curtain, carpet, etc. My mother being an interior decorator, she really got into it. We had all sorts of fabric samples around the house. My father said that he purposely waited until A Hard Day’s Night was finished, before they transformed the place for fear of damage. I recall that the Arcade was in a pretty funky state.
I want to tell of an unrelated phenomenon I noticed when I was working at the Roslyn Theater. The film, “Wait Until Dark” had a fun gimmick. During the last 10 minutes all of the lights in the theater would be turned out for the hair raising conclusion. We received no such instructions, but having heard the ads, I got into it. I flicked off anything I could find. Including the exit signs! At this point the screen is completely black as the music swells and we wonder of Alan Arkin is really dead.
When he lunges out toward Audrey Hepburn, the violins all hitting their highest and loudest notes, I noticed something interesting. Night after night I saw an entire audience actually rise several inches and fall back in their seats, along with the screams.
klp
commented about
HK Studioon
Dec 19, 2006 at 5:19 am
My father and uncle bought the Arcade Theater in 1964 and converted it into the Studio One. They had created the chain of Colony Card Shops and decided to venture into something new. This was their first theater. I was 13 and was thrilled to walk in front of the line for A Hard Day’s Night (shown with How to Murder Your Wife). (!) My mother was very involved in the decorations right down to choosing the tiles for the men’s room. (salt and pepper) The small lobby and auditorium went straight back. The projection room was accessed by a trap door in the lobby ceiling. They installed a fancy curtain that rose for each show. It was a labor of love. My father was proud of his creative booking. Always double features and unusual combinations. They went on to buy or run the Roslyn Theater, both the Laurel and Lido in Long Beach, the Sands Point, Greenwich Cinema, CT, Bernardsville, NJ, and a few others. They called their outfit Colonial Theaters. You wouldn’t call it a chain as they tended to sell or lease the theaters after a few years.
I loved the pizza place next door. Vincent’s? I had my first calzone there. They expanded across the street. Also, any appliance we needed we got at Arnee’s. My father would always befrend people and get good deals.
Keith Pollack
I may have been responsible for the Hammer film show. In the early 70’s my father and uncle owned the Lido and Laurel theaters. I worked there In the summer of 71. I had no idea what to do, and the staff wondered why this guy was standing around watching movies all the time. Once they determined I was harmless they embraced me into their fold and I was involved in just about every aspect of the running of the theaters.
I thought it would be nice to have my own midnight show so I presented a list of my favorite films to my father. They were able to get a copy of the Hammer film, The Mummy. I made posters to advertise the event, and the manager of the Lido even wrapped himself in bandages for a frightening walk up the aisle. We made a very small profit, but it is a fond memory.
Once at the Laurel, the manager noticed some smoke near me. We couldn’t find the source of the smoke no matter where we looked, but it kept showing up. Then he said, “Your PANTS are on fire!” Apparently I had stepped on a burning cigarette. Thereafter I was referred to as “Hot Pants Pollack.”
My father and uncle sold the properties, at a loss, a few years later.
I went into the pizza business in East Rockaway and now make a product called “Z crackers."
Last weekend I took my wife to Long Beach. It looks a hell of a lot better than I remember it. But imagine my surpise when I looked for the theaters.
Keith Pollack
Not so fast. I believe that “1” is correct. But to make abasolootely shaw, I will call my cousin, Glen. My uncle’s son became more involved in the theaters while my father opened an inn and I was busy being a hippy. Perhaps he has pictures! I will post any results.
In the early seventies my father and uncle bought this theater and the Lido. I worked there and you can find my entry under the Lido’s comments. The Laurel Theater got a mention in Billy Crystal’s show on Broadway. He had his high school graduation there as well as many a date.
Unfortunately I haven’t any photos of the Arcade or Studio One. I came to this site to find them! As far as I can tell, your photos are accurate. Especially those from the rear where my father parked his car. The marquee of the Arcade was a semi-circle with a striking ‘ARCADE’ on top. The new marquee reflected the “modern” early sixties. A narrow horizontal square with a vertical one above it, centered, pointing out from the building and displaying the current show. Classy. All white, as was the facade which had a big red STUDIO ONE lighted sign. The theater had an intimite feel and was reborn with new seats, wall decorations, lighting, curtain, carpet, etc. My mother being an interior decorator, she really got into it. We had all sorts of fabric samples around the house. My father said that he purposely waited until A Hard Day’s Night was finished, before they transformed the place for fear of damage. I recall that the Arcade was in a pretty funky state.
I want to tell of an unrelated phenomenon I noticed when I was working at the Roslyn Theater. The film, “Wait Until Dark” had a fun gimmick. During the last 10 minutes all of the lights in the theater would be turned out for the hair raising conclusion. We received no such instructions, but having heard the ads, I got into it. I flicked off anything I could find. Including the exit signs! At this point the screen is completely black as the music swells and we wonder of Alan Arkin is really dead.
When he lunges out toward Audrey Hepburn, the violins all hitting their highest and loudest notes, I noticed something interesting. Night after night I saw an entire audience actually rise several inches and fall back in their seats, along with the screams.
My father and uncle bought the Arcade Theater in 1964 and converted it into the Studio One. They had created the chain of Colony Card Shops and decided to venture into something new. This was their first theater. I was 13 and was thrilled to walk in front of the line for A Hard Day’s Night (shown with How to Murder Your Wife). (!) My mother was very involved in the decorations right down to choosing the tiles for the men’s room. (salt and pepper) The small lobby and auditorium went straight back. The projection room was accessed by a trap door in the lobby ceiling. They installed a fancy curtain that rose for each show. It was a labor of love. My father was proud of his creative booking. Always double features and unusual combinations. They went on to buy or run the Roslyn Theater, both the Laurel and Lido in Long Beach, the Sands Point, Greenwich Cinema, CT, Bernardsville, NJ, and a few others. They called their outfit Colonial Theaters. You wouldn’t call it a chain as they tended to sell or lease the theaters after a few years.
I loved the pizza place next door. Vincent’s? I had my first calzone there. They expanded across the street. Also, any appliance we needed we got at Arnee’s. My father would always befrend people and get good deals.
Keith Pollack
I may have been responsible for the Hammer film show. In the early 70’s my father and uncle owned the Lido and Laurel theaters. I worked there In the summer of 71. I had no idea what to do, and the staff wondered why this guy was standing around watching movies all the time. Once they determined I was harmless they embraced me into their fold and I was involved in just about every aspect of the running of the theaters.
I thought it would be nice to have my own midnight show so I presented a list of my favorite films to my father. They were able to get a copy of the Hammer film, The Mummy. I made posters to advertise the event, and the manager of the Lido even wrapped himself in bandages for a frightening walk up the aisle. We made a very small profit, but it is a fond memory.
Once at the Laurel, the manager noticed some smoke near me. We couldn’t find the source of the smoke no matter where we looked, but it kept showing up. Then he said, “Your PANTS are on fire!” Apparently I had stepped on a burning cigarette. Thereafter I was referred to as “Hot Pants Pollack.”
My father and uncle sold the properties, at a loss, a few years later.
I went into the pizza business in East Rockaway and now make a product called “Z crackers."
Last weekend I took my wife to Long Beach. It looks a hell of a lot better than I remember it. But imagine my surpise when I looked for the theaters.
Keith Pollack