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Home » Theater Guide » Location » United States » New York » New York » Fort Jay Theatre

Fort Jay Theatre

New York, NY
Fort Jay, Governors Island
, New York, NY, United States
(map)
Status: Closed
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Art Moderne, Neo-Vintage
Function: Unknown
Seats: 940
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Unknown
Firm: Unknown
Add a photo for this theater!
Fort Jay is a former US military base of the US Army and Coast Guard. Built in 1939, the Fort Jay Theatre was constructed under the supervision of the Army Motion Picture Services. Seating in the Art Moderne style auditorium was provided on a stadium plan, with a raised section at the rear, but no overhanging balcony. In 1941, the Fort Jay Theatre is listed as under the control of the Eastern District Office of the U.S. Army Motion Picture Service, who were based at 904 RKO Building, Rockefeller Center, NY., and in 1943, this office was booking 81 army theatres in the Eastern District.

The program at the Fort Jay Theatre was live theater and first run movies. Irving Berlin's "This is Army" was inspired by a show that the composer saw in 1942 at the theatre. In its last years, families living on the island could enjoy double features for two dollars. "Lost in Time 2" was the last movie shown, when the Coast Guard mothballed the theatre in 1996, when the military base closed.

The National Park Service has taken over. On Open House Weekend in 2009, the public was able to visit to see a film, about 20 minutes of the horror genre, as part of a larger art installation on the former military base.
Contributed by Howard B Haas

YOUR COMMENTS

 
Photographed in October 2008:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/army_arch/3331019906/
Close-up of sign:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/army_arch/3331022420/
Box office:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/army_arch/3331023088/
An architects floor plan of the Fort Jay Theatre, which says it dates from 1936:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/army_arch/3331022004/
An architects drawing of the front elevation:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/army_arch/3331020752/
posted by KenRoe on Jul 14, 2009 at 4:19am
Auditorium, photographed during the Open House: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackszwergold/3669800929/

More photos including auditorium, for the Open House event:
http://www.newyorkology.com/archives/2008/10/ohny_governors.php
posted by HowardBHaas on Jul 14, 2009 at 5:28am
I submitted this last year but it was turned down b/c it wasn't open to the public.

My rationale was that it was at the time, to military families, etc.

It's a great building when you see it.
posted by shoeshoe14 on Jul 17, 2009 at 8:52am
Last year, a different volunteer editor was in charge of US cinemas. As you say, many military families enjoyed the cinema, so they can now look it up on this website and add their recollections.
posted by HowardBHaas on Jul 17, 2009 at 9:36am
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