UA Cinema 150

Just like the Syosset down the block (see my comments for that one too), this theater was practically the only SUPER LARGE theater to see blockbusters, and i sure did, everything from "2001" to "Brainstorm" (what a perfect theater to watch that film with its shifting aspect ratios!)to "Showgirls" (what a perfect theater to see Elizabeth Berkley lick a metal pole...hee hee)to "Titanic", and I think my last film there was "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace", which was so appropriate....as Natalie Portman grew up in Syosset! It HAD to be her neighborhood theater.

I think the River Oaks #9 in Calumet City, Illinois (a suburb just south of Chicago) still is a D-150 theatre.

Unfortunately, the Cinema 150 in Little Rock, Arkansas was closed May of 2003. The last film shown was the 10pm showing of XMen II. Because they only had 1 screen, it was not profitable enough to keep operating.

UA had renovated this theatre a few years before closing it. What a shame it was a better place to see a film then any theatre in Manhattan. I miss it every time I look to see an epic. That HUGE screen and the drapes opening was what movie going was all about.

I was just going through pages of my favorite theatres and still miss this place alot. I drove from Queens to see every new movie that opened here. I am suprised there are not more posts here. Anyone who ever went to this theatre was awed at the size of the screen. It would have been easy to convert this place to 3 projector Cinerama. I guess I am going to have to go to LA and see "This is Cinerama" at the Dome. I doubt NY will ever see Cinerama again.

Is this theater still standing?

The best theater on long island for many years one of the few well run UA houses.Stood online around the parking lot many of times.

the 150 is now an office building

Photos of the old Cinema 150 before it was gutted can be seen here.

Bryan
Thanks for the pics, the one of the orchestra does not even show the magnitude of how huge the screen and floor were. Like longislandmovies said it was one of the few UA theatres that was well run.

the cinema 150 is a health club / gym
the extieror still has shape of the theater

UA had a bad reputation for running the theatres into the ground.
This was not the case however when it came to projection. In the late 1960s, a fella by the name of Joe Kelly joined UA in charge of projection and sound. Joe was (is) an artist, who fine tuned the projection and sound at all the UA thetares during his time with them. As a projectionist on Long Island, I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Joe, and he once told me he had two favorites, the Rivoli in Manhatten (he was devestated when it was triplexed) and the Cimema D-150 in Syosset. He often would drop by the D-150 to make improvements or to just tweek the sound. When we played a 70mm print, Joe would be there running loops and fine tuning the sound to perfection. He would often stop by during the run to be sure it looked and sounded exactally right. I enjoyed leaving the booth door open during intermission so that patrons could have a look. Sadly, we will never see a theatre quite like it again. It was the talk of Long Island movie goers for years, many people told me they would travel many miles to experience a movie at Cinema D-150.

the door was open so you could see the projection booth i do remember that.Saw Risky Bsns ,Yental at 150 and many others

The engagement of Titanic here blew everyone away on that monster screen. I went 3x.

"Yental was presented in 35mm four track magnetic stereo sound".
The absolute best place to see that film.

Vito
I remember seeing that here too. That was before UA redid the theatre. It still had the gold drapes and seats.

Thanks for the updates on the theater.

Vito, those were very kind words about Joe Kelly. I've corresponded with him recently regarding his work. I was referred to him by a friend of mine who has had nothing but kind things to say about Joe.

From what I've gathered, he loved his job and running those UA theatres in LI, NYC and NJ with class. Too bad more people today in the exhibition business don't run things like Joe did. Going to the movies nowadays is just going to the movies; it's not an experience anymore, with few exceptions.

Bill, I am happy to hear Joe is still around, I had not heard much about him in many years. Tell him Hi from Vito and Artie and ask if he remembers inviting us to the hush hush and very private technical rehearsal of "Hello Dolly" at the Rivoli.(he allowed us to hid in the balcony and watch the movie), or when I told him after he tuned the sound system for "Yental", I was going to write to Barbra Streisand and suggest she stop by the D-150 to hear the sound exactally as she would have wanted it to be presented. I still rermember the smile on Joe's face when I told him that. Also you are right about Joe, we had a couple of great showman around in those days, I also remember Andy Marglin who, with Joe, founded Kellmar Systems, based on Long Island, which today remains one of the most trusted theatre equipment supply houses in the world.
I also rem

Ah, another theater from my bygone youth. This was the place to see action movies. At one point, before the IMAX's, this was one of the biggest screens in the country. I remember seeing the last three "Batman" movies here, and "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" was mind-blowing up on that screen. Even though I didn't like "Titanic", it looked like a Hollywood epic here. It was also a great place to bring a date, because this was the last theater in a few miles radius to have a balcony (even if it cost a few bucks more).

I was actually really surprised when this theater closed. I honestly thought it's uniqueness would preserve it. Sadly, that was not to be the cast.

I was going through some old stuff today and in 1968 Gone With The Wind was playing here in 70mm and Sterophonic sound. It announces, all seats reserved.

Hi RobertR,

Do you happen to have the date of that 1968 engagement of GWTW? My records show that it indeed played in Syosset and was a reserved seat engagment, but on December 21, 1967 @ the Syosset. Thanks.

The ad is in the Long Island Press dated 11/7/68

Hi RobertR,

I wasn't trying dispute the date. :) I was trying to clairify the theater in which it played in since this thread covers the UA Cinema 150, which didn't open until 1970. "Gone With The Wind" played at the Syosset Theatre begining on December 21, 1967, and continued into 1968.

The Syosset Theatre (which opened in 1956) and the UA Cinema 150 were close to each other. It appears that because of their proximity in the city of Syosset, and the fact that both were roadshow houses that ran lots of 70mm, they can be easily confused with one another.

I misunderstood your original post. I thought that your post meant that the film had started its re-release engagement at the UA Cinema 150 in 1968.

Bill
Thanks for clarifying that, I just assumed it was the Cinema 150. I think GWTW would up playing there at some point. I also did not know the theatre only opened in 1970. I figured it had opened around the time of West Side Story or The Sound of Music. The one in Queens I believe opened in 1962. Anyways since this is the Syosset and it opened 12/67 it was astonishing run for a re-release.

RobertR wrote: Anyways since this is the Syosset and it opened 12/67 it was astonishing run for a re-release

In today's era of megaplex theaters, it's kind of difficult to ponder that a movie could remain in one theater for more than a month, let alone almost a year or more!

Although that re-release of GWTW was critcized for having its original aspect ratio altered (and rightfully so), it was extremely popular during a number of additional re-issues and special series engagements through 1976 in the NYC region.

I remember the Music Hall engagement and the wide re-release in 1976. I saw it at the UA Oasis on that go around. It was not too long ago but Flashdance played almost 8 months at the Loews Trylon and the Woody Allen films Radio Days and Hannah and Her Sisters played many months at the UA Forest Hills.

GWTW in 70mm played the Rivoli twice in the '70's and being that this is the way I first saw the film as a boy(on showcase in 12/68) it never bothered me. Maybe if i saw it today it would be another matter though I would like to give it a try. Perhaps though all these prints are long gone and it would be impossible to even present GWTW today in that format.

Vincent
I bet except for collectors all those prints were destroyed. I think that also may have been the first time GWTW was released in Metro Color and by now they would be all pink.

The UA CINEMA 150 opened with HELLO, DOLLY! on Reserved Seats in 1970, the parking lot was not paved or ready for opening. It also rained on opening day causing the mud to be tracked into the new showplace. This engagement was not "day & date" with the Rivoli which opened HELLO, DOLLY! in 1969. The soundtrack album "used during the intermission" was in an office at the Syosset Theatre someeight years later. This thearte was not open anytime in the 1960's. The loss of this theatre was a shame, you can't blame the theatre circuit but the landlord who refused to continue the lease as a theatre when he saw "$" signs in office rental space versus the theatre's rent. The above "GWTW" engagement at the SYOSSET THEATRE above lasted over eight months from 1968-1969. (It was unheard of run for a re-release from 1939!). I believe PAINT YOUR WAGON followed it.

Orlando
You are right, this was the only UA house they still treated with class. The renovations that had been done spared no expense and they did not let this place get run down. I wonder though if it would have survived if they had closed off the balcony and made 2 more theatres. It would not have affected the look of the place or the orchestra at all. The main problem was there was no booth upstairs.

almost no foyer on the second floor this would not have been a theater that you could split the balcony.

Dear Cinema Treasures Readers,

After years of research, Michael Coate and I are proud to announce that "70mm In NY" has been posted on our site, www.fromscripttodvd.com

To navigate directly to this part of the site, copy and paste the following into your browser:

http://www.fromscripttodvd.com/70mm_in_new_york_main_page.htm

We've included a number of interesting features about "70mm In NY," including an introductory article about the history of 70mm In NY; a theatre list of 70mm equipped houses; a list of the longest running 70mm engagements in NY, and much, much more.

We feel the most exciting part of the site is the list of 70mm engagements. You can click on any year from 1955 through 2004 and find out information on which films played in the NYC-region in 70mm.

As we've seen on this wonderful site, there are quite a few 70mm fans from the New York/New Jersey region, and we hope that you will enjoy this look back on 70mm presentation in your area.

There are some sections of "70mm In NY" that are coming soon, so we please check back.

We encourage your feedback.

Best regards,
William Kallay
Michael Coate
"70mm In NY"

"70mm In NY" is a great site. It does have a bit of confusion. It lists Cinema 150/The Syosset and on the next line Syosset/Syosset Triplex/The Syosset. I think the real "The Syosset" was the CINERAMA/Todd-AO/70mm roadshow theatre down the street not this D-150 theatre. I've seen a picture of the back of this theatre and it has a curved wall that matches the screen. Loews Cineplex River Oaks 9 in Calumet City, Illinois in the South Suburbs of Chicago has the same neat kind of back wall. At least the River Oaks D-150 is still standing, is still a theatre and has not been twined. tonite 10/13/04 it is showing TAXI. The Cinema 150 in Syosset was not a CINERAMA Theatre, but a D-150 Theatre, perhaps a new style for D-150's needs to be made. Alas as far as I know only 38 D-150's got built world wide!

Having been a projectionist at both theatres I can tell you neither one was a Cinerama house. The Syosset was a 70mm roadshow theatre, and the Cinema 150, or D-150, as it was called, was built for D-150 and was also a 70mm roadshow theatre. The only Cinerama theatre on Long Island was the Hicksville Twin South, which showed 70mm Cinerama (Grand Prix for one), it was not equipt for three strip Cinerama. As for Bill and Michael, bravo for an outstanding job. I learned a great deal, it is a wonderful trip down memory lane.
I am greatful for time they spent putting that very informative site together and I am sure I shall reference that article often.

vito, first of all the sad thing is that both these theatres are gone! Second of all, I was interested in the fact that you were a projectionist at this theatre and pehaps you or someone else can answer some questions about D-150 for me. As far as I can recall I have only been in two D-150's, the UA 150 in Oakbrook, Illinois which was later twined and then torn down years and years ago, and the River Oaks 9 in Calumet City, Illinois. Both of these are in the Chicago suburbs and I haven't been to the River Oaks in years. The first thing I noticed was that you could see very plainly where the different maskings on the screen had been when it was opened to a bigger screen. Was the part of the screen covered most of the time what was dirty or was it the part that was exposed the most that was dirty, I can't remember. In other words did the maskings rubbing on the screen make it dirty or was it from the air in the theatre? On the curtain, masking and ? control box, can you remember what all the buttons were for? Could you change the maskings with the curtain open, that would have been neat to see? Did you ever get to really show one of the two D-150 movies? Did you ever use the D-150 lens to show a regular 70mm movie? Any thing else you can think of that would be interesting about D-150 to those of us out in the non projectionist world? Thirdly about CINERAMA at the "other" theatre, you should know, you were the projectionist! I took my info from some CINERAMA lists, the Cinema Treasures, Syosset Triplex site, [url=http://cinerama.topcities.com/syosset.htm,] I see that box on the side of the building, is this picture of some other Syosset? and http:www.in70mm.com/news/2003/syosset/syosset_li.htm. I'm doing this by long distance from Chicago, so what do I know? It would be nice if you would put an entry on the other theatre site to straighten this all out.

Hello Bob, I'll try and answer some of your questions. First of all
the markings on the screen, sadly no one realized that the screen would get dusy or fade unevenly when it was left in the flat position for very long. Years ago when I worked for Century theatres we would always leave the masking in the full opoen position every night to prevent this. Alas, this was not done at the D-150 so yes, you would se a difference in the discoloring of the screen, and no, masking did not rub on the screen. There were 2 sets of masking , one side masking and one top masking, which went up and down. The control box was not all used, a few of the available settings were not needed. The box did however control just about everything in the theatre. First of all there were at least 10 masking settings. (control buttons). The side and top maskings each had five settings , two flat, 1:85 and 1:33, one scope 2.35, one 70mm,
and one for D-150 (never used. In addition there were four sound
controls (buttons),non sync (intermission music, 35mm optical sound, 35mm four track magnetic sound, and 70mm magnetic 6 track. Then there was the lighing, house and stage light dimmers, along with projector controls and changeover switches, one button would make both the sound and picture changeover. The curtain controls were also capable of stopping the curtain in several different posiitions, so that if we ran 35mm flat, the curtain would not fully open exposing all that masking. However, That funtion was not always used. As far as I know D-150 was never used. "The Bible" played in 70mm but not D-150. I was not there at the time but I believe it played down the street at Syosset. I don't recall "Patton" playing in either 70mm or D-150 on Long Island. I did however open the masking top and bottom to the D-150 settings on several occasions just for the hell of it. The masking could be opened and closed with the curtains opened, however it was always my policy to "delux" between flat and scope, which meant I would close the curtains and raise the stage lights between, lets say, the trailers and the main feature and change the masking settings behind the closed curtains. As a matter of fact, I would do that even if the feature was the same format as the trailers. As to the pictures you mentioned, I can tell you the Syosset, which was later triplex, had the words SYOSSET in huge letters on the side of the building and a simple 2 or 3 line attraction board (no marquee)on the front. The D-150 had a large pylon sign on the main road away from the theatre which advertised the movie playing. My last movie in 1987 was "Dirty Dancing" and my last 70mm was "White Nights" a short time earlier. By the way, when we cut the Syosset into three theatres the original booth was left intact for house #3 upstairs. Both 35/70mm Norelco projectors were left along with a newly installed platter system. The idea was that when 70mm was presented we would have two projectionists on duty running 70mm reel to reel rather than on a platter. and only the 35mm shows would use the platter. I hope I answered some of your questions, feel free to ask any others

By the way, I may have been wrong regarding the Syosset running 3 strip Cinerama, a friend tells me he recalls the theatre having that capability in the 50s. I stated working as a projectionist in 1957 and never worked the Syosset until the mid 60s (Sound Of Music) however because I don't recall any evidence of three strip dosen't mean it did not at one time have that capability. I will look into this a bit more.

Looking at the Syosset page, there are a few posts from some very knowledgeable guys who tell us the theatre did in fact play 3 strip Cinerama. I stand corrected.

Yes, Vito, Cinerama, the original 3x35mm 6-perforation process, did run at the Syosset. Photos of the install are available online. When Cinerama closed at the Manhattan Warner in 6/59 the equipment was removed immediately following the close of "South Seas Adventure" that Sunday night and moved to Long Island. It was the 25th and final (of the original Cinerama era) 3-panel installation in the U.S. A few trade mags of that era had articles about "Cinerama Comes Home," referring to the fact that Cinerama itself was "born" not too far away in Oyster Bay, L.I. I was in the Syosset myself only once at one point in the seventies. As I recall you could see traces of the Able and Charlie booths near the fire escapes.

It seemed strange to me that in all the years I spent in both the Syosset and D-150 I had never heard of Cinerama being presented at Syosset. After reading all the threads regarding this, I phoned a few old timers who did in fact remember Cinerama at Syosset. My time at these locations was post 3 strip Cinerama. I only presented the 70mm version. I was there when the Syosset was carved into three, it was a sad time, and now even sader,they are both gone.

Vito
I always felt both Syosset theatres were the best theatres Long Island ever had. I have a question maybe you can answer. Was it possible to run the 70mm single strip Cinerma films in the D-150? Could you have used the D-150 lens?

I would think that the non-rectified 70mm Cinerama prints could have been used in a D-150 house with the D-150 lenses just as easily as with any 5-perf 70m film. The rectified films usually involved a degree of anamorphosis and would have appeared "unsqueezed" to a degree if projected without an anamorphic attachment. BTW, inasmuch as you might as well consider the 70mm "This Is Cinerama" of 1973 a 70mm Cinerama film, then your question is answered, as that film ran there after the Ziegfeld. Also played the Bellevue, Upper Montclair. Cant remember at the moment if it also ran at the Claridge

Here's a photo of the Syosset auditorium with the 3-strip screen in place: http://cinerama.topcities.com/syosset.htm

More Syosset stuff courtesy of the "International Cinerama Society."
Theatre No. 42 (meaning the 42nd world-wide installation); 3-screen from 6/25/59 to 5/26/64; press preview of "Mad World" 10/22/63; public showings of 70mm Cinerama beginning 5/27/64. 146 degree louvered screen. Hope this helps.

Amazing place. Shocked to hear that they closed it. I saw a mediocre "musical" there in 1986 called "Abosolute Beginners" here. The movie was so-so BUT it's presentation was awesome. The screen was curved and you actually felt like you were surrounded by everyting. Amazing.

Maybe Vito can answer this one. This is purely anecdotal, and I havent the foggiest idea where I heard it. During the run of "Sound of Music" at the Syosset at the end of the film during the walkout credits the closing of the curtain panels was accompanied by two gorgeous ladies who walked along the stage each one holding a panel making it appear as if these ladies were closing the curtains themselves. Any truth to this, or is it another widescreen "urban legend"?

I have always kicked myself for missing "This is Cinerama" at the Ziegfeld, even though to see it without curtains had to ruin the effect. Now I just read the above post that it actually moved to Syosset. Where was I in 1973????????????????

ve young wrote: BTW, inasmuch as you might as well consider the 70mm "This Is Cinerama" of 1973 a 70mm Cinerama film, then your question is answered, as that film ran there after the Ziegfeld. Also played the Bellevue, Upper Montclair. Cant remember at the moment if it also ran at the Claridge.

Hi,

You wrote that "This Is Cinerama" (70mm version) also ran at the Bellevue, Upper Montclair and possibly the Clairidge. Do you happen to have the ads and dates for these engagements? Thanks.

Hi, don't have the actual dates. All of the TIC70 engagements in the Northeast that I am aware of ran during the first six or seven months of 1973. The first was at the Beacon Hill in Boston in February or March. The DC Uptown followed thereafter. It didn't open at the Ziegfeld NY until the last week in May. Assuming that the Syosset and Upper Montclair runs followed the Ziegfeld's, I would say June or July. Inasmuch as Cinerama Releasing Corp. is long gone, and that Variety never "tracked" Long Island or North Jersey theatres, my only suggestion for dates (as well as ads) would be a search through the appropriate newspapers of those areas if they are available on microfilm/fiche. I am no longer in touch with the person with whom I saw it. If I can think of anything that could in any way joggle my memory, I'll post it immediately. Hope this helps. Vince

Robert, Veyoung has the right idea. I could be done, non-D-150 70mm could be projected using less than the full screen even though technically with D-150's lens they could have filled the screen.
A couple of problems, the lenses were never actually purchased but leased. I never saw a pair of lenses in the booth. I understand the lenses were eventually made available for sale but by that time UA had no interest in buying them. Also the screen would have to be a low-gain matt surface with a low scatter coating to help keep cross reflections and loss of contrast to a minimum.
As to the "curtain runners" during "Sound of Music". I never heard that story. Perhaps some theatre manager thought it would be a cute idea and did it on his/her shift bit I ran that movie and never saw it happen.

Does anybody out there know anything more about the Hicksville North/South? Were both houses set up for cinerama, what were the seat counts and when was it 'plexed? I remember going to this place only after it had been broken up into a six-screen theater. Though I have no recollection of how they did the division, I do recall that a couple of the auditoriums were tiny.

I posted this theatre under it's original name Fox Plaza North & South. Only South had Cinerama (70mm single projector). This was a real mess when they made it 6 theatres it had weird hallways that ran all over like a maze. I wish I had a blueprint to see what the actual setup was.

re Hicksville: the only notation from the Int'l Cinerama Society is that it ran Cinerama from 3/22/67 with "Grand Prix."

OOk now you guys have opened a wound, lol. I worked as a relief projectionist at Hicksville North and South. As veyoung mentioned we presented Grand Prix in 70mm Cinerama on the South side which was
the only house with two Century JJ 70mm projectors. The North had two 35mm Simplex XL projectors. Both sides had Ashcraft Super Core Lite Carbon lamp houses burning about 135 amps. The theatres were
rather nice, simple but not your standard twin boxes we saw later.
Both had full traveler screen curtains and working masking.
Then that dreadful day in November 1986. the theatre was cut up into six horrible theatres. North and South were each cut up into three. A wall was placed down the middle cutting each theatre in half, creating theatres 1-2-3-4 Then a portion of the rear of each auditorium and a part of the lobby was used for theatres 5 & 6. The last two theatres were very small. One seating only 75 people. A tiny little projection booth was placed in the rear of both 5 & 6
with a small Christie platter and a Christie almost portable 35mm projector. Oh yes, and a POWERFULL 50 watt sound system WOW!
The original booth was left intact for theatres 1 thru 4 with the two projectors moved apart and fitted with a platter. Although both sides of the old south theatre had 70mm projectors, only one side had the six track sound system. I remember running "Silverado" and one of the "Star Trek IV" amoung others. Buy the way Robert, yes it was a maze, or should we say mess.

Alas, I, too, morn the loss of both Syosset Theatres. I had a particular fondness for the UA Cinema 150. I was shocked and extremely disappointed when I learned of its demise. I began to wonder why it was no longer listed in the local theatre listings. I drove there to see what happened. I always admired the fact that the theatre was so accessable. A hop onto the Seaford Oyster Bay Expressway North to the last exit and Voila! The gold at the end of the rainbow!
Unquestionably, it was one of two great film theatres on Long Island. It always amazed me that the two were less than a half mile apart on the same road in the same town. If only more people knew of its impending fate. I don't know if any attempts were made to save it. I'd like to think, in my own naive way, that there was such a movement afoot. It's not just a loss to film goers. It's a loss to the community. I recall the Bayshore Theatre on Main Street in Bayshore. A grand old house with a foyeur fit for a palace. A large plush lobby and an auditorium with box seats (no longer in use), a beautiful screen curtain, and a chandelier that looked like the space ship in the end of "Close Encounters". If ever a place cried out to be a cultural arts center for film, theatre and concerts. What is it today? A YMCA. No slam here. It's a great organization. But why this theatre?
And what of the UA Cinema 150? A gym! Like we don't have enough of those. W'eve lost something so valuable in these theatres. Where can I go now to see a film in all its glory while situated in luxury? A mulitplex? I don't think so.

Sadly Bill, it's all about the real estate and the money. UA could not afford the rent at the D-150

Of course, it's all about the money. It's the way of the world. We'll never see the likes of the Cinema 150 or the Syosset again.

Hi Everyone, reading your comments about the 150 have made my day. I walked into The UA Cinema 150 to see Earthquake in Senssuround. I fell in love with it but little did I know 7 or so years later I would be asked to run it. I was the theatre's manager from 1981 to 87 and am thrilled that she is not forgotten. Some of my big shows were "Yentl", "Risky Business", "Fantasia", "Octopussy","Cocoon" and the amazing looking "Brainstorm". We had the premiere of "Stop Making Sense", the only theater The Talking Heads made an appearance at, and John Landis came and test screened "Spies Like Us". Gee, UA gave me carte blanche with my presentaions, with Yentl, I had all 20 something one sheets and posters of Streisand's films including a mint 6 sheet of "Funny Girl" through out the theater. One poster ("What's Up Doc") cost $65 but I was alllowed to buy it. Same with the Bond films. The 150 was the first to play CD's during intermission, I bought one of the first players and donated it to the theater. We were playing Billy Joel's new Uptown Girl CD when in walked Billy and Christie Brinkley, he loved it and sang along in the auditorium. Don't know a lot about the technical stuff, I had first class projectionists like Vito to handle that stuff, but I'll answer any question anyone might have. I do know that we had a 1:33 lens too and showed the rock scored restored "Metropolis" and a few others in the box shape. Hey Vito, hope I didn't drive you too crazy, any word about the wonderful Walter? Hope Joe Kelly got to keep that massive scope lens, he was indeed very proud, rightly so. As much as you liked seeing shows there, it was as much a pleasure to work there too. Nothing like hearing 986 people, yup that's the exact seating, laughing and applauding or being wowed. A time in my life I loved and will never forget.

Bob, Gee it was great hearing those D-150 stories, I only did relief work at the D-150 and missed out on a lot of the fun. I think Yentl was my favorite, boy we sure packed em in for that one.
I am glad you mentioned the great non-sync music we had playing thru Joe Kelly's dynamite sound system. I can still remember parking my car and walking thru the side door leading to the auditorium and hearing Annie Lenox filling the theatre with music, remember how you would play music before we opened? Speaking of Joe, after I retired I did not hear much about him. I do know he started his own projector and sound repair company but I am not sure he's still at it. Speaking of lenses, he was also very proud of the 3-D lens he developed. I always had a smile on my face when the union business agent would say "Vito, I need you at the D-150 for a while" I can honestly say there was no better place to work, mainly because of managers like yourself with a happy, fun staff and just the thrill of working at Long Island's best theatre. I did not even mind working the double shifts, lifting those huge 70mm reels all day.
Thanks for writing, those days are gone for ever but we have our memories

I am jealous of those who worked at the Cinema 150. Every time I went there I thought "Wow! I'd love to work here." I did work in a UA theatre - The Sayville Theatre - now a triplex. We showed a lot of indies there. Some good. Most bad. And the occassional gem like Chinatown. We were four walled for "The Trial of Billy Jack" with a Taylor/Laughlin employee in the lobby to discourage free entry.
The 150 was a class act from start to finish. My partner thinks I'm a little too crazy about my love for this theatre. He's never been there. It was always an event for me. Regardless of the film, the theatre itself and its operation was, for me, all part of the experience. Thank God I was able to see 2 of my all time favorites there. "Fantasia" (a great print with the original analog soundtrack in 4 track stereo - beautiful!) and "2001: A Space Odyssey" (a great 70MM print in either 4 or 6 track stereo - I can't recall). I was awed by just how good the original "Fantasia" sountrack was with a good sound system and great acoustics. Finally seeing "2001" in 70MM was awesome (I still long to see it in one strip Cinerama). Once again, the theatre's excellent sound system showed how refined a soundtrack it really was.
The 150 was truly in a class by itself here on Long Island.
Bill

Bill I'm told that the original one strip Cinerama is no different from the 70mm print. I saw it in '77 at the Rivoli in Manhattan and at the end of the print it said in Cinerama. I told this to an expert in wide screen matters and he said it was the same thing.
However that being said that '77 presentation was unlike any other that I've been to. The depth and brilliance of the print sucked you into that huge curved screen so that this was for me a truly spiritual and religious experience. Well we all have our own individual beliefs.

This is Cinerama never played the Rivoli. You saw it at the Ziegfeld. The presentation was a poor, poor imitation of the original. Ask anyone who has seen them both.
Pablo

Vincent, while it's true the end of the print say CINERAMA, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is always seen that way. Since it was shot for the Cinerama process of this time period, the Cinerama credit at the end of the film is part and parcel of the films ending credits. Prints made in various formats from the printing negative will all say Cinerama. The 1- strip Cinerama (as I understand it) used the 70MM format which was printed and/or projected in such a way as to make the image fit on the large curved screen without distortion, thereby achieving the Cinerama image without the use of 3 cameras and projectors. I've read that it doesn't quite compare to 3 strip Cinerama but is stunning just the same. So, as I see it, technically, your friend is correct.

For those of you who never heard the intro to "This is Cinerama"

http://www.cinema-astoria.com/all/realplayer.gif

I guess you have to go to the website to play the clip

Pablo I was talking about 2001. I did see This Is Cinerama at the Ziegfeld and was very disappointed.
Bill its really too bad that there are no theaters left like the Warner Cinerama or the Rivoli so we could have that same experience again. I'm all for saving the Beekman(which I love) and the Cinema 1(which was ruined when they twinned it) but where were these people who were powerful and claimed to love film Like Scorcese when the great midtown theaters were torn down.
However to be fair even people like Christoper Reeves and Joseph Papp couldn't save the Morosco and the Helen Hayes from the wrecking crew. Now according to the Post there is a play glut and not enough theaters to put them in!

hi I was the last manager at the 150 and like the rest of you was sad to see it close I loved watching movies there especially when the house was sold out if they had gotten better bookings for that theater i believe it would have still been around today I to enjoyed the projection booth although i never got to play the 70 mm prints i do know that the lense were still in the booth at the time of closing and in great shape i may add

The first time I saw Gone With the Wind was here in the late 70s/early 80s, with a wretched 70mm print that cropped the image at the top and bottom and seemed to be terrbily out of focus, even after changing my seat several times and complaining to the manager (who stated that was because of the curved screen!) I couldn't believe that this was the number one box office attraction of all time. I was really disappointed, until I saw it again years later in the proper ratio and clarity. Of course it's magnificent.

le, sorry we never had a chnace to work together, it was as you said a geat place to work and see a movie. I am not sure bookings were the problem since the property owners wanted us out to develop the land. The rent would have been too much not substain a movie theatre.
As for 70mm, prints were scarce towards the end, but there was no better place on L.I to see them.
saps, I was disapointed in the experience you had with "GWTW", I beg you please don't blame the folks at the D-150, the 70mm prints of that movie were awful, it was a bad idea to blow it up to 70mm in the first place. The image was cropped, faded and not always sharp.
I hope you had a chance to return to see a proper 70mm print in all it's glory at the D-150 and to experience it's friendly, professional staff.

The best 70mm prints I've seen were at the Virginia Theater in Champaign, Illinois, during the Roger Ebert Overlooked Film Festival...crystal clear and amazingly detailed viewings of Patton and Lawrence of Arabia. Both truly stunning.

saps, those are two films filmed in 70mm or D-150, which is far better than the many blowups during the 60s and 70s. Glad you had the chance to experience that. Roger Ebert, bless him, is a big promoter of 70mm I think if it were up to him we would film just about everything that way.

Concerning GWTW. I saw this film in 70mm at the Rivoli and the Bellevue in New Jersey back in the 70's. The prints were pristine and the showmanship first class. Not having been that familiar with the original ratio I thought it was pretty wonderful(especially seeing it in those two theaters with their large 70mm screens.) I wonder what I would think today though we'll probably never get that chance again.

BobT, the "Stop Making Sense" night was great. People were having a huge dance party in front of the screen during the showing.

Still remember how the door you held was bending from the rush of the crowd for Rocky IV in Massapequa.

Still remember how the door you held was bending from the rush of the crowd for Rocky IV in Massapequa.

Ok Z, give me a hint who you are. That was a scary night. I was asked to help out opening night even though I was opening a sold out 70MM engagement of "White Nights" the same evening. Luckily, I had the greatest assistant manager in the history of movies and I knew The 150 would be fine. The Pequa's outer lobby and Box Office was a wall of glass and very small. There was no room to hold the next show's audience except that little lobby and outside. The sold out crowd was anxious and cold and started getting pushy. Yes the closed double glass doors did indeed start to bend with only me behind them pushing back. I don't know how they didn't break but the other show ended just in time to avert anything bad happening. Ah, the glamour, the memories!

This really needs to move to the proper place, the Pequa page. You always looked overworked back then.

i have no knowledge of this stuff, but River Oaks 9 & 10 still has the huge screen, and seats 1000 people...just theater 9...my favorite place to see a movie since I was a kid...

Let's not start a war over this, but I have a sneaky feeling that the photograph of the D-150 installation on the "fromscripttodvd" pages (NY theatre photos) supposedly of the Syosset LI is in actuality that of the UA Lefrak City (Queens, NY). Reason # 1: I've been in both; the photo in question was obviously taken from above orchestra level...the Lefrak had a balcony. The Syosset didn't. Reason #2: check out Steve Kraus' D-150 pages at "www.govst.edu/users/gaskrau/index.html". Enlarge the top photo so that you can see the caption "UA Lefrak City." Reason #3: The Syosset's screen was much larger than the one in this photograph. I might be wrong, but I was in the Lefrak on opening day to the public, and several times at the Syosset since then. Comments?

Well, you confused me, here's why.

First you say " the photograph of the D-150 installation on the "fromscripttodvd" pages (NY theatre photos) supposedly of the Syosset LI". Now do you mean The Cinema 150 or our sister theatre up the road which was called The Syosset, which didn't have D-150. The 150 was only called The Syosset, senslessly for the last year of her life because they had torn down the other up the street. So which theatre are you talking about.

Second you say "the Lefrak had a balcony. The Syosset didn't." Well I know the UA Cinema 150 had a balcony, I practically lived there and so did The Syosset. I know because I saw "Alien" (opening night!) and "The World According To Garp" among many shows sitting front row balcony.

My mistake. First of all, I was talking about the theatre which was known as, and was opened as, the UA Cinema 150 (and then later called the Syosset). I never really noticed a balcony at that theatre..or was it just a raised "loge" or "mezzanine" section.? I remember the balcony at the Syosset. I sat there during "Superman III." My faulty memory at play here. At any rate, the photograph in question is certainly that of the UA Lefrak. Again, compare with the photos in Kraus' website. Somewhere on line, and I will find it again, are UA's opening publicity pages for the Lefrak unveiling. They include the same photos that appear on the "fromscript..." pages.

"I never really noticed a balcony at that theatre..or was it just a raised "loge" or "mezzanine" section.?"

The UA Cinema 150 had a real balcony. The seats were bigger and more plush. The lobby had a substantial stairway against the front wall so big, it had a landing halfway up where I would see people stopping for a rest. There was also a back stairway that led directly to to back of the auditorium downstairs.

Regarding the balcony - when the heat was turned up - it would ger REALLY warm. Just ask Ralph Macchio.

-nellieF

Hey fellow 150 fans, how's this for a shameless plug? I just ran into one of my crew after many years. If you came to The 150 during my regime (early 80's,see above) you were most likely sold a ticket or popcorn or even shown to your seat by Kathy Fleischmann. Kathy was the one who taught David Byrne how to use the ticket machine when he hijacked the ticket booth and wanted to sell tickets to an unsuspecting public to his film "Stop Making Sense". She was also the one who took the hit when we refused a woman who wanted to bring a huge bag of groceries into a sold out Friday night "Cocoon". Furious, she couldn't bring the food in, she literally hurled an entire half gallon of milk at me and the ticket taker. Missing us, the milk hit the glass of the ticket booth and exploded, all you could see was white and the hole in the glass with Kathy's stunned face behind it. She never saw it coming! It was a wild night. Well Kathy has gone onto a musical career. She's an accomplished acoustical folk, jazz singer. So here's her website and give a listen. http://www.kathyfleischmann.com/

One of the best things about Bob T running the 150 was the time he took to decorate the theatre with one-sheets from past films of either the star or director of the film being shown - For "Purple Rose of Cairo" for instance, I remember posters in the lobby from "the Front" and "Manhattan" - only problem was the occasional dim bulb who actually thought "Sleeper" was playing and didn't quite get the whole woody Allen theme concept!

-nellieF

I also worked at the 150 in the 80's as the assistant manager not sure if I am the GREATEST ASSISTANT MANAGER IN THE HISTORY OF THE MOVIES. To this day I meet people that recognize me from that theatre. That was a great theatre with great staff. I also still have the per capita books dating back to the movie "TRON".

Well MM1,that's my story and I'm sticking to it ;)The UA Cinema 150 was the finest theatre on Long Island. It had a very short life for such a sucessful and first class place. It was amazing before I got there and it was amazing after I left but there was one constant through out, you. Anyone who worked at the 150 while you were there and doesn't give you credit as the backbone of her success is either a liar or a fool.

150 one of the best theater ever on long island...Some other good ones .FOX theater in E. Setauket..Fantasy in RVC.

Agreed, but let's not forget Joe Kelly, UA projection and sound
chief, who's two loves Cinema 150 and Rivoli were the best in sight and sound.

BobT, the first letter in my username stands for Michelle.

Michelle, you were who I was talking about in my posts. I even know what the other M stands for! I just didn't want to use your name to respect your privacy online. I thought you'd know I was talking about you, but I guess you're just being modest. What I said was true, you were "the greatest assistant manager in the history of movies" and I will always stand by that. The 150 was only around for 30 years and you were there for probably a third of that time. Everybody who has posted here has almost definitely come in contact with you. There's more to being a manager than hanging posters and fighting with the film bookers for a good movie, and you gave me and the other managers the freedom to do something alot of people never get a chance to do in a lifetime, absolutely love what they do and get paid for it. It was never taken for granted and always appreciated by me.

Now this is where the loss of The 150 is felt. This Thanksgiving "RENT" the Broadway smash becomes a film. The original Broadway cast is recreating their roles and two of the stars Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal are both from Syosset. I met Idina and she indeed went to The 150 in her youth. What better place to have a premiere than two of the star's hometown theatre? Alas, both are gone and no place was ever suited for a big screen musical that The 150. What a night that could have been.

BobT, I would like to get in touch with you somehow? Any ideas?

movietheatremanager@yahoo.com

This is how it all starts... ;)

Bob--I went to high school with both Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal, but only knew Idina (did two plays with her in HS). And yeah, it would've been a fun homecoming.

As I said, I absolutely loved this theater. Once you were inside, it was really a throwback to the old movie palaces on the 40's and 50's. I still remember seeing "Roger Rabbit" here. In the opening sequence, there's this quick pan around the kitchen when Roger is on fire (I think) and it looked absolutely amazing up on the huge screen. And, of course, this is where I saw "Tron." Again, you haven't seen a movie like that until you've seen it up on the 150 screen.

This was really one of the best theaters. The staff was ALWAYS courteous (even when they shouldn't have been!) and helpful, and it was always kept up extremely well. It was always one of my favorite theaters to go to.

And you know what? I think I remember seeing that hole in the ticket booth from the flying gallon of milk. Never knew what happened until now!

The exclusive Long Island engagement of "Earthquake"
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/Cinema150.jpg

I've been reading through these comments and was amazed at the references to original 3-strip Cinerama presntations at the nearby Syosset Theater (which was later triplexed before being demolished)! I never went to the Syosset, but did "discover" the Cinema 150 in the 1990's to see "True Lies," "Terminator 2" and "Titanic" here... where had this theater been all my life?!? I remember trying to get in to see one of the "Batman" movies in the early '90's and having to be turned away because the show had sold out! There were always huge crowds for big movies here and a line would wrap around the curved of the building just to get tickets.

Anyway... I remember thinking when I first saw this theater that it would make a great place for revival of 3-strip Cinerama - without realizing that the Syosset Theater had previously presented that format in the '60's. Of the two theaters, I certainly would have thought that the Cinema 150 would have been the one with a Cinerama history. I remember that I planned on speaking to the theater's manager next time I saw a flick here about possibly running Cinerama films here in between regular bookings or on special evenings when regular business wasn't as strong. Unfortunately, that "next time" never came around. Before I knew it, the theater was closed and converted to other use.

As far as I can tell, there is no viable location in NYC or on Long Island for proper Cinerama presentation... at least not without considerable alteration. Am I wrong?

I drove from Sayville to the D-150 to see almost all the 70mm presentations and anything of interest, from Earthquake to Hindenbverg in "electrifying 360 degree sound". This was the best theatre around, surpassing the Ziegfeld in NYC.
I rember the ads when the theatre opening proclaiming its uniqueness, I think even giving demonstrations during the day.
A truly great theatre, sadly missed, And did see the projection booth opened, a great thrill.

Yes Jim, as one of the projectionist at the D-150,I remember almost never closing the booth door. Having folks peak in and chat was for me part of the fun of working there. I left in Oct 1987, during the run of "Dirty Dancing" my last 70mm was "White Nights"

First let me say how much I enjoy reading Vito's many comments on this page and on other theatres as well! I never had the pleasure of seeing this fine theatre, although I did see some films in the NY Rivoli before they twinned it. Someone commented on the River Oaks 150 near Chicago, it's still there but closed at the moment, Cineplex closed it not long ago and I hear someone is trying to reopen part of the River Oaks Complex, several of the screens were demolished. The last time I was in it you could tell Cineplex hadn't spent any money on upkeep for awhile, it looked pretty tired and run down. I don't know if the 70mm equipment is still in the booth or not, they wouldn't let me have a peek. I knew several people that saw films in 70mm at the Syosset 150 and they couldn't stop "gushing on" about it! Makes me jealous to say the least! I agree with many of the other comments above, it's too bad someone couldn't find a way to preserve these wonderful film venues and keep them operational, even if running 70mm is a rarity these days. As to the 70mm prints of GWTH, I ran a 4track 35mm print of it during the same release period and those prints were crappy too, same terrible cropping and less than crisp image on the screen, probably not as bad as the 70 prints due to the smaller screen size, but they still looked awful! Now with the ability to put a 70mm soundtrack on a disc (DTS) and run a 35mm print on screen, I'd say the chances of seeing 70mm prints in release is slim to none. Instead of trying to make the movie going experience exciting again, the studios are trying to figure out how to eliminate film altogether! They've been trying to get to this point for years and I guess it's going to happen. People jusr don't realize what they missed with theatres like the 150, I'm convinced that if the 150 or others like it still existed and you put a 70mm print on the screen for a currnet big release people would line up around the block to get in! But it ain't going to happen!!! And that is really too bad!

Hal you make some interesting points. I have seen 70mm flurish thru the 50s, die off in the late 60s and come back to life bigger than even in the early 80s, but I think, except for Imax, 70mm is really dead this time. No one is installing 70mm anymore and exsisting locations are for the most part replacing magnetic capabilties with Digital. I really thought 70mm would come back with DTS, but sadly no, the trend is totally 35mm digital. The push now is for Digital Cinema, although I think it may be a while before Digital Cinema is the main sourse of exibition, I seriously doubt we will ever see 70mm again. You are correct about folks wanting to see movies in a theatre like our beloved Cinema 150, IMAX is very popular and often draws the biggest crowds for releases like Harry Potter and Poseidon, proving that perhaps the D-150 could have survived.
I am happy to have been around during the fab 50s and 60s when it seemed like a new film format was born every week. Now the movie magic is all digital and for me not much fun anymore

dick shea was the mgr.


for dick to manage.. i left gables to replace dick at squire and playhouse so he could open it...

hello dolly was the first movie after it opened wide

and still played at rivoli in ny..

it rained like hell that night and the grounds around the theatre

well, lets just say we had 3 inches of water at the base of the screen...

wally 1975

This link will take you to a 2003 NY Times article about this former theater and the fitness center that replaced it. If you have already seen this article, read it again. :) The article claims that this theater had 1,100 seats.

That article from the link above states the UA CINEMA 150 was in Woodbury. I thought it was in Syosset. Anyone know for sure?

That is a good question. The location given for this theater in the article is, "Jericho Turnpike and the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway". If you feed that location into Google Maps, it will return the following:

Jericho Tpke & Seaford-Oyster Bay Expy
Woodbury, NY 11797

Anyone else have an thoughts on this?

OK you ready? The actual address was The UA Cinema 150 7500 Jericho Turnpike, Woodbury, New York 11797. It sat with in walking distance of the Syosset/Woodbury border, right by the overpass across the street. United Artists called it The UA Cinema 150 in Syosset. When they renovated in 2000(?) they changed the name to The Woodbury. Shortly after that they demolished The UA Syosset up the street which was actually in Syosset, and renamed The Woodbury, The Syosset. Why the changes I have no idea.

The UA Cinema 150 in Syosset seated 1400 seats and dates back to around 1957. The theatre was razed to make way for a Home Depot.

Home Depot? Where is there a Home Depot in Woodbury? There is a Home Depot in Syosset. That store is located at 111 Jericho Turnpike which is further west of where this theater was located. Was a new Home Depot just built on the site of this former theater that I'm not aware of?

UA Syosset Cinema 150
7500 Jericho Turnpike
Woodbury, NY 11797

Equinox Fitness Club
7550 Jericho Turnpike
Woodbury, NY 11797

Take your pick of addresses.

I not only worked as a projectionist at both the Syosset and D-150 cinema theatres, but lived at Woodbury Town Houses directly across the street from the D-150 cinema, I could see the attraction board from my kitchen window. Since I had a Woodbury address I have to imagine the D-150 Cinema had to be in Woodbury as well. Hope that helps.
In addition, having worked most of the theatres in Nassau County before I retired, I can only recall the Syosset, which was of course triplexed but retained the same name, and the Cinema 150 or D-150, as we called it, in Woodbury. I never heard of a Woodbury theatre.

The Cinerama site posted that it was replaced by a Home Depot location.

http://cinerama.topcities.com/syosset.htm

So which UA Theatre is this?

http://cinerama.topcities.com/ua_cinema_150_syosset.htm

cinema150

William....Your probably thinking of the Syosset Triplex which was demolished. That is this theater:

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/4091/

Thanks

I think everyone understands this now but just to be clear, the original Syosset, which at one time was a cinerama theatre and later used for 70mm roadshow engagements, was in Syosset. The theatre was later triplexed and became the Syosset triplex. The D-150 cinema was In Woodbury and remained a single screen until it closed. The theatres were close to one another one on each side of Jericho Turnpike. Bottom line here is they are both missed, especially the one and only D-150.

I think the top of this page which lists the name of the theatre should read the address as Woodbury NY and not Syosset.

Can you believe this double bill played here?
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/NanaEugenie.jpg

The alternate name here should be the Syosset because thats what it was called it's last few years in operation.

Sure would liked to have seen Nana there. Yentyl? The best place for that piece of crap was a theater where I wasn't. The UA Syosset Cinema 150 as we called it was awesome. It was the last of the big screens on LI in the 80's and early 90's, I remember living in Riverhead, and telling my girlfriend, it's worth the trip. Having been from Nassau County originally I was hip to it. Another map question. How come the Seaford/Oyster Bay's final exit is Wantagh? I remember a campaign when it was constructed, where Wantagh protested. It was supposed to connect from Wantagh Parkway (Jones Beach) to Oyster Bay or Bayville, and a Ferry to Conn. was proposed from there. That would've been a cool trip. Too bad politics got in the way.

I also worked as a projectionist at this theater in the 90's. When you worked this theater, you also had to work the triple at the same time. Luckily it was only 30 seconds away by car.LOL.

I also worked both theatres in the 60s and 70s, but only one at a time. I was also working at the time the Syosset was triplexed.
RCDTJ,when one man ran both theatres, did they installed a platter in the D-150 booth?. When I last worked the D-150 in early 1970,
(Dirty Dancing), for 35mm we used 6k reels, and for 70mm we mounted two 70mm reels on one reel which held about 5k.
By the way, is Bobby Gottschaulk still BA? He was a great guy.

Yes, they had a Christie 35/70 platter. Bobby is still the BA.

Thanks RCDTJ, with the D-150 booth as small as it was I assume they removed one of the projectors? I did not care for the newer model Norelco projectors we had then.

Can one of you gentlemen (or ladies) state the width of the screen around-the-curve foot-to-foot?

It was a 35/70 Century projector when I worked there. I think was only one.

I always liked this theater, even though they showed that awful print of Gone With The Wind.

So they removed the Norelco projectors when the platter was installed. Originally when the theatre opened we had two late model Norelco projectors which had duel drive motors making them capable of running TODD-A0. The Syosset,which had the older model Norelco's,was also TODD-AO capable. When the Syossett was triplexed the two Norelco 35/70 projectors were left intact in the upstairs #3 booth and Century 35mm projectors and Orcon platters were installed in the two downstairs theatres.
I am sorry veyoug, I have no memory of how large the screen was.
I recall opening the masking both top and side to the full D-150 size to show the staff how big the scren was.

Norelcos? I thought it had Cinemacanica... Anyway, I wonder if the fitness club patched up the crack in the right hand wall (rumored to have been caused by the sensaround system). Used to be able to pull the fabric away and look outside...

Yup, Norelco's, they were the later version, the only theatre I ever saw that had them.

I was surprised to learn during a recent research session that United Artists renamed the CINEMA 150 as THE SYOSSET *while* the SYOSSET TRIPLEX was still in operation. That seems awfully silly on the part of UATC. Any of you Long Islanders recall any confusion created by the name change?

Other postings here have claimed the name change took place *after* the SYOSSET TRIPLEX closed, but I've found information to the contrary, at least as far as newspaper promotion was concerned. (I can't speak for what name appeared on the actual building and/or marquee.)

I saw "EARTHQUAKE" in Sensurround here, in 1974 ! This was a GREAT theater. In the 1980's we went out of our way to go here, Saw the 1980's re-release of "Metropolis", "Return to OZ" (anyone remember that one?), "Little Shop of Horrors" , "Cape Fear", and the last time I was there was in the 1990's , that movie "Ransome" I think that was the name....a Ron Howard movie.....

Growing up in Syosset, we'd refer to the triplex as the Syosset Triplex and this theater as the 150. So when they changed the name, they might've thought it wouldn't be a big deal. There wasn't any confusion.

The 150 did not get "grindhouse" type movies...so I'm surprised by the above post for "Nana" and "Eugenie...(and her journey into perversion)!". Were UA theaters only allowed to play United Artists movies at one point in time ?

While I was there we played "Chained Heat" a women's prison flick with Linda Blair, and "Night Of The Comet" a sort of teenage "Omega Man". I know "Dawn Of The Dead" played as a double feature with "The Kentucky Fried Movie" which UA did own. I also played "Bolero" with Bo Derek which was unrated, no one under 17 admitted. We spent the first night kicking more underage kids off line than paid to see it.

And Bloop, you were lucky with "Little Shop Of Horrors", it only played one show, a sneak preview on that Saturday night a few weeks before it opened nationally. Why it wasn't booked I don't know but it looked and sounded amazing. Of course since we got the print on Thursday, we all watched it Thurs and again on Friday night after hours. That week, the mother of Ellen Greene, who played Audrey in the movie and in the show and who grew up in Westbury called to see if she could come see it but alas they had taken the print back by then.

Last movie I saw here was "Delores Claiborne". 1994??

Oops* Saw "Delores..." at the OTHER Syosset across the street. Actually, BobT, we got turned away on "Little Shop..." that night! I remember that well. Last movie I saw at the 150 was "Ransom". And ironically, I now live 5 minutes from the site of the 150!

...you wasted 70 MM film, a huge curved screen,comfy seats and a six-track sound system on WHAT....?????!!!!!!!
http://bp0.blogger.com/_qleC7xLAvHg/Ro_Acb32JPI/AAAAAAAAAMI/yMVoGXpHU5s/s1600-h/150-FIXED.jpg

Oh my, I saw Sgt.Pepper, the Saturday matinée opening weekend and it was almost a private screening. What an incredible piece of crap. This was before I managed it, of course but if it was in 70MM, I went. Now as for "Liztomania", that was Ken Russell's and Roger Daltrey's follow up to the smash "Tommy". It had all the ingredients for a hit, had the 150 and Ziegfeld exclusive engagements but alas, once again, nobody came.

BobT, I think they should have called "Liztomania"..... "Tommy , Part 2" and then it would have done better or even a nudge at the box-office. I don't remember this movie getting any promotion at all--even in the wake of Tommy. As for "Sgt. Pepper"...people will wonder "How did the (all still living) Beatles let this happen?" Well, their mentor/producer George Martin, produced the soundtrack, so they figured "OK, if George is involved, it will retain some dignity". Oops. The soundtrack double LP was in "cut out" bins for years to follow. The same winning team/producers of "Grease" cranked out another musical wanker in 1980 with the awful movie "Times Square"---that produced another double LP for the "cut out" bins!

When I was bar-mizvahed in 1972, we had the reception across the street at the plush Fox Hollow Inn.

My friend Eddie and I actually left the Inn to walk across the street and the manager of the 150 let us in and we watched 10 minutes of RYAN'S DAUGHTER.

Then we returned for the rest of my bar-mizvah.

Top that!

Heh...the Fox Hollow was where I got married in 2003. My wife and I still celebrate our anniversary there. And I miss the two movie theaters in Syosset like hell....

This was an astonishing theater. I went to see something there in the fall of 1974, and as I walked up to the box office, I heard this noise, as if a plane was approaching for a crash landing. It turned out to be the trailer for the coming SenSurround "Earthquake", emanating from the doors of the theater!

In May '71, this theater was actually showing Eric Rohmer's "Claire's Knee" five times a day (you could look it up). I rode my bicycle over after school one weekday to a 4PM show. I was the only person to buy a ticket, and had a "private screening" of that sublime film - in that vast auditorium! A week or two later, Truffaut's "Bed & Board" had been added, to make it a double feature, and I returned (there were a few more people then, as I recall). I also recall seeing Ralph Bakshi's live/animated version of "The Lord of the Rings" here. And the last time I was there was for a restored version of "My Fair Lady", with my parents (was that at the Syosset, or the Plainview, when it had its Long Island premiere?)

Also saw a re-release of "2001" here, at some point, under the influence.

I never did see "Earthquake"; at the time, I thought it would just be too much for the senses. I regret that, now...

That this place has been gutted and turned into a health club is a crime against cinema!

I drove by not that long ago... Seems like the building is taller. Did they add a story on top of the original footprint when they gutted this for the gym, or is my mind playing tricks on me?

I think it just LOOKS taller with the windows that were added. FYI, the first time I was here, my friend's parents, took us to see "Earthquake" in SENSSUROUND! Great first experience for me with the 150! What a shame that it is gone!

This was a gem on Long Island, Bloop, no doubt. Rather amazing that it survived intact for as long as it did. With its demise went the our best hopes of ever seeing Cinerama in the New York area again!

has anyone been to the back of it...has it still have the 150 shape

rear wall?

Ed: the ex-Cinerama Clairidge Theater in Montclair NJ is reportedly still intact. The multiplex that goes by that name now is enclosed in a metal box which fits inside the shell of the original theater. Boy, if I only had a couple of million dollars.

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/6348/

Hey Wally... The shape of the building is exactly the same, curve and all. It was completely gutted and windows were added, but the exterior shape is intact.

Bill... I think that would be a long shot over in Montclair, eh? Ha ha. Nope, I think the only way I'll ever see true Cinerama is to book myself a flight out west to Seattle or LA when something of interest is screening. Sigh.

In December, 1972, this was part of a three theatre world premiere engagment of UA's "Man of La Mancha," along with the Rivoli in New York City and Century's Paramus in the Garden State Plaza, NJ: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/man1072.jpg

Long Island's Cinerama exhibition history posted here.

Oddly enough, in the year before it closed a new pylon was erected. It just said United Artists Theatres. The actual features display area was actually split in two leading me to believe that the theatre was to be twinned. When it closed after featureing Miss Congeniality I was sure. Months later Sandra Bullock was still in place. Eventually they did the renovation adding windows at the second story level where, today, you can see people running around the track.

A second 150 was to have been built in the Gardiner Manor Shopping Center on Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore. The sign announcing it was up for a long time but nothing came of it.

Seattle Wa. also had a UA 150 that was constructed as a dome. The same building had a second theater, the UA 70. I remember seeing Star Wars in the 150. The place was packed and the film played for over 1 year. They even had a big celebration when they reached the 1 year screening mark. Today the site is a gravel lot as the theaters were torn down some time ago. They also were well maintained up to the end.