Squire Theater

Ah, but memories of working there in the early 80s, in its last days as a single screen theater (with the historic Playhouse across the street...see "Playhouse" listing with a comment from me as well), such as a packed house of adults having hearty laughter watching "Victor Victoria".

When it was triplexed (main auditorium sliced in two, and the balcony being the third), I still worked there, and losing the ambiance of a large single screen theater was mollified by the (then)new Dolby Stereo system, which i loved hearing as "The Black Stallion Returns" played in theater 2.

And when one works in a theater, if a blockbuster is opening the next day, the practice is usually to run the film once to an empty theater after the Thursday night movies were over with, to make sure there were no problems with it. So, my friends and I brought our lawn chairs with side tables of pretzels and beer, and we plopped in the center aisle, and watched "Return of the Jedi" at midnight as a sort of private screening before anyone else had a chance to see it. I believe we had to sit in the center aisle vertically with our respective lawn chaises. Too bad the ending sucked....

Anyone remember Hope Moseitis? (Sorry if I misspelled [??] the name). She had started out at the playhouse as a cashier and eventually became the manager at the Port Washington Beacon (now a 7 plex) when Exodus opened and the powers that be fired the whole staff there (ironic, huh…).

I remember Hope as a relief manager who bounced between the Squire and the Manhasset theatres in the mid to late 80’s. She was very strict in her own manner, but had some great stories about the local theatres.

I remember that her mother used to collect tickets at the Squire on the nights she worked, a sweet old lady who had a very think Greek accent, or barely spoke English. I never found out since she didn’t say very much.

The Squire theatre, as I remember Hope telling me, was originally a Cadillac showroom, back in the 30’s and 40’s [?]. If you look at the brickwork on the outside wall, from the rear parking lot, you can still see where the bay doors were. The service garage was turned into the main auditorium with a stadium balcony that was bifurcated by the auditorium’s entrance. The orchestra had continental seating and was on nearly level ground.

Of interesting note, the original projection booth- still in use today for screens 5&6- was not included in the theatre’s plans. The Squire’s owners had to buy an abutting building (over the lobby, no less) and chop through. The door to the booth still opens to a floor that is three feet higher, like a stuck elevator.

When UA triplexed the Squire, they did their standard ground floor projection booth for the downstairs theatres. The balcony theatre was made by covering over the stadium entrance and placing a screen against a wall over the downstairs booth. Oddly enough, there 6 seats located in the front row -3 on either side of the covered entrance- that had absolutely no view of the screen.

UA dumped the Squire in the mid 90’s and a private company bought it up, performing a minor miracle in inserting two backwards-facing theatres in what were once, respectively, a storage room and the manager’s office- both located under the balcony. This was done by removing the downstairs booth and suspending a new booth from the ceiling a bit further down the two main theatres. The new booth services the four ground level theatres, and new entrances were added for the balcony theatre, now split in two. A seventh screen was added by buying out a store next door and making a long, narrow auditorium behind the concessions stand.

Of the many things I remember about the Squire, the worst would be the awful “Lava lamp” amoebas projected in the screen between shows during the 80’s, typical of UA in that era. Makes me feel glad for the slide show advertising they have now.

Clearview bought the Squire around 98-99 and made little change to the building, other than painting it the “Clearview Colors” and adding their signature fireplace and furnishings. DTS EX was added to the 2 front theatres when ‘Star Wars Episode 1’ opened.

Last time I was there was a few years ago, so there may be some changes since.

The address for the Quire Theatre is 115 Middle Creek Road, Great Neck, NY.

The Squire also features an adjacent store as its seventh theatre. One thing I always remembered about the Squire was the ticket booth being outside but flat against the wall with a door to the lobby. Also, a round piece of furniture with a high back. I forget what they call that.

Small maybe, but this is one of my favorite Nassau County theatres. Clearview keeps it spotless and always well maintained.

The street is Middle Neck Road, not Middle Creek Road.

I hated going into booth five and six. It is bad enough that you have to walk into the theater and then back up through the center of the patrons to the rear. Next, you get to show the patrons your gymnastic abilities. Also, when you pop out, you scare the hell out of people that had no idea there was a concealed door lerking from above. What a riot! HA!!

A night photo of the Squire marquee can be seen here.

I grew up in Great Neck I remeber seeing films when it was just a single theater...don't rember which films but I remember

I couldn't find a listing for the Squire in any trade directories prior to those for 1941, so the theatre probably opened in 1940 after being converted from an auto showroom. Skouras Theatres, which also ran the Playhouse across the street, apparently decided that Great Neck and surrounding area had enough population to support two theatres.

I guessed a mite wrongly about the opening of the Squire. It took place on January 15, 1941, and not in 1940. The Squire was originally an "indie" advertised as the "North Shore's Newest, Most Intimate Theatre." At the time, Great Neck's population was reported to be about 20,000. Due to the rival Playhouse Theatre's connection with the powerful Skouras circuit, the Squire's owners had to settle for late-run product and revivals. The first booking was 1935's "Lives of a Bengal Lancer" and assorted short subjects. The single feature policy proved unpopular and was soon switched to double features, but still of the vintage variety. The Squire's owners fell deeply into the red and finally closed the theatre in November, 1941, when they made a deal with Skouras to take over its operation. Skouras made some minor renovations and re-opened the Squire on February 13, 1942 with "Hold Back The Dawn" & "Henry Aldrich For President," both advertised as first-run in Great Neck. It was a program that had originated on the Loew's circuit. From that time on, the Squire and the Playhouse divided up the double bills that started on the Loew's and RKO circuits. Skouras tended to favor the Playhouse with the most popular films, since it had a larger seating capacity and could gross more at the busiest times of the week.

Here are a pair of shots I snagged tonight of the Squire's illuminated marquee.

[url=http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Nassau%20Movie%20Theaters/Squire%20Theater%20Great%20Neck/IMG_3561.jpg}Squire shot 1[/url]
Squire shot 2

While I was there, I forgot to look and see if any recognizable traces remain of the Playhouse that was across the street. Perhaps that's best left to a daytime excursion.

Sorry... here's the correct link for that first shot:
Squire shot 1

I grew up in Great Neck from 1979 to 1993 and I live there again now on South Middle Neck Road. I still go to the Squire once in a while (my last movie there was LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA), but it's definately not what it once was. Too many chopped-up theaters.

I seem to recall that the last movie that played there when it was a single screen was THE VERDICT in 1982.

I, too, remember when RETURN OF THE JEDI opened there in 1983. Saw it two days after it opened and the theater was packed to the rim. I can still remember screaming, cheering kids during the battle of Endor.

I hate to have to say this about my own town theater, but it has really gone to the dogs, in my opinion. I went there last night to see IRON MAN; specifically waiting nearly two weeks after it opened and going on a weeknight. In short, the place was an absolute zoo, resembling that of a typical urban multiplex. Children and teenagers everywhere, running around the theater, talking loudly while the movies are in progress, and unable to break away from their pathetic cell phones.

If the management of this theater cannot enforce any guidelines for proper behavior in this theater, then they are going to lose my business and anyone else that I can convice not to patron this place. And if it means the closing of my town theater, then so be it!

Sorry to hear of your lousy expeirience Love Movies. But I can say I'm not surprised. I mean I worked for Clearview for almost 8 years before they canned the union, and you must remember, this chain is run by Jimmy Dolan and his band of pencil pushers. They only worry about making things look good for the stockholders. I remember all the rules and procedures they had back in the day, and not a one was followed. Plus, the guy who is now the district manager for your area is the biggest fool of all. He's only there to help get rid of the union projectionists and make sure the concession prices keep going up to make the profit margins, and himself, look good.

Movie534, so I suppose having a serious talk with the current theater manager won't do any good?

When I got home last night, I was so angry, that I told my wife when we go to see the new INDIANA JONES movie, we're driving to Port Washington, where I have (so far) had more calming experiences.

Once again, an incorrect opening description of the theater. It was taken over in the mid-1990's by an individual, from United Artists who was having a fire-sale at the time, before their bankrupcy. WW did a fantastic job renovating the building, after many years of disrepair. Clearview Cinemas took it over soon afterwards.

If you see Sarah Hughes walking around, give her... ummmm... 20 kisses from me.

I thankoff youuu

Just recently looking at Long Island Memories I came upon a nice photo of the Squire which was on a b & w post card dated 1951.

clearview has only one theatre in suffolk BABYLON..

how bout' taking over ISLIP AND SAVE A THEATRE AT THE SAME TIME..

maybe someone who reads this knows someone who knows someone at

clearview....just a thought...
ps HOPE is a live and well...