Drake Theatre

I believe the exterior of this theater was used in the Howard Stern film "Private Parts". This is on Woodhaven Blvd in the 60's in the commercial strip several blocks south of Queens Blvd.

This theater is now part of a restaurant.

The Drake Theatre is located at 589 Woodhaven Blvd..

The Drake first opened in 1938. Although located in Rego Park, its site on Woodhaven Boulevard is quite a long walk from the shopping hub at Queens Boulevard & 63rd Drive. Its nearest competition was the Trylon, on the QB border with Forest Hills, and the Arion in Middle Village. Even nearer was the Queensboro Theatre, but that was closed for about 99% of the time from 1938 until 1946, when it re-opened as the Elmwood. Prior to the era of saturation release, the Drake was always a late-run situation, playing the same double bills as the dominant Loew's and RKO chains, but several weeks after they completed their circuit runs. The Drake usually changed programs twice a week, playing the Loew's originated double bills from Wednesday through Saturday, and the RKO's from Sunday through Tuesday. Sometimes, on a Wednesday, they would break that pattern with a one-day booking of re-issues. Several that I recall are "Jesse James" & "The Return of Frank James"; "Tarzan Finds A Son & "Tarzan's Secret Treasure"; and "The Last Days of Pompeii" & "She."

howard stern's privite parts was used fo a scene

The one and only film I saw at the Drake was a re-release of "Return Of The Jedi" on Sunday May 5 1985. Prior to that, I almost saw "Star Trek III" there summer of 1984, and remember "City Heat" with Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds playing there December 1984. I recall a grand re-opening, with searchlights sweeping the sky, in November 1987, featuring the film "Nuts", starring Barbra Streisand, Karl Malden, and Leslie Nielsen. I do not know the last film it showed. I think the restaurant it is now part of is, or at least was, Abbraciamento's. I last passed by there late July 1997 but did not get a good look at it.

Yes, the Drake was used in Howard Stern's movie "Private Parts". In addition, the Drake is currently used as the catering hall portion of Joe Abbracamento's Restaurant. The lobby seems to have been redone sort of fancy in "catering hall" style.
The one and only time I was there was when I saw "Annie" there in the early or mid 80's. I only vaguely remember the interior, but don't remember it being anything "that" special.

The Drake was a wonderful, comfortable theater. Plain but clean. My favorite memory of the Drake was on the night of the first blackout in the 60s, the ticket seller sat guard with one lit candle in the box office. She waved to everybody stating the Drake would be open again once the lights went on.

Thanks, DavidH, that's a great story ! The date of that "first blackout" was Tuesday, November 9, 1965 !

I wonder how many theaters in the NYC area were showing "The Tingler" and "Wait Until Dark" during the blackouts of November 9, 1965, July 13, 1977 and, most recently, August 14, 2003, and so gave their audiences more than they had bargained for ! The screen is supposed to go black near the end of both films.

Warren, it is indeed a long walk from Queens Blvd to the Drake. I remember making that walk once in 1963 or'64. It was also a very dull and depressing walk, once you got past Alderton Street. And when I got there, on a Saturday afternoon, the theatre was crawling with kids. The movie was something with Tony Curtis and Christine Kaufmann. During this time period, Rego Park was a great place for movies. There was the Trylon, and very close by the Elmwood, the Midway, the Continental, the Jackson, etc. With all that available, I never went back to the Drake.

Barton
Although the Trylons location was debateable as to its location being in Rego Park or Forest Hills the Elmwood was Elmhurst. The Midway and Continental were definately Forest Hills. I grew up going to all of these places but miss the beautiful Forest Hills Theatre the most. Although never fancy it had elegance and class. My neighborhoos has changed alot over the years. Besides the US Open playing 3 blocks from my house, the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium once played incredible concerts. The summer of 64 must have had the most star studded lineup ever. Sinatra played with Count Basie. There was Judy Garland, Barbara Streisand, Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee and Chet Baker to name a few. And lets not forget the Beatles who caused so much mania they landed in a helicopter on the courts of the West Side Tennis club. My folks took home movies of the mobs packing Burns Street all the way to Continental Avenue. The other great thing was you could hear the shows from the Street if you could not get tickets. I miss those days.

RobertR - I didn't mean to that the theatres I mentioned were all IN Rego Park, but were extremely convenient to it, by walking, a short subway ride, etc. And there were others besides the ones I mentioned, of course. I considered it all "metropolitan Rego Park" from my point of view. It was a great area for movies.

In December, 1978, the Drake's interior was heavily damaged during a midnight screening of a Led Zeppelin concert movie. According to newspaper reports, the near-capacity crowd of 500 (mostly teenagers) started complaining about the sound system by throwing beer and liquor bottles at the screen and tearing holes in it. Some took fire extinguishers from the walls and used them to smash whole rows of seats and the theatre's candy counter. As they exited, they broke all the glass in the entrance doors. Police blamed the behavior on alcohol and drugs smuggled into the theatre. One person was arrested for beating up an usher.

Warren, thanks for posting that anecdote, however sad and regrettable that incident was. I had no idea that had happened inside the Drake. Not the best way to complain about the sound system : damaging and destroying the imaging system, not to mention the seats, candy counter and doors. It also doesn't say much for Led Zeppelin and their fans.

The crowd at a late night screening of "Ladies and Gentlemen The Rolling Stones" at the Meserole in Greenpoint, Bklyn I attended with three friends in June 1975 was much better behaved, as I recall, although the pot smoke was almost as thick as at an actual concert. You could almost get high just sitting there breathing second-hand pot smoke.

Very interesting Warren. I also had no idea about that occurance at the Drake, although have heard of similar occurances elsewhere. It also reminds me of some concerts I have been in in the city, manytimes done in old theaters (although not a "riot-like" situation though). It reminds me of places like the Hammerstien Ballroom (I think it was an Opera house but not sure) which is used as a concert hall now. I saw a few concerts there, and I almost get as much of a thrill out of looking up at the ceiling and all the old features of the building before the concert as the actual concert itself! There are no seats in there anymore, and when the crowd begins the slam dancing and wave dancing, it can get a littl "hairy" in there, but never out of control.
I think what they use as Roseland concert hall near Times Square was also some kind of theater at one time, but there are even less features of the old theater there yet if it was.
I don't think either of those "theaters" ever showed any kind of cinema, thus they are not listed on this site.
And Peter, yes the pot smoke fills the theaters at those two places too. I can just picture it in the drug store that is now in the Meserole in a time warp (maybe only for medical purposes though now - hahaha).

The address listed in the introduction is archaic. In "modern" numbers, it is 62-90 Woodhaven Boulevard.

I was the assistant manager of the Haven, when the riot happened at the Drake. (the same owner had both along with the Cinemart. If I recall the print was mag optical and they could not get the sound loud enough on the old mono sound system. They actually tore the radiators out of the wall, besides smashing up the candy stand and kicking holes in the walls. The theatre was back up and running in less then 2 weeks. At that point the midnight shows were stopped. I have all the records for what played at these theatres from 1977 on. I can post some of it when I have a chance.

Yes, please do. I'm looking forward to it already.

Charles Sandblom was the Drake's architect.

I left a comment yesterday on the Arion Theater (or was it Theatre?) and was delighted to read the entries on The Drake. I grew up (in the 60s and 70s) a few blocks from the Drake and actually went to many more movies there than at the Arion. Because I have not been back more than a few times since I left for college, the Drake, like the Arion, lives on, unchanged, in my memory. I saw my first movie at the Drake (it would have been Sound of Music or Mary Poppins) and can recall seeing both Godfather movies, Cabaret, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Sounder, Kelly's Heroes, Harry and Tonto, Dog Day Afternoon, High Plains Drifter, and many others. I can recall that when I was a small child the Drake's second floor "lounge" (which I believe included a Lady's "powder room") was to me the height of elegance. I also recall that like many theaters in Queens the Drake served some time as a porn house, and I have a memory (perhaps faulty) of them showing Deep Throat and other 70s XXX "hits", but they later reverted back to conventional movies. I also have a memory of the Led Zeppelin riot of '78, and am quite sure that my brother was there and told me about it that night. Also, in addition to the Howard Stern movie (which had a sweeping pan shot of Woodhaven Boulevard, hilarious to anyone who lived around there) there was a low-budget romantic comedy in the 90s, which I saw on video but the name of which I cannot recall, about an immigrant from Taiwan who works at a Chinese restaurant in Queens and dates a non-Asian American woman -- at one point they go out for dinner and a movie and there is a nighttime exterior shot of the Drake with the marquee blazing, although by that time I'm quite sure it was no longer in operation as a theater.

I went here once to see "City Slickers" on its first run, which must have been 1990. I remember it being a nice, clear neighborhood theatre and the owner/operator had a lot of equipment on display and left the projector open before/after screenings to you could see the projectors. It was clear to me that whoever ran this place the one time I went there took a lot of pride in its operation. I was sorry to learn that it closed.

I lived right off 63rd Avenue and Woodhaven and remember that Led Zepplin riot. I remember the next day my mother walking me across the street to look at the damage. Glass was everywhere. I also remember seeing "Swiss Family Robinson" and also "American Warewolf in London" The last movie I recall in either 87 or 88 was "Do the Right Thing" I miss that theatre and "old" Rego Park as well. Very fond memories growing up there.

Here is a 1986 image of the Drake. By this time, the Drake had a sidewalk boxoffice with turnstile. The original boxoffice was in the center of the right wall of the lobby. A ticket taker was stationed at the entrance doors to the auditorium:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/95536f94.jpg

Here's a 1945 ad. The three nabes were independently owned, but used the booking-and-buying services of Brandt Theatres, hence the advertising link:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/132-3299_IMG.jpg

Having worked at numerous neighborhood houses I was surprised when around 1965/66 when we went to the Drake to see The Iprcrss File it had no ticket taker, just a turnstile at the entrance. It was the only time I went to the Drake. When in New York and visiting the are we often go to "London Lenny's" restaurant which is not far from the theatre.

Here is the ad for the 1970 matinee re-issue of the "Wizard of Oz". I remember when I was working at the Drake the posters and lobby cards for this engagement were still there. They spared every expense for this ad, and the one sheet was not too much better either.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/WizardofOz1970re-issue.jpg

That ad illustrates a funny thing I recall from living in the area in the 60s and 70s: Lefrak City would never acknowledge it was actually in Corona. Hence, the ad lists both Drake and UA Lefrak City under Rego Park -- of course, they're (relatively) nowhere near each other!
I think the Drake was my favorite of all the theaters in the area. It just always seemed so cozy and comfortable. Some of the names mentioned above are very familiar, but I honestly can't remember whether I saw The Ipcress File, or Wait Until Dark, or Butch Cassidy, or any of the other pictures of the mid-late 60s or early 70s at the Drake, or the Arion, or someplace else. It was basically wherever my father decided to drive. But I do have a distinctive memory of one of the theaters -- probably the Arion -- having peeling paint all over the ceiling, on the rare occasion when they turned on the lights.
And wow -- "London Lenny's" -- there's a name I had completely forgotten! Did I ever actually eat there, or just go past? I have no idea!

Jeffrey1955, were you born in 1955 ? I was.

The address in the introduction is incorrect. The Drake was/is situated at 62-90 Woodhaven Boulevard.

PKoch, yes I was born in 1955 -- pretty clever of me, eh? But I was born in the Bronx. Moved to Elmhurst in 1963, went to PS 13, IS 61, and Newtown High School, and then pretty much disappeared in the mid-70s when I went off to college and hardly came back. My parents hung on there until about '79, then moved up to Peekskill.

Thanks, Warren and Jeffrey1955, for your answers. Warren, I thought that 589 Woodhaven Boulevard looked suspicious. Perhaps that was the address before the hyphenated Queens "Philadeplphia" street address system of numbered streets and avenues took effect. Thanks, Jeffrey1955, for your personal details. It's a good idea to to include your year of birth in your handle on this board, so other moviegoers can gain some sense of what your movie-going experience might be.

The sixth comment on this page is my first comment on the Drake Theater, as "Peter.K", on 14 April 2004. I somehow logged myself out, and had to log back in as "PKoch".

The Drake apparently first opened in December, 1935. A news item in the April 10, 1936 issue of New York State Exhibitor said that after four months in operation, the Drake was switching to a continuous run policy. Previously, it was two-a-day (one matinee and one evening show daily).

Warren - can I use your 1986 shot of the Drake for a Rego Park Forgotten NY page? Please write to me. Thanks - Christina (nutrichris@rcn.com)

There are two exterior views of the Drake in the new article about Rego Park at www.forgotten-ny.com. Elsewhere in the article, the Elmwood Theatre can be seen in the background of a photo of Fairyland amusement park. The Trylon Theatre is also prominently featured in the article.

Here is a pair of soft X's from 1972. The company that released them Marvin was a releasing company that put out hundreds of horror, action and soft porn flicks in the 70's and 80's. They distributed for dozens of independent companies. At the end of the Rivoli's life (then the UA Twin) when UA was sabotaging it, the booker for UA said to me "we should have renamed it the Marvin 1 & 2 because that's all the f%$^* we book in there".
http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/?action=view¤t=BlueMoney.jpg

Here is a pair of soft X's from 1972. The company that released them Marvin was a releasing company that put out hundreds of horror, action and soft porn flicks in the 70's and 80's. They distributed for dozens of independent companies. At the end of the Rivoli's life (then the UA Twin) when UA was sabotaging it, the booker for UA said to me "we should have renamed it the Marvin 1 & 2 because that's all the f%$^* we book in there".
http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/?action=view¤t=BlueMoney.jpg

I didn't realize they showed stuff like that at the Drake!

The Drake used to play hardcore XXX at one time. When it was owned by Murray Schoen who at the time also operated the Deluxe in Woodside, he would play XXX one week and 2nd run double bills the next.

My memories of the seedy Drake Theater are not favorable at all. In the late '60s, they ran a number of foreign softcore X films, mostly in B&W. I watched a few out of curiosity, but they were pretty bad, especially when the moviemakers tried to throw in some redeeming social value. There was even one ("491" or something like that) with a Biblical connection! I'd seen other non-erotic films there, but upon leaving the Drake, I always felt that I needed to shower, and real fast!

A photo and short article about the Drake Theatre can be found in the current issue of the Queens Chronicle as part of its ongoing "I Have Often Walked" series: www.queenschronicle.com

Jan 1968, almost in release for 3 years

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/SoundofMusic1-68.jpg

When did this area become known as Rego Park? I happened on an ad for the Drake Theatre from January, 1940, which describes it as being in West Forest Hills. In the same newspaper, an ad for the spectacular new Howard Johnson's Restaurant on Queens Boulevard near Woodhaven Boulevard was also described as located in West Forest Hills. Perhaps the name "Rego Park" had not been adopted yet?

That's an interesting question, but a cursory search indicates that the name Rego Park was already in use by the 1920s:

From the history of the Resurrection Assumption Church, http://www.rachurch.org/history.htm

In 1925, Rego Park was, simply, a nameless stretch of country where, approximately, ten farmers -most of them of the old German and Dutch stock -- raised truck vegetables which they sold in Manhattan. Sixty-third Drive was a cow path -- none of the present streets existed -- and the farmhouses had neither gas nor electricity. The Rego Construction Company had purchased three farms, which comprised approximately forty-five acres. The name "Rego Park" was adopted to mean "Real Good" - a description of the quality of the homes they intended to build. This farmland was bounded [triangularly] by 63rd Drive, the Long Island Railroad, and a line of about 200 feet east of Eliot Avenue. Many of our "pioneer" parishioners were the proud purchasers of these homes when they were completed.

Meanwhile, Rego Park was springing up like an adolescent youth. The cornerstone of P.S. 139 was laid in 1928, and the school was opened in 1930. Next, the Lutheran Church of Our Saviour was opened in 1931. Noticeably, 63rd Drive also appeared to be shaping up. Families were rapidly moving into this lovely and convenient section of Queens and so, in keeping pace with this development, his Excellency, Bishop Thomas Molloy addressed the spiritual needs of his people. Therefore, in 1926, Rev. Francis Scullin was appointed to found a parish in what was, then, the outlying section of St. Bartholomew's Church in Elmhurst. There were many problems facing Father Scullin [and his parishioners] foremost, of course, was finding the most suitable location to build a church that would serve all the people. A temporary church was constructed by the parishioners on 55th Avenue in Elmhurst. It was called the Church of the Ascension of Elmhurst. Over the years, improvements have been made to this very "homelike, and "peaceful" church. The probable date of the first Mass was February 28, 1926. ... The first wedding took place on June 19, 1926. The groom was George Renhardt and his bride, Eleanor Coddington. Father Scullin "officiated" at their marriage.For the convenience of many parishioners, arrangements were made to schedule the Sunday Mass celebration in the Rego Park Community Club House, on 62nd Avenue.
---
Thus there was already a Rego Park Cumminty Club House in 1926. Also, note that the 63rd Drive-Rego Park station of the IND subway was so designated when it opened on Dec. 31, 1936.

Dang, that should have said Community, not Cumminty. This isn't letting me scroll to check anything.

I enjoyed going to the drake. The theatre was not that big so you had a good view of the screen. The last movie I had seen there was - THE LAST STAR FIGHTER- . I miss the good days of sitting there and watching a movie.

Thanks, Jeffrey1955, for posting about the history of Rego Park.

A new direct link to a 1989 image of the Drake Theatre. By that time, the boxoffice had been moved to the sidewalk, with a turnstile entrance. The original boxoffice was in the right wall of the lobby, with a ticket taker stationed at the entrance to the rear of the auditorium (which ran parallel to Woodhaven Boulevard):http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/123-2313_IMG.jpg

Warren and Jeffrey, I think I can add some information on the Rego Park/West Forest Hills question. As early as 1928, when the Rego Park LIRR station opened under that name, the area was - at least to a certain extent - being referred to as Rego Park. This was only a few years after the initial development began.In many cases, the name selected by the LIRR to name a station had a significant effect on how the community would subsequently be known, and it probably had no small effect here. (Incidently, the fact that no station was created BEFORE 1928 clearly underlines just how undeveloped Rego Park was at that relatively recent date.)

My guess is that the area now called Rego Park was referred to as West Forest Hills for the same reason that Corona was once known as West Flushing - the two lightly populated "communities" were just viewed as appendages to their more developed neighbors. (It's funny that in both of these cases, the usual "west-to-east" development pattern just did not apply.) The fact that some people were still calling the area West Foprest Hills as late as the mid-1930's just means that things didn't change all at once. It was probably the opening of the Queens Boulevard subway in the late 1930's that spurred the explosive development that tipped the scale on Rego Park's side once and for all.

While I never caught a film at the Drake, I vaguely remember my parents taking me to a bowling alley that - I believe - was situated in the theater's basement. I was only about eight or nine at the time - I was born in 1950 - so I may be confusing this with another building situated a block or so away. (Anyone with clearer memories, please join in.) The bowling alley was, as I recall, a rather modest affair that featured human pin setters.

One last point about neighborhoods that might confuse the situation even more. Since this portion of Woodhaven Blvd. serves as the border between Rego Park and Middle Village - and since the Drake is on the Middle Village side of the street - the latter apparently has a pretty strong claim to it. Does anyone remember the Drake ever being referred to as a Middle village venue? Given the fact that the Drake is pretty far from Middle Village's center, I think this probably is not the case. But it is worth to raise the question, if only to cover all the bases.

John, thanks for that information. I suspect that the Drake would not want to be known as a Middle Village venue, because the Arion already was drawing the Middle Village crowd, and the Drake wanted to be identified with the area from which it was most likely to draw -- whether that was thought of as West Forest Hills (at it apparently was initially) or Rego Park.

p.s. As for there being a bowling alley downstairs, I really don't recall that. But I do remember there being a bowling alley in the area known as Woodhaven Lanes -- and if you want a classic example of just how confused the community names in Queens can be, try Googling "Woodhaven Lanes." You'll immediately get a page on which it is variously referred to as:

Woodhaven Lanes, in Forest Hills
Brunswick Woodhaven Lanes - Rego Park, NY 11374 - ...
Brunswick Woodhaven Lane - Queens/Middle Village - Flushing, NY 11385
Brunswick Woodhaven Lanes in Flushing

How many more places can it be?

The bowling alley at - or near - the Drake probably closed around 1960. This was probably the reason why my father's bowling league had to find a new place to play.

Apropos Woohhaven Lanes, your reference is timely since, despite protests to the contrary, this venue is scheduled to close very soon. (It seems that bowling alleys appear as much on the endangered list as do old movie palaces!) It is situated south of the Drake - on the other side of the street - between Metropolitan Ave. and the bridge that crosses the LIRR's Montauk line.

It's confused geography stems from the action taken in the 1930's that moved Woodhaven Blvd. to the east. Since Woodhaven - or, as it was originally known, Trotting Course Lane - served as the border between Forest Hills/Rego Park and Glendale in this neck of the woods, this action placed a small enclave of Glendale on the other side of the border. (A remnant of Trotting Course Lane remains and traces the original street course.) Woodhaven Lanes is situated within this enclave. So, if we are to be historically accurate, the bowling lanes are actually situated in Glendale, the above noted Google references notwithstanding. And you thought the Drake's location was cloudy!

Woops, I meant to say that Woodhaven was moved to the WEST - not the east! - during the 1930's. Sorry for making a confusing situation even more muddy.

Thanks, John and Jeffrey, for this detailed information. Such loving attention to fine detail shows your love of this subject so clearly.

It was a Friday night in 1973 at the Drake. Double feature: "Let The Good Times Roll" and "Bless the Beasts and the Children". First film was very loud, second was very disturbing to a 9 year old and my 7 year old sister (shots of animals getting slaughtered, etc). I believe it was the only time in my live at that theatre. Pretty much forgot about the place till I saw "Private Parts" in 1997.

Here are front and back views of the auditorium from the 1970s. The final image has been deliberately brightened to show some of the side walls, which were just panels of fabric punctuated by painted columns:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/drakex.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/drakey.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/drakez.jpg

The last movie I saw at the Drake was "Annie". I don't remember the theater being all that impressive inside.

The one and only film I saw at the Drake was "Return Of The Jedi" on Sunday, May 5, 1985. It didn't look that great inside, and I felt slightly uneasy due to the run-down, unclean condition within.

I wss never in the Drake but was impressed to read one time that the owners would close the theatre for a week or two each year and give it a really thorough cleaning. Must have been a mom and pop shop.

This photo claims to be from 1987.

Was the Drake closed by 1987? It apperars there's nothing on the Marquee.

Since it was converted into the catering hall soon thereafter, it seems pretty easy to assume that the movie house was closed by 1987.

By the way, some time last year, I noted that many years ago - no later than the late 1950's - a bowling alley was situated in the basement of what I believe was the Drake. My parents bowled there as part of a league. The place closed rather suddenly, probably right after the Woodhaven Lanes opened. Does anyone remember the old bowling alley, and was it siuated in the Drake building or somewhere else? It would seem that only a building as large as the Drake could accommodate a bowling alley, but maybe not.

No actual name was given in this "Building Plans Filed" report from the 6/20/35 issue of The New York Times, but it was almost certainly the Drake: "Woodhaven Blvd, west side, from 62d to 63 Sts; 1-story brick moving picture theatre, 100 x 200; Thesium Amusement Corp., 441 Av. P, Brooklyn, owner; Paul Greenbaum, architect; cost, $40,000."