UA Crossbay

The Crossbay had Charles Sandblom as architect and first opened in 1924. Several years later, the owners sold the theatre to William Fox during the buying rampage that ended in his bankruptcy with the onset of the Depression. Afterwards, the Crossbay landed with the Prudential Circuit, which, along with Randforce and Skouras, took over most of the ex-Fox theatres. Up until the era of "Premiere Showcase," the Crossbay had been playing subsequent-run to the area's leaders, Loew's Willard and the RKO Keith's Richmond Hill.

My first time to the original Crossbay was June 1975 to see a double bill of "Flesh Gordon" and "The Groove Tube". I was next there the last Saturday of November 1989 to see "Back To The Future II". I was sorry to see how it had deteriorated since 1975. Ditto the Saturday of Labor Day weekend 1993 when I returned there to see "Hard Target".
Harrison Ford in "The Fugitive" was playing in an adjacent cinema.
I haven't been there since.

Crossbay 2 a few blocks west at Liberty Avenue and 92nd Street was already open in mid-October 1990, because I almost saw Barry Levinson's "Avalon" there, then. The 1990 remake of "Night Of The Living Dead" was playing there also. The first film I saw at the Crossbay 2 was "Silence Of The Lambs" on Easter Eve 1991, then "Defenseless" in late August 1991, and, most recently, the Christopher Reeve-Kirstie Alley remake of "Village Of The Damned" the first Saturday in May 1995.

One almost wouldn't know the Crossbay 2 were there unless one was looking for it. I think it's more visible from Rockaway Blvd. than it is from Liberty Avenue.

The address listed for the UA Crossbay is:
9411 Rockaway Blvd
Ozone Park, NY 11417

Not too surprising that both etheatres neat a rehab. I am surprised that the Crossbay has been able to hang in there at all.

This may be gone the marquee is bare, I will check it out today.

The theatre is no longer in the listings in any of the NY papers. I think this theatre is a goner.

Is the Crossbay gone? This was my neighborhood theatre when I was a child. Only a single house then. Nothing distinguished or endearing about the looks of the place- just good to know it was still there. You have to scratch your head over all the theatres in the immediate area that have closed in the last 25 years - Casino, Lefferts, City Line Cinema, Haven, Arion, Drake, Elmwood, Trylon, Forest Hills, the Lefrak. The audience of people who still see films in theatres must be less than half of what it was pre-VCR.

I'm still suprised this closed, the two Crossbays are in a clear booking zone and can play anything they want. This theatre was actually in much better shape then the newer Crossbay 2.

Why be surprised? Since when have any UA theatres been operated with any common sense? And now with Regal running the show they'd ptobably rather just be rid of the old UA's.

According to moviefone, the Crossbay 2 is still open.

UA Crossbay 1 the 3 screener cinema is closed and will be gutted for other use.

UA80
When is Crossbay 2 closing?

Did Regal own the Crossbay 1? If so, the reason for its closing is as obvious as the pretty green-inked paper that Philip Anschutz probably counts at night in lieu of sheep...

When it's gutted down what is it going to be? Please let me know. Also they closed the Fortway in Bay Ridge Bklyn.

Regal Entertainment is currently buying even more theatre chains.

Regal acquired 52 Hoys locations representing 554 screens in 2003.

In April of this year 29 theatres with 314 screens from R/C Theatres was sold to Regal.

Regal is also taking over 22 Eastern Federal multiplexes.

Regal is simply cutting cost and closing smaller theatres.
Crossybay 1 only has 3 screens and was not worth operating.

Crossybay 2 should be safe for now, however in today’s CineWorld it is now 15 years old and that is like 90 years old in today's CineWorld.

Regal is looking at buying at least 2 more chains before years end if it is not modern with at least 10 screens with Stadium Seating and Digital Sound all around...

Than look for one day soon the marquee to read:

CROSSBAY 2 NOW CLOSED PLEASE VISIT
REGAL HOLLYWOOD 22

Regal Entertainment Group (Regal, U.A., Edwards) is legendary for running their older theatres straight into the ground.

Here is their viewpoint as stated in the 2002 Regal Entertainment Group Annual Report: “Our strong cash flow from efficient operations combined with the limited need to make maintenance expenditures and a conservative capital structure, provide us with significant flexibility to pursue and execute our future growth opportunities.”

Frankly, I’m surprised this place managed to survive as long as it did after the UA-Regal-Edwards merger back in 2002.

Where is the Regal Hollywood 22? I've never heard of it before.

I think UA80 might have been injecting a bit of sarcasm into his post, Warren.

June 23rd was the final day of operation for the UA Crossbay I. The Crossbay II is still open and showing movies.

Odd to close a theatre in summertime.

The Oriental, Fortway & Marboro all closed up shop in May, June & July respectively.

UA East 85th St is another theatre Regal Entertainment Group is putting a beating to.

Regal switch this theatre to a basically all art format that is not doing that great.

This week is "March of the Penguins".

They will keep this format until they kill this theatre off and will than close it.

This is also done by National Amusements / Multiplex Cinemas / Showcase Cinemas as division of Viacom. <-
That was a mouth full. ;-)

N/A will switch to an art format in theatres final six months or so to draw attendance down so they are “forced to close due a decline in attendance” or “for business reasons”.

This is what Regal now will also use to close a location.

Not as often anymore N/A would go sub-run to shutter locations but now uses the “art format” to close a location.

I recently read an article in Film Journal or Boxoffice and was surprised to find out that National Amusements is still owned by the Redstone family, and has not been folded into Viacom.

Are the theater divestiture consent decrees of the 1940s still in force? If they are, the Redstones may be staying within the letter of the law by ensuring that the theaters are not part of the same corporate structure as Paramount.

You're right - I hadn't thought of that...

I think the decree was eased up at some point, From 1989-1998 Sony Pictures owned both Columbia-TriStar Pictures & the Loews Theatres Circuit, such cross ownership would not have been permited if the decree was still in place as originally written.

I believe Loews petitioned the court at that time to be released from the decree, and the petition was granted. But I think the decree is still in effect for other enteties.

2 points of clarification re. the previous posts...

1. The statute of limitations on the Paramount Decrees expired many years ago, thereby rendering them null and void. Hence the 1989 Sony/Columbia/Tri-Star/Loews merger and subsequent vertically integrated companies that exist in the film biz.

2. N/A wasn't folded into Viacom because it is technically a separte entity that is privately owned by the Redstone family. It is through N/A that Redstone stands as the majority shareholder of Viacom with approximately 60% ownership.

Thanks for the clarification!

Also American Companies were not required to divest their international holdings, MGM held on to the international division of Loews for a while & Gulf + Western (Paramount) owned the Famous Players Circuit in Canada.

Same goes for IFC and Clearview Cinemas (also a cable vision company) yet IFC Center isn't a Clearview location in the least. It doesn't even offer the same type of cola. As for this discussion on going art house or not, another sign that a theater isn't compleatly 100% well is if they start showing Bollywood or porno. Bollywood and Porno are interestingly enough the only two genres that you know exsactly what you can expect before you enter the theatre because there is a list of conventions that go along with the genre.

As for second run- we need more of them. Interstate Theatres is one chain (a division of Cinemark) that is a true discount chain (showing movies often weeks before they are on DVD) and they have had great success at Columbia Park in North Bergen- the place is packed every night for $2.00 movies. This pricing structure may not work for N/A or Regal but it does work.

Do you think a $2 house could still make it in NY?

I think a $2 house could survive if located in the right neighborhood in the outer boroughs, but not in Manhattan; the rents are too killer and, even with packed houses for every show and every audience member buying a medium soda and popcorn (or the price equivalent of the two), the owner would probably have to consider him or herself the beneficiary of a miracle if they somehow managed to break even.

As for studio ownership of theatre chains, don't Paramount and Warner Bros. own Mann Theatres 50/50? I seem to remember one studio getting into a pissing match with the other (Paramount, I think it was, getting ticked off with Warner Bros.) a couple of years back and withholding their product from Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for a time as a result...

Wasn't the Company Paramount & Warner jointly owned at one point called Cinamerica Theatres LP?

That's it! I couldn't think of the name they were using - Cinamerica - for a brief time they owned Trans-Lux here in the east, until they sold the T-L theatres to Dan Crown.

Today's Daily News quotes a realtor who says the building will be leased as retail space.

Here's the photo that accompanied the Daily News article, in which writer Warren Woodberry, Jr. made some serious errors. He couldn't even get the name correct, reporting it as Cross Bay throughout. He also cited John Eberson as the architect and said that the Jackson is the oldest theatre in Queens still showing movies. Perhaps he believes the Ridgewood to be in Brooklyn:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/133-3336_IMG.jpg

I saw a movie here as a kid in the mid-1960's, something with dinosaurs around the bend in a river, but we had to leave before it was over when my cousin got a nosebleed.

This is the Daily News article that Doug mentioned a few messages above. The article gives the architect as John Eberson.

I suspect the original denizens referred to it as "Cross Bay". This would be consistent with its location on Woodhaven Blvd which in fact crosses the bay further south in Howard Beach and the entrance to the Rockaways. It would also be consistent with the locals calling the area along Liberty Ave further west "East Nee York."

I note that the Daily News article states that the oldest Queens movie house still showing films is the Jackson in Jackson Heights. t began screening movies in 1924. This is of course consistent with the opinion of many that the Ridgewood, which began life in 1913 as a vaudeville / movie house, is in Brooklyn.

Hi I passed by the theatre on October 6th and was surprised to see it closed.

I was so in disbelief that I decided to snap a few pics with my
camera phone and here they are.

http://www.feedbacknyc.com

The site is still barebones, nothing on there but these 2 pics.

Hopefully I'll be getting over to that neck of the woods to snap some more pics ASAP.

Ps
I made a mental note to myself to always carry my digital in case i happen to spot other note-worthy items.

Seating in 1988 for the UA Crossbay was: Theater#1-600, Theater#2-400, Theater#3-410. Total seats 1410.

I just read the article referenced by Lost Memory regarding the Cross Bay which referenced the "architectural majesty" of this theater. I must must have been at a different Cross Bay! I am also mystified that the theater John Eberson designed this theater (in addition to the Lefferts in nearby Richmond Hill. This is the same architect who designed the glorious Valancia in Jamaica. My memories of the Cross Bay and Leffetd were as drab utilitarian theaters with nothing that really stands out and I saw many movies there. As oppossed to the Valencia where I remember everything because it was just so beautiful.

My biggest memory of the Cross Bay wasn't the theater, but what I saw there. One Saturday in the 70's, I went with friends to spend the entire day watching "Go Ape"!!! They were showing all 5 Planet of the Apes movies in sequence. That was a fun day.

I miss the Valencia, but I won't miss the Cross Bay.

As I pointed out in my post of 8/15/05, John Eberson did NOT design the Crossbay. The Crossbay's architect was Charles Sandblom. Eberson's first project in Queens was Loew's Valencia, which opened in January, 1929, roughly five years after the Crossbay.

I miss any theater that has closed, never to re-open. They are all "treasures" to me.

Thanks Warren! Now it makes sense. I'm couldn't beleive that someone like Eberson would design a theater like the Cross Bay. It would've been a big blotch on his resume.

I respect "saps" opinion that he mourns every closed theater, but I personally think only theaters of significant architectural or historical background deserve to be saved. "Significant" means many things to many people, but I doubt anyone would include The Cross Bay, the Casino and Lefferts (both in nearby Richmond Hill) in this category. These fall into the category of Ho Hum theaters. I now live in Chelsea in Manhattan and about 15 years ago, Cineplex Odeon opened the Chelsea Cinemas multiplex which, at that time was the largest in Manhattan. Now part of the Clearview chain, it falls into the Ho Hum category as well and, in my opinion, should be torn down and replaced with a modern theater complex similar to Loew's Lincoln Square, 42nd St and 34th St. showplaces. These theaters are comforatable, have stadium seating, great sound and in the case of Lincoln Square, a unique achitectural element that recalls many of Loew's movie palaces of the past.

Most of my friends only go to Chelsea Cinemas when it is too cold, or rainy to go to the other, much better theaters. We'd much rather walk up to 34th from 23rd at all other times.

I don't think Cablevision is going to tear down their profitable Chelsea to re-build. I wonder how many theaters Clearview has built from the ground up, as opposed to purchasing or converting. I do find that although Chelsea has no stadium seating, it is comfortable, with big screens, bright light and good sound, and a friendly staff.

I don't think Clearview has built any theatres from the ground up - they were all aquired from other operators.

Mansfield, but the right to build on that site was retained form Nelson-Firman. We'll see if they grow in the AMC/Loews merger, but I doubt it, actually.

I re-posted some of these comments on the Chelsea Theater page.

A 1926 image: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/crossbay.jpg

I was watching the "King of Queens" the other night and the show started with a exterior shot of the UA Crossbay. Am I correct in assuming that is this theater?

You may not be mistaken, JohnG409 !

Got memories of the cross bay theatres? i am a reporter in Queens working on a story about the now shuttered cross bay I and Cross Bay II theatres in south queens and would love to include some local color in the form of personal recollection of the movie houses in their heyday. please post your memories, or better yet, post with your email and we can chat. Thanks. Jennifer M.

Jennifer M, please see the second post on this page by "Peter.K". That's me. I accidentally logged myself out last year and logged back in as "PKoch".

My Easter Eve 1991 viewing of "Silence Of The Lambs" at Crossbay II was particularly memorable, because I got there from my Ridgewood home by taking the B-18 bus to Jamaica Ave. and Crescent St., then walking to the Crossbay II from there, past the "Last / First Bar In Brooklyn", on the Bklyn-Queens border, where Fulton St. becomes Rockaway Blvd., thence southeast on Rockaway Blvd. with the sun setting behind me, and a big full moon rising in front of me. A beautiful and poignant clear evening !

I had since broken up with the lady I almost saw "Avalon" with at the Crossbay II in October of 1990, and, while I did NOT walk past her home in South Richmond Hill after seeing "Silence", I DID see her in church in Manhattan the following day. We just looked at each other without saying a word : a "silence" of our own.

thanks Peter Koch (that is your full name, yes?) where do you live? i will use your memories in my story if you dont mind.

Yes, jenniferm, Peter Koch is my full name, I live in Dobbs Ferry NY, just north of NYC, and yes, you may use my memories in your story. Thank you.

Jennifer
I was in the Crossbay once in 1981 when I lived in NY. I went to see Chariots Of Fire after it won best picture. It upsets and saddens me as to what ahs happened to all the theaters I remember from my 8 years of living in NYC. To add fuel to the fire this stupid merger of AMC and Lowes will now wipe out what's left of great NYC memories.

Hi Jennifer, I grew up in Ozone Park and I went to many a movie at the Crossbay, the Lefferts and the Casino. The latter two next door in richmond Hill. These theaters were truly neighborhood theaters. I don't have any recollection of these theaters having any truly remarkable or memorable architecture. They were just places to see movies. If you wanted "Atmoshphere" you went to the Valenica in Jamaica. Every time I went to a movie at the Valencia, the theater was as much a part of the experience as the film. I truly miss those days. While I miss the Valencia, I don't miss the Crossbay, Casino & Lefferts. Not at all! The one truly memorable day at the Crossbay though was when I spent the whole day there with friends to see all five "Planet of the Apes" movies in a promotion called "Go Ape" in the mis 70's! There was a lot of popcorn flying that day!

From the distance, and cold light of the early 21st century, this story may seem as if my Mom was a bad parent. That is not the point of this story. If you can think back to a simpler time in Ozone Park where nothing bad ever happened, here is the tale.

It was a summer Saturday 1962, I was six years old, and my sister was eight. My mother had to go on an errand, and she decided to let us spend the day at The UA Crossbay. The main feature was “The Longest Day.” Not exactly kiddie fare. My mom gave my sister the money and gave her strict instructions to wait for her on the bench, which then existed on the triangle in front of the theatre. The bench faced west towards Woodhaven Blvd. It was a plan. It should have worked. It would have gotten her in trouble these days, but back in 1962, life was different.

My sister was wearing shorts. Back in those days, the UA Crossbay, and a lot of other theatres had a modesty rule against ladies wearing shorts to their establishments. I guess that it is the same kind of rule that they use in Afghanistan where women may only wear those birkas in public.

The manager in his suit and tie saw my sister in her shorts and refused admittance to her on the basis of her attire. I said that if my sister can’t go in, I am not going in. We held hands and crossed Liberty Avenue to the bench on the triangle. We sat there until everyone had entered the theatre. The show must have started. I guess that the manager felt like a real fool enforcing that no shorts rule against an eight year old and her six-year-old brother. He sheepishly ambled across Liberty Avenue and told us that it was OK; we could come in and see the movie. Before I could say “YIPEE!” and race across Liberty Avenue, my sister dug her heels in and firmly told the manager that she was staying right there and waiting for her mother. She did not want to see their movie. The manager slunk away like the evil minded little jerk that he was.

We sat there watching cars zoom up and down Cross Bay/Woodhaven, Liberty/Rockaway for at least six hours. Barley talking. I never counted so many cars before. It was among the worst days of my little life. My mom was angry with the manager, but proud of us for sitting like little statues for such along time. She never did anything like that again.

There is a distinct tinge of sadness now almost half a century later that the UA Crossbay is now gone, I have moved far away to the wilds of central New Jersey, the manager of public morals must have gone to his just reward, and the world is such a different place. Whatever happens to the UA Crossbay property, I hope that it is a good thing, and a nice place for children and a place where all goes well.

Good story, WRLynch, and thanks for posting it. I am about your age. The rule was against ladies (adult women) wearing shorts, yet your pre-adolescent sister was (at first) denied admission. Ironic, in that you and your sister probably would have been safer inside the Crossbay than sitting outside, and also ironic in light of at least the last thirty years of child pornography.

Last weekend I went Ozone Park to
visit with my Mom for the weekend. (I moved to Pa.)

We were on our way to Howard Beach for dinner when
I noticed there was not a sign on the Crossbay;
at the same time my Mom told me that she thought
the Crosbay was closed. I was really sad to hear that.
It was an icon in Ozone Park. A place where you went
on a Saturday afternoon, where you went on your first
date, where you probably got your first kiss, and
eventually brought your children.

The first movie I can every remember seeing there
was when I was about 10 yrs. old. My grandmother
loved Maurice Chevalier! So I was elected to take a
walk with her and see the movie "Gigi". At first
I thought; If my grandmother likes it, I would hate it
and the only good thing was that my grandmother would
buy me chocolate covered ice cream bon bons.
But I loved the movie and instantly had a crush on Louis Jourdan.
I was humming the song Gigi for a week.

Thanks for posting this story, LindaP, and "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" such as you once were !

How was your visit with your Mom in Ozone Park ?

If UA had made the outside of this theatre look as good as it does as a Modells it may still be open. I have to take a picture of it and post it here. They redid the marquee and the entire front in a beige stone, looks so nice.

As of today 5/20/06 the former Crossbay is opening up into a Models Sporting Goods store. I wish they save some of these great theatres being that they look great architecturally. What will they do in the Cross Bay area now that both Crossbay 1 and 2 are closed?

Hopefully open another cinema somewhere close by.

Regal closed the Crossbay because they opened Atlas 8 but to me they were far enough apart to both survive.

It should be added in the info that there is a Models sporting good store here, so far since the store just opened, the interior has no remains of the old theatre, the awning and everything else is intact but repainted. The small "Coming Soon" boxes were filled up, altogether so far the interior was the main thing that was changed, and the exterior is still the same but with certain improvements. I think it was better to close Crossbay 1, it was in a state of deterioration and it was small. Crossbay 2 should be the one that should stay and be renovated if needed but right now that seems highly unlikely.

ShortyC, I agree with you. BTW, that's Modell's, not Models/

Sorry about the spelling error there, Ill try to get a pic of the theatre for all of you guys if I have time.

Three photos I took in June 2006 of the recently opened Modell's store (formerly the UA Crossbay Theatre):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/188762977/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/188763338/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kencta/188763622/

Great photos Ken.

Thanks Shoty, unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing left of the theatre to photograph inside (it's all been covered over-or even maybe removed?)

I was talking to the manager and I also saw the construction being done after Crossbay was closed. The building was completely gutted and then made to Modell's specs. The only thing you can really see from the old theatre is the exterior which is now painted in a creamy color. Also the gate area on the Rockaway side is still the same (rusted dull look) and the coming soon area is still that aged gray. Its funny that they used a huge peice of plywood to cover the coming soon boxes. Personally I would say Modells rushed to open this store to make some money. I really didn't mind Crossbay 1 closing being that it was small and really a bad theatre, but Crossbay 2 was a bad move to close. It just needed a renovation but that idea is dead.

Having only known the "Crossbay" on Rockaway Blvd/Liberty Ave and Woodhaven Blvds, I've always been fascinated to see it referrede to as Crossbay 2 and the johnny-come-lately duplex as Crossbay 1. The building still looks very nice on the outside. The streets look very alive and clean with the Liberty Ave el gone.....What a waste.

The el is still there! I grew up going to the Crossbay 1 or is it 2? The older one and while apparently it was much better than the multiplex, I still think it was a dumpy theater. It was no Valencia, RKO Keiths (Flushing or Richmond Hill), Elmwood, TriBoro, Alden, the list of quality old theaters in Queens is long. The Crossbay is not in that company.

Maybe 'Tonino meant the LIRR elevated area that is by Rockaway and I think 100th street (it runs by John Adams H.S). That structure has been abandoned since the 50's or 60's, they should really put it back in service, to me it looked liked a good route. I agree with LuisV, the Crossbay would never reach the status and grandeur of the Wonder theatres and other great movie palaces. But if UA payed more attention to both structures (1 and 2)the theatres would have been better and may have seen more people. But UA let everything go with the Crossbays, which led to their demise.

The LIRR structure south of Rockaway and Woodhaven is still used by NYC Subway's A Train to Aqueduct Racetrack and The Rockaways.

Sorry for the confusion. Upon a second look I see that the pictures were all in front of Rockaway Blvd and excluded Liberty Ave. The area does appear cleaner and brighter than in '57 to '61 when I lived at 96-11 95 Ave, or through the '80s when I visited my mother.

There used to be a great diner a few blocks south on Woodhaven Blvd, east side. Name escapes me. Is it still there?

Never meant to imply that the Crossbay was in the same league as the Valencia or RKO Keiths or Madison. It was a family movie house comparable to the Lefferts, Glenwood, or Oasis. Not an itch like the Acme or Haven.

Here are some photos of the former UA Crossbay.

Great photos Lost Memory.

The Crossbay was another of those Queens theatres built by selling shares to area residents. In this case, about 360 people, mostly from Woodhaven, Ozone Park, and Richmond Hill, put up the $300,000 needed to build the Crossbay, which opened in December, 1924. Within six months, the Crossbay went bankrupt and was forced to close. The property went up for public auction in November, 1925, and the shareholders eventually received some compensation after all the debts of the original corporation were settled. The Crossbay finally re-opened under its new ownership on January 30th, 1926. Ironically, the first movie was entitled "The Wrong Doers," though I doubt that it was an indictment of those responsible for the Crossbay's initial failure...Incidentally, reports of these events in the Richmond Hill Record of that time always spelled the theatre's name as Cross Bay, not Crossbay. I don't know when the two words were merged into one.

Thanks, Warren. Why DID the Crossbay go bankrupt by June 1925 ?

Interesting factoid Warren. I'd not heard of these neghborhood "co-op" groups formed to build movie houses. You make it sound like it was a common occurence. What were some of the other Queens theaters built in this manner to which you allude? Which ones were successful?

Sounds a lot more rewarding than todays straight venture capitalists.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior
'Tonino

The Crossbay went bankrupt intially due to incompetent management by people with no experience in the movie business. The new manager hired, identified only as J. Celler, had "been engaged in the show business for more than sixteen years," a report said. He was able to book a higher grade of movies than his predecessor...Our Civic (later Casino) in Richmond Hill and the Park in South Ozone Park were other theatres built by selling stock to local people. Furtherout on Long Island, it was done for the Freeport Theatre in Freeport.

Thanks, Warren.

Where was the Park Theatre in South Ozone Park ?

I remember a Park Theatre which was located just off Rockaway Blvd. East of the Van Wick Expressway. I don't remember the exact block it was on, the last time I was inside was to see Old Yella and I remember very little about the inside of the building. I was about 6 years old at the time. I do know that the building was taken down in the early 60's and was left as an empty lot for many years. It may still be a empty lot.

Thanks for your answer, kong1911.

The Park Theatre was in South Ozone Park and listed here at #8328. I've also posted a photo there. At the time, I wasn't sure if it was this particular Park Theatre, but I've discovered since that it definitely is.

Thanks, Warren. I'll go take a look at it.

If you're interested in theaters in South Ozone Park, look up The Farrell Theater on Rockaway Blvd and 118th St. In addition, there is some additional discussion of the Farrell Theater on the Lefferts Theater page (in nearby Richmond Hill).

If you're interested in theaters in South Ozone Park, look up The Farrell Theater on Rockaway Blvd and 118th St. In addition, there is some additional discussion of the Farrell Theater on the Lefferts Theater page (in nearby Richmond Hill).

Thank you, LuisV. Where was the Lefferts Theater ? At Lefferts Blvd. and Liberty Avenue, at the end of the el ? What number pages are the Lefferts and Farrell Theatres on this site ?

LuisV, what was your personal experience of the Park Theatre, if any ? Was it named after Baisley Pond Park to the southeast ?

The Lefferts Theater was on the south side of Liberty Avenue and 122nd St. It was three blocks down from the Lefferts Blvd. subway terminus. It had a big (and I thought very handsome) marquee with flashing yellow script lettering. I thought it was the best feature of the theater.

I'm happy to say that I am way too young to have a "personal experience" with either The Farrell or The Park theater. I was born in '59 and I believe both of those theaters closed by the late fifties. As I have noted on those theater's pages, I was quite surprised that there were any theaters at all in South Ozone Park in general and on Rockaway Blvd in particular as this was never a big commercial strip or hub. Certainly not in the same vein as Liberty or Jamaica Avenues. But, in the era when Radio was prime entertainment, I guess these theaters were able to hold on until the advent of Television.

p.s. I don't know where to get the theater number. It doesn't appear on the page. I only see it when I get an emial response to a comment. In the meantime just type in south Ozone Park under "City" and these two theaters will pop up.

There's a search engine in the upper left hand corner of this page. You just need to enter the name of a theatre and it will show if it's listed here. You don't need to know the listing #. If the name doesn't turn up, you should try an alternate name search.

Thank you, LuisV. Yes, Warren, I know about the search engine. It doesn't always work, though. The theater # ALWAYS works.

Luis V, I also remember that "Go Ape" promotion and can't believe I sat through five Planet of the Apes movies in one day! Today I'd need a few days to recover from sitting in those chairs that long!

I wonder if anyone remembers the Christmas shows that local police (or maybe the PBA?) would have for neighborhood kids at the Crossbay in the early 70s. We'd see some cartoons, a feature (one year it was John Wayne in 'Brannigan') and then every kid would get presents.

I was out of the area for many years and was surprised to find both Crossbays were closed this year. I must have seen dozens of movies here in the 70s and 80s. It's sad that neighborhood theaters have to disappear like this - and I'm surprised that a theater couldn't be profitable in this location if it were properly run. On the other hand, there was nothing special about the Crossbay. If there was anything noteworthy about the 1924 design, I'd imagine it was lost when the theater was first twinned and then triplexed. (And there was never anything nice about the utilitarian Crossbay 2)

Thanks for your post, J.D. I attended both Crossbay I and II. My first time to Crossbay I was in June 1975 to see "Flesh Gordon" and "The Groove Tube" with my dad. We both had a great time and laughed ourselves sore. I was displeased with how dirty and littered Crossbay I had become when I saw "Back To The Future II" there the last Saturday in November 1989, and "Hard Target" the Saturday before Labor Day 1993.

I enjoyed seeing "Silence Of The Lambs" at Crossbay II on Easter Eve 1991, and "Defenseless" there late August 1991. I just missed seeing "Avalon" there in October 1990. Yes, it was utilitarian, but neat and orderly, when I went there.

Hey J.D. I agree! I grew up in South Ozone Park by Lefferts Blvd and my main 3 theaters in that time were The Lefferts, The Casino and The Crossbay. I must have seen dozens of movies there over the years, but only remember 2 specific movies: The Go Ape marathon at the Crossbay and opening night (in wide release) of The Godfather at The Casino. None of these theaters had anything (that I remember) notable in their architectural designs even though they were all built in the 1920's. Warren actually found a clipping that claimed that The Lefferts was the "Most Beautiful Theater" on Long Island when it opened! I can't imagine it was even the most beautiful theater in Richmond Hill! Unless it opened before the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill; then maybe. Apparently, The Lefferts had an organ and a goldfish pond in the lobby. These were long gone before I started attending in the early 70's.

I have no recollection of the interior of the Crossbay and have not seen anyone post any pictures. I think the best part of this theater was the facade which included two urns. I believe this has been preserved when it was converted into a Modells. The best part of the Lefferts, by far, was its marquee which had a beautiful cursive script spelling out Lefferts in yellow blinking lights. Tragically, this was lost in its transformation into a Rite Aid.

I didn't have the same appreciation for architecture as a young man that I do today and so I may have missed some beautiful elements that remained in these old theaters. Nonetheless, when I went to a true movie palace, like The Valencia, Radio City, RKO Keiths Flushing and The Elmwood, you didn't need to have an appreciation of architecture to notice that they were truly beautiful and special buildings.

Yes, LuisV. The beauty of those last four theaters you mentioned spoke for itself, and made itself readily apparent.

I agree with you that the most impressive feature of the Lefferts was its marquee! "Most beautiful theater on Long Island"?? I guess UA or whoever owned it then had a very ambitious or demented PR rep. Of course, its glory days were long gone by the time I ever got there.

Unfortunately I never saw a movie at the Valencia. I had no idea how beautiful it was at the time - my mother only told me about it many years later. In the 70s it would have seemed too dodgy (and the neighborhood too seedy) to go out of my way to see a movie there. I peeked inside once after it was a church and was amazed.

As a teenager I would go to the Elmwood often, but mainly because it often had big movies before the theaters further south. (Also it was an easy ride on the Q11 bus.) I have to admit that I never noticed the architecture or decor. In those days I might have appreciated a theater's size, big screen, or sound quality, but little else. Perhaps the Elmwood had already been ruined by subdividing by that point?

I wouldn't say ruined, J.D., but much diminished from its former splendor, to say the least.

The last film I saw at the Elmwood before it closed was "Snake Eyes" in August 1998.

I believe that I may have seen "Saturday Night Fever" there (at the Elmwood), then walked across the street to the mall and bought the album. That would have been the high water mark of my "disco phase."
I know that I saw the post-Star Wars re-release of "Barbarella" there, too, because I remember my teen-aged libido having a brief "Jane Fonda" phase.

I always thought twice about going to the Valencia or the Alden in Jamaica. While the theater itself was worth the trip, the area was, to put it mildly, dicey. I never attended a movie in Jamaica at night. It was always a weekend afternoon outing. Once you were inside the theater I never recalled any problems. The 2 films that I distinctly recall seeing at The Valencia were "The Omega Man" and a reissue of "The Ten Commandments" both starring that gun nut Charlton Heston! My Junior High School graduation (JHS 202 in Ozone Park) was also held at The Valencia in 1973.

I never gave a second thought to attending any of the nabe theaters at night (Crossbay, Lefferts, Casino). Ozone Park and South Ozone Park were extremely safe neighborhoods to grow up in in the 70's and early 80's. Jamaica was a different story!

Thanks for the insights on Ozone Park and South Ozone Park, vs. Jamaica, in the 1970's and early 1980's, LuisV.

J.D., I never knew there was a post-Star Wars re-release of "Barbarella". Makes sense, though. More power to your teen-aged libido.

I think this coming Sunday December 16th 2007 is the 30-year anniversary of the opening of the film "Saturday Night Fever".

I held onto my disco phase for a very, very long time. It's why I am so familiar with all of the theaters in Manhattan that were converted into discos before their ultimate destruction. I would never have had a chance to see the Loew's Commodore (The Saint), The Academy of Music (The Palladium), The Henry Miller (Xenon), The Forum (Club USA) if I hadn't gone there to dance. Today's youth has no idea what they missed! The only theater that was truly saved by a disco long enough to eventually return to its legitimate use was Studio 54. Many of these theaters would have disappeared much earlier without their turns as dance palaces. I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to have seen and experience them.

Unfortunately (or not), I was too young to get into discos during the disco era. Besides the Palladium, I didn't realize so many clubs were former theaters, but it makes sense. I often went to the old Webster Hall theater (which I guess was for stage or vaudeville rather than movies) in its 80s incarnation as the Ritz.

I agree with your characterization of the neighborhoods, too. I used to go to Jamaica to use the big library, but I wouldn't hang around the area after dark. Ozone Park always seemed safe. I recall my parents and other grownups often complaining about crime, but they would let us go to theaters like the Crossbay by ourselves at a very young age. In fact, they were more concerned about what we might be seeing than about our safety. We did the old "ask a random adult to get us into an R-rated movie" trick fairly often at the Crossbay.

Yep, I too did The Ritz, which like Roseland, was and continue to be Dance Halls. The Ritz, now Webster Hall, is on the verge on being landmarked. It dates from the 1880's. Theaters made great discos and it's so upsetting that none continue to serve that function today. Unusual structures oftern made the best dance clubs. Besides theaters, the other great discos of the past were Limelight (a old church), The Tunnel (an actual tunnel), The Roxy and The Red Parott (Old Roller Rinks), Bond's International Casino (The huge clothing store in Times Square) and of course, all of the old warehouses (too many to mention.

Regarding growing up in South Ozone Park, it was a great experience. While large parts of the city were out of control (the Bronx and Bushwick were going up in flames) and Times Square had degenerated into an cesspool, our section of Queens was very safe and tranquil. I remember leaving our doors unlocked without worrying. My parents never worried about the kids.

Ironically, with New York safer now than at any time prior to the 60's, you would never let your kids today do what we did back then when it was much more dangerous. Oh, the times have changed.

Thanks for these details, LuisV and J.D. Except for the near-exception of the Oasis Theater in Ridgewood, near the border with Maspeth, becoming a roller rink and concert venue, I hadn't thought in terms of movie theaters surviving as dance palaces.

"the old "ask a random adult to get us into an R-rated movie" trick" : I remember reading about that in Reader's Digest in late 1968 or early 1969 when the G M R X system got started. I think the title of the article was, "GMRX : An Alternative To Movie Censorship ?"

Last August there was an exhibit about Bushwick called "Up From Flames" at the Brooklyn Historical Society in downtown Brooklyn.

Although it still has a ways to go, Bushwick is definitely making a comeback.

Everything is making a comeback! My parents fled The Bronx in 1970. We went back to the old hood last summer and were amazed at how nice everything was. In the 80's almost everything stood vacant and burned. There were empty trash strewn lots and abandoned buildings with the ocassional occupied one. While there are many things I miss about the old gritty New York of the past, the reality was, my home in Queens was safe and idyllic. When I had enough of the "grit" of Times Square, I could leave and go home. I'm very happy that the vast majority of New Yorkers today have neighborhoods that they feel safe in. That, more than anything else, has fueled New York's resurgence and why we have more people living here today than at any time in our history.

Good thoughts, LuisV. The comeback of Bushwick was especially noteworthy, I thought, because, at its worst, the devastation resembled the cities of western Europe right after WW II, as remarked by tourists from Europe bussed into Bushwick in the late 1970's to gawk at the devastation there.

PKoch, My new neighborhood (South Ozone) was mostly made up of refugees from East New York, City Line, Brownsville and Bushwick in Brooklyn as those areas lost their middle class residents. My family was one of the few from the Bronx, but we all shared the same fears and desires to live in a safe and non-flamable environment. I'm very happy that the people who chose to stay in those neighborhoods were able to turn it around and reap the rewards.

My family moved to New Jersey in the late 80's (their jobs relocated) and I made the big move to Manhattan in 89 and I've been here ever since. I was a part of the gentrification of Chelsea and 6 months ago we bought a new condo in the Financial District and I'm thrilled to be a part of a brand new "old" neighborhood. It's very exciting to see a neighborhood growing almost on a daily basis. There's always something new going on. But some of my best memories though will always be in Queens!

Thanks for these details, LuisV. Some of my best memories will also always be in Queens (Ridgewood, where I grew up, but also Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Richmond Hill, Forest Park, South Richmond Hill, Forest Hills, and Kew Gardens).

I can well relate to your fears of devastation, and your desire to live in a safe and non-arson-threatened environment, growing up and living in Ridgewood, adjacent to Bushwick at its worst in the 1970's.

I travel a fair amount and when I see the devastation in Detroit and North Philadelphia, Bridgeport, Cleveland, etc....it makes New York's turn around that much more amazing. It's very jarring to see neighborhoods that were vibrant and full of life, now vacant and menacing and devoid of hope. I hope that we never let our city go down that path again! I for one, will not flee. I will stay and fight!

Good for you, LuisV. I commend you.

In responce to PKoch. You must remember that the devastation in Bushwick was caused by the residence (not all) on the night of the big black-out in July of 1977. The Loews on Broadway was still showing movies until the lights went out. The patrons were escorted out of the theatre, they closed the door and never came back. Yes the stories are true. When the sun came up the next day what I saw reminded me of streets in Europe during WW II after a large bombing raid and to this day, the neighborhoods there and around there haven't come back to where they were the day before the balckout.

kong1911, which Loews on Broadway was still showing movies until the lights went out, July 13 1977 ?

I think Bushwick is in much better condition now than the day before the July 13 1977 blackout. You can check it out for yourself at :

http://www.bushwickbuddies.com/isapi.dll?c=h&htx=page

South Ozone Park and Richmond Hill are still vibrant and full of life, but now filled with a new wave of Indian and Latino immigrants.

In 1990 I dated a gal who was living in South Richmond Hill (103-15 110th Street) and she mentioned Paki-bashing by the earlier Italian residents of that neighborhood.

And there was a Sikh-bashing incident after 9/11, by some morons who assumed that someone wearing a turban must be an Arab.

I guess there's always some tension when neighborhoods change.

Probably too many Indians there now for anyone to bash.

LuisV, were you aware that the International Casino was also a theater before Bonds took it over?

See: http://www.lileks.com/NYC/timessquare/9.html

I remember seeing the Clash during their famous ten-night stand there around 1981.

Thanks, J.D.

Nice pictures of Times Square. PKOch.

'safe'. and 'vibrant and full of life' must be relative terms.

Used to live in Glendale and Ozone Park. Still a City boy at heart, but prefer how it was in the '50s.

Thanks J.D.! No, I had not relized that it was a theater. I'll need to add that one to my list. So, Bond's turned it into a clothing store and then it became a disco? I remember the Clash performing way back when, though I didn't get to go. I did, of course, dance there and there were three memorable features of the club: A musical staircase, (each landing made a note when you went up or down the stairs), dancing fountains on the stage, and huge inflatables that were blown up above while you danced underneath. I remember them being silver and were in the shapes of huge people.

PKoch, The theatre was located on B'way right around the corner from the Police Pct. stationhouse. After the blackout it stood empty for awhile and then became a church.

PKoch, I checked into it and the theatre was the Loews Gates and then I checked with an older area resident who who said the same thing that I said in that it stopped showing movies on the night of the blackout and was empty for a short while and then became a church. I remember these facts because I worked in the area at the time and went by it on a regular basis.

Yes, 'Tonino, the terms 'safe', 'vibrant' and 'full of life' are relative terms and can be matters of opinion.

Thanks, kong1911, for the information about Loew's Gates Theater. I hadn't known that it continued to show movies up until the blackout of July 13, 1977.

This theatre was my first job when I was 18 yrs old in 1990. The managers were awful and never let me out of "the box" to use the bathroom. We had to wear those black pants/black UA vest/nametag/whiteshirt/black bowtie outfits.

Are there any remnants inside of the store of it's theater days?

That's terrible, Diaphenia. The managers preferred you to risk walking around in wetted pants, rather than be absent for a minute to use the toilet. Reminds me of misinformed Catholic parochial school discipline.

Bway, don't know if there are any theatre remnants inside. Reads like a job for you !

It was a part time job and no, we never peed on ourselves, we just had to go and leave the box unattended. Oh well. We also had a couple of elderly employees so I'm sure it wasn't easy for them.

No, Diaphenia, it wouldn;t have been easy for them. One loses bladder control as one ages, as I personally have experienced.

I like your handle. Is it based on the Who's "Quadrophenia", by any chance ? Or on a character from Greek myth ?

A recent view of the building converted to retail can be seen in this new article about Ozone Park: http://www.forgotten-ny.com/NEIGHBORHOODS/ozone.park/ozone.html

Thanks, Warren.

The rectangle bounded by the abandoned Rockaway Line of the LIRR on the west, Atlantic Avenue on the north, 109th Avenue on the south, and the median strip of the Van Wyck Expressway on the east, is zip code 11419, South Richmond Hill, not Ozone Park. Ozone Park (zip code 11417) lies to the southwest of South Richmond Hill, and South Ozone Park (zip code 11420) to the south.

The Crossbay (both old and new) Theatres do, however, lie within Ozone Park (zip code 11417).

Wow. Although i had never seen a movie at the Crossbay I still remember passing by there taking the streets to head out to JFK when the belt was backed up. I still remember the old maquee before the duplexed it. No need to go to Mo's for me.

To reaffirm JohnG409's 2005 post, an evening shot of the UA Crossbay marquee was used in the Christmas 2005 episode of "King Of Queens". Just caught a rerun.
Interior shots were likely done in a studio. As they always seemed to utilize the same red seats in all episodes involving a theater.

Here's a great google street view of the old theater:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=9411+Rockaway+Boulevard,+Ozone+Park,+NY+11417+United+States&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=40.680703,-73.844733&spn=0.008071,0.019312&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=40.68068,-73.844577&panoid=DY2nsG5814dRMK8sDOJ8TA&cbp=12,64.29,,0,-7.2

Wow...this was my "home" theater after the City Line Cinema burned down in the very early 80s (despite being a short 'A' train ride away from Grant Ave). I vividly remember it strictly being a "twin" (never a single theater). I have fond memories of seeing movies like Rocky IV, Spies Like Us, Nightmare On Elm Street 2 & Creepshow 2 at this theater & sometimes crossing that dangerous intersection to have some donuts at the Dunkin Donuts across the street! I also remember skipping school with my cousin & catching a flick here a couple of times (shame on me)! I moved out of NY to FL just before Crossbay II opened..but heard Crossbay I was still "alive" despite that theater opening so close by. Sad to hear ANOTHER theater from my youth has been converted to yet ANOTHER Modell's (according to my mom, the old City Line Cinema location in Brooklyn has also been converted to a Modell's).