Cranford Theatre
25 North Avenue,
Cranford,
NJ
07016
25 North Avenue,
Cranford,
NJ
07016
3 people
favorited this theater
The New Branford Theatre was opened on November 29, 1926 with Noah Berry in “Padlocked” It had 1,300 seats and a Wurlitzer pipe organ. In 1927, the name was changed to Cranford Theatre.
Listed in the 1951 FDY as having 1,209 seats, the theater was later twinned and was operated by Cineplex Odeon in the 1980’s and 1990’s. In 1998, it was taken over by an independent operator and was divided into five screens, and currently shows first run movies.
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Recent comments (view all 20 comments)
Correction to my previous posting: the one screen was split into two screens in the 1980’s.
I practically grew up in that theater, I remember the beautiful chandelier, I used to stare at it before the Saturday Matinees used to start. :-D (1960s). Standing in a very long line outside the theater to see “Help” and “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Yellow Submarine”, oh you name the movie, I was there weekly. Love that old photo with “Bonnie and Clyde” on the marquee (which I saw there too!) I was literally sick when they made the theater into two screens, and now it’s five screens? Wow! I’m in Texas now, but I dearly miss my old hometown of Cranford, and my favorite theater of all time.
I remember the clock in Theater One at least, used that to deduce that it took Alec Baldwin 45 minutes to re-adopt his costumed alter ego in “The Shadow” in 1994. Saw “Jurassic Park” here the prior year and recall what an experience that was, every seat was filled and the ticket line went down the street. Haven’t been here since “Swimming Pool” in 2003 or so.
This is a recent photo of the Cranford Theater. Function should be changed to first run movies.
Here is the Cranford as a twin.
Here is a photo circa 1967:
http://tinyurl.com/cqk92z
great theater seen alot of movies there. i remember when they closed during the renovations i saw Major League:Back to the Minors one of the two movies which was playing when they closed for renvations. Then i remember them open back up and got to see Armageddon, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, The Patriot, Shrek and many more.
1967 “BONNIE and CLYDE” wonder if it was first run or hit the drive-in first.I heard in some parts it was booked right into Drive-ins then Caught Fire and it in the indoor Theatres,this from an old Prpjectionist that said it happened to him.
Now owned by the Digiplex Destinations chain.
http://www.digiplexdest.com/
The only house in New Jersey playing the ballet Esmerelda performed by the Bolshoi Ballet.