Colonial Theater
247 Wanaque Avenue,
Pompton Lakes,
NJ
07442
247 Wanaque Avenue,
Pompton Lakes,
NJ
07442
1 person
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This theater is still listed as having two screens and 800 seats. Not true. The fact is, this theater showed it’s last movie back in 1996…15 years ago! It has only one small stage upstairs that now showcases live theater, (The Smiling Rhino Theater). The downstairs theater was totally gutted back in the mid/late 90’s and has since been used as a teen community center. No screens…no movies…The Colonial, no more!
I saw a fantastic double feature here in the ‘70s: “Forbidden Planet” and “2001: A Space Odyssey”.
The owner eventually did!
I watched two of the clips and can’t stomach any more. The owner should have hired people who cared.
Here’s a link to the Colonial Twin Follies channel on YouTube. It includes clips from the episodes I produced. Subscribe if you’d like, because there are plenty more clips to come!
http://www.youtube.com/user/ColonialTwinFollies
Great idea.Had I had a video camera when I worked in the Business in 70’s and 80’s I certainly would have shot alot of video.Wish we had something like that in those days.You will treasure it for sure.
Here is a link to some hilarious clips from a video I made with friends while working at the Colonial Twin Theater. Aside from being funny, it is likely the most extensive collection of video footage ever documented of the Colonial Theater since it opened in 1913. The original video was made 80 years after the theater opened, and just three years before the theater closed. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1QamN6SS4c
Hi There. I worked at the Colonial Twin back in 1992-1993. I found some old newspaper pages from the Trends, dated Sunday, September 16th 1973, The pages were commemorating the theater’s 6oth anniversary. From the articles printed in that paper, I learned the following interesting facts about the old Colonial Theater:
* It opened September 20, 1913 as Cowdry’s Playhouse, which in addition to “flickers,” catered to mostly stage plays. It also featured stock shows, minstrels, & Vaudville.
* In 1925, the Colonial was the first theater in the East to install the new RCA sound system.
* In 1945, the Colonial was remodeled, with the seating capacity increased from 525 to 1,100 seats.
* Famous boxer Joe Lewis would frequent the Colonial to watch films of his opponents before fights.
* Babe Ruth also frequented the Colonial, according to Harold Alward, the theaters projectionist since 1917.
The Colonial was turned into a twin in the early 1980’s and closed it’s doors in 1996. The last movie to ever play there, was “In and Out” which ironically was shot at the Pompton Lakes High School right behind the theater!!! How’s that for a coincidence???
From the early 1950s a postcard view of the Colonial Theatre in Pompton Lakes.
hello well i was one of the relieaf projectionist at the colonial in the 70’s Harold allwood was the resident senior projectionist.I think the first film i showed was across 110th st with anthony quinn. And also i ran the sound of music.I was going to lakeland regional high in wanaque nj and it was hard getting up in the morning after running film the night before but i t was a really fun time for me.I think the managers name was mr.batson he was a very tall guy but he gave me my first break running the projectors and i ahve been doing it ever since i now work in ca in a 20 screen multi-plex well thats all i can share for now.peach
This is a 1988 photo.
1968 listing (top – no picture – Rosemary’s Baby) courtesy of Bill Huelbig:
View link
Old postcard:
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Listed in the 1941 Film Daily Yearbook with a seating capacity of 800.