Parkway Theater
580 Gramatan Avenue,
Mount Vernon,
NY
10552
580 Gramatan Avenue,
Mount Vernon,
NY
10552
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This was reported in The New York Times of January 5th, 1939 as the RKO Parkway, with a sub-run double bill of “Brother Rat” and “Listen,Darling.” The top RKO house, Proctor’s Mount Vernon, was showing “Thanks For Everything” and “Heart of the North” at the time. I wonder how long the Parkway’s affiliation with the RKO circuit lasted?
Nate….like my cousin, Bob Mayer who commented above, I, too ,knew the Parkway very well…in the late 50’s and early 60’s. My dad was an optometrist right around the corner and my sister and I would go to all the Saturday matinees for kids. Christmas time was particularly fun there..They always played Leroy Anderson’s “Sleighride” while we waited for the film to begin. As I got older, I’d take my high school dates there (at night of course!) It was a great little theatre. I saw it had become a funeral home the last time I was in Mt. Vernon. I, too, remember your grandparents and swimming in the pool at their lovely home in Greenwich. Please send regards to your father and uncle from the Mayer family.
Nathan V Steinberg was my grandfather, Robert is my uncle, and Fred is my father. Nice to know people have so many good memories of this place. I remember it when from when I was a kid, but would love more info if any one has any!
Wow, this really brings back memories. I grew up (and my parents still live) just about ¼ mile north of the former Parkway Theater. I remember seeing a double feature of Grease and Saturday Night Fever (watered-down PG version) as a kid back in the seventies, as well as The Verdict (as pictured on the marquis in Lost Memory’s photo) in the early eighties. And guess what? I worked concessions there when I was in high school. There was a creepy manager, a pothead projectionist (you could get a contact high just sticking your head in the booth), a sketchy janitor (more than once I ended up having to clean the bathrooms), and us two girls working the concessions stand. I have such fond memories of sneaking friends in and sitting in back during Dangerous Liaisons and Mississippi Burning, among others (not Beaches, though—couldn’t stand it).
It was a truly beautiful theater and it breaks my heart whenever I pass where it used to be. The Bayou does not occupy the Parkway’s old space. It’s always been next door to the Parkway although the restaurant’s expansion a couple years ago may have pushed a bit into the old theater space. The theater abutted/overlooked the Cross County Parkway (hence the name. )I don’t think I’ll ever get over seeing a funeral home where that lovely movie house was (and IMHO should still be).
The year given for this photo is 1983.
The Bayou restaurant has the same address as the former theater. Did the funeral home move?
The Parkway Theater in the ‘70s and 80s was primarily a second run house, with films coming there after their initial engagements elsewhere..
The price of admission was lower, naturally and the theater was not particularly memorable, except for the fact that the patrons thermselves changed over the years.. lots of rowdy kids, who truly ruined the pleasure of going to the movies here. espcially in what was a really nice neighborhood.. Now its garbage..the good old days are gone..
I would be interested in hearing from Robert Steinberg, who along with Freddie, were sons of Nat & Terry. I spent considerable time at the magnificent home in Greenwich as a youngster, and also at the Parkway as I had a lifetime pass from the Steinberg family. Bob Mayer
In 1958 billed as Interboro’s Most Intimate House playing “Raintree County"
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This theater was one of the only places to see Mary Poppins in Westchester when it had its wide release. I was there opening night and the place was packed. I always thought the lounge was cool….and a lot of what is described above remained intact into the 60s and 70s. Saw the Exorcist there.
It still looks the same from the outside…..even as a funeral parlor.
Incorrect, TheaterBuff1. What was the Parkway is strictly a funeral home today. The restaurant on the W. Broad St side of the building was always there, along with the other attached businesses. But I did enjoy the Soylent Green comment! :–)
Er, today it’s a funeral home/restaurant? Is this a case of life imitating art, ala “Soylent Green”?