Millennium Theatre
1029 Brighton Beach Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11235
1029 Brighton Beach Avenue,
Brooklyn,
NY
11235
3 people
favorited this theater
The Oceana Theatre was opened in 1934, operated by an independent exhibitor. In the 1950’s, it was taken over by the Century Theatres chain.
The Oceana Theatre was later divided into a 4-screen multiplex. What was interesting though is that the owners were so concerned about people going from picture to picture, that they made a “rats maze” in where you had to go through different doors to access each individual auditorium.
The candy counter upstairs and down was divided in half and each theater even had its own rest rooms! However, this shrunk the lobby into a very small size.
Later, they took the backstage area, and added theaters 5 and 6 to the building. The backstage area used to have vaudeville-era clothes in boxes and other great old items plus the original stage was hidden behind the screens on the 1st floor.
Also, originally in multiplexes, all screens had to share a common projection booth due to union rules. At the Oceana Theatre the booth was in the back of the two downstairs theaters and the upstairs booth was accessed through a ladder which would go to the booth which was in the middle of the theater upstairs.
They eventually got rid of the booth structure and moved the projection booth to the rear of the upper theaters after union rules were relaxed.
Known later on as the Atlantic Oceana, the theater is currently operating as a venue for Russian live dinner theater, known as the Millennium Theatre.
Contributed by
Mike Abrams, William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
A C/O was issued to a New building at this address on April 16, 1934 for a 2188 seat motion picture theater. In 1976 it is listed as a twin theater. In February of 1983 it is listed as four theaters. Then in March of 1985 it is listed as having six theaters. Seating at that time was Theater#1-431, Theater#2-441, Theater#3-222, Theater#4-367, Theater#5-367, Theater#6-137. As of February 2004 this building is listed as a Banquet Hall/Bar & Lounge/1360 seat theater w/projection booth.
The two backstage theatres could easily be opened for movies again if they have not been torn out.
The Oceana was an attractive neighborhood theatre. It was was close to the once fashionable Manhattan Beach.
Here are some photos of the Oceana Theater/Restaurant.
This is a 1934 sketch of the proposed Oceana:
http://tinyurl.com/z5xb5
does anyone remember Zeimars Deli which was located in Brighton Beach? My uncle used to own it.
Living on Brighton 12th street in the 1960’s, the Oceana was my neighborhood theater. I remember attending a premire of The Monkey’s Uncle, starring Annette Funicello, in 1965. After the picture started I remember following Annette and watching her hail a cab on Brighton Beach Avenue. What a time, no security, no escort, no chaperone.
I took piano lessons from Mrs. Bocher in a studio over the Oceana’s marquee. There was an electronic repair shop in the storefront to the east of the entrance. I used to wait there before catching the bus to go to school. By the way, singer Neil Diamond’s parents had an infant’s aparell shop located a few doors east of the theater.
The year given for this photo is 1972, but the movie title on the marquee wasn’t released until around 1976.
A recent view as the Millennium can be seen near the end of this new article about Brighton Beach: View link
Shouldn’t the main listing name be changed to the current Millennium? Here are some views of the entrance: View link