Millennium Theatre

Thanks Ed, I don’t know ho wI didn’t see the link! That said, I’m not sure what to think about the photos. I thought the one shot of the red carpeted walls with the chandelier was interesting but the other shots made the interior look rather bland. This might be deceiving though. What do you think?

A big article in today’s NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/12/arts/millennium-theater-in-brighton-beach-as-link-to-old-country.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=millennium%20brooklyn&st=cse

Relatively little is said about the theater itself except for this nugget: “The theater, with its glittering chandeliers and red-carpet walls, has a threadbare glamour.” It also calls this 1,400 seat theater a Lincoln Center of sorts for the Russian Community. I wonder how much of the original details remain.

A recent view as the Millennium can be seen near the end of this new article about Brighton Beach: View link

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.

This is a 1934 sketch of the proposed Oceana:
http://tinyurl.com/z5xb5

The Oceana was an attractive neighborhood theatre. It was was close to the once fashionable Manhattan Beach.

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 “sections” were not only for the protection of children, but also made it easier for them to see the screen, since there would never be “big people” sitting in front of them.

Lived near the oceana, sheepshead ,lakeland and tuxedo.Also near me was the kings highway theater.across from the oceana was the brighton baths and downstairs was Zeimars deli.

Shouldn’t this be listed as the Oceana Theatre? I believe that Atlantic Oceana is the name for the restaurant/nightclub currently operating at that site. In its many years as a movie theatre, it was known only as the Oceana.

Yes, I saw the Golden Gloves boxing match last year in the original auditorium orchestra space. Some of the exterior is the same, the box-office removed within the past three years. The lobby marble has been removed and redone, the coved ceiling intact. I believe the balcony is now the Millenium Theatre and must have been de-multiplexed even though that staircase was closed to the public that night. It was funny because the Daily News did an item on the theatre that I was quoted to have worked there. In addition, when I asked the manager/owner about the changes to the building, she told me it was a landmark and couldn’t be changed (however many changes did occur). Some of the theatre’s features are noticeable but you have to know ehere to look. Thi person obviously didn’t know much about the origins of her building.

The Oceana was sold to an independent theatre owner in late 1973, He also had run the Granada, Highway and Rugby Theatres. The Rugby was first to go to Golden (who had the Quad and Olympia in Manhattan and the Graham on Whitney & Knapp Street and the Benson in Brooklyn). The Granada entered the Golden fold in 1974 followed by the Oceana in 1976. The balcony was sealed off from the public and only the upstairs restrooms were accessible. I worked the Oceana in 1975 for a while. It’s auditorium was large and two blue backlit decorative grilles were on each side of the screen. A former Century matron, Gloria, now at the candy counter use to call the theatre a big barn. I was not there for the Golden-transformation thank God. I remember “Hester Street” played an exclusive run here for 4 to 5 weeks before the “Golden” rule. On the second level outside the ladies' room was a bust of the goddess Oceana that was also lit. Milton was there when I worked there and was a doorman. We also had a problem with the seniors who parked thier sun chairs all along Brighton Beach Avenue and had to be asked not to block the theatre entrance. I remember seeing “The Wind And The Lion” here. Century had not gone bankrupt at this or any other time. They just sold off thier buildings as neighborhoods changed and money was needed for them to continue. The Century Circuit was taken over by the Almi Group in 1981 and that’s when Almi let go off all the unprofitable Brooklyn houses as well as the Long Island leased properties. I worked for Almi and that’s the way it happened.