State Theater
23 Main Street,
Woodbridge,
NJ
07095
23 Main Street,
Woodbridge,
NJ
07095
2 people
favorited this theater
The State Theater in Woodbridge was located on Main Street, directly next to the old Town Hall.
The theater was closed in the late 60’s/early 70’s and was demolished in the 80’s to make way for a QuickCheck convenience store.
Contributed by
Jack Stachowicz
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
Listed as open in the 1944 FDY. Listed in the 1961 FDY as part of Triangle-Liggett Theatre Service.
Also listed as part of the Snaper Circuit in the 1961 Film Daily Yearbook.
1927 postcard:
View link
My father Joe Pusillo was projectionist at this theatre from the early 60’s till it closed on March 15, 1971. The projection equipment was moved to the Forum theatre in Metuchen, N.J. where he and I would work together later on in the early 1980’s. I remember seeing many movies here, most notably my first ever movie, “The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t” and the last movie shown there, “Doctor Doolittle” with Rex Harrison. I remember dad telling me the place closed, not because business was bad, because it was good, but rather that it was in such disrepair, it would cost too much to fix.
The last movie shown here was “Doctor Doolittle”. Theatre closed on March 15, 1971, and was torn down in Sept of that same year.
Here is an undated picture of the State Theater. It appears similar to the 1927 postcard that TC linked to.
39 years ago this month the doors closed forever.
I went to this theater as a kid, back in the 60’s. The usher wore a blue Eisenhower uniform jacket, and a hard brimmed cloth dress hat, similar to a soldier’s derss hat. His name was “Speck”, if I remember correctly, and he seemed to hate children. He would take our ticket and, in a gruff voice say “10 rows up from the front”. I think he thought that would stop us from hitting the screen with our candies. The children’s matinee had some classic films, like 4-D Man, or most of the Roger Corman-Vincent Price films. I even remember seeing Fra Diavolo with Laurel and Hardy one Saturday afternoon! Whoever the booker was knew exactly what sold with a kiddie audience. I can remember lines around the corner, and being turned away due to the sellout crowd when they ran Three Stooges Meet Hercules. If it had held in for another 5 years, it might have been saved.
In 2 more days, it will be 40 years since the last movie was projected here by my father. And I agree with Harry Gribbon. Had the building just stood empty for maybe 3 to 5 years like he said, it probably would have been twinned or tripled and renovated, and lived on. As a child, I remember those long lines around the corner. This place fell victim like many of the theatres in this era. Hasty demolishon.
@ Markp or other CT members – Even from a young kid’s view point you could see the crumbling of the plaster walls from the roof leaks, and the lack of maintenance. Do you know anything about “Speck” the usher, or any of the staff? I have been trying to find “Specks” real name, if he had a family, etc. Any help would be appreciated.