Ocean Township-Middlebrook Cinema 10

Correct—it is the Middlebrook Galleria Cinemas. This 10 was built to replace the twin that still stands (as a tire store) a few hundred feet away. It was scheduled to open as a Loews, but they pulled out mid-construction to build at the Monmouth Mall about 4 miles away. An independent stepped in and finished the theater, and since he was able to open before the Monmouth Mall Cinema the Galleria was able to play day-and-date with them and still can to this day. Clearview Cinemas bought this theater from the independent in the late 90’s. This theater has the largest seat count in the Clearview chain.

I remember when this was being built since my nanny lives in the apartments right across from the building.

The old theater was actually the fitness center right next to it, not the tire shop across the street. I remember going there to see Mrs. Doubtfire when I was five.

Its been 4 years since Clearview kicked us UNION projectionists out of here, but if memory serves me, the seat counts were as follows, (or pretty close)
Cinema 1 320 seats
Cinema 2 292
Cinema 3 265
Cinema 4 156
Cinema 5 193
Cinema 6 193
Cinema 7 155
Cinema 8 312
Cinema 9 292
Cinema 10 320
I remember when I was there with my partner, we always had 100% perfect projection. I don’t know what its like now, since I’ve been gone for the past 4 years. This is one theatre, that in all my 33 years of being a projectionist, that I can say I really miss working in. But Jimmy Dolan and his band of pencil pushers came in, and out we went. So I have moved on to other theatres, both film and stage, where I can say I am appreciated for what I do, not looked at as a liability, like it was here.

Opening date for this complex: October 20, 1994