Queens Theatre
219-36 Jamaica Avenue,
Queens Village,
NY
11428
219-36 Jamaica Avenue,
Queens Village,
NY
11428
13 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 177 comments found
A delayed comment to Ed’s 8/26 on the Green Acres. No, it was the big guy facing Sunrise.
I wouldn’t count any of the junk in Flushing Meadow Park as a theatre. If they want to STEAL the name “Queens Theatre”, good luck to them. As long as “WE” all know where the Queens Theatre really is, let them delude themselves.
Queens Theatre is now being used as the name for a “live” venue in Flushing Meadows Corona Park: queenstheatre
Ed, I have movie film of the theatre in 1957. Maybe if I’m ever feeling better (with emphysema I seem to get worse every day) I can tranfer it and pull out a few nice stills of the theatre that aren’t too grainy.
I assume the marquee that you guys are talking about, that was blown off the Green Acres Theatre, was the flat board that was on the back of the building facing the mall? I remember the old main marquee on Sunrise Highway being huge – I think it spanned the width of the entire facade!
As for the photo of the Queens, techman, looks like it is the only one that has been posted here. In fact, it was ME who posted it! Ha ha! I snapped it back in 1993 when the theater had been shuttered and recently acquired by the church. I know there are other photos out there – particularly the great set on the American Classic Images website – but I believe posting those here may infringe upon their copyrights.
Hey, I remember when that happened at Green Acres, that wasn’t even a “real” hurricane or bad as this one is supposed to be.
It’s too bad that of all the pictures there are of the Queens Theatre, they picked one that shows the marquee all ripped up from trucks hitting it.
Once they cut those steel beams off (which go DEEP into the structure) they can never put a “real” marquee back up again. It was pretty stupid to take them out, even if they didn’t want a full marquee.
At least they won’t have to worry about the marquee blowing off. I remember a hurricane way back when when the marquee of the Green Acres wound up on the parking lot with the letters in tact. The movie? A revival of Gone With the Wind. True. I wish there were camera phones in those days.
The Elmwood used to be one of my favorite places to work because the booth had a door that goes into the lower roof. Some guys used to barbarque out there….until someone called the fire dept. to report a fire and they evacuated the theatre.-lol
I wonder if or how much damage the Queens might sustain with this hurricane? I’m only a few miles away but on higher ground….and I’m afraid because of the wind.
Even though the Church acquired a 2,500-seat facility, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all the seats will be used for services. The 2,200-seat Elmwood in Elmhurst has also become a church, but only the main floor is being used for services. And its original fire escapes are still in place on both sides of the auditorium.
Even though the Church acquired a 2,500-seat facility, that doesn’t necessarily mean that all the seats will be used for services. The 2,200-seat Elmwood in Elmhurst has also become a church, but only the main floor is being used for services. And its original fire escapes are still in place on both sides of the auditorium.
I just can’t believe that they would heat and cool a building of that size and not use the balcony, which in my opinion is the best part about the theatre.
The church’s web site talks about having acquired a 2,500 seat facility. That means balcony included.
I wonder if the fire escapes were in such bad shape that they had to be removed?
I somehow doubt that the Church sent the fire escapes for refurbishment and intends to re-install them. It would cost millions of dollars. I suspect that they either intend to restrict services to the ground floor or have found an alternate way of emptying the balcony that meets safety regulations.
Someone mentoned the tapestries on either side of the screen. The one on the right concealed the works for the organ — pipes, percussion, etc. The tapestry was some sort of acoustic material. I don’t believe the left mural was functional in any way.
kjf
Went by today. It doesn’t seem as tho' anything has been done since I was there at the end of the year. As far as the fire escape situation is concerned they’ve only boarded over the openings so maybe there is still hope. The church web site still talks about the new venue. The problem might be money or permits. The renovation of the Paramount in Stapleton was aborted due to all the problems with permits. When you have an 80 year old building that’s been sitting there, unused, for years there’s got to be a lot to do to bring it up to code. For the Paramount even approval to light the marquee couldn’t be obtained.
Right, they’re allowed to burn people….if they’re stupid enough to go up in that HIGH balcony without any way out besides the regular steps to get out. Even I can’t believe that.-LOL Maybe they’re going to replace the fire escape structure, which may be why they haven’t been open for business yet. They can always go to the Valencia.
Church still hasn’t opened. According to the church site they were planning on having 2,500 seats in the new building; that means they’re including the huge balcony. Yet they removed the fire escapes from the exterior. Different requirements for churches. Faith?
Artie, Yeah, I was told about his passing. Nothing surprises me anymore since most of my friends have passed away. I guess I’m next.
I know that Joe Kelly passed away a couple of years ago also, but I haven’t heard about Andy Margolin….yet.
Yes, Charlie Washburn was the business agent when I worked for Local 640. The local mailed me a note a few months ago telling me that Charlie had passed away.
Artie16
Artie, was Charlie Washburn the business agent when you worked in Local 640?
They are tapestries on the side walls of the Queens. The closest theatre that Loews had was the Valencia. They really didn’t have that many theatres in Queens, which was “Century territory”.
The auditorium decor is more elaborate than I expected. Are those painted murals or tapestries on the side walls? They seem to depict medieval scenes with men on horseback. Before the Queens Theatre opened, Loew’s considered buying the operating lease, but finally decided that the area was too under-populated for their requirements.
Yes, I did work at many Century theatres as Manager from 1952 till 1969. After that I worked as a projectionist with Local 640, and retired in 1979. Now I am retired, and living in Florida.
Best wishes to all.
Artie16
Just look on CT for a new Albemarle interior photo