Bronxville Cinemas
84 Kraft Avenue,
Bronxville,
NY
10708
84 Kraft Avenue,
Bronxville,
NY
10708
1 person
favorited this theater
Located directly opposite Bronxville railway train station. Another of the original Metropolitan Playhouses chain of NY-NJ-CT, the Bronxville Playhouse has some of its original characteristics remaining. It has been operating since at least 1941, when it was listed with a seating capacity of 1,116. Most of the decoration, however, was lost in the 1980’s when UA triplexed the theatre. Clearview installed new carpet, seats and repainted the lobby in 2002.
Contributed by
Joe Masher
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
Bronxville Cinema’s are not in the Bronx, as the description may lead you to believe. Bronxville is a sleepy hamlet that is located on Route 22, north of Mount Vernon, and adjacent to Eastchester, bordering on Yonkers, and a few other communities.
Why would anyone would imagine Bronxville, NY to be the same as Bronx, NY?
Since no one indicated any confusion to begin with, I don’t get the point of posting just to emphasize this distinction — other than to hint at how dissimilar they are for the benefit of those who would be comfortable in Bronxville but wouldn’t go near the Bronx.
The demographics may be different from Bronxville, but the Bronx is a beautiful place in its own right.
This is a 2005 view of the Bronxville Cinemas marquee.
Originally had 880 seats per info and old photos posted on www.fromscripttodvd.com Click on site index, then click the list of NY theaters with 70mm.
This theater was converted into a triplex in 1980. During the 1970s, I remember this as a very large single screen theater, with the curtain rising and lowering at each performance. Some of the notables films shown here were
Earthquake (1974) in sensurround..This audio gimmick really worked..I still remember the incredible feeeling of actually being in an earthquake.
JAWS (1975)..This film ran for months.. lines around the block..
The Hindenburg (1975)
Other Side of the Mountain (1975)
2001: A Space Odyssey – ‘74 reissue
The Airport films, especially Airport '77.. (the best one..)
And this theater also had double features occaisionally.. I saw The Sting and Other Side of the Mountain Part 2 back in (1978) for $2.. Unbelievable..
Here is a 2008 photo.
I haven’t been in this theatre in years, but I do remember what a dump it was. Back then. Recently I went back, only because “Every Little Step” was only playing there. I went with much trepidation. What a wonderful surprise! This theatre is now a joy to go to. New paintjob, carpeting, seats, sound system and even digital projection. I’ve now been back a few times. If only parking were better. My question, of course is, if Clearview can do it to this theatre, why not to their god-awful nearby Cinema 100 in Greenburg?
This was a really nice theater in the late 1960’s mid 1970’s when it had 1 screen. I remember seeing “Smokey and the Bandit” there (1977) soon after that it was made into a tri-plex which completely ruined the theather. The upstairs (which used to be the balcony)was a joke.
Parents could drop the kids off for the matinee – Bronxville was very safe back then
I disagree with Greg M’s comments. While this theater certainly was better as a single screen (what carved up multiplex isn’t?), this is one of the fewer movie theaters in Westchester that has not been completely ruined. True, the upstairs screen (former balcony) is horrible. But Clearview actually has sunk some doughs into upgrades. Believe me, there are a lot worse in Westchester. Indeed, most of them.
As for being safe in Bronxville, it’s probably the only place in Westchester that still is.
Fifty years ago today, the theatre was being advertised in the NYT as the New Bronxville Theatre and prsenting a reserved-seat engagement of “Windjammer” in the Cinemiracle process.