Dunellen Theater and Cinema Cafe

Motion pictures were first exhibited in Donellen in 1911. Throughout that decade, numerous unsuccessful attempts were made to operate a theater in the Middlesex County locale. Finally, in 1921, construction began on a $14,000, 500-seat movie theater.

Hosford’s Theater opened on North Avenue in May 1922, featuring both vaudeville acts and motion pictures. After several run-ins with local law enforcement due to management’s occasional attempts to violate “Blue Laws” by exhibiting films on Sundays, the theater was sold to the owner of the Brook Theater in nearby Bound Brook. By 1932, after a brief time as “Dunellen’s Cameo Theater”, the facility had become know as the Dunellen Theater.

Having continued to exhibit movies for most of its 80+ years, the theater is currently know as the Dunellen Theater and Cinema Cafe and features live acts in addition to first-run, commercial motion pictures. The current owner, who is also the proprietor of neighboring Zupko’s Tavern, removed alternating rows of seating (reducing the seat count to about 350) in order to accommodate tables and now operates what may be the only exhibition venue in NJ which allows patrons to enjoy full meals in their seats while watching a show. The single-screen theater books children’s birthday parties in the balcony and offers numerous admission and “package” discounts.

Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

teecee on May 13, 2005 at 10:09 am

Excellent history at this link:
http://www.jerseycentraltheatre.com/history_a.html

teecee on May 19, 2005 at 7:28 am

This article provides details on the current owners and how they saved the theater.

verranth1 on May 31, 2006 at 5:03 pm

I went to my first movie here as a toddler:

Funny Girl

also went to

Lords of the Flatbush
Rocky
Posideon Aventure

Was never as popular as Blue Star in Watchung….

lostmemory on November 10, 2006 at 9:31 am

This is a photo of the Dunellen Theater.

Zoltan on February 1, 2007 at 10:50 am

This was/is a really cute theatre. Went here a lot in the 70’s and early 80’s. Great memories.

lostmemory on June 16, 2007 at 7:11 pm

Here is a recent view of the Dunellen Theater.

lostmemory on June 30, 2007 at 12:17 pm

This is an interior view.

lostmemory on April 23, 2009 at 2:35 pm

Here are some 1988 photos:

Photo1

Photo2

Photo3

Chuck1231 on May 18, 2013 at 6:19 pm

Opened on May 20, 1922.