Old Post Office Cinema
46 Newtown Lane,
East Hampton,
NY
11937
46 Newtown Lane,
East Hampton,
NY
11937
2 people
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Opened in the early-1960’s, and operated by Ritchie Wesley (who also ran Mattituck, Hampton Arts, and Suffolk Theater at the time) in former post office in the heart of East Hampton. It only lasted four or five years. Rear projection system on tiny screen. Fairly arty.
Contributed by
chelydra
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Recent comments (view all 15 comments)
Yes, it was at 46 Newtown Lane. From 1981 to 1984 I drove a truck for Dean & Deluca — between their Prince St. (Manhattan) store and the Newtown Lane store. Ah, the stories I could tell…
Thanks for confirmimg the address GlenJ. Now people will have a better idea of where this former theater was located.
Vintage film trade directories list a 1,026-seat Edwards Theatre for this town (then spelled as Easthampton), but with no specific address. I wonder whatever became of it?
On April 2, 1926 the Edwards Theater in East Hampton advertised D.W. Griffith’s “That Royle Girl†starring W.C. Fields, James Kirkwood, and Harrison Ford. No address given.
Another mention of the Edwards Theater in 1933. A book of chances on cash prizes with a pencil sold for fifty cents. The drawing was held at the old Edwards Theater followed by a showing of “I Cover the Waterfront.” The Edwards Theater should be listed in an FDYbook.
The Film Daily Year Book was among the “vintage film trade directories” that I mentioned. The Edwards was listed there from 1926 through 1957, but never with a specific address. In the 1957 volume, it’s listed only by name, without seating capacity, which probably means that it was no longer operating. By that time, the FDYBs ssemed to be listing seating capacities only for active theatres.
In 1972 I heard a rumor that an old theater had burned to the ground on the site of the then fairly new UA Easthampton Theater. This had been a Prudential house and was still single screen in ‘72. The local weekly newspaper which I think may be called the Easthampton Star probably has the details.
If the Edwards did burn down, it could have been in the mid-1960s. The 1965 Film Daily Year Book lists the Edwards Theatre, East Hampton, among the theatres operated by the Prudential Circuit. But in the 1966 FDYB, the Edwards and the town of East Hampton are missing from the Prudential holdings. However, in the 1967 FDYB’s listings for Prudential, East Hampton returns, but with a theatre called the Cinema. Which could mean that a new theatre replaced the Edwards, or just that the Edwards was re-named the Cinema. I won’t be able to sleep until I know the answer.
The Edwards Theatre burned down in 1964. I have some post-fire pictures if anyone’s interested. Don’t know the address and I can’t place it from the photos. My brother would know, he was EHHS Class of ‘67.
The Edwards Theatre location is exactly where the current theatre showing films in Easthampton is. Rumor has it that the Edwards was being forced out of business and arson was a very strong rumor but never proven. Independently owned. It was Spanish in style very much on the style of the Plaza Theatre on East 58th Street in new York City.
Interesting story had they named this theatre.Now thats truth in advertising.