Ormont Theatre

508 Main Street,
East Orange, NJ 07018

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Brandt Theaters

Previous Names: Lyceum Theatre

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Ormont Theatre

The Ormont was known for showing “racier” films from European directors. It was constructed of brick and was five stories tall, housing the local Masonic Lodge upstairs.

I worked on a project there in the 1960’s to insulate between the barrel roof over the theater and the upstairs floors to try to eliminate the sounds from the lodge meetings interfering with the film.

Contributed by Don Dorflinger

Recent comments (view all 13 comments)

teecee
teecee on June 7, 2005 at 1:27 pm

Is this theater currently used for peforming arts? This singer has performed at the “Ormont Theater” in the tri-state area. I can’t find any additional information on the theater.

http://www.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/Cobbertt,_Deborah/

teecee
teecee on June 12, 2005 at 7:49 am

Originally known as the Lyceum. Built in 1910. Arcadia Press “East Orange Postcards”, p. 76 has a nice old postcard of the theater.

teecee
teecee on March 2, 2006 at 2:15 am

Listed in the 1970 FDY as part of Brandt Theatres.

wolfiewolf
wolfiewolf on August 29, 2006 at 1:05 pm

When did they tear this beauty down? So sad.

Adamsdad
Adamsdad on March 30, 2008 at 7:46 pm

The McGovern for President headquarters opened in 1971 next door, at the corner of 512 Main Street, East Orange, and stayed open through November, 1972. Hundreds of us went through those offices, beside the mighty Ormont.

jojo
jojo on June 17, 2011 at 6:13 pm

wow never thought i would see this theater again.glad i found it here again.Here is my story it was around 1970 i was a projectionist for the union in Newark i just graduated high school i worked at the paramount and also the Hollywood theater in orange and the treat theater in Newark i always liked to work at the Ormont as it was always so old school and i loved that i was friends with the manager his name was this was a time when automation was coming into it’s own the manager at the time was MR.Pavlick a nice guy and smart manager.I am in the process of writing a book on my 50years of being a projectionist and i will be including the Ormont to the list i have some very funny and interesting things to tell about the Ormont keep in the loop with cinema treasures remember Projectionists never die,they just change over.peace joe matteo

danasaur
danasaur on October 29, 2012 at 7:16 am

I had been looking for pictures of the beautiful Ormont for years! Great photos jojo!! My mom worked at Paris In The Sky on Harrison St. in East Orange in the 1950s. She talked of going to the Ormont. When she went back to the city in the 80s, it wasn’t the place she remembered, obviously. You wonder how a beautiful structure like that could be torn down. It still looked great but didn’t serve a purpose in modern times. Very sad because a hellhole like East Orange doesn’t have much going for it. Loved the blue glass window panes. Progress?

Jeff1
Jeff1 on December 30, 2012 at 8:45 am

Here is my blog post about the early days of The Ormont building: http://stocktonschool.blogspot.com/2012/12/east-orange-buildings-early-20th-century.html

ianz
ianz on March 30, 2013 at 10:37 am

It would have been an honor to have attended a film showing at this incredibly beautiful theater.The new theaters popping up have no class and certainly no comparable architecture to boast of for the most part.There is a reason why it was called the “Golden Age Of Cinema” from the films on down to the actors,actresses and movie palaces.Thanks to all for the memories,photos and hats off to this wonderful Cinema Treasures site!!

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