I used to work in the Gramercy Park area and on nice days would venture down to 14th to get an ice cream sandwich, with freshly cooked waffles, at Mc Clellans. The Jefferson was closed the entire time I worked there. I remember thinking it odd that the name was right justified. Aha! When RKO left the owner took down those initials just leaving the Jefferson part. A slow decline. Sad.
I attended several performances in the Mineola, sitting in the balcony, when it went legit toward the end and the entrance was moved from Mineola Boulevard. I was really surprised by the space. I don’t think movie-goers often appreciate the space they’re in and look around as a live theatre person would.
Tinseltoes, I knew of the swap you mentioned. It just seemed more than coincidental that the Sheepshead came back into the Century circuit at the time some of the divested Loew’s did.
I thought this was a Loew’s theatre at some point before it finished life as a Century. I remember when Loew’s had to divest itself of theatre properties the Sheepshead, Tuxedo and Oceana in Brooklyn and the Prospect and the Plaza reverted to Century. My assumption was all had been Loew’s. In the case of the Prospect, it was built by Century and leased to Loew’s, It would appear from a reference above that this might have also been the case with the Sheepshead.
Ed, I’ll try to find more. In one of your photo tours see if the people at the law firm at the former Farmingdale will let you in to see the balcony, which is supposed to still be in tact. Also, if you’re in St. James check out the former theatre on Second Av. There are supposedly remnants there. If you get to the old Mattituck quonset get into the storage area and see some of the old decorations and look back for the projection booths holes. Projection booth holes can also be seen at the old Center Moriches. I tried, unsuccessfully, to get into the auditorium of the former Bellerose to see if anything was left. I’m sure the ceiling treatment is still there but, I think, they’ve put corrogated panels under it to protect the merchandise in what has now become a two story warehouse.
The woman said something about cages because there used to be animal acts in vaudville. No windows. Questionable ventilation? And, as I said they used the basement in Southampton. They erected an awning over a walkway that lead down a flight of steps outside the building. I have no idea what the space was. I’ve actually been in quite a few underground spaces- a multiplex under the marketplace in Toronto, the later Paramount in NYC, the Actors Playhouse in NYC and the Criterion in London, England. The Actors Playhouse was accessed by a single narrow staircase. I felt really uncomfortable about that particularly since there was also a very low ceiling. I think Circle in the Square in NYC is also below ground as was Westworld, or whatever that was called on 49th ST in NYC.
One of those comments was from me per discussions with someone from the historical society. She was trying to gain access to the backstage and basement dressing room areas. Have to try and get back to her. Appartently in “the day” dressing rooms were in the basement. Before they built the new Southampton auditorium, on the old facade, some of the basement area was made into an additional screening room.
It’s interesting to note that the front of the marquee says Floral Park when the name of the theatre was the Floral. This was not the marquee that I remember so it had been changed or modified at some point in time. The vertical also doesn’t look the same as I remembered it. Theatres often changed marquees but, generally, only eliminated verticals so I may be wrong. Needless to say I came up with an exception recalling the new vertical installed at the Triboro, which I actually witnessed.
There was an earlier theatre closer to Tyson Av, per earlier notes. It was called the Lily. It is on Cinema Treasures.
Also, on the subject of parking vs neighborhood theatres, the Bellerose was the dollar house in the area until Century decided to close it. Then they made the Floral the dollar house but business was so bad they reopened the Bellerose. Reason location. The Bellerose was two blocks from the Cross Island Parkway and at the point where Braddock Avenue met Jericho Tpke/Jamaica Av.. It was also accessible by NYC buses as well as the private Schenck line.
Incidentally many Floral Park people always went to the Bellerose because the western part of the village south of the Long Island Rail Road was linked to Bellerose by a tunnel at the grammar school that emerged a couple of blocks from the theatre. Those living further east could also use the tunnel at the LIRR station. Bellerose was the shopping area for a large segment of Floral Park because of these tunnels.
Century redid the marquee of the Bellerose in the late 40s; the Park in the 60s when they also upgraded the interior. The facades of the Baldwin and Fantasy became white in the late 60s and the marquees simplified. They added sinage to the Alan which only, originally, had the name on a semi-circular marquee and put the signage for the Floral on the corner of the building when the widening of Jericho Turnpike necessitated the removal of the marquee. They also took the vertical away at the same time.
I was looking at the Century Brooklyn Rialto and found reference this “second” one built by Schwartz. Kind of unusual to have two theatres with the same name in a small local chain.
I’m on your “mailing” list so I’ll hear about forthcoming events. But what’s the story on the Plaza building? If they tear it down is there a plan B for PlazaMac?
According to Mr. Purdy of the Historical Society the entrance to the current Park Avenue Grill, 178 Park Av is at the approximate location of the alley which led to the Lyceum auditorium from Park Avenue. Also, with respect to the aerial map mentioned above he said that the Star Theatre can be seen on Broadway. (The name of the Star was changed to Amityville when acquired by Prudential.)
Correction, the name is OLC.NY. That stands for Orstein, Leyton Company, NY. They have a current property in Moriches. I believe they’re going to call this Bluepoint, which is a bit of a stretch.
If you go to the Amityville Historical Society web site the center photo of the home page is Broadway (aka 110) looking north. Way in the background to the right you can barely discern the semicircular marquee of the theatre.
Inasmuch as the Lyceum burnt down in 1915 I don’t know what the “Amityville Lyceum” would have been. The blurb from the Historical Society dated 1983 said the newer buildings were still in existance. I’ll give them a call next week to see if I can get a more precise location.
The biggest concentration of prostitution that I encountered when working and playing in the city was on 8th Avenue. Never noticed it on Broadway or 7th. Only time I did the cross streets was for a Broadway show and never noticed any in the 5-11 PM periods.
According to Amityville Historical Society records the theatre, as the Star, opened in 1913. It was a long, narrow building with a center aisle with six seats on either side. It had a rectangular shaped marquee advertising the films.
It is not clear whether the original building was expanded or a new structure built. But as a result, the Star Barber Shop which had been adjacent to the theatre (remember the first Amityville theatre started life as the Star) had to relocate. The theatre was not first run but about two weeks after a feature was shown at the flagship Bay Shore Theatre.
An interesting concept was when reduced admission passes were given to local merchants to distribute to their favorite customers. Tuesday was pass night, and very popular. Other incentives tried were dish night and offering money prizes for playing lotto.
I used to work in the Gramercy Park area and on nice days would venture down to 14th to get an ice cream sandwich, with freshly cooked waffles, at Mc Clellans. The Jefferson was closed the entire time I worked there. I remember thinking it odd that the name was right justified. Aha! When RKO left the owner took down those initials just leaving the Jefferson part. A slow decline. Sad.
I attended several performances in the Mineola, sitting in the balcony, when it went legit toward the end and the entrance was moved from Mineola Boulevard. I was really surprised by the space. I don’t think movie-goers often appreciate the space they’re in and look around as a live theatre person would.
Ed, notice the seating pattern with the raised, stadium portion? Per our discussion of the Westbury.
Any rememberances about the interior of the theatre Eastport HomeBoy?
Tinseltoes, I knew of the swap you mentioned. It just seemed more than coincidental that the Sheepshead came back into the Century circuit at the time some of the divested Loew’s did.
I thought this was a Loew’s theatre at some point before it finished life as a Century. I remember when Loew’s had to divest itself of theatre properties the Sheepshead, Tuxedo and Oceana in Brooklyn and the Prospect and the Plaza reverted to Century. My assumption was all had been Loew’s. In the case of the Prospect, it was built by Century and leased to Loew’s, It would appear from a reference above that this might have also been the case with the Sheepshead.
You could easily see the SeaView adaject to the eastbound lane of the Belt Parkway. You could also see the original Sheepshead a short ways away.
Ed, I’ll try to find more. In one of your photo tours see if the people at the law firm at the former Farmingdale will let you in to see the balcony, which is supposed to still be in tact. Also, if you’re in St. James check out the former theatre on Second Av. There are supposedly remnants there. If you get to the old Mattituck quonset get into the storage area and see some of the old decorations and look back for the projection booths holes. Projection booth holes can also be seen at the old Center Moriches. I tried, unsuccessfully, to get into the auditorium of the former Bellerose to see if anything was left. I’m sure the ceiling treatment is still there but, I think, they’ve put corrogated panels under it to protect the merchandise in what has now become a two story warehouse.
The woman said something about cages because there used to be animal acts in vaudville. No windows. Questionable ventilation? And, as I said they used the basement in Southampton. They erected an awning over a walkway that lead down a flight of steps outside the building. I have no idea what the space was. I’ve actually been in quite a few underground spaces- a multiplex under the marketplace in Toronto, the later Paramount in NYC, the Actors Playhouse in NYC and the Criterion in London, England. The Actors Playhouse was accessed by a single narrow staircase. I felt really uncomfortable about that particularly since there was also a very low ceiling. I think Circle in the Square in NYC is also below ground as was Westworld, or whatever that was called on 49th ST in NYC.
One of those comments was from me per discussions with someone from the historical society. She was trying to gain access to the backstage and basement dressing room areas. Have to try and get back to her. Appartently in “the day” dressing rooms were in the basement. Before they built the new Southampton auditorium, on the old facade, some of the basement area was made into an additional screening room.
How odd.
It’s interesting to note that the front of the marquee says Floral Park when the name of the theatre was the Floral. This was not the marquee that I remember so it had been changed or modified at some point in time. The vertical also doesn’t look the same as I remembered it. Theatres often changed marquees but, generally, only eliminated verticals so I may be wrong. Needless to say I came up with an exception recalling the new vertical installed at the Triboro, which I actually witnessed.
There was an earlier theatre closer to Tyson Av, per earlier notes. It was called the Lily. It is on Cinema Treasures.
Also, on the subject of parking vs neighborhood theatres, the Bellerose was the dollar house in the area until Century decided to close it. Then they made the Floral the dollar house but business was so bad they reopened the Bellerose. Reason location. The Bellerose was two blocks from the Cross Island Parkway and at the point where Braddock Avenue met Jericho Tpke/Jamaica Av.. It was also accessible by NYC buses as well as the private Schenck line.
Incidentally many Floral Park people always went to the Bellerose because the western part of the village south of the Long Island Rail Road was linked to Bellerose by a tunnel at the grammar school that emerged a couple of blocks from the theatre. Those living further east could also use the tunnel at the LIRR station. Bellerose was the shopping area for a large segment of Floral Park because of these tunnels.
Century redid the marquee of the Bellerose in the late 40s; the Park in the 60s when they also upgraded the interior. The facades of the Baldwin and Fantasy became white in the late 60s and the marquees simplified. They added sinage to the Alan which only, originally, had the name on a semi-circular marquee and put the signage for the Floral on the corner of the building when the widening of Jericho Turnpike necessitated the removal of the marquee. They also took the vertical away at the same time.
I was looking at the Century Brooklyn Rialto and found reference this “second” one built by Schwartz. Kind of unusual to have two theatres with the same name in a small local chain.
According to the Historical Society these were Tuesday only; no mention of taxes.
I’m on your “mailing” list so I’ll hear about forthcoming events. But what’s the story on the Plaza building? If they tear it down is there a plan B for PlazaMac?
So what’s happening on this?
According to Mr. Purdy of the Historical Society the entrance to the current Park Avenue Grill, 178 Park Av is at the approximate location of the alley which led to the Lyceum auditorium from Park Avenue. Also, with respect to the aerial map mentioned above he said that the Star Theatre can be seen on Broadway. (The name of the Star was changed to Amityville when acquired by Prudential.)
Correction, the name is OLC.NY. That stands for Orstein, Leyton Company, NY. They have a current property in Moriches. I believe they’re going to call this Bluepoint, which is a bit of a stretch.
If you go to the Amityville Historical Society web site the center photo of the home page is Broadway (aka 110) looking north. Way in the background to the right you can barely discern the semicircular marquee of the theatre.
Inasmuch as the Lyceum burnt down in 1915 I don’t know what the “Amityville Lyceum” would have been. The blurb from the Historical Society dated 1983 said the newer buildings were still in existance. I’ll give them a call next week to see if I can get a more precise location.
The biggest concentration of prostitution that I encountered when working and playing in the city was on 8th Avenue. Never noticed it on Broadway or 7th. Only time I did the cross streets was for a Broadway show and never noticed any in the 5-11 PM periods.
According to Amityville Historical Society records the theatre, as the Star, opened in 1913. It was a long, narrow building with a center aisle with six seats on either side. It had a rectangular shaped marquee advertising the films.
It is not clear whether the original building was expanded or a new structure built. But as a result, the Star Barber Shop which had been adjacent to the theatre (remember the first Amityville theatre started life as the Star) had to relocate. The theatre was not first run but about two weeks after a feature was shown at the flagship Bay Shore Theatre.
An interesting concept was when reduced admission passes were given to local merchants to distribute to their favorite customers. Tuesday was pass night, and very popular. Other incentives tried were dish night and offering money prizes for playing lotto.