The theatre operated in the late 80’s and early 90’s as the Fairmount 4 by an independent operator. After sitting dark for years, the theatre became a supermarket. The lobby and auditorium, right up to the stage, was gutted and leveled for the store. The decor above the drop ceiling and balcony (which was split into two theatres) is apparently still intact. The marquee frame is still there; the supermarket’s signage is hung over it.
The theatre was built by the Stanley Company and was later operated by Fabian Theatres. The original entrance was on Bloomfield Ave, but in the late 70’s when the theatre was triplexed, the entrance was moved around the corner to the lobby emergency exit. The original lobby is now a diner. If you see a movie here, be sure to only see one in the balcony. Up at the front you will see the proscenium hidden in the dark. The two downstairs theatres are shoeboxes with tiny screens under the balcony. The theatre is now operated by Roberts Theatres; you can see some photos of it at www.robertstheatres.com
The lobby/retail portion of this complex still exists. The auditorium was demolished for a parking lot for the retail space. Across the street, the Fox Theatre sits abandoned and awaits demolition…..
This theatre opened in 1930, and was designed by Thomas Lamb. The original proscenium is still in tact behind the ground level screens. The lobby features a mural of George Washington standing under an elm tree in Hohokus, NJ. It’s twin resides in the Elmwood Park, NJ Post Office. Still many deco touches to see…
The orchestra auditorium functions as a Bingo Hall. The Bingo operation used the orchestra section and lobby until about two years ago, when they gave up the lobby (used for concession stand) and balcony (used for storage-divided into two, and restrooms) to the restaurant operation. They closed off the entrance to the smallish lobby, located in the back of the auditorium. Their main entrance is through a former side exit on Northern Boulevard, under the “82nd St. Bingo” awning. The stage, which was walled off, was converted into a “non smoking” room and new restrooms when the lobby was separated.
The Murray Hill was originally an opera house that opened in 1895. The false ceiling collapsed on top of the audience in ‘86. City Cinemas gutted the building and rebuilt it as a 4-plex. The original structure was never demolished until recently.
The theatre had a 600 seat auditorium downstairs, and a 450 and 350 seat upstairs. The seats from the theatre currently survive at Clearview’s Wayne Preakness Cinemas in Wayne, NJ.
The Spectrum originally opened in 1940 or 41 as Stanley Warner’s DELAWARE Theatre. Much of the original is still in place; original entrance doors and box office, auditorium ceiling mural (original house is split in two), and lobby deco touches. Great place to see a movie!
This theatre opened as the UPTOWN, and was so named until a group of enterprising individuals reopened it as the 3rd ST. THEATRE in the late 1970’s. The Uptown (which still has “U” symbols on the right and left side of the marquee) originally had no lobby or concession stand. Once you bought your tickets from the outside box office, you walked through one of two sets of doors right into the auditorium. When it reopened as the 3rd St, after a renovation (as it had been closed for years before), it had a small lobby which held a small box office and concession stand. The theatre closed again around 1983 or 1984 when the group found it to be competitive with their Spectrum Theatre (Delaware Theatre), which they opened around 1983.
The theatre operated in the late 80’s and early 90’s as the Fairmount 4 by an independent operator. After sitting dark for years, the theatre became a supermarket. The lobby and auditorium, right up to the stage, was gutted and leveled for the store. The decor above the drop ceiling and balcony (which was split into two theatres) is apparently still intact. The marquee frame is still there; the supermarket’s signage is hung over it.
The theatre was built by the Stanley Company and was later operated by Fabian Theatres. The original entrance was on Bloomfield Ave, but in the late 70’s when the theatre was triplexed, the entrance was moved around the corner to the lobby emergency exit. The original lobby is now a diner. If you see a movie here, be sure to only see one in the balcony. Up at the front you will see the proscenium hidden in the dark. The two downstairs theatres are shoeboxes with tiny screens under the balcony. The theatre is now operated by Roberts Theatres; you can see some photos of it at www.robertstheatres.com
The Central was torn down in the 70’s for the Golden Arches…..McDonald’s has been there since.
The theatre has been closed for almost two years after the last owner could not make it fly…
The lobby/retail portion of this complex still exists. The auditorium was demolished for a parking lot for the retail space. Across the street, the Fox Theatre sits abandoned and awaits demolition…..
After it closed in 1986, the Capitol suffered from an arson fire and was destroyed.
The Ziegfeld will reopen on 4/9 with “The Alamo”.
You can get photos of most any theatre from the Theatre Historical Society of America. See them at www.historictheatres.org
The Architects were John and Drew Eberson, and the theatre opened in 1947, not 1948 as I noted above.
The Lynbrook will receive the “Midway” treatment at the end of this year, as will the Marboro, according to my sources.
This theatre opened in 1930, and was designed by Thomas Lamb. The original proscenium is still in tact behind the ground level screens. The lobby features a mural of George Washington standing under an elm tree in Hohokus, NJ. It’s twin resides in the Elmwood Park, NJ Post Office. Still many deco touches to see…
The orchestra auditorium functions as a Bingo Hall. The Bingo operation used the orchestra section and lobby until about two years ago, when they gave up the lobby (used for concession stand) and balcony (used for storage-divided into two, and restrooms) to the restaurant operation. They closed off the entrance to the smallish lobby, located in the back of the auditorium. Their main entrance is through a former side exit on Northern Boulevard, under the “82nd St. Bingo” awning. The stage, which was walled off, was converted into a “non smoking” room and new restrooms when the lobby was separated.
The Murray Hill was originally an opera house that opened in 1895. The false ceiling collapsed on top of the audience in ‘86. City Cinemas gutted the building and rebuilt it as a 4-plex. The original structure was never demolished until recently.
The theatre had a 600 seat auditorium downstairs, and a 450 and 350 seat upstairs. The seats from the theatre currently survive at Clearview’s Wayne Preakness Cinemas in Wayne, NJ.
Prior to Clearview, it was a UA Theatre. We bought it from them..(I work for Clearview).
I am the Division Manager for Clearview—-the Zieg is reopening on 3/5 with “Hidalgo”….not to worry, the Ziegfeld is here to stay!
The Spectrum originally opened in 1940 or 41 as Stanley Warner’s DELAWARE Theatre. Much of the original is still in place; original entrance doors and box office, auditorium ceiling mural (original house is split in two), and lobby deco touches. Great place to see a movie!
This theatre opened as the UPTOWN, and was so named until a group of enterprising individuals reopened it as the 3rd ST. THEATRE in the late 1970’s. The Uptown (which still has “U” symbols on the right and left side of the marquee) originally had no lobby or concession stand. Once you bought your tickets from the outside box office, you walked through one of two sets of doors right into the auditorium. When it reopened as the 3rd St, after a renovation (as it had been closed for years before), it had a small lobby which held a small box office and concession stand. The theatre closed again around 1983 or 1984 when the group found it to be competitive with their Spectrum Theatre (Delaware Theatre), which they opened around 1983.