This completion of this theatre was delayed for a time because of a shortage of building materials, particularly steel. I believe the Korean “War” was the reason. For a considerable period of time there was only one completed “arch” of steel which, eventually, became the front of the theatre. When they added the additional auduitoriums in latter years they literally added to the building rather than just chopping it up. Really ugly. They did some chopping to. But as an earlier comment mentioned the way the name Meadowbrook was displayed on the marquee was unique. Something to be said for blue. (See my comments on the Salisbury in Westbury)
My memories of the Music Hall are mostly of the Christmas and Easter shows which my parents took me to each year (by bus and subway). At one time there was a small box office in the subway area where you could buy tickets. You then entered somewhere in the lounge. There weren’t too many times when we were part of the lines that would stretch almost back to the plaza.
While we’re sharing memories, way back when when it was a single screen theatre, Gone With the Wind was being revived. And didn’t we have a hurricane and one panel of the marquee blew off but the letters remained in tact proclaiming “Gone With the Wind”.
During the summer they show movies in a space called The Community theatre in the community of Ocean Beach. I wonder if this is the same space. Also, I believe, years ago they had summer movies in the Fire Island community of Point-O-Woods.
The two, “alleged” smaller theatres are in former stores. In the older, free standing theatres it was common to have a long lobby to the auditorium. This provided a store on either side. Hence, the alleged theatres.
Per my comments above the theatre is still standing. Although the marquee is still in place the theatre name has been removed. As I said, it’s very obvious what it was. As my computer skills improve, and I establish the old theatre on this site I may even take a picture.
The thing that most impressed me about the theatre was the way they emblazoned the name across the entire facade. The only two other theatre that utilized the facade, to a much letter degree, were the Sag Harbor, I believe there is an image at that site, and the Salisbury, which, unfortunately spent most of it’s career featuring porn.
Most of the Suffolk County houses, with the exception of the Century monopoly in Huntington, were Prudential. One exception immediately comes to mind was the Larkfield in East Northport. Most had small smoking loges and were single feature before the norm. They had unusual schedules, I thought. Matinees Sat & Sun (and in summer RAINY DAYS), evenings at 7 and 9.
It’s interesting that, as a kid I remembered the Riverhead exterior from my summers in the area. Now, as an adult I was trying to track it down. The library only had information on the Capitol, which it was previously, but no knowledge of it as the Riverhead. Even the little old lady at the desk drew a blank.
There was previously an old theatre called the Bay. Newsday showed a picture of it within the past few years. I don’t remember if they gave a location. I’ll have to try and get info. Had I had a computer then I would have been all over it and posted it.
Well, if the Bloor is still functioning, what theatre on Bloor that only had the facade in tact for a number of years and is now retail space am I thinking about. I used to go to Toronto once a year for a long period, remember the theatre being functional, going dark and then only the facade remaining.
An earlier comment mention Radio City Music Hall. What a coicidence, the designer was the same for Smithtown – a garden courtyard setting vs Art Deco. Amazing. When I was here for a live show there was a handout on the theatre. It mention the Old Town theatre which was also in town and which this, essentially replaced. I don’t see a posting for this.
Before the current Mattituck theatre there was one on the opposite side of the road a short distance away. What they did was construct a small, metal Quonset hut and put on a “fancy” facade with a “pointed” marquee. At the point was a large “M”. The building, with observable marquee is still in tact. The next time I’m in the area I’ll make notes of the address current occupant, and post it. I’d do it now but once something is up I don’t believe we have the facility to make updates, only comments. Is this correct?
This site is so out of date. The theatre was closed quite a few years ago and all but the facade remained. You could look through the front doors and see rubble. When I was last in Toronto, mid 2008 they finally had built retail space (I don’t remember who was the occupant) but the marquee was kept in the design.
Here’s something that the Strand had in common with a bunch of other theatres in Brooklyn and Queens. It was part of the Subway Circuit. A summer presentation of live performances. Interesting because this theatre was never air conditioned before it was demolished, which always surprised me since it had a modern marquee.
The old, wooden Center Moriches theatre on Railroad av just north of Montauk Highway is now a dry cleaners. One can actually see the openings from the projection booth inside.
Now somebody please confirm that Prudential also had a theatre in Moriches. I seem to remember this in their old guide. I wish I’s retained it. I tried at the Moriches Library but not the Center Moriches one.
The marquee said Huntington Station, not Station which made it a pretty long marquee. Early ads referred to it by its full name, subsequently abbreviated to Huntington Sta. and, finally Station. It always seems to be a crap shot looking some of these things up when the name it, outright wrong, such as this, or a name has changed and one of the names, only comes up e.g. The Regents in Bay Shore is listed under its current identity Boulton Center. And, nowhere in the comments mention when it was Hollyrock. Similarly, the theatre listed as Old Bethpage began it’s life as Bethview, then Cine Capri, then Old Bethpage and, finally CAP, a live theatre group.
Re a 2005 posting the old theatre, the Wellwood, was actually in town. It is in the directory. It was destroyed by fire. A year or two before the Lindenhurst closed, they, too, had a fire but the cause of their demise is the one plaguing all single screen theatres and, lately some of the multiplexes.
I’m glad there’s a visual of the theatre. It looked small from the outside but was surprisingly large inside. I remember a plaque over the refreshment stand which stated it had won some sort of designing award.
To fill in the gaps, between being a Jerry Lewis and becoming the Flick it was known as the East Meadow twin.
This completion of this theatre was delayed for a time because of a shortage of building materials, particularly steel. I believe the Korean “War” was the reason. For a considerable period of time there was only one completed “arch” of steel which, eventually, became the front of the theatre. When they added the additional auduitoriums in latter years they literally added to the building rather than just chopping it up. Really ugly. They did some chopping to. But as an earlier comment mentioned the way the name Meadowbrook was displayed on the marquee was unique. Something to be said for blue. (See my comments on the Salisbury in Westbury)
My memories of the Music Hall are mostly of the Christmas and Easter shows which my parents took me to each year (by bus and subway). At one time there was a small box office in the subway area where you could buy tickets. You then entered somewhere in the lounge. There weren’t too many times when we were part of the lines that would stretch almost back to the plaza.
While we’re sharing memories, way back when when it was a single screen theatre, Gone With the Wind was being revived. And didn’t we have a hurricane and one panel of the marquee blew off but the letters remained in tact proclaiming “Gone With the Wind”.
During the summer they show movies in a space called The Community theatre in the community of Ocean Beach. I wonder if this is the same space. Also, I believe, years ago they had summer movies in the Fire Island community of Point-O-Woods.
The two, “alleged” smaller theatres are in former stores. In the older, free standing theatres it was common to have a long lobby to the auditorium. This provided a store on either side. Hence, the alleged theatres.
Per my comments above the theatre is still standing. Although the marquee is still in place the theatre name has been removed. As I said, it’s very obvious what it was. As my computer skills improve, and I establish the old theatre on this site I may even take a picture.
I only went there once. I was impressed by the way they emblazoned the name of the theatre across the facade in muted blue.
The thing that most impressed me about the theatre was the way they emblazoned the name across the entire facade. The only two other theatre that utilized the facade, to a much letter degree, were the Sag Harbor, I believe there is an image at that site, and the Salisbury, which, unfortunately spent most of it’s career featuring porn.
As a patron I didn’t find the theatre as problematice as former staff. I also like the exterior. It was very unusual.
Most of the Suffolk County houses, with the exception of the Century monopoly in Huntington, were Prudential. One exception immediately comes to mind was the Larkfield in East Northport. Most had small smoking loges and were single feature before the norm. They had unusual schedules, I thought. Matinees Sat & Sun (and in summer RAINY DAYS), evenings at 7 and 9.
I remember the seating of the original single screen theatre as odd. The usual “legs” on each seat were absent. It was like the whole row floated.
It’s interesting that, as a kid I remembered the Riverhead exterior from my summers in the area. Now, as an adult I was trying to track it down. The library only had information on the Capitol, which it was previously, but no knowledge of it as the Riverhead. Even the little old lady at the desk drew a blank.
There was previously an old theatre called the Bay. Newsday showed a picture of it within the past few years. I don’t remember if they gave a location. I’ll have to try and get info. Had I had a computer then I would have been all over it and posted it.
Well, if the Bloor is still functioning, what theatre on Bloor that only had the facade in tact for a number of years and is now retail space am I thinking about. I used to go to Toronto once a year for a long period, remember the theatre being functional, going dark and then only the facade remaining.
An earlier comment mention Radio City Music Hall. What a coicidence, the designer was the same for Smithtown – a garden courtyard setting vs Art Deco. Amazing. When I was here for a live show there was a handout on the theatre. It mention the Old Town theatre which was also in town and which this, essentially replaced. I don’t see a posting for this.
Before the current Mattituck theatre there was one on the opposite side of the road a short distance away. What they did was construct a small, metal Quonset hut and put on a “fancy” facade with a “pointed” marquee. At the point was a large “M”. The building, with observable marquee is still in tact. The next time I’m in the area I’ll make notes of the address current occupant, and post it. I’d do it now but once something is up I don’t believe we have the facility to make updates, only comments. Is this correct?
This site is so out of date. The theatre was closed quite a few years ago and all but the facade remained. You could look through the front doors and see rubble. When I was last in Toronto, mid 2008 they finally had built retail space (I don’t remember who was the occupant) but the marquee was kept in the design.
Here’s something that the Strand had in common with a bunch of other theatres in Brooklyn and Queens. It was part of the Subway Circuit. A summer presentation of live performances. Interesting because this theatre was never air conditioned before it was demolished, which always surprised me since it had a modern marquee.
Where was the Lakeside Cinema listed in Newsday Movie times. Was it the Jerry Lewis retitled, the Ronkonkoma retitled or a separate entity?
Was this ever the Lakeside? For a time there was a movie times listing for the Lakeside Cinema. Or was that the Jerry Lewis? Or is it one not listed?
The old, wooden Center Moriches theatre on Railroad av just north of Montauk Highway is now a dry cleaners. One can actually see the openings from the projection booth inside.
Now somebody please confirm that Prudential also had a theatre in Moriches. I seem to remember this in their old guide. I wish I’s retained it. I tried at the Moriches Library but not the Center Moriches one.
The marquee said Huntington Station, not Station which made it a pretty long marquee. Early ads referred to it by its full name, subsequently abbreviated to Huntington Sta. and, finally Station. It always seems to be a crap shot looking some of these things up when the name it, outright wrong, such as this, or a name has changed and one of the names, only comes up e.g. The Regents in Bay Shore is listed under its current identity Boulton Center. And, nowhere in the comments mention when it was Hollyrock. Similarly, the theatre listed as Old Bethpage began it’s life as Bethview, then Cine Capri, then Old Bethpage and, finally CAP, a live theatre group.
And don’t forget the fabulous flea market every sunday that had traffic backed up on 110
Re a 2005 posting the old theatre, the Wellwood, was actually in town. It is in the directory. It was destroyed by fire. A year or two before the Lindenhurst closed, they, too, had a fire but the cause of their demise is the one plaguing all single screen theatres and, lately some of the multiplexes.
I’m glad there’s a visual of the theatre. It looked small from the outside but was surprisingly large inside. I remember a plaque over the refreshment stand which stated it had won some sort of designing award.