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This site is so out of date.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.
Re a comment way back, the 110 Drive in was actually in Melville at the western intersection of Rt 110 and the north service road of the Long Island Expressway. It was a big one 2, 500 cars. After a lot of research on this site I couldn’t find it and have made an attempt to post it. Wish me luck it’s my first posting.
And the illuminated clock was to the left of the proscenium. A trivia question (for which I do not know the answer)– whose advertising did it carry? And where was the drinking fountain?
And one final thought – at the time the theatre closed the seating capacity was down to 880 according to a spokesperson at Century. The downsizing occurred when new seats were installed with more space between the aisles.
The last six rows were smoking. And don’t forget the children’s section and the matron.
Nobody said there was a balcony. I just referred to rumors, particularly with that huge staircase (with the projectionist booth directly at the top of the stairs.)
And may I elaborate on my original posting – Bellerose “Proper” was the incorporated Village.
Also on the rumor mill was the origin of the name. Supposedly after two sisters, Belle and Rose.
I never could figure why they called it the Park East. Initially, I thought they were going to retain the Park, but didn’t. It closed simultaneously with the opening of the Park East. This naming has caused confusion in the postings on both theatres.
From all of the above it is apparent that the Park theatre at Jericho and Lakeville was around for a long time. It was so tiny I can’t believe the seating capacity shown. When Century modernized it, minimally, they also replaced the tiny marguee with shuch a huge one considering the size of the building. When Century opened the Park East further East in what I would consider Garden City Park they simultaneous closed the Park.
For many years Century ran the Valley Stream. When they built the Green Acres they gave it up. Prior posting mention Skouras. I think the Century chain may have been a spin off from that because I remember a number of theatres being listed as Skouras/Century, among them the Lynbrook.
Somewhere between being the Regent and Boulton Center it was the Hollyrock. There was a cafe infront and a screen showing movies. Bizarre – a little like the current Studio One in NYC that has stage plays in a setting like that.
The main floor now houses a law office among other things. I’ve been told that the balcony is still intact including the seats. This was another theatre that didn’t have a signboard marquee – the alan and lindenhurst are two others which come to mind.
Sometime back I read something interesting – the theatre was on leased land. Clearview has purchased the land under its theatre. I wonder if that was a common practice.
It always seemed to me that the Alan and Franklin had the same design albeit different facades. The Alan had no flashy marquee. The first time I went there I missed it. In later years they added a big signboard attached to the front of the theatre.
Anybody remember when they went single feature for a bit?
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.
Re a comment way back, the 110 Drive in was actually in Melville at the western intersection of Rt 110 and the north service road of the Long Island Expressway. It was a big one 2, 500 cars. After a lot of research on this site I couldn’t find it and have made an attempt to post it. Wish me luck it’s my first posting.
And the illuminated clock was to the left of the proscenium. A trivia question (for which I do not know the answer)– whose advertising did it carry? And where was the drinking fountain?
And one final thought – at the time the theatre closed the seating capacity was down to 880 according to a spokesperson at Century. The downsizing occurred when new seats were installed with more space between the aisles.
The last six rows were smoking. And don’t forget the children’s section and the matron.
Nobody said there was a balcony. I just referred to rumors, particularly with that huge staircase (with the projectionist booth directly at the top of the stairs.)
And may I elaborate on my original posting – Bellerose “Proper” was the incorporated Village.
Also on the rumor mill was the origin of the name. Supposedly after two sisters, Belle and Rose.
I never could figure why they called it the Park East. Initially, I thought they were going to retain the Park, but didn’t. It closed simultaneously with the opening of the Park East. This naming has caused confusion in the postings on both theatres.
From all of the above it is apparent that the Park theatre at Jericho and Lakeville was around for a long time. It was so tiny I can’t believe the seating capacity shown. When Century modernized it, minimally, they also replaced the tiny marguee with shuch a huge one considering the size of the building. When Century opened the Park East further East in what I would consider Garden City Park they simultaneous closed the Park.
For many years Century ran the Valley Stream. When they built the Green Acres they gave it up. Prior posting mention Skouras. I think the Century chain may have been a spin off from that because I remember a number of theatres being listed as Skouras/Century, among them the Lynbrook.
Somewhere between being the Regent and Boulton Center it was the Hollyrock. There was a cafe infront and a screen showing movies. Bizarre – a little like the current Studio One in NYC that has stage plays in a setting like that.
The main floor now houses a law office among other things. I’ve been told that the balcony is still intact including the seats. This was another theatre that didn’t have a signboard marquee – the alan and lindenhurst are two others which come to mind.
Sometime back I read something interesting – the theatre was on leased land. Clearview has purchased the land under its theatre. I wonder if that was a common practice.
It always seemed to me that the Alan and Franklin had the same design albeit different facades. The Alan had no flashy marquee. The first time I went there I missed it. In later years they added a big signboard attached to the front of the theatre.
Anybody remember when they went single feature for a bit?