I was at the former Alhambra Theatre last Sunday. When photographing the exterior, a car approached and two “foriegners” jumped out of the car and asked what I was doing. I told them that I was a theatre historian and photograph former theatres as a hobby. They said no more, hopped in the car and drove away. I wonder what occupies this building at this time, there are no signs on the facade or any indications of what goes on within. I’m under the suspicion that very little remains within but am curious as to what remains and goes on in this building. On this same Sunday, I came across the following theatre buildings… the former 1920’s IDEAL Theatre on Knickerbocker Avenue, both IMPERIAL Theatres (one on Halsey, one on Irving Ave.), RIVOLI on Myrtle (still with theatre seats), the TOMPKINS and AMUSU on Gates Ave. The STARR’s auditorium walls are still visible from across the street behind the Associated Food Stores redo of the demolished storefronts and theatre entrance. There were many theatres in this area. P.S. The CENTRAL Theatre building is still standing at 431 Central Ave. This became the Luxor and another name. The three theatres on Wilson Avenue have bit the dust.
The Parthenon Theatre was located in Brooklyn according to the source material that I have for it. I’m quite sure Randforce Theatres knew where their theatres were located. The Ridgewood Theatre was also a “Brooklyn” placed theatre in ads. The next thing you know, debates will be held if the RKO Madison is in Queens, which it is obviously not.
United Artists does not exist as an exhibitor today, only the name, therefore the current operators are responsiblle for the decline of the remaining U.A. houses. (That is not saying that U.A. itself contributed to their own theatres' decline.) United Artists started going down the drain once Salah Hassanien departed or was forced out by the incoming “takeover” which commenced the decline of United Artists Eastern Theatres.
According to my records, the Majestic closed in 1953 maybe ‘54 and opening in the early 1920-24 period. The Grandview 1929-1954. The Evergreen opened in 1920 and closed in 1928 (only a silent film house). The Whitney opened in 1920 and closed in 1927 and then became the Oasis in 1927. The Whitney and Oasis are one in the same.
I was in the area yesterday. P.S. See the STARR theatre on this site.
Second Preservation Alert!!!
There maybe an impending sale or lease of this property. It was shown last Friday and this Monday to a Boat Dealership for a showroom. More information to follow. I believe our first alert on this website help stall the procedings, “Let’s Do It Again”!
Second Preservation Alert!!!
There maybe an impending sale or lease of this property. It was shown last Friday and this Monday to a Boat Dealership for a showroom. More information to follow. I believe our first alert on this website help stall the procedings, “Let’s Do It Again”!
When the York first opened, it was booked with foriegn films. This theatre featured the white and green glazed brick in the facade and lobby design. The Whitman had blue and white brick, the Morton Village white and black brick. The York’s name was in light green and white, the Whitman’s red and blue, the Morton Village’s was red. The Shore had the red neon name framed in aluminum at the top of the building facing Main Street, it when down with the building but it was working in 1980.
To KenRoe… thank you for the information on “Cinemas De Portugal”. I have a copy on order (it’s coming from Portugal). However, in the meantime, I asked my library to see if there was a copy in the area. After three weeks, I was giving up on it when the library called to tell me it had arrived from the Library Of Congress in Washington, D.C. (apparently the only copy in the country). It was wonderful to see and sad at the same time. Every country has its' faded movie palace story. The book is in Portuguese and I was unhampered by that since I speak and read it well.
To Pauliano… Thank you for your insights, I plan a trip to Portugal some time next year, my first since 1958 when I was two. My efforts here in the states to save a local 1949 moviehouse are also very stressing at times but its' doom is impending. When I get Portugal, I would be good to have someone who is familiar with the structures to guide me around. My mother, now 80 is unable to make an overseas trip anymore and show me around. A trip planned for this past May had to be cancelled due to illness.
Hope to hear from the both of you…..Orlando
The operation of this theatre has suffered in the past 8 years or so due to poor management and a facility in which cleanliness was not a priority. If money had been spent on the auditoriums, just to clean them up instead of the two remodels of the lobby and concession stands, this place would still have good numbers today. When I was there, this theatre was grossing over $150,000 a week and over $200,000 a week in the summer weeks. The concession was also huge topping over $50,000 a week in the summer with a concession payroll at below the 10% of the concession gross. If we only got commission then as they do now, there would be no excuae to have a theatre in this condition. Today it is the concession area and not the “movies” and their surroundings that are i9mportant to theatre owners. “It’s a shame, you know” as one of National Amusements' district managers use to say.
The Springer Circuit took hold of many Century operations, some that were being disposed of permanantly like the Town, Community and Plaza in Queens and the Patio, Linden (formerly Ward And Glynne’s Century), Farragut in Brooklyn. They also ran the Midwood and Oceana and when they went out of business, the last two reverted back to Century. Springer ceased to exist after 1964 or so.
The Century theatres all had the same carpeting which was known as “Century” spatter.
P.S. RobertR, Sorry I missed you at the Loew’s Jersey, I was there and was talking to some volunteers. “SPARTACUS” was great, even better than the Ziegfeld presentation some 13 years ago. I plan to be in Brooklyn Sunday for a theatre crawl in Bushwick and Ridgewood.
Did you take the PATH after the “SPARTACUS” showing?
Not all, just the Long Island locations with the exception of the Shore, Alan, Baldwin, Freeport, Grove and some others. Just the newly constructed houses after 1962 have the Century script. The Whitman’s was the last script to exist on a former Century house. None of the Brooklyn locations had the Century script. Their theatre in Garden City Park (the Park East) didn’t have the script as well. The Century motto was “Let Us Entertain You”. From time to time in the lobby showcases was a poster sign, “We treat our patrons like royalty”. When a location closed, another poster sign was put in the outside showcases “thanking the patrons for the many years of their patronage” and “to visit the nearest Century Theatre for their movie going pleasure”. Today, it’s just close the doors and walk away from it."
If I am correct, the building at the address above has been replaced with a modern daycare facility. The current structure does not resemble a former theatre. I covered this entire area on Sunday two weeks ago and found many of the listed theatre buildings in one use or another.
The building is still standing and it looks like it’s last occupant, a drug store has gone out of business (GOOD!). The exterior still retains the theatre’s terra cotta and the building and stores attached to the building are for rent.
I opened this theatre as the first managing director. It opened in November of 1983. I left in 1985 and at the time this was the second largest grossing theatre in the country behind the Sunrise Multiplex Cinemas in Valley Stream.
The owner, Corrine Staehle was present, sitting in the first row against the wall with her attorney. She was asking at the end of the bidding who the high bidder was. She looked like she was calm and sat quietly during the proceedings. Maybe l’ll see you Saturday at the Loew’s Jersey and give you the details.
I plan to attend SPARTACUS this Saturday, having attended the 75th anniversary Tuesday. I have a feeling that “classic movies” will cease after Sunday’s showing of SUPERMAN as to not enrage current fans of the movies and the THEATRE. Then, (I’m assuming)the transfer of the theatre will leave FOL on the street after their hard work. I was unaware an acting mayor (for how long?) had so much clout. However I was encouraged by all the “politicos” who addressed the audience on Tuesday and hope they stand by their word. Even though the movie started ½ hour late, it was necessary to let the people know what is going on. Loved the MGM Tom & Jerry cartoon “Cruise Cat” which preceded MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON.
(P.S. Bob, did you have a falling out with FOL?)
(P.S. RobertR, maybe I’ll meet you Saturday night for SPARTACUS in the lobby by the left staircase or in row LL center orchestra, right side)
Today, the Weatbury Theatre, apartments and storefronts were auctioned in Central Islip Court House. Bids started at $500,000 and I had told someone this past Monday at the theatre that it would go for $1.5 million since it sits on 9 lots. I was off by $150,000. Two bidders made the price bid go back between the two of them for the million dollar increase. Then one bidder, who had not bidded at all put up the bid of $1,650,000 and won the property, with a second bidder coming in at $1,625,000. The high bidder prior to the start of the bidding asked if there were any tenants in the apartments or the storefronts (he was communicating on cell phone and did not inspect the property prior to bidding). If he would have inspected, he would have known that the property was vacant. This leads me to believe that other plans that don’t include a theatre or the current structure will be in play after the title is transfered in thirty days, which was extended by the judge instead of the two weeks. I’ll keep everyone posted. I took many pictures of the backstage area and some of the original stained-glass exit signs (numbered) that are falling out of their holdings. What a sad day for Westbury.
P.S. The seating for the Whitman was 778, sorry about the error. This count is from the original Century Directory (1980) which was the last one done when ALMI took over Century. This directory also has the seating for all the ALMI (former UA houses) and the already twinned or triplexed Century Theatres.
The Morton Village didn’t have comedy / tragedy masks but some other type of steel art work as the Whitman had. I worked both houses and can remember them, but their descriptions escape me. The opening movie at the Whitman was the first James Bond movie, “DR. NO” and the proceeds went to a local charity as was the habit of all Century openings.
The UA CINEMA 150 opened with HELLO, DOLLY! on Reserved Seats in 1970, the parking lot was not paved or ready for opening. It also rained on opening day causing the mud to be tracked into the new showplace. This engagement was not “day & date” with the Rivoli which opened HELLO, DOLLY! in 1969. The soundtrack album “used during the intermission” was in an office at the Syosset Theatre someeight years later. This thearte was not open anytime in the 1960’s. The loss of this theatre was a shame, you can’t blame the theatre circuit but the landlord who refused to continue the lease as a theatre when he saw “$” signs in office rental space versus the theatre’s rent. The above “GWTW” engagement at the SYOSSET THEATRE above lasted over eight months from 1968-1969. (It was unheard of run for a re-release from 1939!). I believe PAINT YOUR WAGON followed it.
The vertical is no longer on the building, it was removed last year and some loose terra cotta has been re-inforced. The Kings has been closed for 27 years and it’s current condition is not as “HORRENDOUS” as warren states. True there is water damage in the auditorium in about 40% of this space. The stage skylight has let the outside elements destroy the stage area, but it doesn’t have a eight foot hole in it like the Westbury of Long Island which was open all along with a broken skylight. The lobby areas are missing fixtures and is not as weathered as the auditorium. Let’s remember that the building was closed and walked away from. If the city had boarded and secured the location, this would have never happened. Yes it would have some damage but not as much would have occured. The treasures of the Loew’s Kings were not stolen by homeless people but like many believe, but by the caretakers including the Flatbush Developement people who had the keys to the building.
I have some shots of the lobby just before the “gutters” came in. When it opened in the early ‘60’s with a James Bond movie it was a success and had a lot of “exclusives” like Annie Hall and so on. Any theatre is able to do well as long as the product itself is worthy. Show garbage and gross nothing. With the twinning, triplexing and quadding of the Shore (Century had no foresight, they carved it up as they needed to) the better films were given to the Shore so they could sell out quickly and create overflow for the remaining 3 screens. This was the first nail in the coffin. After Century was absorbed by Almi and then they took over RKO, and every other circuit that followed cared less and less about the theatre. After all, it was a leased property. At one time, Century also operated two kioska in the Walt Whitman mall under the Century banner. I worked this theatre in 1980, just a year before Century sold out. The seating of this theatre was 880 seats, not the 700 listed above.
I was at the former Alhambra Theatre last Sunday. When photographing the exterior, a car approached and two “foriegners” jumped out of the car and asked what I was doing. I told them that I was a theatre historian and photograph former theatres as a hobby. They said no more, hopped in the car and drove away. I wonder what occupies this building at this time, there are no signs on the facade or any indications of what goes on within. I’m under the suspicion that very little remains within but am curious as to what remains and goes on in this building. On this same Sunday, I came across the following theatre buildings… the former 1920’s IDEAL Theatre on Knickerbocker Avenue, both IMPERIAL Theatres (one on Halsey, one on Irving Ave.), RIVOLI on Myrtle (still with theatre seats), the TOMPKINS and AMUSU on Gates Ave. The STARR’s auditorium walls are still visible from across the street behind the Associated Food Stores redo of the demolished storefronts and theatre entrance. There were many theatres in this area. P.S. The CENTRAL Theatre building is still standing at 431 Central Ave. This became the Luxor and another name. The three theatres on Wilson Avenue have bit the dust.
The Parthenon Theatre was located in Brooklyn according to the source material that I have for it. I’m quite sure Randforce Theatres knew where their theatres were located. The Ridgewood Theatre was also a “Brooklyn” placed theatre in ads. The next thing you know, debates will be held if the RKO Madison is in Queens, which it is obviously not.
United Artists does not exist as an exhibitor today, only the name, therefore the current operators are responsiblle for the decline of the remaining U.A. houses. (That is not saying that U.A. itself contributed to their own theatres' decline.) United Artists started going down the drain once Salah Hassanien departed or was forced out by the incoming “takeover” which commenced the decline of United Artists Eastern Theatres.
According to my records, the Majestic closed in 1953 maybe ‘54 and opening in the early 1920-24 period. The Grandview 1929-1954. The Evergreen opened in 1920 and closed in 1928 (only a silent film house). The Whitney opened in 1920 and closed in 1927 and then became the Oasis in 1927. The Whitney and Oasis are one in the same.
I was in the area yesterday. P.S. See the STARR theatre on this site.
Second Preservation Alert!!!
There maybe an impending sale or lease of this property. It was shown last Friday and this Monday to a Boat Dealership for a showroom. More information to follow. I believe our first alert on this website help stall the procedings, “Let’s Do It Again”!
Second Preservation Alert!!!
There maybe an impending sale or lease of this property. It was shown last Friday and this Monday to a Boat Dealership for a showroom. More information to follow. I believe our first alert on this website help stall the procedings, “Let’s Do It Again”!
When the York first opened, it was booked with foriegn films. This theatre featured the white and green glazed brick in the facade and lobby design. The Whitman had blue and white brick, the Morton Village white and black brick. The York’s name was in light green and white, the Whitman’s red and blue, the Morton Village’s was red. The Shore had the red neon name framed in aluminum at the top of the building facing Main Street, it when down with the building but it was working in 1980.
To KenRoe… thank you for the information on “Cinemas De Portugal”. I have a copy on order (it’s coming from Portugal). However, in the meantime, I asked my library to see if there was a copy in the area. After three weeks, I was giving up on it when the library called to tell me it had arrived from the Library Of Congress in Washington, D.C. (apparently the only copy in the country). It was wonderful to see and sad at the same time. Every country has its' faded movie palace story. The book is in Portuguese and I was unhampered by that since I speak and read it well.
To Pauliano… Thank you for your insights, I plan a trip to Portugal some time next year, my first since 1958 when I was two. My efforts here in the states to save a local 1949 moviehouse are also very stressing at times but its' doom is impending. When I get Portugal, I would be good to have someone who is familiar with the structures to guide me around. My mother, now 80 is unable to make an overseas trip anymore and show me around. A trip planned for this past May had to be cancelled due to illness.
Hope to hear from the both of you…..Orlando
The operation of this theatre has suffered in the past 8 years or so due to poor management and a facility in which cleanliness was not a priority. If money had been spent on the auditoriums, just to clean them up instead of the two remodels of the lobby and concession stands, this place would still have good numbers today. When I was there, this theatre was grossing over $150,000 a week and over $200,000 a week in the summer weeks. The concession was also huge topping over $50,000 a week in the summer with a concession payroll at below the 10% of the concession gross. If we only got commission then as they do now, there would be no excuae to have a theatre in this condition. Today it is the concession area and not the “movies” and their surroundings that are i9mportant to theatre owners. “It’s a shame, you know” as one of National Amusements' district managers use to say.
The Springer Circuit took hold of many Century operations, some that were being disposed of permanantly like the Town, Community and Plaza in Queens and the Patio, Linden (formerly Ward And Glynne’s Century), Farragut in Brooklyn. They also ran the Midwood and Oceana and when they went out of business, the last two reverted back to Century. Springer ceased to exist after 1964 or so.
The Century theatres all had the same carpeting which was known as “Century” spatter.
P.S. RobertR, Sorry I missed you at the Loew’s Jersey, I was there and was talking to some volunteers. “SPARTACUS” was great, even better than the Ziegfeld presentation some 13 years ago. I plan to be in Brooklyn Sunday for a theatre crawl in Bushwick and Ridgewood.
Did you take the PATH after the “SPARTACUS” showing?
Not all, just the Long Island locations with the exception of the Shore, Alan, Baldwin, Freeport, Grove and some others. Just the newly constructed houses after 1962 have the Century script. The Whitman’s was the last script to exist on a former Century house. None of the Brooklyn locations had the Century script. Their theatre in Garden City Park (the Park East) didn’t have the script as well. The Century motto was “Let Us Entertain You”. From time to time in the lobby showcases was a poster sign, “We treat our patrons like royalty”. When a location closed, another poster sign was put in the outside showcases “thanking the patrons for the many years of their patronage” and “to visit the nearest Century Theatre for their movie going pleasure”. Today, it’s just close the doors and walk away from it."
If I am correct, the building at the address above has been replaced with a modern daycare facility. The current structure does not resemble a former theatre. I covered this entire area on Sunday two weeks ago and found many of the listed theatre buildings in one use or another.
The building is still standing and it looks like it’s last occupant, a drug store has gone out of business (GOOD!). The exterior still retains the theatre’s terra cotta and the building and stores attached to the building are for rent.
I opened this theatre as the first managing director. It opened in November of 1983. I left in 1985 and at the time this was the second largest grossing theatre in the country behind the Sunrise Multiplex Cinemas in Valley Stream.
The info is in the synopsis above.
It will be saved.
The owner, Corrine Staehle was present, sitting in the first row against the wall with her attorney. She was asking at the end of the bidding who the high bidder was. She looked like she was calm and sat quietly during the proceedings. Maybe l’ll see you Saturday at the Loew’s Jersey and give you the details.
I plan to attend SPARTACUS this Saturday, having attended the 75th anniversary Tuesday. I have a feeling that “classic movies” will cease after Sunday’s showing of SUPERMAN as to not enrage current fans of the movies and the THEATRE. Then, (I’m assuming)the transfer of the theatre will leave FOL on the street after their hard work. I was unaware an acting mayor (for how long?) had so much clout. However I was encouraged by all the “politicos” who addressed the audience on Tuesday and hope they stand by their word. Even though the movie started ½ hour late, it was necessary to let the people know what is going on. Loved the MGM Tom & Jerry cartoon “Cruise Cat” which preceded MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON.
(P.S. Bob, did you have a falling out with FOL?)
(P.S. RobertR, maybe I’ll meet you Saturday night for SPARTACUS in the lobby by the left staircase or in row LL center orchestra, right side)
Today, the Weatbury Theatre, apartments and storefronts were auctioned in Central Islip Court House. Bids started at $500,000 and I had told someone this past Monday at the theatre that it would go for $1.5 million since it sits on 9 lots. I was off by $150,000. Two bidders made the price bid go back between the two of them for the million dollar increase. Then one bidder, who had not bidded at all put up the bid of $1,650,000 and won the property, with a second bidder coming in at $1,625,000. The high bidder prior to the start of the bidding asked if there were any tenants in the apartments or the storefronts (he was communicating on cell phone and did not inspect the property prior to bidding). If he would have inspected, he would have known that the property was vacant. This leads me to believe that other plans that don’t include a theatre or the current structure will be in play after the title is transfered in thirty days, which was extended by the judge instead of the two weeks. I’ll keep everyone posted. I took many pictures of the backstage area and some of the original stained-glass exit signs (numbered) that are falling out of their holdings. What a sad day for Westbury.
P.S. The seating for the Whitman was 778, sorry about the error. This count is from the original Century Directory (1980) which was the last one done when ALMI took over Century. This directory also has the seating for all the ALMI (former UA houses) and the already twinned or triplexed Century Theatres.
The Morton Village didn’t have comedy / tragedy masks but some other type of steel art work as the Whitman had. I worked both houses and can remember them, but their descriptions escape me. The opening movie at the Whitman was the first James Bond movie, “DR. NO” and the proceeds went to a local charity as was the habit of all Century openings.
The UA CINEMA 150 opened with HELLO, DOLLY! on Reserved Seats in 1970, the parking lot was not paved or ready for opening. It also rained on opening day causing the mud to be tracked into the new showplace. This engagement was not “day & date” with the Rivoli which opened HELLO, DOLLY! in 1969. The soundtrack album “used during the intermission” was in an office at the Syosset Theatre someeight years later. This thearte was not open anytime in the 1960’s. The loss of this theatre was a shame, you can’t blame the theatre circuit but the landlord who refused to continue the lease as a theatre when he saw “$” signs in office rental space versus the theatre’s rent. The above “GWTW” engagement at the SYOSSET THEATRE above lasted over eight months from 1968-1969. (It was unheard of run for a re-release from 1939!). I believe PAINT YOUR WAGON followed it.
The vertical is no longer on the building, it was removed last year and some loose terra cotta has been re-inforced. The Kings has been closed for 27 years and it’s current condition is not as “HORRENDOUS” as warren states. True there is water damage in the auditorium in about 40% of this space. The stage skylight has let the outside elements destroy the stage area, but it doesn’t have a eight foot hole in it like the Westbury of Long Island which was open all along with a broken skylight. The lobby areas are missing fixtures and is not as weathered as the auditorium. Let’s remember that the building was closed and walked away from. If the city had boarded and secured the location, this would have never happened. Yes it would have some damage but not as much would have occured. The treasures of the Loew’s Kings were not stolen by homeless people but like many believe, but by the caretakers including the Flatbush Developement people who had the keys to the building.
I have some shots of the lobby just before the “gutters” came in. When it opened in the early ‘60’s with a James Bond movie it was a success and had a lot of “exclusives” like Annie Hall and so on. Any theatre is able to do well as long as the product itself is worthy. Show garbage and gross nothing. With the twinning, triplexing and quadding of the Shore (Century had no foresight, they carved it up as they needed to) the better films were given to the Shore so they could sell out quickly and create overflow for the remaining 3 screens. This was the first nail in the coffin. After Century was absorbed by Almi and then they took over RKO, and every other circuit that followed cared less and less about the theatre. After all, it was a leased property. At one time, Century also operated two kioska in the Walt Whitman mall under the Century banner. I worked this theatre in 1980, just a year before Century sold out. The seating of this theatre was 880 seats, not the 700 listed above.