Opened as The Pleasant Hour Theatre on June 12, 1909. It closed August 30, 1919. It does not have any ads as the Idle Hour and was converted for other retail purposes.
After two open houses, the Hippodrome launched October 20, 1910. It closed October 31, 1914. After serving as a meeting hall briefly, the space was converted to a furniture store.
Closed on September 25, 1979 with “The Hitter” and “Queen Boxer.” The theatre proved challenging to raze and was demolished from October of 1979 to May of 1980.
Closed September 14, 1997 with two triple features: “Excess Baggage,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” an “Men in Black” on one screen and “Fire Down Below,” “Conspiracy Theory” and “Addicted to Love” on the other.
The Odeon Circuit shuttered the Paramount Drive-in after the October 10, 1959 showing of “The Big Circus.” A dairy interest bought the land for a new facility. The theatre was razed in 1959.
The Chinook’s last show was on September 13, 1958 with “Enemy Below.” The theatre was torn down September 19, 1958 to make way for the Chinook Shopping Center which took its name from the ozoner.
Closing on Halloween with Halloween (and Phantasm) in 1979. That’s going out in style. That was followed by a salvage sale so that you could have a piece of the drive-in.
Irv Tamler of Indianapolis opened the Moonlite Drive-In Theatre on October 17, 1948 with “Life with Father”. The capacity was 700 cars. In development stages, it was known as the East Side Drive-In. In 1972, operator John K. Patterson was arrested for showing obscene films. A tornado destroyed the Moonlight Drive-In complex on April 3, 1974. It was not rebuilt.
Launched at 109-111 Third Street on November 9, 1923 with the film, “Three Wise Fools” by the Castle Theatre Circuit. An ad on May 23, 1952 announces that the Castle Theatre will close for the summer but it didn’t reopen in the Fall. In August of 1953, it was the new home of Berean Baptist Church.
Clearview closed the Cinema 23 on May 11, 2010 at the end of lease. It did outlast the Blockbuster Video Store that was a near neighbor in the same complex by one month.
Grand opening ad for the Lincoln Theatre on March 7, 1914 with the film, “A Message From Mars” in photos. The theater closed in 1930. The theatre became the Broadmoor Theatre equipped with new sound systen by Rapf & Ruden in 1931 likely on a 15-year lease. It closed though re-emerging on March 21, 1946 and was renamed the Center Theatre launching with a new streamlined look and the films, “My Reputation” and “The Lone Wolf.”
Opened as the K-Cinema playing mainstream movies when it opened in 1981. In 1982, the cinema experimented with late night adult films. That proved successful and the theatre became the K-Cinema Adult Theatre to its closing on August 30, 1986. Converted to other retail, it was home to a stationery store, a Blockbuster video store, and was an outdoor backyard store in 2019.
Ads start October 6, 1971 and it looks like the Mall Cinema launched on a 20-year lease. In its second cycle, Richard Nathan closed it as the Mall Twin on August 30, 1997. It then relaunched late in 1998 closing March 30, 2003 with “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “Two Weeks Notice.”
Opened April 10, 1974 with Midnight Cowboy and Where’s Poppa?. It closed March 31, 1999 with Affliction splitting with Central Station and would eventually move to Bloomfield’s Center Twin Theatre.
The theatre closed on September 27, 1987 with “Tough Guys Don’t Dance” and “Snow White” splitting with “The Big Easy”. Star Cinema Circuit operated the theatre for its final six years after General Cinema left. It closed at the end of its 20-year lease.
Harry May built a new theatre at Arnold Avenue G.O. Jones was the architect. The theatre appears to have launched in 1935 and had 750 seats. In its formative years, the Arnold was a summer only operation closing in the winter after the vacationers had left. One vacationer was cowboy sidekick Gabby Hayes who made a live appearance selling out the theatre.
The theatre closed in 1957 and was a Walter Reade Circuit property. The theatre appears to have a period of vacancy and was brought back with live shows in the early 1970s on a sublease with Reade. On January 11, 1974, the theatre got back into regular theatrical operation with the film, “The Way We Were.” Robert W. Buhout received the Citizen of the Year Award by the Elks Club for his purchase of the operation from Reade and his restoration of the facility.
The theatre was renamed the Arnold Cinema by James H. Clayton and closed February 19, 1981 with “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones.” It had a brief run as a place of worship. Live theatre producer Gil Rambach took on the facility for live plays in 1982 listed at 500 seats. That ran until August of 1984. The building got a shocking makeover and was transformed into the Cedar Point Office Center, an office building.
The Ocean County Mall launched on July 28, 1976 and General Cinema was there as an original tenant launching with “Logan’s Run,” “The Man Who Fell to Earth” and “Lifeguard.” GCC closed there on July 17, 1997 as more modern megaplexes were in favor.
Cinemagic took on the cinemas rebranding as Cinemagic at Ocean Mall on January 2, 1998 running a sub-run, discount operation. On July 17, 1998, the theater’s name became Cinemagic Discount Theater at Ocean County Mall. Cinemagic vanished on October 24, 2002. The theatre remained vacant for the remainder of its 30-year leasing cycle. It was then converted for other retail purposes.
In June of 1973, the Brookwood Plaza Shopping Center was getting a Jerry Lewis Cinema. By the time this theatre opened, the Lewis Circuit had folded. The 350-seat automated theatre launched April 3, 1974 with “American Graffiti.” The center housing the cinema became the Brook Plaza Shopping Mall. The Director yelled cut closing on February 18, 1982 with “Cinderella.” The theatre was one of two Director Chairs location and this one remained a single screener. It was renamed the Playhouse and staged live plays in 1982.
The Fair-Ridge Shopping Center opened theatre-less in 1961 in Fairview, N.J. In 1967. That changed when Spyros Lenas left the Skouras chain and launched his own circuit including the creation of the Fairview Cinema. It was Lenas' seventh theatre seating 800 and launched June 21, 1967 with “The Sound of Music.” The cinema was located at 211 Bergen Blvd. and featured an art gallery featuring artworks from local artists.
Despite the fact that “The Love Bug” was the theater’s number one film of 1970, the Fairview showed some X-rated fare. In 1973, that reached the boiling point as protesters picketed a double feature of X-rated films. Mayor V. Michael Rossi intervened convincing theatre management to terminate X-rated films.
The Fairview switched back to mainstream films including cult films at midnight. On December 21, 1979, the theatre was twinned becoming the Fairview Twin Cinema 1 & 2.
In 1981, the theatre was operated by Loews as the Loews Faireview Twin Cinema 1 & 2. In 1989, the expansion of the A&P Grocery Store led to the demolition of the Fairview which Loews closed on July 20, 1989 with “Weekend at Bernies” and “Ghostbusters II”. The cinema was demolished shortly thereafter.
The Sayre Woods Shopping Center launched theatre-less on June 12, 1956. In 1962, a theatre project was announced and built next to the Shop-Rite Supermarket. The Sayre Woods Theatre launched with “Divorce American Style” on July 24, 1963. In 1982, the theatre advertised as the Sayrewoods Theatre. The shopping center became the Gateway Shopping Center with the theatre’s name remaining unchanged. Though I would defer to the comments above, the theatre went out of business showing XXX films and listings end on April 14, 1991 after a screening of “Depraved Innocent.”
Cinema III’s owner Edward Grant launched Grant’s Movies I & II on February 15, 1974 with Mayor Henry Cioffi cutting the ribbon at 620 Ocean Avenue in Long Branch’s West End. The auditoriums had identical capacity with 340 seats each. Music Makers Theatres Circuit bought the operation from Grant in December of 1978 becoming Movies I & II.
When Music Makers sold out to Loews, this location became a Loews Theatre Circuit operation and was renamed Loews Long Branch 1&2 in 1988. Under the Circuit’s rebranding to Sony Theatres Circuit, it closed as the Sony Long Branch 1 & 2 on June 18, 1995 with “Village of the Damned” and “Circle of Friends.”
Opened September 10, 1913. Closed at end of lease on October 31, 1923. Address at launch was 2-4-6 (2-6) Lexington (not 246).
Opened as The Pleasant Hour Theatre on June 12, 1909. It closed August 30, 1919. It does not have any ads as the Idle Hour and was converted for other retail purposes.
After two open houses, the Hippodrome launched October 20, 1910. It closed October 31, 1914. After serving as a meeting hall briefly, the space was converted to a furniture store.
Closed on September 25, 1979 with “The Hitter” and “Queen Boxer.” The theatre proved challenging to raze and was demolished from October of 1979 to May of 1980.
Closed September 14, 1997 with two triple features: “Excess Baggage,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” an “Men in Black” on one screen and “Fire Down Below,” “Conspiracy Theory” and “Addicted to Love” on the other.
The Odeon Circuit shuttered the Paramount Drive-in after the October 10, 1959 showing of “The Big Circus.” A dairy interest bought the land for a new facility. The theatre was razed in 1959.
The Chinook’s last show was on September 13, 1958 with “Enemy Below.” The theatre was torn down September 19, 1958 to make way for the Chinook Shopping Center which took its name from the ozoner.
Closing on Halloween with Halloween (and Phantasm) in 1979. That’s going out in style. That was followed by a salvage sale so that you could have a piece of the drive-in.
Provided that you don’t get allergic smelling hay.
Correction – It was razed August 21, 1994. (not 1984)
Opening ad as the Willow Theatre in photos. Was the Willow Theatre for 20 years (1949-1969).
Irv Tamler of Indianapolis opened the Moonlite Drive-In Theatre on October 17, 1948 with “Life with Father”. The capacity was 700 cars. In development stages, it was known as the East Side Drive-In. In 1972, operator John K. Patterson was arrested for showing obscene films. A tornado destroyed the Moonlight Drive-In complex on April 3, 1974. It was not rebuilt.
Launched at 109-111 Third Street on November 9, 1923 with the film, “Three Wise Fools” by the Castle Theatre Circuit. An ad on May 23, 1952 announces that the Castle Theatre will close for the summer but it didn’t reopen in the Fall. In August of 1953, it was the new home of Berean Baptist Church.
Clearview closed the Cinema 23 on May 11, 2010 at the end of lease. It did outlast the Blockbuster Video Store that was a near neighbor in the same complex by one month.
Grand opening ad for the Lincoln Theatre on March 7, 1914 with the film, “A Message From Mars” in photos. The theater closed in 1930. The theatre became the Broadmoor Theatre equipped with new sound systen by Rapf & Ruden in 1931 likely on a 15-year lease. It closed though re-emerging on March 21, 1946 and was renamed the Center Theatre launching with a new streamlined look and the films, “My Reputation” and “The Lone Wolf.”
Opened as the K-Cinema playing mainstream movies when it opened in 1981. In 1982, the cinema experimented with late night adult films. That proved successful and the theatre became the K-Cinema Adult Theatre to its closing on August 30, 1986. Converted to other retail, it was home to a stationery store, a Blockbuster video store, and was an outdoor backyard store in 2019.
Ads start October 6, 1971 and it looks like the Mall Cinema launched on a 20-year lease. In its second cycle, Richard Nathan closed it as the Mall Twin on August 30, 1997. It then relaunched late in 1998 closing March 30, 2003 with “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “Two Weeks Notice.”
Opened April 10, 1974 with Midnight Cowboy and Where’s Poppa?. It closed March 31, 1999 with Affliction splitting with Central Station and would eventually move to Bloomfield’s Center Twin Theatre.
The theatre closed on September 27, 1987 with “Tough Guys Don’t Dance” and “Snow White” splitting with “The Big Easy”. Star Cinema Circuit operated the theatre for its final six years after General Cinema left. It closed at the end of its 20-year lease.
Harry May built a new theatre at Arnold Avenue G.O. Jones was the architect. The theatre appears to have launched in 1935 and had 750 seats. In its formative years, the Arnold was a summer only operation closing in the winter after the vacationers had left. One vacationer was cowboy sidekick Gabby Hayes who made a live appearance selling out the theatre.
The theatre closed in 1957 and was a Walter Reade Circuit property. The theatre appears to have a period of vacancy and was brought back with live shows in the early 1970s on a sublease with Reade. On January 11, 1974, the theatre got back into regular theatrical operation with the film, “The Way We Were.” Robert W. Buhout received the Citizen of the Year Award by the Elks Club for his purchase of the operation from Reade and his restoration of the facility.
The theatre was renamed the Arnold Cinema by James H. Clayton and closed February 19, 1981 with “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Rolling Stones.” It had a brief run as a place of worship. Live theatre producer Gil Rambach took on the facility for live plays in 1982 listed at 500 seats. That ran until August of 1984. The building got a shocking makeover and was transformed into the Cedar Point Office Center, an office building.
The Ocean County Mall launched on July 28, 1976 and General Cinema was there as an original tenant launching with “Logan’s Run,” “The Man Who Fell to Earth” and “Lifeguard.” GCC closed there on July 17, 1997 as more modern megaplexes were in favor.
Cinemagic took on the cinemas rebranding as Cinemagic at Ocean Mall on January 2, 1998 running a sub-run, discount operation. On July 17, 1998, the theater’s name became Cinemagic Discount Theater at Ocean County Mall. Cinemagic vanished on October 24, 2002. The theatre remained vacant for the remainder of its 30-year leasing cycle. It was then converted for other retail purposes.
In June of 1973, the Brookwood Plaza Shopping Center was getting a Jerry Lewis Cinema. By the time this theatre opened, the Lewis Circuit had folded. The 350-seat automated theatre launched April 3, 1974 with “American Graffiti.” The center housing the cinema became the Brook Plaza Shopping Mall. The Director yelled cut closing on February 18, 1982 with “Cinderella.” The theatre was one of two Director Chairs location and this one remained a single screener. It was renamed the Playhouse and staged live plays in 1982.
The Fair-Ridge Shopping Center opened theatre-less in 1961 in Fairview, N.J. In 1967. That changed when Spyros Lenas left the Skouras chain and launched his own circuit including the creation of the Fairview Cinema. It was Lenas' seventh theatre seating 800 and launched June 21, 1967 with “The Sound of Music.” The cinema was located at 211 Bergen Blvd. and featured an art gallery featuring artworks from local artists.
Despite the fact that “The Love Bug” was the theater’s number one film of 1970, the Fairview showed some X-rated fare. In 1973, that reached the boiling point as protesters picketed a double feature of X-rated films. Mayor V. Michael Rossi intervened convincing theatre management to terminate X-rated films.
The Fairview switched back to mainstream films including cult films at midnight. On December 21, 1979, the theatre was twinned becoming the Fairview Twin Cinema 1 & 2.
In 1981, the theatre was operated by Loews as the Loews Faireview Twin Cinema 1 & 2. In 1989, the expansion of the A&P Grocery Store led to the demolition of the Fairview which Loews closed on July 20, 1989 with “Weekend at Bernies” and “Ghostbusters II”. The cinema was demolished shortly thereafter.
The Sayre Woods Shopping Center launched theatre-less on June 12, 1956. In 1962, a theatre project was announced and built next to the Shop-Rite Supermarket. The Sayre Woods Theatre launched with “Divorce American Style” on July 24, 1963. In 1982, the theatre advertised as the Sayrewoods Theatre. The shopping center became the Gateway Shopping Center with the theatre’s name remaining unchanged. Though I would defer to the comments above, the theatre went out of business showing XXX films and listings end on April 14, 1991 after a screening of “Depraved Innocent.”
Cinema III’s owner Edward Grant launched Grant’s Movies I & II on February 15, 1974 with Mayor Henry Cioffi cutting the ribbon at 620 Ocean Avenue in Long Branch’s West End. The auditoriums had identical capacity with 340 seats each. Music Makers Theatres Circuit bought the operation from Grant in December of 1978 becoming Movies I & II.
When Music Makers sold out to Loews, this location became a Loews Theatre Circuit operation and was renamed Loews Long Branch 1&2 in 1988. Under the Circuit’s rebranding to Sony Theatres Circuit, it closed as the Sony Long Branch 1 & 2 on June 18, 1995 with “Village of the Damned” and “Circle of Friends.”