Maspeth Theatre

Thanx, Warren -
I will look at the site you suggest. I’m still learning.
The Juniper Diner was 1 block from the Maspeth Theatre and I thought they could be considered on the same site as the thaetre.
Mariothe Dinerguy

Again, Lost, back on topic with the right kind of organ. Thanks !

As I have posted many times, to my chagrin and annoyance, I cannot recall precisely when the Madison showed its last film, (my working assumption is Halloween 1977, based on what I have read on this site)but I DO know it was closed by the last Saturday of February 1978, when I noticed that “THIS IS HOW YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD STARTS TO DECAY” sign on the front of it.

I have absolutely no idea when the Maspeth stopped showing movies.

I think the Madison closed in the fall of 1977 (or was it 1978), either way 50 years almost exactly….which was way too short for such a beautiful building….

Thanks, Warren. I think the RKO Madison opened around Thanksgiving Day 1927.

The Oasis, also listed in that ad, was even closer to the Maspeth than the Ridgwood. The Oasis was (give or take) half way between the Ridgewood and the Oasis. I don’t when the Maspeth closed, but the Oasis closed some time around 1979 or 1980 (give or take a year).
I didn’t realize the same ownership owned both the Ridgewood and the Oasis.

Thanks, KenRoe. I’ve seen an Idle Hour Theatre listed in Cinematour in Queens. Problem is, with these old listings, one has to figure out what those older Queens street names have now changed to. I think Grand Avenue becomes Grand Street when it crosses Newtown Creek into Brooklyn.

That’s a great photo Warren. I can actually visualize the expressway. The building in the distance on the right of course is the block with the Maspeth theater, and that is still there. The expressway comes through in that somewhat empty area, and where the trolley barn is, and of course all the buildings on the left are gone too I believe.

Thanks Warren. It’s so strange not to see the Expressway in the distance as you would now.

I regularly check the “I Have Often Walked” feature of the Queens Chronicle, and have never before seen them make such a mistake. Thanks, Warren, for pointing this out. Thanks, Bway, for posting the link. I wonder what it IS a picture of ?

Does anyone know what if any thater ornamentation exists in the Bingo hall? Is it a “diamond in the rough” like the RKO Richmond Hill Keiths, or was it gutted?

It was just slightly saved when they cut through the LIE in the 60’s. IF it was about a half of a block further over, it would have had to have been demolished.

When did it close to movies by the way?

I noticed that too. This article explains the reason Lopez is listed. Apparently, he was more popular at the time than the stars of the movie. This seems to have been a particularly risque film for the time period, but then again it was the Roaring Twenties.

Elvis played here on a 1964 neighborhood run
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