UA Crossbay I

I never gave a second thought to attending any of the nabe theaters at night (Crossbay, Lefferts, Casino). Ozone Park and South Ozone Park were extremely safe neighborhoods to grow up in in the 70’s and early 80’s. Jamaica was a different story!

I believe that I may have seen “Saturday Night Fever” there (at the Elmwood), then walked across the street to the mall and bought the album. That would have been the high water mark of my “disco phase.”
I know that I saw the post-Star Wars re-release of “Barbarella” there, too, because I remember my teen-aged libido having a brief “Jane Fonda” phase.

I agree with you that the most impressive feature of the Lefferts was its marquee! “Most beautiful theater on Long Island”?? I guess UA or whoever owned it then had a very ambitious or demented PR rep. Of course, its glory days were long gone by the time I ever got there.

Unfortunately I never saw a movie at the Valencia. I had no idea how beautiful it was at the time – my mother only told me about it many years later. In the 70s it would have seemed too dodgy (and the neighborhood too seedy) to go out of my way to see a movie there. I peeked inside once after it was a church and was amazed.

As a teenager I would go to the Elmwood often, but mainly because it often had big movies before the theaters further south. (Also it was an easy ride on the Q11 bus.) I have to admit that I never noticed the architecture or decor. In those days I might have appreciated a theater’s size, big screen, or sound quality, but little else. Perhaps the Elmwood had already been ruined by subdividing by that point?

Hey J.D. I agree! I grew up in South Ozone Park by Lefferts Blvd and my main 3 theaters in that time were The Lefferts, The Casino and The Crossbay. I must have seen dozens of movies there over the years, but only remember 2 specific movies: The Go Ape marathon at the Crossbay and opening night (in wide release) of The Godfather at The Casino. None of these theaters had anything (that I remember) notable in their architectural designs even though they were all built in the 1920’s. Warren actually found a clipping that claimed that The Lefferts was the “Most Beautiful Theater” on Long Island when it opened! I can’t imagine it was even the most beautiful theater in Richmond Hill! Unless it opened before the RKO Keiths Richmond Hill; then maybe. Apparently, The Lefferts had an organ and a goldfish pond in the lobby. These were long gone before I started attending in the early 70’s.

I have no recollection of the interior of the Crossbay and have not seen anyone post any pictures. I think the best part of this theater was the facade which included two urns. I believe this has been preserved when it was converted into a Modells. The best part of the Lefferts, by far, was its marquee which had a beautiful cursive script spelling out Lefferts in yellow blinking lights. Tragically, this was lost in its transformation into a Rite Aid.

I didn’t have the same appreciation for architecture as a young man that I do today and so I may have missed some beautiful elements that remained in these old theaters. Nonetheless, when I went to a true movie palace, like The Valencia, Radio City, RKO Keiths Flushing and The Elmwood, you didn’t need to have an appreciation of architecture to notice that they were truly beautiful and special buildings.

Luis V, I also remember that “Go Ape” promotion and can’t believe I sat through five Planet of the Apes movies in one day! Today I’d need a few days to recover from sitting in those chairs that long!

I wonder if anyone remembers the Christmas shows that local police (or maybe the PBA?) would have for neighborhood kids at the Crossbay in the early 70s. We’d see some cartoons, a feature (one year it was John Wayne in ‘Brannigan’) and then every kid would get presents.

I was out of the area for many years and was surprised to find both Crossbays were closed this year. I must have seen dozens of movies here in the 70s and 80s. It’s sad that neighborhood theaters have to disappear like this – and I’m surprised that a theater couldn’t be profitable in this location if it were properly run. On the other hand, there was nothing special about the Crossbay. If there was anything noteworthy about the 1924 design, I’d imagine it was lost when the theater was first twinned and then triplexed. (And there was never anything nice about the utilitarian Crossbay 2)

The Lefferts Theater was on the south side of Liberty Avenue and 122nd St. It was three blocks down from the Lefferts Blvd. subway terminus. It had a big (and I thought very handsome) marquee with flashing yellow script lettering. I thought it was the best feature of the theater.

I’m happy to say that I am way too young to have a “personal experience” with either The Farrell or The Park theater. I was born in ‘59 and I believe both of those theaters closed by the late fifties. As I have noted on those theater’s pages, I was quite surprised that there were any theaters at all in South Ozone Park in general and on Rockaway Blvd in particular as this was never a big commercial strip or hub. Certainly not in the same vein as Liberty or Jamaica Avenues. But, in the era when Radio was prime entertainment, I guess these theaters were able to hold on until the advent of Television.

p.s. I don’t know where to get the theater number. It doesn’t appear on the page. I only see it when I get an emial response to a comment. In the meantime just type in south Ozone Park under “City” and these two theaters will pop up.

If you’re interested in theaters in South Ozone Park, look up The Farrell Theater on Rockaway Blvd and 118th St. In addition, there is some additional discussion of the Farrell Theater on the Lefferts Theater page (in nearby Richmond Hill).

Thanks, Warren. I’ll go take a look at it.

I remember a Park Theatre which was located just off Rockaway Blvd. East of the Van Wick Expressway. I don’t remember the exact block it was on, the last time I was inside was to see Old Yella and I remember very little about the inside of the building. I was about 6 years old at the time. I do know that the building was taken down in the early 60’s and was left as an empty lot for many years. It may still be a empty lot.

Interesting factoid Warren. I’d not heard of these neghborhood “co-op” groups formed to build movie houses. You make it sound like it was a common occurence. What were some of the other Queens theaters built in this manner to which you allude? Which ones were successful?

Sounds a lot more rewarding than todays straight venture capitalists.

Shalom, ciao, and excelsior
‘Tonino

Great photos Lost Memory.

Sorry for the confusion. Upon a second look I see that the pictures were all in front of Rockaway Blvd and excluded Liberty Ave. The area does appear cleaner and brighter than in ‘57 to '61 when I lived at 96-11 95 Ave, or through the '80s when I visited my mother.

There used to be a great diner a few blocks south on Woodhaven Blvd, east side. Name escapes me. Is it still there?

Maybe ‘Tonino meant the LIRR elevated area that is by Rockaway and I think 100th street (it runs by John Adams H.S). That structure has been abandoned since the 50’s or 60’s, they should really put it back in service, to me it looked liked a good route. I agree with LuisV, the Crossbay would never reach the status and grandeur of the Wonder theatres and other great movie palaces. But if UA payed more attention to both structures (1 and 2)the theatres would have been better and may have seen more people. But UA let everything go with the Crossbays, which led to their demise.