Syosset Theatre
7500 Jericho Turnpike,
Woodbury,
NY
11797
7500 Jericho Turnpike,
Woodbury,
NY
11797
20 people
favorited this theater
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I think everyone understands this now but just to be clear, the original Syosset, which at one time was a cinerama theatre and later used for 70mm roadshow engagements, was in Syosset. The theatre was later triplexed and became the Syosset triplex. The D-150 cinema was In Woodbury and remained a single screen until it closed. The theatres were close to one another one on each side of Jericho Turnpike. Bottom line here is they are both missed, especially the one and only D-150.
Thanks
cinema150
So which UA Theatre is this?
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The Cinerama site posted that it was replaced by a Home Depot location.
http://cinerama.topcities.com/syosset.htm
I not only worked as a projectionist at both the Syosset and D-150 cinema theatres, but lived at Woodbury Town Houses directly across the street from the D-150 cinema, I could see the attraction board from my kitchen window. Since I had a Woodbury address I have to imagine the D-150 Cinema had to be in Woodbury as well. Hope that helps.
In addition, having worked most of the theatres in Nassau County before I retired, I can only recall the Syosset, which was of course triplexed but retained the same name, and the Cinema 150 or D-150, as we called it, in Woodbury. I never heard of a Woodbury theatre.
The UA Cinema 150 in Syosset seated 1400 seats and dates back to around 1957. The theatre was razed to make way for a Home Depot.
That article from the link above states the UA CINEMA 150 was in Woodbury. I thought it was in Syosset. Anyone know for sure?
dick shea was the mgr.
for dick to manage.. i left gables to replace dick at squire and playhouse so he could open it…
hello dolly was the first movie after it opened wide
and still played at rivoli in ny..
it rained like hell that night and the grounds around the theatre
well, lets just say we had 3 inches of water at the base of the screen…
wally 1975
Hal you make some interesting points. I have seen 70mm flurish thru the 50s, die off in the late 60s and come back to life bigger than even in the early 80s, but I think, except for Imax, 70mm is really dead this time. No one is installing 70mm anymore and exsisting locations are for the most part replacing magnetic capabilties with Digital. I really thought 70mm would come back with DTS, but sadly no, the trend is totally 35mm digital. The push now is for Digital Cinema, although I think it may be a while before Digital Cinema is the main sourse of exibition, I seriously doubt we will ever see 70mm again. You are correct about folks wanting to see movies in a theatre like our beloved Cinema 150, IMAX is very popular and often draws the biggest crowds for releases like Harry Potter and Poseidon, proving that perhaps the D-150 could have survived.
I am happy to have been around during the fab 50s and 60s when it seemed like a new film format was born every week. Now the movie magic is all digital and for me not much fun anymore
First let me say how much I enjoy reading Vito’s many comments on this page and on other theatres as well! I never had the pleasure of seeing this fine theatre, although I did see some films in the NY Rivoli before they twinned it. Someone commented on the River Oaks 150 near Chicago, it’s still there but closed at the moment, Cineplex closed it not long ago and I hear someone is trying to reopen part of the River Oaks Complex, several of the screens were demolished. The last time I was in it you could tell Cineplex hadn’t spent any money on upkeep for awhile, it looked pretty tired and run down. I don’t know if the 70mm equipment is still in the booth or not, they wouldn’t let me have a peek. I knew several people that saw films in 70mm at the Syosset 150 and they couldn’t stop “gushing on” about it! Makes me jealous to say the least! I agree with many of the other comments above, it’s too bad someone couldn’t find a way to preserve these wonderful film venues and keep them operational, even if running 70mm is a rarity these days. As to the 70mm prints of GWTH, I ran a 4track 35mm print of it during the same release period and those prints were crappy too, same terrible cropping and less than crisp image on the screen, probably not as bad as the 70 prints due to the smaller screen size, but they still looked awful! Now with the ability to put a 70mm soundtrack on a disc (DTS) and run a 35mm print on screen, I’d say the chances of seeing 70mm prints in release is slim to none. Instead of trying to make the movie going experience exciting again, the studios are trying to figure out how to eliminate film altogether! They’ve been trying to get to this point for years and I guess it’s going to happen. People jusr don’t realize what they missed with theatres like the 150, I’m convinced that if the 150 or others like it still existed and you put a 70mm print on the screen for a currnet big release people would line up around the block to get in! But it ain’t going to happen!!! And that is really too bad!
Yes Jim, as one of the projectionist at the D-150,I remember almost never closing the booth door. Having folks peak in and chat was for me part of the fun of working there. I left in Oct 1987, during the run of “Dirty Dancing” my last 70mm was “White Nights”
I drove from Sayville to the D-150 to see almost all the 70mm presentations and anything of interest, from Earthquake to Hindenbverg in “electrifying 360 degree sound”. This was the best theatre around, surpassing the Ziegfeld in NYC.
I rember the ads when the theatre opening proclaiming its uniqueness, I think even giving demonstrations during the day.
A truly great theatre, sadly missed, And did see the projection booth opened, a great thrill.
I’ve been reading through these comments and was amazed at the references to original 3-strip Cinerama presntations at the nearby Syosset Theater (which was later triplexed before being demolished)! I never went to the Syosset, but did “discover” the Cinema 150 in the 1990’s to see “True Lies,” “Terminator 2” and “Titanic” here… where had this theater been all my life?!? I remember trying to get in to see one of the “Batman” movies in the early ‘90’s and having to be turned away because the show had sold out! There were always huge crowds for big movies here and a line would wrap around the curved of the building just to get tickets.
Anyway… I remember thinking when I first saw this theater that it would make a great place for revival of 3-strip Cinerama – without realizing that the Syosset Theater had previously presented that format in the ‘60’s. Of the two theaters, I certainly would have thought that the Cinema 150 would have been the one with a Cinerama history. I remember that I planned on speaking to the theater’s manager next time I saw a flick here about possibly running Cinerama films here in between regular bookings or on special evenings when regular business wasn’t as strong. Unfortunately, that “next time” never came around. Before I knew it, the theater was closed and converted to other use.
As far as I can tell, there is no viable location in NYC or on Long Island for proper Cinerama presentation… at least not without considerable alteration. Am I wrong?
The exclusive Long Island engagement of “Earthquake"
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Bob—I went to high school with both Idina Menzel and Adam Pascal, but only knew Idina (did two plays with her in HS). And yeah, it would’ve been a fun homecoming.
As I said, I absolutely loved this theater. Once you were inside, it was really a throwback to the old movie palaces on the 40’s and 50’s. I still remember seeing “Roger Rabbit” here. In the opening sequence, there’s this quick pan around the kitchen when Roger is on fire (I think) and it looked absolutely amazing up on the huge screen. And, of course, this is where I saw “Tron.” Again, you haven’t seen a movie like that until you’ve seen it up on the 150 screen.
This was really one of the best theaters. The staff was ALWAYS courteous (even when they shouldn’t have been!) and helpful, and it was always kept up extremely well. It was always one of my favorite theaters to go to.
And you know what? I think I remember seeing that hole in the ticket booth from the flying gallon of milk. Never knew what happened until now!
This is how it all starts… ;)
BobT, I would like to get in touch with you somehow? Any ideas?
BobT, the first letter in my username stands for Michelle.
Agreed, but let’s not forget Joe Kelly, UA projection and sound
chief, who’s two loves Cinema 150 and Rivoli were the best in sight and sound.
150 one of the best theater ever on long island…Some other good ones .FOX theater in E. Setauket..Fantasy in RVC.
I also worked at the 150 in the 80’s as the assistant manager not sure if I am the GREATEST ASSISTANT MANAGER IN THE HISTORY OF THE MOVIES. To this day I meet people that recognize me from that theatre. That was a great theatre with great staff. I also still have the per capita books dating back to the movie “TRON”.
One of the best things about Bob T running the 150 was the time he took to decorate the theatre with one-sheets from past films of either the star or director of the film being shown – For “Purple Rose of Cairo” for instance, I remember posters in the lobby from “the Front” and “Manhattan” – only problem was the occasional dim bulb who actually thought “Sleeper” was playing and didn’t quite get the whole woody Allen theme concept!
-nellieF
Regarding the balcony – when the heat was turned up – it would ger REALLY warm. Just ask Ralph Macchio.
-nellieF
My mistake. First of all, I was talking about the theatre which was known as, and was opened as, the UA Cinema 150 (and then later called the Syosset). I never really noticed a balcony at that theatre..or was it just a raised “loge” or “mezzanine” section.? I remember the balcony at the Syosset. I sat there during “Superman III.” My faulty memory at play here. At any rate, the photograph in question is certainly that of the UA Lefrak. Again, compare with the photos in Kraus' website. Somewhere on line, and I will find it again, are UA’s opening publicity pages for the Lefrak unveiling. They include the same photos that appear on the “fromscript…” pages.