Argyle Theatre

wgli went on air in mid to late 50’s….wnyg became wbab am & fm

in late 50’s back to wnyg 1440 am….now

the only two people that may have done this broadcast that i can think of is ray heatherton aka friendly B O B of
bank of babylon….or jack elsworth of W A L K [still there]…
I WILL DO MORE CHECKING…..PS WBIC 540 BACK IN THE DAY DID LIVE
BROADCAST FROM JOHNNY ALL WEATHER IN COP. TIL SUNSET..WHEN STATION
SIGNED OFF THE MOVIE STARTED…

also suffolk theatre in riverhead..now in danger..

I saw a few movies there, but always remember seeing the first showing of “E.T.” there, and the sound was hard to hear, then too loud. I also saw “Hair!” there, just as the ad link in a previous post shows!

THIS JUST IN…BABYLON HAD A MAKE OVER LAST MONTH…NEW SEATS

SNACK BAR…HIGH BACK SEATS WITH PLENTY OF LEG ROOM..

CHECK IT OUT..

WALLY 75

This theatre will be on the theatre tour on Sept. 11, 2005. See the Lindenhurst Theatre on this website for more info.

What about the South Bay, up the road in West Babylon (I think it opened as a twin.. it now has 6 “screening rooms”). It’s somewhat rundown, but the movies are still cheaper than most (and it does show first one). Last movie I saw there was “Good Will Hunting.”

Prior to Clearview, it was a UA Theatre. We bought it from them..(I work for Clearview).

Dear Mr. Masher,

I am training to become a projectionist with local 640. I am also trying to get in Clearview as a manger. I had Thelar Thatch from Human resources contact me but still waiting. Do you know of any positions opening up in managerial in Long Island?

Thanks,

Email me at:

It’s got to have the West in there though, because 34 East Main St would be the other side of Deer Park Ave. I think Deer Park Ave and Main Street (Montauk Highway) is the “zero” point for Babylon.

Here’s a photo of the Babylon Theater taken today:

Click here for link to photo

Loved this theater when it was a single, I have fond memories of seeing Superman, E.T., Conan The Barbarian on that big screen. Later visits after it was split were, well, less interesting.

There’s been one historical inaccuracy in regards to the Babylon movie theatre thats been continually perpetuating, in message boards like this, and even in books (Babylon by the Sea, for example). When you look at a photo of the original theatre (on main street) and compare it with the theatre today, there are amazing differences. When you read that the original theatre was destroyed by fire and that todays theatre was built on the same site, its easy to understand why the error goes uncorrected. Allow me to put one old rumor to rest. The Babylon Theatre built in 1922 never burnt down. In fact, much of it still exists as the foundation of todays theatre. Its true that there was a fire, this occurred in 1954. It is unclear exactly where the fire was or what caused it; the only evidence that I see inside lies in the projection room. Could it be that a fire in the projection room set the roof a-blaze? I don’t know. But what I do know is that much of the original building still exists. If you look at the 1935 photo used in the book Babylon by the Sea, you will see 3 stories- all with windows. Today, there is no evidence of these windows from the outside. The inside is a different story, however. There are storage rooms on the second floor, the entrance of one is located near the mens bathroom. In it you will see the 2 front windows on the left side of the building all boarded up, as well as one more boarded up on the side (facing the alley). The 2 windows on the right side can be accessed from an outside door located on the fire escape. Looking at the side of the building from the outside, you will notice that there is evidence of windows having once been there, all bricked off during the 1954 remodel. You will also note that evidence of the pitched roof still exists by a line formed where the newer bricks were attached to the original! This line is visible in the 1993 photo used in Babylon by the sea. More evidence exists on the inside. If you were to remove one of the ceiling tiles located near the fake fireplace, you would notice some of the original tapestry as well as artwork on wooden beams, all hidden by the newer (and lower) ceiling. Anyone looking for photos of these things should reply to this with their e-mail address and I’ll send them along.

The current Babylon Theatre was built in 1946 to replace the original Capitol Theatre ( aka Babylon Theatre) whick was destroyed by fire in 1945. It was built for the Prudential Circuit, then a leading exhibitor in Suffolk County. The Main Street moviehouse has the only vertical neon sign (still working) in all of Long Island and the five boroughs. I worked the theatre briefly under the UA regime in 1990 and at the time the grosses were so low that you could blow off a cannon in the lobby and not disrupt the combined total of six patrons in the three auditoriums. The balcony is the best of the three auditoruiums since it is un-altered. The 2 orchestra screens suffer from poor sound-proofing as on can hear not onlt the next door film, but the film upstairs as well. I don’t like to nit-pick on surviving theatres, but the reason they won’t survive is because of lack of caring and the exhorbitant amounts charged at the concession stands (especially Clearview). The South Bay Theatre about a mile away (now five screens) charges $4.00 for matinees and has reasonable concession prices. They also get the better of the bookings of the two theatres. If a multiplex should be built in this area (one was already defeated), these two houses will bite the dust.