PKoch ..“What would theaters be without movies ?”, you asked. What they were in their original lives of course, Burlesque Houses. Or vaudeville or stage plays.
And as long as I’m here, let me add my support to BklynJim’s suggestion of a “Research” site.
and vote “A”. (Subject to the clarification offered by EdSolero re a single theater in contrast to opening a new research page for each theter inquiry, which is bizarre, and I’m sure not what the writer had in mind.)
And finally, in a similar vein, start another page for theater related kibbitsing. Maybe we could call it ‘Goldbrick’. (I still have a dial up connection and the Ridgewood takes forever to open.)
Never meant to imply that the Crossbay was in the same league as the Valencia or RKO Keiths or Madison. It was a family movie house comparable to the Lefferts, Glenwood, or Oasis. Not an itch like the Acme or Haven.
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?
Having only known the “Crossbay” on Rockaway Blvd/Liberty Ave and Woodhaven Blvds, I’ve always been fascinated to see it referrede to as Crossbay 2 and the johnny-come-lately duplex as Crossbay 1. The building still looks very nice on the outside. The streets look very alive and clean with the Liberty Ave el gone…..What a waste.
I’ve been out of the loop on the Ridgewood Theater for a few months because I must have inadvertantly deselected the auto reply button.
LostMemory, glad to see you’re back, brother alumni. When did you graduate from Brooklyn Tech?
KenRoe, thanks for the copy of the 1916 anniuncement in The Chat and your pix.
bklynJim, Thanks for your pix of the Myrtle Ave el. Is there a link to the Myrtle Ave trolley from Ridgewood thru Glendale and ending in Richmond Hill? Or how can I get a copy of the DVD?
Ciao,
Tonino, Brookly Tech, 1955. The kid from Glendale who worked at Ripley’s men’s clothing from ‘52 to '59, rode the Myrtle Ave el to HS and BPI, prowled the streets from Ridgewood to Woodhaven, knew all the movies on/near Myrtle Ave -RKO Keith’s, Acme, Belvedere, Glenwood, Oasis, Ridgewood, Madison, Parthenon; went to regular conraternity dances in Ridgewood’s St Brigid’s on Wednesday nights in tghe summer, walked the kiddies around the track on ponies in Forest Park,….
Two problems have developed in the last day: 1)-I get directed to the home page when I paste in an alert re recent comments for theaters 4040, 4622, and 4623. 2)– My favorites no longer show theater icons, but rather the identifying numbers such as 4040, 4624, 903. The numbers are not active links.
ENY was a great Italian neighborhood. Had family on Linwood St. My uncle used to make guinea red wine. A tanker, like a fuel truck, used to pump the raw mash through thick hoses into his casks. Everyone saved the gallon bottles he gave them to be refilled next year. I was baptized and received communion at the RC church just off Atlantic Ave, St Rita’s I think.
. And of course the fantastic feasts. I think they were on Pitkin Ave. I can still smell the peppers and sausages and picture the Saint paraded down the street clothed in dolla bills. And the smoke from cooking and fireworks, and concessions and rides.
I knew it only as a neighborhood called Easknewyork, only realized it meant East New York in recent years.
Bway, I’m surprised thee is so much deterioration in a year and that it is vacant. See <<http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/nutrichris/detail?.dir=b6f9&.dnm=938d.jpg>>.
Metz, I agree the Acme should be listed as in Glendale.
I probably went to the roller rink from about ‘50 to '52, late grammar to early high school. Actually, I did ride the bus. Sorry about that. I must have had a mental picture of the trolley from a photo near the Keith’s. But I do remember riding the Myrtle Ave trolley.
Learning of the Keith’s closing was a bitter pill to swallow, but not all too surprising considering the general state of the movies as I once knew them. But, Jahn’s was very unique and virtually an institution. We pigged out there every Saturday night, after the long walk from the roller skating rink way up Hillside Avenue. On our way to the Myrtle Avenue trolley back to Glendale.
PKoch,
You, and other young whippersnappers, hurt me by your reference to things as “ancient”, which really happened “last week”. ;–)
Your reference to locations at that part of Myrtle Avenue relative to movie houses is pleasant. The Acme, Belvedere, Glenwood, and Oasis round out my reference for growing up in Glendale and working in Ridgewood.
LostMemory,
It was definitely Cappy’s in the ‘50s. I went there regularly between '51 and '56. You only found A/C at the movies back then. The back door and fire escape wasn’t used.
Went to boxing and wrestling matches at the Ridgewood Grove.
PK,
Thanks, that’s it, – The Brooklyn Academy of Music.
I knew Ridgewood very well. I worked at Ripley’s men’s store part time for six years. It was on Myrtle Avenue a few stores away from the RKO Madison. Possibly sold haberdashery or suits to your father. Hung out at Cappy’s pool hall above the Ridgewood.
BTW, you young whippersnappers know how to hurt a guy. ;–)
Many thanks to Warren in his post on the Crossbay for causing me to rediscover the grandeur that was the Valencia. And to Joel B for posting the url containing four great photos (http://www.atos.org/Pages/Palaces/Lowes-Queens/Lowes-Queens.html). They unlocked long lost mental pictures, and memories.
I recall going there in the early 50s when my mother would drop us off while she went shopping. It was a safe thing to do then. Unfortunately, within a few years, it became, as someone else said, “dicey” to go to this area of Jamaica; and her forays were limited to within a few blocks of Gertz.
Listening to others tell of their graduations there, and others from my native Glendale and later Ozone Park produced nice tingles.
Funny, the age differnce of posters. Many who wax nostalgic are a generation younger than I am. I may well be the old man.
I graduated from Brooklyn Tech HS in ‘55. We had our commencement at the Brooklyn (? Music Hall ?). Someone help me here. It was a large theater, but not The Paramount, the home of the R and R shows.
Lost memory,
I can’t be sure of the cross street; distances always seemed longer as a child. I’d guess 114th St. But it could have been west of 110th St, which was the 2nd largest intersecting street after 118 St, heading west from my grandparents home.
101st Ave IS the ame as Jerome Ave. At least it was back in the 50s.
My grandparents lived on 120th St and Jerome Ave.
The Jerome was Richmond Hill’s “itch”. I didn’t get there that often because I lived in Glendale. Glendale’s “itch” was the Acme. I spent almost every day there for a few summers.
Good comment about the Belvedere being within five blocks of the Acme and Glenwood to provide latitude in selecting a good program on any day. But, you preface it based on cost. The costs were quite different in those days; Acme was cheapest, but it was also known as the “itch” and it showed lowest grade movies; the Glenwood was the most expensive, and it showed 3rd or 4th release movies in the most genteel atmosphere of the three.
(Maybe someone can help me in characterizing the types/release of movies in these theaters. Comparison to the Oasis,Ridgewood, and Madison venues for completeness would be appreciated.(
I note that the Daily News article states that the oldest Queens movie house still showing films is the Jackson in Jackson Heights. t began screening movies in 1924. This is of course consistent with the opinion of many that the Ridgewood, which began life in 1913 as a vaudeville / movie house, is in Brooklyn.
I suspect the original denizens referred to it as “Cross Bay”. This would be consistent with its location on Woodhaven Blvd which in fact crosses the bay further south in Howard Beach and the entrance to the Rockaways. It would also be consistent with the locals calling the area along Liberty Ave further west “East Nee York.”
Peter P: I do, I do …..ie, remember Bickford’s. Do you remember the great luncheonette at the other end of the streer? It was run by two Jewish Greek guys, Ben and Irving. I worked at Ripley’s mens store between the two and near the Madison.
We are kindred spirits, althoug you are a hell of a lot more eloquent than I am. I just asked if anyone remembered Cappy’s Pool Hall in a comment I made about the Ridgewood. Shared a few other memories in a Madison post. But you sure brought back a ton of other memories ranging from wrestling at the Rdgewood Grove, beer halls, strip joints,chicken markets,104th precint.
But I’d swear that I used to go to the Acme for less than a dime as a kid.
“This building, topped off with the word "Belvedere,” was a movie theater from the 1920’s to the 1950’s. If they had known that The Jazz Singer was coming out in 1927, they may not have installed that organ in 1926. At least the organ can be be put to work again – the building is now a church."
PKoch ..“What would theaters be without movies ?”, you asked. What they were in their original lives of course, Burlesque Houses. Or vaudeville or stage plays.
And as long as I’m here, let me add my support to BklynJim’s suggestion of a “Research” site.
and vote “A”. (Subject to the clarification offered by EdSolero re a single theater in contrast to opening a new research page for each theter inquiry, which is bizarre, and I’m sure not what the writer had in mind.)
And finally, in a similar vein, start another page for theater related kibbitsing. Maybe we could call it ‘Goldbrick’. (I still have a dial up connection and the Ridgewood takes forever to open.)
Never meant to imply that the Crossbay was in the same league as the Valencia or RKO Keiths or Madison. It was a family movie house comparable to the Lefferts, Glenwood, or Oasis. Not an itch like the Acme or Haven.
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?
Having only known the “Crossbay” on Rockaway Blvd/Liberty Ave and Woodhaven Blvds, I’ve always been fascinated to see it referrede to as Crossbay 2 and the johnny-come-lately duplex as Crossbay 1. The building still looks very nice on the outside. The streets look very alive and clean with the Liberty Ave el gone…..What a waste.
I’ve been out of the loop on the Ridgewood Theater for a few months because I must have inadvertantly deselected the auto reply button.
LostMemory, glad to see you’re back, brother alumni. When did you graduate from Brooklyn Tech?
KenRoe, thanks for the copy of the 1916 anniuncement in The Chat and your pix.
bklynJim, Thanks for your pix of the Myrtle Ave el. Is there a link to the Myrtle Ave trolley from Ridgewood thru Glendale and ending in Richmond Hill? Or how can I get a copy of the DVD?
Ciao,
Tonino, Brookly Tech, 1955. The kid from Glendale who worked at Ripley’s men’s clothing from ‘52 to '59, rode the Myrtle Ave el to HS and BPI, prowled the streets from Ridgewood to Woodhaven, knew all the movies on/near Myrtle Ave -RKO Keith’s, Acme, Belvedere, Glenwood, Oasis, Ridgewood, Madison, Parthenon; went to regular conraternity dances in Ridgewood’s St Brigid’s on Wednesday nights in tghe summer, walked the kiddies around the track on ponies in Forest Park,….
Two problems have developed in the last day: 1)-I get directed to the home page when I paste in an alert re recent comments for theaters 4040, 4622, and 4623. 2)– My favorites no longer show theater icons, but rather the identifying numbers such as 4040, 4624, 903. The numbers are not active links.
ENY was a great Italian neighborhood. Had family on Linwood St. My uncle used to make guinea red wine. A tanker, like a fuel truck, used to pump the raw mash through thick hoses into his casks. Everyone saved the gallon bottles he gave them to be refilled next year. I was baptized and received communion at the RC church just off Atlantic Ave, St Rita’s I think.
. And of course the fantastic feasts. I think they were on Pitkin Ave. I can still smell the peppers and sausages and picture the Saint paraded down the street clothed in dolla bills. And the smoke from cooking and fireworks, and concessions and rides.
I knew it only as a neighborhood called Easknewyork, only realized it meant East New York in recent years.
Bway, I’m surprised thee is so much deterioration in a year and that it is vacant. See <<http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/nutrichris/detail?.dir=b6f9&.dnm=938d.jpg>>.
Metz, I agree the Acme should be listed as in Glendale.
Robbie, negatory. I went to Brooklyn Tech., class of 1955
I probably went to the roller rink from about ‘50 to '52, late grammar to early high school. Actually, I did ride the bus. Sorry about that. I must have had a mental picture of the trolley from a photo near the Keith’s. But I do remember riding the Myrtle Ave trolley.
Learning of the Keith’s closing was a bitter pill to swallow, but not all too surprising considering the general state of the movies as I once knew them. But, Jahn’s was very unique and virtually an institution. We pigged out there every Saturday night, after the long walk from the roller skating rink way up Hillside Avenue. On our way to the Myrtle Avenue trolley back to Glendale.
PKoch,
You, and other young whippersnappers, hurt me by your reference to things as “ancient”, which really happened “last week”. ;–)
Your reference to locations at that part of Myrtle Avenue relative to movie houses is pleasant. The Acme, Belvedere, Glenwood, and Oasis round out my reference for growing up in Glendale and working in Ridgewood.
Perusing LM’s list of top commenters above was informative.Wonder how he found it.
…. Did this site have its IPO on October 6, 2003 ?
Ciao Elvis and LM.
LostMemory,
It was definitely Cappy’s in the ‘50s. I went there regularly between '51 and '56. You only found A/C at the movies back then. The back door and fire escape wasn’t used.
Went to boxing and wrestling matches at the Ridgewood Grove.
PK,
Thanks, that’s it, – The Brooklyn Academy of Music.
I knew Ridgewood very well. I worked at Ripley’s men’s store part time for six years. It was on Myrtle Avenue a few stores away from the RKO Madison. Possibly sold haberdashery or suits to your father. Hung out at Cappy’s pool hall above the Ridgewood.
BTW, you young whippersnappers know how to hurt a guy. ;–)
Many thanks to Warren in his post on the Crossbay for causing me to rediscover the grandeur that was the Valencia. And to Joel B for posting the url containing four great photos (http://www.atos.org/Pages/Palaces/Lowes-Queens/Lowes-Queens.html). They unlocked long lost mental pictures, and memories.
I recall going there in the early 50s when my mother would drop us off while she went shopping. It was a safe thing to do then. Unfortunately, within a few years, it became, as someone else said, “dicey” to go to this area of Jamaica; and her forays were limited to within a few blocks of Gertz.
Listening to others tell of their graduations there, and others from my native Glendale and later Ozone Park produced nice tingles.
Funny, the age differnce of posters. Many who wax nostalgic are a generation younger than I am. I may well be the old man.
I graduated from Brooklyn Tech HS in ‘55. We had our commencement at the Brooklyn (? Music Hall ?). Someone help me here. It was a large theater, but not The Paramount, the home of the R and R shows.
Lost memory,
I can’t be sure of the cross street; distances always seemed longer as a child. I’d guess 114th St. But it could have been west of 110th St, which was the 2nd largest intersecting street after 118 St, heading west from my grandparents home.
101st Ave IS the ame as Jerome Ave. At least it was back in the 50s.
My grandparents lived on 120th St and Jerome Ave.
The Jerome was Richmond Hill’s “itch”. I didn’t get there that often because I lived in Glendale. Glendale’s “itch” was the Acme. I spent almost every day there for a few summers.
Paradis willl reopen 10/29/2005
View link
sends chills through me
Good comment about the Belvedere being within five blocks of the Acme and Glenwood to provide latitude in selecting a good program on any day. But, you preface it based on cost. The costs were quite different in those days; Acme was cheapest, but it was also known as the “itch” and it showed lowest grade movies; the Glenwood was the most expensive, and it showed 3rd or 4th release movies in the most genteel atmosphere of the three.
(Maybe someone can help me in characterizing the types/release of movies in these theaters. Comparison to the Oasis,Ridgewood, and Madison venues for completeness would be appreciated.(
I note that the Daily News article states that the oldest Queens movie house still showing films is the Jackson in Jackson Heights. t began screening movies in 1924. This is of course consistent with the opinion of many that the Ridgewood, which began life in 1913 as a vaudeville / movie house, is in Brooklyn.
I suspect the original denizens referred to it as “Cross Bay”. This would be consistent with its location on Woodhaven Blvd which in fact crosses the bay further south in Howard Beach and the entrance to the Rockaways. It would also be consistent with the locals calling the area along Liberty Ave further west “East Nee York.”
Peter P: I do, I do …..ie, remember Bickford’s. Do you remember the great luncheonette at the other end of the streer? It was run by two Jewish Greek guys, Ben and Irving. I worked at Ripley’s mens store between the two and near the Madison.
Interesting stuff Sit.
8/7/03..http://timesnewsweekly.com/Archives2003/Jul.-Sept.2003/080703/NewFiles/OURNEIGH.html
8/14/03..http://timesnewsweekly.com/Archives2003/Jul.-Sept.2003/081403/NewFiles/OURNEIGH.html
We are kindred spirits, althoug you are a hell of a lot more eloquent than I am. I just asked if anyone remembered Cappy’s Pool Hall in a comment I made about the Ridgewood. Shared a few other memories in a Madison post. But you sure brought back a ton of other memories ranging from wrestling at the Rdgewood Grove, beer halls, strip joints,chicken markets,104th precint.
But I’d swear that I used to go to the Acme for less than a dime as a kid.
How does the Atlas Terminal relate to the movies?
BTW, I should have mentioned in my previous post that you can see a picture of the Belvedere if you go to the Glendale link and scroll down ½ way:
View link
“This building, topped off with the word "Belvedere,” was a movie theater from the 1920’s to the 1950’s. If they had known that The Jazz Singer was coming out in 1927, they may not have installed that organ in 1926. At least the organ can be be put to work again – the building is now a church."