HI anniegirl, It’s so nice to read that many people had great memories there. My dad ran the Williamsburg theatre about 2 blocks down the street in 70’s. He became partner of the Commodore in the early 80’s until it closed. I was about 4 years old when he started there. Yes, I remember the soda machine it was red and in the same spot you described. It was there for a couple of years then my dad upgraded the candy stand. he had a new one built in front of the old one. The old stand became a storage the room. He got rid of the soda machine and added more arcade machines. I missed that machine I used to ask my parents for change just to watch the cup come down and fill with soda. It was pretty amazing 2 me lol. The couch in the ladies room was gone in the 80’s probably because the bathroom sizes were cute back to make room for the candy stand or my dads office. i not sure which ladies room was the original one. The size of the balcony’s were also decreased to add a second screen up stairs. So you probably remember one big balcony in the rear. They used the middle section of it to make the second screen. All that was left was 2 small balcony’s one on the left and one one the right with a huge wall in between them. I wish I could have seen it it before all those changes because I could tell it was a beautiful theatre. I used to sit in the balcony and stare at the huge chandelier, all the details on the walls and try to imagine it when it first opened. Its sad how everything old gets torn down instead of bringing it back to its original beauty. If that theatre were in England it would have stood for hundreds of years because they preserve history.I read the whole blog and saw the discussion about the kimball, that organ was behind and above the screen.when you walked on stage right there was a doorway straight ahead that led to a tiny room behind the movie screen. In that room there was a metal ladder bolted to the back wall that you had to climb straight up to a ceiling door through that door was where they kept the Kimball organ. As far as the filming Avril filmed her music video on the outside of the Commodore they couldnt get in to film.They went in to my dads restaurant next door and asked my dad for help getting in but the theatre was already sold.The second filming was the disney movie enchanted. Just some fyi saw a lot of questions about it. :)Thank you for writting if you have any other questions please ask.
hey greenpoint, i will send my dad your regards. He is ok, bored out of his mind now that he’s retired. I don’t think it will last very long he’s already thinking of starting another business closer to his home. I loved getting my dads chicken next door with some fruit punch then sit in the balcony and watch a movie. i have so many great memories of that place. :)
hello everyone my name is Dorianne Delgado..Some of you know my dad Angelo Delgado he was part owner of the commodore.. I discovered this blog looking for a photo of the Commodore in its original state circ 1920’s but i can’t find one. I'am happy to see that many people loved that place. It was a second home to me and my family.. If anyone see this and has questions i will be more than happy to help. i have answers to many questions that were posted wish i could have found this sooner.. especially when people were interested in trying to help save it..My dad tried so hard to delay the sell so the money could be raised to buy the other owners out… (sigh) but its to late now it’s been difficult for my dad because he worked there for 20 years and before that he ran the williamsburg theatre also known as the commodore twin.. Hope to hear from someone or myspace url delgado218
HI anniegirl, It’s so nice to read that many people had great memories there. My dad ran the Williamsburg theatre about 2 blocks down the street in 70’s. He became partner of the Commodore in the early 80’s until it closed. I was about 4 years old when he started there. Yes, I remember the soda machine it was red and in the same spot you described. It was there for a couple of years then my dad upgraded the candy stand. he had a new one built in front of the old one. The old stand became a storage the room. He got rid of the soda machine and added more arcade machines. I missed that machine I used to ask my parents for change just to watch the cup come down and fill with soda. It was pretty amazing 2 me lol. The couch in the ladies room was gone in the 80’s probably because the bathroom sizes were cute back to make room for the candy stand or my dads office. i not sure which ladies room was the original one. The size of the balcony’s were also decreased to add a second screen up stairs. So you probably remember one big balcony in the rear. They used the middle section of it to make the second screen. All that was left was 2 small balcony’s one on the left and one one the right with a huge wall in between them. I wish I could have seen it it before all those changes because I could tell it was a beautiful theatre. I used to sit in the balcony and stare at the huge chandelier, all the details on the walls and try to imagine it when it first opened. Its sad how everything old gets torn down instead of bringing it back to its original beauty. If that theatre were in England it would have stood for hundreds of years because they preserve history.I read the whole blog and saw the discussion about the kimball, that organ was behind and above the screen.when you walked on stage right there was a doorway straight ahead that led to a tiny room behind the movie screen. In that room there was a metal ladder bolted to the back wall that you had to climb straight up to a ceiling door through that door was where they kept the Kimball organ. As far as the filming Avril filmed her music video on the outside of the Commodore they couldnt get in to film.They went in to my dads restaurant next door and asked my dad for help getting in but the theatre was already sold.The second filming was the disney movie enchanted. Just some fyi saw a lot of questions about it. :)Thank you for writting if you have any other questions please ask.
hey greenpoint, i will send my dad your regards. He is ok, bored out of his mind now that he’s retired. I don’t think it will last very long he’s already thinking of starting another business closer to his home. I loved getting my dads chicken next door with some fruit punch then sit in the balcony and watch a movie. i have so many great memories of that place. :)
hello everyone my name is Dorianne Delgado..Some of you know my dad Angelo Delgado he was part owner of the commodore.. I discovered this blog looking for a photo of the Commodore in its original state circ 1920’s but i can’t find one. I'am happy to see that many people loved that place. It was a second home to me and my family.. If anyone see this and has questions i will be more than happy to help. i have answers to many questions that were posted wish i could have found this sooner.. especially when people were interested in trying to help save it..My dad tried so hard to delay the sell so the money could be raised to buy the other owners out… (sigh) but its to late now it’s been difficult for my dad because he worked there for 20 years and before that he ran the williamsburg theatre also known as the commodore twin.. Hope to hear from someone or myspace url delgado218