Correction: The location of this theater was Main and Caldwell sts. not Main and Broad as stated above. I am gathering more info. on this theater from old time residents and the local historical society. I will post additional infomation when I have it. Charlie Story
That’s Neely Rd. I did not live here when this drive-in was open. The info I have is from old time local folk. Would love to hear from Anyone with additional memories of this drive-in or any corections.
Correction – This drive-in was not originally located where the out door fitness- sports complex is but across from Ecusta Paper. It relocated about a mile or so away on Old Hendersonville Hwy. near Macneely Rd.. 1970s? Probably to get out of a flood plain. Closed around 1988-89. It is now a skate-park. The first location did retain features of the original drive-in including the car speaker poles until about 2004. Charlie Story
I might be wrong about the Abar. Anyone know for sure? I remember going to the Ridgewood Theater to see “Pork Chop Hill” -late 50s early 60s . My grandmother would work there sometimes along with the Embassy. Anybody know if both theaters were run by the same company?
There was an indoor theater in front of the Drive-In but not as I recall, on the drive-in property itself, like the Copiague All- Weather or Patchogue.
Pkoch- Thanks, I checked out Bushwick Buddies- Interesting site. It looks look the area is coming back! Haven’t heard back from Brian Hyland – Email did go through. Guess he has too many negative memories. Brooklyn Jim- I knew you weren’t kidding. Just thought the irony of him recording a song with that title was pretty funny. He’s a great performer. Ive always enjoyed his music. I’ll have to get some of his CDs and check out that song. Robbie Dupree- Loved your website. Youv'e done a lot of great work. I will get your CDs. I remember Steal Away- Great song. I came back to NY for 2 years 91-93 but didn’t come out to the old neighborhood. I played harmonica at the Palace Theater on Broadway in “The Will Rogers Follies” and went back to N.C. when the show closed. I play classical harmonica and do some concerts and Musical Theater work throughout U.S.A. -www.buz.zoomshare.com I remember the skeleton on a wire- OOO000! Scary! I agree with Robbie-Being a matron on Sat at the Embassy must have been like trench warfare. Those ladies should have recieved medals! I found the answer to the name of the bar on Bushwick ave with the piano player on the roof it was the A Bar.
Thanks Brooklyn Jim. The location seems exatly right for it being the Colinial. I thought I rememberd the entrance on Broadway but I was so young then. I do remember being in a laundromat with my mom right across the street and looking at the theater and a supermarket next door Possibly a Key Food. They were advertising Cleopatra on a giant banner across the bldg. I remember Broadway’s sidewalks were jam packed with people and all the stores were filled with customers and my brother and I used to stick our fingers in our ears everytime the trains roared overhead. I recall staring at the fake cakes in the window of an ice cream parlor and the aroma from all the fruit and veg. stands. It was sad to ride through that area on the j train in the mid 70s and see all the devastation. I agree with Robbie Dupree .It’s great we have this forum to share our memories of the old neighborhood. I heard Bushwick is trying to make a come back- I doubt it will ever be as great a place as many of us remember it. The Movie Palaces were a big part of the glue that held it all together. Anyone remember that bar on Bushwick Ave. that had a piano player on the roof?
The theater may have been north of Southern State Pky. on the West side of 5th Ave near the Sand Pits- Not by the auto salvage yards as I stated. When I was a child in the 50s Most of that area was still scrub pine.
I have many fond memories of this Drive-in. I lived in Copiague as a child and went there often(Even after my family moved to Brooklyn in the 60s we would still come out to the Island to visit. I have a picture of my sister standing in front of the snackbar and on the back my late mother wrote: Opening day Easter Sun 1959. I don’t know if that was the true opening day or not.I remember the playground featured a Big white Whale that had a slide running through it and all the kids inside would get kicked in the head from those coming down( What lawsuits today!)The place was so big ,that there were trams to take you to the snack bar. My one and only encounter with a U.F.O.occured here around 1964 when a huge flat object with revolving lights hovered over the screen and everyone got out of their cars to stare at it till it slowly drifted upward and out of sight. To this day, I have no idea what that was! (I"m not making this up!) I remember in the mid 60s when they used to have fire works displays in front of the screen I used to go to the Roll and Ice across the street alot. I Lived in the American Venice section and used to cross the canal to explore Indian Island. -Anyone know if that ever got developed? Miss my copiague days and that great theater!
I do not remember an indoor theater on this property and I remember the snack bar as a stand-alone building. Also, it is possible,the Bay Shore 5th Ave. Drive-IN may have been North of Southern State Pky. My placing it by the auto salvage yards may or not be correct. When I visited there as a child, the suburbs were just coming in and most of that area was still scrub pine forest.
I played harmonica in the orchestra for most of the two year run of “The Will Rogers Follies” at the Palace. 1991-93. Great Show! What a thrill that was! and what a beautiful theater! I worked with Mac Davis, Keith Carradine, Mickey Rooney,Larry Gatlin, Marla Maples. I even got to go to parties with all of them. I still play harmonica in musical theater productions througout the U.S.A. (Big River etc,) But doubt I’ll ever top that! What an experience!
Yes it is Brian. Thanks lost memory. I will let everyone know if I hear back from him. I spoke with my cousin and he told me he did indeed hang out with him and that country singer Tommy Blue in front of the Embassy in the 60s . It was a popular gathering spot on weekends. He doubts Brian Has many memories of the theater cause they hardly if ever went inside. I’ll keep all posted. This is a theater site, so let me get back to my recollections of the place. At night, I recall looking out my 2nd. floor window (between trains) at 3223 fulton st and seeing all the bright neon it really brought alot of life to that otherwise gloomy st. which was shadowed by the el. I used to get in free as my grandmother was the candy lady. but I still didn’t go there too often. It was pretty plush. The only movie I really remember was the Sword and the Stone. around 1960 I think it might have been a Disney flick. I remember it cause they gave all the kids a plastic sword that lit up. I thought that was real cool! One time in the later 60s when the Batman tv show was hot, the guys who played Batman and Robin made a short personal apperance there but for some reason, I missed that. I grew up on Long Island and moved to Brooklyn when I was about 9 or 10. My family used to visit the drive- in theaters on long Island a lot even after we moved to Brooklyn. If you like, you can see some memories of mine at the Bay shore sunrise and 5th ave. Drive in sites. I remember my father taking me to a huge movie palace on Broadway just west of Broadway Junction about 1958 near Granite st. anyone remember what theater this was? Thanks for sharing my memories I better get off and leave space for others. Charlie S.
The Bayshore Sunrise Drive in was open in the 50s before the Copiague Johnny all weather. I frequented it alot back then. My father was a Drive in addict and we went 2-3 times a week. the “gravel sand pit” at the front of the screen was not the mini golf course which was added later (I think about 60-61) but those could be the remains of shuffleboard courts which my parents and grandparents would play before the movie. The golf course was located on the South East side of the property. The playground featured a ferris wheel and it was located near the snack bar. Sunrise Hwy was just a 2 lane rd. back then and we would turn left onto the property coming from the East. There was no traffic! The Farmers market was on the west side of the property. The building was a long quonset hut strung with xmas lights year round. . there was an amusement park about a mile west on the North side of Sunrise near the Peter pan diner (I just stumbled across the Peter pan website and was suprised that they were still there.) with a ferris wheel like ride that had old bi planes attached that would spin( I never rode it) The 5th ave was located on the west side of 5th near where the auto salvage yards are or were( I live in North Carolina now) and it did stay open for a short while along with the Bayshore Sunrise cause we visited them both. The 5th Ave, had a simple little playground in front of the screen with swings, see-saws and also a shuffleboard court. The snackbar was a very old looking structure painted brown. Charlie S.
I remember going to both the 5 ave and Bayshore Drive ins quite a lot in the 50s- early 60s. The 5th Ave. was located on the west side of 5th ave near where the auto salvage yards are or used to be, (I lived in Brooklyn but visited relatives in Bayshore who always took me there frequently.I reside in North Carolina now. The 5th ave was older than the Sunrise I remember the snack bar was really old looking and painted brown. There was a playground in front of the screen. This theater did stay open for awhile and didn’t close right away when the Bay shore Sunrise opened because we visited both. The Bayshore Sunrise did have a neat little amusement park which I and my older brother prefered over the 5th ave. I was very young in the 50s, but I remember playing at the mini golf course which was added around 59 or 60 i believe. roughly around 1959 or 60 Iremember sunrise Hwy was a two lane road with the farmer’s market next to the theater(it always had christmas lights strung up even in summer and was a long quonset hut like structure like the barracks on Gomer pyle) There was an amusement park with a ferris wheel like ride that had old biplanes attached about a half mile west on Sunrise and the Peter Pan Diner, which is still there today. I was supprised to stumble across their website! Our favorite drive in had to be the 110 in Melville which had the best amusment rides -even a full scale monorail. Please forgive me if i’ve spelled that wrong.) Oh what wonderful childhood memories. Who thought back then we would be emailing others with our thoughts in 2006! Charlie S.
I Just got it, Bryan Highland recorded a song called I’m afraid to go home? After being smacked around in the F.K.L. stockade, He must have really put a lot of feeling into that one. That was pretty funny Brooklyn Jim (intentional or not!) Thanks, Charlie S.
Thanks lost memory . I Emailed Bryan Hyland (I think the correct spelling is Bryan) will let everyone know if I get a reply. My cousin Jackie Fleishman ran a bar next to the Haven Theater . I think the bar’s name changed to Nobodys if I’m not mistaken, right before I moved. I think I remember him telling me that everyone used to pick on him (Bryan) a lot. No wonder he moved to California! Well, he made it and did some pretty good stuff. According to his website,he’s still perfoming steady. Anybody remember a guy by the name of Tommy Blue who used to play guitar and sing country music in places like the Nickels Inn on Jamaica Ave. I played some harmonica with him on occasion. He was a nice guy and a pretty good singer but a character. He was pretty popular around Woodhaven/Cypress Hills and one friday night at the Nichols Inn, His wife was steaming mad at him for something and came onstage in a rage and began cursing him and poured a pitcher of beer over his head in front of the audience. Good thing his guitar wasn’t plugged in at the time! Getting back to theaters, What happened to the Haven. I heard it’s a discount store now. I remember seeing A Star Is Born There. The place didn’t look too bad then (around 1974 or so) but I heard it turned into a dump before it closed. I remember The White Horse Tavern Brooklyn Jim but never went in there. Thanks for the correction.– Charlie S.
Thanks Brooklyn Jim for the update! One more footnote: I was told by older friends when I lived on Fulton in the early 70’s that Brian Hyland, the singer who had a hit with “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Polka Dot Bikini” and “Sealed With A Kiss used to hang out at the Embassy when he still lived in Woodhaven before he hit it big. Anyone want to try and see if he has any memories? I checked his website but I doubt that his booking agency will give out any contact info. Charlie S.
I just want to clear up that the Embassy Coffee Shop was located in the same building as the theater but stayed open after the theater closed for about a year or so till the whole place was demolished to make way for the senior citizens center. Anyone remember the bars on Fulton st? – The Glass House, Frank and Henry’s ( I remember buying a glass of beer there for 25 cents when I came home on leave from the Navy in 1972) What dives, but full of happy drunks! Charlie S.
I lived across from the Embassy Theater from 1960-75. I am 53 years old. My grandmother Mary Clayton, worked the candy counter from 1958-1970. I wonder if anyone remembers her! She was a very cheerful heavy set grey haired lady. I’m searching for a picture i had of her at the candy counter. I can recall when they tore the theater down about 1970. The resturant next door lasted about a year longer. There was a bar called the B+O Tavern next to it and there was always someone fighting outside at night. I have fond memories of the ice cream parlors, butcher and mom and pop stores along fulton st. The area started going down fast in the early 70’s I moved to North Carolina in 1976 and haven’t been back. Heard it’s pretty bad now – Sad. Fultonboy
Correction: The location of this theater was Main and Caldwell sts. not Main and Broad as stated above. I am gathering more info. on this theater from old time residents and the local historical society. I will post additional infomation when I have it. Charlie Story
Some pictures of this Drive-in theater can be found here: www.eastislip.org
A Photo of this Drive-in may be found here: http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/nctwayn
That’s Neely Rd. I did not live here when this drive-in was open. The info I have is from old time local folk. Would love to hear from Anyone with additional memories of this drive-in or any corections.
Correction – This drive-in was not originally located where the out door fitness- sports complex is but across from Ecusta Paper. It relocated about a mile or so away on Old Hendersonville Hwy. near Macneely Rd.. 1970s? Probably to get out of a flood plain. Closed around 1988-89. It is now a skate-park. The first location did retain features of the original drive-in including the car speaker poles until about 2004. Charlie Story
I might be wrong about the Abar. Anyone know for sure? I remember going to the Ridgewood Theater to see “Pork Chop Hill” -late 50s early 60s . My grandmother would work there sometimes along with the Embassy. Anybody know if both theaters were run by the same company?
There was an indoor theater in front of the Drive-In but not as I recall, on the drive-in property itself, like the Copiague All- Weather or Patchogue.
Pkoch- Thanks, I checked out Bushwick Buddies- Interesting site. It looks look the area is coming back! Haven’t heard back from Brian Hyland – Email did go through. Guess he has too many negative memories. Brooklyn Jim- I knew you weren’t kidding. Just thought the irony of him recording a song with that title was pretty funny. He’s a great performer. Ive always enjoyed his music. I’ll have to get some of his CDs and check out that song. Robbie Dupree- Loved your website. Youv'e done a lot of great work. I will get your CDs. I remember Steal Away- Great song. I came back to NY for 2 years 91-93 but didn’t come out to the old neighborhood. I played harmonica at the Palace Theater on Broadway in “The Will Rogers Follies” and went back to N.C. when the show closed. I play classical harmonica and do some concerts and Musical Theater work throughout U.S.A. -www.buz.zoomshare.com I remember the skeleton on a wire- OOO000! Scary! I agree with Robbie-Being a matron on Sat at the Embassy must have been like trench warfare. Those ladies should have recieved medals! I found the answer to the name of the bar on Bushwick ave with the piano player on the roof it was the A Bar.
Thanks for the info on colonial theater pkoch. I gave credit to Brooklyn Jim for that one. Boy am I getting confused!
Thanks Brooklyn Jim. The location seems exatly right for it being the Colinial. I thought I rememberd the entrance on Broadway but I was so young then. I do remember being in a laundromat with my mom right across the street and looking at the theater and a supermarket next door Possibly a Key Food. They were advertising Cleopatra on a giant banner across the bldg. I remember Broadway’s sidewalks were jam packed with people and all the stores were filled with customers and my brother and I used to stick our fingers in our ears everytime the trains roared overhead. I recall staring at the fake cakes in the window of an ice cream parlor and the aroma from all the fruit and veg. stands. It was sad to ride through that area on the j train in the mid 70s and see all the devastation. I agree with Robbie Dupree .It’s great we have this forum to share our memories of the old neighborhood. I heard Bushwick is trying to make a come back- I doubt it will ever be as great a place as many of us remember it. The Movie Palaces were a big part of the glue that held it all together. Anyone remember that bar on Bushwick Ave. that had a piano player on the roof?
The theater may have been north of Southern State Pky. on the West side of 5th Ave near the Sand Pits- Not by the auto salvage yards as I stated. When I was a child in the 50s Most of that area was still scrub pine.
I have many fond memories of this Drive-in. I lived in Copiague as a child and went there often(Even after my family moved to Brooklyn in the 60s we would still come out to the Island to visit. I have a picture of my sister standing in front of the snackbar and on the back my late mother wrote: Opening day Easter Sun 1959. I don’t know if that was the true opening day or not.I remember the playground featured a Big white Whale that had a slide running through it and all the kids inside would get kicked in the head from those coming down( What lawsuits today!)The place was so big ,that there were trams to take you to the snack bar. My one and only encounter with a U.F.O.occured here around 1964 when a huge flat object with revolving lights hovered over the screen and everyone got out of their cars to stare at it till it slowly drifted upward and out of sight. To this day, I have no idea what that was! (I"m not making this up!) I remember in the mid 60s when they used to have fire works displays in front of the screen I used to go to the Roll and Ice across the street alot. I Lived in the American Venice section and used to cross the canal to explore Indian Island. -Anyone know if that ever got developed? Miss my copiague days and that great theater!
I do not remember an indoor theater on this property and I remember the snack bar as a stand-alone building. Also, it is possible,the Bay Shore 5th Ave. Drive-IN may have been North of Southern State Pky. My placing it by the auto salvage yards may or not be correct. When I visited there as a child, the suburbs were just coming in and most of that area was still scrub pine forest.
WWW.buz.zoomshare.com Charlie Story
I played harmonica in the orchestra for most of the two year run of “The Will Rogers Follies” at the Palace. 1991-93. Great Show! What a thrill that was! and what a beautiful theater! I worked with Mac Davis, Keith Carradine, Mickey Rooney,Larry Gatlin, Marla Maples. I even got to go to parties with all of them. I still play harmonica in musical theater productions througout the U.S.A. (Big River etc,) But doubt I’ll ever top that! What an experience!
Correction: My Address was 3233 fulton- Next to the carraige store- Charlie S
Yes it is Brian. Thanks lost memory. I will let everyone know if I hear back from him. I spoke with my cousin and he told me he did indeed hang out with him and that country singer Tommy Blue in front of the Embassy in the 60s . It was a popular gathering spot on weekends. He doubts Brian Has many memories of the theater cause they hardly if ever went inside. I’ll keep all posted. This is a theater site, so let me get back to my recollections of the place. At night, I recall looking out my 2nd. floor window (between trains) at 3223 fulton st and seeing all the bright neon it really brought alot of life to that otherwise gloomy st. which was shadowed by the el. I used to get in free as my grandmother was the candy lady. but I still didn’t go there too often. It was pretty plush. The only movie I really remember was the Sword and the Stone. around 1960 I think it might have been a Disney flick. I remember it cause they gave all the kids a plastic sword that lit up. I thought that was real cool! One time in the later 60s when the Batman tv show was hot, the guys who played Batman and Robin made a short personal apperance there but for some reason, I missed that. I grew up on Long Island and moved to Brooklyn when I was about 9 or 10. My family used to visit the drive- in theaters on long Island a lot even after we moved to Brooklyn. If you like, you can see some memories of mine at the Bay shore sunrise and 5th ave. Drive in sites. I remember my father taking me to a huge movie palace on Broadway just west of Broadway Junction about 1958 near Granite st. anyone remember what theater this was? Thanks for sharing my memories I better get off and leave space for others. Charlie S.
The Bayshore Sunrise Drive in was open in the 50s before the Copiague Johnny all weather. I frequented it alot back then. My father was a Drive in addict and we went 2-3 times a week. the “gravel sand pit” at the front of the screen was not the mini golf course which was added later (I think about 60-61) but those could be the remains of shuffleboard courts which my parents and grandparents would play before the movie. The golf course was located on the South East side of the property. The playground featured a ferris wheel and it was located near the snack bar. Sunrise Hwy was just a 2 lane rd. back then and we would turn left onto the property coming from the East. There was no traffic! The Farmers market was on the west side of the property. The building was a long quonset hut strung with xmas lights year round. . there was an amusement park about a mile west on the North side of Sunrise near the Peter pan diner (I just stumbled across the Peter pan website and was suprised that they were still there.) with a ferris wheel like ride that had old bi planes attached that would spin( I never rode it) The 5th ave was located on the west side of 5th near where the auto salvage yards are or were( I live in North Carolina now) and it did stay open for a short while along with the Bayshore Sunrise cause we visited them both. The 5th Ave, had a simple little playground in front of the screen with swings, see-saws and also a shuffleboard court. The snackbar was a very old looking structure painted brown. Charlie S.
I remember going to both the 5 ave and Bayshore Drive ins quite a lot in the 50s- early 60s. The 5th Ave. was located on the west side of 5th ave near where the auto salvage yards are or used to be, (I lived in Brooklyn but visited relatives in Bayshore who always took me there frequently.I reside in North Carolina now. The 5th ave was older than the Sunrise I remember the snack bar was really old looking and painted brown. There was a playground in front of the screen. This theater did stay open for awhile and didn’t close right away when the Bay shore Sunrise opened because we visited both. The Bayshore Sunrise did have a neat little amusement park which I and my older brother prefered over the 5th ave. I was very young in the 50s, but I remember playing at the mini golf course which was added around 59 or 60 i believe. roughly around 1959 or 60 Iremember sunrise Hwy was a two lane road with the farmer’s market next to the theater(it always had christmas lights strung up even in summer and was a long quonset hut like structure like the barracks on Gomer pyle) There was an amusement park with a ferris wheel like ride that had old biplanes attached about a half mile west on Sunrise and the Peter Pan Diner, which is still there today. I was supprised to stumble across their website! Our favorite drive in had to be the 110 in Melville which had the best amusment rides -even a full scale monorail. Please forgive me if i’ve spelled that wrong.) Oh what wonderful childhood memories. Who thought back then we would be emailing others with our thoughts in 2006! Charlie S.
I Just got it, Bryan Highland recorded a song called I’m afraid to go home? After being smacked around in the F.K.L. stockade, He must have really put a lot of feeling into that one. That was pretty funny Brooklyn Jim (intentional or not!) Thanks, Charlie S.
Thanks lost memory . I Emailed Bryan Hyland (I think the correct spelling is Bryan) will let everyone know if I get a reply. My cousin Jackie Fleishman ran a bar next to the Haven Theater . I think the bar’s name changed to Nobodys if I’m not mistaken, right before I moved. I think I remember him telling me that everyone used to pick on him (Bryan) a lot. No wonder he moved to California! Well, he made it and did some pretty good stuff. According to his website,he’s still perfoming steady. Anybody remember a guy by the name of Tommy Blue who used to play guitar and sing country music in places like the Nickels Inn on Jamaica Ave. I played some harmonica with him on occasion. He was a nice guy and a pretty good singer but a character. He was pretty popular around Woodhaven/Cypress Hills and one friday night at the Nichols Inn, His wife was steaming mad at him for something and came onstage in a rage and began cursing him and poured a pitcher of beer over his head in front of the audience. Good thing his guitar wasn’t plugged in at the time! Getting back to theaters, What happened to the Haven. I heard it’s a discount store now. I remember seeing A Star Is Born There. The place didn’t look too bad then (around 1974 or so) but I heard it turned into a dump before it closed. I remember The White Horse Tavern Brooklyn Jim but never went in there. Thanks for the correction.– Charlie S.
Thanks Brooklyn Jim for the update! One more footnote: I was told by older friends when I lived on Fulton in the early 70’s that Brian Hyland, the singer who had a hit with “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Polka Dot Bikini” and “Sealed With A Kiss used to hang out at the Embassy when he still lived in Woodhaven before he hit it big. Anyone want to try and see if he has any memories? I checked his website but I doubt that his booking agency will give out any contact info. Charlie S.
I just want to clear up that the Embassy Coffee Shop was located in the same building as the theater but stayed open after the theater closed for about a year or so till the whole place was demolished to make way for the senior citizens center. Anyone remember the bars on Fulton st? – The Glass House, Frank and Henry’s ( I remember buying a glass of beer there for 25 cents when I came home on leave from the Navy in 1972) What dives, but full of happy drunks! Charlie S.
I lived across from the Embassy Theater from 1960-75. I am 53 years old. My grandmother Mary Clayton, worked the candy counter from 1958-1970. I wonder if anyone remembers her! She was a very cheerful heavy set grey haired lady. I’m searching for a picture i had of her at the candy counter. I can recall when they tore the theater down about 1970. The resturant next door lasted about a year longer. There was a bar called the B+O Tavern next to it and there was always someone fighting outside at night. I have fond memories of the ice cream parlors, butcher and mom and pop stores along fulton st. The area started going down fast in the early 70’s I moved to North Carolina in 1976 and haven’t been back. Heard it’s pretty bad now – Sad. Fultonboy