By the way, Sorrento’s next door was re-launched by someone connected with the family that had long owned Salerno’s. Last summer, an elderly customer coming out told me that the menu was similar and the food was still good. However, it’s now added an Indian menu to reflect the neighborhood’s current population, so the ownership may have changed again.
About the only remnant of the old triangle left intact is the florist down the block (Bangert’s), still operating under a great 1920s neon sign. And the Richmond Hill library (a Carnegie library) is still intact on the other side of the tracks.
It’s sad to hear that the ownership has changed. The previous owner was a friendly old guy who would often sit near the entrance in a folding chair on bingo days, and was happy to talk about the theater. When I met him sometime in 2007 he offered to let me upstairs for a peek at the balcony, said to be left largely in its original state. I went back last year, but he wasn’t around and the staff wouldn’t let me near the stairs, claiming they were dangerous. I’d bet the new owner has some more aggressive plans for the building, which aren’t likely to make us happy. I doubt he/she acquired it to keep it operating as a somewhat seedy bingo hall and a low-end flea market.
The Italian restaurant on the other side of the theater from Jahn’s, an old-fashioned “red sauce” joint named Salerno, was closed down for a few weeks and seemed to be another neighborhood casualty. But it’s reopened under the name “Sorrento,” and is reportedly being operated by a younger relative of the original owner. I had heard mixed reports about the old place’s food, so I hope the new management is able to bring it back and make a go of it.
As for Jahn’s, I read in a local paper that parts of the old decor (no doubt including the nickelodeon) had been sold off. Perhaps, like those diners in Manhattan, it will be relocated to some place outsidethe city where it will be appreciated . By the way, there is a surviving Jahn’s on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights: http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/search?q=Jahn%27s
A local.live image of the Park in Rockaway was posted by Bway under that theater’s entry: View link
It could be the building in the photo posted by Warren above: View link
Unfortunately (or not), I was too young to get into discos during the disco era. Besides the Palladium, I didn’t realize so many clubs were former theaters, but it makes sense. I often went to the old Webster Hall theater (which I guess was for stage or vaudeville rather than movies) in its 80s incarnation as the Ritz.
I agree with your characterization of the neighborhoods, too. I used to go to Jamaica to use the big library, but I wouldn’t hang around the area after dark. Ozone Park always seemed safe. I recall my parents and other grownups often complaining about crime, but they would let us go to theaters like the Crossbay by ourselves at a very young age. In fact, they were more concerned about what we might be seeing than about our safety. We did the old “ask a random adult to get us into an R-rated movie” trick fairly often at the Crossbay.
The building is still there, looking as it does in the 2005 photo, though with a different crappy discount store as the occupant.
If the 1939 photo is the same building, the el would be the old Fulton Avenue line, and this portion would have been replaced by underground service in 1956. (The rest of the el from 80th-Hudson Street in Queens is still used by the “A” train.)
I believe that I may have seen “Saturday Night Fever” there (at the Elmwood), then walked across the street to the mall and bought the album. That would have been the high water mark of my “disco phase.”
I know that I saw the post-Star Wars re-release of “Barbarella” there, too, because I remember my teen-aged libido having a brief “Jane Fonda” phase.
The presumed site of the theater can be seen in the fourth and fifth pictures, the lot with the “For Sale” sign (4), next to “Monica’s Nail Salon.” (5).
I agree with you that the most impressive feature of the Lefferts was its marquee! “Most beautiful theater on Long Island”?? I guess UA or whoever owned it then had a very ambitious or demented PR rep. Of course, its glory days were long gone by the time I ever got there.
Unfortunately I never saw a movie at the Valencia. I had no idea how beautiful it was at the time – my mother only told me about it many years later. In the 70s it would have seemed too dodgy (and the neighborhood too seedy) to go out of my way to see a movie there. I peeked inside once after it was a church and was amazed.
As a teenager I would go to the Elmwood often, but mainly because it often had big movies before the theaters further south. (Also it was an easy ride on the Q11 bus.) I have to admit that I never noticed the architecture or decor. In those days I might have appreciated a theater’s size, big screen, or sound quality, but little else. Perhaps the Elmwood had already been ruined by subdividing by that point?
The church is located in a boxy, nondescript white-painted brick building. The front appear to have been modified, with evidence of a bricked-up entrance.
I was intrigued by the reference to a theater at “4148 101st Street,” although that location would be far from this one, located on the corner of 135th Street.
I don’t know how to locate that site, as the street numbering system must have changed since it closed. Street addresses are numbered according to the intersecting avenues, (i.e. 103-xx) and there’s no 41st avenue in Ozone Park or surrounding areas.
I grew up in Howard Beach, and never knew this theater existed, although it was a bit before my time. The building can be seen here, in the 8th photo down: View link
It’s at the far end of the street (left side) with the dark red awnings.
Luis V, I also remember that “Go Ape” promotion and can’t believe I sat through five Planet of the Apes movies in one day! Today I’d need a few days to recover from sitting in those chairs that long!
I wonder if anyone remembers the Christmas shows that local police (or maybe the PBA?) would have for neighborhood kids at the Crossbay in the early 70s. We’d see some cartoons, a feature (one year it was John Wayne in ‘Brannigan’) and then every kid would get presents.
I was out of the area for many years and was surprised to find both Crossbays were closed this year. I must have seen dozens of movies here in the 70s and 80s. It’s sad that neighborhood theaters have to disappear like this – and I’m surprised that a theater couldn’t be profitable in this location if it were properly run. On the other hand, there was nothing special about the Crossbay. If there was anything noteworthy about the 1924 design, I’d imagine it was lost when the theater was first twinned and then triplexed. (And there was never anything nice about the utilitarian Crossbay 2)
The Casino was one of my neighborhood theaters growing up in the 70s.
(Actually my neighborhood was Howard Beach, which never had any theaters, so Ozone Park and Richmond Hill were the closest.)
My aunt worked there as a matron. This was actually embarrassing for me, since my friends enjoyed pelting matrons with popcorn and Jujubes at other theaters, and I’d have to warn or beg them not to do it here.
I know I saw many kiddie matinees here, although I can’t for the life of me recall what any of the movies were. Later I saw “Tommy” here (on a double bill with “Aloha, Bobby and Rose,” I think), and sat through it twice, even though the sound was awful. (The passing “A” trains didn’t help.)It was not a very appealing theater, a step below the Crossbay, and only a choice when we couldn’t get someone to drive us to Forest Hills or Valley Stream, L.I.
I’m sad to hear about the closing of Jahn’s. Surprised, too, because I just stopped in there month or two earlier during a walk around the old neighborhood. The posters who mentioned that it had become a quiet, gloomy place were right, and the food was of the “greasy spoon” variety, though the original decor was still there and the old nickelodeon still worked. They still had the “Kitchen Sink” on the menu, too, although I’d imagine it wouldn’t have been the same, since in the old days I believe they made their own ice cream.
As for the RKO Keiths, I went in and saw the amazing interior frozen in its state of neglect. The rather shabby afternoon bingo crowd seemed out of place there. I wasn’t allowed to go upstairs, but I met the owner on the way out, and he said he’d be happy to show me around
f I came back at another time. He seemed quite pleased that people take an interest in the building’s beauty and history, but was definitely not pleased by the idea of it getting any kind of “landmark” status.
It seems to me there are a number of gems on that triangle: Jahn’s, Salerno’s, the florist with its old-fashioned neon sign, the theater, and the still-recognizable (from the outside) Triangle Hofbrau. I wonder if there would be more interest in preserving them if the neighborhood was a bit more “trendy” and undergoing gentrification. In another location, the Keiths would cry out for restoration as an art-house theater, but I guess it’s too early for that in Richmond Hill. It’s sad that a place like Jahn’s could hang on so long, only to go under now.
From the Queens Crap blog, Jan. 15:
“The RKO Keith’s marquee continues to deteriorate after the new owner stripped its lettering.” w/photo
View link
By the way, Sorrento’s next door was re-launched by someone connected with the family that had long owned Salerno’s. Last summer, an elderly customer coming out told me that the menu was similar and the food was still good. However, it’s now added an Indian menu to reflect the neighborhood’s current population, so the ownership may have changed again.
About the only remnant of the old triangle left intact is the florist down the block (Bangert’s), still operating under a great 1920s neon sign. And the Richmond Hill library (a Carnegie library) is still intact on the other side of the tracks.
It’s sad to hear that the ownership has changed. The previous owner was a friendly old guy who would often sit near the entrance in a folding chair on bingo days, and was happy to talk about the theater. When I met him sometime in 2007 he offered to let me upstairs for a peek at the balcony, said to be left largely in its original state. I went back last year, but he wasn’t around and the staff wouldn’t let me near the stairs, claiming they were dangerous. I’d bet the new owner has some more aggressive plans for the building, which aren’t likely to make us happy. I doubt he/she acquired it to keep it operating as a somewhat seedy bingo hall and a low-end flea market.
Pic of the Rugby on BrooklynPix.com:
View link
I assume Warren’s photo from two posts above (no longer available) refers to Mae West’s 1951 revival of her play “Diamond Lil.”
An exterior shot of the Jamaica with the marquee for this event can be found at:
http://www.maewest.nl/
(Under “Life and Career” – “Later Stage Work”)
The Italian restaurant on the other side of the theater from Jahn’s, an old-fashioned “red sauce” joint named Salerno, was closed down for a few weeks and seemed to be another neighborhood casualty. But it’s reopened under the name “Sorrento,” and is reportedly being operated by a younger relative of the original owner. I had heard mixed reports about the old place’s food, so I hope the new management is able to bring it back and make a go of it.
As for Jahn’s, I read in a local paper that parts of the old decor (no doubt including the nickelodeon) had been sold off. Perhaps, like those diners in Manhattan, it will be relocated to some place outsidethe city where it will be appreciated . By the way, there is a surviving Jahn’s on 37th Avenue in Jackson Heights:
http://queenscrap.blogspot.com/search?q=Jahn%27s
A local.live image of the Park in Rockaway was posted by Bway under that theater’s entry: View link
It could be the building in the photo posted by Warren above: View link
LuisV, were you aware that the International Casino was also a theater before Bonds took it over?
See: http://www.lileks.com/NYC/timessquare/9.html
I remember seeing the Clash during their famous ten-night stand there around 1981.
And there was a Sikh-bashing incident after 9/11, by some morons who assumed that someone wearing a turban must be an Arab.
I guess there’s always some tension when neighborhoods change.
Probably too many Indians there now for anyone to bash.
South Ozone Park and Richmond Hill are still vibrant and full of life, but now filled with a new wave of Indian and Latino immigrants.
Sorry. The correct link is: View link
Unfortunately (or not), I was too young to get into discos during the disco era. Besides the Palladium, I didn’t realize so many clubs were former theaters, but it makes sense. I often went to the old Webster Hall theater (which I guess was for stage or vaudeville rather than movies) in its 80s incarnation as the Ritz.
I agree with your characterization of the neighborhoods, too. I used to go to Jamaica to use the big library, but I wouldn’t hang around the area after dark. Ozone Park always seemed safe. I recall my parents and other grownups often complaining about crime, but they would let us go to theaters like the Crossbay by ourselves at a very young age. In fact, they were more concerned about what we might be seeing than about our safety. We did the old “ask a random adult to get us into an R-rated movie” trick fairly often at the Crossbay.
The building is still there, looking as it does in the 2005 photo, though with a different crappy discount store as the occupant.
If the 1939 photo is the same building, the el would be the old Fulton Avenue line, and this portion would have been replaced by underground service in 1956. (The rest of the el from 80th-Hudson Street in Queens is still used by the “A” train.)
Thanks. I guess we can conclude that the street configuration was probably changed after the theater was demolished, then?
I believe that I may have seen “Saturday Night Fever” there (at the Elmwood), then walked across the street to the mall and bought the album. That would have been the high water mark of my “disco phase.”
I know that I saw the post-Star Wars re-release of “Barbarella” there, too, because I remember my teen-aged libido having a brief “Jane Fonda” phase.
The presumed site of the theater can be seen in the fourth and fifth pictures, the lot with the “For Sale” sign (4), next to “Monica’s Nail Salon.” (5).
I agree with you that the most impressive feature of the Lefferts was its marquee! “Most beautiful theater on Long Island”?? I guess UA or whoever owned it then had a very ambitious or demented PR rep. Of course, its glory days were long gone by the time I ever got there.
Unfortunately I never saw a movie at the Valencia. I had no idea how beautiful it was at the time – my mother only told me about it many years later. In the 70s it would have seemed too dodgy (and the neighborhood too seedy) to go out of my way to see a movie there. I peeked inside once after it was a church and was amazed.
As a teenager I would go to the Elmwood often, but mainly because it often had big movies before the theaters further south. (Also it was an easy ride on the Q11 bus.) I have to admit that I never noticed the architecture or decor. In those days I might have appreciated a theater’s size, big screen, or sound quality, but little else. Perhaps the Elmwood had already been ruined by subdividing by that point?
The building appears to have been demolished and replaced by multi-family brick homes facing the side street. (133rd).
The church is located in a boxy, nondescript white-painted brick building. The front appear to have been modified, with evidence of a bricked-up entrance.
I was intrigued by the reference to a theater at “4148 101st Street,” although that location would be far from this one, located on the corner of 135th Street.
I don’t know how to locate that site, as the street numbering system must have changed since it closed. Street addresses are numbered according to the intersecting avenues, (i.e. 103-xx) and there’s no 41st avenue in Ozone Park or surrounding areas.
Metropolitan Automotive Parts: 118-12 Rockaway Blvd.
The building appears to be intact and is currently an auto parts store.
I grew up in Howard Beach, and never knew this theater existed, although it was a bit before my time. The building can be seen here, in the 8th photo down: View link
It’s at the far end of the street (left side) with the dark red awnings.
Luis V, I also remember that “Go Ape” promotion and can’t believe I sat through five Planet of the Apes movies in one day! Today I’d need a few days to recover from sitting in those chairs that long!
I wonder if anyone remembers the Christmas shows that local police (or maybe the PBA?) would have for neighborhood kids at the Crossbay in the early 70s. We’d see some cartoons, a feature (one year it was John Wayne in ‘Brannigan’) and then every kid would get presents.
I was out of the area for many years and was surprised to find both Crossbays were closed this year. I must have seen dozens of movies here in the 70s and 80s. It’s sad that neighborhood theaters have to disappear like this – and I’m surprised that a theater couldn’t be profitable in this location if it were properly run. On the other hand, there was nothing special about the Crossbay. If there was anything noteworthy about the 1924 design, I’d imagine it was lost when the theater was first twinned and then triplexed. (And there was never anything nice about the utilitarian Crossbay 2)
The Casino was one of my neighborhood theaters growing up in the 70s.
(Actually my neighborhood was Howard Beach, which never had any theaters, so Ozone Park and Richmond Hill were the closest.)
My aunt worked there as a matron. This was actually embarrassing for me, since my friends enjoyed pelting matrons with popcorn and Jujubes at other theaters, and I’d have to warn or beg them not to do it here.
I know I saw many kiddie matinees here, although I can’t for the life of me recall what any of the movies were. Later I saw “Tommy” here (on a double bill with “Aloha, Bobby and Rose,” I think), and sat through it twice, even though the sound was awful. (The passing “A” trains didn’t help.)It was not a very appealing theater, a step below the Crossbay, and only a choice when we couldn’t get someone to drive us to Forest Hills or Valley Stream, L.I.
I’m sad to hear about the closing of Jahn’s. Surprised, too, because I just stopped in there month or two earlier during a walk around the old neighborhood. The posters who mentioned that it had become a quiet, gloomy place were right, and the food was of the “greasy spoon” variety, though the original decor was still there and the old nickelodeon still worked. They still had the “Kitchen Sink” on the menu, too, although I’d imagine it wouldn’t have been the same, since in the old days I believe they made their own ice cream.
As for the RKO Keiths, I went in and saw the amazing interior frozen in its state of neglect. The rather shabby afternoon bingo crowd seemed out of place there. I wasn’t allowed to go upstairs, but I met the owner on the way out, and he said he’d be happy to show me around
f I came back at another time. He seemed quite pleased that people take an interest in the building’s beauty and history, but was definitely not pleased by the idea of it getting any kind of “landmark” status.
It seems to me there are a number of gems on that triangle: Jahn’s, Salerno’s, the florist with its old-fashioned neon sign, the theater, and the still-recognizable (from the outside) Triangle Hofbrau. I wonder if there would be more interest in preserving them if the neighborhood was a bit more “trendy” and undergoing gentrification. In another location, the Keiths would cry out for restoration as an art-house theater, but I guess it’s too early for that in Richmond Hill. It’s sad that a place like Jahn’s could hang on so long, only to go under now.