The Merrick Theatre showed mainly 20th Century Fox films (The Valencia and Hillside showed MGM while the Alden showed mainly Warners). I remember the first screening of THE ROBE at the Merrick. It was the first CinemaScope
feature. I was 11 and the projectionist invited my sister and I up to his booth to show us the new lens used for the process. I was so thrilled to be in the inner sanctum of that booth that I stayed there immobile looking out the little window for the whole first reel until I noticed my sister outside frantically waving at me to come down. I quickly returned to reality in the deep maroon deco interior of that spacious hall.
In the early 1950s, The Carlton had a way to lure customers beyond the reach of the Jamaica Ave “El”: the cheapest prices. I remember it
costing kids 9cents for double bills of films that were reasonably recent but a month or so later than the major theaters. Between the Carlton and the Savoy, Jamaica had veritable “repertory
programing"enabling a movie fan to see favorite films for years after they opened at the major theaters.
The Merrick Theatre showed mainly 20th Century Fox films (The Valencia and Hillside showed MGM while the Alden showed mainly Warners). I remember the first screening of THE ROBE at the Merrick. It was the first CinemaScope feature. I was 11 and the projectionist invited my sister and I up to his booth to show us the new lens used for the process. I was so thrilled to be in the inner sanctum of that booth that I stayed there immobile looking out the little window for the whole first reel until I noticed my sister outside frantically waving at me to come down. I quickly returned to reality in the deep maroon deco interior of that spacious hall.
In the early 1950s, The Carlton had a way to lure customers beyond the reach of the Jamaica Ave “El”: the cheapest prices. I remember it costing kids 9cents for double bills of films that were reasonably recent but a month or so later than the major theaters. Between the Carlton and the Savoy, Jamaica had veritable “repertory
programing"enabling a movie fan to see favorite films for years after they opened at the major theaters.