Park Theatre
813 Jericho Turnpike,
New Hyde Park,
NY
11040
813 Jericho Turnpike,
New Hyde Park,
NY
11040
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Century Theaters, Playhouse Operating Co.
Functions: Office Space
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Feb 20, 2008 — Century's Queens Theatre, Queens Village. NY
The Park Theatre was yet another Jericho Turnpike theatre, located near Lakeville Road at the Nassau-Queens border. The Park Theatre was opened by 1927 when it was operated by Playhouse Operating Co. It was later operated by the Century Theaters chain. The building appears to be some kind of office space now.
Contributed by
SteveSmith
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Recent comments (view all 30 comments)
Regarding the projection equipment, in 1949, I saw “a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” at the Park when one projector broke down and the operator had to stop and re-load the sole projector.
I am not familiar with the Park East, so I cannot compare the two.
The Park stage must have been narrow because when it ran scope features, the screen was not wide as it was oblong. The top masking descended to change from flat to scope.
The theater was the last chance to see current double features after which the movies would then disappear. Occasionally they ran revivals.
Park never showed 3-D, but they had scheduled “The House of Wax” only to cancel it abruptly. At least I saw it at the Floral. I would see 3D at the Floral and the Alan.
The old Park marquee was probably too ugly for even the standards of 1927.
robboehm – The original Meadows marquee wasn’t irregular. It became the way it is today when Cineplex Odeon took over and “renovated” it. Before that there was a side that you could read the name of the picture when going west on the L.I.E.
btw- The Glen Oaks had more seats than the Park (which I guess you know really wasn’t 800 as posted here).
The Meadows wasn’t “traditional”. As you were heading west there was a narrow strip that just said “Century’s Meadows”. Then you got to the massive part which had the signboard and the MEADOWS. I don’t recall what the portion was that faced the actualy Fresh Meadows complex.
I spoke to the New Hyde Park village historian and she didn’t know when precisely the Park went dark, much less what was the last picture run. I do know that Garden of Evil with Gary Cooper was the first movie presented after the new screen sheet was installed in 1954.
Of all movie theatres I’ve visited,I cannot remember any of them was substandard. I saw in Washington DC “Apocalypse Now” in 1979 in the appropriate 70mm format. I made a point of seeing it that way because I suspected that 70mm presentations were on the way out, and I saw “The Andromeda Strain” in 1971 at the RKO Golden Gate in San Francisco which was a live venue theatre in 1980 when I saw Richard Burton perform in “Camelot” and in theatres in between nothing was amiss. Now I visit the Siskel film center in the Chicago Loop and the Fleur Cinema and Cafe in Des Moines. However the Music Box in Chicago looks decrepit.
The Park Theatre closed within a week or two of the Park East’s opening. The projectionist that worked at the Park Theatre worked there for over 45 years, but passed away a few years ago in his 90’s. At the time, he complained that he wasn’t moved over to work at the Park East. However, because I’m becoming a little senile myself, I can’t remember the exact month and year the Park closed. I know that I bought a refrigerator from Eldee, the company that originally took over after the Park closed.
The Brooklyn Eagle of May 17 1938 mentioned that someone had placed two timed tear gas bombs in the theater.
Sounds like union trouble to me.
Article didn’t do more than state the fact. No followup that I found.
Photo uploaded with Eldee as the first retail tenant. The basic form of the marquee was retained in the signage. The Park, however, never had a vertical, to my knowledge.
This was an old silent picture house. I’ve found newspaper listings dating back to 1928 (so far).