Cultural Arts Playhouse
714 Old Bethpage Road,
Old Bethpage,
NY
11804
714 Old Bethpage Road,
Old Bethpage,
NY
11804
5 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Associated Independent Theatres Inc., K-B Theatres
Functions: Retail
Previous Names: Bethview Theatre, Cine Capri, Old Bethpage, Theatre Cultural Arts Playhouse.
Nearby Theaters
Opened in 1962 as the Bethview Theatre by Associated Independent Theatres Inc. Operated for many years by a Long Island chain called K-B Theatres. It was always changing from first to second run. It was renamed Cine Capri on December 30, 1977. It went through a few different owners before fading away in late-1986 screening Tom Hanks in “The Money Pit”.
It became a live theatre named Cultural Arts Playhouse.
Contributed by
RobertR
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Recent comments (view all 27 comments)
When you get time “Former” could you tell us about the Booth? Or any other stories,I am sure you have some.Thanks.
Hello Friend, my projection experience was from 1993 through ‘98, which was real late in the game, and I worked the Long Beach, Oceanside, Malvern, and interned at the Green Acres theater. I practiced in many a booth, was in the Hewlett Theater booth in'79, but my best stories really come from the guys who trained me. I was a patron of movies and virtually lived in the theaters through the very late 70’s and early 80’s.
Tis,he is from our theatre generation.Hope for some good stories.
Wow. Haven’t been on this page in 5 years! Glad to see the activity here. So, where in the shopping center was this little cinema located? In the “L” shaped corner? Or out on the end somewhere?
Ed, it was in the “L” shaped corner. I had forgotten where this theater even was and found it when my wife took me to see a production of “Chess” there (I believe they called themselves the Broadhallow Theater and and they are now located in the Elmont public Library, the new library on Hempstead turnpike).
As a kid in the late 70s and early 80s, I remember riding my bike to this theatre (and left it outide unlocked!) The last movie that played here was 1986’s The Money Pit. The theatre closed after that run, and that movie poster hung in the window for quite some time. I then started working at Richie’s Discount right next door, and remember seeing them pulling all the theatre seats out and bringing in new ones to a new playhouse, around 1989. I went to see the very first performance there, it was Evita, which as a 14 year old kid, thought it was awful, but I just wanted to see the inside of the theatre. This space operated as a live performance venue for many years under a few different names. Most recently, it was the Cultural Arts Playhouse, which has since moved up Old Country Road in Plainview. Currently, there is a sign in the window that says “Gym Coming Soon”. The box office lobby has remained in tact all these years, even the phone booth in the front corner. However, I’m sure it will all be torn out, if they are building a gym.
Updated pics added. I worked there with projectionist Pat Ryan and his brother Bobby from 79-81. Do any of you guys know them and how they’re doing? Thanks
The Old Bethpage was an okay theater in a tucked away place.There I saw Buck Henry in the satirical movie Taking Off.I also saw The Exorcist,featuring a promising Jason Miller,Oscar winner Ellen Bursten,Igmar Bergman favorite- Max Von Sydow;and that poor little Linda Blair with the pea soup and the crucifix.I preferred the The Omen,“Yea Gregory Peck!”
Became Ciné-Capri on December 30th, 1977. Grand opening ad posted.
Raided by the cops
Bethview theatre police raid 17 Feb 1969, Mon Newsday (Nassau Edition) (Hempstead, New York) Newspapers.com