Claridge Theater

I grew up around the corner on East 2nd Street. The Claridge used to occasionally run 50 cartoons at a time on the weekend, with a line of kids down the block waiting to get in. I remember sitting through Old Yeller about five times in one day. Great memories.

I lived in this building in 1987-88. I shared a huge apartment with my cousin and his wife that was built directly over the lobby of the old theater. It was, in fact, the first place I ever lived in NYC. The apartment, which was reputedly built for the theater’s owner, featured an incredible living room that was like a theater itself with a staircase that wrapped around the room in an ascending series of balconies and a dome that rose 30+ feet above the floor. There was beautiful dark oak woodwork everywhere and the master bath had luxury plumbing fixtures straight out of the ‘20’s, including a wrap-around spray shower.

From the master bedroom one could walk right out onto the roof over several offices that fronted on Ave. P (I remember a dentist’s office in there). There was no AC in the apartment and during the hot summer months we would have parties with several folks sleeping out on the roof. I met my ex-wife (we were married for 15 years) on that roof in ‘87. There was also a sealed door in the apartment that apparently led out into the auditorium (which had been stripped of most of whatever detail it once had, and covered with ugly, glitzy junk).

I still remember the sounds of the wedding receptions beating up through the walls and floors at night, and the crowds of joyful people out on Ave. P. So I was really shocked, and a bit saddened to see the old place gone on my last drive out that way. Time marches on I guess…

I lived in the neighborhood.DAHILL RD & then East 2nd.
In the 1950’s my bother & cousins would always go for the “25” color
cartoons + feature.
In 1961-1963 while a junior at Lafayette HS I worked as an usher.
this was my first real job an earned a whopping 1.00 per hr.
Would go to newstand at McDonald An.& Av.P and wait for the Daily
news for the manager his name was Feldmen I think.
Had some good times.

I remember the Claridge theater quite well. My parents used to take my sister and I there when we kids. I vividly remember seeing “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World there in Cinerama (circa 1962) and "Windjammer” in Cinerama as well. Even though I lived in Newark and was closer to the Stanley, Castle and Sanford movie theaters, I visited the Claridge quite often. It was a great place to see a film back then. Just down the street was Grunnings Ice Cream, which was an awesome place to visit after the movie was over. It closed in the 1980’s I believe.

AlinNYC …. I lived in that apartment from 94-99. Amazing place-sad as well to see it gone.