RKO Commack Twin
Veterans Highway,
Commack,
NY
11725
Veterans Highway,
Commack,
NY
11725
5 people
favorited this theater
This RKO twin theater in Suffolk county opened on December 22, 1967 with Audrey Hepburn in “Wait Until Dark” playing on both screens. There were 390-seats in each auditorium. There was a smoked glass wall in the lobby. The ladies rooms all had there own private sinks and mirrors in each stall. The box office numbers were huge for a Long Island theater. The theater was in front of the UA Commack Drive-In. It closed in late-1987.
Contributed by
MIKE FURLINGER
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Recent comments (view all 155 comments)
Yes, I should have clarified that. National Amusements (at least when Sunrise Cinemas opened in Valley Stream) was last 8 rows, if I recall. I remember you could look back and see the blue fog of cigarette smoke swirling in the light from the projector.
This message is for snipit13, or family or friends of the late Jim Ward, movie theater manager. I was friends with Jim in Queens Village and at the RKO Alden in Jamaica from 1961 to 1964. Jim and I used to visit Times Square Records and buy rare 45’s from Slim. We didn’t keep in touch for a long long time, but I still remember his mom and dad, his sister Geraldine (snipit13?) and his brothers John and Edward. And Bosco. I’m sorry to hear that Jim passed away in 2004 as I always hoped we’d meet again. I’d like to know more about Jim’s life and career from the 70’s until 2004, and I’d like to see photos of what he looked like during that time. I knew his friends Harold, and Jimmy White but I never kept in touch with them either. Wishing you good health, Les (Les Fox / New Jersey.) My email address is: .
Had this theater remained open, it would’ve become an RKO-Stanley Warner, then a Cineplex Odeon, then a Loews Cineplex, and finally an AMC.
Not for a twin and a Multiplex near by
It was an RKO-Stanley Warner, and an RKO Century Warner before closing up.
If you haven’t already done so, check out the few photos I found from the theater. Several employees of the time I was there, including my sister, Ruth Ulip, Diane Urban and others. All vintage 1972-76
BVD1 , thank you for those photos ! So that was the staff when I was there to see “Willy Wonka” in 1971 !
Please update closed in late 1987. Couldn’t compete with the New National Amusements Commack Cinemas. RKO Century competed with Commack for 5 years. Once Cineplex Odeon took over, the place was closed.
And the Commack Cinemas succumbed to the Deer Park Multiplex.
The RKO Commack Twin opened on December 22nd, 1967. Grand opening ad already posted.