Bellerose Theater
245-14 Jericho Turnpike,
Floral Park,
NY
11001
245-14 Jericho Turnpike,
Floral Park,
NY
11001
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 178 comments
Closed on February 1, 1987 with “Jagged Edge”.
Cool- Since you found an image of the Bellerose on the Astoria Historical site I went there to try and find pictures of the Bellaire, Island (Hollis) and Garden (Springfield Gardens) theatres since there are none on CT. Struck out.
“Local Follies” was a short-lived fad whereby neighborhood theatres ran amateur talent contests with prizes provided by local merchants. I don’t think much in the way of stage facilities or dressing rooms were required.This was in the era when many nabes had yet to convert to sound, so they probably had a resident pianist or organist to accompany the amateur performers.
Cool- Happy to see that. I’d been trying for years to get an image. Two features and follies? Interesting. By the time I attended there was not much of a stage. Wonder if there were dressing rooms?
Odd that the Astoria Historical Society had something. Bellerose isn’t in Queens County.
A vintage postcard of the original exterior is displayed at the website for the Astoria Historical Society. Edited view here
Uploaded a 1930 photo of the Bellerose with its original marquee. In my day it was modified to have glass side panels with black letters. The front remained unchanged. The theatre name was white on a green background with the running light areas yellow.
On either side of the front sign board were banks of lights. A single yellow in the middle, then orange and, finally, red. When activated there was the impression of outward movement radiating from the single yellow bulb.
In this photo the second story windows appear to be functional. They were “bricked” over, as you can see, at some point in time.
A bit of ancient history. The Bellerose always had special hard of hearing devices available way back when. Don’t know what they were but they were the only theater to advertise their availability.
In reviewing all the comments on this theater (the majority of which were Queens/Nassau, Jamaica Avenue/Jericho Turnpike, Bellerose/Floral Park in nature) I see that I once posed a question as to the identity of the advertiser on the clock to the left of the screen. Nobody ever responded but I now remember it was a jewelry store in adjacent Queens Village.
Uploaded an ad which Texas2step had uploaded on the Century’s Floral site indicating the the Bellerose, together with the Floral, Bellaire, Hollis and Park (Rockaway Park) were part of the Playco circuit in 1933. Never heard of them.
The building now houses a martial arts institute called Dynamics. I wonder if any of the original decor of the theater is now visible. Have to check.
Every time TCM shows a 20th Century Fox color Cinemascope film I try to replicate my experience at the Bellerose where the projectionist was a master showman. He would start the film with just the sound for the drum intro, then turn on the light and, after the trumpet fanfare, open the curtain. Since the speakers were behind the curtain there was a swell of sound. And, the Bellerose had a huge proscenium.
Can’t do the drum intro in the dark but I always bring up the volume at the appropriate time.
Orlando, and other professionals. Any clue on the size of the screen at the Bellerose and how it compared with some of the other Nassau/Queens neighborhood venues
After Jericho Turnpike was widened the marquee took several hits. All of the front detail shown in the Grove photo was covered over by an aluminum panel as were the lights surrounding the actual display board. Haven’t been able to find any intact photo of the Bellerose. Also can’t find one of the original marquee which it replaced and one I remember vividly. My mother always had to pull me across Jericho Turnpike because I would stare at the illuminated marquee.
“Girl From Jones Beach.” on the Marquee. Nice..
If you look at the 1949 photo of the Grove Theater in Freeport you can see what the marquee of the Bellerose looked like when it was first installed, probably around the same time.
Uploaded a 1969 photo of the theatre still in operation. This was taken after a median was installed and the sidewalks were reduced in width. Notice that the front of the marquee has been severely damaged. Aluminum was placed over a portion of the bottom. The section which read “A Century Theatre” has been totally trashed. Additional ornamentation which was originally above that is missing.
So, now we need to see a picture of the marquee in its entirety and a picture of the original which was boxy and had white incandescent letters spelling “Bellerose” and yellow running lights.
There had been some talk about adding a balcony to the Bellerose. The ceiling was certainly sufficiently high and there was a grand staircase which went up to the lounge. I believe when the theater was originally built the restrooms were in the basement and the upper lounge only done in later years. The theater was shuttered for a time in the 1940s and was renovated when it reopened. That may have been, if it was done later, when the upstairs lounge was created. However I don’t think the new marquee occurred until later.
As far as Bellerose vs. Floral Park is concerned, not too many years ago it was decided that the Nassau County portion of Bellerose not be serviced by the Bellerose Post Office (which is a hell of a lot closer than the Floral Park one to which it was assigned). It was already confusing enough with the Jamaica Avenue/Jericho Turnpike split but they compounded it by making Bellerose Nassau, Floral Park.
In retrospect I wonder why they put a new, modern marquee on the Bellerose. The ones on the Floral, Queens and Community (all Century operated) basically kept their old marquees but just modified them. The Bellerose most resembled the community but all the lights were incandescent. Same color scheme as the Queens, yellow running lights, green background, Bellerose letters in white.
Sorry, A little before my time. Also you might be right about the pics, nothing so far. I just now found out that area is considered Floral Park. My father and I seen the movie Jaws at the Floral Park theater which had a balcony and the oldest theater with a balcony i had been to was the DuPont Theater in Wilmington Delaware. The DuPont’s had their own Box and no movie started until they arrived and Sat down. The day I attended neither was in play. Funny thing we moved out west years later and I took a job as an Usher for A M C, Right up my alley back then.
Re being a discount house. After being a discount house the Bellerose was closed and the Floral became the discount house. Then the Bellerose was reopened. Don’t really know what the story was with the Floral. If nothing else the Bellerose was better situated with proximity to the Cross Island Parkway and the Q1 and Q36 bus routes. Parking was a problem however. Was just back in Bellerose in September, 244th between Ontario and Superior, and it looked liked the city. Not one open parking space to be seen. When I was a kid not everybody had cars and those that did, with one exception (and that was, I suspect, that they were show off their Chrysler) kept them garaged.
When I lived there the median island hadn’t been installed separating Jamaica Avenue and Jericho Turnpike. When it was they narrowed the sidewalks resulting in the marquee taking some bad hits.
Doubt if you’ll find pictures of the old marquee. If my memory is correct it was installed around 1950. Remember them modifying the steel and chipping some of the facade on the building.
An aside. Were you around when the, then, Franklin National Bank had the drive in window off 247/Colonial with a turntable? I believe the turntable may still be there.
Yes, it was a florist that went out of business which then my Mother & Father re-opened as a lunch shop. She had a smaller store just off 246th going east about a block then took over the Belrose theater location. Believe it or not the colors were like Dunkin" Donuts . Guess whats there now across the street on the corner, Dunkin" Donuts. At least at last look. Towards the end they turned the Belrose into a $1 theater to try and survive. Thanks for responding! If i find pics i will post, Looks like if i find what i am looking for there is a good chance the original Marquee will be in the pic.
I have been trying to get pictures of the Bellerose with the original boxy marquee. The Bellerose was alive and well when I moved east in 1967. At that time the store on the corner of Jericho and 246th Street, in the theater building, was a florist. The store to the west was the American Beauty Shop. Moskins was the double store further west, then the tailor, butcher and barber shops.
Does anyone remember back in the early 1970’s when the belrose theater was alive and well. There was a clothing store named MOSHKINS, spelling? Also a shop called the DONUT KNOOK just to the right of the theater on the corner. Now it looks like the karate shop consumed that breakfast lunch shop and made it one. My Dad and Mom use to own the shop and get a lot of the matinee movie business. Was a great part of my life . If anyone has any pics of that era which shows the store, please post if you can. Thank You
There is no real link. Just below the name of the theater there are several option; photos is one of them.
Can someone post the link to the photo’s please? I don’t know where to go to view them. Thanks
You have to look in the photos section.
Where is the new picture? I only see the current wholesale place.
Uploaded photo taken after closure from American Classic Images. Marquee is quite beat up at this time. When Jericho Turnpike was widened the front of the marquee was hit several times. The neon around the signage was covered with aluminum and the “A Century Theatre” was removed.