Turn Key means everything is all set up and ready to go…turn the key and you’re in business. This is how the Jerry Lewis Cinemas were prtomoted to moms and pops.
WOW, the back of the Johnny All-Weather screen tower brings back memories. I remember when it was sparkling clean!! When it was lit up at night, it was exciting, especially when approaching it on Sunrise Highway.
Just my guess…Marcus likes to own their own land where their properties are. The Regency Mall Cinema land was not their’s. Plus, Marcus wants people going to their big investment, The Renaissance, in Sturtevant. Who can blame them? I feel bad the Regency Cinema is closing, but it was not a very good theatre.
THIS must be the theatre was where the premiere of “The Music Man” took place in 1962, complete with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones and Ronnie Howard, on hand. It was a few blocks away from Meredith Wilson’s boyhood home. It’s now a Wells Fargo bank…IF this is the theatre I’m thinking of. I first thought it was The State Theatre, but that theatre closed in the 50s.
I believe this theatre was where the premiere of “The Music Man” took place in 1962, complete with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones and Ronnie Howard, on hand. It was a few blocks away from Meredith Wilson’s boyhood home. It’s now a Wells Fargo bank…IF this is the theatre I’m thinking of.
Ah, the pit…yes, I remember the junked cars and riding my bike off the steep slopes…later became the Sunrise Mall home of the worst theatres I’ve ever been in, the UA Movies. Black shoe boxes with tiny screens. I saw a few movies there in the mid 70s.
Howdy fellow Massapequan! I lived at 45 Westgate Road. At onetime there were 5 movie venues in Massapequa…the Bar Harbour Theatre, the Pequa Theatre, the Massapequa Drive-In, the North Massapequa Theatre, and the Sunrise Mall Theatres. Now…there are none. The nearby Amity Theatre, Big “A” Amityville Theatre and Johnny All-Weather Drive-in…all gone, as well.
Notice the XXX on the New Amsterdam marquee. They never ran XXX features, so it was obviously a set-up. I would like to know how they collapsed the New Amsterdam vertical sign in the movie. Finally, I never liked those yellow letters with the black background on the 42nd Street marquees. Looked sleezy and cheap.
Man, this place was closed down alot during the 70s and 80s. I like the Burt Lancaster/Kirk Douglas festival leading up to Tough Guys with both stars. Nice promotion.
This doesn’t look anything like the Cinerama Theatre I used to go to. I know the balcony became the Penthouse Theatre and the backstage became the Orleans Theatre.
Great article!!! I went to all those places growing up. NOTE: The Frank Buck Zoo was next to the Massapequa Drive-in. You were able to check out Monkey Mountain while waiting in line to get into the drive-in. Also, there were four All-Weather Drive-in on LI.
Man, how much white paint did it take to cover that DeMille Theatre billboard in Bryan’s photo? I remember seeing it with “Battle of Britain” painted on it. It was only second in size to that giant billboard over the Astor and Victoria Theatres.
Turn Key means everything is all set up and ready to go…turn the key and you’re in business. This is how the Jerry Lewis Cinemas were prtomoted to moms and pops.
What year? I was going to the Bg “A” since 1960.
I believe it was “76” to match the 76 cent ticket price.
WOW, the back of the Johnny All-Weather screen tower brings back memories. I remember when it was sparkling clean!! When it was lit up at night, it was exciting, especially when approaching it on Sunrise Highway.
Just my guess…Marcus likes to own their own land where their properties are. The Regency Mall Cinema land was not their’s. Plus, Marcus wants people going to their big investment, The Renaissance, in Sturtevant. Who can blame them? I feel bad the Regency Cinema is closing, but it was not a very good theatre.
It’s hard top believe this was the treatre that premiered “The King and I”, “Oklahoma”, “West Side Story”, “Cleopatra”, Hello, Dolly", etc…
Hmm. I thought the Laff became the Anco. The website says it became the Empire.
Man, that looks so cheap and tacky, even for Times Square standards!
THIS must be the theatre was where the premiere of “The Music Man” took place in 1962, complete with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones and Ronnie Howard, on hand. It was a few blocks away from Meredith Wilson’s boyhood home. It’s now a Wells Fargo bank…IF this is the theatre I’m thinking of. I first thought it was The State Theatre, but that theatre closed in the 50s.
Oops! I just read this theatre closed in the late 50s. Sorry.
I believe this theatre was where the premiere of “The Music Man” took place in 1962, complete with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones and Ronnie Howard, on hand. It was a few blocks away from Meredith Wilson’s boyhood home. It’s now a Wells Fargo bank…IF this is the theatre I’m thinking of.
Ah, the pit…yes, I remember the junked cars and riding my bike off the steep slopes…later became the Sunrise Mall home of the worst theatres I’ve ever been in, the UA Movies. Black shoe boxes with tiny screens. I saw a few movies there in the mid 70s.
Howdy fellow Massapequan! I lived at 45 Westgate Road. At onetime there were 5 movie venues in Massapequa…the Bar Harbour Theatre, the Pequa Theatre, the Massapequa Drive-In, the North Massapequa Theatre, and the Sunrise Mall Theatres. Now…there are none. The nearby Amity Theatre, Big “A” Amityville Theatre and Johnny All-Weather Drive-in…all gone, as well.
Notice the XXX on the New Amsterdam marquee. They never ran XXX features, so it was obviously a set-up. I would like to know how they collapsed the New Amsterdam vertical sign in the movie. Finally, I never liked those yellow letters with the black background on the 42nd Street marquees. Looked sleezy and cheap.
Man, this place was closed down alot during the 70s and 80s. I like the Burt Lancaster/Kirk Douglas festival leading up to Tough Guys with both stars. Nice promotion.
My mistake…the Cine 1& 2, formerly the Agee 1 & 2. By the way, those pix blow up super clear!
Too bad that pesky bus is blocking the DeMille marquee. I see the Agee 1 & 2 next to the DeMille and I think I see the TransLux West on the left.
This doesn’t look anything like the Cinerama Theatre I used to go to. I know the balcony became the Penthouse Theatre and the backstage became the Orleans Theatre.
Man, if those sidewalks could talk!
Great article!!! I went to all those places growing up. NOTE: The Frank Buck Zoo was next to the Massapequa Drive-in. You were able to check out Monkey Mountain while waiting in line to get into the drive-in. Also, there were four All-Weather Drive-in on LI.
It’s hard to believe that this was the same theatre for major world premieres!
It’s nice that none of the ornamentation was destroyed during the twinning process.
So, the flooring from the balcony to the screen was removed. Right?
When did they remove the upper theatre? I saw The 7th Sign in the upstairs theatre in the 90s and I went to the premiere of Fair Game in the lower.
Man, how much white paint did it take to cover that DeMille Theatre billboard in Bryan’s photo? I remember seeing it with “Battle of Britain” painted on it. It was only second in size to that giant billboard over the Astor and Victoria Theatres.