Tinseltoes – rather than report Google problems, of which there seem to be a good deal, on the theatre site you might achieve better results reporting them directly to CT.
The Helen Hayes (formerly Fulton), Bijou and Morrosco theatres were all demolished for the construction of a hotel. Of the three I believe only the Bijou ever screened films. The current Helen Hayes on 44th Street was formerly the Little and Winthrop Ames. It was a radio/tv studio for some years. Don’t believe there were any screenings.
The only difference in the appearance of the facade as a single screen, twin or quad are the designation “twin” or “quad” and the style of lettering is still the same. I would venture that the word “elwood” is the original and the adds on were made to match.
miss the point – perhaps you could post some of your recollections on the Rocky Point Cinema on that site.
Did it have a sloping floor? What was unique about it?
When I used to summer in Rocky Point we went to the Brookhaven. There was no Drive In in the early 1950s.
I noticed in a comment on another theatre that in 1938 the Strand was part of the Century Circuit because some trade paper announced a number of Century Managerial changes and the Strand was mentioned. Don’t know when it came on board but it did have life after Century because I saw some ads in Newsday when I was tracking down another theatre.
Nice to see the facade of the building looking so pristine. When the Jamaica Avenue El was still in place you could see very little of the building and everything was grimy.
This theatre was located in an L shaped shopping center on Jerusalem Avenue at the intersection of Hickville Road (the northwest corner). The theatre and the adjacent stores on the stretch of the shopping center running parallel to Jerusalem Avenue are now incorporated in a large Marshalls.
Well, if you were at the new Carvel you were next to the Rocky Point Cinema. Any recollections on it? When I established it on CT I was working from personal recollections and an article in the Port Jefferson Echo.
That was the norm. They did the same thing with the RKO Colonial on Broadway in Manhattan where I saw Steve Allen. Believe the same for the Ed Sullivan.
As the Avon it functioned as a TV preview theatre. When I was a teen in the early 1950’s I attended one of these sessions with my parents. Most of the pilot’s we previewed never made to it the airwaves.
Boy I’d like to see pictures of this. Escalators in 1913. Wonder what this all would have cost in today’s dollars. Great background info, but how long did it last? Certainly must be more out there.
Always found it interesting that the Garden wasn’t Prudential since everything in the surrounding towns was: Cambria (Cambria Heights), St. Albans, Hollis, Island (Hollis), Bellaire, Laurelton, Carlton (Jamaica). Then when you got to Queens Village the majority of the theatres to the East in Nassau County were Century. Prudential then had Suffolk pretty much tied up.
The original auditorium was so plain that the ceiling girders were exposed. I found that odd. Although there was originally a loge area with better seats and a metal railing around it they eventually became general admission. When they split it up there were three long narrow auditoriums. If I remember correctly the beams were no longer exposed. They also supplemented their income by renting videos, which has to be unique.
Just came upon this. When I summered in nearby Voluntown in the 1950s the theatre was only open on weekends. I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did.
Closed as a theatre, Tinseltoes, per the discussion above. Remember the Katherine Hepburn story when she was going to do Coco? She noticed the construction across the street and said it would be a problem with the noise for the Wednesday matinee. She was particularly concerned about the number “Gabrielle” and was reported to have arranged for construction work to be shut down during that number. And so, each matinee, just as the intro to the piece began, a hush came over the building site. Kate the Great, indeed!
When I was a child my aunt took me to Flushing. I remember walking past the Town. Even then I was a theatre nut. Does no one have pictures of the theatre as the Town? Also, I posted similar information to this a year or so ago but it has disappeared. Anybody else experience this sort of problem?
I saw Bagdad Cafe there in the mid 70’s when it was only a single screen. The information above said it opened around that period but it didn’t strike me as a new space. I wonder if that was intentional.
Tinseltoes – rather than report Google problems, of which there seem to be a good deal, on the theatre site you might achieve better results reporting them directly to CT.
The Helen Hayes (formerly Fulton), Bijou and Morrosco theatres were all demolished for the construction of a hotel. Of the three I believe only the Bijou ever screened films. The current Helen Hayes on 44th Street was formerly the Little and Winthrop Ames. It was a radio/tv studio for some years. Don’t believe there were any screenings.
George Strum – from Cabaret?
The only difference in the appearance of the facade as a single screen, twin or quad are the designation “twin” or “quad” and the style of lettering is still the same. I would venture that the word “elwood” is the original and the adds on were made to match.
Since you’re on friendly terms with Vito could you get in there with a camera and immortalize the place before, whatever is going to happen?
miss the point – perhaps you could post some of your recollections on the Rocky Point Cinema on that site.
Did it have a sloping floor? What was unique about it?
When I used to summer in Rocky Point we went to the Brookhaven. There was no Drive In in the early 1950s.
I noticed in a comment on another theatre that in 1938 the Strand was part of the Century Circuit because some trade paper announced a number of Century Managerial changes and the Strand was mentioned. Don’t know when it came on board but it did have life after Century because I saw some ads in Newsday when I was tracking down another theatre.
Nice to see the facade of the building looking so pristine. When the Jamaica Avenue El was still in place you could see very little of the building and everything was grimy.
This theatre was located in an L shaped shopping center on Jerusalem Avenue at the intersection of Hickville Road (the northwest corner). The theatre and the adjacent stores on the stretch of the shopping center running parallel to Jerusalem Avenue are now incorporated in a large Marshalls.
Well, if you were at the new Carvel you were next to the Rocky Point Cinema. Any recollections on it? When I established it on CT I was working from personal recollections and an article in the Port Jefferson Echo.
That was the norm. They did the same thing with the RKO Colonial on Broadway in Manhattan where I saw Steve Allen. Believe the same for the Ed Sullivan.
As the Avon it functioned as a TV preview theatre. When I was a teen in the early 1950’s I attended one of these sessions with my parents. Most of the pilot’s we previewed never made to it the airwaves.
After the fire it was called, I believe, Studio 78
The restaurant is now Anthony Joseph’s.
An emergency manicurist?
And I hope this includes what I’ve been asking for, the ability to access the last 100 comments as we can for New Theatres and Updates.
Boy I’d like to see pictures of this. Escalators in 1913. Wonder what this all would have cost in today’s dollars. Great background info, but how long did it last? Certainly must be more out there.
Always found it interesting that the Garden wasn’t Prudential since everything in the surrounding towns was: Cambria (Cambria Heights), St. Albans, Hollis, Island (Hollis), Bellaire, Laurelton, Carlton (Jamaica). Then when you got to Queens Village the majority of the theatres to the East in Nassau County were Century. Prudential then had Suffolk pretty much tied up.
The original auditorium was so plain that the ceiling girders were exposed. I found that odd. Although there was originally a loge area with better seats and a metal railing around it they eventually became general admission. When they split it up there were three long narrow auditoriums. If I remember correctly the beams were no longer exposed. They also supplemented their income by renting videos, which has to be unique.
Just came upon this. When I summered in nearby Voluntown in the 1950s the theatre was only open on weekends. I’m surprised it lasted as long as it did.
Closed as a theatre, Tinseltoes, per the discussion above. Remember the Katherine Hepburn story when she was going to do Coco? She noticed the construction across the street and said it would be a problem with the noise for the Wednesday matinee. She was particularly concerned about the number “Gabrielle” and was reported to have arranged for construction work to be shut down during that number. And so, each matinee, just as the intro to the piece began, a hush came over the building site. Kate the Great, indeed!
When I was a child my aunt took me to Flushing. I remember walking past the Town. Even then I was a theatre nut. Does no one have pictures of the theatre as the Town? Also, I posted similar information to this a year or so ago but it has disappeared. Anybody else experience this sort of problem?
I saw Bagdad Cafe there in the mid 70’s when it was only a single screen. The information above said it opened around that period but it didn’t strike me as a new space. I wonder if that was intentional.
Rarly “twin” theatres.
All I remember was LILCO per my predicament finding the car above.