Listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 as the Bayside Theatre Bell Avenue nr. Montauk. Looks like the theatre could have been rebuilt or expanded in 1920?
Just for the record…..
Also listed in 1914-1915 is the Hillside Lyceum Theatre, Bell Avenue.
Listed in both the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Bayside Theatre (Bell Avenue) with a seating capacity of 350.
There is also another Bayside Theatre listed in both these editions and it had a seating capacity of 1,800. In 1927 there is also a 1,560 seat Coolidge Theatre listed.
The 1,439 seat Capitol Theatre made its debut in 1927 and by 1930 was the only theatre operating in Bayside.
Apologies for the triple postings. The site was playing up (again) and I didn’t want to re-type all that text!
Hope you found it interesting? Admission is $8 Adults and $5 Children and seniors. There were a dozen waiting outside the theatre when I arrived at 5;45, but as it turned out, four of those were theatre staff awating the manager and projectionist to arrive to allow them to set up for opening.
I didn’t get to see into the two screens in the former stalls area.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the three balcony screens seems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. Plaster decorative details in the ceiling can also be made out in the darkness. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stairs from the main balcony foyer and could have originally been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens. Of course the side-walls in this screen are new from the conversion, but the original domed ceiling is clearly visible in the darkened gloom.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoriums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the three balcony screens seems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. Plaster decorative details in the ceiling can also be made out in the darkness. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stairs from the main balcony foyer and could have originally been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens. Of course the side-walls in this screen are new from the conversion, but the original domed ceiling is clearly visible in the darkened gloom.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoriums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the balcony screens sems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stair from the main balcony foyer and could have been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
Sorry to report that the former New Progress/Progress Theatre is not there. Currently at that address 1892-1894 Third Avenue is a single storey Rite Aid store which was built in 1957.
The Atlas Theatre is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 and is in the Film Daily Yearbook, 1926 edition with a seating capacity listed as 450.
The status of the Atlas Theatre need to be changed to Closed/Demolished as a new building was errected on the site in 1929.
The former New Progress/Progress Theatre was located adjacent to the north of the Atlas Theatre at 1892-1894 Third Avenue (demolished around 1957).
mikemovies;Regarding the costing of C.T.A. visits (tours) of theatres.
There is no registration fee to be paid for a CTA visit, so in reality the visit is free! Visits are arranged as a benefit of membership for members of the Cinema Theatre Association.
What is payable and built into the cost of a visit is the air travel (booked as a reduced group rate from the UK), the hotel (usually a centrally located 2*(or equivalent) hotel (again booked as a reduced group rate)and sharing a room comes out cheaper than having a single occupancy, a comprehensive visit notes booklet which is illustrated and fees/donations paid to the theatre buildings who ask for them (tour guides, caretaker fees, donations to churches etc). Most theatres allow tours for no charge at all.
Allowances are made for non-UK residents to make their own travel arrangements to to country to be visited, or if it’s in the USA, then own arrangements to the city to be visited. Of course if a visit happens to be coming to your own city of residence, then you get to do the visit for practically nothing!
Not included in the costings of a visit are travel insurance, transportation by public transport (ie. a 7 days travel pass) we do most of our visits using public transport (metro and rail) and only hire a coach when absolutely neccessary and this would be included in the visit cost. Meals and spending money are of course not included.
To give you an idea, our most ambitious visit to date was the recent February/March 2006 visit I organised to Australia for 3 weeks(20 nights accomodation), including international air travel and internal travel Melbourne to Sydney, visit notes and hire of a vintage bus on a couple of days and payment of fees for an Australian Visa entry came to US$3,000 per person sharing and US$4,000 person in single occupancy. Total number in the group was 54 persons and we visited over 70 theatres/cinemas including the first ever visit by the CTA to a Drive-in Theatre, which was a triple screen and where we got to see the movie of personal choice, free popcorn, drinks and hotdogs provided by the owner! What more could you ask for! LOL
The duration of most International visits varies from 7, 10 or 14 days depending on the number of theatres a city or area can offer.
A $25.00 Annual Fee is very reasonable. Hopefully that would provide enough income for an expansion to a larger capacity server for the site.
Many members of the site have now added a great ammount of invaluable information to the site, that it would be sad to loose it all, just for the sake of a few $ input.
Guests should not only be unable to post to listings, but should only have a limited number of ‘hits’ to pages of the site per day. To facilitate this, the ‘guest’ list would be suspended and non-paid up ‘members’ would then log in as a named user, but with limited capabilities. Fully paid up members get it all facilities (unlimited). That would be a fair way of operating the site and raising money to keep it going.
I do hope that Patrick and Ross (administrators of the site) are reading this discussion. If they are, then a quick posting as to what is going on would be a nice gesture to make, just to keep us informed as to what’s happening (or going to happen) to the site.
Thanks.
Parker;Let me know when ever you next plan a trip to the UK
EdSolero;I ‘adopt’ local cinema enthusiasts in all city’s I visit! LOL A local guide is essential to getting the best information on theatres and how to get around. Feel free to contact me on e-mail.
I am the International Visit Co-ordinator of the Cinema Theatre Association (CTA) based in England (UK). Monthly tours are organised for members within the UK and there is usually at least one International tour a year.
Currently I am in New York City setting up a 10 days tour of N.Y.C. theatres (and former movie houses/theatres) which will take place in late October/early November 2007. Future CTA International visits are also being planned to Denmark (Copenhagen), Cuba (Havana) and our 2nd visit to India.
Recent CTA International visits in the past 3 years have been to Australia (Sydney & Melbourne), USA (Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA), Russia (St Peterburg) and India.
More information on the Cinema Theatre Association (which has an International membership) can be found on the website:–
Interestingly there is an Eden Theatre listed at Atlantic Avenue (no number given) in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915.
In the 1926 Film Daily Yearbook the Eden Theatre is listed at 201 Atlantic Avenue with 500 seats (no Flora Theatre listed). As I stated in my previous post above, the Flora Theatre is listed at this address in the 1927 F.D.Y. with 550 seats. with no listing for an Eden Theatre in that edition. Was the former Eden Theatre modified or partially rebuilt as the Flora?
LostMemory;The building bounds two streets Richards Street & Pioneer Street (I am presuming the entrance was on the corner). There is actually more of the building running along Richards (the length of the auditorium) than Pioneer (the width of the theatre). So it must be the same theatre building which opened on your 1921 date.
There has been a new finish given to the exterior, but at the top of the building above what I presume to be the corner entrance, there are just faint traces of original decorative detail to be seen.
Film Daily Yearbook’s editions 1926 & 1927 give a seating capacity of 600. The 1930, 1941 & 1947 editions of F.D.Y. all give a seating capacity of 524.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1927 edition with a seating capacity of 550. It is last listed in the 1941 edition of F.D.Y. with a seating capacity of 500 (Closed) and is still listed as (Closed) in the 1947 edition!
As seen today (June 2006), the facade has a new brick cladding and the building is in use as a church.
The Gloria Theater has now been demolished. An apartment block has been recently built on the site. Construction work is not quite completed (as at June 2006) and it looks like the decorative stonework around the former theater’s entrance has been retained and will form the entrance to the apartments.
Currently as seen in June 2006, the Subway Theatre building still stands. The triangular site which contains several other small buildings is now totally closed up and awaiting imminent demolition.
The entrance to the Subway Theatre remains standing at 158 Myrtle Avenue, whilst around the corner was a subsidiary entrance/exit at 243 Flatbush Extension, that in recent years has been in use as Studio 243 Bar & Lounge. The auditorium of the Subway Theatre has been rendered over externally and actually looks like a recent building, but looking at the rear-side of it the brickwork is very old there there is some sort of old apperatus on the roof which looks like an ancient cooling sytem. The last use for the auditorium was as a 24 Hours Car Wash facility.
Just to the left of the 243 Bar & Lounge and to the right of the corner chicken eatery (which was never the theatre entrance), is the bricked up entrance to the abandoned Myrtle Avenue subway station.
As viewed in June 2006, the building has not quite been demolished, although derelict would be a correct description. The four walls still stand (including a modified facade), but there is no roof on the building.
BrooklynJim/LostMemory;
The Cumberland Theatre is listed in the 1926 F.D.Y. located at 327 Cumberland Street with a seating capacity given as 540. Same details in the 1927 and 1930 editions. The 1941 edition of F.D.Y. lists the same same details but it is (Closed).
‘The Chat’, Saturday December 23 1916…….
RIDGEWOOD’S NEW PLAYHOUSE WILL OPEN THIS AFTERNOON
Structure has been designed Along Lines of Modern Architecture
Involves Cost of $350,000
Decorations of Interior Very Pleasing—-To Give High Class Vaudeville and Moving Pictures
That Ridgewood, which was a farming section just a few years ago, has rapidly grown to a city in itself is evidenced from the fact that today will see opened a theatre that is as large as any of the Brooklyn playhouses and far more beautiful. The Ridgewood Theatre, as it has been named, is situated at Myrtle and Cypress avenues and extends through to Madison street. It has a seating capacity of 3,000 and involves an expenditure of $350,000.
The builders are well known Levy Bros. of 1-9 Montegue street, who also constructed the Bedford Theatre and the Fifth Avenue Theatre and scores of apartment houses in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
The architecture is of the most modern type and the designs are simple yet pleasing to the eye. The front is made up of glased terra cotta and a spacious lobby is provided. The interior is decorated in marble and red silk moire tapestry. On the entrance to the mezzanine arcade is a large promenade and on both the orchestra and mezzanine floors are to be found lounging rooms for both ladies and men.
The building has been so designed that it is clear of all poles and the elevation of the seats is such that it permits a full view of the stage even to the last row. There are roomy loges on the balcony and two tiers of boxes.
The new theatre is readily accessible to all trolly lines leading into Ridgewood and those on the Myrtle avenue line from Richmond Hill and Jamaica.
The management will adopt a policy that will be in keeping with the beauty of the playhouse and will offer only the best grade of vaudeville numbers and high grade feature motion picture plays. The bill will be changed twice every week, this on Mondays and Fridays. There will be a matinee daily and the prices for the afternoon show will be 10 cents, while the evening shows will be 15 and 25 cents. For the opening week the management has secured an exceptionally interesting bill.
The Astoria Theatre building has been sold for nearly 24 Million Pounds sterling to Derwent Valley a specialist Central London property and investment outfit. It has been rumoured that the developer plans to turn the concert/club venue into shops and flats.
The famous G-A-Y gay nightclub which has operated within the building for the past 20 years is owned by the Mean Fiddler Group, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Entertainment U.K. Recent acts to appear on G-A-Y club nights have been Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Girls Aloud and Sugar Babes.
It remains unclear how long G-A-Y will continue to operate at the Astoria.
The Lincoln Theatre is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 so I would imagine that it had some movie theatre use from opening. It is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1926 edition as having a seating capacity of 1,370. It has gone from F.D.Y. listings in the 1930 edition (live show use?). In the 1941 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed with 830 seats(Closed). It is listed as ‘Open’ again in the 1947 F.D.Y. with 830 seats.
A plaque on the front of the building states that the current Metropolitan AME Church have operated in the building since 1952.
I have been to re-visit the former Renaissance Theatre again today. I can now confirm that the former Renaissance Ballroom is still extant (as mentioned by EdSolero on his June 17th posting) and the two seperate buildings are divided by a narrow alley. Both buildings are still in a poor condition and boarded up. In my posting of 7th May, I stated that the Renaissance Ballroom has been demolished (which is incorrect) and I apologies.
LostMemory; The photograph of the Renaissance Ballroom you posted a link to on your first posting on 7th May 2006 was a view looking down 138th Street from the corner of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard(Seventh Avenue), which in my May 7th posting ,I mistakenly thought was a view along Seventh Avenue (again please accept my apologies). I took a photo today from the same position and will post it here soon, together with several more current views of the buildings.
Listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 as the Bayside Theatre Bell Avenue nr. Montauk. Looks like the theatre could have been rebuilt or expanded in 1920?
Just for the record…..
Also listed in 1914-1915 is the Hillside Lyceum Theatre, Bell Avenue.
Listed in both the 1926 and 1927 editions of Film Daily Yearbook as the Bayside Theatre (Bell Avenue) with a seating capacity of 350.
There is also another Bayside Theatre listed in both these editions and it had a seating capacity of 1,800. In 1927 there is also a 1,560 seat Coolidge Theatre listed.
The 1,439 seat Capitol Theatre made its debut in 1927 and by 1930 was the only theatre operating in Bayside.
Apologies for the triple postings. The site was playing up (again) and I didn’t want to re-type all that text!
Hope you found it interesting? Admission is $8 Adults and $5 Children and seniors. There were a dozen waiting outside the theatre when I arrived at 5;45, but as it turned out, four of those were theatre staff awating the manager and projectionist to arrive to allow them to set up for opening.
I didn’t get to see into the two screens in the former stalls area.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the three balcony screens seems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. Plaster decorative details in the ceiling can also be made out in the darkness. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stairs from the main balcony foyer and could have originally been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens. Of course the side-walls in this screen are new from the conversion, but the original domed ceiling is clearly visible in the darkened gloom.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoriums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the three balcony screens seems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. Plaster decorative details in the ceiling can also be made out in the darkness. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stairs from the main balcony foyer and could have originally been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens. Of course the side-walls in this screen are new from the conversion, but the original domed ceiling is clearly visible in the darkened gloom.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoriums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
I attended an early evening screening at the Ridgewood Theatre last Thursday evening. The roller shutter gates were opened up at 6pm to allow purchase of tickets and by the time I had climbed the stairs to attend a screening of “The Omen 666” in the left hand side screen located in the former balcony, the preview trailers were already on-screen. I took the opportunity to take a look at the other two screens located in the former circle and they too were already screening preview trailers. I did take some photographs of the balcony foyer areas (which I will post up a link to when I return to London).
The configuration of the balcony screens sems to be that the two side screens are entered from the balcony foyer at what would have been the front of balcony section close to the former side boxes. There are exits out of the building at that level (in fact during the show they were opened briefly whilst the movie was screening, when a couple of non-paying patrons entered, allowing daylight into the auditorium). There is still a large side-wall panel, now painted over in a dark brown colour (as are all the auditoriums) which I presume must have featured a painted mural scene when the theatre first opened?. The two side screens only extend forward to just beyond the original front of the balcony, possibly due to the remains of the side boxes being in the way?
The center screen in the balcony is entered via another set of marble stair from the main balcony foyer and could have been the entrance to the rear balcony section when it was a single screen theatre. Here in the current configuration the screen extends way beyond what would have been the front of the original balcony, over the former front stalls. This seems to be the larger the three screens located in the balcony level. What would have been the original cross aisle at the back of the balcony is now bricked up and in use as the projection booth serving the three screens.
Presentation in the screen I attended was good, the sound was clear although the picture was not as bright as I would have liked. All auditoums were clean and the audience well behaved (yes, thay actually watched the movie in silence). There are no screen curtains in any of the screens.
After my movie had finished I waited for houselights to come on so I could take a better look, but to no avail, the non-sync sound came on and the auditorium remained dark, awaiting its next audience. I checked in the other two screens and “Cars” was just finishing its credits in the center screen where the sound was overloud and had a sort of ‘bump’ to it, as though there was a malfunction on the projector sound head. (I am glad I didn’t choose to see the movie in that screen!) Again no house lights in that screen or in the other side screen which by then was empty.
I took some auditorium photographs, but I think they will be too dark to see anything.
Sorry to report that the former New Progress/Progress Theatre is not there. Currently at that address 1892-1894 Third Avenue is a single storey Rite Aid store which was built in 1957.
The Atlas Theatre is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 and is in the Film Daily Yearbook, 1926 edition with a seating capacity listed as 450.
The status of the Atlas Theatre need to be changed to Closed/Demolished as a new building was errected on the site in 1929.
The former New Progress/Progress Theatre was located adjacent to the north of the Atlas Theatre at 1892-1894 Third Avenue (demolished around 1957).
mikemovies;Regarding the costing of C.T.A. visits (tours) of theatres.
There is no registration fee to be paid for a CTA visit, so in reality the visit is free! Visits are arranged as a benefit of membership for members of the Cinema Theatre Association.
What is payable and built into the cost of a visit is the air travel (booked as a reduced group rate from the UK), the hotel (usually a centrally located 2*(or equivalent) hotel (again booked as a reduced group rate)and sharing a room comes out cheaper than having a single occupancy, a comprehensive visit notes booklet which is illustrated and fees/donations paid to the theatre buildings who ask for them (tour guides, caretaker fees, donations to churches etc). Most theatres allow tours for no charge at all.
Allowances are made for non-UK residents to make their own travel arrangements to to country to be visited, or if it’s in the USA, then own arrangements to the city to be visited. Of course if a visit happens to be coming to your own city of residence, then you get to do the visit for practically nothing!
Not included in the costings of a visit are travel insurance, transportation by public transport (ie. a 7 days travel pass) we do most of our visits using public transport (metro and rail) and only hire a coach when absolutely neccessary and this would be included in the visit cost. Meals and spending money are of course not included.
To give you an idea, our most ambitious visit to date was the recent February/March 2006 visit I organised to Australia for 3 weeks(20 nights accomodation), including international air travel and internal travel Melbourne to Sydney, visit notes and hire of a vintage bus on a couple of days and payment of fees for an Australian Visa entry came to US$3,000 per person sharing and US$4,000 person in single occupancy. Total number in the group was 54 persons and we visited over 70 theatres/cinemas including the first ever visit by the CTA to a Drive-in Theatre, which was a triple screen and where we got to see the movie of personal choice, free popcorn, drinks and hotdogs provided by the owner! What more could you ask for! LOL
The duration of most International visits varies from 7, 10 or 14 days depending on the number of theatres a city or area can offer.
A $25.00 Annual Fee is very reasonable. Hopefully that would provide enough income for an expansion to a larger capacity server for the site.
Many members of the site have now added a great ammount of invaluable information to the site, that it would be sad to loose it all, just for the sake of a few $ input.
Guests should not only be unable to post to listings, but should only have a limited number of ‘hits’ to pages of the site per day. To facilitate this, the ‘guest’ list would be suspended and non-paid up ‘members’ would then log in as a named user, but with limited capabilities. Fully paid up members get it all facilities (unlimited). That would be a fair way of operating the site and raising money to keep it going.
I do hope that Patrick and Ross (administrators of the site) are reading this discussion. If they are, then a quick posting as to what is going on would be a nice gesture to make, just to keep us informed as to what’s happening (or going to happen) to the site.
Thanks.
Parker;Let me know when ever you next plan a trip to the UK
EdSolero;I ‘adopt’ local cinema enthusiasts in all city’s I visit! LOL A local guide is essential to getting the best information on theatres and how to get around. Feel free to contact me on e-mail.
I am the International Visit Co-ordinator of the Cinema Theatre Association (CTA) based in England (UK). Monthly tours are organised for members within the UK and there is usually at least one International tour a year.
Currently I am in New York City setting up a 10 days tour of N.Y.C. theatres (and former movie houses/theatres) which will take place in late October/early November 2007. Future CTA International visits are also being planned to Denmark (Copenhagen), Cuba (Havana) and our 2nd visit to India.
Recent CTA International visits in the past 3 years have been to Australia (Sydney & Melbourne), USA (Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA), Russia (St Peterburg) and India.
More information on the Cinema Theatre Association (which has an International membership) can be found on the website:–
www.cinema-theatre.org.uk
Interestingly there is an Eden Theatre listed at Atlantic Avenue (no number given) in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915.
In the 1926 Film Daily Yearbook the Eden Theatre is listed at 201 Atlantic Avenue with 500 seats (no Flora Theatre listed). As I stated in my previous post above, the Flora Theatre is listed at this address in the 1927 F.D.Y. with 550 seats. with no listing for an Eden Theatre in that edition. Was the former Eden Theatre modified or partially rebuilt as the Flora?
The Subway Theatre was re-named Ace Theatre from 1949 and closed in 1950.
Back in the 1920’s the currently closed up chicken take-a-way on the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Flatbush Extension was an Oyster Restaurant.
LostMemory;The building bounds two streets Richards Street & Pioneer Street (I am presuming the entrance was on the corner). There is actually more of the building running along Richards (the length of the auditorium) than Pioneer (the width of the theatre). So it must be the same theatre building which opened on your 1921 date.
There has been a new finish given to the exterior, but at the top of the building above what I presume to be the corner entrance, there are just faint traces of original decorative detail to be seen.
Film Daily Yearbook’s editions 1926 & 1927 give a seating capacity of 600. The 1930, 1941 & 1947 editions of F.D.Y. all give a seating capacity of 524.
Listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1927 edition with a seating capacity of 550. It is last listed in the 1941 edition of F.D.Y. with a seating capacity of 500 (Closed) and is still listed as (Closed) in the 1947 edition!
As seen today (June 2006), the facade has a new brick cladding and the building is in use as a church.
The Gloria Theater has now been demolished. An apartment block has been recently built on the site. Construction work is not quite completed (as at June 2006) and it looks like the decorative stonework around the former theater’s entrance has been retained and will form the entrance to the apartments.
Currently as seen in June 2006, the Subway Theatre building still stands. The triangular site which contains several other small buildings is now totally closed up and awaiting imminent demolition.
The entrance to the Subway Theatre remains standing at 158 Myrtle Avenue, whilst around the corner was a subsidiary entrance/exit at 243 Flatbush Extension, that in recent years has been in use as Studio 243 Bar & Lounge. The auditorium of the Subway Theatre has been rendered over externally and actually looks like a recent building, but looking at the rear-side of it the brickwork is very old there there is some sort of old apperatus on the roof which looks like an ancient cooling sytem. The last use for the auditorium was as a 24 Hours Car Wash facility.
Just to the left of the 243 Bar & Lounge and to the right of the corner chicken eatery (which was never the theatre entrance), is the bricked up entrance to the abandoned Myrtle Avenue subway station.
The Pioneer Theatre building is currently (June 2006), in use as Health Centre.
As viewed in June 2006, the building has not quite been demolished, although derelict would be a correct description. The four walls still stand (including a modified facade), but there is no roof on the building.
BrooklynJim/LostMemory;
The Cumberland Theatre is listed in the 1926 F.D.Y. located at 327 Cumberland Street with a seating capacity given as 540. Same details in the 1927 and 1930 editions. The 1941 edition of F.D.Y. lists the same same details but it is (Closed).
‘The Chat’, Saturday December 23 1916…….
RIDGEWOOD’S NEW PLAYHOUSE WILL OPEN THIS AFTERNOON
Structure has been designed Along Lines of Modern Architecture
Involves Cost of $350,000
Decorations of Interior Very Pleasing—-To Give High Class Vaudeville and Moving Pictures
That Ridgewood, which was a farming section just a few years ago, has rapidly grown to a city in itself is evidenced from the fact that today will see opened a theatre that is as large as any of the Brooklyn playhouses and far more beautiful. The Ridgewood Theatre, as it has been named, is situated at Myrtle and Cypress avenues and extends through to Madison street. It has a seating capacity of 3,000 and involves an expenditure of $350,000.
The builders are well known Levy Bros. of 1-9 Montegue street, who also constructed the Bedford Theatre and the Fifth Avenue Theatre and scores of apartment houses in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
The architecture is of the most modern type and the designs are simple yet pleasing to the eye. The front is made up of glased terra cotta and a spacious lobby is provided. The interior is decorated in marble and red silk moire tapestry. On the entrance to the mezzanine arcade is a large promenade and on both the orchestra and mezzanine floors are to be found lounging rooms for both ladies and men.
The building has been so designed that it is clear of all poles and the elevation of the seats is such that it permits a full view of the stage even to the last row. There are roomy loges on the balcony and two tiers of boxes.
The new theatre is readily accessible to all trolly lines leading into Ridgewood and those on the Myrtle avenue line from Richmond Hill and Jamaica.
The management will adopt a policy that will be in keeping with the beauty of the playhouse and will offer only the best grade of vaudeville numbers and high grade feature motion picture plays. The bill will be changed twice every week, this on Mondays and Fridays. There will be a matinee daily and the prices for the afternoon show will be 10 cents, while the evening shows will be 15 and 25 cents. For the opening week the management has secured an exceptionally interesting bill.
The Astoria Theatre building has been sold for nearly 24 Million Pounds sterling to Derwent Valley a specialist Central London property and investment outfit. It has been rumoured that the developer plans to turn the concert/club venue into shops and flats.
The famous G-A-Y gay nightclub which has operated within the building for the past 20 years is owned by the Mean Fiddler Group, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Entertainment U.K. Recent acts to appear on G-A-Y club nights have been Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Girls Aloud and Sugar Babes.
It remains unclear how long G-A-Y will continue to operate at the Astoria.
The Lincoln Theatre is listed in the American Motion Picture Directory 1914-1915 so I would imagine that it had some movie theatre use from opening. It is listed in the Film Daily Yearbook;1926 edition as having a seating capacity of 1,370. It has gone from F.D.Y. listings in the 1930 edition (live show use?). In the 1941 edition of F.D.Y. it is listed with 830 seats(Closed). It is listed as ‘Open’ again in the 1947 F.D.Y. with 830 seats.
A plaque on the front of the building states that the current Metropolitan AME Church have operated in the building since 1952.
I have been to re-visit the former Renaissance Theatre again today. I can now confirm that the former Renaissance Ballroom is still extant (as mentioned by EdSolero on his June 17th posting) and the two seperate buildings are divided by a narrow alley. Both buildings are still in a poor condition and boarded up. In my posting of 7th May, I stated that the Renaissance Ballroom has been demolished (which is incorrect) and I apologies.
LostMemory; The photograph of the Renaissance Ballroom you posted a link to on your first posting on 7th May 2006 was a view looking down 138th Street from the corner of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard(Seventh Avenue), which in my May 7th posting ,I mistakenly thought was a view along Seventh Avenue (again please accept my apologies). I took a photo today from the same position and will post it here soon, together with several more current views of the buildings.