UA Forest Hills Twin Theatre
107-16 Continental Avenue,
Forest Hills,
NY
11375
107-16 Continental Avenue,
Forest Hills,
NY
11375
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In her autobiography Limelight and After, actress Claire Bloom wrote about the WWII years after having left England to live in the U.S. With her mother she lived in Forest Hills on 113th Street for a time. She wrote of going to the movies at a theatre on Continental Avenue, which sounds like it might have been the Forest Hills Theatre. Quoting:
“We read Screen Romances and Movie Life, and when the money was found, rushed to the movie house on Continental Avenue to see the wonderful South Sea Island films with Jon Hall and Dorothy Lamour—–Volcano, Tornado, Hurricane. Hibiscus flowers and mountains of lava. Blue grottoes and mysterious idols. Total escape and immeasurable joy.” (page 32)
Yes, I think it was 2 screens when it closed.
A pair of Troy Donahue re-issues.
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Wow, what a nice classic marquee the Forest Hills had!
A 1945 picture
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I also caught “Trainspotting” in the upstairs theater. I remember the bathrooms were located upstairs in the front of the building and had windows facing the street (clearly visible in the stills of the front facade provided here) above the marquee.
I saw a couple of films here in the ‘80’s. I recall seeing The Beastmaster in the upstairs theater in the summer of 1982. I had met a friend for dinner on Austin Ave (any locals remember the French restaurant Le Crepe?) and found myself walking towards the subway when I decided it was too early to go home and ducked inside to catch the 9 o'clock showing. I distinctly remember hearing the faint but recognizable hook from the song “Abacab” ringing in the distance as the band Genesis was playing an open air concert at the nearby Forest Hills Tennis Stadium (actually the “West Side Tennis Club” as locals will correct me).
I only mentioned the RKO Bushwick, because if they were able to save that building, which sat derilict for decades, and I can’t imagine that the Forest Hills theater, that was being used for movies just the year prior would be in such bad condition that they couldn’t use the shell.
However, perhaps, construction costs to convert would have been higher to convert as opposed to demolish and rebuild, so I guess that;s why they did it that way.
I will walk over there this weekend.
The Forest Hills closed as a theatre and immediately they began pulling it apart. It was never abandoned like the RKO Bushwick.
I have no idea what happened to the Forest Hills Theater, but anyone familiar with the old RKO Bushwick Theater, and how decrepit that was, and if they were able to save the shell of that for a school, and it looks great now, I would assume they could save almost anything. But again, I don’t know the circumstances of this theater, so can’t say.
I don’t know what was decrepit about it, it was and is a brick building. Even the interior of the theatre was not too bad when UA closed it. This was always booked with upscale product so it never got as rundown as the Midway and Continental did.
Hmmm, according to the original entry on the site, it says that Duane reade opened in the old auditorium, and that Staples opened up in the upper part of the building. Why would they tear the other three walls of the old building down, just to build a similar building behind the original front wall?
—I haven’t a clue, but I am just speculating here.
Are you sure? I thought only the back wall was removed? Funny I live a few blocks away but was so annoyed when the theatre closed I barely walked by it.
I know they were both Fox releases but how weird is “Planet of the Apes” paired with “Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines”? It’s a long double bill, thats for sure.
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I just noticed the status says closed/demolished which is not true. It was adapted to retail.
I well recall the Forest Hills Theater. It was a very well run movie house which ran mainstream films and “art” films before the art market was taken over by the Continental.
The Forest Hils always had a slightly more discriminating audience that that of the popular Midway around the corner. Here I saw many of the great films of the sixties and seventies.
I seem to recall that the rather small lobby was red.
Jp
Here is a small picture of the facade from it’s theatre days.
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RobertC
Mindy was also a regular at The Cinemart, as was Ron Eldard and Annabella Scignoria (Im sure I spelled her name wrong)
Its sad to know they tore down the Forest Hills. I worked there as a doorman/usher in the late 80’s and made a lot of friends there. One of the biggest kicks we had was when Mindy Cohen(Facts of life fame) showed up for a movie. I tried to be low key, but of course one of my buddies chased her into the theater “HEY! NATALIE!” I miss those people like crazy,and am sadden to know the place I had such great times is gone…
Robert C
I live blocks away and am bitter everytime I walk by. This was a great theatre and suprisingly even for a UA it was well maintained. They booked this more upscale and it did not get the action crowd that wore down the Midway.
I worked on and off as an usher/doorman at the theatre from 1975 to 1985. During that time I was able to go behind the screen and explore the back stage and lower levels. There were numerous trapdoors and stage doors leading to nowhere, some elevated. The theatre must have originally been used for live performances, although I don’t remember any during my time. They also had closed-circuit broadcasts of boxing. One of the last ones I worked was the final Muhammad Ali-Ken Norton bout. I can remember just about every movie that I worked there during those years and have fond memories of each one. It was a sad day when they tore it down.
That is The Brandon, originally a Walter Reade arthouse. Continental 3 which had 70mm was run into the ground by UA after less thern 10 years and closed. It now has retail.
Is this the theater that was known as the Continental? I had seen many movies at the continental, and it was on Austin St, with another “branch” across the street. Sorry if I sound a bit confused, but it’s been at least 15 years since I’ve been near there.
Thanks Warren I will look into it, I know I have some wild 8mm footage from a blizzard in the late 60’s and on the marquee is a revival of “La Dolce Vita” and “8 ½”.