Ritz Theatre
46 Washington Avenue,
Carteret,
NJ
07008
46 Washington Avenue,
Carteret,
NJ
07008
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 80 of 80 comments
Hi Lost, Movie534 here. I live about 4 miles from this former theatre, and I can tell you without a doubt, that a bakery and cookie outlet do indeed occupy the space. A lot of my relatives live in town, and my dad was a former projectionist here. (see above posts)
If you look at the address using Google Earth satellite, you can see that this is a theater building.
There is a bakery at the address now. No way to tell if the bakery is in the old theater building, though.
http://tinyurl.com/5jhnp3
My father was Joe Pusillo and was the projectionist at the Ritz for many years. The older gent refered to as Hitchcock was the owner. My dad used to tell me many stories about the Ritz. My dad worked there from the end of WWII till its closing around 1967. After this theatre closed, he went to work at the State in Woodbridge, until it closed in late 1971. He would return to Carteret as a projectionist in 1972 to open the brand new Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema.
I can offer some historical information on The Ritz Theater in Carteret NJ. I attended with friends, in my youth between 1962 and
1968. The Ritz was across the street from Stoellers' Bakery and next door to a mom & pop soda fountain/candy store. The candy store sold 2 for a penny candy, in glass cases that seemed taller than me. For 50 cents, I got buy enough candy to almost chew through a double feature on a Saturday afternoon at the Ritz. My dentist could not be happier.
I remember paying 35 cents for double feature movies. I think these may have been “second run” movies and may have already made the rounds through bigger theatres like The Majestic in Perth Amboy. NJ
which charged 75 cents
The Ritz was excellant refuge for those blustery cold winter Saturdays or even during those “not much to do” lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer vacation.
I remember film genre like monster movies such as Godzilla and Mothra,beach blanket bingo movies, John Wayne westerns, Italian gladiator flicks and musicals. We would attend any feature that starred Elvis Presley,Vincent Price, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing
or any Alfred Hitchcock drama.
I remember notable flicks like “Jason & The Argonauts,” “Sink The Biscmark.” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence.” He was the bravest of them all. We made fun and cut-up during performances of
“Mary Poppins” and “Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang.”
I saw the first 2 Beatles' movies there, “A Hard Days' Night,” and “Help.” Literally every seat was taken by screaming young girls.
I was one of very few guys. The girls screamed so much, that we could hear no dialog or music. During Paul McCartney’s bubble bath
scene, girls fainted and hit the floor and literally had to be carried out by ushers.
I can’t remember who collected the entrance fee, but it seemed like 2 men ran the whole theater. One older gentleman who resemble Alfred
Hitckcock ran the concession stand and the projector room. I recall the usher as a very tall man who resembled “Lurch” from the Addams Family. When he shone his flashlight on a kid during the movie, that kid would immediately hush up and toe the line. He had that kind of presence, whereas, he only had to look at you and you got the message.
By 1970, I moved 5 miles away to Woodbridge and didn’t visit the Ritz anymore. By 1975, I was preparing to join the Air Force and
had something of a “Bon Voyage” party, across the street at Donna’s Tavern, and I noticed The Ritz marquee still hung on the building, but inside was a sewing or garment factory that employed dozens of women.
I am forever grateful to The Ritz Theater and the entertainment and
amusement it offered, and to the the youthful dreams it nurtured.