The Merben had 2000 seats on one floor and it had an odd projection booth that seemed to be suspended within the auditorium. Remember? I’ll bet you saw all those films for less than one admission price today…
I saw “Starman” at the Benner in early 1985 so it was open until then. This was one of several neighborhood theaters in the NE that were still open in the 1970s and into the 1980s – Tyson, Castor, Crest, Mayfair, Merben. The Devon was showing x-rated fare at this time before changing back to standard movies as the others closed. They all showed 2nd-run movies. The Mayfair and Merben showed double features.
The entrance was situated on the corner (SW) of Walnut and Olden. The lobby ran west along Walnut while the auditorium faced south along the alley with the screen on the “Greenwood Avenue” end. It was a popular neighborhood theater into the 1970s. It is completely gone. The Olden featured a large vertical sign in addition to the v-shaped marquee.
The theater had a makeover in 1951 and changed names from the Gayety to the Olden. It was located on South Olden Avenue because its location was south of State Street.
This theater was run by Tri-County theaters along with the Barn in Frenchtown and the Hunterdon in Flemington. The Clinton Point building was demolished and a bank built in its place on pretty much the same location on the lot.
In the 70s, there was a tear in the screen that was quite visible at times even though the patch was pretty good. I saw “Torso” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” here as a double bill. I recall seeing “Airport 75” and Charles Bronson in “White Buffalo” in the 70s when the admission price was $1.50. Remember the heavy drapes beyond the entrance that separated the concession area and the auditorium? I miss not being able to stay in a theater all afternoon to watch a favorite movie a second time.
The Greenwood was a luxurious neighborhood house located on Greenwood Avenue several blocks from the Gaiety/Olden. It ran continuously until about 1980 (I will check) when it was shuttered and left to deteriorate until it became unstable. It was razed and replaced by a small condo complex.
The theater featured a small balcony and the building itself was set back about 25 feet from Greenwood Avenue. The cross street is Cuyler Avenue. I removed a seat and the “Greenwood” mat from the foyer during the demolition (c. 1990). I attempted to save the signage but the front wall collapsed unexpectedly onto the marquee during demolition.
The Olden Theater was completely razed sometime around 1986. I wrote a feature article on the razing of the once-popular theater for the Trenton Times. It was the Gaiety Theater before a makeover around 1950. It showed movies into the 1970s, sometimes revivals of old films like 42nd Street. It later ran x-rated films. The Olden Theater Complex was not completely attached to the theater building. Only the entrance of the theater (on the corner at Olden Avenue) was physically attached to the rest of the complex. There was a bowling alley in the other building and the popular Maruca’s Tomato (pizza) pies. I removed the ticket grinder.
This theater was built inside a former YMCA and opened as the Orpheum. It later became the Mayfair and operated into the 1970s as a single-screen venue. It was the last of the downtown theaters. By this time, the State, Palace, Lincoln, Trent, Stacy, State and Capitol were torn down. Only the tiny Garden Theater remains intact today.
As indicated above, its roof collapse and the building was partially razed. The auditorium roof and the west and stage walls were removed exposing the seating, the balcony, and the projection booth. It remained in this Roman-ruin condition for some time before it was totally destroyed. The long corridor from the ticket booth on State Street leading to the concession area at the rear of the theater was incorporated into the drugstore. There are visible signs of the theater.
The State was located on the south side of State Street between Stockton and Montgomery Streets. It was an ornate stage house with a balcony and boxes. It was razed for an Arnold Constable Department Store. Today, a state office building occupies the site. The seating capacity was closer to 1600.
The RKO Lincoln and Trent Theaters were demolished during the summer of 1976 to make way for the Roebling State Office Building. The site of the Trent is the building itself while the Lincoln became a parking lot and later, part of the Hanover Street realignment. There are no traces of either.
Both theaters closed on the same night, October 1972.
The Crest closed and there was a fire at some point. Eventually, the building was torn down and replaced by a 7-11. It featured an interesting long lobby that went up according to the land contour. The auditorium was on the right and paralleled Rising Sun Ave. I saw Logan’s Run here.
The Hunterdon was built in 1941-42 and had a small balcony with rocking chairs where smoking was permitted. The stately red brick landmark theater closed in September 1993.
As indicated above, its future is bleak. It seated approximately 800.
The demolition company said that they were going to save the “Colonial” marquee script and give it to the city.
The Merben had 2000 seats on one floor and it had an odd projection booth that seemed to be suspended within the auditorium. Remember? I’ll bet you saw all those films for less than one admission price today…
I saw “Starman” at the Benner in early 1985 so it was open until then. This was one of several neighborhood theaters in the NE that were still open in the 1970s and into the 1980s – Tyson, Castor, Crest, Mayfair, Merben. The Devon was showing x-rated fare at this time before changing back to standard movies as the others closed. They all showed 2nd-run movies. The Mayfair and Merben showed double features.
The entrance was situated on the corner (SW) of Walnut and Olden. The lobby ran west along Walnut while the auditorium faced south along the alley with the screen on the “Greenwood Avenue” end. It was a popular neighborhood theater into the 1970s. It is completely gone. The Olden featured a large vertical sign in addition to the v-shaped marquee.
The theater had a makeover in 1951 and changed names from the Gayety to the Olden. It was located on South Olden Avenue because its location was south of State Street.
It seems to me that it was on the SW corner of High Street and West Federal. Sadly, I think that it’s still a vacant lot.
This theater was run by Tri-County theaters along with the Barn in Frenchtown and the Hunterdon in Flemington. The Clinton Point building was demolished and a bank built in its place on pretty much the same location on the lot.
In the 70s, there was a tear in the screen that was quite visible at times even though the patch was pretty good. I saw “Torso” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” here as a double bill. I recall seeing “Airport 75” and Charles Bronson in “White Buffalo” in the 70s when the admission price was $1.50. Remember the heavy drapes beyond the entrance that separated the concession area and the auditorium? I miss not being able to stay in a theater all afternoon to watch a favorite movie a second time.
The Greenwood was a luxurious neighborhood house located on Greenwood Avenue several blocks from the Gaiety/Olden. It ran continuously until about 1980 (I will check) when it was shuttered and left to deteriorate until it became unstable. It was razed and replaced by a small condo complex.
The theater featured a small balcony and the building itself was set back about 25 feet from Greenwood Avenue. The cross street is Cuyler Avenue. I removed a seat and the “Greenwood” mat from the foyer during the demolition (c. 1990). I attempted to save the signage but the front wall collapsed unexpectedly onto the marquee during demolition.
The theater’s lighted-up marquee can easily be seen several times in the Charles Bronson film, Murphy’s Law.
The Olden Theater was completely razed sometime around 1986. I wrote a feature article on the razing of the once-popular theater for the Trenton Times. It was the Gaiety Theater before a makeover around 1950. It showed movies into the 1970s, sometimes revivals of old films like 42nd Street. It later ran x-rated films. The Olden Theater Complex was not completely attached to the theater building. Only the entrance of the theater (on the corner at Olden Avenue) was physically attached to the rest of the complex. There was a bowling alley in the other building and the popular Maruca’s Tomato (pizza) pies. I removed the ticket grinder.
This theater was built inside a former YMCA and opened as the Orpheum. It later became the Mayfair and operated into the 1970s as a single-screen venue. It was the last of the downtown theaters. By this time, the State, Palace, Lincoln, Trent, Stacy, State and Capitol were torn down. Only the tiny Garden Theater remains intact today.
As indicated above, its roof collapse and the building was partially razed. The auditorium roof and the west and stage walls were removed exposing the seating, the balcony, and the projection booth. It remained in this Roman-ruin condition for some time before it was totally destroyed. The long corridor from the ticket booth on State Street leading to the concession area at the rear of the theater was incorporated into the drugstore. There are visible signs of the theater.
The Rialto was razed in the late 1980s.
The State was located on the south side of State Street between Stockton and Montgomery Streets. It was an ornate stage house with a balcony and boxes. It was razed for an Arnold Constable Department Store. Today, a state office building occupies the site. The seating capacity was closer to 1600.
The RKO Lincoln and Trent Theaters were demolished during the summer of 1976 to make way for the Roebling State Office Building. The site of the Trent is the building itself while the Lincoln became a parking lot and later, part of the Hanover Street realignment. There are no traces of either.
Both theaters closed on the same night, October 1972.
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I believe that the Rialto auditorium was razed about 10 years ago and an office building put up in its place. The entrance on Hamilton still exists.
The Crest closed and there was a fire at some point. Eventually, the building was torn down and replaced by a 7-11. It featured an interesting long lobby that went up according to the land contour. The auditorium was on the right and paralleled Rising Sun Ave. I saw Logan’s Run here.
The Hunterdon was built in 1941-42 and had a small balcony with rocking chairs where smoking was permitted. The stately red brick landmark theater closed in September 1993.
As indicated above, its future is bleak. It seated approximately 800.
Hello Kevin,
I would like to purchase the sign. Do you have a price in mind?
Thank you.