From KenRoe’s comments on the Biograph Theater listing, we can conclude that the Majestic theater was closed by 1950. My 1951 FDY also has no listing in Bridgeton for this theater.
Micael Orowitz, who would later gain fame as Michael Landon, worked at this theater as a doorman. His father was district manager for the Savar Movie Corp.
There was a plan in the mid 1990s to buy the theater and lease it to an acting school:
BRUNO TEDESCHI, Staff Writer
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
08-29-1995
FACILITY COULD ANCHOR MAIN MALL — CLIFTON MAY CONVERT THEATER TO ARTS CENTER
CITY WOULD BUY THE BUILDING, THEN LEASE IT TO ACTING SCHOOL
By BRUNO TEDESCHI, Staff Writer
Date: 08-29-1995, Tuesday
Section: NEWS
Edition: 2 Star P, Also in 3 Star, 2 Star B, 1 Star Late, 1 Star Early
Hoping to cast off Clifton’s image as a blue-collar city whose
residents don’t value culture highly, city officials are considering a
proposal to convert an old movie theater into a performing arts center.
The proposal calls for the city to buy the Clifton Theater on Main
Avenue and lease the vast building to the Action Theater Conservatory, a
five-year-old performing arts school currently housed in a converted
factory building.
“It’s a perfect marriage,” said Councilwoman Gloria Kolodziej, who
is proposing the concept. “This is the type of cultural….
Requires paid subscription for access to full text.
MikeH:
You seem to have a lot of valuable history regarding the Trenton NJ theaters. Can you add the missing ones and update the ones already in the database?
Much appreciated.
TC
John Franklin Van Lieu died on 4/22/05. He worked with his father in the family’s construction business, Van Lieu and Van Horn, which built the Hunterdon Theatre. He and his crew worked around the clock to finish it at midnight of a building restriction deadline enacted during World War II.
Hunterdon Democrat, Page D-9, 5/12/05
“In April 1992, Cathedral International moved into its present location, the beautifully renovated, 1,500-seat Majestic Theater on Madison Avenue. Once a location for vaudeville entertainers, and in later years, an adult movie house, the ragged relics of the Majestic Theater is now a spectacular house of worship known as Cathedral International.” http://www.thecathedral.org/
On July 2, 1921, 250 gathered at this theater to listen to the live radio broadcast of the Dempsey-Carpentier heavyweight bout. This was the largest live radio broadcast audience to date and inspired many people to purchase radios for home use, rather than having to go to a public hall for listening.
Here is the night photograph that Vincent is looking for:
View link
From KenRoe’s comments on the Biograph Theater listing, we can conclude that the Majestic theater was closed by 1950. My 1951 FDY also has no listing in Bridgeton for this theater.
Listed in the 1951 FDY as the “Center” at 424 Centre Street with 550 seats.
Old interior photo (note spelling from this link – perhaps a typo):
View link
Old interior photo:
http://www.consolidatedmarkets.com/Woodlawn.jpg
Old postcard:
View link
On May 2, 1924, Louise Brooks and the Denishawn Dance Company performed here.
Fairly recent photo of the marquee:
http://dammitja.net/other/bruce01.jpg
From Bill Huelbig’s post on the Montauk, you can see that this theater was showing Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell in March 1969:
View link
Photos:
View link
View link
Micael Orowitz, who would later gain fame as Michael Landon, worked at this theater as a doorman. His father was district manager for the Savar Movie Corp.
There was a plan in the mid 1990s to buy the theater and lease it to an acting school:
BRUNO TEDESCHI, Staff Writer
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
08-29-1995
FACILITY COULD ANCHOR MAIN MALL — CLIFTON MAY CONVERT THEATER TO ARTS CENTER
CITY WOULD BUY THE BUILDING, THEN LEASE IT TO ACTING SCHOOL
By BRUNO TEDESCHI, Staff Writer
Date: 08-29-1995, Tuesday
Section: NEWS
Edition: 2 Star P, Also in 3 Star, 2 Star B, 1 Star Late, 1 Star Early
Hoping to cast off Clifton’s image as a blue-collar city whose
residents don’t value culture highly, city officials are considering a
proposal to convert an old movie theater into a performing arts center.
The proposal calls for the city to buy the Clifton Theater on Main
Avenue and lease the vast building to the Action Theater Conservatory, a
five-year-old performing arts school currently housed in a converted
factory building.
“It’s a perfect marriage,” said Councilwoman Gloria Kolodziej, who
is proposing the concept. “This is the type of cultural….
Requires paid subscription for access to full text.
MikeH:
You seem to have a lot of valuable history regarding the Trenton NJ theaters. Can you add the missing ones and update the ones already in the database?
Much appreciated.
TC
I already listed the others, except for the Ocean, which didn’t have a history narrative yet.
John Franklin Van Lieu died on 4/22/05. He worked with his father in the family’s construction business, Van Lieu and Van Horn, which built the Hunterdon Theatre. He and his crew worked around the clock to finish it at midnight of a building restriction deadline enacted during World War II.
Hunterdon Democrat, Page D-9, 5/12/05
Listed in the 1951 FDY with 981 seats but at 528 Valley Road.
History & old photos:
http://www.funchase.com/Images/Theatres/Shore.htm
History & old photos:
http://www.funchase.com/Images/Theatres/Strand.htm
“In April 1992, Cathedral International moved into its present location, the beautifully renovated, 1,500-seat Majestic Theater on Madison Avenue. Once a location for vaudeville entertainers, and in later years, an adult movie house, the ragged relics of the Majestic Theater is now a spectacular house of worship known as Cathedral International.”
http://www.thecathedral.org/
Interior photo: http://www.esteyorgan.com/Opus1463.html
On July 2, 1921, 250 gathered at this theater to listen to the live radio broadcast of the Dempsey-Carpentier heavyweight bout. This was the largest live radio broadcast audience to date and inspired many people to purchase radios for home use, rather than having to go to a public hall for listening.
Interior photo:
http://www.esteyorgan.com/Opus1495.html
The original organ was a Estey Pipe Organ, opus 1378, installed in 1915.
Interior photo:http://www.esteyorgan.com/Opus1463.html
The theater had an Estey Pipe Organ, Opus number 776.