The Record (Bergen County, NJ), Oct 26, 1996 pY3
‘ROCKY HORROR’ CHANGES TOWNS; AFTER FIVE YEARS OF RICE SHOWERS IN PARAMUS, THE TIME WARP MOVES TO TEANECK.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1996 Bergen Record Corp.
By EMILY WAX, Staff Writer
For more than five years, scores of teenagers and twentysomethings did the time warp at midnight showings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at Cinema 35 in Paramus.
Starting tonight, the action moves to the Teaneck 3 Theatre on Cedar Lane. Opening-night festivities begin at 10:30. …….
According to an article in The Record of October 26, 1996, the theater began a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on that date. The theatre was referenced as the Teaneck 3 Theatre.
There are countless articles in the Record of Bergen’s archives from the late 1990s. Most detail the arrests at this theater and the efforts of the community to close it down.
The Record (Bergen County, NJ), July 27, 2000 pL1
RIDGEFIELD PARK’S 1920S MOVIE PALACE RETURNS AS ART HOUSE. (NEWS) Peter J. Sampson.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2000 Bergen Record Corp.
By PETER J. SAMPSON, Staff Writer
RIDGEFIELD PARK – The Rialto Theater, a 1920s movie palace that screened films from India in its last incarnation, is reopening Friday as a showcase for foreign and independent art films.
One of the few remaining grand theaters from early in the 20th century, the Rialto has a wide screen, a stage, and a 520-seat auditorium.
Tonight, Mayor George D. Fosdick is expected to cut a ribbon at the reopening ceremonies, which will include a private screening of the Canadian film “Five Senses” for about 300 invited guests.
The theater, at 172 Main St., will have its grand opening to the public the following evening with shows at 7:30 and 9:35.
Fosdick said Wednesday that he is pleased to see the old movie house reopening after being shuttered for nine months.
“The Rialto Theater has been there since the 1920s, and it has always been an important part of the community,” Fosdick said.
In recent years the theater catered to a largely South Asian audience with movies produced by Bollywood, as India’s prolific Bombay-based film industry is known.
Then hard times led to the prior tenant’s bankruptcy and eviction.
After its closing in October, the theater’s owners shopped around for a new tenant and considered selling the building, said Aviva Djiji-Levy, whose family owns the Rialto. At one point, a prospective tenant wanted to open a wrestling arena, but that idea didn’t go over too well with local officials, she said.
“So we decided rather than leave it closed, we’d like to open it and get that Main Street [area] active again,” Djiji-Levy said.
The theater has been given a fresh coat of paint, new carpeting, an enhanced projector, and a new Dolby Surround-Sound system. Future improvements will include replacing seats and doors.
The challenge now, Djiji-Levy said, is getting the word out to a specific market that enjoys art and foreign films and “to let them know we exist,” she said. “We want to give them a good product and bring films they don’t have the opportunity to see in New Jersey,” she said.
In addition to screening films for general audiences, the owners plan to offer programs that would allow different ethnic and cultural groups to rent the theater for special events tied to a particular film.
“We’d like to develop some programs that will serve the community; to find different cultural organizations to make use of our stage and all that space,” Djiji-Levy said.
Not sure if you are on high speed connection. The web site works fine today. The only link that is not functioning is the “Tell Us What You Think” (perhaps they DON’T want your comments!)
At $2.50 for admission, don’t know how they can cover their costs of operation.
A walnut bannister from the theatre is part of the Music Room display of the La Porte County Historical Society Museum and can be seen partially in the upper photo of this link: http://www.laportecountyhistory.org/musicroom.htm
Mr. Bender has some nice photos of the theater on his website:
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For those familiar with New Jersey, these pictures depict a very typcial boardwalk (love it or hate it) at night.
Architect for the renovation:
Pederson & Pederson
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Restoration information & photos:
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Restoration information & photos:
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Restoration information & photos:
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Information & photos of the conversion of the playhouse to a cinema:
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Restoration information:
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Restoration information & sketches:
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Restoration information & photos:
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Restoration information & interior photo:
http://www.daviscrossfield.com/victoria.htm
good find lostmemory. I should have checked the news link. Do you want to do the honors and add the Laurel/Criterion to the database?
Cineplex Odeon closed the theater in July 1998 (Here is an article in the Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), July 26, 1998 p039)
The Record (Bergen County, NJ), Oct 26, 1996 pY3
‘ROCKY HORROR’ CHANGES TOWNS; AFTER FIVE YEARS OF RICE SHOWERS IN PARAMUS, THE TIME WARP MOVES TO TEANECK.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1996 Bergen Record Corp.
By EMILY WAX, Staff Writer
For more than five years, scores of teenagers and twentysomethings did the time warp at midnight showings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at Cinema 35 in Paramus.
Starting tonight, the action moves to the Teaneck 3 Theatre on Cedar Lane. Opening-night festivities begin at 10:30. …….
According to an article in The Record of October 26, 1996, the theater began a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show on that date. The theatre was referenced as the Teaneck 3 Theatre.
Was a porn house in its later years.
“In 1987, The Sharon Cinema on Abbott Boulevard made way for a strip mall.” The Record (Bergen County, NJ), Sept 19, 2003 pL03
Not sure if the buidling was demolished or gutted.
There are countless articles in the Record of Bergen’s archives from the late 1990s. Most detail the arrests at this theater and the efforts of the community to close it down.
This article provides details on the current owners and how they saved the theater.
Article about the reopening:
The Record (Bergen County, NJ), July 27, 2000 pL1
RIDGEFIELD PARK’S 1920S MOVIE PALACE RETURNS AS ART HOUSE. (NEWS) Peter J. Sampson.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2000 Bergen Record Corp.
By PETER J. SAMPSON, Staff Writer
RIDGEFIELD PARK – The Rialto Theater, a 1920s movie palace that screened films from India in its last incarnation, is reopening Friday as a showcase for foreign and independent art films.
One of the few remaining grand theaters from early in the 20th century, the Rialto has a wide screen, a stage, and a 520-seat auditorium.
Tonight, Mayor George D. Fosdick is expected to cut a ribbon at the reopening ceremonies, which will include a private screening of the Canadian film “Five Senses” for about 300 invited guests.
The theater, at 172 Main St., will have its grand opening to the public the following evening with shows at 7:30 and 9:35.
Fosdick said Wednesday that he is pleased to see the old movie house reopening after being shuttered for nine months.
“The Rialto Theater has been there since the 1920s, and it has always been an important part of the community,” Fosdick said.
In recent years the theater catered to a largely South Asian audience with movies produced by Bollywood, as India’s prolific Bombay-based film industry is known.
Then hard times led to the prior tenant’s bankruptcy and eviction.
After its closing in October, the theater’s owners shopped around for a new tenant and considered selling the building, said Aviva Djiji-Levy, whose family owns the Rialto. At one point, a prospective tenant wanted to open a wrestling arena, but that idea didn’t go over too well with local officials, she said.
“So we decided rather than leave it closed, we’d like to open it and get that Main Street [area] active again,” Djiji-Levy said.
The theater has been given a fresh coat of paint, new carpeting, an enhanced projector, and a new Dolby Surround-Sound system. Future improvements will include replacing seats and doors.
The challenge now, Djiji-Levy said, is getting the word out to a specific market that enjoys art and foreign films and “to let them know we exist,” she said. “We want to give them a good product and bring films they don’t have the opportunity to see in New Jersey,” she said.
In addition to screening films for general audiences, the owners plan to offer programs that would allow different ethnic and cultural groups to rent the theater for special events tied to a particular film.
“We’d like to develop some programs that will serve the community; to find different cultural organizations to make use of our stage and all that space,” Djiji-Levy said.
Staff Writer Peter Sampson’s e-mail address is
Article CJ63741588
recent photos:
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Late 1906s(?) photo:
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Old postcard:
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Not sure if you are on high speed connection. The web site works fine today. The only link that is not functioning is the “Tell Us What You Think” (perhaps they DON’T want your comments!)
At $2.50 for admission, don’t know how they can cover their costs of operation.
Opening night feature was Gloria Swanson’s first all talking film “The Trespasser”.
A walnut bannister from the theatre is part of the Music Room display of the La Porte County Historical Society Museum and can be seen partially in the upper photo of this link:
http://www.laportecountyhistory.org/musicroom.htm