When my mother and father were dating they saw Frank Sinatra on stage here with “Meet Danny Wilson”. My grandmother saw him many times in the bobby-sox days and talked so many times about how incredible those shows were for less then a dollar.
Erwin
I am trying to remember what decorations there were. I know the doors were set back so there was an open area outside and then the outer lobby was long and narrow. I think there were flower boxes on one side with artificial plants in them. Posters on the walls and some old sconces and an ugly chandelier which was changed sometime in the 60’s.
The funny thing is that even as a dump I loved this place. There was just something about it. I grew up in Forest Hills and went to Christ the King HS. I actually went after school one day and saw a Russ Meyer double bill at the Arion with some of my buddies. Catholic school taught us well :)
Many times if only 2 or 3 people showed up to see a fim we would ask them if they wanted passes for another night. This was mainly in the single screen houses. In the multi-screen theatres I managed we usually just ran the shows. The funny thing is sometimes people would not want to sit in such an empty house and were usally always willing to take passes. My friend Flo used to manage the Main Street Cinemas and at the time they were a twin. One side was showing this awful shlock fim (the type that goes straight to video nowadays). It had something to do with people in a hot air balloon if I recall. Well, nobody showed up for this movie all week, not a soul. One other thing, when it was real slow we would never start the feature early but we would start the trailers early so the feature hit the screen exactly at the time that was listed.
Here is a recent photo
View link
Here is a marquee shot
View link
View link
A shot during a birthday party
View link
Another marquee shot
There is a pic here from when it was for sale
View link
This is truely an old time main street theatre
http://community.webshots.com/photo/88320796xWcEax
Here is the Hollywood playing Chariots of Fire.
View link
There is a picture of the marquee at this link
View link
View link
There is a picture of the theatre at this link.
Did anyone ever find out when this opened and what the space was originally? I dont recall a theatre being here before the 70’s.
So Bruce1 tell us what the Kings looked like when you were inside? How many years ago were you inside?
I don’t think that house is listed on here.
What a great old facade and marquee. The facade reminds me of the late great Rivoli.
It’s interesting about the theatre being named “The Cleopatra” for the run of the film. I wonder if any other theatre named themselve for the film?
When my mother and father were dating they saw Frank Sinatra on stage here with “Meet Danny Wilson”. My grandmother saw him many times in the bobby-sox days and talked so many times about how incredible those shows were for less then a dollar.
I can’t wait to see both GWTW and Ben Hur this weekend.
Erwin
I am trying to remember what decorations there were. I know the doors were set back so there was an open area outside and then the outer lobby was long and narrow. I think there were flower boxes on one side with artificial plants in them. Posters on the walls and some old sconces and an ugly chandelier which was changed sometime in the 60’s.
Hey Garrett
The funny thing is that even as a dump I loved this place. There was just something about it. I grew up in Forest Hills and went to Christ the King HS. I actually went after school one day and saw a Russ Meyer double bill at the Arion with some of my buddies. Catholic school taught us well :)
Rob
I went to the Johnny All Weather Drive-In many times but dont remember Massapequa DI at all. Does anyone know around when it closed?
What kind of movies were they running?
Has anything been going on here lately?
This sounds like if it was restored it would be a real treasure.
It’s nice to see new drive-ins are still opening. I have to question that marquee though it looks like a bed sheet???????????????
Many times if only 2 or 3 people showed up to see a fim we would ask them if they wanted passes for another night. This was mainly in the single screen houses. In the multi-screen theatres I managed we usually just ran the shows. The funny thing is sometimes people would not want to sit in such an empty house and were usally always willing to take passes. My friend Flo used to manage the Main Street Cinemas and at the time they were a twin. One side was showing this awful shlock fim (the type that goes straight to video nowadays). It had something to do with people in a hot air balloon if I recall. Well, nobody showed up for this movie all week, not a soul. One other thing, when it was real slow we would never start the feature early but we would start the trailers early so the feature hit the screen exactly at the time that was listed.
Very sad news, can they build over it?