The former Rialto opened as the Savoy on December 28, 1929 under the ownership of local businessmen, the Alterman Brothers. In addition to a complete renovation there was the installation of a Western Electric sound system.
The Savoy became the first theatre in Queens to serve as a first run house for Warner Brothers films.
In this Oscar season I’ve uploaded a photo of an ad from February 18, 1948 for “A Double Life”. Ronald Coleman won best actor 1947 a month later qualifying because the film played a limited engagement in LA the previous December.
If you ever get to eastern Long Island try to attend a performance or a film at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (Westhampton Theater). It’s not huge but it’s intact and a jewel box. Sag Harbor has a nice interior too (see photos on CT).
In a real estate piece in the April 24, 1927 Brooklyn Eagle there was a discussion about the development of Floral Park. It was anticipated that 300 new homes would be built within the year. It was also noted that the Floral, which actually read Floral Park on the front of the marquee, had just opened the prior Monday, April 18th, and had been built at a cost of $100,000.
According to a reference in the September 22, 1928 Brooklyn Eagle the Lily was acquired, along with the Park (New Hyde Park), Floral(also Floral Park) and Bellerose theaters, for $1,000,000 by a new corporation. Century?
To mauriceski long after the fact, when I came onboard CT there was a lot of confusion of the manner in which Queens theaters were listed. To that end I contacted the powers that be and made sure only community names appeared and that the word “Queens” was only acceptable for Queens Village.
I never remember the Jamaica ever being open. When I was a teenager I would sometimes take the bus to Jamaica to go shopping. I would pass this empty hulk on my way to Montgomery Wards. In all those years I never saw any sign of vandalism. We live in a different time.
To the projectionists out there. I always maintained that the Bellerose had the largest, if not one of the largest, Cinemascope screens on Long Island because it’s proscenium was almost the entire width of the building, which was a big box. Any feedback?
This is not a new concept. One of the adult theaters in New York did this once to discourage “interaction” between patrons. Think about it. It made it easier.
See photo section for May 21, 1947 ad featuring a stage appearance by Jack Benny. Jack Benny and Bob Hope were then tied for favorite comedian in that, the heyday of radio. Film being shown was enough to discourage people from seeing it twice to stay for a second stage show.
Armed with my trusty magnifying glass I scanned the photo on Page 42 of the book. A sign on the facade and a vertical, in fact, do read Arverne Pier Danse. So they probably were directly across from each other.
I would go for the Pier at Gaston because of the ad. Therefore, the reference to it being at Vernam in Old Rockaway, New York, in Early Photographs by Vincent Seyfried and William Asadorian would seem to be incorrect. They, however, say that Vernam became 67th whereas other sources say Gaston did.
They also maintain that the Boardwalk was directly across from the Arverne Pier and was known as the Arverne Pier Danse Movie Palace.
Amending an earlier comment. In light of later information indicating ground was broken for the theater in April 1929, it is apparent that the aerial photograph labelled 1927 was taken at a later date. The when may be tough to establish.
Would that be Cantonese, Mandarin, etc.? Or, despite the dialects is it all written the same? I know with some of the Scandinavian languages, although the vocabulary is the same, and it sounds the same, words are spelled differently.
First time, and, in color, the public had seen America’s most popular couple, Lucy and Desi, on the big screen. Opening day February 18, 1954. See photos.
Apparently the problem with the first set of 1914 partners had to do with money; particularly the failure to pay bills. One of the partners was actually in a fist fight over an unpaid bill with a printer.
According to one retrospective mentioning the theatre decades after it’s passing, business was good.
Carousel opened with a formal premiere on February 16, 1956 with regular, continuous, performances starting the next day. There was also an ice skating review, albeit shorter for this feature, because of the length of the film. See photos.
Loew’s 175 Street opened on February 22, 1930 (in those days the George Washington National Holiday). It was the last of the “wonder theatres” in the NY-NJ area; preceded by the Valencia, Paradise, Kings and Jersey City. See opening ad in the photos section.
I have seen ads for the theatre for just Yiddish productions during the course of a week. So it’s possible that this was a combo situation. Is KKK the precursor to or a rip off Abie’s Irish Rose?
The former Rialto opened as the Savoy on December 28, 1929 under the ownership of local businessmen, the Alterman Brothers. In addition to a complete renovation there was the installation of a Western Electric sound system.
The Savoy became the first theatre in Queens to serve as a first run house for Warner Brothers films.
In this Oscar season I’ve uploaded a photo of an ad from February 18, 1948 for “A Double Life”. Ronald Coleman won best actor 1947 a month later qualifying because the film played a limited engagement in LA the previous December.
If you ever get to eastern Long Island try to attend a performance or a film at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (Westhampton Theater). It’s not huge but it’s intact and a jewel box. Sag Harbor has a nice interior too (see photos on CT).
In a real estate piece in the April 24, 1927 Brooklyn Eagle there was a discussion about the development of Floral Park. It was anticipated that 300 new homes would be built within the year. It was also noted that the Floral, which actually read Floral Park on the front of the marquee, had just opened the prior Monday, April 18th, and had been built at a cost of $100,000.
According to a reference in the September 22, 1928 Brooklyn Eagle the Lily was acquired, along with the Park (New Hyde Park), Floral(also Floral Park) and Bellerose theaters, for $1,000,000 by a new corporation. Century?
Will Dunkin – An informed source tells me the reference is actually to the Washington Theatre in uptown Manhattan.
To mauriceski long after the fact, when I came onboard CT there was a lot of confusion of the manner in which Queens theaters were listed. To that end I contacted the powers that be and made sure only community names appeared and that the word “Queens” was only acceptable for Queens Village.
I never remember the Jamaica ever being open. When I was a teenager I would sometimes take the bus to Jamaica to go shopping. I would pass this empty hulk on my way to Montgomery Wards. In all those years I never saw any sign of vandalism. We live in a different time.
To the projectionists out there. I always maintained that the Bellerose had the largest, if not one of the largest, Cinemascope screens on Long Island because it’s proscenium was almost the entire width of the building, which was a big box. Any feedback?
Ad from February 24, 1929 uploaded to photos. The, at that time, Shubert. Ad for nearby neighbor Valencia, too.
This is not a new concept. One of the adult theaters in New York did this once to discourage “interaction” between patrons. Think about it. It made it easier.
Cost was reported $50,000 which, presumably, included the pier itself.
Across the boardwalk was the Arverne Pier Danse [sic] which was subsequently renamed the Boardwalk. See CT listing for that.
An aside. Fox’s lease was for five years. Ironic.
See photo section for May 21, 1947 ad featuring a stage appearance by Jack Benny. Jack Benny and Bob Hope were then tied for favorite comedian in that, the heyday of radio. Film being shown was enough to discourage people from seeing it twice to stay for a second stage show.
Armed with my trusty magnifying glass I scanned the photo on Page 42 of the book. A sign on the facade and a vertical, in fact, do read Arverne Pier Danse. So they probably were directly across from each other.
I would go for the Pier at Gaston because of the ad. Therefore, the reference to it being at Vernam in Old Rockaway, New York, in Early Photographs by Vincent Seyfried and William Asadorian would seem to be incorrect. They, however, say that Vernam became 67th whereas other sources say Gaston did.
They also maintain that the Boardwalk was directly across from the Arverne Pier and was known as the Arverne Pier Danse Movie Palace.
Oy vey.
Amending an earlier comment. In light of later information indicating ground was broken for the theater in April 1929, it is apparent that the aerial photograph labelled 1927 was taken at a later date. The when may be tough to establish.
Would that be Cantonese, Mandarin, etc.? Or, despite the dialects is it all written the same? I know with some of the Scandinavian languages, although the vocabulary is the same, and it sounds the same, words are spelled differently.
First time, and, in color, the public had seen America’s most popular couple, Lucy and Desi, on the big screen. Opening day February 18, 1954. See photos.
Apparently the problem with the first set of 1914 partners had to do with money; particularly the failure to pay bills. One of the partners was actually in a fist fight over an unpaid bill with a printer.
According to one retrospective mentioning the theatre decades after it’s passing, business was good.
Good business can never win with bad management.
The only feature remaining from the Park is the iconic Parachute Jump. Across from the park was the Tilyou Theater (see elsewhere on CT)
Carousel opened with a formal premiere on February 16, 1956 with regular, continuous, performances starting the next day. There was also an ice skating review, albeit shorter for this feature, because of the length of the film. See photos.
Why not just create an entry for the Pier and upload the photo there. There has been enough information to set this up discussed above.
Been waiting forever for the Time Square unveiling.
Loew’s 175 Street opened on February 22, 1930 (in those days the George Washington National Holiday). It was the last of the “wonder theatres” in the NY-NJ area; preceded by the Valencia, Paradise, Kings and Jersey City. See opening ad in the photos section.
I have seen ads for the theatre for just Yiddish productions during the course of a week. So it’s possible that this was a combo situation. Is KKK the precursor to or a rip off Abie’s Irish Rose?