Warren—thanks for that ad. As you know, the homes in that area were built in 1940/1941. So it was a new theater for a new community. When I first went there to see “Bambi” when I was about 4, it was a new theater. The explanation of the name is also interesting, although the area was also called Utopia.
As far as the Post Office address goes, Union Turnpike was the dividing line between the Flushing Post Office and the Jamaica Post Office. Whether the stores on both sides of Union Turnpike itself were in the Flushing Post Office or the stores on the south side of Union Turnpike (like the Utopia) were in the Jamaica Post Office, I’m not sure.
I remember when the Fresh Meadows complex was built on a golf course by NY Life in about 1947. The theater was built later. Fresh Meadows is no longer owned by NY Life.
Jeff’s description was right on! I grew uo on 190 Street, near Union Turnpike and began seeing movies in this theatre in the 1940s up to the early 1970s, married and living in Fresh Meadows. We moved to Manhattan in 1974 so did not see any more movies but still saw the theatre since my mother lived there to late 1990s. I saw my first movie there, “Bambi” some time in the 1940s. Went to many Saturday children’s shows with 20 cartoons, short serials (and the “matron”) which cost 25 cents as did chidren’s tickets for regular films. I was small and looked young, so I got in for 25 cents until I was about 16 until one day that Mr. Raisler asked me “aren’t you 14 yet.” I have a perfect image of every part of that theatre today with very fond memories.
Great painting!
Warren—thanks for that ad. As you know, the homes in that area were built in 1940/1941. So it was a new theater for a new community. When I first went there to see “Bambi” when I was about 4, it was a new theater. The explanation of the name is also interesting, although the area was also called Utopia.
These are very amusing!!
As far as the Post Office address goes, Union Turnpike was the dividing line between the Flushing Post Office and the Jamaica Post Office. Whether the stores on both sides of Union Turnpike itself were in the Flushing Post Office or the stores on the south side of Union Turnpike (like the Utopia) were in the Jamaica Post Office, I’m not sure.
The area was also called Utopia like the theater. In fact, the local post office on Union Turpike was the “Utopia Station.”
I remember when the Fresh Meadows complex was built on a golf course by NY Life in about 1947. The theater was built later. Fresh Meadows is no longer owned by NY Life.
When my wife and I were first dating and first married, we saw most of the films that were playing at these two theatres in 1968 and 1969.
I was 10 years old when it first opened and I remember that it was a “big deal” to go to this large modern theatre near where I lived.
Jeff’s description was right on! I grew uo on 190 Street, near Union Turnpike and began seeing movies in this theatre in the 1940s up to the early 1970s, married and living in Fresh Meadows. We moved to Manhattan in 1974 so did not see any more movies but still saw the theatre since my mother lived there to late 1990s. I saw my first movie there, “Bambi” some time in the 1940s. Went to many Saturday children’s shows with 20 cartoons, short serials (and the “matron”) which cost 25 cents as did chidren’s tickets for regular films. I was small and looked young, so I got in for 25 cents until I was about 16 until one day that Mr. Raisler asked me “aren’t you 14 yet.” I have a perfect image of every part of that theatre today with very fond memories.
I lived nearby and the Mayfair was my first intrduction to foreign films which was its specialty in the 1950s and early 1960s.