Paramount Theatre
1300 Ocean Avenue,
Asbury Park,
NJ
07712
1300 Ocean Avenue,
Asbury Park,
NJ
07712
6 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Paramount Pictures Inc., Walter Reade Theatres
Firms: Warren & Wetmore
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Mar 2, 2010 — Happy 45th, "The Sound Of Music"
Opened on July 11, 1930, the Paramount Theatre in the 2000’s became a concert venue on Asbury Park’s long suffering boardwalk area. The building also contains a Convention Hall, that is equipped with a theatre organ.
It was restored in 2007. It had closed by early-2023.
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Recent comments (view all 43 comments)
According to the American Film Review of 1936 the Paramount seated 1,995. It opened in 1930.
Other sources have the Paramount seating 1600 (the loge-level love seats took up a lot of room, could seat more with convention seating) and opening in 1929, the same year Convention Hall opened next door. This was opened WITH sound, the Western Electric standard bases are still in the booth. The entire complex was built of fireproof terra cotta brick and tile from the Raritan Valley clay companies, for those into such trivia (same material Empire State Building was built from).
The scope screen, with masking in place, was 20h x 40w. The fire curtain still hangs over the stage. 60 rails, was the best stage in Asbury.
For HVAC buffs (is there such a thing?) the entire orchestra has a “cellar”, where ice was poured in from an outside door and air circulated over it for cooling. Very efficient for its day.
I worked there as projectionist part time from 72-74, then full time from 74-78. Love that place!!!
HVAC buffs? Is there an “HVAC Treasures” website? That would be interesting reading.
Auditorium:
View link
Nice photo Lifes too short.
Friends: a bit of clarification please – I just found this link to a theatre organ, currently located in the Asbury Park Convention Center. The photo certainly does not seem to be the Paramount auditorium. Is the organ over in the other part of the building? Out over the water? http://www.gstos.org/asbury.htm
The organ is in Convention Hall, not the Theater.
The Paramount will be featured in an episode of Fact Or Faked on SyFy sometime in the next two months.
I still have to stop for a moment sometimes first thing in the morning to just sit alone in the middle of the auditorium and appreciate just how lucky I am to play a small part in the history of this grand theater.
-Philip LaDue
I was a member of Cinema Tresures a few years ago when I was working in another Vaudeville house in Upstate NY.
Thanks for the posters.
I saw a comedy show here a few years ago — majestic space, with the salty sea air a nice touch.
Status should be closed. The developer and local government are deadlocked on a failed redevelopment plan and have revoked occupancy permits.