New Colony Cinema

58 Old Colony Road,
Old Lyme, CT 06371

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Additional Info

Functions: Housing

Styles: Colonial Revival

Previous Names: Cinema

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This single screen movie house was originally an artist colony studio. It was used to put on shows and display artwork in the early-1900’s in the small summer town of Old Lyme, CT.

Named the Cinema, during the silent film era movies were played on a large screen while an orchestra played live music in a small pit in front of the stage. It was once owned by the former Gov. of CT Ella T. Grasso and her husband in the 1960’s.

In the 1970’s and early-1980’s it was run by Richard Orfitelli primarily as a summer movie house showing mostly horror films to the teen children of renters who flocked to the shore every summer. The New Colony Cinema closed on September 9, 1985. It was part demolished in 1989 and the remaining section has been converted into residential use.

Contributed by Antonio Orfitelli

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

Roger Katz
Roger Katz on May 26, 2009 at 3:48 am

Doesn’t the front of this cinema still exist as a private residence?

trident72
trident72 on November 18, 2009 at 6:52 pm

Dont know why I wrote that it was demolished??? It was cut in half and the front portion was turned into a summer residence. Sorry It must have been a late nite.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on August 7, 2021 at 12:33 am

This item is found in the July 9, 1940 issue of Film Daily:

“ The New Colony, formerly the Cinema, was opened by Adolph C. Johnson, of the Strand, Hamden, and Albert Poulton, for showing of exploitation pictures. ‘Ecstasy’ is being held a second week.”

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