Beacon Theater
10-03 40th Avenue,
Long Island City,
NY
11101
10-03 40th Avenue,
Long Island City,
NY
11101
2 people
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I lived in Queensbridge Projects until we moved to California in 1961. I recall, being confirmed at a church on Broadway, but forgotten the name, if anyone recalls the wonderful Italian festival, let me know. Good memories. Linda
As a child we had holiday dinners on a set of china my mother called the “Beacon” set. This is becasue she said before she and my father were married in 1941 she was given one piece of the set every time they went to the Beacon Theater by the house. She lived on 10 Street off of 36th Avenue. This may have been an opening promotion since the theater opened in June 1940. My mother’s younger sister also confirmed this and she had pieces of the set.
The china set was made by “The French-Saxon China Co, Sebring, Ohio, National Brotherhood of Co-operative Potteries, 22 K. Gold USA”. I researched the patten and I believe it is Fsx 29.
As a child my uncle took my brother and me to the Beacon and I am almost sure we saw Frankinsten or The House of Wax (and one of them was 3D with the glasses).
If anyone also knows of this china set as a promotion of the Beacon Theater, please respond.
Click “view larger picture'‘ on the link above and then "street view,’‘ and I believe you can see where the marquee was attached to the building to the right of the deli. We lived in Queensbridge until I was around 10, and we frequently went to the Beacon, where my Uncle Mike’s brother John worked the door. Among the movies I remember seeing there were The Man With the Golden Arm, The King and I, South Pacific, and Love Me Tender.
Google shows an old building with this deli as part of the structure. Listen in 1959 yellow pages, phone number was STilwel 4-5353.
http://tinyurl.com/68vqb5
ydorap you can use photobucket.com to post images. Gerald A. DeLuca suggested that I use that site to post images of the Beekman a couple of years back, and it was free of charge, simple, and the links still work. If you have a computer and a digital photo, you can use Photobucket easily
Once again I wanted to send my photo, but your web site said not to do so. I hope you’ll have that feature up and coming soon. I would just LOVE to see all the photos that have been submitted…ydorap
Wow …. I can’t believe there is an entry here for the Beacon in LIC. I see that the last post here was back in 2005 so perhaps I am a bit late to keep up the momentum. I too lived in the “projects” from 1952 – 1962 until we moved to the very upscale neigborhood of College Point, Queens .. (kidding of course)… I then moved to Forest Hills and finally I bought a house in Bayside, Queens which is where I currently reside. I’ve come almost full circle in that I work for Citigroup in the LIC facility. Every now and then I take a ride in an around the “projects” when I am feeling a bit nostalgic. Those were truly the good old days. Entertainment was simple…
Possibly you mean “Hercules Unchained”.
1954-1971 Vanessa Vanterpool
I remember “Hercules on Chain” and “Peter Pan”. Every Saturday, around the block from 40-14 10th Street. Those were the days, very happy days.
I remember going “around the corner” from 40-14 10th Street every Saturday to the Beacon Theater for only 1.00
“Hercules On Chain”, “Peter Pan” and those hershey kissies, boy do I remember. I was about 7 or 8 years old. Back in the day, it was good and healthy. Vanessa Vanterpool
I lived in Queensbridge Projects on 10th Streetfrom 6 years to 17 years from 1950=1961. My brother and I went to the Beacon thearte every Saturday. We saw two features and cartoons. We would stary all day seeing the movies over a few times. I remember there was a matron that wore a white uniform who kept us in check. I think the cost to get in was 50 cents. We used to have great fun.
I just went to the Cinema Treasures web page, where I clicked on to the section (indicated at the top) marked, “Add Photo.” Unfortunately,after doing so,it stated that adding a photo at this time is not possible — that “they” are currently working on that option. So, until the time I can add a photo,I will check back frequently to see when that we be possible. So, sorry, saps. I tried.
As soon as I can get my husband to scan the photo and put it in my picture file, I will send it. Hopefully within the next few days.
Yes! Please try to link that photo.
I grew up in the projects (Queensbridge) next to the Beacon, from six months of age, until fourteen years. (1940-1954) As kids, we would spend our afternoons there on Saturdays, where we saw two feature films, serials and ten cartoons — all for about fourteen cents. (And, some times, we even got free comic books!) A real treat, especially in the summer because the theater had air-conditioning, which was a luxury back then. I remember the lady who either owned the place, or was at least a regular employee. Her name was Flo. (Never knew her last name.) I have a picture that was taken — of my mother and myself when I was about two — that shows
the Beacon in the back ground. Anyone interested in seeing it?
Thanks, Warren.
Of course, all Queens addresses are hyphenated—I guess I will lose my Queens citizenship over this flub, and have to apply for day-visas when visiting from Brooklyn!
This theater was operating around 1960. I remember seeing “The Mysterians” here at age 9 or 10—a Japanese schlock-fi space dud—but not to my young eyes, as it scared the bejesus out of me!
It was probably there at least a few years earlier, and most likely decades earlier, as I vaguely remember it as somewhat run down in 1960. It survived at least a few years later, but I moved from the neighborhood after that.
It was adjacent to one of the earliest federal housing developments, Queensbridge Houses, opened by FDR and LaGuardia in 1939. The neighborhood was otherwise almost completely industrial, so the chances are that this theater was built because Queensbridge Houses were built there. A link for further research is the Greater Astoria Historical Society:
<http://www.astorialic.org/>
I do remember white uniformed “matrons” who would keep us kids in some semblance of order at Saturday matinees. No food throwing, or sitting in the adult section.
And, that was my “first,” in a long line of never-ending love stories—the movies!
Paul Sheridan
Brooklyn, NY
The Beacon was at 1003 40th Ave. It seated 585.