Manhasset Cinemas
430 Plandome Road,
Manhasset,
NY
11030
430 Plandome Road,
Manhasset,
NY
11030
6 people
favorited this theater
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Please add new website https://assemblecinemas.com/ and Closed for renovations.
Film producer buys historic Manhasset theater for $3M
David Winzelberg//August 6, 2026//
One of Long Island‘s oldest movie houses has a new owner.
Assemble Media, a company founded and owned by film producer Jack Heller, purchased the Manhasset Cinemas property at 430 Plandome Road for $3 million. The three-screen theater is in a 15,554-square-foot building on .32 acres at 430 Plandome Road.
The buyer plans on a gut renovation of the building and many improvements to the theater, according to the broker on the deal. A single-office residential brokerage firm and a coffee importing business currently occupy about 1,200 square feet on the ground floor.
The lobby of the historic Manhasset movie house. / Courtesy of Sovereign Realty Group The lobby of the historic Manhasset movie house. / Courtesy of Sovereign Realty Group Heller, who’s Assemble Media has produced more than 30 films and TV shows, serves as chairman of the board of directors for the nonprofit Southampton Playhouse, which was redeveloped by Aby Rosen. The Southampton entertainment venue, another historic Long Island movie house, originally opened in 1932.
“We’re thrilled to reopen the Manhasset theater and welcome audiences back to this beloved community landmark,” Heller said. “This first phase of renovations marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, with a long-term vision to transform the property into a premier entertainment destination featuring best-in-class exhibition technology, elevated guest experiences, and a lasting commitment to serving and strengthening the local community.”
Built by Century Circuit, the Art Deco-style Manhasset movie house opened in Nov. 1936 as a single-screen theater. Over the years, Manhasset Cinema had several different operators, including Skouras Theatres, Century Theaters, United Artists, Clearview Cinemas and Bow Tie Cinemas.
Broker Clem Coté of Syosset-based Sovereign Realty Group represented the buyer, as well as the seller, Cinemas GMC LLC, an affiliate of Great Neck-based Gilman Management Corp., in the Manhasset sales transaction.
Selling the theater property was a difficult assignment.
“Downtown Manhasset is challenged with a lack of parking. We met with local government leaders early on to discuss solutions to the problem,” Coté told LIBN. “Many officials and local residents had an affinity for the theater. Many of them grew up attending films and birthday parties at the site. After a very long marketing and outreach campaign, we were able to connect with a company that had a proven theater redevelopment concept.”
The Manhasset theater sale is an historic movie house sequel for Coté, who sold the century-old Roslyn Cinema for $1.675 million in June 2025. The buyer, local developer Kevin Dursun, is currently converting the property at 20 Tower Place into high-end boutique retail space.
Coté said the Manhasset deal, like with most historic properties, had its own set of obstacles.
“We knew we had our work cut out for us. We were drawn to the history and character of the nearly century old building,” he said. “Movie theaters are very expensive redevelopment projects to complete and do not appeal to a large buyer audience. This buyer had the desire to preserve as much of the history this theater possessed as possible. We are excited to watch their vision for the theater unfold and will continue to assist them in any way we can.”
Film producer buys historic Manhasset theater for $3M
David Winzelberg//August 6, 2026//
One of Long Island‘s oldest movie houses has a new owner.
Assemble Media, a company founded and owned by film producer Jack Heller, purchased the Manhasset Cinemas property at 430 Plandome Road for $3 million. The three-screen theater is in a 15,554-square-foot building on .32 acres at 430 Plandome Road.
The buyer plans on a gut renovation of the building and many improvements to the theater, according to the broker on the deal. A single-office residential brokerage firm and a coffee importing business currently occupy about 1,200 square feet on the ground floor.
The lobby of the historic Manhasset movie house. / Courtesy of Sovereign Realty Group The lobby of the historic Manhasset movie house. / Courtesy of Sovereign Realty Group Heller, who’s Assemble Media has produced more than 30 films and TV shows, serves as chairman of the board of directors for the nonprofit Southampton Playhouse, which was redeveloped by Aby Rosen. The Southampton entertainment venue, another historic Long Island movie house, originally opened in 1932.
“We’re thrilled to reopen the Manhasset theater and welcome audiences back to this beloved community landmark,” Heller said. “This first phase of renovations marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, with a long-term vision to transform the property into a premier entertainment destination featuring best-in-class exhibition technology, elevated guest experiences, and a lasting commitment to serving and strengthening the local community.”
Built by Century Circuit, the Art Deco-style Manhasset movie house opened in Nov. 1936 as a single-screen theater. Over the years, Manhasset Cinema had several different operators, including Skouras Theatres, Century Theaters, United Artists, Clearview Cinemas and Bow Tie Cinemas.
Broker Clem Coté of Syosset-based Sovereign Realty Group represented the buyer, as well as the seller, Cinemas GMC LLC, an affiliate of Great Neck-based Gilman Management Corp., in the Manhasset sales transaction.
Selling the theater property was a difficult assignment.
“Downtown Manhasset is challenged with a lack of parking. We met with local government leaders early on to discuss solutions to the problem,” Coté told LIBN. “Many officials and local residents had an affinity for the theater. Many of them grew up attending films and birthday parties at the site. After a very long marketing and outreach campaign, we were able to connect with a company that had a proven theater redevelopment concept.”
The Manhasset theater sale is an historic movie house sequel for Coté, who sold the century-old Roslyn Cinema for $1.675 million in June 2025. The buyer, local developer Kevin Dursun, is currently converting the property at 20 Tower Place into high-end boutique retail space.
Coté said the Manhasset deal, like with most historic properties, had its own set of obstacles.
“We knew we had our work cut out for us. We were drawn to the history and character of the nearly century old building,” he said. “Movie theaters are very expensive redevelopment projects to complete and do not appeal to a large buyer audience. This buyer had the desire to preserve as much of the history this theater possessed as possible. We are excited to watch their vision for the theater unfold and will continue to assist them in any way we can.”
Film producer buys historic Manhasset theater for $3M
David Winzelberg//August 6, 2026//
One of Long Island‘s oldest movie houses has a new owner.
Assemble Media, a company founded and owned by film producer Jack Heller, purchased the Manhasset Cinemas property at 430 Plandome Road for $3 million. The three-screen theater is in a 15,554-square-foot building on .32 acres at 430 Plandome Road.
The buyer plans on a gut renovation of the building and many improvements to the theater, according to the broker on the deal. A single-office residential brokerage firm and a coffee importing business currently occupy about 1,200 square feet on the ground floor.
The lobby of the historic Manhasset movie house. / Courtesy of Sovereign Realty Group The lobby of the historic Manhasset movie house. / Courtesy of Sovereign Realty Group Heller, who’s Assemble Media has produced more than 30 films and TV shows, serves as chairman of the board of directors for the nonprofit Southampton Playhouse, which was redeveloped by Aby Rosen. The Southampton entertainment venue, another historic Long Island movie house, originally opened in 1932.
“We’re thrilled to reopen the Manhasset theater and welcome audiences back to this beloved community landmark,” Heller said. “This first phase of renovations marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, with a long-term vision to transform the property into a premier entertainment destination featuring best-in-class exhibition technology, elevated guest experiences, and a lasting commitment to serving and strengthening the local community.”
Built by Century Circuit, the Art Deco-style Manhasset movie house opened in Nov. 1936 as a single-screen theater. Over the years, Manhasset Cinema had several different operators, including Skouras Theatres, Century Theaters, United Artists, Clearview Cinemas and Bow Tie Cinemas.
Broker Clem Coté of Syosset-based Sovereign Realty Group represented the buyer, as well as the seller, Cinemas GMC LLC, an affiliate of Great Neck-based Gilman Management Corp., in the Manhasset sales transaction.
Selling the theater property was a difficult assignment.
“Downtown Manhasset is challenged with a lack of parking. We met with local government leaders early on to discuss solutions to the problem,” Coté told LIBN. “Many officials and local residents had an affinity for the theater. Many of them grew up attending films and birthday parties at the site. After a very long marketing and outreach campaign, we were able to connect with a company that had a proven theater redevelopment concept.”
The Manhasset theater sale is an historic movie house sequel for Coté, who sold the century-old Roslyn Cinema for $1.675 million in June 2025. The buyer, local developer Kevin Dursun, is currently converting the property at 20 Tower Place into high-end boutique retail space.
Coté said the Manhasset deal, like with most historic properties, had its own set of obstacles.
“We knew we had our work cut out for us. We were drawn to the history and character of the nearly century old building,” he said. “Movie theaters are very expensive redevelopment projects to complete and do not appeal to a large buyer audience. This buyer had the desire to preserve as much of the history this theater possessed as possible. We are excited to watch their vision for the theater unfold and will continue to assist them in any way we can.”
marquee was empty today after I saw them listing odyssey driving by last week. glass doors covered with brown paper. They have been sold —or purchased. all 6 outside poster frames had a new poster declaration by assemble cinema—-closed for now while they improve things.they declare first run films & revival programming. They want to honor the history of the theater (1936).
saw civil war yesterday in upstairs theatre and was very disappointed with projection—trailers run at wrong sizing and a tear in lower left of screen has not been fixed. house lights just totally shut off at feature time–meanwhile during trailer time –house lights fully on—–also almost like they shrunk down the projection to minimize the tear. I ended up moving to front row to see “a better image”.
What a shame—so many good memories of that fun theater upstairs.
This is a fun Theatre to go to all the way back from the 1920s. Definitely check out this downtown movie theater
PLEASE update open, and it became a triplex on February 15,1980
Malverne, Bellmore and NorthShore is reopening. Their was a newspaper article about Franklin Square closed permently and Grand Avenue had for rent signs posted.
The theatre has reopened and the status should be changed. Unfortunately that is not yet the case for the Roslyn, Herricks, Squire, Soundview, North Shore Towers, Malverne, Bellmore Movies, Grand Avenue Cinemas or Franklin Square.
From manhassetpress.com website Manhasset Cinemas Sues Landlord For Breach Of Surrender Agreement The movie theatre has been closed since March
By Marco Schaden -November 25, 20200
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Manhasset Cinema, 430 Plandome Rd. (Photos by Marco Schaden) Manhasset Movie Theatre, also known as Manhasset Cinemas, and Roslyn Movie Theatre filed a lawsuit on May 26, 2020, against their landlord Gilman Management Corporation for not abiding by a surrender agreement that was signed on Dec. 16, 2019. The lessee and operator of the two theatres, Rudy Toolaprashad, approached Gilman in the fall of 2019 to enter a surrender agreement of the lease that would come into effect on April 30, 2020, and pay Toolaprashad $157,500 for the movie theatre equipment he purchased from Gilman.
On April 30, 2020, Toolaprashad went ahead with the surrender agreement despite lack of feedback and no representation from Gilman at the theatres for inspection of the properties. At that point, both movie theatres had been closed due to Governor Cuomo’s executive order closing all movie theatre’s in the state. Both movie theatres have not been open at any point since March despite the governor reopening theatres with limited capacity.
Toolaprashad never received the monies he was owed by Gilman as part of the surrender agreement and proceeded to file a lawsuit. Through court proceedings, Judge Steven Jaeger has sent the two parties into mediation, scheduled at some point in December to resolve the matter. Gilman and their attorneys did not respond to requests for comment.
“They don’t want to pay my client, they want to control the timing of everything that happens and when it happens and what they want to do is put the entire burden of coronavirus on my client,” Toolaprashad’s lawyer Vincent Lentini said. “My client performed all their obligations under the agreement and the defendants have not. Defendant’s only obligation was to pay and they have not done that.”
The theatre’s new tenant started its lease in April, but by the fall of 2019 the tenant decided to enter a surrender agreement that would nullify the lease as of April 30, 2020, and pay the tenant $157,500 for the movie equipment previously bought. In court documents that were filed in the Nassau County Supreme Court, Gilman argues that Toolaprashad is violating the surrender agreement because a new tenant must be in place to take over the movie theatres. Lentini, states in court documents that his client was training a Gilman employee, “Steve,” to learn the business of running a movie theatre as part of the surrender agreement as Gilman planned on running their own movie theatres in the two locations and not look for another tenant.
“[Gilman] formed two new companies that were going to run these movie theaters. [Gilman] was going to operate it [themselves],” Lentini said. “From December through March, my client trained Steve on how to run a movie theater, how to run projectors, how to do ticketing, how to order the movies, how to speak to the booker. If they were getting another tenant in, I wouldn’t need to train anybody.”
In an email to Vincent Lentini dated April 16, 2020, Doug Spector, a Gilman lawyer, states “My client’s position is that no one is closing a movie theatre that is not allowed to be open in the first place. His position is that in these unprecedented times we are facing a public health crisis and are under a statewide order to stay at home that is a more than reasonable position. As soon as the theater is permitted to open, he is prepared to arrange for an orderly surrender.”
Toolaprashad opened the two movie theatres on April 13, 2019, after a lease between Gilman and Bow Tie Cinemas expired. Toolaprashad also owns other movie theatres in the area and resides in the Village of Lake Success.
Based on the article from the Manhasset Press, this theatre is CLOSED
Aha. That explains joint movie ads in the past for Century and Skouras which always seemed odd to me. Century also had deals with Loew’s for the Prospect in Flushing and the Manor/Vogue in Brooklyn. Although they built the Suffolk in Riverhead there was some sort of swap with Prudential for the Huntington Station.
According to trade journal research, the Manhasset Theatre opened on November 23rd, 1936, which was the Monday before Thanksgiving of that year. Although built by the Century Circuit simultaneously with the Elm and Quentin in Brooklyn, the Manhasset would be managed by Skouras Theatres, which, in 1935, had signed a “pooling” agreement with Century for all of their theatres in Queens and Long Island. George Skouras, head of that company, wanted to use the Manhasset as a test for ending double features in communities with a single theatre and no nearby competition…The overview to this listing claims that the Manhasset Theatre first opened in 1927, which could be true if it was “modernized” into the one of 1936. But nothing turned up in research to justify that possibility.
And before that by Skouras.
Prior to Clearview CInemas operating the theatre, it was operated for years by United Artists Theatre Circuit. It was sold to Clearview during UA financial problems.
It’s the same operator as the Main Street Cinemas in Kew Garden Hills, Islip Cinemas and Grand Ave Cinemas. https://theislandnow.com/featured/manhasset-roslyn-theaters-reopen-under-new-operator/
thanks for sharing—good to know there are options out there.
After closing both this theater and the Roslyn theater last Thursday April 11th they are both reopening tomorrow the 19th. Manhasset is advertising on its marque next week’s Avengers film (which normally would not have played there). Tomorrow they have Amazing Grace, High Life and Wild Nights with Emily (all new to Long Island and more their speed).
This is one of 2 cinemas owned by Bow Tie that closed yesterday, along with the Roslyn theater. The owner of the properties sold them in November, both to the same buyer. Bow-ties' Great Neck theater was taken over April 1 by the former owners of Movieworld in Douglaston, Queens.
PhilMiller is absolutely correct, at the Manhasset Cinema, the auditorium opened up to a lovely corridor and then to doors that led out to the lobby and Plandome Road. This was a magnificent single screen theater until about 1977 when it was cut up into 3 screens. The programming remains amazing but the wonderful theater is sorely missed. I saw so many films here that I still remember the phone number which remains unchanged.
They are closed for renovations. Are they getting upgraded to digital?
I seem to recall another set of doors leading from the lobby to the back of the theater. To my knowledge these were never closed. On your right was the back wall of the theater, straight ahead on the right the stairs to the loge (balcony) and on your right the left, center and right aisles to the orchestra seats. The manager’s office was tucked under the balcony stairs and was tiny. The balcony was the only place in the theater where you could smoke, so there was an extra charge to sit up there. No child was permitted in the balcony without and adult.
In 1950 the chain installed a candy “cabinet”, with wings that folded in when shut, a large red Coca Cola cooler that held bottles of Coca Cola, and a counter to warm and serve popcorn. These were all positioned in front of the fireplace, and while the equipment may have changed I think the refreshment area is still in the same place. The candy machine was a thing of the past. The large oval recess in the lobby ceiling originally contained a large oval frosted glass art deco chandelier which cast most of the light up, and less down. There were also lamps around the lobby as well.
Then you went through the first set of doors and as described in previous posts moved toward the lobby doors where you ticket was taken. The lobby was totally art deco in design, furniture, carpeting, lighting. As you came in straight ahead was a faux fire place with a large mirror over it and upholstered arm chairs on either side. As previously noted the lobby dog legged to the right and the lay out is the same. Amazingly the water fountain is still there. In 1949, just to the left of the fountain, was a candy machine, the only refreshment stand in the theater, dispensing five items. This was to change in the next year 1950.