Argyle Theatre
34 W. Main Street,
Babylon,
NY
11702
34 W. Main Street,
Babylon,
NY
11702
3 people
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Babylon (Argyle) Theater - Happy One Hundredth Birthday this year, many great memories going to this great theater growing up seeing all those wonderful matinees.
Please update, became a triplex on December 14, 1984 Grand reopening ad in photos section
Don’t know how they are doing but they are presenting blockbuster productions. Currently, The Producers.
I’m saying this to all that contribute,that Cinema Treasures is not just made of bricks and stones and locales alone,it’s made of folks who see the flicks and stars on the stages that do all their tricks,from the Roxy in Manhattan to Grauman’s Chinese in L.A. to the Babylon Prudential to the Bugtussel Bijou in old Mississip,you mugs are the ones that make it happen!
robboehm Hi, I used to live about a 10 to 15 minute walk from the Babylon theater on George street ,and for 50 cents the Babylon theater was my window to the world real or imagined.I could take part in the Normandy invasion in “THE LONGEST DAY"or travel all over Europe in"THE YELLOW ROLLS ROYCE”;or travel in the human body in a miniature sub in"FANTASTIC VOYAGE"and go to school to learn something of value from Sidney Poitier in “TO SIR WITH LOVE"and brush up my Shakespeare with Dick and Liz in "THE TAMING OF THE SHREW”.
Prudential published a guide for all its theaters (as did Century) which was mailed to your home or available at the theater so there was no need to check the listings in Newsday. Also, since Prudential was generally single feature, evening starting times were 7 and 9. Matinees were at 2 on Saturdays and Sundays. Out east, during the summer, they also had matinees on rainy days.
Growing up at the Babylon theater was usually a family affair, once I went with my grandmother and saw “HAROLD LLOYD’S WORLD OF COMEDY”. The kiddie matinees were a mixed bag; some adults should be made to see them, like “PINOCCHIO IN OUTER SPACE”, “EMMET KELLY, THE CLOWN AND THE KIDS” and “WILLY McBEAN AND HIS TIME MACHINE”; “JOURNEY TO THE BEGINNING OF TIME” was okay.Sometimes it would be a classic, like the 1939 “ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER”. For the most part I enjoyed more adult movies, like “ZULU”, “MAJOR DUNDEE” or the re-release of “THE HOUSE OF WAX” with 3D glasses. My mother never read the theater listings and there was no rating system then, so my mother took her six year old boy to see the 1962 re-release of “PSYCHO”. I don’t know if she was expecting to see an old Alice Faye movie, but it was an education.
It was a great thrill going to the new Argyle Babylon theater, also taking these pictures I put on this photo page.It was enough to bring tears of joy to a grown man’s eyes with my first memories of seeing movies like Walt Disney’s"MOON PILOT"and George Pal’s"Wonderful World of the Brothers Grim" some fifty six years ago.The staff was world class,friendly and warm,absolute professionals.The theater was beautifully remodeled as one single theater as it should be.I would highly recommend everybody going to this great theater that’s so deep in my heart.
Odd that the Argyle Theater website has no photos of the theater.
The Argyle Theatre now has an official web site. The first event scheduled is a Donna Summer tribute show on April 21, followed by a comedy showcase on May 5. The first extended run stage show to be mounted will be “Guys and Dolls” running from May 10 to June 17.
Even as a single screen theater the decor was minimal. Creating three from one didn’t help. Maybe the place will have some character when the renovation is completed.
From pictures included in an online Patch news feed it appears that all of the interior decor has been removed from the auditorium. Does anyone have any details on this?
Or we can just ask you ha ha
Work is being completed on the renovation of the Babylon Cinemas which will now be known as The Argyle Theatre. At a cost of $3 million the father/son duo of Mark and Dylan Perlman have stripped out the walls which divided the space into three cinemas, dug an orchestra pit, built new support for the stage and added a three story structure in the rear to house dressing rooms, bathrooms and storage. Seating in the new playhouse has been reduced to 500.
Part of the cost was defrayed by a NY State grant of $150,000 and tax breaks by Babylon Town for $ 300,000.
The marquee proclaims:“ A new live performance venue will be opening in the Spring.”
To keep abreast of progress and programs, check the Facebook page which has been established.
Nothing new to report.
No change in the visuals.
Pod storage container in the parking lot. No other visuals.
Texas2step down load photo is a Classic,10 out of 10 !
For that matter, I wonder how many of the Greatest Generation, or the Baby Boomers, or the Gen-Xers, etc., even care right now…
Anytime you have to rely on the news media you have “alternate truths”. I actually have seen the article describing the construction of the Capitol in 1925 referred to in the opening. Ken Roe’s photo of the Babylon is 1925.
The truth, however, is that this theater, along with 2/3rds of the others no longer exist. And, quite frankly, I wonder as time goes on how many of the millenials and beyond will even care.
PS: IF YOU GO TO PHOTO PAGE 4 YOU CAN SEE THE BUILDING TO THE RIGHT.. NOT SURE WHEN IT BECAME A PARKING LOT..I KNOW THE IT WAS STILL THERE IN THE 70’S.
It was easy to put Babylon back together again it was built in the shell of the same exact spot…I don’t know if you can still see it… if you go to the south east corner of DPA and Main look up you can see where two kinds of brick along crack..the only major work was the roof where steel fell. there was no “adjacent land”..That parking lot next store was an apartments and stores that were there before the theatre.
comfortably cool-THANKS FOR THE NEW PICTURES ON THE PHOTO PAGE;IT SHOWS ALL INSIDE THE BABYLON THEATER,AND THE CONCESSION STAND TOO !
Interesting but it was only about a Constance Bannister baby caption contest rather than anything about actual movie goings on. Didn’t realize they had run such a contest since I always lived in Century Theaters territory.
Anyone interested in listening to an old radio commercial for Prudential theaters from the old WGLI station go to www.wa2fnq.com/wgli/gli.htm