“Before” Photos Of Trylon Theater

posted by Patrick Crowley on September 2, 2005 at 1:06 pm

And, today, we’re bringing you “before” shots of the Trylon Theater from Michael Perlman. Thanks again, Michael!

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Comments (14)

andygarner
andygarner on September 2, 2005 at 2:33 pm

You dont know what youve missed …..till it`s gone …shame
regards Andyjg

br91975
br91975 on September 2, 2005 at 2:44 pm

…all for a social center that could have opened in another vacant building. A shame, indeed…

sdoerr
sdoerr on September 3, 2005 at 8:18 pm

beautiful, such a shame it will be demolished

Bway
Bway on September 19, 2005 at 11:36 am

Beautiful. What a shame.
I unfortunately only visited the theater once, and that was back in the mid-90’s. I saw “A Stranger Among Us”, with Melanie Griffith there. It was a special place indeed. It still opened and closed the curtains before and after the previews. I remember thinking to myself how dramatic it was to have the curtains opening and closing, something I hadn’t seen since I was a kid.
I sat in the balcony for the movie, another thing you don’t get to do too often, as so many of the old theaters have either been chopped up or closed completely.
I remember that day like it was yesterday, the Trylon was a special place indeed. I vowed to go back again after “A Stranger Among Us” to see other movies, but I guess that wasn’t to be. “Andy” above said it best. You don’t know what you’ve missed till it’s gone.

Bway
Bway on September 19, 2005 at 11:37 am

Oh, I forgot to ask in my above post. How old are the photos above?

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on September 22, 2005 at 5:13 am

I took the above (“Before”) photos on Dec 31, 1999, shortly after the Trylon Theater closed, & after celebrating its 60th anniversary on Dec 26, 1999. Thank you for sharing your theater memories with us.

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on September 25, 2005 at 5:01 am

URGENT: Please click on the following link to sign a petition to save the ‘39 Trylon Theater:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Trylon/petition.html

The petition:

To: Robert Tierney (Chair, NY Landmarks Preservation Commission) & Melinda Katz (Councilwoman, District 29)

The signers of this petition agree that the 1939 Art Deco/Moderne Trylon Theater (98-81 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills, NY) is one of the last standing structures which has a strong cultural, historical, & architectural significance to the 1939 World’s Fair, with its “Trylon & Perisphere” monuments. On behalf of residents and historical societies, it is of utmost importance to halt further demolition, restore what was lost during the conversion, preserve this icon, and officially landmark this truly rare gem of a theater!!!

zellah60609
zellah60609 on October 10, 2005 at 4:16 am

I just signed your petition. What a beauty! Good luck!

I also would like you to know that we kindred spirits and are also fighting to save a beautiful theater, the Ramova, in Chicago. See our fight at www.savetheramova.com We are currently working to make sure that the City of Chicago , who are the owners (and who are entertaining proposals as we speak) of the Ramova Theater, actually take care with the preservation of this beautiful atmospheric theater from 1929. We would really like to see it become a theater again, but are not opposed to a restoration and re-use plan if it is not reopened as a theater.

Best wishes!

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on October 15, 2005 at 7:36 am

Thank you, Maureen. Good luck to you too!!! (Some people are either so clueless as to what bonds the generations, or they’re just greedy.) Wishing you all the best with your preservation endeavors! ;–)

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on October 15, 2005 at 7:37 am

URGENT: TRYLON THEATER RALLY

DATE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 23rd
TIME: 2:00 PM
LOCATION: Trylon Theater; 98-81 Queens Blvd, Forest Hills, N.Y.

**Points of the rally:
1. LANDMARK the ‘39 Trylon Theater; a last standing structure which bears strong significance to the 1939 World’s Fair.
2. PRESERVE the presently intact Art Deco facade, glass block projection tower (which once illuminated Queens Blvd.), & the marquee.
3. RESTORE what was lost during a summer 2005 conversion, despite an active construction violation & stop work order since April 2005.
4. ADAPT the site for the Education Center For Russian Jewry, with a preservation-minded re-use strategy, rather than demolition.

Participants: Historians, preservationists, community residents, as well as residents of neighboring boroughs, politicians, possible FH celebrities, the media, & members of The Committee To Save The Trylon Theater.

For Trylon Theater then & now visuals, please follow these 2 links: http://cinematreasures.org/news/13577_0_1_0_C/
http://cinematreasures.org/news/13576_0_1_0_C/

To sign the Trylon Theater petition, click or paste the following: www.PetitionOnline.com/Trylon/petition.html

FOR MORE RALLY INFO, CONTACT: (212) 679-DECO or

Patsy
Patsy on October 21, 2005 at 5:44 pm

My hometown theatre had a curved marquee just like the Trylon. It was demolished in the early 90’s and now it’s gone forever…don’t let this happen to the Trylon!

mns2lv4ever
mns2lv4ever on May 1, 2006 at 3:39 am

I was a manager here in the mid 90’s, this was so beautiful, I remember a couple of those little tiles falling off in front of the box office and myself and my usher trying to cement them back on. This was the best place in my opinion to watch movies. It always reminded me of when I was a kid, I would always watch the movie’s from the balcony.

NativeForestHiller
NativeForestHiller on May 1, 2006 at 3:58 am

Hi mns2lv4ever! Welcome to Cinema Treasures. I would like to communicate with you via e-mail. I knew just about every manager at the Trylon Theater from the 80’s until it closed its doors in 1999. I knew Mary, Elizabeth, Marie, Julie, etc. Maybe I knew you.
Yes, the recent turn of events is a shame. I coordinated The Committee To Save The Trylon Theater to try to have it landmarked & preserve what’s remaining.

Please e-mail Michael at

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on May 28, 2010 at 8:32 pm

Anyone know what years it was known as LOEWS TRYLON?

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