I remember a promo they had geared to grammar school children at Floral Park – Bellerose School, and, probably its Queens County equivalent at the time King Solomon’s Mines was showing. We all, somehow, received long, narrow colored paper good for a free admission at some given show – if we had the right color. In restrospect these were probably ½ of an 8 ½ x 11 to keep costs down. We all lined up in front of the theatre and way around the side of the building on 246th street (odd, in the evening if there was a line it faced the other way to 245th Street). Anyway the winning “color” was white and there were darned few of those in evidence.
The only time in my life that I took the Jamaica El to lower Manhattan, was as a special treat, being a Long Islander. The only thing I remember from that trip is being on the left hand side of the train and seeing the old marquee from the Alba. Obviously, I was a theatre nut, afficianado, at an early age. Thank goodness for the internet, I can spend my waking hours with other kindred souls and remember the long, lost theatres (rather than spending an arm and a leg to go to some glorified cubicle.
Still no luck in getting info on the Mayfair but I did speak to someone who is trying to gain access to parts of this theatre not involved in the conversion to condos. She said there are dressing rooms and cages in the basement from the days when vaudeville was the main source of entertainment. She’ll keep in touch with me and I’ll post any developments.
Love ken’s 1956 photo since it shows the “capitol” name in a distance, which is the way I always remember it, in the distance. Was only inside it once.
I spoke to someone at the historical society and the only Casino reference she had was some sort of nightclub which was destroyed in the 1939 hurricane. Have to pursue this further.
I was just browsing the American Images site and, incorrectly, in Merrick, they have a photo of the theatre with a traditional marquee proclaiming “The Movies”. Still haven’t come upon one of the old “Bellmore” marquee before they modernized the building’s facade.
How does one correct something on the American Images site? In Merrick they have two 1981 images of the Playhouse marquee and one of The Movies? I wrote them a note a couple of months ago and no change.
Warren, I can’t open this photo, is the problem at my end? I used to work in the Gramercy Park area and often took a lunchtime stroll past the Variety. It was certainly vintage. The only time I was actually inside was for an off-Broadway performance of, I think, Annie Warbucks. No real memory of the interior – not as impressive as the exterior.
Still working on getting the hardtop up – working with the local librarian. Hardtop was on Bethune off Church. Building has been razed and part of the site it a restaurant.
And if you’ll notice, I added the old theatre to the site a couple of weeks ago. I was inside and way pointed out some of the remnants of the old theatre hidden in a storage area.
I believe the theatre was closed during the depression and only reopened at the end of WWII. I have a vague recollection of my father saying that during the depression he could have purchased the building for $8,000.
There were no observable structural changes since the procenium was already very wide. I remember, vaguely, that the curtains opened wider after the installation. This was a theatre where they always used the curtains, often to great theatrical effect.
The Bellerose also reopened after they did a Cinamascope installation. I believe “The Robe” was the first attraction. The Bellerose being a very wide theatre with a wide proscenium had one of the largest screens out there. In it’s last years the Bellerose was closed as the local dollar house with the honors going to the Floral. It then reopened as the local dollar house a short time later. I’m sure the reason was location. Jamaica Av/Jericho Tpk, Braddock Av and the Cross Island Parkway.
On October 9,2007 Long Island Memories mentioned (on the Mattituck 8 site that they had pictures of the interior of this theatre). Can they be posted here?
I figured it was something, not just me since there’d been no activity since the 14th. But it was my baby and I’m just as anxious to see it up as previously. Then I can pursue a couple of others in the works.
And I know for certain there was one in Moriches and where. The problem is I’m having difficulty getting enough material together for more than a skeletal posting. Also, they seem to have fallen behind on new theatres. I put up a posting on the 15th and the last newbies they show are for the 14th. On my three previous creations I saw results in 24 hours or less.
The Winter Garden is one substantial theatre. It boggles the mind to think that it’s atop another. According to my guide, there is actually a glorified crawl space between the two theatres. The only indication that there is a massive structure above it in the Elgin auditorium are a couple of substantial columns toward the rear of the orchestra. The current main lobby is actually more ornate than it was originally. According to the guide the way it is now is the way it was designed, but not executed.
You’ve got to be kidding Lost Memory. Lake Ronkonkoma and the village name for it go back to antiquity – Indian name you know. Glad you posted the picture. Despite the instructions you gave me previously I haven’t been successful. I actually looked at every theatre in New York at the image site and found this confirming my theory that the Lakeside was the former JL. There are a great number of other theatres whose images appear on this site which you frequently access. That’s why I devoted and hour plus listing them. Now all I have to do is move them over if they’re not already there. I was happy to see they had an image of the Floral with its new signage after they had to remove the old one because of the widening of Jericho Tpk. Unfortunately, it’s after the theatre closed and it is in disrepair. I also sent a letter to the webmaster at images about one image incorrectly labelled, the Playhouse, in what they show as Merrick but is actually Bellmore. When I last checked they had not made a correction. This could be a full time job just to get the LI theatres up to snuff. And there are at least a half dozen I’m working on. Love to chat and try to pool our efforts/interes/talents.
I remember a promo they had geared to grammar school children at Floral Park – Bellerose School, and, probably its Queens County equivalent at the time King Solomon’s Mines was showing. We all, somehow, received long, narrow colored paper good for a free admission at some given show – if we had the right color. In restrospect these were probably ½ of an 8 ½ x 11 to keep costs down. We all lined up in front of the theatre and way around the side of the building on 246th street (odd, in the evening if there was a line it faced the other way to 245th Street). Anyway the winning “color” was white and there were darned few of those in evidence.
Sylistically the marquee looks like the one at the Hard Rock.
The only time in my life that I took the Jamaica El to lower Manhattan, was as a special treat, being a Long Islander. The only thing I remember from that trip is being on the left hand side of the train and seeing the old marquee from the Alba. Obviously, I was a theatre nut, afficianado, at an early age. Thank goodness for the internet, I can spend my waking hours with other kindred souls and remember the long, lost theatres (rather than spending an arm and a leg to go to some glorified cubicle.
Still no luck in getting info on the Mayfair but I did speak to someone who is trying to gain access to parts of this theatre not involved in the conversion to condos. She said there are dressing rooms and cages in the basement from the days when vaudeville was the main source of entertainment. She’ll keep in touch with me and I’ll post any developments.
The Community House still shows movies each year.
Love ken’s 1956 photo since it shows the “capitol” name in a distance, which is the way I always remember it, in the distance. Was only inside it once.
I spoke to someone at the historical society and the only Casino reference she had was some sort of nightclub which was destroyed in the 1939 hurricane. Have to pursue this further.
I was just browsing the American Images site and, incorrectly, in Merrick, they have a photo of the theatre with a traditional marquee proclaiming “The Movies”. Still haven’t come upon one of the old “Bellmore” marquee before they modernized the building’s facade.
How does one correct something on the American Images site? In Merrick they have two 1981 images of the Playhouse marquee and one of The Movies? I wrote them a note a couple of months ago and no change.
Warren, I can’t open this photo, is the problem at my end? I used to work in the Gramercy Park area and often took a lunchtime stroll past the Variety. It was certainly vintage. The only time I was actually inside was for an off-Broadway performance of, I think, Annie Warbucks. No real memory of the interior – not as impressive as the exterior.
Still working on getting the hardtop up – working with the local librarian. Hardtop was on Bethune off Church. Building has been razed and part of the site it a restaurant.
And if you’ll notice, I added the old theatre to the site a couple of weeks ago. I was inside and way pointed out some of the remnants of the old theatre hidden in a storage area.
I believe the theatre was closed during the depression and only reopened at the end of WWII. I have a vague recollection of my father saying that during the depression he could have purchased the building for $8,000.
There were no observable structural changes since the procenium was already very wide. I remember, vaguely, that the curtains opened wider after the installation. This was a theatre where they always used the curtains, often to great theatrical effect.
The Bellerose also reopened after they did a Cinamascope installation. I believe “The Robe” was the first attraction. The Bellerose being a very wide theatre with a wide proscenium had one of the largest screens out there. In it’s last years the Bellerose was closed as the local dollar house with the honors going to the Floral. It then reopened as the local dollar house a short time later. I’m sure the reason was location. Jamaica Av/Jericho Tpk, Braddock Av and the Cross Island Parkway.
On October 9,2007 Long Island Memories mentioned (on the Mattituck 8 site that they had pictures of the interior of this theatre). Can they be posted here?
I figured it was something, not just me since there’d been no activity since the 14th. But it was my baby and I’m just as anxious to see it up as previously. Then I can pursue a couple of others in the works.
And I know for certain there was one in Moriches and where. The problem is I’m having difficulty getting enough material together for more than a skeletal posting. Also, they seem to have fallen behind on new theatres. I put up a posting on the 15th and the last newbies they show are for the 14th. On my three previous creations I saw results in 24 hours or less.
The Winter Garden is one substantial theatre. It boggles the mind to think that it’s atop another. According to my guide, there is actually a glorified crawl space between the two theatres. The only indication that there is a massive structure above it in the Elgin auditorium are a couple of substantial columns toward the rear of the orchestra. The current main lobby is actually more ornate than it was originally. According to the guide the way it is now is the way it was designed, but not executed.
True, but I wonder where the Drive In site got the info to begin with.
Never even noticed. Just happy to see the image.
You’ve got to be kidding Lost Memory. Lake Ronkonkoma and the village name for it go back to antiquity – Indian name you know. Glad you posted the picture. Despite the instructions you gave me previously I haven’t been successful. I actually looked at every theatre in New York at the image site and found this confirming my theory that the Lakeside was the former JL. There are a great number of other theatres whose images appear on this site which you frequently access. That’s why I devoted and hour plus listing them. Now all I have to do is move them over if they’re not already there. I was happy to see they had an image of the Floral with its new signage after they had to remove the old one because of the widening of Jericho Tpk. Unfortunately, it’s after the theatre closed and it is in disrepair. I also sent a letter to the webmaster at images about one image incorrectly labelled, the Playhouse, in what they show as Merrick but is actually Bellmore. When I last checked they had not made a correction. This could be a full time job just to get the LI theatres up to snuff. And there are at least a half dozen I’m working on. Love to chat and try to pool our efforts/interes/talents.
The posting from Al specifically mentioned a goat that chewed a rope so it floated out to sea.
Warren when you read the synopsis in Als posting it certainly sound right. How many movies have a goat drifting out to sea.
Definitely sounds like “Saps” from the description you posted Al. Thanks.