I never could figure out why this large theatre was built in the first place in 1939. Grant you the closest theatres were in Riverhead but this was so large before it was quaded. When my parents and I used to vacation on Shelter Island we, too, like a previous posting, took the ferry over and walked to the theatre. I don’t recall it being particularly full, even in season. It now only operates for the summer. It’s all well and good that the signage from the old Beekman has been used, but it looks lost on the front of the building particularly with the very impressive blade.
It’s interesting that the picture always comes up for the Deanna Durbin picture Up in Central Park. My aunt was commissioned to come up with textile designs about Central Park and was driven thru the Park in a horsedrawn carriage to get images. The final product was exhibited in Bonwit Tellers windows with a tie in to the movie. For informational purposes my aunt was Libby MacGregor who also did some spectacular batiks.
Looking at the photos of the marquee protruding under the el, which came first the theatre or the el. I would presume the theatre why else would the marquee extend under the el. And I would presume that the Merrick in Jamaica also preceeded the el since the one shot shows a vertical which would be ridiculous if the el were also present.
Sometime after the Propect returned to the Century Circuit it was twinned. However, both auditoriums opened at different times. The
ads ready “Twins, one at a time.” And then, subsequently there was another divide and then … …The Oceana, Tuxedo and Sheepshead reverted to Century at the same time as the Prospect, also the Plaza in Queens, I believe.
Boy a lot is missing since the first installation of this “new” marquee. At the point of the wedge was “a century theatre”. There were also two “arms” atop this which supported yet another wedge which had a bank of horizontal neon lights which, when first installed “chased”. Subsequently no. And the neons around the sign boards have also been covered over. When did this atrocity take place. I suspect some of it is related to when they widened Jericho Tpke / Jamaica Av and added the island in the center. This meant that the front of the marquee probably extended in “striking” range. As part of the widening the Floral lost it’s old marquee and vertical and the signboard was placed on the face of the bujilding.
One of the other sites, West Islip Twin, mentioned entering via a turnstile. That was also the case here. As far as the “A” in the address is concerned that is because the theatre was added to the existing group of stores, considerably after the fact.
This was a weird location for a theatre, in the middle of nowhere on a street parallel to the Long Island Railroad. Oh, well, at least no problem getting a parking space. I don’t remember a turnstile here, but I do remember one at the Glen Oaks.
Still waiting for somebody to find and post photos of the theatre when it was. It would be nice to see the original (which stylistically was similar to the Community, which for some reason is not listed in Queen Village, but Queens), and the later wedged shaped one No takers on my clock trivia question? I think it was a jewelers in Queens Village.
And if you will compare the 1987 photo with one from the early days of the theatre the marquee size double even though the style remained the same. This shot shows individual bulbs around the exterior. I seem to recall neon.
In addition to changing the type of movies shown they also changed the marquee. The background color used to be green, the chasing lights yellow. Also the chasing lights from the side panels continued across the front to the other side.
My question, how does one change an incorrect posting. This theatre was located in West Babylon at 701 Montauk Highway, not 901 Sunrise Highway in Copaigue. It was not demolished but exists as retail space per earlier postings. I went by the other day and realized that the f.y.e.(music, movies) sign on the facade doesn’t fully cover the old “holes” in the facade where the original theatre i.d. was. You can seen where the size of the theatres was doubled, that is, made longer, because of the way the rooftop A.C units are placed – midway on the building. When first built the A.C. units were at the back of the building.
The only giveaways I remember were done by the Century Circuit. When I attended the Bellerose Theatre I remember getting Currier and Ives Prints. Couldn’t put a date on it. I think maybe Skouras also did this.
It’s interesting that the renovations to become a bowling alley cost $450,000. When the theatre had its last hurrah the renovations cost in excess of $100,000, a figure which it proudly touted in its ads. For a period of time they also had dish night, which I thought went out with the 40s.
Warren, funny you should have posted this. I came upon the photo of the Mayfair on the Long Island Memories site and started to do some research on it thru the library. Yes, it was a movie theatre. In the twenties the admission was 15 cents. And it had a modern feature for its time – a sloping floor. My next step is to contact the Village of Great Neck Plaza historian.
Many thanks. Just completed the “paperwork” to put the new Deer Park Stadium 16 & Imax up and have five others in the research stage. I was so happy to find this site. I thought I was the only obsessive one on the subject.
Thanks. Problem here is I have a laptop and don’t use a mouse. Do I have an equivalent of “right click”? Obviously, I’m just learning as specific needs/desires show up. I’ve been eyeballing various courses at the library but this sort of thing is beyond the basic sort of stuff they are offering.
I just entered “hampton bays historical society”. When a series of items came up I clicked on the first one. When the home page came up I clicked on Hampton Bays history and voila, as they say. If something special is going on the home page doesn’t always come up first. Would that be a problem to access? I’m very new to the computer and haven’t a clue how I’d create a link.
Main Street/ Montauk Highway same difference. It just depends upon what is in fashion.
As far as the photo is concerned I just enter “hampton bays historical society”. On the home page is a category “Hampton Bays History”. Click on that and there is the image of the theatre from 1935. You can actually see the 35 cent admission price on the side of the building. Today the home page came up first. Sometimes there is a feature showing some current activity and you have to scroll to get you back to the home page.
I never could figure out why this large theatre was built in the first place in 1939. Grant you the closest theatres were in Riverhead but this was so large before it was quaded. When my parents and I used to vacation on Shelter Island we, too, like a previous posting, took the ferry over and walked to the theatre. I don’t recall it being particularly full, even in season. It now only operates for the summer. It’s all well and good that the signage from the old Beekman has been used, but it looks lost on the front of the building particularly with the very impressive blade.
Yeah the posting has been corrected!
The shopping center in which the Center Theatre was located opened in 1962. Presumably the theatre did also.
It’s interesting that the picture always comes up for the Deanna Durbin picture Up in Central Park. My aunt was commissioned to come up with textile designs about Central Park and was driven thru the Park in a horsedrawn carriage to get images. The final product was exhibited in Bonwit Tellers windows with a tie in to the movie. For informational purposes my aunt was Libby MacGregor who also did some spectacular batiks.
Looking at the photos of the marquee protruding under the el, which came first the theatre or the el. I would presume the theatre why else would the marquee extend under the el. And I would presume that the Merrick in Jamaica also preceeded the el since the one shot shows a vertical which would be ridiculous if the el were also present.
Sometime after the Propect returned to the Century Circuit it was twinned. However, both auditoriums opened at different times. The
ads ready “Twins, one at a time.” And then, subsequently there was another divide and then … …The Oceana, Tuxedo and Sheepshead reverted to Century at the same time as the Prospect, also the Plaza in Queens, I believe.
Boy a lot is missing since the first installation of this “new” marquee. At the point of the wedge was “a century theatre”. There were also two “arms” atop this which supported yet another wedge which had a bank of horizontal neon lights which, when first installed “chased”. Subsequently no. And the neons around the sign boards have also been covered over. When did this atrocity take place. I suspect some of it is related to when they widened Jericho Tpke / Jamaica Av and added the island in the center. This meant that the front of the marquee probably extended in “striking” range. As part of the widening the Floral lost it’s old marquee and vertical and the signboard was placed on the face of the bujilding.
Unfortunately, both of these shots are “under the new management” after the original color scheme. Also the vertical is gone. When was that removed?
One of the other sites, West Islip Twin, mentioned entering via a turnstile. That was also the case here. As far as the “A” in the address is concerned that is because the theatre was added to the existing group of stores, considerably after the fact.
This was a weird location for a theatre, in the middle of nowhere on a street parallel to the Long Island Railroad. Oh, well, at least no problem getting a parking space. I don’t remember a turnstile here, but I do remember one at the Glen Oaks.
Still waiting for somebody to find and post photos of the theatre when it was. It would be nice to see the original (which stylistically was similar to the Community, which for some reason is not listed in Queen Village, but Queens), and the later wedged shaped one No takers on my clock trivia question? I think it was a jewelers in Queens Village.
And if you will compare the 1987 photo with one from the early days of the theatre the marquee size double even though the style remained the same. This shot shows individual bulbs around the exterior. I seem to recall neon.
In addition to changing the type of movies shown they also changed the marquee. The background color used to be green, the chasing lights yellow. Also the chasing lights from the side panels continued across the front to the other side.
My question, how does one change an incorrect posting. This theatre was located in West Babylon at 701 Montauk Highway, not 901 Sunrise Highway in Copaigue. It was not demolished but exists as retail space per earlier postings. I went by the other day and realized that the f.y.e.(music, movies) sign on the facade doesn’t fully cover the old “holes” in the facade where the original theatre i.d. was. You can seen where the size of the theatres was doubled, that is, made longer, because of the way the rooftop A.C units are placed – midway on the building. When first built the A.C. units were at the back of the building.
The only giveaways I remember were done by the Century Circuit. When I attended the Bellerose Theatre I remember getting Currier and Ives Prints. Couldn’t put a date on it. I think maybe Skouras also did this.
It’s interesting that the renovations to become a bowling alley cost $450,000. When the theatre had its last hurrah the renovations cost in excess of $100,000, a figure which it proudly touted in its ads. For a period of time they also had dish night, which I thought went out with the 40s.
Warren, funny you should have posted this. I came upon the photo of the Mayfair on the Long Island Memories site and started to do some research on it thru the library. Yes, it was a movie theatre. In the twenties the admission was 15 cents. And it had a modern feature for its time – a sloping floor. My next step is to contact the Village of Great Neck Plaza historian.
This megaplex is unique in that rather than being a free standing theatre or as part of a mall, it is part of the Tanger Outlet Stores complex.
The seating capacities of the individual auditoriums are as follows:
Theatres 1 & 16 282
Theatres 2 & 7 159
Theatres 3,6,12,15 131
Theatres 4,5,13,14 103
Theatres 8 & 11 187
Theatre 9 (IMAX) 328
Theatre 10 335
Many thanks. Just completed the “paperwork” to put the new Deer Park Stadium 16 & Imax up and have five others in the research stage. I was so happy to find this site. I thought I was the only obsessive one on the subject.
Thanks. Problem here is I have a laptop and don’t use a mouse. Do I have an equivalent of “right click”? Obviously, I’m just learning as specific needs/desires show up. I’ve been eyeballing various courses at the library but this sort of thing is beyond the basic sort of stuff they are offering.
Thanks, you made my day. I’ve got to get to your level so I don’t have to rely on you or Warren to access images I’ve found.
Something weird is going on with this site. When I went back to check my 5:39 entry it wasn’t there. So I put in another one. Now both are there.
I just entered “hampton bays historical society”. When a series of items came up I clicked on the first one. When the home page came up I clicked on Hampton Bays history and voila, as they say. If something special is going on the home page doesn’t always come up first. Would that be a problem to access? I’m very new to the computer and haven’t a clue how I’d create a link.
Seats from this theatre found additional life in the Bellmore Movies.
Main Street/ Montauk Highway same difference. It just depends upon what is in fashion.
As far as the photo is concerned I just enter “hampton bays historical society”. On the home page is a category “Hampton Bays History”. Click on that and there is the image of the theatre from 1935. You can actually see the 35 cent admission price on the side of the building. Today the home page came up first. Sometimes there is a feature showing some current activity and you have to scroll to get you back to the home page.