Kimball Theatre

1219 Yonkers Avenue,
Yonkers, NY 10704

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Showing 26 - 40 of 40 comments

movieman007
movieman007 on November 19, 2004 at 2:35 am

To Tom,
Where do I begin, 1) projectionist licences were not county wide, For example…White Plaines, New Rochelle , Yonkers, all had their own. 2) Bobbie Dente, was the runation of the union in westchester co.(I do not know if I want ot further comment on that at this time). The local was taken over by the NYC local 306. I worked in many opf the theaters in westchester over the years, and I will try to comment on them when I can…

MikeHolsborg
MikeHolsborg on November 18, 2004 at 6:15 pm

The one on McLean Ave. was the “Kent” theatre.

MikeHolsborg
MikeHolsborg on November 18, 2004 at 5:42 pm

I remember seeing either “Easy Rider” or a movie about Kent State there. There used to be a theatre on McLean Ave. too if I’m not mistaken…but I do remember going to the Park Hill, Brandt’s and RKO Proctors on many occassions…There is still some talk about reviving Proctor’s (which is supposed to be still in tact under the present office building it occupies).

optimist008
optimist008 on November 18, 2004 at 4:45 pm

movieman007,

What ever happened to the projectionist union based in Mount Vernon?
I worked as an usher in the mid-1970’s at Hartsdale Cinema 2.
Bobbie Dente ran the union back then. How did the local lose control over the theaters? I thought there was a countywide fire code requiring licensed projectionists ???

Please email me at:

Thank You

TR

Bway
Bway on November 18, 2004 at 4:41 pm

Cool! They plugged the site here too in that article! I guess the Journal googled the Kimball and found this page.
Does anyone know of any photos of the theater either before or after the fire online somewhere?

RickB
RickB on November 18, 2004 at 4:34 pm

The Closed/Demolished designation may be premature, as the owners are said to be consulting an engineer to see if the building can be saved: View link

movieman007
movieman007 on November 18, 2004 at 4:23 am

I worked there as a projectionist one summer, during one of those Disney fests, back, around 1974, my heart sank that another ‘Cinema Treasure’ is gone. When are we going to learn old is not bad, that the ruination of this industry that ‘we’ let all thease movie showplaces (I know the Kimball was far from that) go by the wayside to the multiplex. I love this site, I worked as a projectionist in westchester county for over 20 years and in long Island for many years after that, I now one my own theaters in Queens, Main street and Center cinemas, the stories I could tell……you know what maybe I will…….keep looking when I have more time I will post again…later …………..the movieman007

joemasher
joemasher on November 18, 2004 at 2:54 am

My ex-landlord, Mike Percoco, was the last operator to run the Kimball as a movie house. He closed it after competition came to town in the form of the Cross County Multiplex, located nearby.

Bway
Bway on November 17, 2004 at 8:53 pm

Wow, this is pretty sad, I just heard about this fire, and figured I’d check out the theater’s site. Talk about on the scene reporting. Thanks to sals, cinematreasures has an “on the scene” account of this as it was hapening!

And, man, the cinematreausre guys are quick, the intro is already updated with this information!

optimist008
optimist008 on November 17, 2004 at 7:12 pm

What a shame to see this childhood icon go up in smoke!!
Hopefully the marquee will survive the fire.

Tom Rossi
Yonkers

Kenvalen
Kenvalen on November 17, 2004 at 4:51 pm

Anyone want to talk about the Kimball Theatre?
My name is Ken Valenti and I am a reporter at The Journal News. I am writing about the fire in the former theater, but I want to do a little more than that. I’d love to talk to people who attended movies at the former theater. Can anyone help?
You can reach me at 914-637-2243 or
Thanks so much.
-Ken.

CBernard
CBernard on November 17, 2004 at 3:07 pm

waaaaaahhhhh! I remember seeing Jaws for my 8th birthday there!:( Also recall seeing Fantasia..I grew up directly behind it, On Sherwood Ave. Our Backyard had the back wall of the theatre… so I will miss it very much!!!:(

dave-bronx™
dave-bronx™ on November 17, 2004 at 2:05 pm

The radio is saying it burned to the ground…

AndyT
AndyT on November 17, 2004 at 5:38 am

Jeeez —– that was the Kimball? Saw the fire on the news —– they just referred to it as a “business block”.

sals
sals on November 17, 2004 at 5:07 am

This theater is burning down as I write this…my husband just got off the train to see this old theater engulfed in flames. There are 5 ladder trucks there. It’s a shame.