The address of the Park Theatre is listed in the 1950 Film Daily Yearbook as 132-15 Rockaway Blvd, South Ozone Park. Seating capacity is given as 920, but in the 1941 edition of F.D.Y it has 1028 seats (again listed under South Ozone Park)
In the 1941 Film Daily Yearbook the Farrell Theatre is listed under South Ozone Park (no address given). In the 1950 F.D.Y it is listed under Ozone Park with the address given above. Obviously a case of correct address, wrong area in the 1950 listing. The Farrell Theatre needs to be up-dated to read South Ozone Park.
The T. & D. opened in 1916, it closed in 1976. Various seating capacities have been given over the years 3,350 (on opening?), in 1941 it was 2,944 and by 1950 2,632 is given. still a very large theatre for it’s time.
I have a copy of Motion Picture News dated April 10, 1920. On the cover is a beautiful photo of the T. & D. Oakland which had just opened. There is also a full page spread of four interior photos and a full page descriptive article on the building. It was billed as the ‘largest theatre west of Chicago’ with a seating capacity of 3,611. The architects named are Cunningham and Politeo of San Francisco and construction was of concrete and steel, the only wood it contains is in the office door! An unusual feature of the building was that ‘there is not a step in the entire house, every elevation is approached by a series of ramps or gradual inclines’. A staff of 90 (including the orchestra) were employed.
There is a great collection of recent photographs of the Loew’s Paradise showing what is being done in the current restoration. Check out the CinemaTour web site. http://www.cinematour.com
Hi Mike, I finally tracked down a copy of ‘Exit’ after searching for it for many years. I live in London, UK so if you would like to make arrangements to come over and take a look at it, please get in touch. Ken
There is a well illustrated book (with Portugese text) “Cinemas De Portugal” by Jose Manuel Fernandes. Published in 1995 by Edicoes Inapa ISBN 972-9019-78-9
The Gaumont opened on 17th May 1937, it closed as a cinema on 22nd July 1961, the final films played were “Follow That Man” and “The Boy Who Stole A Million”. It went over to Bingo club use straight away, which continues today. The architect was Harry Weston (a Gaumont circuit architect) and the seating capacity was 1,500.
Sorry Warren, I stand corrected. I took the incorrect spelling of Zukor from the book ‘Guide to Cinemas in Paris’ by Christophe Chenebault and Marie Gaussel, published in 1992. You are correct in your notes about Frank T. Verity regarding the London Plaza and Carlton Theatres. He was the architect, not interior designer and this possibly applies to the Paramount Opera Theatre. It could have been named just ‘Paramount’ when first opened?
The title heading for this former cinema should be updated. This building opened as the Forum and is still fondly remembered by this name. The architects were William Watkins and A.Stuart Gray.
While Mr Leslie Scott Slaughter may have worked on the design of the Saville Theatre, official records show that the consulting architect was Bertie Crewe, the builders were Messers Gee, Walker and Slater and it was designed by architects T. P. Bennett & Son.
It opened as the Saville Theatre on 8th October 1931 with 1,426 seats. It closed in 1970 and was converted into a twin screen cinema (architects William Ryder & Associates). It is a Listed Grade II building for its facade which features a sculptured relief frieze by Gilbert Bayes representing ‘Drama Through the Ages’. Nothing remains internally of the original features of this art deco building.
This opened on 19th December 1930 as the Leicester Square Theatre, originally conceived as a live theatre for actor Jack Buchanan. However, it opened with combined movie and stage show presentations and was leased out to various companies in its early years. Original seating capacity was 1,760 in stalls, circle and balcony. In 1968 this original highly decorated interior was totally gutted to be replaced by a bland 1,407 seat auditorium wich remained until its recent twinning.
The bingo operation in the former stalls area closed in 2001. As at June 2004, plans have been approved to convert the Grade II listed building into a 182 bedroomed hotel.
The Electric Cinema Theatre address is 191 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London. W11. The architect of this 600 seat cinema was Gerald Seymour Valentin. It opened on 24th February 1910 and from 1932 it was re-named Imperial Playhouse until it closed on 12th December 1970. It re-opened as the Electric Cinema Club screening classic Avante Garde movies and since then has had several closing and re-openings. It still survives as one of the UK’s oldest operating purpose built cinemas.
The Columbia was built on the site of the bombed out Shaftesbury Pavilion/Gaumont News Theatre of 1912. The new cinema was originally going to be a sister theatre to the Curzon Mayfair and had the same architectural firm of Sir John Burnet, Tait and Partners. The architect in charge being H.G. Hammond. Columbia Pictures took over the lease during construction and it opened as the Columbia. It was equipped to show 70mm and Todd AO films.
The Carlton (as it it still fondly remembered) was designed by architects Frank T. Verity and Samuel Beverley. It was a project of Carlton Theatre Co, a company set up by Paramount Pictures Ltd who owned the nearby Plaza, Regent St. The Carlton opened as a live theatre, but went over to full time film use in May 1929. The original seating capacity was 1,159. After many years being operated by Paramount Pictures it was taken over by Twentieth Century Fox in March 1954 and they installed CinemaScope. In 1960 the stage was brought back into use for the last time when Anthony Newley starred in a special stage show prior to the screenings of his starring movie “Let’s Get Married”.
The architects of the Roosevelt Theatre were C. Howard Crane and Kenneth Franzheim
The address of the Park Theatre is listed in the 1950 Film Daily Yearbook as 132-15 Rockaway Blvd, South Ozone Park. Seating capacity is given as 920, but in the 1941 edition of F.D.Y it has 1028 seats (again listed under South Ozone Park)
In the 1941 Film Daily Yearbook the Farrell Theatre is listed under South Ozone Park (no address given). In the 1950 F.D.Y it is listed under Ozone Park with the address given above. Obviously a case of correct address, wrong area in the 1950 listing. The Farrell Theatre needs to be up-dated to read South Ozone Park.
The street address of the Criterion is given as Atlantic Ave in 1950 listings. It had 903 seats. In 1941 it is listed as having 981 seats.
The address of the Farrell Theatre is given as 118-12 Rockaway Blvd, Ozone Park. It had 519 seats.
The address of the State Theatre is given as 106-05 Rockaway Blvd, Ozone Park it had 675 seats.
The T. & D. opened in 1916, it closed in 1976. Various seating capacities have been given over the years 3,350 (on opening?), in 1941 it was 2,944 and by 1950 2,632 is given. still a very large theatre for it’s time.
I have a copy of Motion Picture News dated April 10, 1920. On the cover is a beautiful photo of the T. & D. Oakland which had just opened. There is also a full page spread of four interior photos and a full page descriptive article on the building. It was billed as the ‘largest theatre west of Chicago’ with a seating capacity of 3,611. The architects named are Cunningham and Politeo of San Francisco and construction was of concrete and steel, the only wood it contains is in the office door! An unusual feature of the building was that ‘there is not a step in the entire house, every elevation is approached by a series of ramps or gradual inclines’. A staff of 90 (including the orchestra) were employed.
There is a great collection of recent photographs of the Loew’s Paradise showing what is being done in the current restoration. Check out the CinemaTour web site. http://www.cinematour.com
The Astor is now used for retail use as a clothing shop. Very little of the internal decorative features remain.
Just heard from Amazon.com that my copy is winging its way to me. Looking forward to receiving it and adding it to my collection. Congratulations!
Hi Mike, I finally tracked down a copy of ‘Exit’ after searching for it for many years. I live in London, UK so if you would like to make arrangements to come over and take a look at it, please get in touch. Ken
There is a well illustrated book (with Portugese text) “Cinemas De Portugal” by Jose Manuel Fernandes. Published in 1995 by Edicoes Inapa ISBN 972-9019-78-9
The Gaumont opened on 17th May 1937, it closed as a cinema on 22nd July 1961, the final films played were “Follow That Man” and “The Boy Who Stole A Million”. It went over to Bingo club use straight away, which continues today. The architect was Harry Weston (a Gaumont circuit architect) and the seating capacity was 1,500.
Sorry Warren, I stand corrected. I took the incorrect spelling of Zukor from the book ‘Guide to Cinemas in Paris’ by Christophe Chenebault and Marie Gaussel, published in 1992. You are correct in your notes about Frank T. Verity regarding the London Plaza and Carlton Theatres. He was the architect, not interior designer and this possibly applies to the Paramount Opera Theatre. It could have been named just ‘Paramount’ when first opened?
The title heading for this former cinema should be updated. This building opened as the Forum and is still fondly remembered by this name. The architects were William Watkins and A.Stuart Gray.
While Mr Leslie Scott Slaughter may have worked on the design of the Saville Theatre, official records show that the consulting architect was Bertie Crewe, the builders were Messers Gee, Walker and Slater and it was designed by architects T. P. Bennett & Son.
It opened as the Saville Theatre on 8th October 1931 with 1,426 seats. It closed in 1970 and was converted into a twin screen cinema (architects William Ryder & Associates). It is a Listed Grade II building for its facade which features a sculptured relief frieze by Gilbert Bayes representing ‘Drama Through the Ages’. Nothing remains internally of the original features of this art deco building.
This opened on 19th December 1930 as the Leicester Square Theatre, originally conceived as a live theatre for actor Jack Buchanan. However, it opened with combined movie and stage show presentations and was leased out to various companies in its early years. Original seating capacity was 1,760 in stalls, circle and balcony. In 1968 this original highly decorated interior was totally gutted to be replaced by a bland 1,407 seat auditorium wich remained until its recent twinning.
The architect of the Odeon was T. P. Bennett & Son. It opened on 2nd February 1967.
The Odeon is not renovating, it is open as a 4 screen cinema.
The bingo operation in the former stalls area closed in 2001. As at June 2004, plans have been approved to convert the Grade II listed building into a 182 bedroomed hotel.
Kilburn is an inner city suburb of London, UK.
The last films in the main auditorium “Jungleburger” & “Inglorious Bastards” were screened on 18th September 1980.
The Electric Cinema Theatre address is 191 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London. W11. The architect of this 600 seat cinema was Gerald Seymour Valentin. It opened on 24th February 1910 and from 1932 it was re-named Imperial Playhouse until it closed on 12th December 1970. It re-opened as the Electric Cinema Club screening classic Avante Garde movies and since then has had several closing and re-openings. It still survives as one of the UK’s oldest operating purpose built cinemas.
The Columbia was built on the site of the bombed out Shaftesbury Pavilion/Gaumont News Theatre of 1912. The new cinema was originally going to be a sister theatre to the Curzon Mayfair and had the same architectural firm of Sir John Burnet, Tait and Partners. The architect in charge being H.G. Hammond. Columbia Pictures took over the lease during construction and it opened as the Columbia. It was equipped to show 70mm and Todd AO films.
The Carlton (as it it still fondly remembered) was designed by architects Frank T. Verity and Samuel Beverley. It was a project of Carlton Theatre Co, a company set up by Paramount Pictures Ltd who owned the nearby Plaza, Regent St. The Carlton opened as a live theatre, but went over to full time film use in May 1929. The original seating capacity was 1,159. After many years being operated by Paramount Pictures it was taken over by Twentieth Century Fox in March 1954 and they installed CinemaScope. In 1960 the stage was brought back into use for the last time when Anthony Newley starred in a special stage show prior to the screenings of his starring movie “Let’s Get Married”.