The pictures you have are of the Rivoli Theater which was located just up the block from the Calderone. The Rivoli was know as the Calderone 2 for a period to try to change the bad image it had for may years. It did not work… The theater has been demolished.
I managed this theater from 1973 until it closed in 1974. By far the best theater here on Long Island. Its too bad that the origional plans could not be completed on this building due to a water problem under it. It was to have a large stage with all the magic of Radio City. The origional plans were to have stage and screen shows using the same format as the Music Hall. During construction of the stage area, a stream under the building could not be relocated and after about a year, the decision was made to close up the stage wall and have the theater used for movies only. This will help explain the size of this theater. However, the Calderone did very well during the 1950 up until about 1967 when a riot in the theater happened during the showing of the Planet of the Apes. Much damage was done to the lobby and the front glass. The theater was closed for a couple of days. The Calderone suffered from this riot and business fell off. United Artists did not renew its lease with the Calderone family and AIT took over the theater in the early 70’s. In 1974, I put the key in the door and we walked away from it. Several stage shows followed on a platform stage that was added but nothing worked well enough. Parking and the area were both against the Calderone. It stayed closed for many years until it was made into 7 theaters. That also did not work and now I understand a church has taken it over. Good luck to them !!!
I managed this theater for a short time in 1967-68. I was drafted in 68 and had to leave. This was a single screen theater at the time I was there and was set up with 70mm as it was used for Roadshows during the early 60’s. The first reserved seat performance was Dr Zhivago followed by the Sound of Music. This was a great single screen theater with a full stage and a working pipe organ in the orchestra pit. Today the theater is in poor shape and the division of the auditorium had removed all the beauty of the theater. I understand its fate with the wrecking ball is only a short time away…. What a shame!!!
I was not aware that RKO took over the Valley Stream Theater after 1974. I was working for AIT as a theater manager in the 70’s. I was at the Calderone Theater in Hempstead when AIT closed all the Calderone Theaters. This included the Mineola, Hempstead, Rivoli ( in Hempstead) the Valley Stream, Westbury and the Calderone. All of the theaters have been demolished except for the Calderone and I believe the Westbury is still standing. I was present when the Valley Stream was torn down. How sad !!!. This never should have happened as there was still a lot of life left in this building.
The Valley Stream Theater was not run by RKO…. It was built by the Calderone family around 1925 and was run by Skouras Theaters. Some time in the 1960’s. United Artists took over. They were followed by Associated Independant Theaters who closed the theater to movies in 1974. The Valley Stream Theater had some live performances for a period of time but was unsuccessful. The seat did not seat 2,500 as you show. The seating was for 1,025 which is a bit too small for live productions to profit. I worked in this theater for many years and just wanted to correct the record.
The pictures you have are of the Rivoli Theater which was located just up the block from the Calderone. The Rivoli was know as the Calderone 2 for a period to try to change the bad image it had for may years. It did not work… The theater has been demolished.
I managed this theater from 1973 until it closed in 1974. By far the best theater here on Long Island. Its too bad that the origional plans could not be completed on this building due to a water problem under it. It was to have a large stage with all the magic of Radio City. The origional plans were to have stage and screen shows using the same format as the Music Hall. During construction of the stage area, a stream under the building could not be relocated and after about a year, the decision was made to close up the stage wall and have the theater used for movies only. This will help explain the size of this theater. However, the Calderone did very well during the 1950 up until about 1967 when a riot in the theater happened during the showing of the Planet of the Apes. Much damage was done to the lobby and the front glass. The theater was closed for a couple of days. The Calderone suffered from this riot and business fell off. United Artists did not renew its lease with the Calderone family and AIT took over the theater in the early 70’s. In 1974, I put the key in the door and we walked away from it. Several stage shows followed on a platform stage that was added but nothing worked well enough. Parking and the area were both against the Calderone. It stayed closed for many years until it was made into 7 theaters. That also did not work and now I understand a church has taken it over. Good luck to them !!!
I managed this theater for a short time in 1967-68. I was drafted in 68 and had to leave. This was a single screen theater at the time I was there and was set up with 70mm as it was used for Roadshows during the early 60’s. The first reserved seat performance was Dr Zhivago followed by the Sound of Music. This was a great single screen theater with a full stage and a working pipe organ in the orchestra pit. Today the theater is in poor shape and the division of the auditorium had removed all the beauty of the theater. I understand its fate with the wrecking ball is only a short time away…. What a shame!!!
I was not aware that RKO took over the Valley Stream Theater after 1974. I was working for AIT as a theater manager in the 70’s. I was at the Calderone Theater in Hempstead when AIT closed all the Calderone Theaters. This included the Mineola, Hempstead, Rivoli ( in Hempstead) the Valley Stream, Westbury and the Calderone. All of the theaters have been demolished except for the Calderone and I believe the Westbury is still standing. I was present when the Valley Stream was torn down. How sad !!!. This never should have happened as there was still a lot of life left in this building.
The Valley Stream Theater was not run by RKO…. It was built by the Calderone family around 1925 and was run by Skouras Theaters. Some time in the 1960’s. United Artists took over. They were followed by Associated Independant Theaters who closed the theater to movies in 1974. The Valley Stream Theater had some live performances for a period of time but was unsuccessful. The seat did not seat 2,500 as you show. The seating was for 1,025 which is a bit too small for live productions to profit. I worked in this theater for many years and just wanted to correct the record.