Beach Theatre
1318 Atlantic Avenue,
Atlantic City,
NJ
08401
1318 Atlantic Avenue,
Atlantic City,
NJ
08401
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previous Names: Embassy Theatre, City Square Theatre, Shore Theatre
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A pre-World War I theatre, the Embassy Theatre was opened in 1911. It was renamed City Square Theatre on April 1, 1912. It reopened as the Embassy Theatre again on January 13, 1931. From February 28, 1941 it operated as the Shore Theatre. On January 15, 1952 it was renamed Beach Theatre. It ended its days as the Beach Theatre. It was the last cinema to operate in Atlantic City (until the recent opening of an IMAX venue), staying open as an adult house until it was damaged by fire around 1990.
Contributed by
RickB
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Recent comments (view all 43 comments)
TheAlan I grew up in AC and at least from 67 until it closed it was the Beach. The Embassy and Shore were two different theaters. The Embassy was part of the Apollo circuit chain along wioth the Strand and Apollo later sold to the dreadful Frank Theaters. The Shore along with the Hollywood, Center, Roxy and Virginia were part of the George A Hamid chain which also owned the Steel Pier and Million Dollar Pier.
Mikeoaklandpark: This theater was called the Shore from 1947 to 1952, and had opened as the Embassy Theatre in 1911. It became the City Square Theatre in the 1920s, and was the Beach Theatre from 1952 until closing.
Did Once is Not Enough play at this theater? I remember walking by the theater where it was playing as a boy.
It did not. It was at the Charles.
Reopened as Beach on January 15th, 1952. Ad posted.
Beach theatre opening 15 Jan 1952, Tue Press of Atlantic City (Atlantic City, New Jersey) Newspapers.com
Reopened as Embassy on January 17th, 1931. Ad posted.
Reopened as Shore on February 28th, 1947 with “The Fabulous Dorseys”
Opened as the City Square theatre on April 1st, 1912. ad posted.
In 1982 I worked the XXX Beach theatre (union job) in Atlantic City. One night, I got I got up to make a change over (no reel end alarms) I looked out the porthole, & I thought I was at a drive-in on a foggy night! I smelled smoke! I called down to the cashier Told her to call 911. The shoe store next to our entrance, it was on fire! The flames had already burned through the ceiling to the vacant apartments above! I turned on all of the house lights I released the chain to close the port holes stopped the projector (Brenkert) I went out the fireproof corrugated door into the smokey hallway across from the apartments. The steps that lead down to the balcony were already on fire! As I was descending the burning steps, a brave Atlantic City fireman was coming yelling for anyone. … It was muti-alarm fire. Outside, I told one newspaper reporter the “They Were Showing Smokers in there”! … Several months later, the two stores were boarded up. the apartment widows, above the marquee were boarded up. the facade was very charred. I went up to the booth (yes, they reopened it!) The old apartment doors were open & the electric & water shut off We used the toilet (local 310 guys) in one of them. I opened the booth door, & lo & behold; everything was in pristine condition! …Dumb old me had saved the theatre! …However, a year later it permanently closes because of the VCR craze. The good news is that I believe that (2024) it’s all still all there!
Hey Bob. Glad you are still around. Saw many movies there starting in 68 Yours Mine and Ours. In the porn era they did run a double feature Lady Sings the Blues and Mahogany for a few weeks than back to porn. I think after we saw YMAO, they put a new screen in. YMAO did not have any masking it was a screen that looked like maybe it had masking that came down for scope. Years later they had side masking and I believe top too.