New Theatre
8008 Rockaway Beach Boulevard,
Rockaway Beach,
NY
11693
8008 Rockaway Beach Boulevard,
Rockaway Beach,
NY
11693
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Greetings! I’d like to add a few corrections to the caption below the photograph. But first, my opinion is that this photo was Not from 1954 rather a little later. This photo depicts boarded up windows and posted advertisements. There is also No lettering for the movie that is presently being featured. I posted a photo of the New Theater with a lit up marquee and it’s from later 1954 or early 55. My photo shows area facing west and it does show a Hammel building under construction however, there are 5+ unviewable buildings behind the one being built. The New Theater (or Theatre) was located at 8008 Rockaway “Beach” Boulevard, Rockaway Beach, NY 11693 and was Not on “Rockaway Boulevard” (Rock Blvd begins in Nassau county, Long Island and continues through Jamaica, Queens and then on to Ozone park, Queens). Secondly, the photograph of the closed theater states the camera location as facing south when actually it stands from Beach 81 street facing North - East (toward B.80 street) My elementary school P.S. 183 is just up the block on B.80 street. Thirdly, yes the NYC Hammel Houses were built in 1954 however, families were already moved in by then. I lived there ½ block from the New Theater and I’ve been to this theater several times. Once to see Abbott & Costello. The luncheonette and candy store to the right of the theater was “Fanny’s” along with her husband George they were the proprietors. Doctor Blum was upstairs from the diner. “Lena’s” candy store was to the left (out of photo veiw) along with the NY Telephone company building (corner of B.81 street and still standing today!). As for the discussion on the “Park Theater”, “robboehm” is correct that the Park is a different theater altogether. It was located almost 2 miles away on B.116 street just feet from the boardwalk. I went there in 1966 to see “Hang Em High” Update! Sadly, The Park Theater has now been demolished (noted June 2021).
As a child, I used to watch Saturday double features here in the late 50s/early 60s.
Welcome back, Lost Memory! It’s been like five years. Glad to see you posting again.
In all the ads I’ve seen for the New they favored the spelling theatre.
The second photo link is indeed the New Theater before it was demolished. The Belle Harbor was the final name of the Park Theater which was located on Beach 116th Street. That building still stands.
It looks like I posted the 4/10 image on the Park page on 4/11/09.
I have confirmed that the 4/10/09 image is, in fact, the Park Theatre when it was the Belle Harbor.
There is no way the image posted 4/10/09 is the New Theatre when you compare is with the image posted 4/16/09. It has been suggested it is the Park but all the Park links are no longer working. Also it was never posted on the Park site for confirmation, but that wasn’t done. Could you please do so Ken.
OK, I will post it over there. Thanks.
The view from the side in the 1950s photo at the top matches the front view in this 1980 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/d9nv3a
In the book “Nickelodeon Theatres and Their Music” by Q. David Bowers, a Wurlitzer ad from 1914 is reproduced on page 143.
The New Theatre
K and K Amusement Corporation
Boulevard and Pleasant Avenue
Charles Kramer – president
Woody? [could be “Teddy”,“Tedore”(Theodore?) or “Moore] Klein [manager?]
Rockaway Beach, N.Y.
“It is impossible for a whole orchestra of fifteen or more pieces to render such music or follow the pictures as well as your Wurlitzer orchestra [photoplayer?] under the control of one musician”.
[signature indecipherable].