RKO Commack Twin
Veterans Highway,
Commack,
NY
11725
Veterans Highway,
Commack,
NY
11725
5 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 157 comments
Commack addendum: places of yesteryear: that strange ice cream parlour next to Toy’s R Us (which was Bargain Town USA when it opened in 1971 or 1972??) , Bargain Books (in the Mayfair shopping center), Pergaments!, Hardees, the 5 & 10 store in the Commack Corners plaza, and where Starbucks is now, it was a vacant lot for years going back to the 1970’s….but back in the 1960s it was a small shopping center with a beauty parlour!
Frankaholic, I was also at the Commack Drive In for Friday the 13th/ Frightmare (forgot the name of the second bill!), and When a Stranger Calls at the RKO Twin! The great Fog/Phantasm double bill trailer (commercial) turns up on DVD trailer comps, (I think on Something Weird Video?) The voice-over said: “The Fog grabs you! Phantasm never lets you go!” . I would have never paid money to see Caveman, however. LOL. I saw Grease at the Mayfair. I’m telling you- we need to have a Commack Drive In / RKO reunion in the parking lot of that shopping center! Bring beers and tell stories……..
I’m so glad I found this site, ahhh the good ole days! (and i’m only 37…). Some flicks I saw at Commack RKO twin: The Fog and Phantasm on a double bill,(and my Dad pulled me out during the opening scene of Phantasm), When a Stranger Calls, Grease, Empire Strikes Back, Mommie Dearest, Return of the Jedi. At the drive-in: Saturday Night Fever (the “PG”, re-released version)on a double bill with Jaws, Friday the 13th (with Frightmare), Battlestar Galactica was on a double bill with something, I don’t remember! Mayfair was the first movie house in Commack. I saw Caveman there, Risky Business. We went to see Cinderella there in the 70s, but it was sold out.
longislandmovies; is that your car parked in my RKO pic!?
This shot is looking west; that is actually the front of the RKO, even though it is so nondescript is looks like the rear. And I can see the Candlelight Diner just past the RKO.
Elvis died in Summer of 1977; therefore, Rosie was probably watching Star Wars, Orca or The Deep ….. although I’d like to think she was seeing Suspiria !
a 1980’s Commack Drive In marquee shot w/ the RKO Twin behind it!
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rosie lived close to the theater ….this is were he saw many a movie……
From Rosie O'Donnell’s blog at www.rosie.com
Kathy writes:
Q: PLEASE, PLEASE ANSWER … Do U remember where U where when U heard Elvis Presley died? I do and I was only 7. Luved that man!
A: I was at the rko movie theater in commack long island
…aren’t you glad it’s not “Star Wars”?
One of my best childhood viewings at the Commack RKO:
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I worked in the village in high school also bloop…
1983-84
Longislandmovies; what years did you manage the York ?
Oh by the way, I’d like to see how the Will Rogers collection cans would do with today’s Long Island teen audiences.
If it does well, it’s probably only because of people trying to find an alternative to the Commack Multi-Obnoxious-Teenager-Plex! The Shore used to be an alternative (for me; I worked in Huntington village for a decade). Now that has gone “Lolita-Plex”.
ELWOOD NOW IS A 4 SCREEN AS OF LAST YEAR OR 2 …DOES VERY WELL..
The RKO Commack and RKO Rockville Center, were mirror image bookings in the early 1970’s. I think the Babylon was too. I have some ads, with these very uniform bookings that I will post soon.
So when are we gonna have that “Commack Drive In / Commack R.K.O.” tailgate/reunion party ?
Saps, I saw “Taste the Blood of Dracula” (great title!) at the RKO, but have NO memory of “Trog”. I think my father made us leave before it started (knowing that it was a “bomb”?). Yeah, the Will Rogers thing was annoying…they did it at Whitman too? And I remember it was the same ritual at Elwood but I could be wrong. ____
By the way, I’m shocked that Elwood is still standing…That has “closed/demolished” written all over it! C'mon people—lets wreck it an put a C.V.S. up in it’s place!
century and rko ran will rodgers…………that was the worst
I saw that Trog/Dracula double feature. Trog was my first Joan Crawford picture, and her last. Thanks for the flashback.
Was it the RKO the theaters chain where they showed that Will Rogers short “commercial” then had the ushers come around with cans collecting change? That was very strange and discomforting—even for a good charity..at least that’s how I had felt as a kid. They showed the “commercial” way into the 80’s and it was in horrible shape as well.
I guess it’s “happenstance”. The two theaters were not connected in any way. But when you think about it—were there any other two movie theaters ANYWHERE, that were so close together?
I think i have heard of this before at other indoor /out door theaters when they are both the same company..never saw this situation…