Sunnyside Theatre

This picture comes from" Tax Department Photographs 1940- the New York City Municipal Archives"
Many of us have been told that Sunnyside had four movie theatres, the Century's  Bliss, Center, 43rd St., and the Sunnyside. We are happy to be able to show you all of them for the first time. You will find the Center under a business listing since its still operating, and the other three in this web site part of the "good old days" The Sunnyside Movie house was located under the train elevator line at 50-19 Roosevelt Avenue and 51 Street. In 1941 when this picture was taken, the double features were Jane Withers starring in "Golden Hoofs" and "Meet the Chump". The Sunnyside Theatre first opened on December 28th 1926 with the silent film "Sweet Rosie O' Grady". It was built by Grobe & Knoebel a small circuit that also owned the Jackson and Boulevard Theatres in Jackson Heights.The auditorium was rather unique, with all 2,046 seats on the ground floor, which was 110 feet wide and 142 feet long from last row to stage, with a pitch of seven feet from rear to front. There were five sections of seats, divided by four aisles. The stage was 98 feet wide across the wings and 26 feet deep. The proscenium opening was 45 feet wide and 25 feet high. The highly ornamented ceiling, which rose to a height of 55 feet, had a cove-lighted dome in the center, hanging from which was a huge crystal chandelier with special lighting effects. Twelve smaller crystal chandeliers were hung along the two side walls and rear of the auditorium. The walls were decorated in ornamental plaster relief, interspersed with draped arches. Still more crystal chandeliers decorated the foyer and lobby.

The Sunnyside first opened on December 28, 1926, with vaudeville and the movie "Sweet Rosie O'Grady". Soon after, the circuit-owner was taken over by William Fox. After Fox's bankruptcy, the Sunnyside landed under Skouras management and was later taken over by the Century circuit. The theatre closed in 1961, it sat vacant until demolition on January 26th 1965. 
(circa 1941)
We thank Mr. Warren Harris for much of this very important information about the Sunnyside theatre.